Palladium Theater in St. Pete launches $10M renovation campaign
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Oct 27, 2023

The Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg has announced a $10 million renovation campaign with an ambitious goal to complete renovations by the building’s 100th anniversary in 2026.

The historic theater announced it was launching the campaign, called “Strengthen, Elevate, Inspire,” during a celebration on Oct. 25. The renovations are expected to address the “growing needs of Tampa Bay,” according to the group, and the expansion will include a fully renovated mainstage theater and cabaret.

“Our building has been a landmark in St. Petersburg for almost 100 years,” Palladium Executive Director Paul Wilborn said in a release. “For the past 25 years, the Palladium has been a key element in Tampa Bay’s performing arts ecology. This campaign grants us the opportunity to transform the Palladium into a world-class performing arts center. Above all, we are trying to create a better experience for our loyal and growing audiences.”

During the anniversary celebration, it was announced the Hough Family Foundation has donated a challenge grant of $5 million. The Hough family played a key role in founding the Palladium and has supported the theater for the past 25 years.

The 800-seat theater will have all-new seating — the existing seats haven’t been updated since 1925 — and the hall will be “completely reconfigured for better sight lines and audio employment.” The Side Door listening room downstairs will be “refreshed” to support its “intimate relationship between the artists and the audience.”

The Palladium is owned by St. Petersburg College. The renovation will be done in collaboration with Earl Swenson Associates, Akustics and Stages Consulting. ESA designed Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Akustics recently completed The David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, home to the New York Philharmonic. Stages worked on the Arsht Center in Miami, the Dr. Phillips Center and the Walt Disney Theatre in Orlando.

“St. Petersburg College has a long tradition of educating students in the arts, and the Palladium Theater is an important part of the college’s history,” Tonjua Williams, SPC president, said in a statement. “Not only do we offer students a better future with a degree or certificate in the arts, but enriching our community is central to our mission. The Palladium is a gem in our community, and we are so thankful to the Hough family for supporting this project.”

The capital campaign aims to raise funds from private philanthropy and public sources. The group said “significant naming opportunities” are available.

“Donations are investments that will strengthen our role as an incubator for performing artists while at the same time preserving our history and strengthening our legacy,” Wilborn said. “When the St. Pete Opera needed a performance space, we were there for them. When the Chamber Players, the Nutcracker Ballet, Beacon Dance, La Lucha jazz and hundreds of bands and performers needed a stage, we were there for them. Soon, we will showcase them in a world-class performance space equipped for recording and live streaming.”