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The Tampa Bay Rays announced significant setbacks to their plans for a new stadium on Tuesday. They cited extensive damage to Tropicana Field caused by Hurricane Milton and ongoing delays in securing necessary financing. The development raises concerns about the team’s long-term future in Tampa Bay as uncertainty looms over the project’s timeline.
Hurricane Milton struck on October 9 and caused catastrophic damage to Tropicana Field, including tearing off its roof and devastating the stadium’s interior. The destruction has rendered the facility unusable for the 2025 season. As a temporary solution, the Rays will play their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. The 11,000-seat ballpark is typically the spring training home of the New York Yankees.
In July, the city council approved a $1.3 billion plan for a new stadium in Tampa, ensuring the Rays would remain in the area for at least 30 more years. However, progress on the project has stalled due to financing challenges. On Tuesday, team executives confirmed it is “highly unlikely” the new stadium will be completed in time for the 2028 season as initially planned.
A critical factor in the delay is the Pinellas County Commission’s decision to postpone finalizing bonds to fund the public portion of the project until their next meeting on December 17. In a letter to the commission, Rays executives expressed frustration, revealing that the team has already invested $50 million in preliminary work on the stadium but cannot proceed further without approvals for public funding.
“The Rays organization is saddened and stunned by this unfortunate turn of events,” the letter read, underscoring the team’s disappointment over the delays.
The uncertainty surrounding the new stadium adds to the Rays organization’s challenges as they navigate the fallout from Hurricane Milton. In addition to managing temporary relocation to Steinbrenner Field, the team must address the long-term implications of the Tropicana Field repairs and the viability of the new stadium project.
While the Rays await a potential resolution at the December county commission meeting, the delays have cast doubt on the project’s future. Should the funding issues persist, the stadium’s timeline—and the team’s commitment to remaining in Tampa Bay—may face further complications.
For now, the Rays are focused on adapting to their immediate future at the Yankees’ spring training site while awaiting clarity on the status of their long-term home.
