There are two confirmed deaths in the Cuban Club and they date as far back as the 1920s. One actor committed suicide on stage and a member of the board was discovered murdered as a result of an argument with another member. Both spirits are believed to haunt the building until now and there have also been numerous sightings of other spirits in the building, as well.
There are also reports of a ghostly woman wearing a white dress and red heels, who climbs up and down a set of stairs. A piano plays by itself and the sound of a woman’s wails can also be heard. TAPs have investigated the Cuban Club and proclaimed the building haunted and has dubbed it “Club Dead”, and one of the most haunted places in Tampa, FL.
People have also reported seeing floating orbs in the clubhouse. Several pictures of the supposed orbs have surface on the Internet.
History of Cuban Club
The Cuban Club has been called one of the most haunted places in the country by Travel Magazine. It was built in 1917, precipitated by the migration of Cubans to the country. Skilled Cuban workers not only made cigars, they also excelled in arts and crafts.
The clubhouse was destroyed in 1916 by a huge fire and members started plans for its replacement. The present building which everyone sees today with its Neoclassical design, sits on the site of the original clubhouse. The present building was constructed in 1917. It had a pharmacy, ballroom, cantina, library and a 2-story theater. It once had a gymnasium, two bowling lanes, lockers and a swimming pool.
The fortunes of the Cuban Club started to wane in the 1960s. Membership dropped to an all-time low and in order to save the club, the Cuban Club Foundation was formed in 1992 to help raise the necessary funds to save and beautify the building. It has now become a nonprofit organization which is dedicated to preserving the building which not only has beauty but a long history.