Mangled fencing and the remnants of the community clubhouse’s tennis shed decorate the tennis courts behind the clubhouse of the Grand Hampton community along County Line Rd. in New Tampa after a tornado touched down during Tropical Storm Debby.
 
Several residents of the Grand Hampton community reported numerous instances of damage from the apparent tornado that touched down, or at least hovered above, the area during a tornado warning late in the afternoon of June 24.
 
The tennis courts, which are now surrounded by yellow caution tape and adorned with “Keep Out” signs, hardly resemble a place to play tennis. The fence posts stick out at sharp angles, if they’re not bent in half and reaching for the ground.
 
Residents report more than 12 homes with damage. One particular home, that the New Tampa Neighborhood News editorial department saw first-hand, had its entire pool cage ripped to pieces and scattered across the backyard, much of the debris landing either in the pool or in the adjacent vacant lot in a newer section of Grand Hampton. The homeowner’s large, metal grill was still standing, but in the grass on the edge of the adjacent property.
 
The Grand Hampton Homeowner’s Association (HOA) refused to release any details about how many homes had been damaged, the cost of said damage or make any comment whatsoever about whether or not the tornado actually came through the community.