St. Petersburg rejects Mahaffey Theater proposal, restarts search
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The Duke Energy Center for the Arts — Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Petersburg. Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
St. Petersburg leaders are headed back to the drawing board in search of a new management group to run the Mahaffey Theater.
Why it matters: Officials rejected the sole proposal submitted through a competitive bid process, leaving the city to take over theater operations for the first time in two decades.
State of play: After contract extension negotiations fell apart last year, 15-year operator Bill Edwards is set to depart May 10.
- Edwards declined to put his name in the ring to continue running the theater, instead opting to terminate his contract five months early.
- City officials turned their attention to the sole pitch, from St. Petersburg Arts Partners, a group helmed by St. Pete Catalyst publisher Joe Hamilton and his firm, the St. Petersburg Group.
- It listed Vinik Sports Group, Live Nation and venue management firm Oak View Group as partners but lacked formalized agreements with those collaborators.
Friction point: That was ultimately why members of a city evaluation committee rejected the proposal during a meeting on Monday.
- "I am concerned, as others have said, about what feels like a loose arrangement at this point," director of asset management Philip Lazzara said.
The intrigue: That didn't sit right with Hamilton, who told Axios he asked Mayor Ken Welch's office to review the evaluation process.
- "It would be very hard to look at this group who came together to lift up our Mahaffey — you'd have to try hard to tear it apart, and I think that's exactly what they did," he said.
- He emphasized his pitch brought together the region's biggest names in entertainment, including David Harb, who formerly held leadership positions with Live Nation and the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater in Tampa.
- Harb confirmed his involvement to Axios and said the city's decision "doesn't just miss the moment. It shows the process is broken."
The other side: City spokesperson Samantha Bequer said in a statement that committee members gave the group multiple opportunities to address their concerns.
- "Under the current proposal, there was no guarantee" that negotiations between the parties would lead to formal partnerships, she said.
What's next: City staff will seek feedback from industry leaders, then issue a new request for proposals, Bequer said.