Twenty out of 24 roof panels have been installed at Tropicana Field — a sign of visible progress for an iconic St. Petersburg landmark that has become a political football after it was damaged during last year’s Hurricane Milton.

The rest of the panels are slated to go up by next week. Inside, construction work is underway. City Development Administration Managing Director Beth Herendeen said she expects repairs to be done by the end of February, well ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays’ home opener on April 6.

Hurricane Milton last year shredded the roof and made the dome unplayable. St. Petersburg is obligated under its 1995 agreement with the Rays to make the dome suitable for home games. The Rays played this past season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa but are expected to return in 2026 and stay through 2028.

After the hurricane, there was talk of a settlement to have the city buy the Rays out of their contract. But the team’s brass changed their minds and wanted the dome fixed for the 2026 season.

The repairs come as the Rays’ new owners search for a spot to build a new stadium. The Rays, St. Petersburg and Pinellas County previously had a $6.5 billion deal in place to build a stadium and surrounding development at the Trop site, but the Rays backed out. The team’s new owners reportedly prefer to build a stadium in Tampa or Hillsborough.

City Council has approved $59.7 million for repairs to Tropicana Field and isn’t expected to vote on any more repair-related expenses, Herendeen said. Initial estimates put the total cost at $56 million.

The city paid $50,000 for tariffs on the roof material, which was manufactured in Germany and assembled in China.

The city has gotten $7.65 million from insurance. Herendeen said city staff are still talking with the Federal Emergency Management Agency about reimbursement. In the meantime, the city took out a $50 million loan for hurricane-related expenses.

Herendeen said the Rays are paying for any upgrades in addition to the standard repairs the city is doing. She said the Rays have not shared with the city how much the team plans to spend on upgrades.

There was debate over whether the city would pay for renovating the Rays’ corporate offices inside the Trop. Herendeen said the Rays are paying to renovate the office space.

“We are grateful to the City of St. Petersburg for their diligence in repairing Tropicana Field,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said in a statement. “Their hard work and commitment to this work means so much to our organization and our fans. We’re counting down the days to Opening Day in April and can’t wait to be back.”

To finish the roof, workers will have to heat seal, install valley cables and do detail work, which should be done by the end of December. Drywall work has already begun, and some lighting is being installed. The lightning protection system is in place.

Herendeen said that while the home and visitor locker rooms appeared to be OK after Milton, significant rainstorms in July and August brought in water, forcing the city to adjust its scope for repairs. Drywall and ceiling tile work in those rooms should be done by Feb. 27.

The Rays are handling repairs to the stingray touch tank area on Level 2, Herendeen said. She said the team has been in touch with the Florida Aquarium, where the stingrays relocated after riding out the hurricane in their tank at the Trop.

Seats are being touched up or replaced, the scoreboard is being repaired and flooring and concession areas are getting redone.

Before the Rays move back in, a full air-quality test will be done throughout the stadium, Herendeen said. She said testing has been done all along, but the open roof makes testing conditions difficult.

She said any areas that had mold, whether it was in place before the storm or after, have been remediated. Affected drywall has been removed and, in areas where removal is not possible, the mold was treated and encapsulated.

Herendeen, officials from the Rays, contractors and a representative from Major League Baseball have met weekly since repairs began.

“It’s a very positive, collaborative working relationship,” she said.