A new report estimates that repairs to Tropicana Field will cost $55 million for the Rays’ 2026 MLB season.

The report states that the preliminary estimate is based on field assessments of existing conditions completed by AECOM Hunt and Hennessy Construction between October 21 and November 8, as well as supporting reports provided by vendors.

On October 21, the St. Petersburg City Council approved a plan to fix the Trop, as it’s called, by going 6-2 at a board meeting. But this would prove more costly than initially expected.

Last March, the municipal council adopted a resolution modify the insurance coverage of the baseball stadium, which lowered the maximum amount an insurance company could pay for a $100 million claim to $25 million for wind and flood damage.

RELATED | Hurricane Milton’s toll rises as long road to recovery begins

Then, in early October, the violent winds of Hurricane Milton torn off the roof of the St. Petersburg stadium. At the time, the field served as a staging area for hundreds of Florida National Guardsmen and electricians ahead of the storm.

Mayor Kenneth T. Welch released a statement writing, “The City continues to review the comprehensive damage assessment and repair recommendations received from Hennessy Construction in response to storm damage at Tropicana Field . We believe that our local team will play in St. Petersburg as soon as possible. as possible is important to our community. The City plans to fulfill its obligations to ensure the Rays can play in St. Pete, and redevelopment of the historic Gas Plant District and construction of a new stadium are moving forward. The city is making repairs to Tropicana Field in hopes of having it ready for play for the 2026 season. We anticipate that the majority of repair costs incurred by the city will be covered by insurance and reimbursements from FEMA, which makes this approach both beneficial for. community spirit and financially responsible of our community.

The Rays have played at Tropicana Field since their inaugural season in 1998, but the building itself was built in 1990. The damage caused by Milton came a few months after the city and Pinellas County. approved a new amount of approximately $1.3 billion in the historic Gas Works District which would open during the 2028 season.

This report was originally published by Scripps News Tampa.