The ferocity of Hurricane Milton tore through Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday night, leaving behind a path of destruction, including significant damage to Tropicana Field—the iconic home of the Tampa Bay Rays. As the powerful storm swept across the region, fierce winds sent pieces of the stadium’s nonretractable roof flying, flapping violently in the chaos.
The ferocity of Hurricane Milton tore through Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday night, leaving behind a path of destruction, including significant damage to Tropicana Field—the iconic home of the Tampa Bay Rays. As the powerful storm swept across the region, fierce winds sent pieces of the stadium’s nonretractable roof flying, flapping violently in the chaos. The full extent of the interior damage remains unclear, but fortunately, no injuries have been reported, according to WFTS-TV.
Tropicana Field, situated in St. Petersburg, was not just a baseball venue at the time but also served as a crucial staging ground for storm-relief operations. The artificial turf was transformed into rows of cots, prepared to accommodate first responders and emergency personnel gearing up for the aftermath of the monstrous hurricane. Despite its pivotal role in the relief efforts, the stadium did not open its doors to the general public as a shelter during the storm.
🚨: The Roof of Tropicana Field serving as a shelter for first responders and National Guard troops, is currently being torn off.⁰⁰📌 |
Currently, as Hurricane Milton makes landfall as a Category 3 storm, now downgraded to Category 2, Tropicana… pic.twitter.com/J4CpInAaFf
The stadium, which originally debuted in 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome, is already on its way to being replaced by a $1.3 billion state-of-the-art ballpark by 2026. However, its long-standing history took a severe blow as Milton’s wrath made its presence known.
Hurricane Milton, a fierce Category 3 storm at landfall, unleashed winds exceeding 100 mph (160 kph), reaching up to 120 mph before downgrading to a Category 2. Although the storm shifted away from Tampa, landing in Siesta Key, its destruction was widespread. St. Petersburg, only 70 miles (112 km) from the landfall site, suffered extensive flooding, with over 16 inches (41 cm) of rain deluging the area. In its wake, more than 1.9 million homes and businesses were left in darkness, particularly in Hardee, Sarasota, and Manatee counties, where power outages were most severe.
Milton’s devastation wasn’t limited to wind and rain. The storm unleashed several tornadoes before making landfall, causing widespread ruin, particularly in areas like the Spanish Lakes Country Club, where lives were tragically lost.
As rescue teams continue their tireless efforts, the full scale of damage to critical infrastructure, including Tropicana Field, is still being assessed. The stadium, known as the Thunder Dome during the Tampa Bay Lightning’s tenure from 1993 to 1996, has weathered storms before—but none as destructive as Hurricane Milton.