Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the city's Olympic Stadium – the former home of the Expos and a speculated possibility for the Rays – is undergoing an $870MM renovation to replace its own roof. The stadium will not be available for three years. 'Until 2028, the field of play will be within a construction site and therefore not open to the public,' the stadium's communications officer told Topkin via email.
The Durham Bulls, home of the organization's Triple-A affiliate, released a statement earlier this week saying they 'do not anticipate hosting (the Rays) for a full season due to schedules overlapping and other logistical challenges.'
Topkin reported earlier in the week that the facility [Tropicana Field] was unlikely to be repaired by Opening Day, however. The Rays are scheduled to open a new stadium in St. Petersburg in 2028. Assuming that timeline isn't delayed, it's not clear if the organization and city will find it worthwhile to repair Tropicana Field if the team is leaving the Trop after three years anyhow.
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