ST. PETE., Fla. — Hundreds of people came out for a discussion about what’s next for the 86 acres of land the Tropicana Field is on right now.
It's an issue that's been front and center ever since the stadium deal with the Tampa Bay Rays fell through. And people have mixed feelings.
WATCH: Development vs. Baseball: Community weighs in on the future of Tropicana Field's 86 acres
"I was happy, I was thrilled, honestly, because I don’t want to see the city spending all that money on a stadium," said St. Pete resident Ann Jamieson.
"I was really disappointed," St. Pete resident Curtis Graham. "I just thought ‘oh gee,’ another set back for the Rays. I’m a real Rays fans."
This, leaving the 86 acres of land that the Tropicana Field lives on up for debate - some calling for new development, and others calling for more baseball.
Tuesday night’s discussion drew nearly 300 people to St. Petersburg’s Center for Health Equity.
Through a partnership with the Tampa Bay Times, the Foundation for Healthy St. Petersburg hosted a panel of industry experts and thought-provoking leaders to start a conversation with the community.
"We're really hoping that people understand how important it is to meet the magnitude of this moment," said Foundation for Healthy St. Petersburg President/CEO Kanika Tomalin. "To have 86 contiguous publicly owned acres is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
She said this is especially important since decades ago, members of the Historic Gas Plant District community were displaced when Major League Baseball came into town.
Community members at the event said their neighbors and businesses were forced to relocate with the promise of jobs that didn't happen.
"It has to be a cooperative effort this time," said Sierra Club’s National Board of Directors Erica Hall. "The community has to be involved every step of the way. We have a community benefits in place, which has been in my understanding, watered down and diluted."
Hall said she wants to see a stronger Community Benefits Agreement, along with better infrastructure and resiliency, stating that it needs to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and have a green space that offers inclusiveness.
The panelists all agreed on one thing: the city has been calling the shots for way too long, and now it’s time for the people to.
"We all love this city, we all live here, we all want what’s best for everyone," said Hall.
And for now, the Tampa Bay Rays will continue to play in George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, temporarily, while the stadium deal remains up for discussion.
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