Public meetings on Trop site plans kick off in April

St. Petersburg residents will have a chance to give city officials their thoughts on four proposals for Tropicana Field site redevelopment during a series of public meetings and other events next month.

The public comments coincide with the release of videos from each of the potential redevelopers showcasing their ideas for the 86-acre site, in a process that has been described as a “generational” opportunity to transform a major part of the city, with or without a new baseball stadium.

Mayor Rick Kriseman selected his top picks from seven redevelopment plans earlier this month. The four shortlisted firms best represented the criteria contained within a request for proposals, the city said, adding that the four firms have a proven track record of executing large, mixed-use developments.

The first public meeting on April 5 will be online, followed by meetings on April 7 and April 8 in person at The Coliseum. All the meetings are scheduled from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Social distancing guidelines will be in place, and masks will be required for in-person meetings. Registration is suggested but not required. Registration for April 5 is here, for April 7 is here and for April 8 is here.

Four immersive showrooms will open on April 12, equipped with executive summaries of each redevelopment proposal, renderings and the ability to leave public comment. Those showrooms will be at:
• North Library: 861 70th Ave. N.
• Mirror Lake Library: 280 5th St. N.
• JW Cate Rec Center: 5801 22nd Ave. N.
• Enoch Davis Rec Center: 1111 18th Ave. S.

There’s also an opportunity to submit comments online here. Organizations, associations, and groups can submit a request for a member of the City’s Economic Development team to present during a meeting using this online form.

The videos are designed to bring to life the vision each potential developer has for the Trop site.

Midtown Development’s video is narrated by Rev. Watson Haynes II, president and CEO of the Pinellas County Urban League.

In the video from Portman Holdings and Third Lake Partners, Ken Jones, CEO of Third Lake, and Hunter Richardson, executive vice president of Portman, talk about honoring the history of the site.

In the video from Unicorp National Developments, CEO Chuck Whittall tells why the company is proposing the name Petersburg Park.

Sugar Hill Communities also submitted a video.

Kriseman could select a development firm by May or June with a development agreement in place by September or October, according to a timetable from the city.