ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The St. Petersburg City Council has tasked architects to re-imagine the site of Tropicana Field without the presence of the stadium itself, as part of ongoing planning for the future of the site.
- Phase 1 of planning included new stadium
- Phase 2 will present plan for mixed-use of site
- Process expected to 12 weeks
Phase One of this process to plan for the future of the Tropicana Field's 86-acre footprint allowed for a renovated stadium to continue to occupy the 20 acres on which the current stadium sits.
Phase Two will present a plan recommending what to do with those 20 acres without a stadium present.
"Now that it's approved, we'll just start that process going forward," said City Development Administrator Alan DeLisle. "So we will go through the whole process -- it'll take us several months, we'll interact with the community, we'll do some more research, we'll talk to our planning team and then we'll come up with another plan without the stadium."
"It comes down to capturing jobs on that site," DeLisle continued. "Some business development and job creation for the surrounding neighborhoods, but also for the entire city and the county."
Transportation, walkability and sustainability will also be very important considerations.
"Along with the job creation, it's connecting city residence to those jobs, particularly from the south St. Petersburg CRA." DeLisle explained.
Phase Two will also confirm goals set in Phase One to provide jobs and entertainment for the entire city, reintegrate the site with the city, enhance cultural diversity and expand transportation options, all without knowing for certain which plan -- with stadium or without -- will be put into play.
"To be able to develop there with or without the Rays is exciting," DeLisle said. "The mayor has been clear that we hope the Rays stay in St. Pete."
The Phase Two process should take about 12 weeks.