Hurricane Milton Disrupts NHL Preseason Game at Tropicana Field with Significant Damage

Thursday, October 10th, 2024

The Tampa Bay Rays anticipate it will take several weeks to evaluate the damage to the roof of Tropicana Field, which suffered significant harm due to Hurricane Milton.

There were no injuries reported following the impact at the St. Petersburg stadium on Wednesday night. The falling roof debris landed on both the field and the seating areas.

The Rays expressed their intention to assess Tropicana Field over the coming days and weeks, urging patience from the public while also encouraging donations to organizations helping those affected.

This event marks Hurricane Milton as the second hurricane to strike Florida's Gulf Coast within a span of two weeks. The Rays have a game scheduled with the Colorado Rockies at Tropicana Field on March 27.

The damage could have been more severe. Governor Ron DeSantis had originally planned to use the stadium as a base camp for debris cleanup and first responders, but the instability of the roof led to a change in plans.

The stadium boasts the world's largest cable-supported domed roof, which includes translucent fiberglass panels and 180 miles of cables, designed to endure winds up to 115 mph.

Hurricane Milton also disrupted other sporting events. The Orlando Magic's preseason game in Orlando was canceled on Friday. Additionally, the Tampa Bay Lightning's preseason game was rescheduled for Friday, and a college football game in Tampa was postponed from Friday to Saturday.

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