St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman on Friday chose the two finalists that will have a chance to submit plans to redevelop the Tropicana Field site.
In a news release, Kriseman said he will select from between Midtown Development and Sugar Hill Community Partners, JMA Ventures.
Kriseman said last Friday that he would narrow the list of finalists from four to two "within seven days."
"All four finalists have impressive visions for the site and the experience to execute this generational project," Kriseman said in the release, "but I believe the Midtown and Sugar Hill proposals best reflect the community’s desires and that these firms are well-positioned to provide additional details and ultimately transform this site.”
WATCH: Ahead Of Tropicana Field Public Hearings, Developers Explain Their Plans
Midtown Development
JMA Ventures/Sugar Hill Community Partners
After seeking public input on the four finalists in early April, Kriseman said he will release additional details on how the public can weigh in on the finalists.
The public was given three ways to weigh in on the four finalists — through in-person and virtual meeting, "immersive showrooms" that displayed renderings and the companies' proposals, and through a link on the city's website.
Kriseman's announcement comes two days after he said he during a radio interview with J.P. Peterson that he wants a lawsuit resolved between Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg and the Rays' minority owners before he continues negotiations with the team over its future with the city.
As first reported by the Tampa Bay Times, the minority owners are suing Sternberg, accusing him of conspiring to take full control of the ball club and holding secret negotiations with Canadian officials over a plan to split seasons between Montreal and Florida.
In March, the four finalists released videos explaining their visions for the Tropicana Field site — with our without a stadium.
Rev. Watson Hayes, president and CEO of the Pinellas County League, narrated Midterm Development’s video. He said Midterm's project will focus on creating space to foster entrepreneurship and job growth and will include intersecting greenways to connect the city.
Sugar Hill Community Partners, a group led by San Francisco developer JMA Ventures, focused on testimonials from local business owners. It said its emphasis would be on reconnecting the surrounding communities, creating affordable housing, and representing the history of the community that was originally displaced.
Kriseman did not immediately release details on when he will make a final decision.
