ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Repairs to Tropicana Field are running ahead of schedule after a quiet hurricane season, and city officials say the stadium will be ready for the Tampa Bay Rays home opener on April 6.
The dome suffered significant damage during Hurricane Milton, when powerful winds tore open sections of the roof, allowing rain to pour inside. The city of St. Petersburg approved $59.7 million for repairs.
WATCH: Repairs head indoors at Tropicana Field and ahead of schedule after Hurricane Milton damage
During the storm roof panels peeled away and debris fell into seating areas. In the weeks that followed, city engineers found widespread water intrusion that damaged drywall, flooring, electrical systems, and player areas.
City officials offered a tour of the stadium on Wednesday, highlighting progress on the repairs. Workers filled nearly every corner of the ballpark, handling drywall replacement, painting, electrical work, and new flooring. The city says constant mold testing has been underway since the storm. A new sound system is scheduled for installation soon, and new turf is expected to go in next month.
“Having a quiet storm season has been we are so fortunate and we don’t discount that. We had about a 30 day contigency like a weather window in there. And we are very happy we did not have to use it.” said Beth Herendeen with St. Petersburg’s City Development Administration.
Raul Quintana, the city’s chief architect, said progress has required close coordination with the Rays and Major League Baseball.
“Everything has been done with a lot of thought. A lot of effort. Working collaboratively with the Tampa Bay Rays with Major League Baseball. And it hasn’t been easy. There’s been a lot of back and forth and a lot of pushing and shoving and giving and taking and here.”
Fans outside the stadium said the repairs already look impressive.
“I was just saying how great it looks. It almost looks like you want to take a raft and slide down it. It looks so smooth.” said one Rays fan named Alex.
“It's looking great. I'm ready for a game right now. Let's get some players out there and let's play ball,” says Rays fan Robert Smith.
The locker room also must be rebuilt because of water damage, and the Rays are planning upgrades to luxury suites and the stadium’s scoreboard.
City officials say they have no concern that Tropicana Field will not be ready for Opening Day and believe the new roof is much stronger than the one it replaced.
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