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St. Pete Council Backs Pause on Gas Plant Redevelopment as Mayor Presses On

The council approved a non-binding pause to seek an independent study.

Overview

  • The City Council voted 6–2 to urge a short pause before selecting a developer, but the resolution is non-binding and does not restrict the mayor’s authority.
  • Mayor Ken Welch, citing extensive prior planning and the site’s history of displacement, says he will continue evaluating proposals and advancing negotiations.
  • Nine developer bids were submitted for the 86-acre site following a 30-day window opened by the administration.
  • The Burg Bid LLC proposed paying $275 million for 58 acres with an estimated $8 billion mixed-use plan and a $20 million deposit at commencement.
  • Council sponsor Brandi Gabbard is pushing for a roughly six-month Urban Land Institute study costing about $135,000, a fight that is doubling as an early test in the 2026 mayoral race.