As city council members are expected to begin discussion in the coming weeks, the St. Petersburg NAACP chapter is endorsing a multi-billion-dollar redevelopment project proposal, which includes a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. In a memo released Wednesday, St Petersburg NAACP President Esther Matthews announced the organization's “resolute support” for the Rays/Hines Historic Gas Plant Development Project, saying the chapter’s executive committee voted unanimously to endorse the project, which would use hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding to get done. “[The project is more than just an infrastructure endeavor, it’s a beacon of hope for economic revitalization and social justice,” Matthews said. “The project embodies our commitment to securing the economic sustainability of our community by ensuring African American businesses and the wider community benefit significantly from this development.” Welch posted the NAACP letter on his Facebook page saying “I could not be more pleased to hear that NAACP Saint Petersburg Branch No.5130 is in alignment with this project and the multi-generational economic development opportunities it presents.” St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch is pushing for the project to be approved, saying it would be an economic driver for the community and it keeps promises made long ago, when the 86-acre Gas Plant District, home to a black community was razed to make room for Tropicana Field. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/rays-stadium-st-pete-naacp/67-80776814-ae61-4319-8c8b-bd9336002ade ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►X: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay