History

Located in the heart of beautiful Downtown St. Petersburg, the newly renovated Progress Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater is a 2030-seat cultural jewel featuring elegant ballroom space, spectacular waterfront views, and European box-style seating. Just steps away from the culturally vibrant Downtown and minutes away from white sandy beaches and world-famous museums, the Mahaffey hosts top-quality national and international artists and performances – Broadway, classical, pop, rock, comedy, dance, family, and the renowned Florida Orchestra.  Additionally, the theater supports the highly successful Class Acts program, which enables school children to experience the performing arts through in-theater performances as well as in-school outreach and extension programs.

In 2005, the theater underwent a $20 million renovation, more than doubling the Theater’s lobby size and adding desirable guest amenities that were impossible to accommodate in the previous space. That same year, the City of St. Petersburg chose market leader SMG as the facility management company of the Progress Energy Center for the Arts-Mahaffey Theater.  SMG provides facility services to over 200 venues in 41 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada and Europe, and controls over 1.5 million entertainment seats worldwide and 34 performing arts centers nationwide.

The following year, Progress Energy and the City of St. Petersburg announced a 20-year partnership to rename the facility Progress Energy Center for the Arts. The Center will feature visual and performing arts- including the newly renovated Mahaffey Theater, the offices of the Mahaffey Theater Foundation, the Center Plaza Waterfront Park and the new home of the Salvador Dali Museum.

Its beautiful setting, unparalleled entertainment and proximity to the lively downtown St. Petersburg area make Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater THE live performance venue in the Tampa Bay area.