Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays hope the city of St. Petersburg, Fla., to complete repairs at Tropicana Field in time for Opening Day 2026 after Hurricane Milton ripped fabric panels from the roof of its dome and damaged some areas of the building’s interior, until and all while plans are moving forward to build a new stadium for the team.
In a Dec. 30 letter to the St. Petersburg city manager, Rays president Matthew Silverman wrote that “the Rays support and expect the city to rebuild Tropicana Field,” under the terms of the equipment use agreement with the city for the facilities.
City officials voted last month to award contracts to Atlanta-based Associated Space Design Inc. to develop plans for repairs other than roof work and St. Petersburg-based Hennessy Construction Services Corp. to to pre-construction services so that the company can offer a guaranteed maximum price. for approval before work begins, but has not yet approved full funding.
Repairs to the stadium are estimated to cost $55.7 million, St. Petersburg City Architect Raul Quintana previously said during a council meeting. And a schedule he presented to the council last month would have the repairs completed in time for the 2026 baseball season.
“A partial 2026 season at Tropicana Field would present significant logistical and revenue challenges for the team,” Silverman wrote in the letter. “Therefore, it is critical that reconstruction begin in earnest as soon as possible, that a realistic completion schedule be quickly developed, and that the city diligently pursue reconstruction as required by the use agreement.”
Silverman also noted that the user agreement, according to its terms, will be extended through the end of the 2028 season because of the damage.
That may work for the team, as its leaders warned county officials in the fall that a delayed vote to help finance the new $1.3 billion stadium had pushed back its expected completion date, from so it would not be complete in time for the start of the 2028 baseball season.
The Rays plan to play home games this coming season at the smaller George M. Steinbrenner Field in neighboring Hillsborough County, where the New York Yankees hold spring training.
Meanwhile, city officials have moved forward with cleanup at Tropicana Field. Crews from contractor Global Rope Access removed torn fabric and loose metal panels from the dome, City Development Authority Managing Director Beth Herendeen told council members at their meeting on december
