This afternoon, the city council of St. Petersburg approved $ 22.5 million for the repair of the Tropicana field roof (link via the Associated Press). This is less half of the estimated a total of $ 55.7 million, which can be played again after the hurricane damage of the hurricane last autumn. Further necessary corrections are repairs on the playing area and lighting. The roof is expected to take 10 months, according to AP.
“We are pleased that the city council is preparing this important step to prepare Tropicana Field for Major League Baseball in good time for the opening day 2026.“Rays President Brian Auld said in an explanation.”In particular, we praise city, rays and MLB employees for their cooperative efforts to bring ourselves to this point.“”
The city of St. Petersburg has the Tropicana field, which rents it on the rays. The city is therefore obliged to cover the repair costs. The Major League Baseball and the Rays have made hope that the field will be ready by the opening day. You still have three years on your lease. Since the field is not used this year, the rental agreement is extended by one season. You will play contractually by 2028 by 2028, provided you can return to the stadium next year.
What happens afterwards is unknown. Colleen Wright from Tampa Bay Times wrote at the beginning of this week that the project officially died for a new baseball stadium in St. Petersburg on Tuesday. The rays had already announced that they would not continue this plan, and named cost crossing in connection with delays in the consent of the district of bonds. In contrast to the repairs of Tropicana field, the rays would have been responsible for excess costs for the new stadium. Technically speaking, the bonds remained available until March 31, when the preliminary agreement was officially falsified because the rays had not met the necessary construction benchmarks.
The rays were not allowed to speak to other communities until the Treaty of St. Petersburg had officially expired. Team President Matt Silverman proposed last month that after March 31st with the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County, they could meet the city of Tampa and Hillsborough again. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated that MLB is still obliged to find a solution in the Tampa Bay Area. The rays could not examine the move without the league's approval.