This browser does not support the Video element.
Transforming old landfill into sports complex
Genevieve Curtis reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Plans to revive the former Toytown landfill in Pinellas County are closer to a reality after the county received millions of dollars from the state.
What we know:
After three years of delays, the county finally received a $15 million grant from the state of Florida.
Now, county leaders say they can begin the environmental cleanup needed to transform the 235-acre former landfill into a state-of-the-art youth sports complex.
The backstory:
Closed in 1990 by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Toytown landfill has long been seen as an underutilized piece of prime real estate just off I-275 and Roosevelt Boulevard.
Several redevelopment proposals have come and gone, including a failed bid to build a spring training site for the Atlanta Braves.
Courtesy: Pinellas County
In 2022, the Florida Legislature first allocated funds for the site's remediation.
By the numbers:
In February, Clearwater-based Sports Facilities Companies submitted detailed plans to the county outlining a bold vision for the site. Proposed amenities include:
- Twenty turf baseball and softball diamonds
- Seventeen multipurpose fields for soccer, lacrosse and football
- Twelve sand volleyball courts
- Twenty-four pickleball courts
- Festival and fairground space
- Parking for more than twenty-one-hundred vehicles
Related: Potential plans in the works for former Toytown Landfill in St. Pete
Courtesy: Sports Facilities Companies
Big picture view:
The project carries a projected price tag of between $150 million and $200 million.
But, backers say the return on investment would be substantial, estimating more than $350 million in direct economic impact within the first five years.
"We know that there's a strong demand for that here in Pinellas County, in the Bay Area, and in the southeast United States," said Brian Lowack, the president and CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. "We did receive some state funding a few years ago for that pre-site work."
What's next:
Before any construction can begin, Pinellas County commissioners will need to vote on the terms of the redevelopment deal.
County officials say future meetings will focus on how to allocate the $15 million grant to begin environmental remediation of the site.
If approved, the long-dormant Toytown site could soon become a major hub for youth sports and community events in the Tampa Bay area.
The Source: Information for this report was gathered from a Pinellas County commission meeting and prior reporting.