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Bill Edwards dies at 81
The businessman was known for his 15-year stewardship of the city-owned Mahaffey Theater.
St. Petersburg businessman Bill Edwards died Thursday morning, following a brief illness. He was 81.
Edwards, whose birth name was Edward Francis Sylvia, was known for his 15-year stewardship (as Big3 Entertainment) of the city-owned Mahaffey Theater and his contributions to theater in education through the nonprofit Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts, which operated out of the theater. He spent $2 million of his own money in Mahaffey renovations.
He was inducted into the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame in 2013.
Edwards bought the struggling Baywalk shopping plaza in 2011, renamed it Sundial, and after paying for extensive renovations, sold it in 2022.
He owned the Tampa Bay Rowdies between 2013 and 2018.
Raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, he served with the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam, where he was wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart.
Edwards made his fortune through ownership of Mortgage Investors Corp., serving military veterans in the state of Florida.
This is a developing story, and will be updated.
S. Rose Smith-Hayes
August 28, 2026at9:09 am
Mortgage Investors provided jobs for many young Black folk. I had some great times at the Mahaffey while Mr. Edwards was in charge. My deepest sympathy to the family.
Carl Lavender Jr
August 27, 2026at3:44 pm
In 2002-2004 Bill Edwards was the funding partner along with the City of St Petersburg for the Royal Theater renovation and reopening. Then Mayor Rick Baker and Deputy Mayor Go Davis created the partnership. I was a new person from Chicago. Bill funded the Royal Theater Recording Studio. The first of its kind in a Boys & Girls Club. Today many Clubs have recording studios in them. Amazing memories. Bill Edwards. May he rest in Power. Peace.