Hurricane Milton left a trail of devastation as it made landfall in Florida, and among the hardest-hit sites was Tropicana Field. Late Wednesday night, the stadium’s roof sustained severe damage as winds over 100 mph battered the structure. Footage from the scene shows the scale of destruction, with parts of the roof visibly torn up—a striking testament to the storm’s force, even after it weakened to a Category 3 near Siesta Key.
Initially set up as a shelter for first responders and utility workers expected to assist in the storm’s aftermath, the stadium will no longer serve that purpose due to the extensive damage. The future of Tropicana Field, already unpopular among fans and pegged for replacement, now seems even more uncertain as the Rays face the possibility of relocating their 2024 season.
The new Gas Plant Stadium, set to open in downtown St. Petersburg by 2028, promises a fresh start for the team, but the damage to Tropicana Field may force the Rays and city officials to seek alternative options sooner than expected. For now, however, local authorities have their hands full managing the larger recovery effort as Florida grapples with the impacts of Hurricane Milton.
