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The roof of Tropicana Field was torn off during Hurricane Milton last year. The St. Petersburg City Council voted Thursday to spend millions to replace it with a stronger one.
The City will spend $22.5 million towards the roof replacement.
St. Pete officials say they expect the new roof to be installed by the end of the year, and the field to be ready for the Tampa Bay Rays to play by next year’s opening day.
The team is currently playing at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
The motion passed 7 to 1, with only Council member Richie Floyd voting no.
City Council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders voted for the repair.
“I’m glad that we’re meeting our obligations, I’m not thrilled with the dollar amount that we’re having to spend, but it’s a given,” Figgs-Sanders said.
City Council member Corey Givens Jr said the new roof could have other uses beyond baseball, such as a shelter.
“Now that we have a roof that’s able to secure winds up to 165 miles per hour, moving forward beyond 2026, should the Rays decide not to stay, I’m happy to know we’re spending this money for good reasons because there are other purposes besides just baseball,” Givens Jr. said.
In March, the Rays pulled out of a plan to build a 1.3 billion dollar stadium next to the Trop, leaving the team’s future in the city unclear.
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