Hurricane Milton Devastates Tropicana Field and Disrupts Tampa Bay Sports

Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, suffered severe damage as Hurricane Milton tore through Florida, shredding the ballpark's iconic roof.

The storm hit on Wednesday night, and while no injuries were reported, the damage left the Rays and city officials assessing how long it will take to make repairs.

Debris from the roof fell onto the field and seating areas, but fortunately, only a few essential personnel were inside the stadium at the time.

The Rays issued a statement Thursday, explaining that while no immediate damage estimate is available, it may take weeks to fully evaluate the state of the facility.

The team emphasized the importance of supporting local recovery efforts, saying, "We ask for your patience at this time, and we encourage those who can to donate to organizations in our community that are assisting those directly impacted by these storms."

Hurricane Milton was the second hurricane to strike Florida's Gulf Coast in two weeks, following Hurricane Helene.

The back-to-back storms have wreaked havoc, with Helene leaving at least 230 people dead across the Southern U.S.

While the Rays aren't scheduled to play in Tropicana Field until March 27, 2025, for their season opener against the Colorado Rockies, the damage could impact plans for the upcoming season.

The storm's force raised concerns about the stadium's ability to withstand such extreme weather.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had previously discussed using Tropicana Field as a temporary base camp for first responders, but those plans were cancelled when officials realized the roof couldn't endure Milton's intensity. "The roof on that … I think it's rated for 110 mph," DeSantis explained.

The stadium, which boasts the world's largest cable-supported domed roof, was designed to withstand winds up to 115 mph.

However, Milton's strength exceeded those limits. Built in 1990 at a cost of $138 million, Tropicana Field is scheduled for replacement by 2028 with a new $1.3 billion ballpark.

The Tampa Bay Lightning also felt the storm's impact. The NHL postponed the team's home opener, originally scheduled for Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The game will be rescheduled at a later date, while the Lightning's new home opener is now set for Tuesday against Vancouver.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper acknowledged the difficult situation, saying, "That's our home. It's going to be drastically different than when we left."

Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic were delayed in returning from San Antonio due to storm concerns.

Their preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans, scheduled for Friday in Orlando, was cancelled and won't be rescheduled.

"There's always things bigger than the game of basketball," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley noted, underscoring the importance of focusing on recovery efforts for affected families.

USF's football game against Memphis was moved again, this time to Orlando's Camping World Stadium. Originally scheduled for Friday in Tampa, the game was rescheduled for Saturday afternoon with safety and public recovery efforts in mind.