The Tampa Bay Rays moved closer to having a permanent home base Thursday, May 29th, after the St. Petersburg City Council approved funding to repair their hurricane-damaged stadium. Tropicana Field faced significant damage from Hurricane Milton, which struck the gulf coast of Florida as an intense category three storm. Milton ripped off large sections of the roof of the stadium, leaving debris scattered throughout the inside of the dome. The council voted 7-1 to allocate $22.5 million for a new roof at Tropicana Field.
The replacement roof will use the same teflon-coated fiberglass material as the original structure that was destroyed by the storm. This funding represents approximately half of the total estimated repair costs, which city officials have pegged at $55.7 million for complete restoration of the facility.
The decision comes with the Rays currently displaced from their longtime home, playing the 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The Yankees' spring training facility, which also hosts their Single-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons, seats roughly 11,000 fans compared to Tropicana Field's capacity of over 25,000.
City officials emphasized they had little choice in the matter due to their contractual obligations as the stadium's landlord. "I'd much rather be spending that money on hurricane recovery and helping residents in our most affected neighborhoods," said council member Brandi Gabbard, "but this is our obligation."
The sole dissenting vote came from council member Richie Floyd, who questioned whether negotiating a settlement with the team might have been more cost-effective than proceeding with repairs. The relationship between the city and team has been strained since the Rays withdrew from a $1.3 billion agreement to construct a new downtown stadium just last month.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding their long-term future in St. Petersburg, team officials expressed satisfaction with the council's decision. "We are pleased to see the City Council take this important step toward preparing Tropicana Field for Major League Baseball in time for 2026 Opening Day," Auld said in a statement Thursday. "We commend in particular City, Rays, and MLB staff for their cooperative efforts to get us to this point."
The team is locked into playing at Tropicana Field through the 2028 season under their current lease agreement, though speculation continues about their eventual relocation. Orlando has emerged as a potential destination if the franchise decides to leave the Tampa Bay area entirely.
City officials project the roof installation will be completed by December, putting the facility on track for the Rays' targeted return for the 2026 season. The specialized roofing materials will be manufactured in Germany, assembled in China, and shipped to Florida for installation—a process that underscores the complex logistics involved in the restoration project.
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