Eagles fan tour group evacuated from Clearwater hotel due to Hurricane Helene
PHILADELPHIA - Hurricane Helene is set to make landfall as a Category 4 storm along the Gulf Coast early Friday morning. The storm is also disrupting travel plans for lots of Eagles fans headed to Tampa for this weekend's game against the Buccaneers.
Although the Tampa Bay Area won’t take a direct hit, it’s still causing airport and highway closures and mass evacuations.
Operators from "The Green Legion" Eagles fan tour group were evacuated from their Clearwater Beach hotel Wednesday. They spoke with FOX 29 from their new hotel room where they will ride out the storm in Tampa.
"Everybody left, everybody got off the beach and went somewhere to get out of the storm surge" said Quimby of The Green Legion.
Hurricane Helene creating travel woes for Eagles fans headed to Tampa
FOX 29's Chris O'Connell spoke with Eagles fans who planned to head to Tampa Bay to watch the Birds play Sunday. However, their plans could change due to Hurricane Helene.
They are hosting more than 700 Eagles fans for what’s dubbed the Tampa Bay invasion at Raymond James Stadium. Unfortunately, Mother Nature has other plans.
"Some people changed their flights and bunkered up last night in Tampa and everybody else that was supposed to fly into Tampa today, tomorrow and Saturday are pending right now" said Stefanie Morgan from The Green Legion". Quimby and Morgan spent the last 2 days scrambling to rebook flights for their guests.
On Thursday there were 31 canceled flights in and out of Philadelphia International Airport.
Most of the from the hurricane zone. Fortunately, with the storm passing the Tampa Bay Area overnight, the group expects to be back in their beach hotel tomorrow as long as there’s no damage.
Fans are just hoping to make the best of the trip and an Eagles win.
"If we go 3 and 1 all this crap we’ve been dealing with will be worth it all" added Quimby.
Despite the travel troubles, "The Green Legion" says no one has canceled their trip.