ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After more than a half-decade of work, the new St. Pete Pier is opening.
Mayor Rick Kriseman hosted a preview Sunday before the pier officially opened to the public on Monday.
From the pier, Kriseman pointed behind him and said, "All asphalt, all asphalt, a roadway leading out to a building over water. That’s it. That's been what St. Pete has had for more than 100 years.”
Roughly $92 million later, the new St. Pete Pier and district are ready to open.
“Biggest project I think the city of St. Petersburg has ever undertaken," said Kriseman. "We've always had a pier. But, it's always been just a building with a road leading out to it. This is an entire 26-acre district.”
The district features restaurants, areas to take in a view, and an area for St. Pete’s youngest residents.
“There's really been no place in downtown St. Pete that you could bring them, where they'd have something to do," said Kriseman. "So now, not only do they have what I think is one of the most unique playgrounds in the entire Tampa Bay area, if not the state of Florida, but they've got a beautiful splash pad that they can run around in.”
The mayor hopes the new pier becomes a regular spot for locals.
“The people who came and visited were tourists. And typically the only time a local went is if they maybe were going to the Columbia or they had somebody visiting them. I think this is going to be a place where locals are going to hang out," said Kriseman.
With the grand opening of the pier tomorrow, Kriseman wants to remind visitors to keep COVID-19 in mind. Wearing a mask is recommended and visitors must social distance.
If you want to visit the new St. Pete Pier during its opening week, you’ll need a reservation. You can reserve a time to visit on the pier’s website by picking a date and time. You can also secure your visit by booking a reservation at one of the pier restaurants.
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