Tropicana Field, Rays Roof in Shreds

[Dave Borton]

We lived in Tampa for 13 years so we have folllowed the news of Milton's destructive path across Florida.

The roof of the stadium in St Pete is in shreds. Too early to assess full damage but it again raises question of new ballpark in Ybor City (eastern part of Tampa), new ballpark in St Pete, or contraction and a move to Nashville.

https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2024-10-09-hurricane-milton-slideshow

[DJL44]

They agreed to build a new ballpark in St. Pete but I think they may want to reconsider everything and plan the rebuild of Tampa Bay more holistically.

I have not heard detail on the extent of the damage to Tropicana Field (not a good week for buildings named Tropicana). Would they be able to repair it in time for the next season? Would they want to spend millions repairing a stadium they already plan on tearing down? Will they spend the next two years as the Oakland Rays as they build a new stadium? Lots of questions to answer.

[nicksaviking]

Tough situation. They have a bad stadium in a less desirable location now in disrepair. Normally it would seem like a time people would rally to build something sustainable.

But how do you sell tax-payer funded stadiums when lots of the tax payers lost their homes and tax dollars are needed to repair the whole metro and state?

[David HK]

Sad for the devastation of the area, but hey, at least it didn't spare the only stadium that was truly uglier than the old Dome.

[Dave Borton]

Six acres of a teflon compound coated fabric and 180 miles of supporting cables.

As another poster has mentioned, bet ownership evaluates insurance payout and reconsiders the St Pete/Gas Plant plan.

[Parfigliano]

Went and saw TC there this year.

[lecroy24fan]

Reading this article from John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times, it looks like anything at $47M and under to repair the roof would be covered by insurance. Also note in the story that this is under St Petersburg control and the team really has no say in it.

 

 

 

[Dave Borton]

12 hours ago, lecroy24fan said:

Reading this article from John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times, it looks like anything at $47M and under to repair the roof would be covered by insurance. Also note in the story that this is under St Petersburg control and the team really has no say in it...

 

...roof was already beyond its shelf life. Litigation will tie it up. St Pete is broke after hurricane.

9500 seating capacity as Disney/Orlando. How about, the Orlando Mice.

[lecroy24fan]

13 hours ago, Dave Borton said:

...roof was already beyond its shelf life. Litigation will tie it up. St Pete is broke after hurricane.

9500 seating capacity as Disney/Orlando. How about, the Orlando Mice.

The story also stated they had an insurance policy recently changed so it might still be covered. Still not worth it IMO to replace it.

[USAFChief]

Can they get the roof replaced in time for opening day, even if they start now?

That seems to me like more than a six month project. 

[lecroy24fan]

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

Can they get the roof replaced in time for opening day, even if they start now?

That seems to me like more than a six month project. 

No they can't that's why they're looking at alternative options to start the season.

[Parfigliano]

My wife and I checked the Trop off stadium list earlier this year.

The holy grail is where TC  plays the A this year

[lecroy24fan]

14 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

My wife and I checked the Trop off stadium list earlier this year.

The holy grail is where TC  plays the A this year

The first week of June is calling your name.

[Parfigliano]

14 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

The first week of June is calling your name.

Serious

 

[Dave Borton]

St Pete city, owner of Trop, is spending $6MM to waterproof exposed portions of stadium (scoreboard, concessions, etc). This is not the roof reoccur,

If roof is deemed irreparable, work may cease. If draining system can be worked out (there is no drainage system), possible that the Rays may play open air. Lord have mercy, I lived in Fla for 18 yrs and summers are tough.

Second consideration is to play in Dunedin (just north of Clearwater/St Pete area). Holds 8300 if memory serves me. Jays do there Spring training there.

 

https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/tampa-bay-rays-get-big-news-in-attempt-to-salvage-tropicana-field-temporary-drainage-system

[Parfigliano]

2 hours ago, Dave Borton said:

St Pete city, owner of Trop, is spending $6MM to waterproof exposed portions of stadium (scoreboard, concessions, etc). This is not the roof reoccur,

If roof is deemed irreparable, work may cease. If draining system can be worked out (there is no drainage system), possible that the Rays may play open air. Lord have mercy, I lived in Fla for 18 yrs and summers are tough.

Second consideration is to play in Dunedin (just north of Clearwater/St Pete area). Holds 8300 if memory serves me. Jays do there Spring training there.

 

https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/tampa-bay-rays-get-big-news-in-attempt-to-salvage-tropicana-field-temporary-drainage-system

Outdoor.  Prepare for many rain delays and rainouts.

[DJL44]

It looks like the hurricane might blow the Rays out of St. Pete.

The Rays new stadium plan might lose its funding

The Rays funded the opponents to the new council members who won and the winners are not appreciative of that. The new members have a very good point that spending $700M on a baseball stadium is not the priority when so much civil infrastructure is destroyed. One council member wants the Rays to play in Al Lang field in the meantime which seats 7500 and is not as good of a facility as CHS Field.

[nicksaviking]

On 11/12/2024 at 10:10 AM, DJL44 said:

It looks like the hurricane might blow the Rays out of St. Pete.

The Rays new stadium plan might lose its funding

The Rays funded the opponents to the new council members who won and the winners are not appreciative of that. The new members have a very good point that spending $700M on a baseball stadium is not the priority when so much civil infrastructure is destroyed. One council member wants the Rays to play in Al Lang field in the meantime which seats 7500 and is not as good of a facility as CHS Field.

Sounded like there was talk about using the Blue Jays spring training facility in Dunedin. Why isn't the Yankee's field in Tampa under consideration? It seats 11K and is probably the nicest spring training facility around. Are the Yankees that petty they won't lend a hand to a rival even though they set up shop in THEIR backyard and the rival is in dire straits?

Also, while I enjoyed St. Pete when I was down there, it always seemed like the Ybor neighborhood stadium plan would have been the most attractive and sustainable.

[DJL44]

11 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Sounded like there was talk about using the Blue Jays spring training facility in Dunedin. Why isn't the Yankee's field in Tampa under consideration? It seats 11K and is probably the nicest spring training facility around. Are the Yankees that petty they won't lend a hand to a rival even though they set up shop in THEIR backyard and the rival is in dire straits?

Also, while I enjoyed St. Pete when I was down there, it always seemed like the Ybor neighborhood stadium plan would have been the most attractive and sustainable.

I think the Yankees field is still being considered. There might not be any appetite to spend hundreds of millions on a baseball stadium in the Tampa Bay region. The hurricane caused billions of dollars in damages.

The reasonable long-term move for MLB is one team in Orlando. Tampa Bay is going to keep getting hammered by hurricanes and most of Miami is going to be underwater in 40 years. If the St. Pete council votes down funding a stadium we may see the Omaha Rays.

[nicksaviking]

Steinbrenner field it is.

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2024/11/14/interim-stadium-steinbrenner-field-yankees-tarpons-pinellas-st-petersburg/

[Dave Borton]

"The Tampa Bay Rays say their stadium deal is halted due to Pinellas County commissioners delaying bonds to pay for the county's share of the project.

In a letter written by Rays presidents Brian Auld and Matt Silverman, they say the county's "failure to finalize the bonds last month ended the ability for a 2028 delivery of the ballpark." They go on to write that a 2029 ballpark delivery would be more costly, which the Rays cannot afford to finance alone...."

Nashville Sounds?

https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/mlb/rays/tampa-bay-rays-stadium-deal-halted/67-958e63cf-88b2-4886-98ce-7d389b502660

[Dave Borton]

"When asked if he was considering giving the Rays permission to look for a new permanent home elsewhere, Manfred said the league is “committed to the fans in Tampa Bay...

The commissioner wants to have two new teams’ locations picked out by the time he retires in 2029, although the clubs won’t yet be playing. But Manfred has long pegged league expansion to the Rays and the Athletics."

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5936548/2024/11/20/rob-manfred-rays-stadium-mlb-expansion/

[tony&rodney]

Pinellas County decided not to fix the roof. I would say MLB has another problem on their hands.

Has Las Vegas broken ground on their new project and do they have definitive approval from the legislature, county, and city?

Manfredball.