St. Pete city leaders return to square one as they vote unanimously to move on from Rays deal
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - City councilors in St. Pete voted unanimously to move on from the deal with the Rays to build a stadium at the old Gas Plant site.
The Rays said they were not going to proceed with the deal to build a stadium and redevelop the historic neighborhood that was razed to build Tropicana Field.
The backstory:
After Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off the Trop in 2024, the city was required to make the repairs to the Trop under the lease agreement with the Rays, which requires them to keep the Trop in good working order until the lease expires.
The hope and expectation, at least as of now, is to have the ballpark done by April 2026, so the Rays can play opening day there.
The big question mark is whether a storm comes through that could force them to delay the repairs.
Dig deeper:
Going back to square one at the Gas Plant is a key step to start considering other plans, like a convention center.
Blue platforms have been put up at the Trop to begin installation of the roof next month.
Workers have also used ground penetrating radar to find the safest spots to place cranes.
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Councilors also approved the giving of license agreements to the Rays that would grant them four parcels of city-owned land for parking, storage and a marquee.
Another resolution sets the guaranteed maximum price of $5.26 million to repair the stadium’s sports lighting and catwalk electrical systems.
What they're saying:
"While the Rays’ decision is terribly disappointing, our mission was to adapt and refocus on our primary objective – the progress of our city," St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch stated. "And part of that mission is accomplished by today’s City Council vote. At this moment, the most important step for our City is coming to closure on this agreement so that we can begin to move forward on developing portions of the Historic Gas Plant District. Our initial focus will be on housing, our commitment to the Woodson Museum, and the advancement of a workforce development ecosystem. We are also working with the County on a feasibility study for a right-sized convention center on a portion of the Historic Gas Plant property."
He added, "The most important element of this is that the development rights of this area, previously held by the Rays since 1995, are now in the hands of the City. This puts us in the strongest position to assure that the future development of the Historic Gas Plant District meets the needs of St. Petersburg and honors the promises of equitable development. Today is another step toward that goal and we look forward to city council’s continued partnership in this journey."
What's next:
The roof is expected to be in place by December, with installation of the field to begin afterward.
They will also have to install the interior technology and ensure the concourses and areas for fans are suitable.
The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Evan Axelbank.