Featured image credit: Winfred Bailey on Unsplash
Tropicana Field can be repaired at a cost of around $55.7m (£43.8m/€52.6m) to welcome the Tampa Bay Rays back in time for the 2026 MLB season, according to a report analysing the damage caused by Hurricane Milton.
Milton last month caused major damage to Tropicana Field, with the storm blowing large parts of the stadium’s roof away. A Facility Damage Assessment and Remediation Recommendation Report conducted on behalf of the stadium’s owner, the City of St. Petersburg, by Hennessy Construction Services has now concluded that the primary roof structure of Tropicana Field “does not appear to have been adversely affected” by the hurricane’s winds, which removed 18 of the 24 fibreglass fabric roof panels.
The report, which does not cover all items that need repair, estimates that Milton caused $39m worth of damage, plus $16m in costs such as design, permitting, insurance, inspection, staffing and construction contingencies. The replacement of the roof itself, at around $23.6m, will be the most expensive element.
“Overall, the stadium appears structurally sound and would be a viable candidate to continue to serve the City (should they so decide) in providing continued service following hurricane damage repairs,” the report concludes.
A preliminary timeline included in the report states a repair job would around 13 months to complete for March 2026. The City is due to discuss the report’s findings at a meeting on November 21.
In the wake of Milton, St. Petersburg City Council approved the award of $6.4m in contracts for initial repair work to Tropicana Field, which has been included under the $55.7m tab. These were designed as mitigation efforts to create a temporary drainage system and waterproof the facility’s electrical system, offices, concessions and other exposed areas.
The move was made in an effort to protect both the stadium and the City’s insurance claims, with the work able to halted, thereby avoiding some of the costs, should the stadium be deemed unrecoverable.
The damage caused by Milton has created a dilemma for both the Rays and the City as to where the team will play during the 2025 season. In July, the City approved the $6.5bn Historic Gas Plant District Redevelopment scheme which is set to incorporate a new $1.3bn stadium for the Rays.
Work on the new stadium is due to commence in January and, with this in mind, the City will be seeking to avoid the significant cost of making major renovations to Tropicana Field when the new ballpark is currently in the pipeline for delivery in 2028.
St. Petersburg Mayor, Ken Welch, said in a statement yesterday (Tuesday): “We believe having our hometown team play in St. Petersburg as soon as possible is important for our community. The City plans to meet its obligations to ensure that the Rays can play in St. Pete, and the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District and the construction of a new stadium move forward.
“As such, the City is implementing repairs to Tropicana Field with the hope that it will be ready for play for the 2026 season. We anticipate that the majority of the repair costs incurred by the City will be covered by insurance and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) reimbursements, making this approach both beneficial for community spirit and fiscally responsible for our community.”
Rays president, Matt Silverman, added: “We’ll continue to have discussions with the City about how to move forward.”
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