Tropicana Field site planning begins in St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - St. Petersburg is coming up with a plan for redeveloping the land where Tropicana Field sits if the Tampa Bay Rays go through with their plan to move to Tampa.

Alan DeLisle, the city development administrator, says his team is now in phase two of redeveloping the Tropicana Field site, but their plan no longer includes a new baseball stadium. They want to make the 80 acres of land a major hub for technology and university research jobs. 

DeLisle compares it to a tech park.

“It’s about using that site to add value and to get us into the economy that is creating the most jobs today,” he said.

He says the city doesn’t want to interfere with the growth already happening downtown but says you can also expect retail, hotels and a convention space in the plan.

St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman says it’s very likely the Rays could pull out of their Ybor City plans, but if they don’t, St. Pete is prepared to move on without them.