After numerous delays, the St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg has a new scheduled reopening date.
In a statement, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman announced it will now open on July 6 at 5 p.m.
The Pier District was most recently scheduled to reopen on May 30.. That date was delayed after Governor Ron DeSantis suggested that large crowds should not gather during the coronavirus pandemic.
"It's been a long and winding road, but we've arrived at our destination: A dynamic, 26-acre waterfront playground that will serve residents and visitors for generations to come,” Kriseman said in a statement. “It's time for everyone to experience all the Pier District and St. Pete Pier has to offer."
Due to the pandemic, there will not be an organized mass gathering to mark the opening. The city is still working on those details.
The $92 million project was originally slated to open in 2018. It was then delayed until December 2019, and then until May.
It will feature the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center, restaurants including Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, 17 vendors in the Pier’s marketplace, a $1 million playground, and Janet Echelman’s $1.47 million “Bending Arc” sculpture.
