ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The uncertainty of Tropicana Field’s future is now paired with new developments from the past.           

Some may not know unmarked burial sites have been discovered under the parking lot over recent years. 

However, new findings are at the forefront of the conversation.

“Not too far behind me is where they’ve identified seven to 10 possible graves and that’s disturbing,” said St. Petersburg City Councilman Corey Givens Jr. “When I come out here, I feel connected to my past and I wonder sometimes what the ancestors would think.”

Givens Jr. is shedding light on a challenging history under the lot and the survey discoveries of the last five years.

“It’s very personal to me,” Givens Jr. said. “I have a great-great grandfather who may or may not be buried out here, so I feel connected to my ancestors as a descendant. This matters to me. Their lives matter.”

Givens Jr. said there were once three cemeteries that existed under the lots.

He believes more needs to be done to preserve history.

“We were erased,” Givens Jr. said. “We should do a better job of acknowledging our history. A historic marker or plaque is not enough.”

The St. Petersburg City Council is expected to continue discussions in a meeting with city administrators on Tuesday, May 6.