Tropicana Field, the home of MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays, experienced significant damage after Hurricane Milton shredded its signature domed roof while making its way through Tampa on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
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A video capturing the moment Hurricane Milton shredded the Tropicana Field domed roof was shared on social media. The clip was posted by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Dave Moore.
Tropicana Field had its roof ripped off. pic.twitter.com/yMhX3Msq3R
— TodayInSports (@TodayInSportsCo) October 10, 2024
“The view from our window as we ride out the storm,” Moore wrote on X (formerly Twitter. He was located just a few blocks from the stadium. “Tropicana Field is destroyed by the winds of Hurricane Milton. Praying for Tampa Bay and all areas affected. Stay safe, everyone.”
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
Tampa Bay Rays TV broadcast sideline reporter Ryan Bass also got a close view of Hurricane Milton’s destruction. “The roof of Tropicana Field, where the Rays play, sustained significant damage from Hurricane Milton,” he wrote, with his own video.
The stadium has been home to the Tampa Bay Rays since 1998.
USA Today further reports that Tropicana Field is the only MLB stadium with a fixed roof. The stadium was also supposed to play a significant role in recovery efforts following Hurricane Milton.
Prior to Hurricane Milton making landfall, Tampa Bay and its surrounding area were hit with flooding and tornadoes.
Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall, Destroying Everything In Its Path
The hurricane made landfall Wednesday evening south of Tampa Bay in Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3. The storm sustained 150 mph winds as it hit the Sunshine State.
At one point, the storm had 180 mph sustained wind and its pressure dropped to 897 millibars, which according to the Weather Channel is considered the lowest observed in any Atlantic hurricane since 2005’s Wilma. It also ranked as the fifth-lowest pressure on record for Atlanta hurricanes.
The storm initially weakened to a Category 4 on Monday due to the eyewall replacement cycle. However, it regained into a Category 5 less than 24 hours later.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged those in the storm’s path to evacuate.
“Time is running out,” DeSantis stated at a briefing Tuesday. “There’s no guarantee what the weather’s going to be like starting Wednesday morning … You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”
DeSantis also stated Tropicana Field was designated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management as a 10,000-person base camp for debris cleanup operations and first responders.