The roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, was destroyed when Hurricane Milton hit Florida on Wednesday night.
The stadium had been transformed into a base for thousands of first responders as the state braced for devastation. Friday’s preseason game in Orlando between the Magic and the New Orleans Pelicans was also canceled, the NBA said.
The countryside was filled with rows of green beds before the Category 3 storm hit the coast, producing winds of up to 120 mph and several hurricanes across the state.
Tampa avoided a direct hit from the hurricane, but Tropicana Field in nearby St. Petersburg was severely damaged Wednesday night.
The images, posted on social media, showed gaping holes in the vaulted ceiling, with material flapping in the fierce winds.
The roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, was destroyed by Hurricane Milton
The stadium had been transformed into a base for first responders before the storm.
The National Guard and other first responders were stationed at the stadium to assist with relief efforts. There were no immediate reports of injuries inside.
The Rays have been based in St. Petersburg since the franchise’s first season in 1998, and late last year the team reached an agreement with the city and county of Pinellas to build a new $1.3 million baseball stadium. million at the Tropicana Field site.
After 17 years of waiting and failed proposals, the plan was officially approved in July.
The new stadium, which will seat 34,000 fans for Rays games, should be completed in time for the 2028 season. Work is scheduled to begin in January 2025.
The Category 3 storm hit the coast, producing winds of up to 120 mph and several hurricanes.
More than 1.8 million homes and businesses in Florida were without power Wednesday night
As of midnight Wednesday, at least two deaths had been reported at a retirement community following a suspected tornado on Florida’s east coast.
More than 1.8 million homes and businesses in Florida were left without power in a state that was already hit by Hurricane Helene two weeks ago.
Up to two million people were ordered to evacuate, and millions more live in the storm’s projected path.
Much of the southern United States experienced the deadly force of Hurricane Helene, which left a swath of devastation in Florida and several other states. Both storms are expected to cause billions of dollars in damage.