Pinellas County commissioners are weighing plans to transform the former Toytown landfill into a major youth sports complex, but first need to determine what lies beneath the 275-acre site.
The county will vote Tuesday on whether to allocate $250,000 from Tourist Development Council funds for subsurface investigation work. Officials believe approximately 95 acres of the site may be buildable, though the investigation could reveal additional usable areas.
Sports Facilities Companies submitted a redevelopment proposal in February outlining a complex that would include 20 turf baseball and softball diamonds, 17 fields for soccer, lacrosse and football, 24 pickleball courts, festival space, and parking for over 2,100 vehicles. The developer estimates the project would cost between $150 million and $200 million through a public-private partnership.
The company projects the facility could generate $350 million in direct economic impact during its first five years. Brian Lowack, president and CEO of Visit St. Pete Clearwater, told commissioners the complex could become the premier youth-sports facility in the country due to its scale and proximity to the beaches.
The site has seen multiple failed redevelopment attempts since the Florida Department of Environmental Protection closed the landfill in 1990, including a proposed spring training facility for the Atlanta Braves. County Administrator Barry Burton said officials are focused on returning the property to productive use.
The county has secured a $15 million state grant for environmental remediation, though that funding cannot be used for the subsurface investigation. Commissioner Kathleen Peters raised questions about potential overlap with similar sports facility plans in Clearwater, also being developed by Sports Facilities Companies.
If commissioners approve the investigation funding, the work would run from January through mid-March 2026. The developer would then prepare a final proposal by June 30, 2026, with project design and engineering potentially beginning in October 2026 if the proposal is accepted.
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