The price to show George M. Steinbrenner Area in Tampa, Fla., into a serious league facility will exceed $50 million, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned.
The Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 regular-season schedule on the advanced — the coaching and spring facility of the New York Yankees — after being left and not using a residence stadium. Hurricane Milton tore the roof off Tropicana Area in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Oct. 9, leaving about $56 million in repairs which are anticipated to take not less than your complete 2025 season to finish.
The value for enhancements at Steinbrenner Area for the Rays do not embody the undisclosed tens of millions of {dollars} the Yankees paid to improve their spring and coaching amenities.
On the conclusion of spring coaching, the Yankees will flip over the power to the Rays, who will profit from the modifications that have been in progress earlier than the hurricane hit. These embody added sq. footage for weight rooms, coaching areas and eating, in addition to areas for participant use.
The hurricane kicked off uncertainty about the place the Rays will play sooner or later. A deliberate stadium in St. Petersburg’s historic Gasoline Plant District now seems to be up within the air, and there’s no assure that city-owned Tropicana Area shall be prepared for play in 2026.
Within the meantime, Manfred mentioned Tuesday that MLB is grateful the Yankees have come by means of to help the Rays, their American League East rival.
“The trade owes (Yankees principal proprietor) Hal Steinbrenner an actual debt of gratitude, a ton of credit score for the method he took,” Manfred mentioned. “He put actually tens of tens of millions of {dollars} into bettering Steinbrenner Area. The primary people who find themselves going to get to make use of it for any time frame is the Rays. That assist for the trade, that collegiality is absolutely an essential factor.”
The Yankees will make two journeys this season to Tampa to play the Rays within the 11,000-seat ballpark, each instances occupying the upgraded clubhouse of the guests (April 17-20 and Aug. 19-20).
The Athletics, meantime, additionally shall be taking part in in a minor league ballpark this season. They’re awaiting development of a stadium on the Las Vegas Strip, anticipated in 2028, and can play at Sutter Well being Park in West Sacramento, Calif., after leaving their longtime residence in Oakland.
Manfred mentioned Tuesday the payments aren’t performed coming in but for main league renovations in Sacramento.
–Area Stage Media
