There’s a new hope for a historic St. Petersburg landmark that has sat empty for more than a year.
- Manhattan Casino opened in 1925
- Callaloo Group selected from four bidders
- Concern in community for preserving building's legacy
The historic Manhattan Casino has been around since 1925, and was once a booming business filled with famous faces.
In recent years, however, owners have had a hard time keeping the doors open. NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson and well-known restaurant owner Ramon Hernandez are hoping to change that by bringing in “Callaloo.”
"My passion really lies with the opportunities to bring back the history, the arts, the philanthropy, working side by side with the members of this community so we can revitalize what this building means," Jackson said.
On Aug. 18, Mayor Rick Kriseman announced that he picked The Callaloo Group to take over the Manhattan Casino. He said out of four bidders this group had the most experience as well as a viable recipe for success.
"It was important that we did a couple things -- that we honored the history of the casino, but we did so in a way that was sustainable, and that was going to be here so that we weren't seeing somebody come in here and a couple years they're gone, somebody else come in here and a couple years they're gone," Kriseman said.
Not everyone is on board with “Callaloo,” however. Some community members are concerned that the group won’t preserve the building’s African American History.
Some nearby business owners admit they were on the fence, but wish the new owners nothing but the best.
"A good restaurant here is a great sign for us," Elihu Brayboy, owner of Chief’s Creole Café, said. "To have a great restaurant down the street, so we can use the additional investments to bring people into the community, so it's a positive for us,"
Jackson said he looks forward to collaborating with the community to make sure it is a project that everyone can take pride in. The new owners hope to have the Manhattan Casino open for business as early as this fall.