ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The city of St. Petersburg hired an outside legal firm to help negotiate an agreement with the Hines-Rays team to redevelop the Gas Plant District and build a new ballpark.

What You Need To Know

  • City Council approved spending $250,000 to hire a Minneapolis-based law firm.

  • Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath helped build an arena for the NHL's Seattle Kraken.

  • City Administrator Rob Gerdes will be the point of contact for negotiations. 

  • A new stadium for the Rays is estimated to cost $1 billion.

The City Council on Thursday approved spending $250,000 to hire Minneapolis-based law firm, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, which helped build an arena for the NHL's Seattle Kraken, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

City Administrator Rob Gerdes will be the point of contact for negotiations and has begun drafting a term sheet for the Rays, according to city records. 

The term sheet calls for the Rays to remain in St. Petersburg for 30 years. It also outlines how much money the Rays, City and County will spend to build the new ballpark, but the actual dollar amount was left blank at this initial stage.

City spokesperson Erica Riggins said no action has been taken on the draft term sheet beyond an internal discussion.

"Our city teams are continuing the negotiations with the Tampa Bay Rays to create and finalize a term sheet," Riggins said. "We look forward to continuing to move the process forward revolving around our Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment project and our relationship with the Rays."

A new stadium for the Rays is estimated to cost $1 billion.