Hurricane Milton tore through Florida on Wednesday night, leaving widespread devastation in its wake, including ripping off the roof of Tropicana Field. The stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, had been repurposed as a base for thousands of first responders during the Category 3 hurricane.
The damage to the ballpark in St. Petersburg was clearly visible from the outside. All that was left were exposed light cables, metal bars, and the catwalks that once supported the roof, while large pieces of roof fabric hung down from above.
Initially, the storm punched a large hole in the roof above the third base dugout, but soon after, other sections of the domed roof crumbled. Videos shared on social media showed the remnants of the roof scattered across the infield and seating areas.
Massive sections of the white roof material dangled from the catwalks, while in center field, the American flag flapped violently in the fierce winds brought by Milton.
The stadium’s domed roof, made from six acres of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass, was originally designed to endure winds up to 115 mph, WTSP reported. However, St. Petersburg experienced wind gusts reaching up to 101 mph on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Ahead of the hurricane, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had announced the establishment of a 10,000-person base camp at Tropicana Field to support “debris operations and post-landfall responders.”
Rows of green and white cots were set up throughout the outfield and foul territories to accommodate the first responders and support staff working through the storm’s aftermath. Meanwhile, National Guard personnel had been relocated to Ocala earlier that day, according to WFTS, which cited a National Guard source.
Hurricane Milton made landfall as a powerful Category 3 storm, hitting near Siesta Key, south of the stadium, around 8:30 p.m. with sustained winds of 120 mph. Roughly an hour and a half after landfall, the storm weakened to a Category 2.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported inside Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg officials confirmed.
Since opening in 1990, the stadium has been the Rays’ home since their inaugural season in 1998. It was originally built in an effort to attract a Major League Baseball team to the region. Over the years, it has also served as a venue for other sports teams, including hosting an Arena Football League team for six years. Additionally, the Tampa Bay Lightning played in the arena for three seasons when it was called the Florida Suncoast Dome, nicknamed the “ThunderDome.”
In July, the Rays received final approval from the Pinellas County Commission for the construction of a new stadium to replace Tropicana Field. The new facility is scheduled to open in time for the 2028 season and will be part of the Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment.
The upcoming $1.3 billion stadium will seat 30,000 people, with the option to expand capacity to 34,000 for Rays games. Like its predecessor, the new ballpark will have a roof to protect against Florida’s extreme weather, but this time it will feature a tiered, pavilion-style design. Construction is slated to begin in January 2025.
The Rays’ current contract with Tropicana Field runs through 2027, making it the last Major League Baseball stadium with a fixed roof after the Minnesota Twins moved from the Metrodome to Target Field in 2010.
Beyond the ballpark, St. Petersburg has endured severe impacts from Hurricane Milton. Two sewage plants were shut down, and a citywide alert about drinking water was issued at midnight due to a water main break.
Emergency services and first responders were pulled off the roads and won’t resume operations until the storm subsides and conditions improve.
In the city center, a construction crane at a site on 400 Central Ave. collapsed as the storm battered the area. Additionally, a large tree was uprooted and fell onto a sidewalk outside the Moxy Hotel, across the street from Tropicana Field, as seen in footage shared on the city’s Facebook page.
{Matzav.com}