What’s going to happen to Albert Whitted Airport? Mayor raises questions about prime waterfront property

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - There are questions over the future of St. Pete’s, city-owned, Albert Whitted Airport after a request from St. Pete’s new mayor.  

Recently, Mayor Ken Welch sent a memo to the city council asking for them to study the future, and current community impact of the airport to see if there needs to be any changes down the road.  

The property is downtown on the city’s waterfront, a place developers have eyeballed for decades. Some have even said it would be an ideal location for a new Rays baseball stadium.  

The mayor’s request left Jack Tunstill, chairman of the airport advisory committee with several questions.  

"I don’t think there’s any attempt to say close the airport, but when you start telling people who have lived through two previous attempts at getting rid of the airport … they get a little suspicious," Tunstill said.  

READ Albert Whitted Airport 20-year plan includes expansion, longer runway

In 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration gave the City of St. Pete $3.7 million to upgrade and modernize the airport and lengthen a runway, which allowed the campus of USF St. Pete to build taller. That deal means the airport must operate for 20 more years.  

Mayor Welch’s Office told FOX 13 he was traveling Wednesday and declined our request for an interview.