A smart tuned mass damper (TMD) was developed to provide better control performance than a passive TMD for reduction of earthquake induced-responses. Because a passive TMD was developed decades ago, optimal design methods for structural parameters of a TMD, such as damping constant and stiffness, have been developed already. However, studies of optimal design method for structural parameters of a smart TMD were little performed to date. Therefore, parameter studies of structural properties of a smart TMD were conducted in this paper to develop optimal design method of a smart TMD under seismic excitation. A retractable-roof spatial structure was used as an example structure. Because dynamic characteristics of a retractable-roof spatial structure is changed based on opened or closed roof condition, control performance of smart TMD under off-tuning was investigated. Because mass ratio of TMD and smart TMD mainly affect control performance, variation of control performance due to mass ratio was investigated. Parameter studies of structural properties of a smart TMD was performed to find optimal damping constant and stiffness and it was compared with the results of optimal passive TMD design method. The design process developed in this study is expected to be used for preliminary design of a smart TMD for a retractable-roof spatial structure.