St. Petersburg approves $22.5 million for new Tropicana Field roof

ST. PETERSBURG — City Council members voted Thursday to approve replacing Tropicana Field’s roof shredded by Hurricane Milton last year.

The city will spend $22.5 million for a new teflon-coated fiberglass roof, made of the same material as the original. It’s about half of the total estimated cost to fix the stadium, tallied in November at $55.7 million.

The vote represents a major step toward readying the dome for the Tampa Bay Rays’ return to St. Petersburg in time for the 2026 season. The team is using a temporary home at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

As the Trop’s landlord, the city is required to make the Trop playable again, per its agreement with the team. Council members said they recognized the city’s contractual obligation. The Rays are expected to play home games back in the dome next year through the 2028 season.

“I’d much rather be spending that money on hurricane recovery and helping residents in our most affected neighborhoods,” said council member Brandi Gabbard, “but this is our obligation.”

Council members voted 7-1 to replace the Trop’s roof. Richie Floyd voted no. He said he would have liked to see the city present the numbers for what a settlement with the Rays would’ve cost compared to repairs. The city could have bought the Rays out of playing their final three seasons at the Trop.

The council voted in November to replace the roof, but Rays president Brian Auld said the team preferred a settlement. Auld said the team doubted repairs would be done on time and at cost and would have to come up with a backup plan to play elsewhere. The council then called back its vote and rejected that funding. The Rays later changed their position and endorsed fixing the Trop.

“We are pleased to see City Council take this important step toward preparing Tropicana Field for Major League Baseball in time for 2026 Opening Day,” Auld said in a statement Thursday. ”We commend in particular City, Rays, and MLB staff for their cooperative efforts to get us to this point.”

After Rays owner Stuart Sternberg announced last month that the team would not move forward with a $1.3 billion deal to build a new stadium, which would have demolished the Trop, the team proposed the city and Pinellas County pitch in $200 million each for renovations in exchange for playing at the Trop for another 10 years. The city and the county dismissed that idea.

Floyd on Thursday called that a starting point for negotiations, as he would never support spending that much.

“What we’re doing today is voting to approve something with a finite price attached to it today, but still with a range of variables ahead,” he said.

City Administrator Rob Gerdes said the city had multiple discussion about that with the Rays, but said any settlement would have lost the city reimbursements from insurance and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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“Just doesn’t make financial sense for the city,” he said.

The council still needs to vote on non-roof related repairs, such as metal panels, sports lighting, audio visual equipment and drywall, flooring and cabinetry. Those votes are expected to come before the council this summer.

Council member Lisset Hanewicz asked if those costs have increased since they were estimated last year.

“We still believe we’re in the range,” said City Architect Raul Quintana. “We believe it’s going to stay there.”

Hanewicz said County Commissioner Vince Nowicki suggested to her that the county could chip in tourist dollars for renovations. Gerdes said the city is holding off on using county funding but would talk to County Administrator Barry Burton.

“I find it odd city administration didn’t even come and ask us to chip in,” Nowicki said.

Under the agreement approved Thursday, the contractor that assessed the Trop’s damages last year will return to repair the stadium. AECOM Hunt, the Indianapolis-based construction management firm, is also the same company that built the Trop 35 years ago.

The firm will partner with St. Petersburg construction company Hennessy Construction Services to construct a new roof made from white fabric. Major League Baseball preferred a white roof, which is less expensive than a beige roof and will take less time to install.

The new roof will be designed to current building codes and could withstand 165 mph winds.

The material is made in Germany and will be assembled in China then flown to St. Petersburg in four shipments. Earlier this week, President Trump announced a 10% tariff on all countries, including 34% on China and 20% on the European Union.

The agreement includes a $100,000 contingency to cover proposed tariffs, though some council members doubted that was enough.

The price of the roof doesn’t include an acoustical liner. Special Projects Manager Beth Herendeen said it’s not needed with the installation of a new audio system and the league was OK with that.

Roof repairs would wrap up just in time for Christmas, and turf replacement would continue through February, according to contractors’ timelines. There is some wiggle room for shipping and weather delays.

Council members voted to transfer or lend $2.5 million from the city’s Parking Revenue Fund, $7.6 million from the Commercial Insurance Fund and $12.8 from a $50 million loan the city took out in December.

The vote also included an additional $500,600 to cover project oversight, inspections and permit costs.

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