Time for your “What damage did Florida sports facilities suffer during Hurricane Irma?” rundown!
- Miami Heat: Damage to the “exterior membrane” of their practice court roof (i.e., the stuff that keeps the actual roof from getting damaged by weather).
- Miami Marlins: Also damage to roof membrane, which will need to be replaced immediately after the season.
- Miami Dolphins: Possibly hit by tornado, seems to be okay but engineers will inspect it.
- Tampa Bay Lightning: “No major damage.”
- Orlando Magic: Local TV reporter tweeted a video of wind blowing a manhole cover around.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: “Assessing damage” to stadium to see if Sunday’s game can be played as scheduled.
Also, two-thirds of the state is without power and many residents could remain so for weeks, at least 11 people died in the U.S. and 38 in Caribbean nations, nobody knows how many people are currently trapped in the Florida Keys, and a whole island of 1,800 people is now evacuated and uninhabitable. The Jaguars may move Sunday’s game to Tennessee if they have to.
What about the Orlando City soccer team stadium?
100% privately built and maintain , so taxpayers not on the hook for repairs.
Not quite 100%, but close:
https://www.fieldofschemes.com/2016/03/14/10768/orlandos-mls-stadium-deal-not-as-taxpayer-friendly-as-reported-still-better-than-a-poke-in-the-eye/
The Rays owners are such amateurs. I would have taken a sledge hammer to the place as the hurricane neared, then cried my eyes out on the TV news about the damage the hurricane inflicted on my stadium and how sad I am that we will need an entirely new stadium, for the safety of the fans… in a different part of town. With more luxury boxes, which are totally necessary for hurricane safety.
I know, right? They really blew this one. It was practically handed to them! It’s like they don’t even really want a new stadium. Sad!