Gas Plant Stadium
Proposed $1.3 billion indoor ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Gas Plant Stadium was a proposed indoor ballpark in St. Petersburg, Florida, intended to become the home of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. The project, with an estimated construction cost of $1.3 billion and a total public cost of $1.5 billion, was the latest in a series of stadium proposals for the Rays, who have played at Tropicana Field since 1998. The proposal was terminated in 2025 after the city council voted to officially end the project.
Quick Facts
- Location
- St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
- Surface
- Artificial turf
- Architect
- Hines
- Tenants
- Tampa Bay Rays (MLB)
- Capacity
- 30,000
- Cost
- $1.3 billion (estimate)
- Acreage
- 86
Facts from the source article.
Design
The ballpark proposal was part of a larger mixed-use development. The 30,000-seat stadium would have brought fans closer to the baselines, with a reduced distance from the backstop to home plate. Its “front porch” design aimed to fit the area aesthetically and honor the bungalow-style houses of the Gas Plant neighborhood. Though it would have been the only fixed-roof ballpark in MLB, extensive windows and glass panels near the roof would have admitted natural light. Fans would enter at the main concourse level and walk down to about half the lower-bowl seats.
Financing
The total proposed stadium cost was $1.3 billion. Funding sources included $287.5 million from the city of St. Petersburg, $312.5 million from Pinellas County, and the remainder from the team, which would also cover any overruns. On November 19, 2024, the city and county delayed bond issuance after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field's dome, casting doubt on the project. On December 5, 2024, the St. Petersburg City Council voted four to three to purchase $290 million in bonds for the stadium and redevelopment. On December 17, 2024, the Pinellas County Commission approved $312.5 million from hotel and short-term rental tax dollars, with a 5-2 vote. The Rays had until March 31, 2025, to meet benchmarks unlocking those funds.
Timeline
On September 19, 2023, the Rays announced plans for a new stadium adjacent to Tropicana Field, redeveloping the entire 86-acre site. The $1.3 billion construction cost would be partly funded by $600 million from the city and county via a bed tax, with the team contributing the rest; the public cost was $1.5 billion including tax breaks and discounted land. The 30,000-seat fixed-roof stadium would have operable walls and windows. The development site encompassed 8,000,000 sq ft including 48,000 residential units, a 4,000-seat concert venue, 14 acres of parks, and 14,000 parking stalls. On April 25, 2024, the development team released documents on the 65-acre development before a May 9 city council meeting.
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