$60 million Tropicana Field renovation nearly complete ahead of Rays’ return to downtown St. Pete
/The City of St. Petersburg is finishing up a $60 million restoration and renovation of Tropicana Field after Hurricane Milton tore off the stadium’s roof in late 2024 | St. Pete Rising
A new roof stretches overhead, the stadium lights are back in place, and a thick layer of fresh artificial turf now spans the field floor as the Tampa Bay Rays prepare to return home to downtown St. Pete.
The City of St. Petersburg is nearing completion of a $59.7 million renovation and remediation of Tropicana Field ahead of the Rays’ home opener against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, April 6th.
“From here, there are lots of small things that need to be done—some drywall, aiming the lights to make sure they are in the right place, getting the lines on the field—but the big lift items are complete,” said Beth Herendeen, the city’s Administration and Finance Managing Director, during a media tour of the stadium. “We are on schedule and on budget and fully anticipate being ready for opening day.”
The most visible milestone is the new roof. The original fabric roof was shredded during Hurricane Milton in 2024, exposing the stadium interior to months of rainwater intrusion and causing widespread internal damage.
The replacement roof, made of a thicker, stronger fiberglass membrane and engineered to withstand winds of up to 165 miles per hour, was manufactured in Germany, assembled in China, and air-freighted to Alaska before arriving in St. Petersburg.
Workers are nearing completion on the installation of more than 137,000 square feet of new turf, including green playing surfaces and brown base paths | St. Pete Rising
Roof installation began in August 2025, with massive 5,000-pound panels hoisted and secured piece by piece. The final panel was installed in late November.
“Once the roof was back on, it was warp speed,” Herendeen said.
Crews moved quickly to remediate water damage, remove compromised drywall, and begin rebuilding interior finishes.
Today, the baseball netting is in place. All cable, data and fiber infrastructure has been reinstalled to Major League Baseball standards. The stadium lighting has been repaired or replaced, with final aiming scheduled for early March once field striping is complete.
The new audio system has also been installed and will undergo commissioning and sound testing in the coming weeks.
Workers are nearing completion on the installation of more than 137,000 square feet of new turf, including green playing surfaces and brown base paths.
Roof installation began in August 2025, with massive 5,000-pound panels hoisted and secured piece by piece. The final panel was installed in late November | St. Pete Rising
The batter’s eye in center field is complete, and the outfield walls have been rebuilt. Wall padding is scheduled for installation beginning in mid-March.
While most bowl seating remains the same, upholstered premium seats damaged by water have been replaced.
Locker room renovations are now underway after new lockers were delivered earlier this week.
The Rays’ clubhouse, visiting team facilities and umpire locker rooms are expected to be complete by late February or early March.
The Rays are also conducting independent upgrades to suites and premium areas.
Additionally, a reconfigured Budweiser deck is under construction, and the team is adding new digital elements and enhancements throughout the building.
A reconfigured Budweiser deck is under construction, and the team is adding new digital elements and enhancements throughout the building | St. Pete Rising
Herendeen described the restoration as a “colossal effort” involving construction managers AECOM Hunt and Hennessy Construction Services, remediation firm BMS CAT, turf provider Shaw, electrical engineers, city permitting staff, and hundreds of tradespeople.
At the height of construction, approximately 350 workers were on site daily.
“We joke that the only credit I can take is believing it could be done,” Herendeen said. “It’s really been a tremendous effort by a very large number of people and companies.”
Despite the progress that’s been made, the project has faced multiple unexpected setbacks.
A volcanic event in eastern Russia disrupted portions of the global supply chain, delaying roof materials. More recently, an ice storm in Texas temporarily delayed delivery of custom-built lockers.
Before reopening, indoor air quality testing will be conducted to ensure the building is safe following months of exposure and remediation.
At the height of construction, approximately 350 workers were on site daily repairing Tropicana Field | St. Pete Rising
As for funding, City Council has approved approximately $59.7 million to cover both construction and remediation costs, including security and water mitigation efforts during the roof replacement period.
To date, the city has received $10.8 million from its insurance provider. Additionally, FEMA has indicated it will reimburse $16.5 million, with additional requests pending. The city also anticipates receiving $2.75 million from the state.
Under its agreement with the Rays, the City of St. Pete is obligated to maintain a suitable stadium through the end of the team’s current contract in 2028.
While some final touch-ups may extend into the days leading up to the home opener, Herendeen said fans should expect a fully operational stadium.
“It wouldn’t shock me if we had a paintbrush out or a scrubber here or there the morning of April 6th,” she said. “But everything the fans would see and notice will be done.”
