St. Pete council, mayor split over next steps for Historic Gas Plant District as Rays prepare to leave

St. Petersburg City Council voted 6–2 to seek an independent study on the Historic Gas Plant District, highlighting divisions over redevelopment.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As the Tampa Bay Rays prepare to leave St. Petersburg, potentially as soon as 2029, city leaders are divided over how to move forward with redevelopment of the land surrounding Tropicana Field.

The St. Petersburg City Council voted 6–2 Thursday to approve a non-binding motion asking Mayor Ken Welch’s administration to commission an independent planning study before selecting a developer for the Historic Gas Plant District.

The debate exposed sharp divisions not only between the council and the mayor, but within the council itself, particularly over how best to protect the area’s Black history while avoiding further delays.

The 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District was once home to a thriving Black community before families were displaced decades ago in the name of redevelopment. With Tropicana Field at the center of the site and the Rays preparing to leave, city leaders say the next decision will shape St. Petersburg for generations.

Council Member Deborah Figgs-Sanders, who voted against the motion, warned that slowing the process could ultimately fracture the land and erase that history.

“Selling pieces of land, parcel by parcel [if the city doesn’t find a developer for the entire area], slowly our generational history will be auctioned off. We have no say,” Figgs-Sanders said.

Supporters of the motion argue the city needs a clearer framework before choosing a developer, especially after the city received nine development proposals during a solicitation window that closed just two days ago.

Council Member Brandi Gabbard, who introduced the motion and has said she plans to run for mayor against Welch, said the city is moving too fast without clear priorities.

“I am asking City Council to take this moment to ensure that we get it right, as this may be our last chance,” Gabbard said. “By setting a strategic rubric of priorities we will have the best chance of success instead of perpetuating the unfulfilled promises that permeate our community.”

Public comment mirrored the council’s split.

Robin Davidov with the League of Women Voters of the St. Pete Area urged council to pause and plan first, saying developers should not define the vision for land they stand to profit from.

“We cannot in good faith ask a developer to write the master plan for a project they intend to profit from,” Davidov said.

Others warned that another delay could stall long-promised investment.

“This place has been a parking lot for too long,” said Mark Ferguson, owner of Ferg’s Sports Bar, located across from the Trop. “I think this needs to move forward rather than wait.”

Mayor Ken Welch, who opposed the pause, said the city has already spent years planning and should now review the proposals already submitted.

“The proposals we have in front of us might meet that criteria in a powerful way,” Welch said. “I see no reason to pause now. We’ve planned for over a decade.”

Thursday’s vote does not require the administration to actually pause or get an independent study, it was a non-binding motion, and Welch has signaled he has no plans to comply. However, any redevelopment plan will ultimately need City Council approval, setting the stage for continued debate over one of the city’s most historic and high-stakes sites.