Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays since their inaugural season in 1998, was significantly damaged during Hurricane Milton, particularly the shredding of the roof. While it’s been clear that the ballpark would not be ready to begin the 2025 season, a a new St. Petersburg City Council report sets the timeline as the opening of 2026, along with a price tag of roughly $55.7 million to repair the stadium, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
With the Rays set to build a new ballpark that’ll be ready for the start of the 2028 season, that means the city needs to decide whether or not to spend more than $55 million for a ballpark that’ll only be used for two seasons.
As for possible insurance coverage, the Times notes the following:
The city is the landlord and responsible for repairs to the stadium, and already has filed an insurance claim. The city policy includes a $22 million deductible and $25 million of coverage — reduced in March from $100 million so the city could save $275,000 in premium payments.
First off, it sure looks like they should’ve kept that $100 million policy, but what’s done is done. Basically what happens now for the repairs is the city would have to pay that $22 million deductible before $25 million in insurance money can be used on the repairs. That would get them to $47 million of the estimated $55 million, adding another $8 million to the city’s bill.
The biggest takeaway here from the baseball perspective is the Rays could be cleared to play in the Trop after just one season away when it was unclear they’d ever be able to return. It is not, however, a sure thing with the new ballpark coming and that repair price tag hanging over the head of the city of St. Pete.
