Rays stadium roof shows $300M gap in new analysis

The Tampa Sports Authority will consider a revised scope of work Tuesday after an independent analysis found the proposed roof for a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark carries higher cost and complexity than previously stated.

The review follows the revised design assumptions from the Rays, which require the analysis to be redone.

The roof is part of a broader proposal for a Rays stadium and mixed-use district at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus, which remains in early feasibility review with no final financing agreement.

A preliminary review by Skanska USA Building Inc. and Maffeis Engineering found the current grid-shell roof concept is substantially heavier than the 30 pounds per square foot cited in early materials.

The analysis puts the structure at 73 to 117 pounds per square foot, a difference that “materially affects project cost and feasibility.” The report identifies a “minimum $300M budget challenge over the stated budget” tied to that gap.

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The report also outlines what the design requires to build, including the need for 63 temporary towers, some reaching 245 feet, to support the roof system’s construction.

Skanska also developed an alternative trussed arch system that reduces the estimated structural weight to about 49 pounds per square foot and could lower costs by roughly $60 million.

After completing the analysis, Skanska said the Rays’ design team provided updated assumptions that differ from the original inputs. Those changes limit how the analysis can be used and require a new, standalone review based on the revised design.

The Sports Authority board is expected to vote on accepting the current report and approving additional work to evaluate the updated roof design.

The proposal is part of a long-running effort to replace Tropicana Field and would require participation from the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County and the Rays ownership group through a public-private partnership.

The roof system remains under evaluation as public partners continue feasibility review and negotiations.