PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners approved a historic partnership with the City of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday to construct a multipurpose ballpark as part of the transformative redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District. The Commission voted 5-2 to allocate $312.5 million from bed tax revenues for the stadium’s design and construction.
“This is anticipated to be the largest economic development project in our county’s history, cementing our position as an international tourism destination,” said Commission Chair Kathleen Peters. “The economic growth stemming from this partnership with the City of St. Petersburg and the Rays will help fuel the Board’s future ability to fund key services in areas like law enforcement, housing, emergency response, and more. It honors what was voted on by residents decades ago — keeping baseball in St. Petersburg for all Pinellas residents to enjoy.”
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This project is the result of years of collaboration between the County, City, and Rays, culminating in the ballpark agreement supported by the St. Petersburg City Council last week.
In a related decision, the County Commission approved amendments to its interlocal agreement with the City regarding the use of Tax Increment Financing in the City’s Intown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), reinforcing the County’s commitment to the project.
As the largest economic development project in the county’s history, this initiative is expected to generate $1.04 billion in tax revenue over the next 30 years and more than $465 million in annual economic output, creating over 15,200 jobs annually. Combined with previously approved CRA funds, the agreement will enable private investment to inject over $6.4 billion into the local economy.
The new 30,000-plus seat ballpark will replace Tropicana Field and serve as the home for the Tampa Bay Rays, as well as a venue for year-round local, state, and national events, including festivals, concerts, and graduations. The stadium will be the anchor facility for the City’s Historic Gas Plant Redevelopment project, which will feature Class A office space, a hotel, cultural, retail, and medical spaces, as well as residential and affordable housing. Stadium construction could begin as early as next year.
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