As we are nearly two weeks into the start of the MLB season, the Tampa Bay Rays have reopened their stadium for the first time since Hurricane Milton tore through Florida.
For the first time in 561 days, the Tampa Bay Rays reopened Tropicana Field for their first home game of the season against the Chicago Cubs on Monday.
This comes after Hurricane Milton tore through Florida in October 2024, destroying most of the iconic Tampa Bay stadium in the process, ripping apart large sections of the fiberglass roof during winds of over 100 mph.
Thankfully, no one was injured in the stadium during the extreme weather event.
Still, the stadium sustained serious damage, with the roof completely torn off and pieces of material spread across the field, stands and dugouts.
When scanning through the stadium, the extensive damage showcases the raw strength of Milton and the life-threatening wind gusts that helped tear the structure apart.
Since the devastating hurricane, the Rays were lucky enough to temporarily relocate to the Yankees’ spring training facility, George M. Steinbrenner Field, while renovations and rebuilding occurred at Tropicana Field.
Part of the return to the stadium includes the fun-filled stingrays, located inside the ballpark, who miraculously rode out the storm before being relocated, according to MLB.com.
They have finally returned home to the ballpark, once again.
Upon landfall, the Category 3 hurricane displaced thousands of Floridians, causing an estimated $34.3 billion in damage across the Sunshine State.
The hurricane was responsible for 12 direct deaths in the U.S., according to the NHC’s Tropical Cyclone Report.
Thankfully, the city council of St. Petersburg approved the $23 million plan to repair the ballpark’s roof and other needs.
The reopening of the stadium marks a huge milestone and sheds light on the Tampa Bay community’s resilience in rebuilding from what once was.
