718 replies to this topic

[BSLMikeLowe]

You’d also have a ton of delayed games in the summer since that area gets a lot of thunder showers and lightning.

[Nigel Tufnel]

So apparently the Trop is owned by St. Petersburg, was underinsured, and was already scheduled to be replaced in 2028.  Sounds like there's a real chance that the Rays will need to play somewhere else for the next 3 seasons.

 

Best guess if insurance is insufficient at the Trop? The Orlando Rays (tampabay.com)

[NewMarketSean]

That's wild.

[JeremyStrain]

So apparently the Trop is owned by St. Petersburg, was underinsured, and was already scheduled to be replaced in 2028.  Sounds like there's a real chance that the Rays will need to play somewhere else for the next 3 seasons.

 

Best guess if insurance is insufficient at the Trop? The Orlando Rays (tampabay.com)

Yep, just with the pending deal to replace it, no one was going to sign off on multi million repairs with such a short life span left. Will be interesting to see what they do.

 

Play at U Tampa and see if they can manage to sell THAT one out?

[NewMarketSean]

They can play a significant part of the season in Puerto Rico. I'd go down there to see the O's play the Rays.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Here's what the article says, although it's mostly just the opinion of the reporter.

 

Plus, any suggestions of moving the team more than 100 miles away would not be looked upon fondly in St. Pete considering the investment the city and Pinellas County have committed to a new stadium.

 

Would fields at the University of Tampa or University of South Florida work? Perhaps, but it would take major upgrades. And the players association will need to sign off on any alternate locations.

 

That would seem to make The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World the most logical solution.

 

It’s about 90 miles from the Trop and was used in spring training by the Braves as recently as 2018. The Rays have long wanted to make inroads in the Orlando market — which is why they played six regular season games at the facility in 2007-08 — so it has that benefit, as well.

[BSLMikeLowe]

FOS: Tropicana Field Repairs Will Cost $55.7M and Take a Year

 

So at minimum they need a temporary home for a full season. And after the deductible of $22M the city's insurance on the park will only cover up to $25M, so St. Pete would be on the hook for about $31M to fix a facility that might only be used for two years after that (apparently a new city council could upend the new stadium deal).

 

And then there's this bit of irony...

 

City leaders have already filed an insurance claim to recoup some repair costs, and the Tampa Bay Times reported that the policy on Tropicana Field carries $25 million of coverage after a $22 million deductible. But the coverage was reduced in March from a prior level of $100 million to save $275,000 in premium payments. 

[DuffMan]

Set to play at the Yankees ST site for '25

[BSLRoseKatz]

Set to play at the Yankees ST site for '25

 

13% of the AL in basically minor league parks is probably not the best branding outcome for the league lol

[NewMarketSean]

Tricky situation for the city and the team, but I can't believe that the insurance for the roof was so low in a state that gets so many hurricanes.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Tricky situation for the city and the team, but I can't believe that the insurance for the roof was so low in a state that gets so many hurricanes.

 

That article I posted back in October had some info on their thought process - there's a $22M deductible, so damages would have to exceed $47M for the $25M cap to apply, and their modeling projected maximum losses of $33-$39M.

 

That same article also said that the roof might not even be insured, because it was 10 years beyond its maximum lifespan, but maybe that turned out to not be true.

 

Another insurance policy has a $25 million limit but includes a 5% deductible of the total insured value. The Trop’s value, according to insurance documents, is $441 million. That would translate to a $22 million deductible. That policy had previously had a $100 million limit, but the city opted to reduce it in March because modeling predicted a maximum loss of $33 million-$39 million based on a once-in-250-years storm event.

 

The city saved about $275,000 in premium payments by reducing the insurance limit.

 

“The likelihood of it reaching the dollar amount on the top end versus a deductible change is very appealing,” city risk manager Blaise Mazzola said during a Budget, Finance and Taxation committee meeting earlier this year. “You know, you’d have to reach about $47 million (in damages) before you’d start saying that $100 million dollar option was a better option. So for the savings, we felt this was a solid option.”

[Hooded Viper]

I live down here, drive by the Trop every day heading to work. Had no doubt they were gonna play in the Yankees facility as Miami would be the next closest; though not close at all. As for fixing the Trop, I wound pay for it either. The biggest dump I have ever been to.

[ivanbalt]

13% of the AL in basically minor league parks is probably not the best branding outcome for the league lol

Bad in the short term, but taxpayers buying wealthy owners two more new ballparks will pay off in the long run.

[BSLChrisStoner]

• MLB alters Rays' schedule; 69 of last 103 on road

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN: Where the Rays' future in Tampa Bay and stadium deal stands

https://www.espn.com...icana-field-faq

[BSLChrisStoner]

• Rays not moving forward with new stadium plans

That sounds ominous for their future.

[weird-O]

I opened this thread to share the same story. I haven't had the time to read up on why the Commish wants Sternburg out, but that appears to be the reason for the pause. He'll give the new owner(s) the opportunity to (have the city build) the palace of their dreams. 

[Ravens2006]

I live down here, drive by the Trop every day heading to work. Had no doubt they were gonna play in the Yankees facility as Miami would be the next closest; though not close at all. As for fixing the Trop, I wound pay for it either. The biggest dump I have ever been to.

 

Went to an O's game down there 2 or 3 years ago... whatever game the Rays almost tossed a perfect game until Mateo (!) ruined it in the 9th.  My first dome baseball game.  I was pulling for the perfect game by that point for the pure historic aspect. 

 

I'd been to Atlanta for a Ravens game, and football didn't feel THAT different in a dome.  But man the whole vibe of that stadium was just weird.  Almost felt like they were playing in someone's giantly over-sized living room.  We sat right behind the O's dugout.  The field looked like living room rug to me.  I dunno why.  And the concessions area / concourse felt like a minor league hockey arena in terms of size, lighting, whatever.  Like CFG arena prior to the face lift.

 

I was mostly surprised by the price of concessions there.  Sort of expected them to be "low end" ballpark pricing since they don't draw heavily, as an enticement to get more people to buy tickets... but boy was that wrong.  

[weird-O]

I've been there twice. The first time was to see the lightning play, before they had their own arena. I was visiting my parents, and decided to catch a game. They just hung long black curtains to enclose the rink and stands. Years later, I saw a baseball game. They did everything they could to add some type of personality. But it was a dreadful experience.