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The Tampa Bay Rays are no longer interested in getting out of their lease to play in their hurricane-damaged ballpark, stating instead their clear preference is to start the 2026 season in a rebuilt Tropicana Field, according to an email from team president Matt Silverman to public officials.

Tropicana Field’s roof was torn apart when Hurricane Milton made landfall south of Tampa on Oct. 9. It has been estimated that the stadium, in St. Petersburg, will need about $56 million in renovations.

In the ongoing discussions about how to accomplish such repairs, the Rays previously had considered an option where the city of St. Petersburg would buy out the team’s contractual obligation to rebuild the damaged park.

In a Dec. 30 email to St. Petersburg’s city administrator, Rob Gerdes, Silverman indicated the team has reversed course, stating in part, “the Rays support and expect the city to rebuild Tropicana Field in accordance with the terms of the current use agreement.”

The Rays have made plans to play their home games next season at the New York Yankees’ 11,000-seat spring training ballpark — Steinbrenner Field — in Tampa, and reiterated in the Dec. 30 email their strong desire to have repairs to the Trop made in time for the Rays to play there on Opening Day in 2026.

“A partial 2026 season in Tropicana Field would present massive logistical and revenue challenges for the team,” Silverman said. “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.”

The city of St. Petersburg, in a statement, said it intends for baseball to come back to Tropicana Field.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Rays — through participation in a collaborative working group — and with City Council to return Major League Baseball games to St. Petersburg. Following a recent meeting with Rays owner Stu Sternberg, Mayor (Ken) Welch — as he has previously made clear — intends to do all he can to fulfill the city’s obligations in relation to Major League Baseball.”

City Council member Gina Driscoll weighed in on what has at times been a divisive effort to deal with the lasting effects of Hurricane Milton.

“Hopefully this means the Rays are finished playing guessing games and we can get back to focusing on the game of baseball in St. Petersburg,” said Driscoll, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The Rays, whose lease at Tropicana Field ends following the 2028 season, have played in Tampa Bay since their inaugural season in 1998.

The email does not address the Rays’ plans to build a planned $1.3 billion stadium, which originally was planned to be their home beginning in 2028. The Rays have until March 31 to complete a checklist of benchmark items. If they don’t, the deal for the private-public partnership will expire.

–Field Level Media