The city has announced the installation completion of the new roof at Tropicana Field | city of st. petersburg

Workers have officially installed the final roof panel at Tropicana Field in downtown St. Pete, marking a major milestone as the City of St. Petersburg prepares to welcome the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2026.

The new roof, built with a stronger and more weather resistant fiberglass membrane, is part of a more than $60 million renovation effort to restore the ballpark after 110 mile per hour winds from Hurricane Milton shredded the original roof late last year.

Although the Rays are only contracted to play at Tropicana Field through the end of the 2028 season, the City is required to provide the team with a suitable stadium for the full term of the agreement, prompting the need for repairs.

The city is working with Hennessy Construction Services and AECOM Hunt as general contractors for the project.

Roof installation began in August and accounts for more than $23 million of the total renovation cost.

Tropicana Field’s new roof with the downtown St. Pete skyline in the distance | Tropicana Field

The new PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) roof is a thicker, translucent material engineered to withstand hurricane force winds up to 165 miles per hour.

Most components were manufactured in Germany and assembled in China.

“I want to thank our City team and our contractors for their diligent work in getting the roof installation completed ahead of schedule,” Mayor Ken Welch said in a Friday announcement. “This project was a massive undertaking, but we have an outstanding team working on it and making sure we are prepared for opening day. We look forward to completing the remaining repairs and welcoming fans back for the 2026 season.”

With the roof now complete, contractors will shift their focus to interior repairs.

Another aerial view of the new and stronger roof at tropicana field | city of st. petersburg

In December, crews will begin installing the new audio system, along with backstop netting and outfield-wall padding, while interior repairs continue.

In January, turf installation will get underway as interior work progresses.

All renovations are scheduled to be completed before the start of the new MLB season, when the Rays are slated to reopen the ballpark on April 6th against the Chicago Cubs.

As for the Rays’ future beyond 2028, that remains unclear.

After acquiring the team in a $1.7 billion deal from longtime owner Stu Sternberg in September, the Rays’ new ownership group is exploring potential stadium sites across the Tampa Bay region.