The MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater in Tampa loses its roof due to Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton's winds tore down portions of the shell roof of the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater.

The concert hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds, operated by Live Nation, has a 135,000-square-foot roof that covers about 10,000 seats, or half the venue's capacity. Parts of the roof appeared to have fallen onto the seats.

According to Birdair, the New York company that replaced it in 2017, the roof is made of an architectural fabric called PVC tensile membrane. The company says the material lasts 10 to 15 years in hot southern states like Florida and “meets numerous energy regulations.”

The amphitheater's roof was originally developed by a Citrus County company that worked with NASA. It was opened in 2004.

The venue has no more concerts on the 2024 calendar. A Sept. 25 show by Staind and Breaking Benjamin was postponed at the last minute by Hurricane Helene, but no rescheduled date has been announced. The next scheduled show is Primus, Puscifer and A Perfect Circle on May 8th.

It is the second Tampa Bay landmark to lose its high-tech fabric roof due to Hurricane Milton. The roof of Tropicana Field, the Rays' home in St. Petersburg, was blown to pieces Wednesday evening as strong winds hit Pinellas County.

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