Last Updated on 6 hours ago by Vijay Kumar
Bill Edwards, the prominent St. Petersburg, Florida businessman, philanthropist and former Tampa Bay Rowdies owner, has died at the age of 81.
Photo by Mark Wemple)
Edwards died on Thursday morning, August 27, 2026, following a brief illness. His death was also acknowledged by St. Petersburg officials and community leaders.
Born Edward Francis Sylvia, Edwards grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He later served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, where he was wounded in combat and received the Purple Heart.
Bill Edwards built his career in the mortgage industry and became known as one of the most influential businessmen in the St. Petersburg area.
He founded and led Mortgage Investors Corp., a company specializing in mortgage refinancing for military veterans. His success in the mortgage business allowed him to invest heavily in real estate, entertainment, sports and community projects.
In 2011, Edwards purchased the struggling Baywalk shopping complex in downtown St. Petersburg. He invested substantially in its redevelopment and renamed it Sundial. He later sold the property in 2022.
Edwards also became involved in professional soccer. He purchased a controlling interest in the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2013 and remained associated with the club until its sale in 2018.
Another major part of his legacy was the Mahaffey Theater. Through Big3 Entertainment, Edwards was involved in operating the city-owned theater for 15 years and personally invested millions of dollars in renovations. He also established the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts, which supported arts education and opportunities for children.
His contributions to business and the community earned him induction into the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame in 2013.
My name is Vijay Kumar. I work as content writer and founder of this website. I am studying BSC IT. I has been writing content since 2022. I also learn about journalism.
