ST. PETERSBURG — City officials are reassuring residents that if Florida’s proposed property tax amendment passes this November, funding for private developers will remain fully protected. While local governments across the state have warned they may be forced to reduce spending on parks, libraries, road maintenance and other public services, St. Petersburg officials said residents…

ST. PETERSBURG — Mayor Ken Welch is expected to make his final decision on the future of the Historic Gas Plant District next week. The nearly 100-acre site is expected to be redeveloped into an upscale 15-minute district featuring luxury housing, commemorative hardscaping, and state-of-the-art Flock cameras. Officials say the development will honor the memory…

Clearwater made headlines last week after gifting an entire street to The Church of Scientology. St. Pete officials have taken notice and say they can do better. Mayor Ken Welch says the city is now prepared to give Scientology as many as two streets downtown. “We believe this proposal reflects our commitment to spiritual technology,”…

ST. PETERSBURG — Developers announced Thursday that the Museum of Fine Arts will close later this year and be redeveloped into an artificial intelligence data center. Urban planners say the project will help ensure that St. Pete remains competitive with China. The museum, which opened in 1965, sits on nearly four acres of waterfront property…

Mayor Ken Welch announced Tuesday that he has received the endorsement of St. Pete Razing in his reelection campaign. The organization cited Welch’s long-standing commitment to historic demolition and luxury development. Consultant Graham Whitmore called the endorsement “a natural fit.” “Mayor Welch understands that every historic structure is a luxury apartment that just hasn’t happened…

TAMPA — A survey of 600 active Hillsborough County voters has found that everyone in Tampa is in favor of using public funds to build the new Rays stadium. Researchers say support for the project is unanimous, with respondents expressing enthusiasm for the proposed $2.3 billion ballpark and the nearly $1 billion public contribution needed…

ST. PETERSBURG — Citing its proven success managing municipal water bills, the City of St. Petersburg announced Monday that it has taken over operation of the local power grid. Officials said the decision followed years of outstanding performance in utility billing and customer satisfaction. “Residents have consistently demonstrated their enthusiasm for city-managed utilities,” a spokesperson…

Shelbyville, Indiana Mayor Scott Furgeson sparked controversy this week after he was caught on video making disparaging remarks about residents who oppose a billion-dollar data center project. The comments were made while Furgeson discussed a local “No Data Center” campaign that has organized opposition to the development. Residents have expressed concerns about noise, utility costs,…

Within hours of Red Mesa Cantina announcing its closure, investors unveiled plans to bring Push Ultra Lounge back to downtown St. Petersburg. The project will reimagine the iconic downtown space with a Balkan-inspired restaurant on the ground floor and Push 2.0 occupying the space above. “We’re going from chips and salsa to kebaps and ajvar,”…