Some endeavoring souls are trying to take advantage of Hurricane Milton shredding the Tropicana Field roof by selling its remnants on Ebay.
Milton bore down on the Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing destructive winds, rain and storm surge to the Sunshine State. At least 17 people have died from the storm, and millions remain without power .
One of the most striking moments of Milton came when the roof of Tropicana Field, home of MLB's Tampa Bay Rays , was torn off. The 34-year-old stadium was scheduled to be torn down as the Rays plan to move to a new stadium next door in 2028, but the next three years of the stadium are now in question after the roof's downfall.
So naturally, some people walking through the wreckage in St. Petersburg have decided to pick up the pieces of the roof fabric and try to turn a profit. A search for "Tropicana Field" on Ebay late Friday morning showed multiple listings for portions of the roof.
The sellers were trying to cash in on the storm with titles like "Tropicana Field Roof Hurricane Milton 2024 - Piece Of Roof" and "Hurricane Milton 4x6 Patch Of The Tropicana Field Roof Tampa Bay Rays ." The listings ranged in asking price from $150 to $1,000.
There was also a listing for a piece of the outfield turf (that one was going for $1,000).
Reactions on social media expressed grief at the people brazen enough to try to turn profit from the disaster. Some shared the idea that the proceeds should go to hurricane relief .
Hurricane Milton damage: What happened to Tropicana Field?
Tropicana Field's roof was severely damaged by Hurricane Milton after the storm made landfall Wednesday night. Photos and videos showing the roof being torn off went viral on social media.
"During the past couple of weeks, our beloved city, region and state have been impacted by Hurricane Helene and Milton. We are devastated by the damage incurred by so many," the Tampa Bay Rays said in a statement Thursday.
"Our priority is supporting our community and our staff. We are fortunate and grateful that no one was hurt by the damage to our ballpark last night. Over the coming days and weeks, we expect to be able to assess the true condition of Tropicana Field. In the meantime, we are working with law enforcement to secure the building.
"We ask for your patience at this time, and we encourage those who can to donate to organizations in our community that are assisting those directly impacted by these storms."
Dewayne Staats , who has announced Rays games since 1998, said in an interview with NewsNation's Blake Burman that he doubted whether the roof would be fixed in time for the start of the 2025 season, which is March 27.
"It’s difficult to believe that they could reconstruct the top of this ballpark again in time for the new season," Staats said. "Now, nothing is impossible in today’s world, but as we look at that right now, it looks a very difficult task."
Ji-Man Choi, who played for the Rays from 2018 to 2022, posted to social media: "All Florida citizens pray for safety and no major damage."
What is Tropicana Field roof made of?
According to the Tampa Bay Rays media guide , the stadium's roof is made of six acres of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass and was built to withstand winds of up to 115 mph. Its slanted design was also intended to protect the stadium from hurricanes.
A sensor at Anna Maria Island detected 84-mph sustained winds with a gust to 106 mph at 10 p.m. ET, said Tyler Fleming, a meteorologist with the weather service in Tampa Bay.
The Athletic talked to one of the engineers who made the Tropicana Field roof. He said the roof had not been replaced since being installed in 1990 and that the fabric's service life is about 25 years.
Was Tropicana Field being used as a shelter for Hurricane Milton?
No. In the days leading up to Hurricane Milton's landfall, Tropicana Field was set up as a base camp for emergency responders, lined with rows of empty green cots. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that the field would be designated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management as a 10,000-person base camp for debris cleanup operations and first-responders.
According to WFTS-TV , the Florida National Guard said the guardsmen set up there had moved before landfall. Only essential personnel were in Tropicana Field when the storm hit. There were no injuries reported.
When was Tropicana Field built?
Tropicana Field opened as the Florida Suncoast Dome in 1990 and cost $138 million, according to the Tampa Bay Rays' media guide . It was renamed the ThunderDome in 1993 and was the first home of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning.
The stadium sold its naming rights in 1996 to Tropicana, which had headquarters in nearby Bradenton. The stadium hosted the NCAA men's basketball Final Four in 1999, where Connecticut won its first national championship. It also hosted the St. Petersburg Bowl in college football from 2008 to 2017.
Where is Tropicana Field?
Tropicana Field is located in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area. St. Petersburg is in Pinellas County, which is across the bay from the city of Tampa. The stadium is about 20 miles from downtown Tampa driving across the I-92 bridge.
Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY Network
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tropicana Field roof fragments up for sale on Ebay after Hurricane Milton
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