How the Very Warm Temperature of the Gulf of Mexico Might Lead to the Tampa Bay Rays Moving Out of Town

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We talk a lot about the impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Rising sea levels, heat waves, melting glaciers — they are all changes our planet is experiencing as the temperature rises. However, these can seem a little abstract if you’re not experiencing them yourself. Sometimes it takes a concrete example of just how climate change is influencing not only changes to our landscape and ecosystems, but also to things like … baseball.

The Tampa Bay Rays play at Tropicana Field, a domed stadium in St. Petersburg , on the “ocean side” of Tampa Bay. When Hurricane Milton struck in the middle of October, much of the mid-Gulf Coast of Florida was slammed by heavy rains, high winds and a very large storm surge. Even though Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane after weakening slightly, it did cause immense damage that might total over $34 billion , making it one of the most costly in the country’s history. Luckily, only 35 people perished from the storm (that we know of as of late November).

The End of the Dome

Damage caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024 to the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Credit: Wikimedia Commons (Adog).

One of the most dramatic scenes from the storm was the damage to Tropicana Field . The roof, which was made of fiberglass fabric, was designed to withstand winds of ~125 miles per hour . However, years of deferred maintenance (or even replacement) of the roof meant that when Hurricane Milton hit with winds at least 120 miles per hour, the roof of Tropicana Field was destroyed. Not only that, but with the roof in tatters, the heavy rains flooded the stadium that lacked any field drainage (because it was covered by a dome!)

The initial estimate to repair the roof was around $56 million , much of which might have been covered by insurance put on the facility by the city of St. Petersburg (as they own it). However, there is a complication. The Rays and the city had come to a tentative agreement to build the baseball team a new stadium on the site of Tropicana Field, opening potentially as soon as 2028. So, the question became: do you fix a stadium you’re going to tear … Read More