St. Pete 2.0 Results: Imagining the new Tropicana Field site

The St. Petersburg renaissance has been in full swing for more than a decade. We’ve excelled in many areas and struggled in others. In our series St. Pete 2.0, we’re partnering with the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership to explore what lies on the other side of our potential – what will it take to move to the “next level” as a city? Through this series, we’ll dig into specific topics with the hope that you, our thoughtful citizens, will share your insight, experience and wisdom. 

The planned redevelopment of the 86-acre Tropicana Field site hit a new milestone in late July when the City issued a request for proposals to find a master developer. Officials have described the publicly-owned land as an unparalleled, generational opportunity to meet many needs and create a vibrant place accessible to all. Based on years of community outreach, the City has developed a list of priorities for the site. 

We used the forum of St. Pete 2.0 to get a sense of what’s most important to the community as the site is redeveloped. On a scale of one to nine, we asked participants to rank how they prioritize issues ranging from job creation to housing choice to honoring the legacy of the Black community. We then asked a few open-ended questions about how we should measure the success of the redevelopment, whether Covid-19 has changed the way we think about the project (spoiler alert: not really) and what advice we would give to community leaders going forward. Finally, we tossed the ball to our participants and encouraged them to share their ideas for the site. Here’s what we found:

Priority rankings

Respondents were asked to imagine they were in charge of redeveloping Tropicana Field by ranking their priorities for what they’d like to see at the site. With 9 being the highest and one being the lowest, here’s how the results stacked up:

1. Developing a newly imagined ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays
2. Hosting conference space and a convention hotel
3. Conducting research and development in conjunction with Johns Hopkins, USF and other educational institutions
4. Honoring the site’s history as a once-thriving African American community
5. Offering housing choices for all income levels
6. Fulfilling the promises made to St. Petersburg’s Black community for economic opportunity
7. Reconnecting neighborhoods
8. Providing green space and water features
9. Creating good jobs for existing residents

Has Covid-19 changed the way you think about development on Tropicana Field and if so, how?

The overwhelming majority of respondents said Covid-19 has had no impact on their views of the redevelopment. Those who did pointed to the importance of keeping the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg where they can serve as a beacon of hope for the community once Covid is behind us.

“Having a professional sports team will become a rallying sense of pride and a symbolic return to normalcy as we move past the pandemic,” one commenter wrote. “This is why keeping the Rays in St. Pete is essential.”

Another respondent had a suggestion for the stadium itself.

“If you choose to upgrade the current Trop or build a new stadium, it should have a retractable portion of the dome so fresh air can circulate,” the commenter advised.

As for the site as a whole, one survey participant said that Covid has magnified the need for more outdoor green spaces in St. Pete’s urban environment, particularly for socially vulnerable neighborhoods that may have limited means of recreation. 

What cautions or advice would you give community leaders as they work on this important project?

This question brought a variety of responses, a number of which called for leaders to listen to members of the community as they redevelop the site rather than “farming the project out” to people not familiar with the area. 

“Listen to the people who live and work here, not outside interests, either political or financial,” one commenter said. 

While some respondents advised that leaders honor the surrounding communities and remember the site’s historical significance, others said the focus should be on the future and ensuring the city continues to make progress in terms of job creation and economic stimulation. 

“Make it a project that helps the city develop,” one commenter wrote. “Jobs will come with development. People must choose to participate so make it an opportunity – not a handout zone. That always fails.”

Several people reminded community leaders to make sure the Rays aren’t forgotten as the project moves forward.

“If you decide to redevelop this parcel without the Tampa Bay Rays in mind, this could become a sore spot among residents and be seen as a failure,” one respondent observed.

However, should the Rays end up leaving the area, another commenter suggested putting a baseball stadium on the site that could host a Rays affiliate team and spring training and added that any buildings that might go up should pay homage to the city’s baseball footprint and history in some way. 

“I would hope if home plate ends up being in the lobby of a building, there’s a home plate, or Wade Boggs’ seat in right field,” the commenter said. 

How should our community judge the success of this project in 10 years?

Sustained job growth, business development and economic prosperity were the most common responses to this question.

“I think if the redevelopment leads to continued growth of the city and economic success, then the project is a success,” one respondent wrote.

Other commenters said success would be determined by how the surrounding areas are impacted by the development.

“A success for this project would be if the space is fully utilized, it ages well and the businesses and communities around it thrive,” according to one participant. 

Another respondent said that if the redevelopment is successful, “neighborhoods will blossom all around like what has happened around Central Avenue.”

Attracting an equitable, diverse mix of businesses, patrons and residents will be a success indicator, as will the new site’s ability to bring in visitors from outside the region, some participants said.

And then, of course, there’s baseball. 

“The project will be a success if the Tampa Bay Rays remain on this site in St. Petersburg,” a fan wrote. 

What other ideas do you have for this important site in our city?

A number of people enthusiastically chimed in about turning the site into an entertainment destination. Several said they’d love to see an outdoor concert venue, while others spoke of the need to highlight arts and culture. Having family entertainment options like petting zoos, miniature golf courses and outdoor recreation were also appealing to a number of commenters. 

“Think of the boardwalks along the East Coast where there are things to do for families, teens and adults,” one person wrote. “More of what The Pier should have incorporated.”

Affordable housing with a grocery store nearby was also mentioned by more than one respondent, as well as the need for more condos to attract residents to the area. 

Other suggestions included turning the area into a tech hub to draw in more high-paying jobs, building a bridge between downtown St. Pete and the adjacent communities, providing some space on the site for nonprofits to operate and encouraging that attention is paid to the area’s history and African American heritage.

Rounding it all out, respondents again emphasized the need to ensure sports continue to thrive. 

“Our number-one priority should be keeping the Rays in St. Petersburg,” one participant said. “It, like the Grand Prix, put St. Pete on the U.S. and the world map.”