Thrive
Storm-damaged stadium tour highlights ‘complicated’ Trop repairs
The smell of mold and sewage now greets Tropicana Field’s rare visitors nearly six months after Hurricane Milton shredded the domed stadium’s roof.
St. Petersburg officials, who led a media tour of a ballpark on life-support Wednesday afternoon, insist that the odors are simply a byproduct of water intrusion and hundreds of toilets that have gone unflushed. However, they do not dispute that the exposed facility has suffered additional damage since October 2024.
The tour – without the Tampa Bay Rays – came two days after agreements to build a new stadium officially terminated and a day before the city council will vote on a $22.5 million roof replacement. That work will occur throughout the 2026 hurricane season.
“With each rain, we learn a little bit more,” said Beth Herendeen, special projects manager. “Water does get in, and we continue to monitor that. The clubhouse has had some water that actually came in after the fact.”
According to the city, these tarps were in the process of being replaced. All tarping is regularly monitored.
In November 2024, St. Petersburg-based Hennessy Construction estimated interior repairs at about $33 million. Most city council members, who will decide its future, have not recently toured the storm-damaged stadium.
The city has already allocated over $9.9 million – not included in repair estimates – to a roofless Trop without conducting any restorative repairs. Herendeen noted that a remediation contractor is at the stadium daily and updates officials before and after rainy weather, which will soon increase.
She said pumps and drains help move water from low spots, like dugouts. Tarps, some better affixed than others, add a modicum of protection from the elements. Air conditioning cools the lower levels.
The city has removed some drywall, carpeting and a “significant amount” of ceiling tiles. Herendeen said concession areas, now in disarray, remain operable.
Administrators will present several varying repair packages – interior and exterior metal paneling, audio and video systems, sports lighting and general construction, including a new playing surface – to the City Council, pending approval of the roof work.
“Every day, there might be a little something, but all of the major elements have been identified,” Herendeen said. “I would say, 90% to 95% of the onion has been peeled.”
Sandbags attempt to prevent water from entering the stadium’s interior.
Contractors and consultants give administrators a “heads up” if they encounter an issue that would dramatically increase the previous $55 million total cost estimate. Herendeen said they have “not been given anything to date that leads us to believe that will be significantly higher.”
She also stressed that, despite the smell, there “is no mold issue.” Environmental companies have repeatedly tested the stadium, and Herendeen said that will continue indefinitely. “And again, the building is not occupied on a daily basis.”
Herendeen is also unaware of any sewage overflows, save for an incident in 1995 during an ice skating event. She blamed that odor on “sewer gas” from toilets meant to be flushed regularly by thousands of people.
“This is a complicated project,” said Raul Quintana, city architect. “Any project of this scale and this nature is going to be complicated.”
Quintana provided a technical preview of his presentation to the city council. He said administrators have confirmed that a joint venture between Hennessy and AECOM Hunt, which specializes in stadium repairs, can replace the roof, meet current building codes and appease Major League Baseball.
Quintana said the Rays and the league were especially concerned about the fabric roof’s acoustics and lighting. Both parties have acknowledged that the city’s selected material is “acceptable” and “going to work.”
Beth Herendeen (left), special projects manager, and Raul Quintana, city architect.
The tensile (an ability to withstand pulling forces before breaking) fabric is the same material previously used to cover the Trop. While it will lack an acoustical liner, Herendeen said advanced audio systems have negated the liner’s use.
“There’s still a good bit of engineering that’s going to be done offshore in Germany, and once that’s done, they’ll ship it to China,” Quintana explained. “In China, they’ll assemble it. We do anticipate that there could be tariffs.”
Quintana said the $22.5 million contract includes “several contingencies.” Administrators also ensured the companies had the “right insurance.”
The city plans to complete the roof by December before commencing all other repairs. Quintana said the schedule provides an “opportunity to get it done in time” for the Rays’ home opener in March 2026.
He noted the roof material is significantly stronger and thicker than the previous iteration and was designed according to current wind ratings. “You can’t predict what might happen,” Quintana added. “But we’re setting it up to succeed.”
“It could potentially be a permanent roof. I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t.”
City administrators believe the total repair cost has not significantly increased over the past six months.
monah
April 3, 2025at8:39 pm
What a perfect metaphor for this entire Rays vs. the City of St. Pete. A big stinking heap of ruin.
Polita
April 3, 2025at7:36 pm
So we just lost $45 million in federal funding for community projects and infrastructure. We’re going to spend $55 million to renovate a stinky, roofless, and maybe moldy stadium that will be torn down a little more than a year after it’s finished. Did I miss anything?
Debra Roman
April 3, 2025at3:57 pm
The Rays are leaving.
TEAR IT DOWN!!!!
Debi Mazor
April 3, 2025at3:55 pm
Has anyone factored in the increased cost due to tariffs?
Ryan Todd
April 3, 2025at3:16 pm
How can anyone have confidence in the City’s ability to repair the Trop as we face another hurricane season? Material and labor costs have done nothing but skyrocket over the past ten years. Litigation will be cheaper than the repairs. Let’s negotiate a settlement and get to work on demolishing the Trop.
Sean
April 2, 2025at9:42 pm
There were 3 massive hurricanes in 2 years. If a roof that was roughly a decade past its expiration date was able to withstand the first 2 hurricanes then a similar material would probably be just fine. Just get it done and learn from it. No neglecting to maintain your properties no more skimping on insurance. Rumor is that the money was used to give bonuses to some officials not sure if that’s true or false but if true definitely no more of that as well. Honor the use agreement and stay out of a courtroom. Litigation will likely cost quite a bit more than repairs. Especially in the state of Florida which happens to be home to one of the biggest trial lawyers that exists.
Michael C
April 2, 2025at7:14 pm
Let’s get it done! We obviously need a large venue for a variety of events (outside baseball), it is much cheaper than settling with the Rays ($55M versus at least $250M) and gives us the opportunity to keep baseball in the Tampa Bay region for generations to come (assuming there is a new owner – which is likely). MLB is not going to let the Rays play in a Single A stadium for 4-5 years. That’s a fallacy.
So we need to honor our word and stay out of much costlier litigation against a massive corporation (MLB).