Floridians are waking up to the damage left behind by Hurricane Milton.
Some of the most notable damage, at least as of early Thursday morning, involved Tropicana Field, the home of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg.
The fabric that serves as the roof of Tropicana Field was ripped to shreds by the fierce winds. It was not immediately clear if there was damage inside, but drone video shows extensive debris scattered throughout the stadium, with very little of the roof still intact.
There were only essential personnel inside the ballpark Wednesday night, all of them safe and accounted for, the Rays said. It was not being used as a shelter and no first responders were being staged there, the team said, adding that no official determination about damage can be made until the storm passes and conditions are safe.
The team previously said that Tropicana Field features the world’s largest cable-supported domed roof, with the panels made of “translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass” supported by 180 miles of cables connected by struts.
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The roof was designed to withstand wind of up to 115 mph (185 km/h), according to the Rays. The stadium opened in 1990 and initially cost $138 million. It is due to be replaced in time for the 2028 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark.
An NBA preseason game in Orlando between the Magic and the New Orleans Pelicans, scheduled for Friday, was cancelled even before Milton hit the state. The game will not be rescheduled.
A crane in downtown St. Petersburg also toppled and fell into the Tampa Bay Times building, collapsing multiple floors and leaving a gaping hole in the structure. Other cranes in the city fell due to the power of Milton’s winds, which reached maximums of 145 mph (233 km/h).
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