The Palladium Theater in downtown St. Petersburg has temporarily closed its doors due to water damage sustained during Hurricane Milton. Executive Director Paul Wilborn wants to reassure the community that the situation, while disruptive, is not as dire as some may fear.

“We weathered Hurricane Helene without issue, but Milton brought water into the building,” Wilborn explained. “We’re still investigating how it happened.”

The 99-year-old St. Petersburg College-owned venue is currently awaiting assessment and abatement crews. While the water has been removed, lingering odor issues prevent the facility from hosting events and entertainment.

Fortunately, the main performance spaces – Hough Hall upstairs and the Side Door downstairs – were spared from flooding. However, there is minor damage to the ceiling, including a small hole and a trap door that was dislodged by strong winds.

As a precautionary measure, all scheduled performances through the end of November have been postponed or canceled. Wilborn expects to have a clearer picture of the damage and potential reopening timeline within a few days.

“We’re hoping to resume shows in the Side Door by November 1st, but that’s tentative,” Wilborn added. “Right now, we can’t have people in the building due to air quality concerns.”

The theater’s website has been offline for nearly two weeks due to water damage to the hosting hardware during the storm, further complicating communication efforts.

Wilborn emphasizes that this is an evolving situation, and the Palladium team is working diligently to address the issues and reopen as soon as safely possible.