Hard Rock Stadium, home to NFL American football team Miami Dolphins, will be inspected by structural engineers after a possible tornado was reported in the area during Hurricane Irma.
The stadium was constructed with a brand new canopy that was built to withstand Category 4 force winds. By the time Irma reached South Florida, however, the storm was not at that level of intensity.
“All we have is a visual inspection by camera right now,” a team source told the Miami Herald newspaper, which first reported the news. “We think the stadium may have (experienced) some tornado activity based on radar tracking.”
Tornadoes were reported in the area, though the Hard Rock Stadium appears to be fine, ESPN reports. However the area’s Major League Baseball stadium, Marlins Park, is shown on social media to have experienced some exterior damage from the storm.
Joe Lockhart, the NFL’s senior vice-president of communications, said the league is not close to making a call on the upcoming games. The Dolphins’ opening game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been postponed due to the hurricane, and has been rescheduled for November 19. The Dolphins will open its season on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“We’re having a different conversation than we thought on Friday,” Lockhart said, according to ESPN. “Miami and Tampa Bay received less than expected, and Jacksonville probably received more … Looking at Jacksonville and Tampa, we don’t have any definite word. We’re still doing assessments. We hope to have something in next few days.”
The Dolphins will now play their first home game on October 8 against the Tennessee Titans.
Image: A.J Lipp
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