Woodson Museum requests $10 million

An African American museum housed in a former South St. Petersburg community center is seeking $10 million in tourist tax dollars to build a new home.

The new, state-of-the-art facility would feature prominently in the Historic Gas Plant District’s $6.5 billion redevelopment. City council members will vote on the generational project – led by the Tampa Bay Rays and Hines – later today.

Local government and business leaders comprising Pinellas County’s Tourist Development Council (TDC) heard the Woodson African American Museum of Florida’s ask for the first time Wednesday. St. Petersburg Councilmember Copley Gerdes assured his colleagues that with the additional funding, construction would commence sooner rather than later if the overall redevelopment receives approval.

“With the community benefits the Rays are willing to give [the museum] and the money they’ve raised so far, they could put a shovel in the ground during phase one,” Gerdes said. “And this would open along with the stadium.”

While transforming Tropicana Field and its sprawling parking lots into a thriving mixed-use district is a 30-year project, the new ballpark must be ready for baseball by March 2028. Final contractual revisions stipulate that Rays and Hines have until July 1, 2025, to reach a development agreement with the museum’s leadership.

The development team has committed $10 million to a new state-of-the-art facility. However, museum director Terri Lipsey Scott must provide a finalized financing plan, a guaranteed maximum bid from a qualified contractor and prove financial commitments that cover half of the project cost to receive that funding.

The developers have 15 years to commence construction on the facility before proposing a substitute benefit. That will not be an issue.

“They’ve (the museum) got a letter of intent already with the Rays/Hines group for the parcel that has been allocated to them,” Gerdes said. “I believe the number they have now is like $25, $26 million. What they have from the Rays, what this allocation would give them and what they have raised so far would put them above that number.

“They’d go … shovel ready in 2025.”

The city council must first approve dedicating $287.5 million in public funding to the Gas Plant’s redevelopment and a $1.37 billion ballpark. Pinellas County would own the stadium site, and commissioners will likely vote July 30 to spend $312.5 million in tourism tax dollars accrued from overnight stays.

“It is my prayer that the city and the county recognize the benefit of this, and they will become partners in this,” Scott previously told the Catalyst. “When the Rays’ (proposal) won, I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. I’m grateful for the opportunity that presents itself for us to be part of that footprint.”

Terri Lipsey Scott (right), executive director of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, motions towards a rendering of a new facility in a redeveloped Historic Gas Plant District at a flag raising ceremony in February. Photo by Mark Parker.

The museum currently operates from a roughly 4,000-square-foot former community center at 2240 9^th Ave. S. in Jordan Park. The state’s oldest public housing community opened between 1939 and 1941.

In 2019, city officials offered the Museum 5.5 acres of land about a quarter mile north along the 22^nd Street South (Deuces) corridor. While appreciative, Scott has noted the property was not ideal.

Wednesday’s meeting provided an initial discussion of seven capital funding requests totaling $67 million. Museum officials did not speak; Scott attended a Rays event thanking supporters that morning.

TDC member Chuck Prather, owner of Birchwood Development, questioned the board’s budget. Brian Lowack, CEO of Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC), said the county has about $115 million in capital reserves.

“That accounts for everything,” Lowack said. “Beach renourishment, stadiums and other things that have been discussed.”

Prather believes they must run the TDC like a business. “We can’t spend more money than we make, so I’m very cautious,” he said.

“Everything on here is worthy,” Prather added. “I just can’t quite see a few things – like how does the Dunedin Museum clock put heads in beds?”

VSPC officials will conduct due diligence before recommending awards to the TDC. Kylie Diaz, vice president of community engagement, expects to present projects for a vote in September. The county commission must ultimately provide approval.

Additional funding requests include:

• Dunedin Museum: $24,500 to restore two historical clocks.
• Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina: $10 million for repairs and upgrades.
• Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater: $10 million for facility upgrades to enhance sports tourism.
• The Florida Orchestra: $9.5 million to construct a Center for Music Education & Innovation within the Mahaffey Theater.
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium: $9.8 million to remodel a sea lion habitat.
• Morean Arts Center and Chihuly Collection: $15.2 million to build a five-story building and parking garage and expand capacity.
• Palladium Theater: $2.5 million to renovate the 800-seat Hough Hall.