Council approves Trop roof repairs despite concerns 

St. Petersburg will fulfill previous obligations and, hopefully, avoid litigation with the Tampa Bay Rays by repairing Tropicana Field’s roof.

The city council approved a $22.5 million roof replacement project Thursday despite concerns surrounding the final cost and baseball’s future in St. Petersburg. Administrators expect the work to conclude in December – 14 months after Hurricane Milton exposed the once-enclosed stadium to Florida weather.

One vocal opponent of recently terminated plans to build a new ballpark is willing to discuss improving the Trop beyond its pre-storm state and extending the team’s contract. However, most council members agreed that administrators should take a minimalistic approach to all repairs, which will exclude team offices.

While city architect Raul Quintana said the Rays and Major League Baseball have “absolutely” approved the city’s strategy, Councilmember Brandi Gabbard remains wary of potential “pitfalls.”

“There’s a lack of trust there, I think, at this point in our relationship,” Gabbard said of the Rays. “I worry we’re going to get down a path, and it’s not going to be good enough.”

The team sent the following prepared statement after the vote: “We are pleased to see the city council take this important step toward preparing Tropicana Field for Major League Baseball in time for 2026 Opening Day,” said Rays president Brian Auld.

“We commend, in particular, the city, Rays and MLB staff for their cooperative efforts to get us to this point.”

St. Petersburg-based Hennessy Construction Services has partnered with AECOM Hunt, headquartered in Indianapolis, to repair the Trop. Quintana called the latter company “one of the utmost experienced stadium construction firms in the country.”

The city identified an acceptable white fabric to cover the dome through an “intense collaborative effort” with the Rays and MLB. It went through live testing in Arizona, and the color is slightly less expensive than the previously selected beige hue.

Quintana said advanced audio systems and adjustable sports lighting would mitigate potential issues with the fabric. Prep work will begin in June, the start of hurricane season.

Material fabrication will occur in Germany. Quintana said the covering has a “risk Category 3 rating” and can withstand a three-second wind gust of up to 163 mph. The previous fabric was rated to 115 mph; Milton’s top gust was 101 mph.

A company in China will assemble roof material and ship it in crates to St. Petersburg. The contractors, accounting for weather delays, believe the Trop can be ready for baseball by the 2026 season.

New tariffs enacted Wednesday have provided the project’s first hurdle. While the contract includes a $100,000 contingency for those costs, Gabbard noted there is now a 20% and 34% surcharge on goods imported from the European Union and China, respectively.

For example, a $10 million shipment from the latter country could increase by millions of dollars. “It’s something we’re just finding out about as well,” Quintana said.

“So, we’ve got a lot of work to do to understand it and start to ask the right questions.”

Contractors will begin repairing the stadium’s lighting and electrical systems once roof work concludes in December.

Administrators will begin presenting separate repair packages for the council’s approval in May. Those will cover interior and exterior metal paneling, audio and video systems, lighting and general construction – including a new playing surface.

Beth Herendeen, special projects manager, said a second approval package in July would include some “limited millwork and cabinetry” for stadium suites. Gabbard called that a “prudent path forward.”

Gabbard would be “incredibly critical” of plans to repair team offices. “Quite frankly, if the new development would have come forward, their offices would not have been in the stadium.”

Herendeen said the Rays and MLB understand offices are not a part of the project’s scope. “We are focused very intently on readying it for baseball games.”

Quintana said administrators lack an updated estimate but believe costs will remain in the $55 million range established in November 2024. The council agreed to transfer or borrow $2.53 million from the city’s Parking Revenue Fund, $7.66 million from a Commercial Insurance Fund and $12.86 million from a $50 million emergency loan received in December to cover the roof repairs.

Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders noted that previous plans for the Trop site were “about more than just baseball.” She wants to ensure those 86 acres still provide long-deferred community benefits.

While the Rays are now free to look elsewhere, they owe St. Petersburg three more seasons at the Trop. Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. said the city should consider repurposing the stadium.

Councilmember Richie Floyd has repeatedly asked administrators to estimate a settlement cost with the Rays. He said it is difficult to discern the most financially prudent path forward without comparing those numbers.

Floyd would support negotiating an extension with the Rays since the “venue is going to continue to exist … especially if we could do that while also delivering on some of the promises” established in their bid to build a new stadium. He provided the repair project’s lone “no” vote.

“I think there is an opportunity for that based on what I know about the use agreements,” Floyd added. “I just would love to have seen more detailed information about what a settlement would look like … anything would have been helpful.”