Video above: Former St. Pete mayor believes Rays stadium deal is dead
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa Bay Rays leaders now say they “support and expect” the City of St. Petersburg to repair hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field by Opening Day of the 2026 season.
In a letter sent to City Administrator Robert Gerdes, Rays President Matthew Silverman said the organization changed its position on the city buying out its obligation to fund part of an estimated $56 million in repairs after the stadium’s roof was torn apart by Hurricane Milton.
The letter noted that city leaders previously indicated stadium repairs could possibly be complete by Opening Day 2026, and now the team expects the city to follow through on that. Repairs completed later in the season would “present massive logistical and revenue challenges for the team,” Silverman wrote.
He urged the city to begin the process of repairing the stadium.
“It is therefore critical that the rebuild start in earnest as soon as possible, that a realistic completion schedule be developed quickly and that the City diligently pursue the reconstruction as required by the Use Agreement,” Silverman wrote.
Silverman’s letter could indicate signs of life in a stadium deal that many fans feared dead. Some city and county officials were hesitant to approve repairs, or move forward with the stadium deal entirely, as the stadium would be demolished in just a few years anyway.
Last month, the team’s other president, Brian Alud, cast doubt on the city’s ability to repair the stadium in time for Opening Day 2026, and indicated the team was considering terminating the contract for a new ballpark.
In his letter, Silverman urged city leadership to meet weekly with the organization and an independent advisor from the MLB “to discuss progress and implement key decisions.”