A nine-hour discussion ensued Thursday as St. Pete City Council members meticulously combed through the Tampa Bay Rays and Hines' 183-page development agreement for the Historic Gas Plant District. 

It took over a decade and countless hours of negotiations to reach this milestone conversation about the $6.5 billion development that will transform 86 acres in the heart of downtown St. Pete into an 8-million-square-foot mixed-use district anchored by a new ballpark - becoming the largest project to ever commence in Tampa Bay. 

If ultimately approved, the new 30,000-seat enclosed stadium will open in 2028 as part of the first phase of the 30-year planned development.