ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As Hurricane Milton ripped through Florida's Gulf Coast, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg took a big hit with the roof being torn off.
Pictures show the Rays' baseball stadium looking like a skeleton after the high winds damaged it on Wednesday night.
Where is Tropicana Field?
The iconic Trop is in downtown St. Petersburg and less than a 10-minute drive from the St. Pete Pier.
What is the roof made of?
The roof was built to withstand winds up to 115 mph and is made of six acres of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass and the roof supports itself with cables, according to the Rays' 2024 media guide.
That fiberglass was ripped to shreds as winds of 101 blew through St. Petersburg, according to the National Weather Service.
Was anyone in the stadium?
Stadium officials said they were hosting thousands of linemen and National Guard members as they prepared to respond to damage from the storm. Photos from earlier in the week show rows of cots covering the baseball diamond.
Jeremy Redfern, Gov. Ron DeSantis' press secretary, said the lineman's staging area had already been relocated before the roof was damaged.