The Brief
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The largely square-shaped Straz Center will get a curve that follows the river for more events and performances right on the Riverwalk.
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The $80 million expansion at the performing arts center gets $25 million from property taxes collected in the area.
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The work will also include remodeling the large lobby in the center’s Morsani Hall.
TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa has seen many groundbreakings, but this one at the Straz Center promises transformation. The largely square-shaped Straz Center will get a curve that follows the river for more events and performances right on the Riverwalk.
“It will become the new icon, I think, of arts in Tampa,” said Paul Westlake of the architectural firm DLR.
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By the numbers
The $80 million expansion at the performing arts center gets $25 million from property taxes collected in the area. It was approved unanimously by Tampa City Council in 2021. Some said public money shouldn’t be spent on sports stadiums, but Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said the arts are different.
What they’re saying
“Sports are incredibly important to our community as well, but to have a well-rounded community, its arts and culture are critical,” said Castor at Monday’s groundbreaking.
Dig deeper
With added space, officials at Straz said they can bring more performances and education to people of all incomes.
“It will open Straz up, so we can have more free performances. We will expand our school by 30%,” said Greg Holland, the president and CEO at Straz.
The work will also include remodeling the large lobby in the center’s Morsani Hall. The expansion should take around two years.
The backstory
Straz opened in 1987 as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. The estimated cost of building the center back then was estimated at under $50 million. More than 20 million guests have attended performances since the center opened.
The Source
The information in this story was gathered using details given by Straz Center officials, architectural firm DLR and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
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