St. Petersburg council rejects immediate repair to Rays' ballpark roof after first giving approval

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg City Council reversed course Thursday on whether to spend more than $23 million to repair the hurricane-shredded roof of the Tampa Bay Rays' ballpark, initially voting narrowly for approval and hours later changing course.

The reversal on fixing Tropicana Field came after the council voted to delay consideration of revenue bonds for a proposed new $1.3 billion Rays ballpark. Just two days before, the Pinellas County Commission postponed a vote on its share of the new stadium bonds, leaving that project in limbo.

''This is a sad place. I'm really disappointed,'' council chair Deborah Figg-Sanders said. ''We won't get there if we keep finding ways we can't.''

The Rays say the lack of progress puts the new stadium plan and the future of Tropicana Field in jeopardy.

''I can't say I'm confident about anything,'' Rays co-president Brian Auld told the council members.

The Trop's translucent fiberglass roof was ripped to pieces on Oct. 9 when Hurricane Milton swept ashore just south of Tampa Bay. There was also significant water damage inside the ballpark, with a city estimate of the total repair costs pegged at $55.7 million.

The extensive repairs cannot be finished until the 2026 season, city documents show. The Rays made a deal with the Yankees to play next season at 11,000-seat Steinbrenner Field, New York's spring training home across the bay in Tampa.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB wants to give the Rays and Tampa-area politicians time to figure out a path forward given the disruption caused by the hurricane. Assuming Tropicana Field is repaired, the Rays are obligated to play there for three more seasons.

''We're committed to the fans in Tampa Bay,'' Manfred said at an owners meeting. ''Given all that's happened in that market, we're focused on our franchise in Tampa Bay right now.''

The initial vote Thursday was to get moving on the roof portion of the repair. Once that's done, crews could begin working on laying down a new baseball field, fixing damaged seating and office areas and a variety of electronic systems — which would require another vote to approve money for the remaining restoration.

The subsequent vote reversing funding for the roof repair essentially means the city and Rays must work on an alternative in the coming weeks so that Tropicana Field can possibly be ready for the 2026 season. The city is legally obligated to fix the roof.

''I'd like to pare it down and see exactly what we're obligated to do,'' council member John Muhammad said.

The city previously voted to spend $6.5 million to prevent further damage to the unroofed Trop. Several council members said before the vote on the $23.7 million to fix the roof that the city is contractually obligated to do so.

''I don't see a way out of it. We have a contract that's in place,'' council member Gina Driscoll said. ''We're obligated to do it. We are going to fix the roof.''

The council had voted 4-3 to approve the roof repair. Members who opposed it said there wasn't enough clarity on numerous issues, including how much would be covered by the ballpark's insurance and what amount might be provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

They also noted that city residents who are struggling to repair their homes and businesses damaged by hurricanes Helene and Milton are dismayed when they see so many taxpayer dollars going to baseball.

''Why are we looking to expend so much money right away when there is so much uncertainty?'' council member Richie Floyd said.

The new Rays ballpark — now likely to open in 2029, if at all — is part of a larger urban renovation project known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which refers to a predominantly Black neighborhood that was forced out to make way for construction of Tropicana Field and an interstate highway spur.

The broader $6.5 billion project would transform an 86-acre (34-hectare) tract in the city's downtown, with plans in the coming years for a Black history museum, affordable housing, a hotel, green space, entertainment venues, and office and retail space. There's the promise of thousands of jobs as well.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, a prime mover behind the overall project, said it's not time to give up.

''We believe there is a path forward to success,'' the mayor said.

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