St. Petersburg to spend $22.5M to fix hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field roof, aiming for Rays return in 2026
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The once and possibly future home of the Tampa Bay Rays will get a new roof to replace the one shredded by Hurricane Milton with the goal of having the ballpark ready for the 2026 season, city officials decided in a vote.
The St. Petersburg City Council voted 7-1 to approve $22.5 million to begin the repairs at Tropicana Field, which will start with a membrane roof that must be in place before other work can continue. Although the Rays pulled out of a planned $1.3 billion new stadium deal, the city is still contractually obligated to fix the Trop.
'We are legally bound by an agreement. The agreement requires us to fix the stadium,' said council member Lissett Hanewicz, who is an attorney. 'We need to go forward with the roof repair so we can do the other repairs.'
The hurricane damage forced the Rays to play home games this season at Steinbrenner Field across the bay in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. The Rays went 4-2 on their first homestand ever at an open-air ballpark, which seats around 11,000 fans.
Under the current agreement with the city, the Rays owe three more seasons at the Trop once it's ready again for baseball, through 2028. It's unclear if the Rays will maintain a long-term commitment to the city or look to Tampa or someplace else for a new stadium. Major League Baseball has said keeping the team in the Tampa Bay region is a priority. The Rays had played at the Trop since their inception in 1998.
The team said it would have a statement on the vote at some point.
The overall cost of Tropicana Field repairs is estimated at $56 million, said city architect Raul Quintana. After the roof, the work includes fixing the playing surface, ensuring audio and visual electronics are working, installing flooring and drywall, getting concession stands running and other issues.
'This is a very complex project. We feel like we're in a good place,' Quintana said at the council meeting.
Under the proposed timeline, the roof installation will take about 10 months. The unique membrane system is fabricated in Germany and assembled in China, Quintana said, adding that officials are examining how President Donald Trump's new tariffs might affect the cost.
The new roof, he added, will be able to withstand hurricane winds as high as 165 mph. Hurricane Milton, one of the strongest hurricanes ever in the Atlantic basin at one point, blasted ashore Oct. 9 south of Tampa Bay with Category 3 winds of about 125 mph.
Citing mounting costs, the Rays pulled out of a deal with the city and Pinellas County for a new $1.3 billion ballpark to be built near the Trop site. That was part of a broader $6.5 billion project known as the Historic Gas Plant district to bring housing, retail and restaurants, arts and a Black history museum to a once-thriving Black neighborhood razed for the original stadium.
The city council plans to vote on additional Trop repair costs.
'This is our contractual obligation. I don't like it more than anybody else. I'd much rather be spending that money on hurricane recovery and helping residents in the most affected neighborhoods,' said council member Brandi Gabbard. 'These are the cards that we're dealt.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rays' Wander Franco charged for illegal gun possession amid sexual abuse trial
The post Rays' Wander Franco charged for illegal gun possession amid sexual abuse trial appeared first on ClutchPoints. Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who was placed on administrative leave in August of 2023 before being moved to the restricted list last July, is now officially facing another legal case. He is currently standing trial in his native Dominican Republic for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. If convicted, Franco could serve up to 30 years in prison. Prosecutors are also charging him for a separate arrest that took place in November. As of Sunday, the former All-Star is accused of illegal possession of a handgun, via ESPN. The alleged crime is said to have taken place in a parking lot altercation in San Juan de la Maguana. Police found the firearm, which is registered in the name of Franco's uncle, in the 24-year-old's vehicle and arrested him. His attorneys claim that there is no legal issue since the gun is licensed. He could find himself back in court at a future date. Franco is already facing extremely serious charges as we speak. Prosecutors state that he 'kidnapped' a then-14-year-old girl for 'sexual purposes' and paid the minor's mother thousands of dollars in order to gain her consent. They claimed to have conclusive evidence against the athlete before his trial started on June 2. The Rays signed Wander Franco to an 11-year, $182 million deal in 2021, which remains the biggest contract they have ever committed to a player. Obviously, they considered him to be a transformative talent who could lead the franchise through the 2020s. Because he is on the restricted list, Tampa Bay is not presently on the hook for its investment. Prosecutors intend to take Franco to trial for his gun charge. His current trial continues in Puerto Plata. He maintains his innocence and called for justice before the proceedings began. Apparently, there is a possibility the public has to wait approximately eight months for a verdict. Related: Rays make MLB history on special Evan Longoria day Related: Zack Littell's hot streak will remind Rays fans of Shane McClanahan
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Buying a new car? Why picking yellow, orange and green will help your car retain its value
Vehicles that experience high rates of depreciation after a few years aren't great for new car buyers, but they can be great for used car buyers. In fact, researching vehicles with high depreciation rates can be a good way to find a deal on a used car. On the other hand, some drivers may avoid vehicles that rapidly depreciate to retain some trade-in value or sell their cars later on. Some car colors have worse depreciation rates than others, according to a study conducted by an automotive search engine and research website. Gold: 34.4% three-year depreciation White: 32.1% three-year depreciation Black: 31.9% three-year depreciation Most vehicles tend to depreciate the second they roll off of dealer lots, but the rates of depreciation listed above are beyond average rates. So, if you're in the market for a new vehicle, you may not want to buy it in gold. Paying extra money for a gold color model could prove to be even more costly. Thankfully, there are plenty of car colors with below-average rates of depreciation. Yellow: 24.0% three-year depreciation Orange: 24.4% three-year depreciation Green: 26.3% three-year depreciation "Yellow cars hold their value the best" according to the study results. So if you're looking for a new vehicle, this may be a color to consider for value retention. If you're hunting for a used vehicle deal, avoiding this color could save you some money because of the lower depreciation rate. The overall average three-year depreciation rate of the colors included in the study was 31%. Finding a good deal on a used car can be difficult, but refining your search by including vehicles with high depreciation rates can save drivers thousands of dollars. Vehicles with high rates of depreciation after just a few years can have low mileage and much lower prices than their original MSRP. One example of a vehicle with a high depreciation rate is the 2023 Dodge Hornet. The 2023 model year is the first of its production history. Just a few years after its initial release, the Hornet has depreciated by over 31%. The 2023 Hornet has an original MSRP of $31,590. It now has a fair purchase price of $20,154 according to Kelley Blue Book. That's a value decrease of a whopping $11,436, making it a steal for interested parties as a used model. Another great example of vehicle depreciation is the 2022 Nissan Leaf. The 2022 Leaf has an original MSRP of $27,400 and a Kelley Blue Book fair purchase price of just $14,258. That's a depreciation rate of around 47%. Car buyers can save big bucks on a Nissan Leaf by purchasing a used model that has depreciated severely over the last few years. There's no surefire way to avoid car depreciation entirely, but proper maintenance and upkeep can help drivers retain as much of their vehicle's value as possible. Regular maintenance Interior cleaning Exterior protection According to State Farm, there are several ways car owners can minimize depreciation. Ultimately, proper car care can equate to less depreciation in the long run and a higher resale value, so take those oil changes seriously. The more presentable your car is, the easier it is to get a fair purchase price or trade-in value later on. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What car colors are best to buy? These will retain your car's value
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Hurricane Milton-related loans available to Sarasota, Manatee businesses and nonprofits
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced that low interest federal disaster loans are available to small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Florida that sustained economic losses caused by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9-10, 2024. The disaster declaration covers the primary counties of Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, Hardee, Seminole and Volusia as well as the adjacent counties of Brevard, Charlotte, Flagler, Glades, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange, Polk and Putnam. Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises. EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. 'Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,' Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA, said in a prepared statement. 'We're pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.' This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: SBA loans available for businesses, nonprofits impacted by Milton
