St. Pete Rising’s top stories of 2025 captured a changing city navigating growth and nostalgia
/Penthouses at the proposed 50-story Waldorf Astoria St. Petersburg in downtown St. Pete | PMG
In 2025, St. Petersburg gave us plenty to talk about and, judging by the clicks, you were paying close attention.
From splashy redevelopment proposals and high-stakes Rays drama to beloved dive bars, beachfront icons, and even a dinosaur perched above downtown, readers gravitated toward stories that captured a city changing in real time.
The most-read articles of the year were not just about shiny renderings or breaking news. They focused on the follow-up questions, the fine print, and how big ideas actually play out on the ground.
Whether tracking the future of the Tropicana Field site, examining housing policy shifts, or following the next chapter of long-standing local institutions, these stories reflected the curiosity and healthy skepticism of St. Pete Rising readers.
Below are the 10 most-read St. Pete Rising articles of 2025.
the thunderbird beach resort prior to hurricane milton’s arrival | Thunderbird Beach Resort
1. Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort to be demolished and rebuilt
The back-to-back hurricanes of 2024 decimated our beach communities in ways that are still being felt, and the Thunderbird Beach Resort became one of the most visible symbols of that impact.
When St. Pete Rising broke the news that the iconic hotel would be demolished, readers flooded our inbox with memories of family vacations, beach trips, and that iconic sign.
While it was hard to say goodbye to a landmark that meant so much to so many, there was relief in knowing the story doesn’t end there.
The owners remain committed to rebuilding the resort, and the beloved Thunderbird sign will stay right where it belongs.
An 84-acre waterpark has been proposed for Tropicana Field | IMAGE CREATED WITH AI
2. 86-acre waterpark proposed for Tropicana Field site after Rays stadium deal collapses
So, apparently a lot of you totally believed our April Fool’s joke!
Based on the comments, plenty of readers were genuinely excited about the idea of a massive waterpark taking over the Tropicana Field site in downtown St. Pete. And honestly, that reaction says a lot.
The future of the 86-acre site is still very much an open question, and people are clearly paying attention.
In reality, the City of St. Pete is gearing up to officially restart the process in the new year, kicking off a third call for redevelopment proposals for the Historic Gas Plant District since 2020.
vacant land by palm Lake Christian Church will be redeveloped into an 86-unit affordable housing community | Google
3. St. Pete becomes Florida’s first city to allow affordable housing on religious property
This story resonated because it wasn’t just more talk, it was real change.
By becoming the first city in Florida to fully implement the state’s “Yes In God’s Backyard” law, St. Pete turned what was basically an optional rule into something churches can actually use.
For years, many congregations have sat on underused land that zoning rules made almost impossible to redevelop. This ordinance finally gives them a clear path forward.
As Mayor Ken Welch put it, the move puts St. Pete out front as a statewide leader on housing, while also being honest about the reality that this is just one step in a much bigger affordability challenge.
a rendering of the proposed gas plant park | baker barrios
4. Massive $6.8 billion redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site proposed by group of local leaders
This was one of the biggest development stories of the year because it fundamentally reset the conversation around the future of the Historic Gas Plant District.
Just days after the Rays officially walked away, a group of high-profile local and national figures stepped in with an unsolicited $6.8 billion proposal that was hard to ignore.
Backed by Cathie Wood and local developer Casey Ellison, the vision wasn’t framed as a quick stadium replacement.
Instead, it imagined the site as a long-term innovation, housing, and cultural district that would take shape over nearly 20 years.
In the new year, Mayor Welch will open the site up to other groups, formally launching a new call for redevelopment proposals.
Dead Bob’s, one of St. Pete’s most popular dive bars and restaurants, former location at 6716 Central Avenue | Dead Bob’s
5. Beloved St. Pete dive bar Dead Bob’s to debut larger west side location in coming weeks
Dead Bob’s isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a neighborhood institution.
After more than a decade at its original Central Avenue location, readers were eager to see how the bar would evolve without losing its identity.
The new location has since opened, weekend breakfast is now in the mix, and by all accounts Dead Bob’s managed to grow up without growing out of what made it special.
Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, a temporary home of the Rays | Tampa bay rays
6. It’s official: The Tampa Bay Rays have been sold to Jacksonville billionaire
This was one of the most consequential sports and development stories St. Pete has seen in decades.
The $1.7 billion sale of the Rays to a group led by Patrick Zalupski formally closed the chapter on Stu Sternberg’s 20-year ownership and immediately raised new questions about the franchise’s future.
With Tropicana Field still undergoing hurricane-related repairs, attention quickly shifted from the sale itself to what comes next.
The new ownership has been clear about its long-term goal of securing a new stadium, exploring sites all across Tampa Bay, leaving the future of baseball in St. Pete more uncertain than ever.
Penny Lane, the ultimate Beatles Museum, will be relocating to downtown St. pete in 2026 | Penny Lane
7. Beatles museum with one of the world’s largest collections is moving to downtown St Pete
Penny Lane has quietly turned into an international pilgrimage spot for Beatles fans, so its move from a tiny Dunedin storefront to a much larger space in downtown St. Pete felt like a big moment for both the museum and the city.
The expanded location means hundreds of never-before-seen artifacts can finally be displayed, turning Penny Lane into a fully immersive experience rather than a word-of-mouth hidden gem.
Set to open in 2026, Penny Lane Beatles Museum is shaping up to be one of downtown’s newest cultural draws.
The Lobby at The Luce, a new Marriott hotel coming to St Pete Beach | Marriott
8. Postcard Inn permanently closes on St. Pete Beach, will reopen as The Luce, a Marriott Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Just like the Thunderbird Beach Resort, the Postcard Inn wasn’t just a hotel. It was a shared memory. For decades, it served as a laid-back St. Pete Beach landmark, so its closure after the back-to-back hurricanes of 2024 felt like another big gut punch.
The former Postcard Inn is now undergoing a full renovation, with a 200-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel called The Luce set to open in 2026.
the rooftop of the parking garage at the central will be home to a rare Gorgosaurus skeleton | ellison development
9. A 76 million year old dinosaur will sit atop a parking garage in downtown St. Pete's EDGE District
This article is giving “only in St. Pete” energy. The idea of a glass-encased Gorgosaurus skeleton sitting on top of a parking garage stopped people mid-scroll.
The proposal showed how Ellison Development is thinking about public space at The Central as an experience, not just a collection of buildings.
The rooftop garden and dinosaur installation are still working their way through planning and design, but the idea alone clearly struck a nerve.
A rendering of the proposed 50-story Waldorf Astoria St. Petersburg in downtown St. Pete | PMG
10. 50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences in downtown St. Pete launch sales starting at $2.5 million
This story grabbed so much attention because it felt like a real turning point for downtown St. Pete.
With prices starting at $2.5 million, the launch of Waldorf Astoria Residences St. Petersburg marked the city’s first hotel-branded condominium tower and its tallest building to date.
What fascinated readers wasn’t just the height or the price tag, but what it symbolized.
For the first time, St. Pete is being talked about in the same breath as luxury markets like Miami.
And while construction hasn’t started yet, the fact that units are already selling made one thing clear: demand for ultra-high-end living downtown isn’t some future concept. It’s already happening.
