Terrifying videos show Hurricane Milton shredding roof of Tropicana Field that houses first responders

TAMPA, FLORIDA: It was a wild day for Tampa Bay as Hurricane Milton landed fiercely along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday, October 9.

The Category 3 storm packed a serious punch and one of its most shocking casualties was Tropicana Field, the beloved home of the Tampa Bay Rays. In fact, the high winds were so strong that they tore the roof off the stadium! And we're not talking a little damage here - the roof was shredded.

Tropicana Field's roof shredded as Hurricane Milton hits Florida

Social media was inundated with pictures and videos of the devastation wrought by the storm. In these clips, you can see the fabric roof being torn apart like a piece of paper caught in a storm. The whole thing looked like something out of a disaster flick.

WFTS meteorologist Jason Adams posted on X, “OMG. We all had a collected gasp when we saw this from our reporter. The fabric on the roof of Tropicana Field is shredded.”

Former NFL player Dave Moore also shared his own harrowing footage of the destruction. "The view from our window as we ride out the storm. The roof of Tropicana Field is destroyed by the winds of #HurricaneMilton. Praying for Tampa Bay and all areas affected. Stay safe, everyone," Moore wrote.

 

Even though the stadium was severely damaged, it wasn’t just sitting empty. Tropicana Field had been turned into a staging site for first responders and emergency management services, working hard to help clear debris and assist locals affected by the storm.

It had even been set up to house up to 10,000 people, with cots laid out on the playing surface for those who needed shelter.

Captain Garth Swingle from St Petersburg Fire Rescue told ABC News that the people inside the stadium were thankfully safe. However, it was unclear if any damage occurred inside the building.

What happened to Tropicana Field's famous roof?

If you’ve ever been to Tropicana Field, you’ve probably noticed its unique roof. Made from ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) -- which, despite the fancy name, is basically a super-strong plastic -- it’s lighter than glass but tough enough to withstand serious weather. Or so we thought.

The Rays organization had always boasted that the roof could handle winds up to 115 mph, and given the storm’s 120+ mph winds, it’s no surprise it met its match. The roof is actually supported by a 180-mile web of cables, making it the "world's largest cable-supported domed roof."

Luckily, the metal frame of the stadium’s roof was untouched. But the fabric, that’s another story. Tropicana Field — which opened in 1990 at a cost of $138 million — is already slated to be replaced by 2028 with a brand-new $1.3 billion ballpark. So, it seems like the timing of Hurricane Milton’s damage is eerily in line with the stadium’s retirement plans.

While Tropicana Field was dealing with its own issues, the storm surge elsewhere in Florida was nothing short of terrifying. One minute the streets were dry, and the next, 10 feet of water was sweeping through like a tidal wave. Cars, homes, and businesses were submerged as the storm’s 120+ mph winds sent debris flying everywhere.

St Petersburg alone recorded more than 16 inches of rain, causing the National Weather Service to issue flash flooding warnings. Though the storm was downgraded to a Category 2 about 90 minutes after making landfall, it was still packing winds of 105 mph by late Wednesday.

Storm surge warnings remained in effect for many parts of Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts.

Impact of Hurricane Milton on sports across the state

As Florida tried to ride out the storm, the effects were being felt by everybody.

The NBA had to cancel a preseason game between the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Pelicans that was supposed to take place in Orlando on Friday. The Magic were on the road playing in San Antonio on Wednesday, but with all the chaos they decided to stay there an extra day before heading back to Florida.

The NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars also had to scramble with their travel plans. The team was set to fly to London, but thanks to Hurricane Milton, they delayed their departure from Jacksonville until later in the evening on Thursday. They even had to push practice back several hours to adjust.

Of course, the storm also threw a wrench into countless college and high school sporting events across the state, with games either postponed or outright canceled. Forecasters were warning that Florida was in for a serious drenching, with heavy rain expected to cover a wide part of the state, ABC News reported.