St. Petersburg City Council

The on-again, off-again quest to build a new baseball stadium as part of the massive Historic Gas Plant redevelopment is now in the hands of Pinellas County commissioners.

The vote to allocate bonds to build a new stadium and pay for infrastructure around the proposed Tropicana Field redevelopment site means Pinellas County commissioners must come up with their part of the money for the current deal to still be valid.

The St. Petersburg City Council agreed to provide $287 million and the Pinellas County Commission $312 million dollars to fund the new ballpark. But two hurricanes and the election may throw those decisions into doubt.

The money will go toward clean-up, including clearing pieces of roof that littered the ballpark and removing damaged turf.

By a 5-3 vote, the St. Petersburg City Council approved a plan to replace Tropicana Field and transform the Historic Gas Plant District.

St. Petersburg City Council members voted 5-3 to move forward with the plan to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District. A final vote is scheduled for July 11.

The deal to redevelop Tropicana Field into a mini city-within-a-city took one step closer to reality Wednesday. St. Petersburg City Council members appear to back the plan — with some revisions. Their first vote is Thursday.

The south St. Petersburg neighborhood has been designated a federal food desert ever since a Walmart closed down seven years ago.

During a workshop with the Rays-Hines partnership, City Council members asked about affordable housing, jobs, a timeline and reconnecting the site with neighborhoods.

The taxpayer research institute identified two potential risks: one if the new stadium is built and one if it's not.

The city and Duke Energy announced the Renter Utility Relief Program at a news conference Friday. This plan will help renters pay electric, sanitation and water bills that are past due.

The move followed a discussion on whether the team should become the St. Petersburg Rays, an idea pitched by former St. Pete Mayor Rick Baker.