Downtown Tampa’s dance with sports bar and live music venue Ferg’s Live is coming to an end after one last day of business on March 9.
The spot opened across the street from Amalie Arena in 2015, and its shipping container stage became a home for both questionable cover bands (not naming anyone) and totally underrated, ridiculously talented musicians like fiery Bay area guitarist Chris Walker. Ferg’s Live even hosted big-name acts during private concerts happening in conjunction with the 2018 NHL All-Star Game.
Still, Ferg’s Live was always meant to be a temporary fill-in for whatever Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik planned for the lot (a new office tower is on the way).
The news also comes almost one year after a Ferg’s location closed in Orlando’s Church Street district, but Ferg’s Live owner James Mize told the TBBJ that he was fully prepared for the ride to end. He added that his relationship with the landlord (Vinik’s Strategic Property Partners, the developers of the Water Street project) has been nothing but classy.
From afar, the Ferg’s Live experiment was a success, too. The place was always packed before and after events at the arena, and the venue provided energy to what could’ve been just another empty lot. Mize is looking for a new spot in downtown Tampa, but added that he may not re-activate the Ferg’s Live concept.
Folks who want to catch live music at a Ferg’s location may want to check out a double bill booked by former Fubar talent buyer Todd Frain, who’s booked two shows in one night on March 15 at the original, legendary Ferg’s Sports Bar in St. Petersburg near Tropicana Field (locals DEA + Saint, Frostfang and Jack Jagger will play the Treehouse stage before Dallas rock band Drowning Pool plays the party deck).
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