The Tampa Bay Rays’ hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field will not be repaired in time for next season, according to a report released Tuesday by the city of St. Petersburg, Fla.
The domed stadium was hammered by winds from Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9 and will need more than $55 million in repairs, although it could have been much worse.
The 412-page report from Hennessy Construction Services said although the fabric roof panels were shredded, the basic structure of the facility was not “adversely affected.”
“The primary structure is serviceable and capable of supporting a replacement tension membrane fabric roof,” read the report.
The ballpark opened in 1990 and has hosted the Rays since their inaugural season in 1998. Based on the report, the Rays will need to play elsewhere for the 2025 season.
Major League Baseball has said it wants the team to remain in the area, possibly playing at one of the minor league stadiums in Tampa, Clearwater, Dunedin, Sarasota, Lakeland or Port Charlotte.
Votes on $312.5 million worth of bonds to help finance a new $1.3 billion facility ahead of the 2028 season were delayed last month. There are questions about whether they will pass with both government boards having newly elected members.
The county commission will swear in two new members, with a potential vote on the bonds coming at a Nov. 19 meeting.
“We are in a new era right here,” said Chris Scherer, one of the new commission members whose townhome was flooded due to Hurricane Helene, per TBNweekly.com. “I mean, whatever was agreed to before needs to be looked at differently now, because we are dealing with a county where, you know, tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed, and our infrastructure that was inadequate to begin with has suffered a lot of damage.”
Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg City Council plans to discuss the assessment report at its Nov. 21 meeting, according to an ESPN report.
The city and the county both have until March 31, 2025, to issue the bonds.
