St. Petersburg Boosts Tropicana Field Renovations with Extra $5 Million Investment

St. Petersburg Invests in Tropicana Field Repairs for the Rays

St. Petersburg is pouring more money into getting Tropicana Field ready for the Tampa Bay Rays. Recently, the City Council agreed to spend an additional $5.3 million on repairs. This brings the total allocation to $38.5 million, with the entire project expected to cost around $56 million.

Council member Gina Driscoll expressed concern about keeping this budget in check. She wants transparency if costs rise. “If it’s going to be more, please manage our expectations,” she said.

Brejesh Prayman, the city’s Engineering Director, reassured everyone that they are on top of their estimates and “trending in the right path.” The Rays have a contract to play at Tropicana Field until 2028. This extends a year due to severe storm damage that affected the roof.

For now, the Rays are playing at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees’ spring training venue. Some council members, like Richie Floyd, initially opposed roof repairs, advocating for a broader settlement. Despite this, he backed the current funding to ensure the repairs move forward.

The approved funds will address:

• Waterproofing and roof repairs slated to finish by December.
• Installation of around 5,000 ceiling tiles to manage temperature.
• Repair of storm-damaged metal panels inside and outside the stadium.

Once the roof is complete, contractors will focus on modernizing lighting, audio, and security systems. The council also green-lit $284,000 for ongoing engineering plans for other repairs.

Security costs during repairs, totaling $800,000, will be covered by the city, as is standard for construction sites.

There’s cautious optimism from Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred about having the Trop ready near the 2026 season opener. However, hurricane season could still pose challenges.

The city previously allocated $22.5 million for a new roof in April amidst discussions about a new stadium deal that fell through. Now, city officials believe they can have Tropicana Field ready for the next season. In May, it was reported that half of the roof materials are being produced in Germany, with plans for assembly in China. The city also set aside $100,000 for potential tariff costs on imports, which adds another layer of financial management to this project.

These ongoing investments highlight the city’s commitment to maintaining an important venue for both the team and the community, especially as sports tourism continues to grow in the Tampa Bay area.

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section: News,section: St. Petersburg,section: Sports,section: Rays