Businessman Bill Edwards Dies, Leaving Lasting St. Petersburg Legacy

Businessman Bill Edwards dies, leaving lasting St. Petersburg legacy

St. Petersburg is mourning the loss of businessman and philanthropist Bill Edwards, who died Thursday at the age of 81, according to local officials and community leaders.

Bill Edwards, leading St. Petersburg business figure, dies at 81

Edwards had owned the Sundial shopping center and Tampa Bay Rowdies, and ran the Mahaffey Theater.

Bill Edwards dies at 81

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. Source

Bill Edwards, businessman who helped reshape downtown St. Pete, dies at 81

Prominent St. Petersburg businessman Bill Edwards, whose influence stretched across the city’s real estate, sports, entertainment and arts communities, died Thursday morning after a brief illness. He was 81.“Today, we mourn the passing of Bill Edwards,” St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. “Bill was a true leader whose impact on our community cannot be overstated. He dedicated his life's work to uplifting St. Petersb…