The St Petersburg City Council has reversed its decision to allocate $23 million to repair the Tropicana Field roof damaged by Hurricane Milton. Amid delays in funding for a new stadium and tensions between city officials and the team, the fate of the Tampa Bay Rays remains uncertain.

Vote that changes everything

The St. Petersburg City Council made a decision in recent days that sheds new light on the future of Tropicana Field and the Tampa Bay Rays team. Initially, the council voted to allocate $23 million to repair the stadium's roof, which was damaged during Hurricane Milton. However, a few hours later, the decision was cancelled. This event further complicates the already difficult talks about the team's future in the Tampa Bay region.

The decision to halt repairs to the Tropicana Field roof is a response to a number of destabilising factors in recent weeks, from delays in funding for a new stadium to tensions between local authorities and Rays team management. As council president Deborah Figg-Sanders points out, we won't get there if we keep finding ways we can't.

Repairs to the stadium roof have been estimated at $55.7m. This cost includes repairs to the roofing itself, as well as water damage to the interior of the stadium. The work is crucial to allow the facility to continue to be used until the end of the 2027 season, when the Rays' current lease expires. However, council members point to uncertainty over funding sources - from insurance coverage to possible support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

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I don't see a way out of it. We have a contract that's in place. We're obligated to do it. We are going to fix the roof - Council member Gina Driscoll said. Some councillors argued that city residents, who themselves are struggling to repair hurricane-damaged homes, may be concerned about the scale of public spending on baseball. Why are we looking to expend so much money right away when there is so much uncertainty? - Councillor Richie Floyd asked.

Rays future in question

This situation is compounded by the issue of the construction of a new Rays stadium in St Petersburg, which has stalled. Delays in the approval of a $312.5 million bond by the Pinellas County Commission have altered the construction schedule for the facility. The Rays expressed their disappointment in a letter to local authorities, pointing out that the delays are generating significantly higher costs, which the organisation is unable to cover.

Current plans are that the new stadium could not open until 2029, causing frustration among team officials. Rays co-president Brian Auld highlighted the lack of certainty about the team's future in a statement: I can't say I'm confident about anything.

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Alternatives under consideration

With the future of Tropicana Field and a new stadium uncertain, the Rays have announced that they will play the 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. In the meantime, St Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch is trying to ease tensions and find a solution to keep the team in the region. In a statement, he stressed that he does not intend to increase the city's financial participation in the project: We maintain our position that the Historic Gas Plant District is an equitable economic driver that will benefit future generations.

The new Rays stadium is a key component of the wider Gas Plant Historic District regeneration project. The $6.5 mild project will transform an 86-acre site in downtown St Petersburg. It is planned to invest in affordable housing, a hotel, a museum of African-American history, green space, entertainment venues and office and retail space. The project also seeks to right the historic wrongs of displaced residents who gave way for the construction of Tropicana Field. We believe there is a path forward to success the mayor said.

© Mark Thor