Release statement from the Rays after Tropicana Field's roof was torn off by Hurricane Milton

Hours after Hurricane Milton made landfall about 70 miles south of Tampa Bay, the Category 3 storm ripped the roof off the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field baseball stadium as it passed through the city. Several videos on social media showed parts of the roof ripped apart by the hurricane's 100-mile-per-hour winds, although drone footage emerged Thursday morning to provide a clearer picture of the damage.

The Rays confirmed in a statement released Thursday that there were no injuries in the destruction of the ballpark roof and said it could take “weeks” to determine the full extent of the damage.

“In recent weeks, our beloved city, region and state have been struck by Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” the team said. “We are devastated by the harm that has been caused to so many. Our priority is supporting our community and our employees.”

“We are fortunate and grateful that no one was injured by the damage to our ballpark last night. We expect to be able to assess the true condition of Tropicana Field in the coming days and weeks. In the meantime, we are working with law enforcement to secure the building.”

“We ask for your patience at this time and encourage those who can to donate to organizations in our community that are helping those directly affected by the storm.”

Made of Teflon-coated fiberglass, Tropicana Field's roof was built to withstand winds of up to 115 miles per hour, according to the 2024 Rays media guide.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that state officials had originally planned to use the ballpark as a base camp for 10,000 people to help recover from the storm. But state officials moved the camp to another location when it became apparent that Hurricane Milton, which had winds of 120 miles per hour at landfall, posed a threat to Tropicana Field.

The ballpark, which opened to the public in 1990, has been the home of the Rays since the club's first MLB season in 1998.