Tampa Bay Rays Stadium Deal Approved By St. Pete City Council: Reports

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The St. Petersburg City Council approved Thursday the 12 agreements in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District, according to multiple reports.

The development deal, including a $287.5 million commitment by the city for construction of a new stadium and $142 million for infrastructure improvements, was approved in a 5-3 vote, the Tampa Bay Business Journal said.

The project's full development cost is projected to be $6.5 billion.

The redevelopment’s final hurdle is a July 30 Pinellas County Commission vote on providing $312.5 million in tourism tax dollars to the project, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The Rays, working with Texas-based developers Hines, were chosen last year to redevelop 86 acres in the district, including Tropicana Field, the team’s current stadium.

The full redevelopment of the neighborhood will span more than 8 million square feet, including more than 5,000 residential units, 600 affordable/workforce housing units on site and another 650 units elsewhere in the city, 1.4 million square feet of office/medical space, and 750 hotel rooms.

The stadium itself will have a capacity of about 30,000 and boast a three-deck design with various seating types, including premium clubs and suits, flexible viewing areas, decks, and social gathering spaces.

Council members Lisset Hanewicz, John Muhammad and Richie Floyd voted against the project, while Copley Gerdes, Brandi Gabbard, Ed Montanari, Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Gina Driscoll supported it, draysbay.com said.