Skanska USA Building announced a grand slam of a win last week.
The program management and consulting group within the U.S. arm of the Sweden-based firm will serve as the owner’s representative on the $6.5 billion redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant property in St. Petersburg, Florida. Skanska will also serve as owner’s representative for the design and construction of a new stadium for Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, as part of the development.
Pinellas County, the Tampa Bay Rays and Hines Development have partnered to develop the project.
The new ballpark is estimated to cost $1.3 billion, with $600 million in public funds going to construction, according to local NPR station WUSF.
In addition to the new stadium, the project will transform the 86-acre site of the Rays’ current Tropicana Field into 8 million square feet of development encompassing affordable housing, hotels and office and retail space. It will also feature the new home of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, which recognizes the history of the surrounding neighborhood.
About four decades ago, members of the Historic Gas Plant area were displaced by the city’s decision to locate the stadium in their neighborhood. The movement caused residents and businesses to relocate with the promise of new jobs and opportunities that did not materialize, according to the city of St. Petersburg’s project page.
Now, in partnership with the development team, the city plans to invest over $6 billion during the next 20 years, creating the largest development project in Tampa Bay history, according to the city’s website. The St. Petersburg City Council voted to approve the development at a July 18 meeting. Plans call for the new ballpark to be constructed near the Tropicana Field site.
As the city’s owner’s rep, Skanska will provide project management, design reviews, accounting, scheduling, on-site quality assurance and compliance with development agreements. Skanska’s declined to share its contract amount for the two facets of the project.
Skanska has provided such oversight on a number of projects in the region, including the current construction of the Bernie McCabe Second District Court of Appeals Courthouse, the University of South Florida Health’s Morsani College of Medicine & Heart Institute at Water Street Tampa and the recent renovation of the Tampa Convention Center.
Correction: This story has been updated to correctly reflect Skanska's role in the construction of the Rays' new stadium.
