The St. Petersburg Metropolis Council met this afternoon to debate two necessary issues relating to the Rays future:
Whether or not to fund $55 million to provoke repairs to Tropicana Subject’s roof
Whether or not to provoke $287.5 million in bonds towards the brand new Rays stadium in St. Petersburg
Not like the funds being mentioned by the Pinellas County Fee, these funds are unrestricted in nature, which suggests each greenback the Council allotted towards the Tampa Bay Rays was one much less greenback for different issues of public concern, together with the continued restoration from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Rays President Brian Auld was referred to as upon to deal with the letter issued earlier this week to the Pinellas County Fee, and Auld apologized each for the perceived tone within the letter and the umbrage taken with their talking by means of the press.
What the Council selected repairing Tropicana Subject’s roof
In accordance with the report acquired by the Council, repairing Tropicana Subject — because the Metropolis is legally obligated to do within the Use Settlement (lease) for the stadium — restore of Tropicana Subject would take 13 months (from February 2025 to March 2026) at a value of $55,724,982.
Of observe, the Metropolis’s share of that value, after insurance coverage, is to not exceed $23,726,567.
Rays President Auld implied throughout his time talking that the timeline and repairs to Tropicana Subject would exceed the $55 million outlay or the power to be enjoying baseball on Opening Day 2026.
The Council decided in the course of the assembly these prices didn’t embody any work required to align acoustics throughout the stadium, which have to be decided by a distinct marketing consultant and should pose a “vital value,” and posited that extra prices will probably be requested of the Metropolis by the Rays as soon as the sector itself is playable once more.
Council member Gina Driscoll (voted sure on July deal):
“Do we all know if we now have to switch any sizzling canine stand? How far does it go? … We’re getting this piecemeal. Earlier than you understand it, we’re paying for Raymond’s costumes.”
— Colleen Wright (@Colleen_Wright) November 21, 2024
Nonetheless, the movement to restore the roof on Tropicana Subject handed 4-3.
Right here is the language of precisely what was authorized:
a. A decision approving 4 (4) interfund loans to the Common Capital Enchancment Fund (3001); the primary interfund mortgage within the quantity of $10,000,000 from the Employees Compensation Fund (5129), the second interfund mortgage within the quantity of $7,500,000 from the Parking Income Fund (1021), the third interfund mortgage within the quantity of $5,000,000 from the Gear Substitute Fund (5002), and the fourth interfund mortgage within the quantity of $1,230,000 from the Expertise and Infrastructure Fund (5019) to finance the Tropicana Subject Emergency Roof Substitute Challenge; approving a supplemental appropriation within the quantity of $23,730,000 from the rise within the unappropriated stability of the Common Capital Enchancment Fund (3001), ensuing from these loans, to the Tropicana Subject Emergency Roof Substitute Milton Challenge (20927); offering for different issues in connection therewith; and offering an efficient date.
b. Authorizing the Mayor or his designee to execute a design-build settlement between the Metropolis of St. Petersburg, Florida and Hennessy Development Providers Corp (“Hennessy”) for Hennessy to supply preconstruction section and development section providers for the Tropicana Subject Emergency Roof Substitute Challenge in an quantity to not exceed $23,726,567
UPDATE – 6:09 PM
After the vote, Auld spoke with some journalists, and indicated the Rays may need most popular Tropicana Subject was not repaired…
The Rays simply mentioned the deal to construct a brand new stadium is off, they can not make it by 2028, and they’d even want town NOT repair the Trop to allow them to file a damages declare and play elsewhere till at the least 2028… BUT… they are saying they’re dedicated to staying in Tampa Bay
— Evan Axelbank Fox13 (@EvanAxelbank) November 21, 2024
Auld was confronted on this assertion, which occurred throughout a recess within the proceedings, and confirmed this was the Rays place.
After the Metropolis Council determined to delay their vote on funding the $287.5 million in new stadium bonds, the Council then recalled their vote, and unanimously struck down the funding to restore Tropicana Subject’s roof 7-0.
