St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch reflects on growing up in Gas Plant District, future of city

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - When Mayor Ken Welch looks out over Tropicana Field's parking lots, it's not so much about what he can see, it's what he can feel.

"I remember walking down Third Avenue on the way to the church, [and] grandfather's house was a few blocks over," Welch said during an interview Friday. "That's what was so special about it. As you walked through the community, it was a village."

Framed by two gas cylinders, the Gas Plant neighborhood was home to hundreds of families. One of those had the last name Welch. 

Aerial view of the Gas Plant District with the iconic cylinder towers pictured. (Provided by the City of St. Petersburg)

David and Alletha raised Ken in the church to recognize right from wrong. 

During his late teens, in the late 70s and early 80s, they learned the Gas Plant was labeled a slum and would be disbanded in favor of development.

READ: Gas Plant District in St. Pete: One of the oldest Black neighborhoods razed for baseball

"The community was adamantly opposed to it," he said. "I remember my dad making those statements and asking a question, ‘why is the black community always asked to sacrifice?’"

In exchange for leaving their homes, the community was promised 680 jobs and new homes. Once Tropicana Field was built, they got neither.

"I've never doubted that this day would come first because of my faith that was nurtured in this very place," said Welch.

On Tuesday, Mayor Welch announced he and the Rays agreed to build not only a new stadium but a neighborhood, one that will offer 600 units of affordable housing and millions of dollars for minority businesses, apprenticeship programs and target numbers for minority employment. 

READ: Rays announce plans for new $1.3 billion stadium in St. Petersburg: 'Our Rays are here to stay'

There will also be a museum of Black history.

"There's a time for all things," said Welch. "And I think in 2023, we finally came to that nexus of the community's interest, those promises."

The mayor pledges "bait and switch" is no longer in the city's vocabulary.

"I want to be very transparent," said Welch. "To have a community dashboard-type report card that shows our progress. And as we hand this off to a future mayor - because this is a 20-year project - we can track that progress."

The plan calls for half of the $1.3 billion to build the stadium will come from the Rays, and the other half will be split by county tourist taxes and city-issued bonds. 

Ken Welch with his family

Developers plan to put it another $5 billion for their smattering of stores, apartments, hotels and offices. The total development will be over $6 billion.

"You're going to have a destination that really is going to define St. Pete for generations to come."

This time, he says, he expects both city and county boards to share the goals of those who were promised the Gas Plant would rise again.

"There's no statute of limitations on those promises to the community," said Welch. "And I think our community is very much anticipating that this time it will be a dream that will be realized."

The mayor didn't know it, but he was growing up on ground that he would one day reclaim and shape.