ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — Hurricane Milton brought devastating rains and damaging winds through the Tampa Bay area, including the iconic Tropicana Field.
Video shows the roof completely ripped off the top of the Trop, exposing the stadium lights and inner workings of the baseball field.
Tropicana Field, which is home to the Tampa Bay Rays, was previously 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.
Albert Whitted Airport, which is just two miles from Tropicana Field, recorded wind gusts of 101 miles per hour. It also saw five inches of rain in just 53 minutes as Milton battered the area.
On Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays issued a statement on the status of the Trop.
"We are fortunate and grateful that no one was hurt by the damage to our ballpark last night," the team statement read, in part. "Over the coming days and weeks, we expect to be able to assess the true condition of Tropicana Field."
For now, the team says it's working with law enforcement to secure the building.