MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre is an outdoor concert venue located on the grounds of the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida, just off Interstate 4. Since opening in July 2004, it has become one of the Tampa Bay area’s primary stops for touring musical acts, combining reserved seating close to the stage with a large open lawn further back.
The venue has changed names several times as sponsorship deals shifted, starting out as the Ford Amphitheatre before a brief and widely mocked run as the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre. MidFlorida Credit Union acquired the naming rights in 2013, and the venue has carried its current name ever since, operated by Live Nation on land owned by the Florida State Fair Authority.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Tampa, Florida (Florida State Fairgrounds)
- Type: Outdoor amphitheater
- Opened: July 2004
- Capacity: About 20,000 (approx. 9,900 reserved seats, 10,000 lawn)
- Owner: Florida State Fair Authority
- Operator: Live Nation
- Famous for: Former names including Ford Amphitheatre and the widely disliked 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
A Venue That’s Changed Its Name Often
The amphitheater opened in July 2004 as the Ford Amphitheatre, with an inaugural show featuring Christian artists Michael W. Smith and David Crowder alongside headliner MercyMe. It carried that name until 2010, when a personal injury law firm bought the naming rights and renamed it the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre — a change so unpopular that polls found the vast majority of respondents disliked it. After a short stint as the Live Nation Amphitheatre in 2013, MidFlorida Credit Union took over naming rights that same year, giving the venue the name it still holds today.
Concerts on the Fairgrounds
Sitting on the Florida State Fairgrounds in East Tampa near I-4, the amphitheater hosts a full season of touring concerts across genres, from rock and country to pop and Christian music. Its bowl-style layout puts roughly 9,900 fans in reserved seating near the stage, with another 10,000 spread across the lawn behind them. Because the venue is close to residential areas, operators built a noise-reduction wall and require performing acts to stay within set decibel limits during shows.
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MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre FAQs
When did MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre open?
The venue opened in July 2004 under its original name, the Ford Amphitheatre.
What was the amphitheater called before MidFlorida Credit Union?
It has been known as the Ford Amphitheatre (2004–2010), the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre (2010–2012), and briefly the Live Nation Amphitheatre (2013) before taking its current name later in 2013.
How many people does the amphitheater hold?
It has a total capacity of about 20,000, split between roughly 9,900 reserved seats and 10,000 lawn spots.
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Photo: Unknown / CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.