hurricane milton Devastated areas of Florida in October. Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays for the past 26 seasons, was severely damaged when a powerful tropical storm made landfall.
The dome's structural integrity appears to be intact, but the roof will need to be replaced, according to the assessment report. The report was sent to members of the St. Petersburg City Council on Tuesday, setting out a projected timeline and budget for repairs. Tropicana Field is not within the city limits of Tampa and is owned by the neighboring city of St. Petersburg.
Repairs will cost an estimated $55.7 million and could be completed before the start of the Rays' 2026 regular season, according to a damage assessment report.
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Tropicana Field's roof is damaged Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Florida, the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the area. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)
The report does not list all items to be repaired, but it estimates damage caused by Hurricane Milton to be approximately $39 million. It also includes an additional $16 million in design, permitting, insurance, inspection, staffing and construction contingencies. The cost of replacing the roof is expected to account for approximately $23.6 million of the bill.
According to the report, 18 of the stadium's 24 fabric panels were damaged on Oct. 9. There was also damage to internal parts of the stadium due to rainwater and other storm-related causes. The stadium opened in 1990 and has been the home of the Rays since its inception in 1998.
MLB wants Rays to play home games in Tampa Bay area even if Tropicana Stadium can't be repaired in time
St. Petersburg previously announced plans to build a new $1.3 billion stadium, which could open by 2028. Tropicana Field will be demolished once the new stadium is ready. Given the unforeseen costs to the city and Pinellas County from the two hurricanes — massive debris removal and damage to parks and infrastructure — two of the new stadium's main sources of funding may or may not reconsider their plans. It's possible they will decide not to renovate Tropicana Field at all.
A drone image of the Tropicana Field dome torn apart by Hurricane Milton on October 10, 2024 in St. Petersburg, Florida. At least four people are confirmed dead from two tornadoes caused by Hurricane Milton. Local authorities on the east coast of the US state of Florida announced Thursday. (Brian R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)
The St. Petersburg City Council is scheduled to discuss the report at its November 21 meeting.
“There are so many needs across the city,” City Councilwoman Brandi Gabbard said at last week’s meeting. “I love the Rays. I love Tropicana Field. It's not that I don't want to do this. It's a balance of priorities.”
The City Council recently approved $6.5 million to clean and protect the ballpark from further damage, including waterproof areas such as the press box, seating sections and scoreboard.
The city is making an insurance claim for the damage and repairs, which includes a $22 million deductible and will likely only cover a portion of the overall cost. This means that people's tax money could be used.
Panoramic view of the stadium before the game between the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said the city expects insurance and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds to cover most of the repairs. “We believe it is important for our community to have local teams playing in St. Petersburg as soon as possible,” Welch said in a statement.
Based on this damage and repair evaluation, the stadium will not be completed until the 2026 season, meaning the Rays will have to find another place to play next year.
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Major League Baseball wants the Rays to stay in areas near their fan base if possible, and several spring training sites in the Tampa Bay area have been proposed. These include ballparks in Clearwater (Phillies), Tampa (Yankees), Dunedin (Blue Jays), Sarasota (Orioles), Lakeland (Tigers), and the Rays' own spring training home in Port Charlotte. Most of these locations host minor league teams during the summer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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