Developers who are interested in transforming the Tropicana Field site in St. Petersburg are on the clock.
On Sunday, the city issued a public notice allowing the developers to pitch their plans for the Historic Gas Plant District over the next 30 days. The deadline to submit bids is Feb. 3.
According to a city news release, this allows "an opportunity for competing or alternative proposals from private developers or other interested parties for the lease, purchase, or development of all or a portion of the Historic Gas Plant District property."
Sunday was the original deadline, but Mayor Ken Welch in early November delayed it by a month even though at least one has said 30 days is not enough time to prepare a proposal.
Several prominent developers have said they're interested in taking over the 86-acre site, which may include a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, whose lease at Tropicana Field runs through the end of the 2028 season.
Some of those proposals have included green space, entertainment venues, business and retail space, and affordable housing and other amenities.
The Historic Gas Plant District was once a Black community whose residents were displaced more than 40 years ago to make way for Interstate 175 and Tropicana Field.
The Rays were sold in October to a group led by Jacksonville homebuilder Patrick Zalupski. Shortly after, Zalupski laid out his criteria for a new stadium on either side of Tampa Bay, including at least 100 acres of land and being part of a mixed-use development.
