TROPICANA FIELD may be left abandoned and “unsalvageable” after Hurricane Milton caused $39million-worth of damage.
The Tampa Bay Rays’ home was hit hard by the storm that swept through Florida last month.
Questions have arisen over the future of Tropicana Field[/caption]
The baseball stadium was hit hard by Hurricane Milton[/caption]
It could now be abandoned completely[/caption]
Tropicana Field’s roof was completely shredded by Milton.
And the Rays are now looking to find a temporary home for the start of the 2025 season.
It’s reckoned a whopping $39m-worth of damage was caused to the Field.
Repairs have already started to fix the roof and other areas damage by the hurricane.
But just $6.5m of public funding has been set aside by the St Petersburg city council, meaning the rest will have to come from the Rays’ own pockets.
As well as the roof, a temporary drainage system will need to be created.
While the Field’s electrics, offices and concessions are currently not waterproofed.
It is going to take at least eight weeks to get things up and running for the Rays.
And that has reportedly created doubts over the long-term future of the Field.
The Rays are already looking to build a new mega stadium worth $1.3BILLION, with the arena opening in 2028.
The Tampa Bay Rays currently have no home[/caption]
They are looking at temporary accommodation[/caption]
And with the cost of the damage to the Field so high, the club could try to instead push forward with construction as soon as possible instead of splashing tens of millions to fix their old home.
It could eventually see a temporarily-repaired Tropicana Field abandoned, with its long-term future reportedly seen as “unsalvageable.”
But the immediate priority remains for the Rays to find a new short-term home.
Some options include sites used by teams including the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays.
While another option could see the Rays use the ballpark at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex near Orlando.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said: “We’re hopeful we can figure out something for them and the repairs can be done in a way that allows them to resume playing.
“The easiest thing is always to stay in the market where the clubs are anchored, if we can manage it.”
The Rays’ plans for a new arena means the Field’s future is under the spotlight[/caption]
It will costs tens of millions to fix the damage caused[/caption]
