ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When St. Petersburg voters head to the polls, the future of one of the city's most renowned establishments will be on the ballot.
The Dalí Museum is planning a $55 million expansion and because the upgrades take place on city-owned waterfront property, voters have a say through a referendum on the November ballot.
The referendum asks citizens if they are in favor or against allowing The Dalí to amend their 99-year lease with the city to use its own funding to expand the building.
"We’re a vital part of the economic community as well but most important are these spaces for education and digital interactive art experiences," said Dr. Hank Hine, the executive director for The Dalí who's been working with the city for three years on the plans.
The expansion is planned for the west side of the museum away from the water into their parking lot but it's access to that parking lot that's causing concern from the museum's neighbor – the Mahaffey Theater.
Bill Edwards, chairman and CEO of the Big3 Entertainment Group, which operates the Mahaffey Theater says the expansion will cause congestion in the area and eliminate one of only two major ingress/egress access points into the Mahaffey Theatre, specifically its parking garage.
"On show nights, sometimes we have two shows, one at 7, one at 10, we have to empty the garage and get it full back up again," Edwards said.
The parking garage at the theatre is for a variety of city events unrelated to the theatre including Tampa Bay Rowdies games.
"For every action, there’s a reaction and the reaction here could be deadly to the theater," Edwards explained.
However, Dr. Hine with The Dalí said the project will only enhance St. Petersburg's iconic waterfront.
"We’ll make sure this doesn’t in any way impinge on access, we’ve looked at that very carefully, we will only increase the appreciation and experience of our downtown assets. We’re not going to be crowding the area at all," Hine said.
City council has already shown support for the expansion. The final step is left up to voters.