St. Petersburg mayor Ken Welch introduced this morning he’s chosen the Rays’ proposed plan for redevelopment of St. Petersburg’s Gasoline Plant District (hyperlink through Colleen Welch of the Tampa Bay Times). The Rays had partnered with actual property growth agency Hines for a proposed venture, one among 4 such proposals submitted to the St. Petersburg Mayor’s Workplace in early December.
The choice doesn’t symbolize a agency dedication between the Rays and the town of St. Petersburg for a brand new stadium. The group nonetheless wants the approval of a time period sheet by the town council, and Wright signifies that’s not anticipated to be determined upon till at the very least the summer time. The mayor’s workplace number of the Rays’ proposal over the opposite three into account represents a step ahead in these negotiations, nevertheless.
Rays workforce president Brian Auld stated Monday the workforce was “totally engaged” with St. Petersburg on negotiations however cautioned they’re nonetheless within the very early phases of the method (hyperlink through Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). The Rays can proceed to discover different long-term stadium potentialities till/until a time period sheet is agreed upon. Whereas Welch expressed optimism the franchise wouldn’t achieve this, Auld indicated the group was “persevering with the dialogue” with the Metropolis of Tampa as effectively.
The Rays/Hines proposal extends effectively past the development of a brand new ballpark. The Rays promoted the plan as a venture that includes “greater than 5,700 multifamily items, 1.4 million sq. toes of workplace, 300,000 sq. toes of retail, 700 lodge rooms, 600 senior residing residences, a 2,500 particular person leisure venue, and varied civic makes use of” as a part of a press launch final month. The proposed new stadium could be a 30,000-seat venue on the website of present Tropicana Area. Topkin notes the venture comes with an estimated price ticket within the $1.2 billion vary and would require settlement from the Rays, St. Petersburg metropolis council, and Pinellas County on funding — highlighting the challenges nonetheless remaining in deciding on funds within the coming months.
Whereas removed from an endpoint, the mayor’s resolution represents some progress towards a possible settlement on a brand new stadium plan that’d preserve the Rays in St. Petersburg. The franchise’s lease at Tropicana Area runs by means of the 2027 marketing campaign, which clearly locations a way of urgency on any negotiations that’d contain an enormous building plan for the group’s new venue (and related initiatives). Hannah Dineen of WTSP chronicles some disparate responses amongst these throughout the St. Petersburg neighborhood relating to Welch’s resolution.
