St. Petersburg council rejects immediate roof repairs to Rays Stadium after preliminary approval

The council voted 4-3 to approve the roof repairs. Members who opposed it said there was not enough clarity on many issues, including how much the stadium’s insurance would cover and how much could be provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

They also noted that city residents who are struggling to rebuild their homes and businesses damaged by Hurricanes Helen and Milton are alarmed to see so many taxpayer dollars being spent on baseball.

“Why are we eager to spend so much money at once when there is so much uncertainty?” Councilman Richie Floyd said.

The new Rays stadium, which will likely open in 2029, if at all, is part of a larger urban redevelopment project known as the Gasworks Historic District, which refers to a predominantly black neighborhood that was forced to make way for construction of the Tropicana. Field and interstate spur.

The broader $6.5 billion project will transform an 86-acre (34-hectare) site in the city’s center, with plans to build a black history museum, affordable housing, a hotel, green space, entertainment venues, offices and retail stores in the coming years. space. Thousands of jobs are also promised.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, the main initiator of the entire project, said it was not time to give up yet.