Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast at some point this week. St. Petersburg and the surrounding area of Tampa Bay will be directly impacted by expected storm surges of 10-15 feet. The eye of Milton is projected to pass right over St. Petersburg as well.
In the wake of yet another hurricane hitting Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays have partnered with debris clean-up crews and first responders to turn their ballpark, Tropicana Field, into a temporary shelter so that they can touch base and be ready to assist the Tampa Bay area after Milton runs its course.
The National Guard may also use the ballpark as a shelter while they do their job.
The Rays announced all of this with a post on X (Twitter) and urged all residents in the area to follow guidelines set by the city of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County.
In preparation for #Milton, we are working with state and local emergency management partners at @TropicanaField to aid efforts for debris removal.
Tropicana Field is NOT being used as a shelter. We encourage residents to follow @StPeteFL & @PinellasGov for all storm updates. pic.twitter.com/LKZRUL3lhQ
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 6, 2024
Tropicana Field has been the home of the Tampa Bay Rays since their inaugural season in 1998. The Florida Division of Emergency Management has set up enough cots to fit 10,000 first responders inside the dome-covered field.
The unique part of Tropicana Field that provides protection against hurricanes is its slanted roof. This design is made to help shrink the space on the inside and create tensegrity. In other words, it is an already present combination of tension and compression that balances out to create structural integrity.
In other words, the ballpark was made to withstand the power of hurricanes—a needed feature when playing in Florida, which sees its fair share of all kinds of storms. This makes it an ideal place for first responders to meet and plan how to help Tampa Bay recover.
World Baseball Network sends thoughts and prayers to the state of Florida as it battles this intense weather.
______
WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: A general View of Tropicana Field is seen during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Friday, August 9, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
