This afternoon, the City Council of Saint Petersburg approved $ 22.5 million in funding to repair the roof on the Tropicana field (link via the Associated Press). It is less half of $ 55.7 million estimated overall necessary to bring the overpayment back after the damage of the hurricane last fall. The other necessary fixes include repairs of the playing surface and lighting. The roof should take 10 months, according to the AP.
“”We are delighted to see the municipal council cross this important step towards the preparation of the tropicana land for Major League Baseball in time for the opening day in 2026,“The president of the Rays, Brian Auld, said in a statement.”We congratulate in particular the city, the rays and the MLB staff for their cooperation efforts to bring us to this point.“”
The city of Saint Petersburg has Tropicana Field, which it rents on the shelves. The city is therefore obliged to cover the repair costs. Major League Baseball and the Rays have hoped that the land will be ready for opening. There are three years left on their lease. Since the area is not used this year, the lease is extended by a season. They are contracted to play too much until 2028, assuming they are able to return to the stadium next year.
What is happening after that is unknown. Colleen Wright of Tampa Bay Times wrote earlier this week than the project for a new stadium to build in Saint Petersburg was officially died on Tuesday. The Rays had already announced that they would not carry out this plan, quoting cost beings linked to delays in the approval of obligations by the county. Unlike tropicana’s field repairs, the Rays were responsible for the excess costs on the new stadium. The obligations nevertheless remained technically available until March 31, the date on which the provisional agreement officially paraded because the shelves had not encountered the necessary construction benchmarks.
The Rays were not allowed to speak with other municipalities until the Saint Petersburg agreement is officially expired. The team president Matt Silverman suggested last month that they could re -engage with the city of Tampa and the county of Hillsborough after March 31. Commissioner Rob Manfred said on several occasions that the MLB was determined to find a solution in the Tampa Bay region. The Rays could not explore the relocation without approval of the league.
