Metropolis Administrator Rob Gerdes has advised the Tampa Bay Rays in a letter that St. Petersburg is below no obligation to restore Tropicana Subject in time for opening day 2026, because the Rays now anticipate.
The back-and-forth written change between the Rays and the Pinellas County Fee over subsequent steps after Hurricane Milton tore the roof off the stadium is now taking place between town and the staff on repairs to Tropicana Subject. Nonetheless unclear is the place the Rays stand on a deal to construct a brand new $1.3 billion stadium, which would come with demolishing Tropicana Subject in a number of years for brand new improvement.
Rays president Matt Silverman wrote a letter to town Dec. 30 saying the membership has modified its place on repairs to the dome. One other staff official advised in November that town not transfer ahead with repairs after the Metropolis Council authorized funding for these fixes, a choice that was later referred to as again and rejected.
Silverman mentioned the Rays now “help and anticipate” the Trop to be repaired as required by town’s contract with the staff. He mentioned {that a} partial 2026 season within the Trop would “current huge logistical and income challenges” for the staff.
In a letter dated Jan. 15, Gerdes replied to Silverman and mentioned town’s settlement with the Rays doesn’t include a deadline. He identified that town is required to “diligently pursue” repairs to the Trop, however the settlement doesn’t set up a deadline for finishing these repairs.
For yearly the Trop can’t be used, the present use settlement between town and the Rays is prolonged by a 12 months. Because of this, Gerdes wrote, the settlement might prolong past the 2028 season.
“We sit up for cooperating to try to realize the mutual aim of creating Tropicana Subject appropriate for Main League Baseball video games by opening day of the 2026 season,” Gerdes wrote. “Nonetheless, you will need to reiterate that the present Use Settlement governs the obligations of the events and any correspondence between the Metropolis of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays doesn’t alter these obligations.”
The Rays declined remark for this story.
The 1995 settlement additionally states that whereas the Trop is just not appropriate for enjoying house video games, town will “fairly help” the Rays find a substitute location. Any expense that comes with discovering that location and making it acceptable to Main League Baseball ought to be paid out of an account utilized by the Rays for minor repairs on the Trop.
The Rays plan to play the 2025 season at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Subject, the spring coaching house of the New York Yankees. As for 2026, it’s attainable the Rays might open the season in Tampa or Clearwater on the Philadelphia Phillies spring coaching house, BayCare Ballpark, and transfer into the Trop midseason.
The town is taking a look at a invoice of at the least $56 million to restore Tropicana Subject. The roof alone would price at about $24 million. The town is searching for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Administration Company and insurance coverage, although town has a $22 million deductible. If repairs are authorized, town would borrow cash from different metropolis funds.
The Rays requested establishing a working group with key metropolis employees and an unbiased adviser employed by MLB to judge the timeline and monitor progress of repairs to Tropicana Subject. That group has met weekly to debate repairing the Trop to MLB requirements.
Metropolis officers mentioned in December that repairs could possibly be achieved in time for the 2026 season. In accordance with town’s timeline, approval would want to occur by late March as a way to set up a brand new roof membrane and turf by February 2026.
On Feb. 6, the Metropolis Council will resolve whether or not to spend one other $55,000 to proceed eradicating roof supplies “because of climate delays and elimination taking longer than estimated,” in keeping with a piece order.
That March timeline coincides with the Rays’ deadline to finish a guidelines of situations to town and county’s satisfaction to entry public funding to construct the brand new stadium. That features offering proof that the Rays have money available to pay an estimated $700 million share of a brand new stadium.
If the Rays don’t full that guidelines, the staff could be in default of the stadium and Historic Fuel Plant District redevelopment agreements. That might enable town and the county to start unwinding the deal celebrated with votes final summer season.