St. Pete launches feasibility study for downtown convention center

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several development proposals for the gas plant district include the possibility of a convention center | City of St. Petersburg

The City of St. Petersburg has long lacked sufficient meeting and conference space, often pushing event organizers to look elsewhere. That could soon change.

The city is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study evaluating the viability of a proposed convention center in downtown St. Petersburg.

The study will assess market demand, competitive positioning, facility program requirements, financial performance and overall economic impact, according to a Request for Proposals (RFP) advertised on March 11th.

The selected consultant will analyze regional and national industry trends, engage key stakeholders, identify demand segments and unmet market opportunities, and benchmark against comparable and innovative convention center models.

The consultant would make a series of recommendations for a convention center, including detailing size requirements and ancillary needs such as exhibit halls, ballrooms, kitchen and food service, parking, technology infrastructure and hotel requirements.

FOundation vision partners’ gas plant proposal includes a possible convention facility or stadium as its anchor | Foundation Vision Partners

As part of the study, a financial analysis must include capital cost estimates, an operating pro forma, potential funding sources including public-private partnerships and bonds, and a quantified analysis of anticipated economic and fiscal impacts, including visitor spending, tax revenue and job creation tied to both construction and ongoing operations.

A budget for the study was not disclosed in the published RFP.

Interested proposers must have experience completing five similar studies for public-sector clients within the past 10 years.

Proposals must be submitted by April 30th before 3 p.m. via the city's procurement portal. Questions regarding the RFP must be submitted by April 2nd at noon.

A non-mandatory evaluation and short-listing meeting will be held on May 18th at 1:30 p.m. at the Municipal Services Center.

The RFP comes approximately nine months after St. Petersburg officials announced the city would work with Pinellas County to commission a feasibility study for a convention center, a desired asset that emerged from the latest discussions surrounding the reimagined 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District.

Four of the nine proposals from development teams vying to redevelop the Gas Plant District include a convention center or meeting space component; however, the RFP does not stipulate where a potential convention center could be built.

the tampa convention center at 333 South Franklin Street boasts 200,000 square-feet of exhibit space | Tampa convention center

While the study will determine feasibility and other details, the demand appears clear, particularly when looking at the success of the Tampa Convention Center.

The 600,000-square-foot facility sits along the Riverwalk in the heart of downtown Tampa, comprising four floors and outdoor spaces. It features a 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall capable of accommodating 17,000 guests in a reception-style configuration, a 36,000-square-foot divisible ballroom and up to 52 meeting rooms that can be adjusted to various sizes.

The Tampa Convention Center has more than 101 events already scheduled for 2026 and is projecting 326,290 attendees, up from 284,954 in 2025, with an estimated $149 million in economic impact, an increase from last year's total.