St. Petersburg City Council is moving on with the Pier Park. The City Council approved $5.2 billion in contracts for the new pier today.
Pier Park will replace the decade’s old inverted pyramid.
The contract was approved with a seven to one vote, with only Councilman Wengay Newton voting against it.
“It is absolutely a terrible idea to tear down their pier before you get all the permits on something you're going to put out there. I don't care what process you want to spin it with,” he said at the council meeting.
Councilwoman Darden Rice voted in favor of the new contracts.
"I feel like staff has done a great job and brought us some great numbers and plans to look at," she said, "and I am looking forward wholeheartedly to vote for this and moving forward."
The money approved Thursday will cover the first phase of construction and knocking down the current pier. The new pier's construction is set to start in two years.
The pier is set to include a bar and grill, floating docks and trails for biking, walking and running. The new pier will also retain the inverted pyramid design.
