Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the Southeastern United States with an interesting mix of communities that range from urban chic, to easy beach living, to traditional southern hospitality.

Hillsborough County, with the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City contained within its borders, boasts areas like the chic Hyde Park village shopping area, beautiful Bayshore Boulevard, golf course communities nestled in Temple Terrace and Northwest Tampa and historic areas like Seminole Heights and West Tampa. The eastern portion of the county brings with it a southern feel including areas like charming and historic downtown Plant City, untouched Lake Thonotosassa, the bustling Brandon, Riverview and Lithia communities.

Pinellas County is the gateway to the pristine beaches of the west coast of Florida. Stunning beaches line Pinellas’ thirty-five miles of Gulf Coast from the north in Clearwater through Honeymoon Island, Redington Shores, Maderia Beach and down south to Ft. Desoto and Pass-A-Grille. The City of St. Petersburg has experienced a revitalization of its downtown core which now radiates an eclectic vibe through its restaurants, shops and waterfront park. A little further north, the City of Tarpon Springs is famous for its old-world Sponge Dock District. With historic appeal and immense Greek influence, this seaside community is a gem of Pinellas County.

For more information on the communities of Tampa Bay, visit Tampa Bay & Company or Visit St. Pete/Clearwater online.

 

Major Businesses and Industries

The Tampa Bay area has long boasted a vibrant economy and favorable business climate for the companies that call Tampa Bay home. While the area has a rich history in the tourism and agricultural sectors, its economy has also been enriched by the inclusion of such industries as Applied Medicine and Human Performance; Business, Financial and Data Services; High-Tech Electronics and Instruments; Marine and Environmental Activities; International Trade, and Defense and Security. These industries create a diversified economic climate for businesses to thrive in the Tampa Bay market.

The Tampa Bay region is made up of upwards of 90 percent small businesses which remain the backbone of the regional economy. These small businesses provide services to the bigger corporations in the area including the regions Fortune 1000 companies such as Publix Supermarkets, Home Shopping Network (HSN), Jabil Circuit, Raymond James Financial, Inc., Tech Data, OSI Restaurant Partners, WellCare Health Plans, Roper Industries and TECO Energy.

The Tampa Bay area provides support to these major businesses and industries through a variety of organizations who understand that economic development is a shared responsibility for the entire region. Organizations like the Tampa Bay Partnership, Tampa-Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Pinellas County Economic Development Corporation are the recruitment and retention arms of the community. These groups, financed through public-private partnerships, focus on targeted industries and assemble packages to help interested businesses in their efforts to locate to the region. Additionally, the Tampa Bay region has a solid foundation of business support and advocacy organizations that act as the community enhancement mechanism for the region. Business membership organizations like the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Downtown Partnership, Brandon Chamber of Commerce, St. Pete Chamber of Commerce and Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce along with other smaller Chambers across the region provide valuable resources for companies of all sizes while supporting key regional community assets.

History

The Tampa Bay area, once known as a sleepy fishing village, has achieved rapid advancement in the last 150 years. The area’s economic rise began with the expansion of the railroad system into the Tampa Bay area in the late 1800’s. The cigar making industry moved from Key West to Tampa’s Ybor City soon after and helped establish Tampa as an a gateway to the Caribbean. The railroad also provided increased access to the beaches, which helped Pinellas County become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

The next few decades saw the development of the regional assets that furthered the Tampa Bay area’s status as a destination to live, work and play. The University of Tampa and the University of South Florida became anchors for the region in higher education.  Infrastructure investments like the interstate system, Tampa International Airport and the Port of Tampa gave Tampa Bay businesses the foundation to magnify their economic impact.

The Cultural Arts scene also adds a unique artistic touch to the Tampa Bay area. For decades the residents of Tampa Bay have had an unfettered access to arts through many venues located throughout the region. The David A. Straz Performing Arts Center is the largest performing arts complex in the Southeastern United States bringing sensational Broadway performances to the area, as well as a variety of world-class events and artists each year. A little further north in Pinellas County, Ruth Eckerd Hall is a medium-sized venue that provides a quaint venue for musicians, actors and dancers alike. The region also has a collection of art museums for all audiences. The distinctive Salvador Dali Museum is a place for the surrealist to find comfort among a newly renovated facility. Additionally, the new Tampa Museum of Art and Glazer Children’s Museum round out an exceptional variety for the museum goer in anyone.

For additional visitor information about these sites and more, please see Entertainment.

Demographics

The Tampa Bay region is comprised of three metropolitan areas including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater; North Port, Sarasota, Bradenton; and Lakeland, Winter Haven, Homosassa Springs.  A total of 4.2 million people live in those metropolitan areas, encompassed by the 8 counties that make up the Tampa Bay region: Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota.  It is projected that these counties will experience an 8 percent increase in population over the next five years.

For more demographic information regarding the Tampa Bay area, click here.

 

The Tampa Convention Center

  • The Tampa Convention Center will host 15,000 members of the media during the Republican National Convention in August 2012.
  • The Convention Center is located along the Riverwalk District, in the heart of downtown Tampa.  Designed to bring the warmth and light of the Florida sunshine directly into your meeting rooms, the Convention Center is a showcase of Florida’s natural beauty. The Tampa Convention Center is a 600,000-square-foot building that offers 200,000-square-feet of exhibit space, a 36,000-square-foot ballroom, and 36 breakout rooms. That includes 42,000-square-feet of additional meeting space, with over 84,000-square-feet of flexible public space available.
  • The conveniences of a vibrant downtown, adjacent first-class accommodations, and Florida’s largest variety of destination offerings blend together to make Tampa Bay a remarkable venue.
  • To visit the Tampa Convention Center online, click here.

Tampa Bay Times Forum

  • The Tampa Bay Times Forum is where the delegates to the 2012 Republican National Convention will nominate the Republican Candidate for President.
  • The Tampa Bay Times Forum located along the Garrison Seaport District. Home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Tampa Bay Times Forum is one of the jewels of downtown Tampa. The arena features state-of-the-art technology and innovative design which combine to make the Tampa Bay Times Forum one of the finest facilities in North America. In addition to NHL hockey, the Tampa Bay Times Forum hosts more than 150 events annually, including concerts, family events, ice shows, the circus and other indoor sports.
  • To visit the Tampa Bay Times Forum online, click here.