ORLANDO, Fla. – The fabric roof over the home of baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays was ripped to shreds after Hurricane Milton came ashore in Florida on Wednesday night, bringing wind gusts exceeding 100 mph and flooding parts of the state.
It was not immediately clear if there was damage inside Tropicana Field, located in St. Petersburg. Television images showed the swaths that serve as the domed building’s roof were completely tattered, giving a clear line of sight to the lights that were on inside the stadium.
Tropicana field came apart!@bn9weather @BN9 pic.twitter.com/wYqnY1DJPU
— Catharine (@Catharine1228) October 10, 2024
The Rays’ stadium was not being used as a shelter, but the Tampa Bay Times reported that it was being used as “a staging site for workers” who were brought to the area to deal with the storm’s aftermath.
The Rays had previously announced that they were “working with state and local emergency management partners ... to aid efforts for debris removal.”
WFTS meteorologist Jason Adams shared more video and posted that fire and rescue reported no injuries in the damage.
OMG. We all had a collected gasp when we saw this from our reporter. The fabric on the roof of Tropicana Field is shredded. #StPete #Milton pic.twitter.com/36UKLO9cK6
— Jason Adams (@JasonAdamsWFTS) October 10, 2024
Buccaneers radio color commentator Dave Moore shared a video with the view from their window, where they’re riding out the storm.
The view from our window as we ride out the storm. The roof of Tropicana Field is destroyed by the winds of #HurricaneMilton. Praying for Tampa Bay and all areas affected. Stay safe, everyone pic.twitter.com/uy0aNGMAuJ
— Dave Moore (@DaveMoore_83) October 10, 2024
The stadium opened in 1990 and initially cost $138 million. It is due to be replaced in time for the 2028 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
