Tropicana Field Redevelopment: Mayor Welch Restarts RFP Process

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The city of St. Petersburg will cancel the request for proposals to redevelop the 86-acre Tropicana Field site that was issued in July 2020 to launch a new RFP process, Mayor Kenneth Welch announced Wednesday.

The new RFP request, which will be released in August, comes after city leaders and staff considered city needs, economic trends and changing workforce needs, according to a news release.

The city will host a series of community outreach events as the RFP is developed. A form to provide input is available online here.

Welch, who was a county commissioner when the process began two years ago, said that he was impressed by the efforts of the two finalists in the initial call for proposals, Midtown Development and Sugar Hill Community Partners.

“However, our environment has changed in many ways since the initial RFP was issued in July of 2020, and we must ensure the RFP meets our current environment and realities and incorporates the most up-to-date information,” he said.

Since then, the pandemic has changed the way people work, affecting the potential need for office space. The cost of rental housing and home ownership continues to rise, making affordable and workforce housing a priority for the city, the mayor added.

Additionally, Welch wants to focus on intentional equity and equitable development as the project moves forward.

Restarting the process is also a chance “to bring certainty to the future of the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg,” the city said in its news release, adding, “While the expiration of the Rays’ lease on Tropicana Field in 2027 represents a real time constraint, it is crucial that this generational project be done right. Emphasis must be placed on meeting the city’s needs, delivering progress for our residents and building a district that will be a world class destination to visit, live and work.”

Welch said, “I am optimistic we will choose that right path, one that will bring jobs, equitable and diverse business opportunities, meet our need for housing, meeting space and innovative economic drivers, and support a state-of-the-art home for the Rays for decades to come."