Former Tampa Bay Lightning Arena Left in Ruins After Devastating Impact of Hurricane Milton

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Daniel Lucente
October 10, 2024 (3:29 PM)

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Hurricane Milton ripped through the Tampa Bay area last night and caused devastating damage to the roof of Tropicana Field, the former home of the Lightning.

Hurricane Milton made landfall late Wednesday evening along Florida's Gulf Coast with devastating force, wreaking havoc primarily around Tampa Bay. Among the worst-affected facilities was the Tropicana Field stadium, home turf for the Tampa Bay Rays, where the roof is badly torn up. This was once the former home of the Tampa Bay Lightning before they moved to their current arena. Howling winds from this Category 3 storm ripped big chunks off its domed roof and have left its interior and catwalks open to the elements. Rain poured through the night, and the roof continued to deteriorate.

According to one account, every side of the roof was compromised, with pieces of it flapping in the storm before breaking off. Tropicana Field had, at one point, been planned as a staging area for emergency management services, but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed those services were relocated before the storm hit. Fortunately, upon landfall, there were no first responders or evacuees in the stadium. Besides, it was reported that all people inside the arena were in good condition.

Tropicana Field indeed is known for its unique design, including a cable-supported domed roof that is supposed to be the largest in the world. The roof is made up of Teflon-coated fiberglass and is supported by a complex web of cables designed to withstand winds of 115 mph. However, Hurricane Milton was stronger than any limits. The biggest danger involves structural problems that the field could lead to, considering it does not have a drainage system installed inside the stadium.

History can be traced back to its beginning in 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome. Tropicana Field has been the home stadium of the Tampa Bay Rays, mainly, since the team's first season back in 1998. The Rays have continued to invest a lot in the upkeep and upgrade of this facility, especially expelling over $57 million since 2005. This includes the installation of the new Shaw Sports Turf, their eighth playing surface in 26 seasons.

But with that damage, the timeline for a new Rays ballpark becomes all the more consequential. Yes, they've announced plans to build a new $1.3 billion stadium on the site of Tropicana Field, but it won't be completed until 2028 at the earliest. The recent destruction was a pretty serious reminder of how weak that structure is in this present moment and of how much they need a new ballpark that's resilient. Will they say goodbye to the stadium just like the Tampa Bay Lightning did back in the day? Only time will tell.