St Petersburg’s historic Manhattan Casino reopened on Saturday, 58 years after it closed, following a four-year renovation of the 101-year-old building. According to St Pete Catalyst, the city has spent $4.8 million on the two-storey property, which will now operate as a rentable event space in the Deuces neighbourhood.Built in 1925 by Black businessman Elder Jordan, the venue was originally known as the Jordan Dance Hall and served as a major entertainment centre for the city’s African American community. It hosted live dance music on weekends and gospel performances on Sundays. The building also became a venue for proms, graduations, pageants, parties and conferences.Its upstairs music hall later became known for performances by some of the biggest names in American music. Louis Armstrong and his band performed there three times. Other musicians who appeared at the venue included the Count Basie Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, B B King, Little Richard, Etta James, Sam Cooke, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Otis Redding.
The venue’s Black legacy
The Manhattan Casino was part of The Deuces, a business district that became an important centre for St Petersburg’s African American community during segregation. The venue was also part of the Chitlin’ Circuit, a network of Black-owned venues across the southern United States where Black musicians could perform.The building became especially active during the 1940s and 1950s. Along with visiting performers, it had its own house band, while jazz and swing groups from other parts of the country regularly played for community dances.The history of the building was reflected upon during the reopening. St Petersburg Poet Laureate Denzel Johnson-Green recited his poem, “The Get Down, the Boogie, and the Hope of Sweat”, describing the sounds that once came from the venue.The venue eventually closed in 1968. Several efforts were later made to remodel and revitalise the property, but those attempts did not result in its reopening.
Louis Armstrong and his band performed there three times at the venue.
Renovation brings new life
The latest project has transformed the historic building into a city-owned event space. The two-storey structure covers 12,000 square feet and is located at 642 22nd Street S.The renovation included changes to both floors. A new first-floor event space was added, along with a conference room, green room, bar and kitchen.The second-floor music hall and ballroom, where many of the famous performers once appeared, also received upgrades. The floors were refinished, the ceiling was raised and new drapery was installed.The restored Jordan Ballroom now forms part of the event space. It is the same upstairs room associated with performances by Armstrong, Fitzgerald, Charles and King, among others.A new mural by artist Egypt Hagan has also been added to the property, giving the renovated building a new visual feature while retaining its connection with its past.
A new community space
St Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said the renovated building is intended to serve different groups in the community.“This is a totally different model. It’s a community event space that can serve so many constituencies. I think that’s the right model at the right time,” Welch said at the event.Welch also said the reopened Manhattan Casino would serve as an anchor for the development of The Deuces and the nearby Warehouse Arts District.For Welch, the reopening also marked the return of a building that has remained part of the city’s history despite being closed for decades.“History does matter, St. Pete,” Welch said during the ceremony. “And so, after four years of renovations, we get to open these doors once again, and begin a new chapter for the Manhattan Casino.”
