Hurricane Milton ripped off the roof of Tropicana Field as a Category 3 storm hit Florida Wednesday night, turning the field into a camp for thousands of first responders.
The destruction of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadium in St. Petersburg was visible from the outside as the stadium's lights and roof bars were visible from outside.
The storm left a large hole above the third-base dugout and roofing material covered various parts of the infield and stadium seating, according to videos on social media. Inside the stadium.
A large sheet of white roof cloth was suspended from the stadium's catwalk as a midfield American flag fluttered in Milton's treacherous winds.
St. Petersburg recorded wind gusts of up to 91 mph on Wednesday. According to WFLA.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that the nation was established In the days leading up to the storm, a base camp of 10,000 people was set up inside the stadium to “support ongoing debris removal operations and post-landfall responders.”
Thousands of green and white cots were set up in the outfield and foul areas to accommodate workers and administrative staff.
Guardsmen relocated to Ocala early Wednesday. WFTS reported. This was quoted as a National Guard official.
The storm made landfall as a Category 3 near Siesta Key, south of the stadium, around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, with sustained winds of 190 mph.
The storm was downgraded to Category 2 approximately 90 minutes after hitting the Sunshine State.
The station said no injuries were reported inside the stadium. st petersburg officials.
The Rays have played in a much maligned stadium since their first year in 1998.
Tropicana Field opened in 1990 as a way to attract major league teams to the area and has hosted arena football teams for six years.
The Tampa Bay Lightning played in the stadium for three years, when it was known as the Florida Suncoast Dome and nicknamed the “Thunderdome.”
In July, the Rays received final approval from the Pinellas County Commission to build a new stadium to replace The Trop, with plans to open in time for the 2028 season.
The new complex will be part of the Historic Gas Works District development.
The $1.3 million stadium is expected to hold 30,000 people, and the capacity will expand from 33,000 to 34,000 for Rays games.
Follow The Post for live updates as Hurricane Milton makes landfall
Like its predecessor, the new ballpark will have a roof to cope with Florida's extreme weather; Pavilion-like stepped roof.
Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2025.
The Rays' contract with Tropicana Field expires in 2027.
The stadium was the last MLB stadium with a fixed roof since the Minnesota Twins moved from the Metrodome to Target Field in 2010.
The St. Petersburg region was hit by a storm that knocked out two sewer systems and caused a city-wide drinking water warning to be issued in the middle of the night after a water main broke.
Emergency personnel and first responders will be removed from the roads and suspended until conditions and weather improve.
A construction crane working in the city's 400 block of Central Avenue collapsed as the storm battered the area.
A large tree also fell and landed on the sidewalk outside the Moxy Hotel in downtown St. Petersburg, across the street from Tropicana Field. Video from the city's Facebook page Captured.
