Despite ongoing uncertainty about the Tampa Bay Rays' future in St. Petersburg, the city is proceeding with repairs to Tropicana Field's domed roof and other storm-related damages.
In a unanimous decision during Thursday's City Council meeting, members approved $1.66 million in contracts for pre-construction and architectural plans to replace the stadium roof, which was damaged by Hurricane Milton.
According to a damage assessment report by Hennessy Construction, the total cost to repair the aging stadium is estimated at $55.7 million. However, repairing the roof fulfills the city's obligations under its current use agreement with the Rays, ensuring the ballpark remains suitable for play.
The city will pay $1.45 million to St. Petersburg-based Hennessy Construction for pre-construction and planning services, and an additional $206,000 to Indianapolis-based AECOM Hunt for architectural and engineering services.
City Architect Raul Quintana reported that the membrane of the previous fabric roof has been removed, water-protection measures are nearly complete, and city staff have met with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
The new roof will feature a weather-resistant fiberglass membrane material, sourced from Europe and fabricated in Asia, which is commonly used in sports complexes.
An engineer will oversee the acoustics and lighting repairs, with changes requiring approval from the MLB organization.
This approval follows a previous delay in November, when Rays co-president Brian Auld informed the council that the team could not financially cover cost overruns for a new stadium in the reimagined Gas Plant District.
While repairs to the stadium are expected to commence soon, the Rays will play their home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa during the 2025 season.
