Fixing the Trop - and ties with the Rays

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch sent the right message recently by making one thing clear: The city intends to honor its obligation to provide the Tampa Bay Rays with a functional stadium. However, the city and the Rays should view the storm damage to Tropicana Field as an opportunity to work together to find a practical solution. This is the time to seek commonsense remedies to a crisis neither side created.

High winds and pelting rain from Hurricane Milton, which made landfall in Sarasota County on Oct. 9, shredded the Trop's fiberglass roof and exposed parts of the stadium to water damage. A preliminary assessment sent Tuesday to St. Petersburg City Council members estimated that Milton caused $39 million in damage to the Trop, and that an additional $16 million in repair-related costs, such as for permitting and construction contingencies, were required to reopen the facility. While the $55.7 million price tag does not include all repairs, officials said the Trop could be ready for the Rays' 2026 season, giving the team two seasons of use before the planned opening of a new stadium in 2028.

The storm had already forced the Rays to look for an interim home for at least the start of the 2025 season. Now, with 2026 appearing to be the earliest return date to the Trop, some are questioning whether spending $56 million or more on a stadium scheduled to be torn down in a few years makes much sense.

Here's the reality: As the Trop's landlord, the city is responsible for repairs, and a new stadium planned as part of the Historic Gas Plant redevelopment is still several years away. The challenge is to secure a public asset, help find the Rays a home and reaffirm a partnership for the coming decades. The city's insurance policy has a $22 million deductible and $25 million of coverage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency might also cover some of those costs. In short, there's a responsibility here but also resources to work with.

Still, the steep costs should prompt the city and the Rays to find the most practical solution. That might include a cheaper replacement roof for the Trop, a redesign of some stadium areas, a longer stay at an interim facility or a mix of other stadium accommodations that would reflect the Trop's dwindling lifeline. The Tampa Bay area has other sports venues that might be appropriate. In the universe of a multi-decade agreement, playing for two or three years in another nearby stadium won't weaken the Rays' identity or affiliation with St. Petersburg.

Milton's destruction forced property owners and businesses up and down Florida's Gulf Coast to create contingencies virtually overnight. The disruption and financial fallout is not painless, but it's part of dealing with an unplanned disaster. While some critics of the Gas Plant redevelopment see the Trop's repairs as leverage to renegotiate or scuttle the deal, we find that a cynical expression of sour grapes. By coming together to overcome this obstacle, the city and the Rays will better prepare their next chapter for success while reaffirming the city's dependability as a community and corporate partner.