Tropicana Field couldn’t escape the devastating impact of Hurricane Milton as the storm tore through Florida’s west coast. Late Wednesday night, videos surfaced showing parts of the stadium’s roof being ripped off by the hurricane’s powerful winds.
The iconic venue, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, had been initially considered as a hub for thousands of emergency responders preparing for the storm. However, concerns over the structural integrity of the stadium led the Rays organization to opt against using it as a shelter during the hurricane.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported despite the damage. City officials confirmed that the area around Tropicana Field had been evacuated beforehand, and they urged people to stay away from the stadium for safety reasons.
A spokesperson for Tropicana Field issued a statement to FOX 13 News, clarifying that “no first responders were being staged at the Trop, and the essential personnel who were present are all accounted for and safe.”
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Reports indicated that 13 essential team personnel were inside the stadium when the roof was damaged, but they were unharmed and had been taking precautions due to the anticipated severity of the storm.
Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm on Siesta Key on Wednesday night, bringing heavy winds, rain, and widespread destruction.
The Tampa Bay area braced for impact, but it appears that Tropicana Field bore the brunt of the storm’s fury, leaving officials to assess the full extent of the damage in the coming days. For now, the area around the stadium remains off-limits as recovery efforts continue across the region.
