St. Petersburg City Council voted Thursday to spend nearly $16 million more on Tropicana Field repairs.
But even with only one vote against the increase, council members voiced concerns about costs continuing to go up. The latest increase brought the project's price from $55.7 million to just under $60 million.
Thursday’s approval came only two weeks after the council agreed to spend a maximum of $5.2 million to repair lights and electrical systems inside the stadium.
It also came after the council formally ended a deal to build a new stadium with the Tampa Bay Rays, who backed out of the agreement in March.
ALSO READ: St. Petersburg City Council officially terminates Rays' stadium agreement
Tropicana Field sustained major damage during Hurricane Milton last year. That included the loss of fabric roof panels as well as serious water damage to bleachers, scoreboards and audio equipment.
The new money will be used for roof and turf installation, as well as repairs to drywall, lights, fire alarms, stadium netting and padding.
The Trop is still expected to be ready in time for the Rays’ 2026 season, which starts in late March.
They're playing this season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring home of the New York Yankees.
City Architect Raul Quintana said he expects the installation of the first batch of roof panels to start next week, but they still need to arrive from either Germany or China.
“It's a lot of work that's compressed in a short amount of time,” Quintana said. “So some of the cost of this is also that coordination to make sure that the work does get together appropriately.”
Quintana said some of the issues that could delay the project would be weather-related, but the team and city are keeping an eye on that.
Council member Corey Givens Jr. was the only member to vote against the increased expenses. He said while the city is contractually obligated to go through with the repairs, he is not sure Rays officials want a stadium renovation.
The council is required to fix the stadium under the city's 30-year contract with the team that ends in 2028.
But Givens said he feels like the council is being told what to do.
He wants to ensure the stadium is usable for Major League Baseball, but questioned some expenses.
“I don't want to renovate every single suite, renovate every single concession stand, because God knows, when you were there during the days that the games were being played, there were many concession stands that were empty,” he said.
Quintana previously explained that the additional money would also be used to renovate concession stands that are needed.
Givens said the process is being rushed, and he believes there are more economical options available.
He also expressed concern about whether the city will receive a refund for the project.
City Attorney Jackie Kovilaritch said the only reimbursement could come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and that is not guaranteed.
“So $60 million down the drain, and it's money that we cannot recoup,” Givens said.
Kovilaritch said if the Rays decided to move to a different stadium before the 2028 season ends, the city would seek injunctive relief to compel them to honor the contract.
If that didn’t work, Kovilaritch said she wouldn't rule out the possibility that the city could legally go after the Rays for the money spent on the stadium.
Council member Copley Gerdes said the project is a collaborative effort to make sure the Trop is ready for baseball, but he questioned the Rays’ commitment.
“This is not a ‘the Rays order, and we deliver,’” Gerdes said. “This isn’t like they come up to the McDonald’s counter and they get to order off the menu of everything they want.”
