Rays start assessing damage, viability of Tropicana Field
Winds from Hurricane Milton shredded most of the Teflon-coated Fiberglass roof; only a small number of staff were in the building at the time.
The Rays on Thursday morning began the initial process of assessing the damage to Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton, most notably the shredding of the roof.
“During the past couple weeks, our beloved city, region and state have been impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. We are devastated by the damage incurred by so many,” the team said in a statement. “Our priority is supporting our community and our staff. We are fortunate and grateful that no one was hurt by the damage to our ballpark last night. ...
“We ask for your patience at this time, and we encourage those who can to donate to organizations in our community that are assisting those directly impacted by these storms.”
The first step will be to have an operations crew survey the stadium and work in collaboration with St. Petersburg police to secure the building.
Most visible was the shredding of the roof, which was caused by the high winds on Wednesday night. Only a few panels of the roof — made of “6 acres of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass” and supported by cables connected by struts, and built to withstand winds of up to 115 mph, per the team — remained intact Thursday, with remnants seen on the field.
There was no other obvious structural damage to the building viewed from the outside.
Another issue is water damage, as Tropicana Field, which was built in the late 1980s and opened in 1990, does not have a drainage system.
That is also a factor in the repair plan as the team would not be able to play at the stadium without replacing the roof.
An obvious priority after the team assessments will be to determine if the stadium can be made playable for the 2025 season, which is slated to open March 27, with a six-game homestand against the Rockies and Pirates.
If not, the Rays could seek a temporary home, such as at a nearby minor-league or college facility; the Blue Jays, for example, played regular-season games at their Dunedin spring stadium during the 2021 post-COVID season. Another option would be to relocate out of the Tampa Bay area on a temporary basis. Those decisions will be made in collaboration with Major League Baseball officials.
