Hurricane Milton’s powerful winds almost completely ripped off the roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field, which had been designated as a base camp for responding workers. The storm tore off large portions of the roof, leaving the playing field and stands exposed. The strong winds also caused a construction crane to topple nearby, but thankfully there were no reported injuries. The Florida Division of Emergency Management had established a 10,000-person base camp at Tropicana Field, but workers and equipment were evacuated as the winds surpassed the roof’s 110 mph design limit. The stadium, which opened in 1990, usually hosts playoff baseball games in October but was not in use this year as the Rays did not make the playoffs. The team stated that their priority is supporting the community and assessing the damage to Tropicana Field, and they will work with law enforcement to secure the building. The Rays are scheduled to open the 2025 season at home against the Colorado Rockies on March 27.
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Milton tears through roof of Tropicana Field, baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays’ home stadium
