Tampa venue owner Tom DeGeorge is petitioning and advocating against Live Nation operating a planned music venue in Ybor City, saying local venues could be threatened by corporate expansion.
On April 7, Gasworx announced plans for a new 4,300-capacity entertainment venue in Ybor City that will be operated by Live Nation through a partnership with developer KETTLER.
KETTLER said the venue is designed to complement Tampa’s live music industry while honoring Ybor City’s architectural character and history.
DeGeorge, owner of Crowbar and southeast president of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), said he believes the project represents a larger issue surrounding corporate influence in the live entertainment industry.
“When people talk about this 4,000-person room, it is a Live Nation room,” DeGeorge said. “They were just found guilty to be a monopoly. I don’t understand the conversation.”
Since 2020, DeGeorge said he has worked with NIVA to advocate for independent venues nationwide through efforts like the Save Our Stages campaign, which helped secure federal pandemic relief funding for arts and entertainment venues.
He said local venue owners fear a Live Nation-operated venue could shift touring acts away from independently owned spaces throughout Tampa and Ybor City, while also competing with the new music venue planned by Vinik Sports Group in downtown Tampa.
“These venues out here that made it attractive for somebody like Live Nation to come here worked for years and years to create Tampa into a viable market,” DeGeorge said. “The rest of us that did this will be put out of business.”
DeGeorge said the company’s expansion could impact venues across the region, including the new music venue by Vinik Sports Group, Jannus Live and the Straz Center.
On the other side, Live Nation said they are going to help the live music scene in Tampa.
“Tampa’s live music scene is thriving, and we’re excited to support its continued growth. Currently, there is no venue of this size in the market, and this project will help fill a longstanding gap for artists and fans,” said Brittany Flores, Live Nation Florida market president in a statement. “We believe the venue will help attract touring artists and strengthen Tampa’s position as a destination for live music. Together with KETTLER, we’ll continue listening to community feedback throughout the process to help ensure the project reflects the character and history that make Ybor City so special.”
Live Nation said the project is expected to generate significant economic and community benefits for the area.
According to information released by the company, in a statement, the venue is projected to generate approximately $80 million in annual economic impact, support roughly 440 jobs and contribute about $6 million annually in state and local tax revenue.
The company also estimates the venue could attract approximately 275,000 visitors annually, increasing activity for nearby restaurants, hotels, retail shops and small businesses in Ybor City.
Live Nation has had a presence in Tampa and in 2025, the company promoted more than 150 indoor shows throughout the region and operates the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater, where employees earned an average of $28 per hour last year.
Supporters of the proposal also point to the project’s broader economic impact.
“This investment reflects the strong momentum and confidence behind Tampa Bay’s economy,” said Craig J. Richard, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, in a statement. “A vibrant entertainment venue in Ybor City brings jobs, foot traffic and new energy to the district, enhancing quality of life and helping Tampa attract and retain the talented workforce that fuels our long-term growth.”
However, DeGeorge said economic growth should not come at the expense of locally owned venues that helped establish Tampa’s music culture.
“If they cared about the culture, they could solve these problems themselves by setting up a charity wing of Live Nation and give back to those smaller rooms that do build the artists of the future,” DeGeorge said. “Instead of putting them all out of business, give them grants to make them profitable again and continue to be the farm leagues for these artists that eventually are going to play your big rooms.”
As plans for the venue move through the development process, the proposal will continue to be reviewed in future zoning and public hearings.