TAMPA, Fla. — The Straz Performing Arts Center in Tampa is moving ahead with its expansion plans after getting more time from the Community Redevelopment Agency to submit a final proposal.
The final plan has been pushed back twice in the past year for reasons that include inflation, supply chain issues and finer budget details.
What You Need To Know
- The Community Redevelopment Agency has given the Straz Center a one-year extension to submit its expansion plans
- The project has an overall budget of $80 million and an additional $20 million being raised for the endowment
- The Straz will relocate food services to make way for more education and rehearsal space
- A new outdoor area will be developed along Tampa’s Riverwalk
Straz CEO Greg Holland said the performing arts center is moving forward, with construction set to begin in fall of 2024.
He said the project, which has an overall budget of $80 million and an additional $20 million being raised for the endowment, will increase education and teaching programs for the Straz by moving current food service spaces and replacing them for new uses.
“Open those up again for music education, for artist rehearsal spaces, for rehearsal rooms, things that we need as a performing arts center,” Holland said. “So there’s this incredibly exciting ripple effect.”
The ripple effect will not only include adding 30% more space inside the Patel Conservatory but also extending outside to the Riverwalk side of the Starz Campus.
Renderings of the project show a major overhaul of the outdoor area, which Straz officials say will offer a more comfortable environment for guests and allow the theater to launch additional free, non-ticketed events throughout the year.