Dramatic Video Captures Roof of Florida's Tropicana Field Being Shredded to Pieces by Hurricane Milton

Mar. 15, 2025

The Tropicana Field stadium’s roof after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida.Photo:Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Dramatic video and photos detail the aftermath ofHurricane Milton’s destruction on the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field.

The roof of the baseball stadium, which is located in St. Petersburg, Fla., was shredded to pieces after the hurricanemade landfall as a Category 3 stormlate on Wednesday, Oct. 9.

Several panels on the roof of the stadium were seen coming loose as Milton’s high winds hit the home of the Rays.

Drone footage shows how much of the stadium’s domed roof was ripped off — with the field and bleachers below covered in debris.

However, the Rays confirmed to theAssociated Pressthat only essential personnel were inside the stadium on Wednesday night and that they were all safe, and no first responders were being staged there.

The Rays added that damage to the ballpark couldn’t be officially determined until the storm passes and conditions were safe.

The team has touted how the stadium “features the world’s largest cable-supported domed roof” that is “made of six acres of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass” and intended to weather winds up to 115 mph.

The roof of the Tropicana Field stadium.Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

The stadium opened in 1990 at a cost of $138 million, according to theRays’ official website. It is due to be replaced in time for the 2028 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark located in the center of downtown St. Petersburg.

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Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Fla., at 8:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday after passing through the Gulf of Mexico, theNational Hurricane Center confirmed in a post on X. The hurricane brought with it winds in excess of 100 mph.

source: people.com