Tropicana Field damage: Hurricane Milton rips roof off Rays ballpark as storm makes landfall

Kyle Irving

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Tropicana Field damage: Hurricane Milton rips roof off Rays ballpark as storm makes landfall image

Hurricane Milton slammed into the west coast of Florida on Wednesday night.

Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, was being set up as a base camp and staging area for thousands of first responders assisting the state. The Category 3 hurricane reached Florida on Wednesday evening, and the ballpark roof is already under duress.

Videos have surfaced of the dome roof being torn apart by the whipping winds of Hurricane Milton. You can find that footage along with any other available information below.

MORE: Which NFL, NHL, college football games are affected by Hurricane Milton

Tropicana Field roof ripped off

Tropicana Field's roof is already being torn apart by Hurricane Milton.

When constructed, the roof was designed to endure hurricane winds of 115 mph, which shows just how strong Hurricane Milton was. 

The roofing has broken open, but there have not been any reports on the severity of the damage inside the stadium as of Wednesday night.

No first responders were being staged at Tropicana Field at the time of the roof damage, per MLB reporter Tricia Whitaker.

Officials made contact with the essential personnel who were inside Tropicana Field and all are safe, Florida's NBC 2 reported.

The Rays released a statement addressing the damage on Thursday, saying they plan to "assess the true condition of Tropicana Field" in the days and weeks ahead.

Tropicana Field was being set up as a "10,000-person base camp" for debris cleanup operations as Florida prepares to recover from the storm, USA Today reported Tuesday. There were thousands of cots lined up across the entire field to house first responders who would be helping in the aftermath of the storm.

The ballpark was not being used as a shelter for residents, the Rays confirmed before the storm.

What is the roof of Tropicana Field made of?

Despite the reports that it was designed to endure winds of 115 mph, Hurricane Milton's 101 mph winds tore through the Teflon-coated fiberglass roof above Tropicana. The roof is made of "ethylene tetrafluoroethylene" which is reportedly a polymer strong than glass but significantly lighter. All that remains is the structure of the roof, which is comprised of heavy metal cables connected by struts in what the team calls the "world's largest cable-supported dome roof."

Who plays in Tropicana Field?

Tropicana Field, affectionately known as 'The Trop', is home to the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. The stadium was set to get under renovation ahead of the 2028 season to provide the Rays with a new ballpark. 

Check back for updates on Hurricane Milton's impact on Tropicana Field as this is a developing story.

Kyle Irving

Kyle Irving Photo

You read that wrong – not Kyrie Irving. From Boston, graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Sixth season as a content producer for NBA.com's Global editions. Covering the NBA Draft has become his annual "dream come true" moment on the job. Irving has a soft spot for pass-first point guards, with Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash being two of his favorite players of all time.