The home of MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays suffered extensive damage Wednesday night as Hurricane Irma tore through Florida.
Most of the fabric covering Tropicana Field’s dome was torn off during the Category 3 storm, and photos and videos from social media left the inside of the stadium clearly visible through the holes.
According to WFTS-TV in Tampa, no injuries were reported at the scene. The stadium was used as a shelter for first responders in the lead-up to the storm. On Tuesday, rows of cots were set up on the Rays’ artificial turf for use by emergency workers, but workers were moved on Wednesday before the storm hit.
The roof of Tropicana Field is designed to withstand winds of up to 115 mph, according to the Rays. The maximum sustained wind speed when Milton made landfall about 35 miles south of the stadium was 120 miles per hour. The stadium opened in 1990 and initially cost $138 million. It must be replaced in time for the 2028 season by a margin of $1.3 billion. The Rays did not make the MLB playoffs and won’t play at home until March 2025.
Milton arranged for several sporting events in Florida to be rescheduled. An NBA preseason game in Orlando between the Magic and the New Orleans Pelicans, scheduled for Friday, was canceled before Milton even reached state.
“There are always things bigger than the game of basketball and that’s what we have to keep our perspective on,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Knowing that there are families and homes and situations that are going through a difficult time right now, we need to be aware of that.”
The NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in New Orleans this weekend. Their next home game is scheduled for Monday, October 21.