Ruth Eckerd Hall

Looking for section numbers and the best seats by level? See the Ruth Eckerd Hall Seating Chart.

Pinellas County's main concert hall

Ruth Eckerd Hall is a 2,180-seat performing arts hall on McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater, on the Pinellas County side of Tampa Bay. It books touring rock, pop, country and comedy acts, Broadway tours, dance and classical concerts, and it is a regular home for the Florida Orchestra. Every seat sits on one sloped, fan-shaped floor facing the stage, so there is no balcony to weigh against the orchestra. The best seats are in the center of the hall roughly between rows F and T; side seats in the same rows are the next choice.

The hall is part of the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts, named for the founder of the Kapok Tree Corporation, which donated the land. The auditorium itself honors Ruth Eckerd, wife of drugstore founder Jack Eckerd. The same nonprofit also runs the Murray Theatre on the same campus and the Capitol Theatre and The BayCare Sound in downtown Clearwater, so check which venue your ticket names.

How the seating is laid out

The hall's official seating chart shows a single fan of seats spreading out from the stage, with no balcony, mezzanine or boxes. Rows run from A at the stage through Z, then continue as double letters, AA through LL, at the back. The rows curve with the stage, so the side seats angle in toward center.

The hall uses continental seating, meaning long rows with no center aisle; you enter a row from the side aisles rather than from the middle. Fourteen numbered portals (entry doors) run along the two side walls, odd numbers on one side and even numbers on the other, with Portals 1 and 2 nearest the stage and 13 and 14 at the rear. Your ticket's portal is the door closest to your row.

The hall's guide also refers to the Hoffman Family Dress Circle and the Dimmitt Lounge, named spaces within the building.

Best seats and the tradeoffs

Concerts and comedy

The center of the hall from about row F to row T is the best balance: close enough to see faces, far enough back that the stage is at eye level and the sound comes from the main speakers rather than the side fills. Rows A through E are thrilling for a rock show but put you below the stage lip, looking up, and very close to the speakers.

Orchestral and acoustic shows

For the Florida Orchestra and other unamplified music, a seat a little farther back, in the middle rows near the center line, hears a better blend than the front rows, where the nearest instruments dominate.

Side seats

Because the room is fan-shaped, side seats in the front half look across the stage at a sharp angle and can lose a slice of the set on the near side. The same angle matters much less from the middle and rear rows.

The back rows

Rows in the double letters are the farthest from the stage, but this is a 2,180-seat hall, not an arena, so even row LL is closer than most arena seats. They are a sensible pick for a sold-out show.

Continental seating tip

With no center aisle, a seat in the middle of a long row means climbing past a dozen people at intermission. If you plan to get up, choose a seat near a side aisle.

Parking and getting there

As of 2026, self-parking on the hall's own lots is free, which is rare for a venue of this size. Valet is offered at most events for an extra charge, and holders of an ADA parking permit get half off valet. The rideshare drop-off and pickup spot sits between the building's two entrances.

Free parking means the lots draw an early crowd on sold-out nights. Give yourself extra time if you are driving over from Tampa, and remember that the box office opens two hours before showtime if you need help with tickets.

Entry rules and policies

• Tickets: everyone needs a ticket regardless of age. For some young-audience shows, a free lap pass is issued for a child under 1.
• Re-entry: not permitted unless venue management says otherwise.
• Bags: any bag must fit under your seat and cannot occupy a seat. As of 2026, the organization's published clear-bag rule (12 by 6 by 12 inches) is listed for The BayCare Sound, its downtown venue, so ask before bringing a large bag to the hall.
• Food and drink: drinks and snacks bought inside may go into the auditorium unless the performer restricts them; outside food and drink are not allowed.
• Payment: the hall takes major credit cards, and lobby ATMs are available.

Policies vary by show, so check the hall's A–Z guide before you go.

History of the hall

In 1977 the Kapok Tree Corporation donated 38 acres to the City of Clearwater on the condition that a performing arts center be built there, with construction to start within two years. Ground was broken in 1979. Taliesin Associated Architects, the firm carrying on Frank Lloyd Wright's practice, designed the building under William Wesley Peters, and the building is described as Wright-inspired. It cost about 14.5 million dollars, most of it raised privately, and opened on October 15, 1983.

Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc., a nonprofit, owns and runs the hall, and its education programs serve close to 100,000 students and adults a year. More than 350,000 people attend shows here annually. The Wikipedia entry has more background.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Ruth Eckerd Hall
• Ruth Eckerd Hall – A–Z guide
• Ruth Eckerd Hall – Seating charts
• Ruth Eckerd Hall – Official seating chart image