ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Milton made landfall in Siesta Key, south of St. Petersburg late Wednesday, and while the city avoided some of the worst storm surges, the local Major League ballpark took some damage.
City officials confirmed high wind gusts from Hurricane Milton tore multiple panels off the roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays.
The field was not in use as a storm shelter but functioned as a staging area for storm response crews, according to the Associated Press. It was not clear Wednesday night how much damage the interior of the building had suffered. The stadium opened in 1990 and initially cost $138 million. It was due to be replaced in time for the 2026 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark, according to AP.
Additionally, the city confirmed a crane collapsed onto an office building near Central Avenue. No injuries have been reported due to either incident, according to city officials as of midnight.
Officials urged the public to stay sheltered in place overnight and avoid both areas until further notice.
According to WFLA Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli, St. Pete saw peak wind gusts of 91 MPH, among the highest in the Tampa Bay area after Milton made landfall.
Other areas seeing peak wind gusts include Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (102 MPH), Egmont Channel (105 MPH), and Clearwater Beach (90 MPH), according to Berardelli.