TAMPA, Fla. — The city of Tampa is still working to add an amphitheater to the historic Central Avenue Business District despite Gov. Ron DeSantis denying funding for the project in the state's budget.
Central Avenue Business District was once home to a thriving Black community known as The Scrub.
“It is the first spot in Tampa that the enslaved or formally enslaved people were allowed to land in the Palmetto thicket,” Tampa City Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson explained.
Jordan Mills said more should be done to honor that history.
“It could definitely use more of the African American influence around this area especially because it was historically founded around that,” Mills said.
Henderson detailed the city's efforts to make sure its history isn't forgotten.
“Now, Perry Harvey Park is a representation of that along with now the Encore Housing Development from the Tampa Housing Authority,” she said.
The Tampa Housing Authority and the Tampa Bay History Center are also teaming up to put Black History on display at the historic St. James Episcopal Church. This will be Tampa's first Black history museum.
Now, Henderson is focusing on bringing back a platform for entertainment at Perry Harvey Park.
“There are things that happen in other cities in Florida that bring about culture, African American culture. Tampa deserves something like that,” Henderson said.
State funding was requested for an amphitheater there, but it was denied. State representative Dianne Hart said she's not giving up.
“That's really what it's about, bringing people back to an area that was historical,” Rep. Hart said.
Henderson said there are still other avenues the city can take to get this done.
“We have an opportunity to create a temporary band shelter with a Downtown partnership and there's an opportunity to rebuild a bandshell at a city park because we're tearing one down,” Henderson said.
“If you can have a visual representation of what you're trying to convey to people then I believe it goes a long way. So, an amphitheater I definitely believe would be a great cause,” Mills said.
State Representative Diane Hart says in order to receive state funding she will submit another appropriations request. The city said it will continue to look at other opportunities with the goal being to have the amphitheater in Perry Harvey Park.