City Administrator Rob Gerdes has told the Tampa Bay Rays in a letter that St. Petersburg is under no obligation to repair Tropicana Field in time for opening day 2026, as the Rays now expect.

The back-and-forth written exchange between the Rays and the Pinellas County Commission over next steps after Hurricane Milton tore the roof off the stadium is now happening between the city and the team on repairs to Tropicana Field. Still unclear is where the Rays stand on a deal to build a new $1.3 billion stadium, which would include demolishing Tropicana Field in a few years for new development.

Rays president Matt Silverman wrote a letter to the city Dec. 30 saying the club has changed its position on repairs to the dome. Another team official suggested in November that the city not move forward with repairs after the City Council approved funding for those fixes, a decision that was later called back and rejected.

Silverman said the Rays now “support and expect” the Trop to be repaired as required by the city’s contract with the team. He said that a partial 2026 season in the Trop would “present massive logistical and revenue challenges” for the team.

In a letter dated Jan. 15, Gerdes replied to Silverman and said the city’s agreement with the Rays doesn’t come with a deadline. He pointed out that the city is required to “diligently pursue” repairs to the Trop, but the agreement does not establish a deadline for completing those repairs.

For every year the Trop cannot be used, the current use agreement between the city and the Rays is extended by a year. As a result, Gerdes wrote, the agreement could extend beyond the 2028 season.

“We look forward to cooperating to attempt to achieve the mutual goal of making Tropicana Field suitable for Major League Baseball games by opening day of the 2026 season,” Gerdes wrote. “However, it is important to reiterate that the current Use Agreement governs the obligations of the parties and any correspondence between the City of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays does not alter those obligations.”

The Rays declined comment for this story.

The 1995 agreement also states that while the Trop is not suitable for playing home games, the city will “reasonably assist” the Rays in finding a substitute location. Any expense that comes with finding that location and making it acceptable to Major League Baseball should be paid out of an account used by the Rays for minor repairs at the Trop.

The Rays plan to play the 2025 season at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. As for 2026, it is possible the Rays could open the season in Tampa or Clearwater at the Philadelphia Phillies spring training home, BayCare Ballpark, and move into the Trop mid-season.

The city is looking at a bill of at least $56 million to repair Tropicana Field. The roof alone would cost at about $24 million. The city is seeking reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurance, though the city has a $22 million deductible. If repairs are approved, the city would borrow money from other city funds.

The Rays requested establishing a working group with key city staff and an independent adviser hired by MLB to evaluate the timeline and monitor progress of repairs to Tropicana Field. That group has met weekly to discuss repairing the Trop to MLB standards.

City officials said in December that repairs could be done in time for the 2026 season. According to the city’s timeline, approval would need to happen by late March in order to install a new roof membrane and turf by February 2026.

On Feb. 6, the City Council will decide whether to spend another $55,000 to continue removing roof materials “due to weather delays and removal taking longer than estimated,” according to a work order.

That March timeline coincides with the Rays' deadline to complete a checklist of conditions to the city and county’s satisfaction to access public funding to build the new stadium. That includes providing proof that the Rays have cash on hand to pay an estimated $700 million share of a new stadium.

If the Rays don’t complete that checklist, the team would be in default of the stadium and Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment agreements. That would allow the city and the county to begin unwinding the deal celebrated with votes last summer.

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