With Opening Day just weeks away, Tropicana Field is nearly ready to host baseball again following an intense rebuild after back-to-back hurricanes in 2024.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With Opening Day just weeks away, Tropicana Field is nearly ready to host baseball again following an intense, high-speed rebuild after back-to-back hurricanes in 2024.
During a tour on Friday, city officials said the nearly $60 million restoration is on schedule and on budget — a timeline some once called nearly impossible.
The work comes 16 months after hurricane damage left the stadium roofless, water-damaged and unplayable.
The most visible change is overhead: a completely replaced fiberglass dome roof, engineered to withstand winds of more than 150 miles per hour. Once the roof was installed, work inside the stadium accelerated rapidly.
“Obviously, the roof is on, the field is here. The seats are in place. Things are getting painted. The lights are on. The audio system is hung,” said Beth Herendeen, a spokesperson for the City of St. Petersburg. “All of those major components that are necessary for playing baseball are here — and are working.”
On the field, crews installed more than 137,000 square feet of brand-new artificial turf, along with a new warning track. Fans will also notice a new turf pattern once play begins. While much of the major work is complete, finishing touches remain.
Outfield walls are still covered in plywood, with padded walls expected to be installed in the coming weeks.
Painting, electrical work, drywall and plumbing continue throughout the building, though city leaders say the remaining tasks will take weeks — not months.
“It wouldn’t shock me if we had a paintbrush out or a scrubber here and there the morning of April 6,” Herendeen said. “But the vast majority of what fans will see and notice will be done.”
Inside, damaged seating has been repaired or replaced, including upholstered seating in the bowl. A new sound system is in place, lighting has been repaired and air-conditioning systems have been fully reactivated.
New player lockers were delivered this week, with clubhouse renovations expected to wrap up by early March.
At the height of construction, about 350 workers were on site daily. That number has since dropped to about 225 tradespeople as the project moves closer to completion.
Fans are glad to see the stadium re-taking shape.
“Put the roof back on and let’s go play ball,” said Rays fan Mike Williams.
Another fan, Alan Anthony, called the effort “rapid” and praised the crews for getting the stadium back to normal.
The city says funding for the repairs includes $16.5 million from FEMA, $10.8 million from insurance, and an additional $2.75 million expected to be reimbursed by the state.
Officials say the rebuild was not without challenges.
Delays were caused by overseas volcanic activity linked to Russian earthquakes, rain events last year and even an ice storm in Texas that temporarily delayed delivery of player lockers.
Despite those setbacks, the city says Tropicana Field is on track to be ready when the Tampa Bay Rays return home to face Toronto on April 6.
“We fully anticipate being ready for Opening Day,” Herendeen said. “It’s been a colossal effort — and we’re grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.”