Public officials and leaders at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts gathered Monday for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate a $100 million expansion of the center.
The new facility “will take advantage of our convenient location on the Riverwalk … and provide opportunities to people who never intended to come to a show to come to the Straz Center,” said Bill West, chair of the board of trustees for the theater.
![Community leaders and Straz officials pose for a groundbreaking ceremony.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 620 348"/%3E "Community leaders and Straz officials pose for a groundbreaking ceremony.")
There were performances by the cast of “The Lion King” and a student from the Patel Conservatory. West, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and other dignitaries shoveled a pile of dirt topped with gold glitter to commemorate the occasion.
The expansion was designed by DLR Group and is being built by Creative Contractors. It includes:
- An outdoor stage facing the Tampa Riverwalk
- A 2,000-square-foot rooftop with a bar
- An indoor/outdoor terrace that wraps around the north and west ends of the building
- Renovated lobbies
- A fine-dining restaurant
- Additional classroom and educational performance space
- A new dance studio
The Straz Center has raised 92% of the funds needed for construction, said West.
Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Agency will provide $25 million, along with various public and private backers, including Hillsborough County, Bank of America and Advent Health.
In exchange for city funds, the Straz Center will expand its public outreach efforts, said Gwendolyn Henderson, a City Council member and chairperson of the Community Redevelopment Agency’s board.
“This agreement ensures that the positive impact of the Straz transformation extends beyond these walls through local hiring commitments, workforce development initiatives and community focused programs,” she said.
Construction is expected to be completed by June 2027.
