After an unsatisfactory bidding process and a lapse in management left St. Petersburg officials in a scramble to take over operations, the Mahaffey Theater may soon be managed by its main tenant, The Florida Orchestra.
City Administrator Rob Gerdes said in a City Council committee meeting Thursday that his staff is working on an agreement to have the The Florida Orchestra manage the theater with an outside partner.
Officials from the Florida Orchestra did not immediately return requests for comment.
Gerdes said both parties agree on main business points but lawyers still need to vet agreements. The goal, he said, is to reduce the city’s subsidy to the theater.
Gerdes said the city is authorized to enter in direct agreements for certain city facilities, including the Mahaffey. He estimated the contract may go before the City Council for a vote in the next three to five months.
That brought relief to council members who have expressed concern over staff bandwidth to manage the theater and the The Florida Orchestra’s uncertain future. The orchestra expressed concern directly to Mayor Ken Welch about its ability to secure rehearsal and performance dates under the theater’s former operator, Big 3 Entertainment, run by businessman Bill Edwards.
Edwards backed out of his contract months early after managing the theater for 15 years. The city requested bids to run the theater but only received one proposal.
City officials did not like that only one bid came in. They determined that the lone pitch submitted by St. Petersburg Arts Partners, led by businessman Joe Hamilton, was not up to snuff.
Hamilton runs the St. Pete Catalyst, a local news site that has a content-sharing agreement with the Tampa Bay Times.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
