Hurricane Milton’s strong winds almost completely tore off the roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ home ballpark, Tropicana Field, overnight on Wednesday. The stadium was supposed to be used by workers responding to the storm, but the high winds caused significant damage. The playing field and stands were visible through the missing roof panels, but it was unclear if the interior had sustained major damage. A construction crane in downtown St. Petersburg was also knocked over by the powerful winds, but thankfully, there were no reported injuries in the area. The Florida Division of Emergency Management had set up a base camp at Tropicana Field to assist with post-landfall operations, but had to evacuate due to the forecasted wind gusts exceeding the stadium’s design limit.
Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed that all workers and equipment were safely removed from the stadium before the storm hit. The Rays, who usually play playoff games in October, finished below .500 this season and missed the playoffs, so the stadium was not in use during the storm. The team stated that their priority is to support the community and assess the extent of the damage to Tropicana Field, and they are working with law enforcement to secure the building. The Rays are scheduled to open the 2025 season at home against the Colorado Rockies on March 27.
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