St. Pete selects architect for Rays' $1.3 billion ballpark
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Nov 16, 2023

St. Petersburg has unanimously selected Populous as the architect for the new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark after the only other finalist pulled out of the running.

An evaluation committee met Wednesday at the Campbell Park Recreation Center to rank the final two proposals — Populous and MEIS architects — to determine which group would be responsible for the architectural services for the $1.3 billion stadium that is planned for the Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete.

The stadium — part of the 86-acre Gas Plant development — will be the top priority for the team if the project receives final approval from the city and county. St. Petersburg City Council is expected to vote on the development agreement in March 2024. The goal, according to the Rays, is to have the new stadium built for opening day 2028.

Populous was dubbed the “ballpark architect” in the Rays’ and Houston-based development firm Hines’ proposal. Both groups were to give a 30-minute presentation to the evaluation committee prior to their final rankings.

However, Dan Meis, managing principal and founder of MEIS architects, wrote a letter on Nov. 7 to St. Petersburg’s procurement office saying they had decided to “decline to participate.” Meis wrote the 30-minute presentation format was not “adequate time” to explain their group’s strengths and qualifications.

“We have also seen and heard how devoted the Rays are to their long relationship with Populous and how committed the city is to supporting this partnership, and thus respectfully withdraw our team from consideration,” Meis wrote. “We hope you will value however that a team of our caliber was extremely interested in your project.”

He wrote that while they appreciated the opportunity to compete, it is “sometimes the case in our industry that a qualified team is so far out in front, it makes it extremely difficult for those other teams to justify the investment to throw their hat in the ring for consideration.” He added that he trusts the city is in “good hands” with Populous.

Now that a firm has been selected, the Rays will begin contract negotiations with the group.