The St. Petersburg City Council has penciled in potential dates for deliberating the terms of an agreement regarding the construction of a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays and the revitalization of Tropicana Field into the Historic Gas Plant District. These discussions are slated for two workshops in May.
Erica Riggins, a spokesperson, confirmed on Tuesday that May 9 and 23 have been earmarked for workshops where the council will delve into the specifics. One session will delve into stadium-related matters, while the other will focus on the broader Gas Plant redevelopment, involving the potential sale of approximately 65 acres of public land.
In February, Council member Ed Montanari proposed these meetings, which received unanimous support from his peers. The stipulation was that the city must furnish all relevant documents for the presentations at least two weeks beforehand. Financing is a central theme for both sessions.
Following these workshops, a vote on the documents is anticipated. Approval from five council members is necessary to greenlight the project on the city’s end, encompassing $287.5 million for the stadium, $150 million for infrastructure such as surrounding roads and sewers, and the sale of public land.
Additionally, the Pinellas County Commission must vote on whether to allocate $312.5 million in tourist tax revenue towards stadium construction. The sequence of these votes is currently unclear.
The City Council’s summer recess is scheduled from June 14 through July 7.
