Pinellas County approves Rays stadium agreement, Gas Plant redevelopment
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Tropicana Field circa 2021. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Rays can officially start building a new stadium and redeveloping the Historic Gas Plant district.
Why it matters: The agreement is now final between the team and its developer, Hines, with Pinellas County and St. Petersburg after county commissioners voted on Tuesday.
By the numbers: $312.5 million in tourist development tax dollars will go toward designing and building the new stadium.
- The county will get some of that money back from the team in $1-million-per-year licensing fees for 25 years. That will start five years after the stadium is complete.
- The entire project is estimated to cost $6.5 billion in private and public money, with $1.3 billion projected for the stadium.
Roll call: Board Chair Kathleen Peters, Vice Chair Brian Scott and commissioners Charlie Justice, René Flowers and Janet C. Long voted in favor of the project.
- Commissioners Chris Latvala and Dave Eggers opposed.
What they're saying: "When it comes down to the accountability and risk management aspect of it, I don't like every aspect of this deal," Scott said. "... But there's a lot of things I do like about it."
- He noted the agreement leaves the Rays responsible for cost overruns and sets a 2030 deadline for the completion of Phase 1 of the redevelopment. "There's opportunities here to hold [the] Rays [and] Hines accountable."
The other side: Latvala expressed concern that game attendance won't go up consistently enough to justify the county's investment and that the Rays could sell off their part of the development.
- He said he would rather see tourism money go toward beach renourishment.
- "When all is said and done, this will be a $1 billion publicly funded subsidy to a billionaire. I'm not willing to put my name on that."
Catch up quick: The St. Petersburg City Council approved the project earlier this month over the objections of critics who felt it fell short in delivering much-needed affordable housing.
- Negotiations between the city, team and developer continued until days before that vote, leading to more community amenities and green energy commitments.
What's ahead: Construction on the project begins next year.
