Ybor Venue Vote Pushed To March, Oak Moves

Residents near the Gasworx site in Ybor City will not see a commission decision on a proposed concert venue until March 23, 2026. The Barrio Latino Commission granted the delay Tuesday morning after a developer representative asked for more time to prepare the application. The same meeting approved moving a historic casita and a grand oak tree that sit within the construction footprint.

Developer Kettler announced plans earlier this year for a 4,300-capacity venue at Gasworx, which is under construction. Live Nation would operate the concert space. Tyler Hudson, a representative for the venue developers, requested the continuance. "There's been a lot of input on this discussion, because as everyone's pretty well aware, we need a little bit more time to sharpen our pencil," Hudson told the commission. "I think it's never too late to get it right the first time."

Commissioners voted on the continuance without taking public comment. One person in the audience shouted questions about whether the commission could deny the request and criticized the developer's explanation. That person was asked to leave the room before the commission approved the delay. Vice Chair Susan KlausSmith cast the only vote against the relocation of the casita and tree.

Tom DeGeorge, former owner of the Crowbar venue in Ybor City, spoke against moving the structures. He said the applicants may have skipped steps required by the city of Tampa. "I implore this commission to ensure any efforts with relocating or preserving the existing structure and the tree are done in a way that does not impose any new safety risks to the people of Ybor City," DeGeorge said, "especially when the same applicant is trying to add a 4,300 capacity music venue next door while adding zero additional parking spaces." Crowbar closed in 2025, in part because of conditions in the live music market shaped by Live Nation, according to DeGeorge.

A federal jury found in April that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster operate as an illegal monopoly. Court records from that period show a message exchange involving Ben Baker, then a regional ticketing director for Live Nation in Tampa. Baker wrote about charging $50 for grass parking, $60 for closer grass, and $100 for oversize parking nearly a mile from a venue entrance. In another message he wrote, "robbing them blind baby" and "thats how we do."