Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg will reopen the Historic Manhattan Casino with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony. The City will hold the event Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to a City of St. Petersburg press release. It will take place at 642 22nd St. S.
The reopening caps off a long renovation. The venue closed in 2022 for repairs. The project got $1 million in state funding to help preserve the building, the city said.
A Symbol of the Deuces Corridor
Mayor Kenneth T. Welch called the building “a treasured part of St. Petersburg’s history and community, and a powerful symbol of our city’s culture, resilience, and legacy,” according to the release.
He said the reopening “honors the Deuces legacy while creating new space for arts, culture, and economic opportunity.” He added that the city remains “committed to continuing the important work of investing in the Deuces Corridor.”
Inside the Renovation
The Manhattan Casino opened in 1925. It has hosted live music, weddings, baby showers and other events ever since, the City said. The renovation kept that history alive. It also turned the building into a modern venue people can rent.
The new design lets both floors host events at once. The venue can now seat up to 180 guests, or fit 300 in an auditorium-style layout, according to the release.
The first floor got new spaces, including an event area, conference room, green room, bar and catering kitchen. The second-floor music hall and ballroom got a fresh look, with new drapery, a raised ceiling and refinished floors. In all, the building now offers more than 4,000 square feet of event space.
Saturday’s ceremony will include welcome remarks, the ribbon cutting, and self-guided tours, plus live music and refreshments, the City said. City Poet Laureate Denzel Johnson-Green will read an original poem.
The City will also unveil a new mural on the building’s outside wall. Artist Egypt Hagan created the 14-foot-by-23-foot piece. It shows the Manhattan Casino’s history and the musicians who once performed there, according to the release.
Honoring Elder Jordan
The ceremony will also include the rededication of a statue honoring Elder Jordan. He built the Manhattan Casino and donated the land for Jordan Park, the city’s first public housing development, the release said.
A “Deuces Day Out”
The City is inviting residents to make a “Deuces Day Out” of it. After the reopening, visitors can stop by Deuces Corner Park for refreshments and music sponsored by The Burg Bid. Then they can head to the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, which is offering free admission that day for Free Museum Day, according to the release.
Find more information at historicmanhattancasino.org.
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