St. Pete City Council approves proposed Rays stadium in historic vote, ending decades-long saga
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The St. Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 to approve a new stadium plan for the Tampa Bay Rays in a monumental decision to keep the Major League Baseball team in the community.
Councilors approved a deal to build a stadium on the Tropicana Field site, along with billions of dollars in new economic development.
The vote got a huge round of applause in the council chamber immediately after, as this ends a 20-year saga that was, at times, painful for fans and vexxing for public officials.
Rendering of future Rays stadium.
Descendants of the Gas Plant district spoke at the meeting and urged councilors to support the project.
"My grandmother worked diligently to have a home. She didn't know what she was going to be giving up her home to move on to another location."
They consider a new Gas Plant district, one that has a museum of African American history, and will be required to offer jobs to historically disadvantaged workers, and 1,250 units of affordable housing, somewhat of a cure for the wrongs they faced.
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Mayor Ken Welch, whose family also had to move to make way for a stadium that was out of date the moment it opened, and poorly attended for decades, feels the same way.
"We have lived that history. We walked the streets, we worked and worshiped in the Gas Plant community," he said. "And out of respect for that history and legacy, our team and our partners have been focused on keeping those promises at the forefront of these negotiations."
City councilors did a blanket vote that covered 12 agreements. The course is now set for a 30,000-seat stadium with manicured stands, bars, restaurants, hotels, offices and green spaces.
Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg speaks after St. Pete City Council approved a project including a new ballpark for the team.
Rays owner Stu Sternberg said the 20-year process included cockamamie schemes, like splitting the team with Montreal, but said the fans made it worth it.
"It has helped fuel me and our organization," said Sternberg. "When people come up to you and say ‘we believe in what you are doing,’ it fueled me to get us to this point."
But a 5-3 vote is not a blowout. Councilors in support were Figgs-Sanders (Chair), Driscoll, Montanari, Gerdes and Gabbard. Councilors in opposition were Floyd, Hanewicz and Muhammad.
The city is now on the hook for $700 million dollars in bonds, debt, infrastructure and land swaps, which brought fierce criticism. One councilor said it is purely corporate welfare.
"It's not that we can't get good things out of this project. We will get good things out of this project," said councilor Richie Floyd, who voted no. "It's just that all of those things combined don't amount to how much we are spending on a stadium."
The Pinellas County Commission still has to vote, but insiders expect the terrain there will be even more friendly.
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