Hurricane Milton devastated parts of Florida in October. Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays for the past 26 seasons, sustained significant damage as the powerful tropical cyclone made landfall.

While the structural integrity of the domed baseball stadium does not appear to have been compromised, this the roof will need to be replacedaccording to an evaluation report. The report was sent to St. Petersburg City Council members on Tuesday and provided a potential timeline and budget for repairs. Tropicana Field is not within the city limits of Tampa, but is owned by the neighboring city of St. Petersburg.

According to the damage assessment report, repairs will cost about $55.7 million and could be completed before the start of the Rays’ 2026 regular season.

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The roof of Tropicana Field is damaged the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the region, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Florida. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

The report didn’t list all the items that need to be repaired, but it calculated that Hurricane Milton caused about $39 million in damage. It also factored in $16 million in additional costs for design, permitting, insurance, inspection, personnel and construction contingencies. Roof replacement is expected to account for about $23.6 million of the bill.

Eighteen of the football stadium’s 24 fabric panels failed on Oct. 9, the report said. The interior portions of the stadium were also damaged by rainwater and other storm-related causes. The stadium opened in 1990 and has been the home of the Rays since their inception in 1998.

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St. Petersburg previously unveiled plans to build a new $1.3 billion stadium that could open by 2028. Tropicana Field will be demolished once the new stadium is ready. With unanticipated costs to the city and Pinellas County from two hurricanes — large amounts of debris removal, damage to parks and infrastructure — two of the main sources of funding for the new ballpark may reconsider those plans or decide not to fix Tropicana Field at all.

A drone image shows the Tropicana Field dome that was torn apart by Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024. At least four people have been confirmed dead following two tornadoes triggered by Hurricane Milton on the East Coast of the US state of Florida, local authorities said Thursday. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)

The St. Petersburg City Council will discuss the report at its Nov. 21 meeting.

“We have so much need throughout the city,” Council member Brandi Gabbard said at a meeting last week. “I love the Rays. I love Tropicana Field. It’s not about not wanting to do it. It’s about a balance of priorities.”

The board recently approved $6.5 million to clean the playing field and protect it from any further damage, including waterproofing areas such as the press box, seating sections and scoreboard.

The city has an insurance claim for damages and repairs, but it includes a $22 million deductible and would likely cover only a portion of the total costs. That means taxpayer dollars may have to be used.

a general view of the stadium before a game between the Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said the city anticipates that insurance and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds will cover most of the repair costs. “We believe that having our hometown team play in St. Petersburg as soon as possible is important to our community,” Welch said in a statement.

Since the stadium in this damage and repair assessment would not be ready until the 2026 season, the Rays must find another place to play next year.

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Major League Baseball prefers the Rays to stay in the area near their fan base if possible, with a few spring training sites in the Tampa Bay area suggested. These include parks in Clearwater (Phillies), Tampa (Yankees), Dunedin (Blue Jays), Sarasota (Orioles), Lakeland (Tigers) and the Rays’ own spring training home in Port Charlotte. Most of these venues host minor league teams during the summer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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