St. Pete releases proposal requirements for Trop Field redevelopment

St. Pete traffic, cars transportation trop

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch has unveiled the city’s new request for proposals (RPF) for redeveloping the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant district, which is currently home to Tropicana Field.

The 33-page RPF wants proposals to include equitable redevelopment, a 17.3-acre carve-out for a baseball stadium and new requirements for affordable and workforce housing. The RPF also adds new demands, responding to current economic and societal conditions.

“This is an historic opportunity for our city to utilize a generational redevelopment opportunity to ensure equitable opportunity for all residents, visitors, businesses and stakeholders,” Welch said in a statement.

“With this new RFP we are calling for a significant emphasis on affordable and workforce housing; arts and culture; research, innovation, and education; recreation; open space, healthy and sustainable development; and intentional equity. We look forward to receiving and reviewing proposals as we prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The decision to launch a new RFP to redevelop the Trop site was announced by Welch back in June, canceling the previous RFP and selection issued by former Mayor Rick Kriseman in 2020.

Welch said he made the decision after careful consideration and communication with city staff regarding city needs, current economic trends and changing workforce needs. He also emphasized intentional equitable development, citing results of the city’s Disparity Study and Structural Racism report.

This RFP calls for proposals that include accommodations for a new, integrated, state-of-the-art baseball stadium, a shift from the previous RFP that included plans both with and without a stadium. The RPF also makes clear its goal to fulfill unrealized promises, wanting to include new attainable housing, equitable business opportunities, office space, meeting space and open space.

To create the RPF, the city held several “Community Conversations” with residents and stakeholders, whose priorities are included in the RPF’s 23 guiding principles.

Responses to the RPF are due Nov. 18 by 10 a.m. All qualified proposals will be presented to Welch for consideration and selection based on criteria defined in the RFP. Welch may select a proposal without discussion if it is determined to be in the public interest for intended site use, according to a news release.

The city will host a pre-proposal meeting on Sept. 12, which will include an overview of the site and relevant planning efforts and brief presentations from city leadership.