The Tampa Bay Rays are revising the roof design for a proposed Tampa ballpark, potentially undercutting an analysis that estimated the original plan could add at least $300 million to the cost.
The change was first reported on Monday by the Tampa Bay Times, which reviewed a preliminary analysis of the proposal by the construction firm Skanska.
The Rays, however, are still adjusting the ballpark plans, despite their accelerated timeline to have the ballpark open by March 2029. That’s according to Times reporter Nicholas Villamil, who was a guest on “Florida Matters Live & Local” on Tuesday.
“That's all subject to change, because that report is from early March, and now the Rays are trying different things," said Villamil, who worked on the story. "And so there is a chance that it will be a different price tag, but (it) definitely looks like they're going to have to make at least some sort of pivots to prevent that (cost) from rising.”
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The March 6 report, commissioned by the Tampa Sports Authority, pointed out the “grid shell” roof is “significantly heavier, more complex and more costly" than what was expected for the project.
Since the $49,000 Skanska analysis was completed, the Rays told the sports authority it changed “several foundational roof design parameters” for the stadium.
Among the roof concerns:
- The grid structure “is significantly heavier than stated,” likely 117 pounds per square foot and not the 30 pound per square foot estimated.
- The concept would require 63 temporary towers of 135 to 245 feet, “which would materially increase cost, risk and schedule duration.”
- The suggested plastic polymer material is susceptible to puncture, tearing and panel failure and damage from storm debris. A special fabrication is needed that would require higher costs at installation and in maintenance.
Because of that, Skanska, which conducted the evaluation with Maffeis Engineering, warned its findings might no longer apply without a new analysis that would cost the authority nearly $30,000, according to Tampa Bay Business Journal.
According to the reports, the Rays provided no details on the changes or their impact on costs.
The Rays have not provided a finance structure for the ballpark, but public estimates forecast it will cost about $2.3 billion. The team said it will cover half that amount and all overruns as part of public-private partnership.
That public money would likely come from the half-cent Community Investment Tax, which is earmarked for infrastructure and school needs, as well as Raymond James Stadium and Benchmark International Arena upgrades. But there is division on the county commission on whether to dip into the surplus for the Rays’ stadium.
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“There certainly is a wide spectrum that is well-represented,” Villamil said. “There are people who love this team and love this sport and are really believing in what the team is pitching and want to see it become a reality and think that it is something that would be low-risk, high-reward for local governments.
“And … there are people on the other side of the spectrum who just don't really see why a major sports franchise should be getting a potential tax subsidy.”
In any case, financial details need to be worked out soon to stay on the Rays’ construction schedule. The team's lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg ends after the 2028 season.
“We've spoken to local officials who have told us that they're doing the best they can to accommodate the Rays' timeline, which is, as many have said, an ambitious one,” Villamil said. “April 1 is a (Hillsborough) County Commissioners meeting. April 2 is a Tampa City Council meeting. It's possible that this will be on the agenda for a potentially binding vote that would really move this along.”
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But, he pointed out, the city and county have no obligation to do this.
“They could opt for a much more slow to timeline and tell the team that they want to make this work, but that they need to do it at a different pace. It's unclear which is going to happen.”
So, when might construction begin? The ballpark is planned as the anchor of a mixed-up development on land currently used for Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus.
“They've certainly been pushing since they've started pitching the stadium to get things happening quickly,” Villamil said of the team. “That would put them in a manner that would keep them on schedule for that. And so that would certainly entail getting to a point where they can really get started with this project at some point this year, probably sometime in the summer, if not if not the fall.”
This article was compiled from an interview conducted by Matthew Peddie for "Florida Matters Live & Local."
