New Stadium Roof Is a Big Hit

The Tampa Bay Rays lost their home base at Tropicana Field in October 2024 when Hurricane Milton’s 120 mph winds shredded the stadium’s domed roof. Thanks to a new, high-performance composite membrane roof, the team returned to its own field for MLB Opening Day in April 2026.

Repairs to the dome didn’t begin immediately; the City of St. Petersburg and the team took several months to decide upon a permanent roof replacement. Geiger Engineers of New York did the design and engineering, Serge Ferrari Group supplied the composite materials and Enclos Tensile Structure (ETS) managed the fabrication and installation of the roof panels.

A permanent, high-performance domed roof of this size would typically take up to three years, according to David Peragallo, Serge Ferrari’s senior specification manager for North America. But this project required extremely compressed timelines.

“The challenge was primarily operational – mobilizing engineering, manufacturing and delivery at a pace that is highly uncommon for a project of this scale,” he says.

The building team had to ensure that the new membrane sections would integrate seamlessly into the existing structure while meeting stringent wind and safety requirements. The chosen material, Serge Ferrari Group’s Tenseo Xtrem GF 7000, has been used extensively for stadiums and large-scale architectural applications. “That gave the project team confidence in the materials durability and performance,” says Peragallo.

To produce the composite membrane, Serge Ferrari wove the fiberglass plies into fabric, coated it with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and then sealed it with Pro Shield Max, a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) that gives the material its characteristic smooth surface.

“This coating process provides durability, waterproofing and long-term aesthetic performance,” says Peragallo. “The surface allows rainwater to naturally wash away dirt over time.”

Serge Ferrari Group produced the fabric at its German manufacturing facility then shipped it to ETS for assembly. “Supplying approximately 45,000 square meters of material in such a short timeframe is highly unusual and reflects the level of coordination and urgency behind this effort,” says Peragallo. “Our technical expertise was critical throughout the process, as we worked closely with the fabricator to ensure every requirement was met, from material performance to delivery schedules.”

Each of the 24 roof panels that ETS produced was approximately 330 feet long. During installation, ETS crews set up an engineered platform netting system that provided safe and efficient access to their work. Most workers were attached to horizontal lifelines anchored to structural components to remain safe while installing the roof high above the ground.

“Workers hoisted the PTFE panels onto the roof using both interior and exterior cranes, then pulled them over the bowl with rope winches in a coordinated sequence,” says Allen Gadus, ETS’ construction manager for the project. “Once positioned, each panel was secured to protect against unexpected weather conditions.” 

Crews then stretched the panels into their final position using specialized clamping and rigging, installed a permanent aluminum clamping system, performed the final stressing of the structure and membrane panels, then installed waterproofing closures over each panel section using a heat welding process. To maintain equal loading on the structure, two installation crews worked directly opposite each other on the roof.

Each panel took six to seven days to install depending on environmental conditions. “Rain and lightning had an impact during the initial phases of the project as they jeopardized the safety of the crews,” says Gadus. “During a panel deployment, wind speed and direction must be considered as it can significantly hinder the deployment.”

The last panel was secured into place in November 2025, giving the stadium owners time to complete interior stadium renovations.

Although it’s not clear how long the Tampa Bay Rays will use Tropicana Field, the composite roof is designed to last.

“While the roof may appear visually similar to the original, its engineering performance is fully modernized to account for evolving climate conditions, including stronger winds, more severe storms and updated safety standards,” says Peragallo. “Engineered for long-term durability with an expected service life exceeding 20 years, the new roof dramatically enhances the stadium’s resilience to severe weather events and reduces maintenance needs.”

Opening image: Tropicana Stadium opened the 2026 season with a new high-performance composite membrane roof.

Photo credit: ©Kailey Tracy