$1.3 billion ballpark plan seeks to make amends for demolishing historic Black neighborhood
“I see it as a real opportunity to uplift the entire city,” Welch, a Democrat, said in an interview at City Hall. “This isn’t just a stadium. This is a stadium surrounded by the largest development in the state of Florida, if not the nation.”
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TechTranscript
00:00 The Tampa Bay Rays may be getting a brand new $1.3 billion ballpark thanks to St. Petersburg's
00:05 Mayor Ken Welch. The ballpark is part of a much larger plan to transform downtown St. Pete with
00:10 affordable housing, a black history museum, a hotel, and office and retail space. The project
00:15 is called the Historic Gas Plant Project, which is a nod to the once thriving black community that
00:20 was demolished for the Rays' current park, Tropicana Field. Mayor Ken Welch and his family had roots in
00:25 the gas plant neighborhood when the city was racially segregated, so he sees it as a real opportunity
00:30 to uplift the entire city. Welch said it's important to keep the Rays local and in the same area to
00:35 restore promises of economic opportunity never met for minority residents after they were forced out
00:40 decades ago. The proposed 30,000 seat ballpark would be open for the 2028 season and is a priority
00:45 in the first phase of what will ultimately become a $6.5 billion project. The first phase will break
00:51 ground next spring with the ballpark and initially include 1,500 residential units, 500 hotel rooms,
00:56 a new museum, and more. Officials are set to begin public discussions over the project and
01:01 final votes are expected this summer.