Tropicana Field needs more than a new roof. City Council vote is a start
ST. PETERSBURG — Workers had to punch holes in never-before-used drains underneath the baseball diamond so that when it rains, the water inside Tropicana Field has somewhere to go.
What Hurricane Milton did to the Trop looks even more apocalyptic than it does from inside. Only a skeleton of the roof remains. Remediation specialists have pulled plastic over field lights, tied tarps over seats and sealed off openings to prevent further damage.
Despite waterproofing, water still makes it inside. And an odor, as noted in assessment reports, lingers.
For the first time in six months, St. Petersburg city officials invited the news media on a tour of the Trop the day before the City Council considers approving $22.5 million to replace the roof. Pointing to timelines created by contractors, city officials believe the roof and other repairs will be done by opening day 2026 — even counting on shipping and weather delays.
'We should have it done,' said City Architect Raul Quintana.
The council is expected to approve the repairs. Under its contract with the Rays, which has been in place since 1995, the city as the Rays' landlord must 'diligently pursue' repairs to make the Trop playable again.
The Rays are locked into playing at the Trop through at least 2028. They are spending this season at the New York Yankees' spring training facility, Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
If approved, the city would place an order for the roof. The material is fabricated in Germany, shipped to China for assembly and would be flown to St. Petersburg. The city would put up support netting in June and start receiving shipments in August. The roof is scheduled to be completed by December.
The roof replacement includes $100,000 set aside for tariffs imposed on imports. It doesn't include an acoustical layer for the roof, which was highlighted by Major League Baseball as important.
Beth Herendeen, the city's special projects manager who has led the planning effort, said the city's intention is to install a new audio system that doesn't need an acoustical liner. It would make sound 'brighter,' and Herendeen said the league was OK with that.
Replacing the roof is the first big step. The council is expected vote at least four more times on Trop repairs to pay for metal panels, sports lighting, audio visual equipment and drywall, and flooring and carpets. Herendeen said the next vote would be to approve metal panels in May, followed by the other repairs in June, July and August. The Rays' corporate offices, which had a home in the Trop, are not being repaired.
'They're not included at this point because we're just trying to get ready for baseball,' she said.
Those costs are still being totaled, but the complete price to repair the Trop was estimated to be $56 million last November.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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