Rays get money to fix roof of Tropicana Field
Photo credit: https://www.espn.com
On Thursday afternoon, it was reported that Saint Petersburg City Council approved $22.5MM in funding to repair the roof of Tropicana Field after it was damaged by the effects of Hurricane Milton. The Associated Press was first to release the news.
While this certainly helps the Rays, it is less than half of the estimated $55.7MM needed to fully repair all damages.
While the roof is main part of the stadium that needs fixing, the playing surface and lighting also need repairs.
«We are pleased to see City Council take this important step toward preparing Tropicana Field for Major League Baseball in time for 2026 Opening Day. We commend in particular city, Rays and MLB staff for their cooperative efforts to get us to this point.» - Rays President Brian Auld
.Due to being unable to play at the Trop this year, the Rays have reached an agreement to play their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field, which is the Spring Training home of the New York Yankees.
Even before the hurricane, Tropicana Field had been a point of contention around the league as a stadium that wasn't up to major league standards. The Rays have three years left on their lease, which expires in 2028. After that, it is unknown what will happen, though there have been talks about relocating to Orlando.
Although the Rays have the city of Tampa Bay in their name, they actually play in St. Petersburg, a district which is obligated to cover the cost of the roof repair. With the funding now approved, MLB and the Rays are hopeful that the stadium will be to ready to go by opening day 2026.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 5 | 95 ANSWERS Rays get money to fix roof of Tropicana Field Will Tropicana Field be fixed by opening day 2026? | ||
| Yes | 26 | 27.4 % |
| No | 48 | 50.5 % |
| The Rays should just move already | 21 | 22.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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