ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – A group of local investors and developers are pitching a plan to transform St. Petersburg’s Gas Plant District, whether the Tampa Bay Rays are part of the deal.
The proposal would reshape the area around Tropicana Field with new entertainment venues, hotels, housing, and even a museum, while leaving room for a potential stadium.
Big picture view:
The plan arrives as uncertainty lingers over where the team’s new ownership group wants to play — and for how long.
“We are going to have options going forward,” said Mayor Ken Welch, immediately following the Rays backing out of their stadium deal.
Since then, multiple groups have shown interest in developing the historic Gas Plant site. The latest proposal, from the team at Ark Ellison Horus LLC, lays out three central commitments:
Repairing past harm and reinvesting in the displaced communityCreating pathways to housing and meaningful employmentElevating the city’s profile as a destination for innovation, culture, and opportunity
The vision includes space for the Woodson African American History Museum, affordable housing, an innovation campus, small businesses and tech startups, a music hall, amphitheater, and a park capable of hosting large-scale events comparable to South by Southwest.
Developers say the plan is flexible, designed to succeed with or without baseball.
Council member Copley Gerdes praised the proposal’s adaptability. “From the renderings, I think they understood that there had to be some flexibility. We might enter in negotiations with the new ownership group to put a stadium on that site.”
City leaders still hope St. Pete gets another chance to pitch the Rays.
“The best place for baseball to be in the Tampa Bay area is St. Petersburg. I continue to believe in that same thing. And so if they want to look at Tampa, I think they’ll continue to find the difficulties. But I believe St. Pete’s really the home to the Rays and if they decide differently, that’s up to them.”
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What they’re saying:
In a statement, the mayor’s office said the city is reviewing the unsolicited proposal “with a primary focus on pursuing impactful outcomes that reflect the needs and aspirations of our residents.”
The City of St. Petersburg has so far stayed quiet on any specific future plans for the Gas Plant site.
What’s next:
The Rays’ new ownership group is scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at Steinbrenner Field and if they reveal where they intend for the team to play, discussions over the Gas Plant development will likely develop from there.
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The Source: Information for this story was gathered through interviews with city leaders and a copy of the proposal and past FOX 13 reporting.
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