The City of St. Petersburg-owned Mahaffey Theater has been a rudderless ship since businessman Bill Edwards terminated his management contract in May. Remaining staff at the 61-year-old, 2,000-seat performing arts venue have been taking care of daily business, and booking performances.
St. Pete City Council members know that something’s got to give, as the venue requires a dedicated, full-time custodian. Over and above the City’s $754,000 yearly allotment for the Mahaffey, the building requires cosmetic and technical repairs.
During Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, City Administrator Rob Gerdes said St. Petersburg has been in discussions with The Florida Orchestra, the theater’s largest client, to “manage the facility with an outside partner. We’re working through the details of that right now.”
Currently, the City helps fund the orchestra, which performs October through May at the Mahaffey and at venues in Clearwater and Tampa – through arts grants and rent abatement.
“We feel like we’ve come to a really good place with The Florida Orchestra,” Gerdes said. Although legalities and contracts have to be worked out, he added, before a proposal can be brought to the full Council. “I’m hopeful that it would be three to five months. I’m hopeful we’re close.”
A key component, he explained, is “reducing our subsidies.”
After Edwards and his Big3 Entertainment pulled out, the City issued an RFP (Request For Proposal) to solicit potential new management.
Only one response was received, which Gerdes said was “disappointing.” because he’d hoped for more interest. The lone applicant was rejected.
Ignacio Barrón Viela, CEO of The Florida Orchestra, confirmed the potential partnership. “This is an exciting opportunity for The Florida Orchestra, but also for the community,” Barrón Viela told the Catalyst.
“Because of the strong local arts scene, we’re looking forward to continuing conversations on how the Mahaffey can become an even stronger home for the arts community. We want to reflect the creativity and the diversity of our entire region.”
Bringing in a “contracted event management company to bring major acts to the Mahaffey” would allow The Florida Orchestra to focus on supporting local arts organizations.
Becoming the theater’s primary operator, he stressed, would not change the orchestra’s commitment to performing in other venues throughout the Tampa Bay area.
Still to be decided is if, where and when the orchestra will receive a “permanent home” for rehearsals, offices, community events and smaller performances.
In 2022, Barrón Viela proposed a 24,000-32,000 square foot building, to be constructed in one of the Mahaffey’s unused parking lots. That never materialized, but, he said, “Our reason for a permanent home for the orchestra has not changed. Those needs have not changed.
“We would like that home to be in St. Petersburg, the City of the Arts. And we continue to move forward with that vision.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean that the $30 million Center for Music Education and Innovation, as it’s provisionally known, would be constructed on the Mahaffey site.
“Operating as the manager of the Mahaffey does not change our vision for a Center for Music Education and Innovation,” Baron-Viela explained. “But it’s a really positive step forward towards the larger vision that we’d like to fulfill.”