ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The 119 acres where Albert Whitted Airport currently sits could be restructured for alternative uses in the future. It all depends on what an economic and community impact study called upon by the mayor finds.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch instructed city staff to conduct the study to see how the Albert Whitted Airport is performing under its current use, in addition to finding possible alternative uses.
He says the study falls in line with his governing principle of informed decision making and keeps his campaign promise to look at every city function from the lens of business process improvement, equity and inclusive progress.
"Calling for this study does not mean we have a specific plan for this site," Welch said during a press conference Friday. "It is simply a process intended to ask the question that we've asked throughout the campaign and after the election: What should progress look like for this publicly owned space?"
According to Welch, the last time a study was conducted for the site was in 2018 and was focused solely on the economic impact of plans to extend the airport's main runway.
Welch says a lot has changed since then, and it's time for broader evaluation.
"It might come back that it has the perfect use now. But we need to answer that question," Welch said.
The focus for the site is to chart the most beneficial and equitable path for those who call St. Pete home for the next 100 years.
As for what will occupy the space should the study say Albert Whitted Airport is underperforming? Welch says nothing has been solidified as they explore "a lot of possibilities," but an extension of the waterfront park system to the expansion of USF was noted.
Welch was also asked about the 119 acres being a possible location for the Tampa Bay Rays who will be needing a new home ahead of the 2028 season.
The mayor said conversations of the team settling on the site are not new and the land the airport occupies has been on a long list of potential locations circulating for years.
Plus, according to Welch, the Rays aren't driving the conversation about what happens to the land saying, the question is not "does a Rays ballpark go there?"
Something Welch says is not on the table for the site — condos and highrises
"That's not what this is about," he said.
In the end, Welch says it's ultimately the people's decision what happens to the site. When the study comes back, public input will be collected, and if a decision to repurpose the property is reached, the public will have the opportunity to vote on the matter.
"Let's get the numbers. Let's hear from the community. Let's have the conversation. It troubles me when folks say 'you can't talk about that,' well, we can talk about that," Welch said.
"That's public land and if you just continue to take, you know, federal money and lock it in for another generation then it will continue to be used that way. Let's have the conversation about what the best path is for the entire community going forward," he added.
You can watch the press conference below: