Is expansion, spring training in Al Lang’s future? 

In July, St. Petersburg officials ruled out demolishing Al Lang Stadium. Pinellas County Commissioners signaled a willingness to help convert it back into a spring training complex in early April. 

While those discussions are not new, a city consultant is now proposing a $49.2 million expansion to the home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies with an option for a baseball facility. The myriad upgrades would also help facilitate moving to a Division 1 soccer league. 

Plans presented to a committee Thursday include a three-story addition with a restaurant and bar overlooking the pitch. The 36,000-square-foot elevated building would also house a new locker room, offices, concessions, retail space and viewing areas. 

“The team, as of this point, does want to remain in St. Petersburg,” said Beth Herendeen, managing director of city development. “And that’s what I think we want – for the team to stay in St. Petersburg.”  

The discussion stems from an update on a potential Center for the Arts, first discussed in 2020, that would encompass the Dali Museum, Mahaffey Theater and nearly everything else along the downtown waterfront, from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue South. Accommodating and bolstering the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is one of many focal points. 

Herendeen noted that the massive, nascent project was “re-energized” in 2024 when the city hired contextual design firm ASD | Sky to conduct planning and community outreach services. However, the “high-level visioning plan” continues evolving and would cost an estimated $293 million. 

The history

In early April, after former Rays owner Stuart Sternberg exited a new stadium deal, Commissioner Chris Latvala said he would be “open to turning Al Lang back into a baseball stadium” using tourist development tax dollars. The baseball team owns the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Latvala noted that St. Petersburg hosted spring training for nearly a century, and “there’s no doubt” it supports tourism. County Administrator Barry Burton pledged to facilitate those efforts “if the opportunity presents itself.” 

Jason Mathis, CEO of St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, subsequently told the Catalyst that the Rowdies “should be there forever, as long as it makes sense.” 

“I think it could also be a fantastic spring training place,” Mathis added. “It’s a special place in a unique location, and you should find a way to maximize that space.” 

A site plan exchanges a soccer pitch for a baseball diamond.

City council members adamantly disagreed with plans to demolish Al Lang. In early July, Herendeen told the downtown partnership that the stadium’s forecast called for improvements, rather than a wrecking ball. 

ASD | Sky consultant John Curran noted the “nostalgic sentiment” surrounding Al Lang. “Maybe in the future, we might actually look at what it would take to renovate Al Lang and accommodate the needs of that facility, as well,” he said at the meeting. 

Sternberg sold the Rays in late September. Spring training and expansion discussions began long before the two teams and city stakeholders welcomed new ownership. 

The future?

The future came sooner than expected. Curran said his firm strategically placed the three-story addition to accommodate spring training. A site plan shows the soccer pitch replaced by a baseball diamond, with the new facility overlooking the left field wall and fronting 1st Street South.

A new concourse would connect to the existing stadium. Curran also highlighted additional green space and an elevated berm along Bayshore Drive that would create viewing areas for the Grand Prix. 

Space diagrams highlight the addition’s street-level retail space, a new sports therapy room and other player areas. The second floor would feature team offices and new concessions.

The third floor includes a rooftop restaurant and bar that would remain open year-round. Documents also list a covered outdoor dining area and an outdoor amenity. 

“If a person is up on this concourse level, they could easily see the soccer game very nicely,” Curran said. “The third floor is more of a sort of VIP restaurant experience, potentially.” 

Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. said that regardless of the sport it hosts, he wants to preserve Al Lang “as much as we can.” He called the expansion a “revenue generator.” 

“We’ve got to think about how we can get creative … ways to generate multiple streams of income,” Givens continued. “I definitely saw what you did here, and I’m very impressed.” 

The addition’s second and third levels would overlook the field.

Al Lang likely lacks the space for a full spring training facility, which requires several practice areas. The meeting agenda includes notes from a meeting with the Rowdies, and states that the stadium “presents potential as a future spring training location – should the Rays depart.” 

“There is notable interest in this idea, though no formal discussions.”

Rowdies officials have long eyed a move from the USL Championship to soccer’s top tier, which was previously limited to Major League Soccer (MLS). However, the USL plans to launch a Division One league for the 2027-2028 season. 

City documents note that a “Division 1 soccer facility requires a minimum seating capacity of 15,000, and “major strategic decisions are difficult to finalize at this stage.” Herendeen said the proposed facility could work for the Rowdies long-term and host “other uses.”

“So, they were pleased with the outcome.” 

The city spent over $3 million repairing the storm-damaged stadium, and the Rowdies are under contract to play at Al Lang through 2026. President Ryan Helfrick, who has called Mayor Ken Welch’s administration “great partners,” said in August that he “would like to get back to a point where we’re hosting other events at Al Lang, as well.” 

Councilmember Gina Driscoll expressed concern that the addition would eliminate views of the waterfront.