Tampa Bay Rays announcer Dewayne Staats described the damage from Hurricane Milton to Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Major League Baseball team, as “devastating” and questioned if the roof of the stadium, which was ripped off the storm, could be rebuilt in time for the new season.
“It’s devastating. What’s happened here with Tropicana Field and other parts of this community,” Staats said in an interview with Blake Burman, moderator of “The Hill” and chief Washington correspondent for NewsNation.
“It’s difficult to believe that they could reconstruct the top of this ballpark again in time for the new season. Now, nothing is impossible in today’s world, but as we look at that right now, it looks a very difficult task,” Staats added.
The field was being used as a shelter for first responders prior to its roof getting torn off.
The Tampa Bay Times on Thursday reported that only a few panels of the roof remain, and that there was “no other obvious structural damage to the building viewed from the outside.”
Staats, who’s been an on-air commentator for the Rays since 1998, added that while the challenges related to fixing the field are “major,” there are still greater concerns for the community.
“Going forward, with all of the challenges in this community of the ballpark, it’s a major one, but it is second or third or fourth or fifth down the line, because there are a lot of people hurting and looking for places to stay,” Staats said.
“And our hearts go out to all of those who have lost loved ones and who have lost their homes, and what has been an overwhelming experience here in the Tampa Bay region,” he added.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar, which also owns The Hill.