What needs to be fixed at the Trop? St. Pete City Council demands clarity.

Yahoo

06-02-2025

ST. PETERSBURG — A lot needs to be fixed at Tropicana Field since Hurricane Milton destroyed its roof, but the St. Petersburg City Council wants to know exactly what repairs are required and up to par for Major League Baseball standards.
As the Tampa Bay Rays' landlord, the city is responsible for repairing the Trop, according to the agreement it has had with the team since 1995. But since the Trop is slated for demolition, council members only want to repair what is absolutely necessary to get the team playing in the dome for 2026.
City officials asked the council Thursday to approve $900,000 to have contractors create a list of everything that needs to be done at the Trop, excluding the roof. This could include damages to inside and outside metal wall cladding, drywall, floors, ceilings, suites, audio and visual and broadcast equipment.
Then, the city can decide what needs to be repaired in order to get the Rays back in the Trop.
The contract says the Trop must be repaired to Major League Baseball's standards. City Administrator Rob Gerdes said key elements include making the roof material acoustically sound, fixing the lighting and improving the field conditions. Representatives from the city, the Rays and Major League Baseball have been meeting weekly to discuss what needs to be done.
The council voted unanimously to approve the funding. But some members, including supporters of the deal to build a new $1.3 billion stadium and surrounding development, wanted more clarity.
'I'm really surprised that at this point in the game, we do not have a definitive list from MLB on what is required,' City Council member Gina Driscoll said. 'That is the only thing that keeps us from overspending unnecessarily.'