A security agent is offering FOX Weather a first glimpse of the extensive damage Hurricane Milton inflicted on Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays. You can clearly see that most of the fabric covering the stadium’s domed roof was shredded, ripped off by the hurricane’s ferocious 100-plus mph winds that tore through St. Petersburg, Florida. The playing field is littered with debris, including cots, a stark reminder of its recent role as a temporary staging area for thousands of first responders. Fortunately, despite the significant damage, no one was injured.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The cost to repair damage caused by Hurricane Milton to Tropicana Field could reach $55 million, according to a report obtained by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Large sections of the fiberglass roof of the home of the Tampa Bay Rays were ripped apart when the hurricane’s 120 mph winds lashed the facility.
No one was injured in the stadium during the hurricane, but the site had been prepared to serve as a staging location for utility workers.
Most of the damage is believed to be non-structural, but everything from the field to video equipment was exposed to heavy rainfall and gusty winds.
SEE IT: FIRST LOOK INSIDE BATTERED TAMPA BAY RAYS’ TROPICANA FIELD AFTER MILTON’S FORCE SHREDS ROOF
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A drone image shows the dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024. (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP)
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The roof at Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, sustained major damage because of high winds associated with Hurricane Milton on October 10, 2024 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Spencer Platt)
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The dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024. (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP)
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A drone image shows the dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024. (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP)
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A drone image shows the dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024. (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP)
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A drone image shows the dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10, 2024. (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP)
CoreLogic, a California-based information services provider, estimated that damage throughout the Sunshine State could reach more than $30 billion from the once-Category 5 hurricane.
At least 32 deaths were attributed to the hurricane, from Florida’s Gulf Coast to the state’s eastern seaboard, which also experienced a significant tornado outbreak.
President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for dozens of counties, allowing local governments to apply for federal reimbursements in the wake of the storm.
The St. Petersburg City Council has already voted to spend more than $6 million on stormproofing Tropicana Field to prevent further damage from future storms.
It remains unclear if the city is willing to spend millions on a stadium that is set for demolition in just a few years.
TROPICANA FIELD STINGRAYS RELOCATED AFTER DESTRUCTION TO FIELD DURING HURRICANE MILTON
“Is this a good use of the public purse, given the amount of time we’re going to get out of it?” Richie Floyd, a St. Pete city councilor, said during an interview with FOX 13.
The stadium opened in 1990 and has served as the home for the Tampa Bay Rays since 1998.
The Major League Baseball team had planned to use the stadium only through 2027 until a replacement ballpark could be built.
According to FOX 13, if repairs were to start right away, they could be completed in 18 months, before the start of the 2026 baseball season.
Stadiums in Hillsborough County and the Orlando metro area have been discussed as potential temporary backup sites, but ultimately, the decision would likely involve the MLB and other stakeholders.
The cownose stingrays that lived at Tropicana Field have been safely transferred to the Florida Aquarium after the roof at the stadium was damaged during Hurricane Milton.