St. Petersburg council rejects immediate repair to Rays’ ballpark roof after first giving approval

Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The St. Petersburg City Council has reversed course on whether to spend more than $23 million to repair the hurricane-shredded roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ ballpark. The council initially voted Thursday to approve the repair and later changed its mind. The reversal came after the council voted to delay consideration of revenue bonds for a proposed new $1.3 billion Rays ballpark. Just two days before, the Pinellas County Commission postponed a vote on its share of the new stadium bonds, leaving that project in limbo. The Rays will play the 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the New York Yankees in Tampa.