Community groups, residents urge St. Pete to strike better deal for Rays stadium, redevelopment

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The City of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays are negotiating a $6 billion stadium and redevelopment agreement for the area around the proposed new ballpark in the footprint of Tropicana Field. 

However, some residents don't think the city is winning the negotiations. 

Protesters shared their concerns on Thursday and urged St. Pete city council members to "fix the deal." They think St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch and council can strike a better deal with the Rays on the new stadium and redevelopment that reaps more benefits for the city.

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"The deal as written is a disaster for the city," said resident Hal Freedman.

Those rallying against the current deal held signs saying, "Rays to stay, but fix the deal." The rally included descendants of the former Gas Plant District, the historic Black neighborhood that was demolished, and its residents displaced to make room for Tropicana Field. 

"There's a lot of speaking about paying homage to the historic Gas Plant District, but how about paying dividends? It's easier to pay respect than it is to pay revenue," said Jabaar Edmond, the president of Child’s Park neighborhood association.

Members of the Campbell Park neighborhood, which is the closest to the stadium, said they want to see guarantees in the contract for affordable housing and jobs created by the deal.

READ: St. Pete community weighs in on multi-billion dollar Gas Plant redevelopment plans

"Not just some blanket statement to have affordable housing. I want to see specific programs and methods by which the members of our community can gain access to this houses, active programs," said Brian Peret, the president of the Campbell Park neighborhood association. 

Sierra Club members urged city council to have stronger green initiatives tied to the proposed $6 billion project.

"There’s LEED buildings, there's green things, there’s great vegetation buffers for Booker Creek. That is not enough. That site needs to be a net-zero, clean energy example," said James Scott with the Sierra Club.

Other taxpayers raised concerns about the financial liabilities and what they see as a lack of protection for the city in the deal.

"Based on the current agreement, the city cannot terminate the agreement even if the Rays/Hines default, which is ridiculous," said Freedman.

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Some of those same concerns were echoed by city council members at the meeting last week, their first public meeting on the proposed agreement. There was also a city council meeting on Thursday and while the stadium deal wasn’t on the agenda, people shared concerns during public comment.

Welch has been working to secure the deal, and said the process is working as it should, with council members' concerns helping to shape a better potential agreement. And, the Rays have pointed to millions of dollars in public benefits.

The next meeting on the stadium will be sometime in June. A vote is anticipated this summer, and if approved, construction would begin early in 2025. 

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