Tropicana Field roof damaged by Hurricane Milton, downtown crane snapped

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Hurricane Milton has ripped away part of the Tropicana Field roof and has also broken one of the four cranes that St. Pete officials said Tuesday were vulnerable to strong winds.

In a video posted to X and shared by Spectrum Bay News 9’s Brian McClure, panels and tiles can be seen being pulled away.

Tropicana Field, home of baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, is where a lot of linemen, National Guard and other first responders were going to be stationed to help with storm recovery.

Beds, cots and other supplies had been scattered over the playing surface.

The city said there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Tropicana Field, nicknamed “The Trop,” has hosted the Rays since their inaugural season of 1998. The first two games of the 2008 World Series were played at the Trop, with the Rays winning Game 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies would eventually win the series in five games.

The Trop also was the site of Rays playoff games in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The team made the World Series in 2000, but the games were played at a neutral site because of the COVID pandemic.

From the Rays team website: “Originally named the Florida Suncoast Dome, Tropicana Field’s 1.1 million square feet include unique design features and fan amenities found nowhere else in Major League Baseball. The venue opened to the public on March 3, 1990, at a cost of $138 million. It became the ThunderDome in 1993 with the arrival of the area’s National Hockey League expansion franchise, the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was renamed Tropicana Field on Oct 4, 1996, in accordance with a naming rights agreement between the Rays and Bradenton’s Tropicana Dole Beverages North America.”

According to the team media guide, the roof was made of “six acres of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass and supports itself with 180 miles of cables connected by struts.” 

It was built to withstand winds of up to 115 mph, according to the media guide.

Meanwhile, a crane located at 400 Central Ave. was damaged. St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said the crane was in danger of collapsing and that it was too late to remove it.

More than 16 inches of rain has fallen in the city, including 5 inches in one hour alone.

An 89 mph gust was recorded at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport at one point. At another point, gusts reached 101 mph in the city.

The mayor had recommended that residents near the cranes relocate, or get to the safest inner room of their home.

First responders will conduct damage assessments at both sites when conditions allow, the city said.

This is a breaking news story. Stay with Spectrum Bay News 9 on-air, online and the Spectrum News app for updates.

Courtesy: Kerstin Sesti