ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s the end of an era at the Mahaffey Theater, but the CEO of its management company said he wants it to be the start of a new act for the arts in St. Petersburg. 

What You Need To Know

After 15 years, a St. Petersburg spokesperson says Big 3 Entertainment’s management agreement with the city to run the Mahaffey Theater will end May 10

According to Big 3 CEO Bill Edwards and a discussion at a November city council meeting, the two parties couldn’t agree on finances

Edwards’ foundation kicked off a fundraising campaign to create a community arts center that provides educational and arts programming for young people

A spokesperson said the city will manage the theater until a new management company is selected

“It’s bittersweet. I tried to negotiate with the city. We couldn’t come to terms,” said Big 3 Entertainment CEO Bill Edwards.

Big 3 started managing the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater 15 years ago. During a November 13 city council meeting, Managing Director of City Development Administration Beth Herendeen told members that Big 3 let the city know in May it wanted to extend its management agreement with the city.

Herendeen and a number of council members also said they thought Big 3 was doing a good job and wanted to see them continue, but finances were an issue. Herendeen said the city’s initial offer involved increasing the fees the city contributes by 13.2 percent, from an average annual minimum of $900,000 a year to $1,018,500. However, Big 3 proposed a more than 100% increase to $1,817,434. She told members that negotiations went back and forth, but the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement.

“The sticking point really is financial. To double the commitment — that was the sticking point,” Herendeen told the council at the November meeting.

Edwards is now looking to the future. His Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts has launched a “10 for Tomorrow” Capital Campaign to raise $10 million to build a new community arts center.

Concept art of a new community arts center by the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts. (Artist Rendering Courtesy: Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts)

Programming could include youth performing arts education, training, and summer camps, and after-school and arts enrichment programs. While Edwards said the foundation is looking at converting buildings on a property in the city, that purchase hasn’t been finalized. An event was held in the Mahaffey’s lobby Friday night to get the word out about the fundraising campaign.

(Spectrum News/Sarah Blazonis)

“We’re trying to raise $10 million so that this will continue on long after I’m gone,” he said.

But while the event was about looking to the future, Edwards also reflected on the past.

“We’ve had Christina Aguilera here, we’ve had Marc Anthony,” Edwards said of some of the big names who performed at the 2,000-seat theater during his tenure. “We’ve had some amazing people who didn’t belong here. That was my whole reason behind it — to bring people in here who didn’t belong in a little theater like this and make it a great thing.”

Attendees at Friday’s event said the Mahaffey and Edwards Foundation have become important parts of downtown St. Pete.

“Well, there’s nothing else like it in the area, really,” said resident Lorenzo Hernandez. “It’s really the only opportunity to truly kind of enjoy the performing arts to the level that they offer here.”

“Especially the programs they do with the kids, to me, this is actually the best version of it where they’re not just getting a classroom isolated version of exposure to the arts, they’re getting the real world exposure to the arts,” said resident Chris Slininger.

The Mahaffey will remain, just under new management.

“I wish them well,” said Edwards. “In the meantime, we’ll still be here. We’re still friends with the city.”

St. Petersburg Public Information Officer Samantha Bequer said in a statement, “The city will manage the theater until a new management company is selected. The city operated the theater for decades prior to it moving under private management in November 2005. We are working to identify the resources needed for the anticipated capital improvements, and we are confident that the investment will be manageable.”

In the meantime, Bequer said city staff is working with Big 3, promoters, and theater service providers to help make sure the transition is seamless.