The David A. Straz, J. Center for the Performing Arts (formerly the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) inspires audiences and artists to dream and discover, to create and celebrate. The Center opened its doors in July, 1987, and in the last 20 years has welcomed 10 million guests! TBPAC is located downtown on a picturesque nine-acre site along the east bank of the Hillsborough River. As the largest performing arts complex south of the Kennedy Center, the 335,000 square-foot Center provides an environment for a wide variety of world-class events. It boasts one of the nation's leading Broadway series and is nationally respected for producing grand opera, as well as presenting a wide variety of concerts, performances and events. More than 600,000 patrons attended 3,742 on-site events in TBPAC's 2005-2006 season. The Tampa Bay Business Journal says that "Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Carol Morsani Hall ranks with the best theater venues in the world." The performing arts complex consists of five distinct theaters, a performing arts Conservatory, a rehearsal hall, boutiques, and three on-site restaurants and banquet facilities. The five individual theaters at TBPAC are Carol Morsani Hall (2,500 seats), Ferguson Hall (1,000 seats), the Jaeb Theater (300 seats), the TECO Energy Foundation Theater (250 seats) and the Shimberg Playhouse (130 seats). TBPAC is located downtown Tampa on a picturesque nine-acre site along the east bank of the Hillsborough River. As the largest performing arts complex south of the Kennedy Center, the 335,000 square-foot Center provides an environment for a wide variety of world-class events. It boasts one of the nation's leading Broadway series and is nationally respected for producing grand opera, as well as presenting a wide variety of concerts, performances and events. More than 600,000 patrons attended 3,742 on-site events in TBPAC's 2005-2006 season. The performing arts complex consists of five distinct theaters, a performing arts Conservatory, a rehearsal hall, boutiques, and three on-site restaurants and banquet facilities. The five individual theaters at TBPAC are Carol Morsani Hall (2,500 seats), Ferguson Hall (1,000 seats), the Jaeb Theater (300 seats), the TECO Energy Foundation Theater (250 seats) and the Shimberg Playhouse (130 seats). With the addition of the Patel Conservatory, TBPAC added 45,000-square-feet for its extensive education programs. In 2005-2006, the Conservatory served more than 70,000 students with more than 2,000 education on-site activites, including classes. The Conservatory features 20 studios, including two dance studios with sprung floors, a sound/lighting laboratory, technical theater workshop, rehearsal hall, costume shop, isolation/sound booth, state-of-the-art black box theater and media arts/TV studio.