Tampa, Florida
 |
Franklin Street, looking North, Tampa c. 1910s-1920s |
Tampa is a major
United States city in
Hillsborough County, on the west coast of
Florida. It serves as the
county seat of Hillsborough County.. The population within the city limits in 2005, according to the Census was 326,519 [
1]; it is the third-largest city in Florida, behind
Jacksonville and
Miami.
Tampa is a part of the
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as the "
Tampa Bay area". The four-county area is composed of roughly 2.7 million residents, making it the second largest
metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the state behind
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, the third largest in the
Southeastern United States, and the twelfth largest
DMA Market in the United States.
The word "Tampa" is a
Native American word used to refer to the area when the first
European explorers arrived in Florida. Its meaning, if any, has been lost to the ages, though it is sometimes claimed to mean "sticks of fire" in the language of the
Calusa, a
Native American tribe. Other historians claim the name refers to "The place to gather sticks". "Sticks of fire" may also relate to the high concentration of lightning strikes that Tampa Bay receives every year during the hot and wet summer months. The name first appears in the "Memoir" of
Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda (1575), the author of which had spent 17 years as a Calusa captive. He calls it "Tanpa" and describes it as an important Calusa town. [
2]
Spanish conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez was the first European known to have visited the Tampa area, on
April 8,
1528.
Hernando de Soto arrived a year later to rescue the only remaining living member of de Narváez's expedition. A peace treaty was conducted with the local Indians and a short-lived Spanish outpost was established, but this was abandoned when it became clear that there was no
gold in the area, and that the local Indians were not interested in converting to
Catholicism and were too skilled as warriors to easily conquer.
When
England acquired Florida in 1763, the bay was named Hillsborough Bay, after
Lord Hillsborough,
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Spain transferred
Florida to the
United States in 1821
(see Adams-Onis Treaty). An
Indian reservation was established in what is now north Tampa. As part of efforts to firmly establish
United States control over southern
Florida, then a vast
swampy
wilderness with sparse
Seminole Indian population, a military outpost ("Cantonment Brooke") was established at what is now the
Tampa Convention Center in downtown Tampa in 1823 by Colonels
George Mercer Brooke and
James Gadsden. In 1824, the post was renamed
Fort Brooke. It was a vital military asset in the
Seminole Wars. The village of Tampa began to grow up around the fort, which was decommissioned in 1883. Except for two
cannons now on the
University of Tampa campus, all traces of the fort are gone.
Tampa was incorporated on
January 18,
1849 with 185 inhabitants (excluding military personnel stationed at Fort Brooke). The city's first
census came in 1850 when Tampa-Fort Brooke accounted for 974 residents. [
3] Tampa was reincorporated as a
town on December 15, 1855, and Judge
Joseph B. Lancaster became the first Mayor in 1856 [
4], [
5]. During the
Civil War, Fort Brooke was occupied by
Confederate troops, and
martial law was declared in Tampa. In 1862, a Union gunboat shelled the city during the
Battle of Tampa. [
6], [
7] Union forces took Fort Brooke in May of 1864, and occupied the town for the next year.
Phosphate was discovered in the
Bone Valley region near Tampa in 1883. Tampa is now one of the world's leading phosphate exporters.
Henry B. Plant's railroad reached the town shortly thereafter, enabling the
commercial fishing industry to thrive. [
8]
In 1885, the Tampa Board of Trade persuaded
Vincente M. Ybor to move his
cigar manufacturing operations to Tampa from
Key West. The
Ybor City district was built to accommodate the factories and their workers. Tampa soon became a major cigar production center. Thousands of
Italian (the majority coming from
Alessandria Della Rocca and
Santo Stefano Quisquina, two small
Sicilian towns which Tampa maintains strong ties with) and
Cuban immigrants came to Tampa to work at the factories.
Henry B. Plant built a lavish luxury hotel in the city in 1883, which is now the campus of the
University of Tampa. [
9]
The Beasley family (of Palma Ceia) has roots here dating back to at least the 1820s, according to courthouse documents. There are even a few streets in Old Tampa that bear the Beasley name, as well as one neighborhood. A decendant, W. Mack Beasley is an accomplished painter (oils and acrylics), sculptor and professional hotrod builder in Tampa and resides in the area now known as Virgina Park.
Tampa was an embarkation center for American troops during the
Spanish-American War. Lieutenant Colonel
Teddy Roosevelt and his
Rough Riders were part of the 30,000 troops stationed in Tampa for training.
In 1904, local civic association
Ye Mystic Krewe "invaded" the city for the first time, establishing the yearly
Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Before it was incorporated two category 4 hurricanes hit Fort Brooke nearly destroying the whole Fort and town .In 1921 a category 4 hit Tampa.
Illegal
bolita lotteries became very popular among the Tampa working classes, especially in Ybor City, where many gambling parlors sprang up. Profits from the bolita lotteries and
Prohibition-era bootlegging led to the development of several
organized crime factions in the city. The first boss of Tampa's organized crime world was
Charlie Wall, but various power struggles culminated in consolidation of control by
Sicilian mafioso Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his faction in the 1950s. After his death in 1954 from
cancer, control passed to his son
Santo Trafficante, Jr., who established alliances with families in
New York and extended his power throughout
Florida and into
Batista-era
Cuba. [
10], [
11]
The
University of South Florida was established in 1956, sparking development in northern Tampa and nearby
Temple Terrace.
The biggest development of the city was the development of
New Tampa that started in 1988 when the city annexed a 24-square mile (mostly rural) area between
I-275 and
I-75. Today, the district boasts over 22,000 inhabitants.
With the advent of
air conditioning, thousands of new residents have arrived in Tampa from the northern United States. The population continues to grow rapidly, and construction is proceeding rapidly on new housing developments around Tampa.
On
January 5,
2002, just four months after the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 15-year-old amateur pilot
Charles Bishop flew a
Cessna plane into the 42-story Bank of America Plaza building in downtown Tampa. Bishop died, but there were no other injuries (because the crash occurred on a Saturday, when few people were in the building). A
suicide note found in the wreckage expressed support for
Osama bin Laden. Bishop had been taking a
prescription medicine for
acne called
Accutane that may have had the
side effect of
depression or
severe psychosis. His family later sued Hoffman-La Roche, the company that makes Accutane, for $70 million; however, an autopsy found no traces of the drug in the teenager's system.
*''See also
2002 Tampa plane crash''
Tampa is located on the West coast of
Florida at (27.970898, -82.464640). It is bordered by two bodies of water:
Old Tampa Bay and
Hillsborough Bay, which both flow to form
Tampa Bay, which flows into the
Gulf of Mexico. The
Hillsborough River (Florida) flows out into Tampa bay, passing directly in front of Downtown
Tampa and supplying Tampa with its main source of water.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 441.9
km² (170.6
mi²). 290.3 km² (112.1 mi²) of it is land and 151.6 km² (58.5 mi²) of it (34.31%) is water.
Tampa's climate is subtropical, with a threat of frost about once every 2-3 years. Highs usually stay between 65 and 95
°F (18 and 35
°C) year round, and lows rarely go below 32 °F (0 °C). These rare freezes are an enormous threat to area
agriculture and
aquaculture. Likewise, summer temperatures are predictable, and have never risen above 100 °F (38 °C). The all-time record high temperature in downtown was 99 °F (37 °C), recorded on
June 5,
1985. [
12]
Fog can also be an occasional problem in the winter and spring. Temperatures are hot from May through October, which coincides with the rainy season. These summer days have highs around 90 °F (32 °C) and high
humidity. The summer nighttime temperature drops to only around 75 °F (23 °C).[
13] Other times of the year, the temperatures are moderate and sunshine is abundant.
Thunderstorms are a major concern on summer
afternoons. High
winds, small
hail, and torrential
rain often accompany these common afternoon
thunderstorms which can be severe.
Tornadoes are not unheard of. These storms often move out over the
Gulf of Mexico at night, where they are easily seen from land as spectacular light shows.
Another major concern for Tampa is the
Atlantic hurricane season which runs from June 1st to November 30th and peaks in September. Tampa gets hit about every 2-3 years. In 2004 the remnants of Hurricane Jean hit the Tampa region. If a category four or five hit the area, Tampa would see a storm surge of 25-30ft. This could cause greater destruction than Hurricane Katrina. [
14]. It has been more than 70 years since Tampa has had a direct hit from a
hurricane. Tampa also is popularly known as the "
Lightning Capital of the United States", (
Rwanda maintains the World title) due in part to the frequent, dangerous and (on rare occasions) deadly lightning strikes.
*
Sulphur Springs Water Tower is a highly visible but somewhat mysterious landmark.
*
Babe Zaharias Golf Course in the Forest Hills area of Tampa has been designated a Historical Lankmark and is also an enjoyable golf course. It was bought in 1949 by the famous 'Babe' who had a residence nearby and closed at her death. In 1974 the City of Tampa opened the golf course as a public facility for the enjoyment of golfers. It has received the designation of a Historical Landmark.
*
The Story of Tampa, a public painting by Lynn Ash is a 4' x 8' oil on masonite mural that weaves together many of the notable aspects of Tampa's unique character and identity. It was commission in 2003 by the City of Tampa's Public Art Program and can be found in the lobby of the Tampa Municipal Office Building.
*
The Tampa Riverwalk is a project in the works, designed to open the
Hillsborough River, which winds through the city, to the people.
The city of Tampa is proposing building a more recognizable landmark in the downtown area - and one idea that has been proposed is a Space Needle building similar to that of Seattle's. Another plan calls for four large fabric "gates" to be placed at four areas leading into the downtown area that would be illuminated at night and would be recognizable to outside visitors welcoming them into the downtown area.
City of Tampa
Population by year [15], [16] | 1850 - 974 (Z)
1860 - not returned
1870 - 796
1880 - 720
1890 - 5,532
1900 - 15,839
1910 - 37,782
1920 - 51,608
1930 - 101,161
1940 - 108,391
1950 - 124,681
1960 - 274,970
1970 - 277,714
1980 - 271,523
1990 - 280,015
2000 - 303,447
2004 - 321,772 (Est.)
2005 - 326,519 (Est.)
(Z): Population including Fort Brooke. |
As of the
census of 2000, there were 303,447 people, 124,758 households, and 71,236 families residing in the city. The
population density was 1,045.4/km² (2,707.8/mi²). There were 135,776 housing units at an average density of 467.8/km² (1,211.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.22%
White (51.0% White Non-Hispanic), 26.07%
Black or
African American, 0.38%
American Indian and
Alaska Native, 2.15%
Asian, 0.09%
Native Hawaiian and Other
Pacific Islander, 4.17% from
other races, and 2.92% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 19.29% of the population, most of them
Puerto Ricans. There are significant populations of
Cuban,
Mexican,
Italian,
Peruvian, and
Colombian descents within the city limits as well.
There were 124,758 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were
married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,415, and the median income for a family was $40,517. Males had a median income of $31,452 versus $26,133 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $21,953. 18.1% of the population and 14.0% of families were below the
poverty line. 26.8% of those under the age of 18 and 15.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty level.
A person from Tampa is referred to either as a
Tampan[Victorian Tampa - retrieved July 21 2066] or a
Tampanian[Urban Dictionary: Tampanian - retrieved July 21 2066].
 |
International Plaza and Bay Street. |
Like much of
Florida, Tampa's economy is heavily based on services and tourism. There is a huge net influx of cash into the area. Many wealthy people have winter houses here, and the upscale Tampa Palms neighborhood is a desirable destination for retired professional athletes. Many corporations, such as large banks and telecommunications companies, maintain regional offices in Tampa, and the city is an extremely popular location for call centers.
The downtown area is also undergoing a large transformation to be mostly completed in time for the hosting of the Superbowl in 2009 with over 43 condo, hotel, and mixed-use developments proposed/approved/under construction as of
October 2005. An earlier list by the city of Tampa includes
large developments that have been approved and/or are under construction. A large portion of these projects have multiple towers to compensate for the high land values in Downtown Tampa. The next tower currently under construction in the central business district is the
Trump Tower Tampa, the largest residential tower on the Gulf Coast according to
The Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Tampa's port is now the seventh largest in the nation and Florida's largest tonnage port, handling nearly half of all seaborne commerce that passes through the state. Here the cruise industry thrives.
Tampa's public schools are operated by the Hillsborough County Schools.
*American TESOL, a nationwide program to teach English abroad, is headquartered in Tampa, Fl.* Florida Aquarium |
Centro Ybor complex with a TECO Line car passing in front |
|
Street festival in Ybor Historic District |
*Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center at http://tbpac.org is the largest performing arts complex in the Southeast, presenting high quality performing arts programming from major Broadway tours to grand opera, dance, cabaret, comedy and concerts to the region. TBPAC is also home to the Patel Conservatory, which opened in 2004.
*Historic Hyde Park is a historical district in South Tampa with many fine archetectual exampes.
*The Skatepark of Tampa is a world-famous skatepark, with many professional skateboarders flocking to it in January for the Tampa Am, and in March, for the Tampa Pro.
*Tampa Union Station is an historic train station between downtown and Ybor City.
*Park Tower, once called the Lykes Building, was the tallest skyscraper in the Tampa skyline when it was first built in 1973.Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District near downtown. It is a hotspot at night (especially on the weekends due to the many nightclubs, bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues in the area). Ybor City and Tampa in general were an integral part of the Florida death metal scene.
*West Tampa south of Raymond James Stadium, includes many Cuban and Spanish businesses, along Columbus Drive. Columbus Drive is also known as Boliche Boulevard after a famous Cuban dish. La Teresita, La Ideal, Lincoln Restaurant, The Italian American Club, and the Letter Carriers Hall are some of the well known local gathering places in Tampa. The "Brothers to the Rescue" Corner monument is in West Tampa at Dale Mabry Highway and Columbus Drive.
*Channelside located next to the Garrison Channel, it contains many arcades,shops,resturants and bars, and an Imax theatre
*Horse Racing at Tampa Bay Downs, near Oldsmar, first opened in 1926. The Tampa Bay Downs live racing season is from December to May with simulcasting year round. They also have a card room offering poker games.
*Greyhound Racing at Tampa Greyhound Track, in Tampa, first opened in 1933. They have live racing from June to December, with simulcasts year round. They also have a card room offering poker games.
*Florida Strawberry Festival
*Florida State FairCinemas
*Tampa Theatre is a historic movie palace that shows a wide range of independent, foreign and classic films in addition to an occasional live show. It also is the home of several film festivals that occur throughout the year.
*Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) has an IMAX dome theater
*The Fun-Lan Drive-In is the only drive-in theater left in Tampa. Fun-Lan has four screens each showing first-run movies. There is also a flea market in the morning five days per week. (The Ruskin area just south of the city is home to the Ruskin Drive-In, one of America's oldest.)Live theatre
*Friday Morning Musicale The building, originally built in 1926, now serves as a community center and theatre. It is in Hyde Park area of South Tampa.
*Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is located in downtown on the Hillsborough River and hosts a variety of live shows and concerts
*Tampa Theatre shows classic and art house films. It occasionally hosts live performances.
*Jobsite Theater is downtown's 8-year old regional theater company, and resident theater company of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts CenterGalleries and museums
A list of upcoming and ongoing art events in Tampa can be found at the website Tampa Bay and Beyond.
*African Art Gallery
*American Victory Museum
*Artists Unlimited located in the Channelside district.
*Centre gallery student art gallery at University of South Florida
*Children's Museum (Great Explorations)[17],an indoor large children's museum
*Cigar Museum And Visitor Center is in Ybor City.
*Covivant Gallery is on North Florida av. heading downtown.
*Graphicstudio is a world famous print studio located at USF.
*Henry B. Plant Museum is located at the University of Tampa across the Hillsborough Riverfrom downtown.
*Hillsborough Community College has an art gallery at its Dale Mabry and Ybor campuses.
* Kid City Kid City
*Mirta's Art Gallery and Coffee Shop is located near the University of Tampa and used to be called Matthews Art Gallery.
*Museum Of Science and Industry (MOSI)
*Saunders Planetarium is part of MOSI.
*SS American Victory The American Victory Mariners Memorial & Museum Ship is a unique and innovative maritime attraction aboard the World War II era merchant ship SS American Victory.
*Tampa Bay History Center displays artifacts, memorabilia, maps, military uniforms and photographs depicting life in the Tampa Bay regions from 12,000 years ago to the present. Changing exhibits also are featured. It is located at the corner of Franklin and Platt Streets.
*Tampa Museum of Art is in downtown on the Hillsborough River.
*Tampa Police Museum preserves historically important record and equipment and promotes enthusium for a career in police work.
*Ybor City Museum State Park is near downtown Tampa in Ybor City.
*Across the Bay, in St. Petersburg (a twenty minute drive from downtown Tampa), is Great Explorations, The Children's Museum [18], a newly expanded museum with a children's village, art, science, music, water exhibits and many programs for preschoolers to pre-teens, and the Salvador Dalí Museum boasts the largest collection of Salvador Dalí's art in the world.
*William and Nancy Oliver Gallery is a student gallery located at USF.Shopping centers
*International Plaza and Bay Street, located in the Westshore business district, is home to many upscale stores: (with Nordstrom, Dillard's, Robb & Stucky Interiors and Neiman Marcus as anchors) as well as the Renaissance Hotel, which was recently built on the premises. International Plaza is located next to Tampa International Airport.
*WestShore Plaza is an upper-middle class shopping center, one mile away from International Plaza and Bay Street. On the middle class end, the mall is anchored by Sears and JCPenney, and on the higher end, anchored by Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue.
*University Mall, in the northern part of the city near the University of South Florida, with Sears, Macy's, Dillard's, Steve and Barry's University Sportswear, and Burlington Coat Factory as anchors.
*Westfield Shoppingtown Brandon, A fairly large mall located in an eastern suburb, Brandon, with Sears, Dillards, Macy's, and JCPenney as anchors.
*Westfield Shoppingtown Citrus Park, A mid-size mall located in the north western part of the county in Citrus Park, located northwest of the city. Like the other Westfield mall in the area, it is anchored by Sears, Dillard's, Macy's and JCPenney.
*Old Hyde Park Village, a small collection of specialty boutiques anchored by Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and Williams-Sonoma. It has a pleasant park-like setting and Sunrise Theaters, which runs a nice mix of first-run headline movies and arts films. Hyde Park is accessible by trolley from downtown, the Cruise Port and Ybor City.Sports
Tampa is represented by teams in four major professional sports. Three play in Tampa proper, while the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of Major League Baseball play across the bay in St. Petersburg. All of the teams are considered to represent the entire Tampa Bay metropolitan area. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the area's first major franchise in 1976, and brought the area its first major sports championship at the end of the 2002 season, winning Super Bowl XXXVII. The NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning were established in 1991, and currently play their games in the St. Pete Times Forum. The team won their first Stanley Cup championship at the end of the 2003-2004 NHL season. The Devil Rays began play in 1998, but have yet to be a major contender - finishing last in the American League's East Division in seven of the eight seasons they have played. The Tampa Bay Storm play in the lesser-known Arena Football League. Originally playing in Pittsburgh, the team moved to Tampa in 1991. The Storm won their first Arena Bowl championship in 1991, and have won four subsequent championships in 1993, 1995, 1996, and 2003. Since the relocation, the Storm have qualified for the playoffs every season. Since 1997, the team has played its home games in the St. Pete Times Forum, which is located in Tampa. |
After the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004, a mural was commissioned by the Colonial Bank of Tampa, which hangs above its main branch at Park Tower on Kennedy Boulevard. |
(Many entrance signs in Tampa now read Tampa: City of Champions due to the previous championships of the Buccaneers, Lightning, and Tampa Bay Storm. Recently, the issue of adding the New York Yankees to the signs have been raised, raising controversy on whether the team should be considered since it only holds spring training in Tampa. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio disagrees with this idea stating that the Tampa Bay region already has its own baseball team, and that the signs do not name specific teams, they name the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup, and Arena Bowl championships.)
Tampa has hosted several franchises of other professional leagues over the years. The first of these was the Tampa Bay Rowdies, started in 1975 as an expansion franchise of the defunct North American Soccer League (NASL). They played their games at Tampa Stadium. The Rowdies won the inaugural Soccer Bowl in 1975, bringing Tampa Bay its first professional sports championship. The NASL folded in 1984, while the Rowdies continued play in other indoor soccer leagues before folding in 1993. The Tampa Bay Bandits of the defunct United States Football League (USFL) began play in 1985, and played three seasons in Tampa Stadium before the league and the team folded. Coached by Steve Spurrier, their crowd-pleasing style of play was known as "banditball". The Tampa Bay Mutiny of Major League Soccer began play at Tampa Stadium in 1996, and continued through 2001 before folding.
The Tampa Bay Area also hosts a number of Major League Baseball teams for spring training, as well as several minor league baseball teams. Playing in the spring training Florida Grapefruit League are:
*The Tampa Bay Devil Rays of Major League Baseball play spring training games at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg
*The New York Yankees of Major League Baseball play spring training games at Legends Field in Tampa
*The Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball play spring training games at Bright House Networks Field in Clearwater
*The Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball play spring training games at Knology Park in DunedinAnd playing in the Minor League Baseball Florida State League (Single-A baseball) are:
*The Tampa Yankees: Legends Field in Tampa
*The Clearwater Threshers: Bright House Networks Field in Clearwater
*The Dunedin Blue Jays: Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field in Dunedin
College sports teams include:
*NCAA Football, Div.1, Big East : The University of South Florida Bulls: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa
*NCAA Basketball, Div. 1, Big East: The University of South Florida Bulls: The Sun Dome in Tampa
Sporting Events:
*The NCAA football Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium is held in Tampa each January.
* Three Super Bowls have been held in Tampa; who will also be hosting the Superbowl in 2009.Zoological gardens and aquaria
*Big Cat Rescue is a non-profit sanctuary for large cats. The facility is in the Citrus Park area and is open to the public.
*Busch Gardens is a popular theme park with rides, shows and animals. The newest roller coaster, Sheikra, is the only vertical drop roller coaster in North America.
* Florida Aquarium is located in the Channel District near downtown.
*Lowry Park Zoo is rated one of the nation's top mid-sized zoos.
*Suncoast Primate Sanctuary.
*University of South Florida Botanical Gardens.Newspapers
Daily
St. Petersburg Times
The Tampa Tribune
Tampa Bay Times (*tbt): A free information and entertainment tabloid published by the St. Petersburg Times
The Florida Sentinel (A predominantly African-American newspaper in the Tampa area)
*The Oracle'' The independant daily student newspaper of the University of South FloridaWeekly
La Gaceta: The nation's only trilingual newspaper, written in English, Spanish and Italian
Weekly Planet: A free "alternative" tabloid
Tampa Bay Business Journal: The region's premier source for local business news subscription tabloid
South Tampa News: Free tabloid community newspaperOnline
TBO.com Breaking News, weather, sports and the guide for things to do in Tampa BayTelevision
*WEDU Ch. 3 (PBS)
*WFLA Ch. 8 (NBC)
*Bay News 9 24 Hour Bay Area News
*WTSP Ch. 10 (CBS)
*WTVT Ch. 13 (FOX)
*WUSF Ch. 16 (PBS)
*WARP Ch. 20 (MTV2)
*WCLF Ch. 22 (CTN)
*WXAX Ch. 26 (Azteca America)
*WFTS Ch. 28 (ABC)
*WMOR Ch. 32 (Independent)
*WSPF-CA Ch. 35 City of St. Petersburg
*W36CO Ch. 36 TBN
*WTTA Ch. 38 (The WB)/(My Network TV)
*WWSB Ch. 40 (ABC Sarasota)
*WTOG Ch. 44 (UPN)/(The CW)
*WZRA-CA Ch. 48 (Independent) (Multi-Cultural)
*WRMD-LP Ch. 49 Telemundo
*WFTT Ch. 50 Telefutura
*W56EB Ch. 56 TBN
*WVEA Ch. 62 Univision
*WXPX CH. 66 iRadio
FM
* WMNF 88.5 FM - Non-commercial listener-supported [19]
* WYFE 88.9 FM - Bible Broadcasting Network [20]
* WUSF 89.7 FM - "Concert 90 FM" -- University of South Florida (NPR) [21]
* WBVM 90.5 FM - "Spirit FM" -- Christian Rock (also 88.3 WLMS) [22]
* WKES 91.1 FM - Moody Bible Institute [23]
* WLPJ 91.5 FM - "The Joy FM" -- Contemporary Christian (also 88.1 WJIS) [24]
* WFTI 91.7 FM - Family Radio Network [25]
* WYFO 91.9 FM - Bible Broadcasting Network [26]
* WYUU 92.5 FM - "La Nueva 92.5" -- Tropical Spanish [27]
* WFLZ 93.3 FM - "93-3 FLZ" -- CHR & Pop [28]
* WSJT 94.1 FM - "Smooth Jazz WSJT 94.1" [29]
* WWRM 94.9 FM - "Magic 94.9" -- Adult Contemporary [30]
* WXCV 95.3 FM - "Citrus 95" -- Adult Contemporary [31]
* WBTP 95.7 FM - "The Beat" -- Hip Hop and R&B [32]
* WTMP 96.1 FM - "Today's R&B and Classic Soul" [33]
* WXOF 96.3 FM - "Fox 96.3" -- Classic Hits [34]
* WSUN 97.1 FM - "97-X" -- Alternative Rock [35]
* WPCV 97.5 FM - "97 Country" -- Country (Lakeland) [36]
* WXTB 97.9 FM - "98 Rock" -- Active Rock [37]
* WWRZ 98.3 FM - "Max FM" -- Adult Contemporary (Lakeland) [38]
* WLLD 98.7 FM - "Wild 98.7" -- Rhythmic CHR and Top 40 [39]
* WQYK 99.5 FM - "Tampa Bay's Country Station" [40]
* WMTX 100.7 FM - "Mix 100.7 FM" -- Adult Contemporary [41]
* WPOI 101.5 FM - "The Point" -- 80's Music [42]
* WHPT 102.5 FM - "The Bone" -- Classic Rock [43]
* WFUS 103.5 FM - "U.S. 103.5" -- Country [44]
* WRBQ 104.7 FM - "Q105" -- Classic Hits [45]
* WDUV 105.5 FM - "The Dove" -- Easy Listening [46]
* WJQB 106.3 FM - "The Real Oldies Channel" [47]
* WCTQ 106.5 FM - "106-5 CTQ" -- Country [48]
* WXGL 107.3 FM - "The Eagle" -- Classic Hits [49] |
Downtown Tampa during Gasparilla |
*Outback Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game held at Raymond James Stadium, normally on New Year's Day (January 1).
*Gasparilla Pirate Festival is an annual event consisting of several parades, live entertainment, and fireworks. The event is also known as the Mardi Gras of Tampa. The main parade takes place on the first Saturday of February along Bayshore Blvd, happening the afternoon after a pirate ship (and a flotilla of 300+ private boats) "invades" the city and the mayor surrenders the key to the city at the Convention Center.
*Sant'Yago Knight Parade is an illuminated nighttime parade that takes place one Saturday in February in Ybor City.
*Florida State Fair lasts over a week in February and features livestock, food, entertainment and midway rides. It takes place at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
*Guavaween offers daytime events and nighttime parade one Saturday in October in Ybor City.
*Tropical Heatwave is a diverse series of concerts sponsored by community radio 88.5 WMNF.
* The Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival takes place in October at several local venues including the Tampa Theatre
*Bonk Festival of New Music is an annual event to promote public awareness of new music and to foster relationships between musicians. It takes place at a variety of venues around Tampa.
*Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival
*Tampa International Film FestivalMacDill Air Force Base, located in south Tampa, is home to CENTCOM, the Central Command of the United States military; and SOCOM, the Special Operations Command. The base is run by the 6th Air Mobility Wing, and includes both the 310th Airlift Squadron, flying the C-37, and the 91st Air Refueling Squadron, flying the KC-135.
The base flightline was closed in the 1991 round of base closings under the Base Realignment and Closure committee discussions; at the time, the base was used for F-16 training and the air traffic in the Tampa area was considered detrimental to training; the noise produced was also considered inappropriate in a densely settled area. However, despite committee recommendations, the base remained open to house and support CENTCOM and SOCOM. The flightline was reopened in 1993 for NOAA operations, and in 1996 the air refueling squadron moved to the base from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.
Approximately 14,000 people work at MacDill Air Force Base. It is a significant contributor to Tampa's economy, and the city is very supportive of the military community. In 2003 and 2004, the Tampa Bay area was awarded the Abilene Trophy, which annually honors the most supportive Air Force city in the country.
MacDill also hosts an annual air show that is enjoyed by thousands of spectators each year. However, there were no shows in 2002 and 2003 due to 9/11. The 2006 show was also cancelled due partly to the war in Iraq. |
A TECO streetcar picking up passengers in Ybor City. |
Airports
*Tampa International Airport is the city's main airport. In March 2003 Conde Nast Traveler magazine ranked the airport #1 in the US and #3 in the world.
*Peter O. Knight Airport is a small general aviation terminal located on Davis Islands near downtown.
*Vandenberg Airport is another option for general aviation fliers.
*St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is across the bay and offers another option for air travelers.Train stations
Amtrak services Tampa via the Tampa Union Train Station, located in a historic building near downtown.Seaports
Several cruise ships make use of the Port of Tampa, located in the Channel District.Mass transit
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HARTline) operates the streetcars as well as the bus system. HARTline has signed transit deals with both the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa, allowing HARTline buses to transfer students from the two campuses to other areas of Tampa free of charge as long as proof of affiliation with the school is presented. Starting in December 2005, faculty from both schools now have to pay 25 cents.
The TECO Line Streetcar System, which links Ybor City, the Channel District and downtown Tampa, began operating on Saturday, October 19, 2002. Despite the system's limited reach and comparatively slow speed (about 10-15 mph), the air-conditioned cars do offer a nostalgic method of getting around in far greater comfort than was possible a century ago. The line is intentionally reminiscent of Tampa's extensive early twentieth-century streetcar network, albeit much smaller in scope at present (2006). Expansion, though costly, is generally acknowledged as desirable if it can be done affordably. The line chiefly stops only at popular destinations; extensions might do well to add stops in residential areas, at Union Station and the major local airports (PIE and TPA), and on MacDill AFB.Major roads
* Interstate 75
* Interstate 275
* Interstate 4
* Veterans Expressway
* Crosstown Expressway
* U.S. Route 41 - Business 41
* U.S. Route 92
* U.S. Route 301
* State Road 60
* State Road 580
* Bruce B. Downs Boulevard
* Dale Mabry Highway
* Bayshore Boulevard
* Hillsborough Avenue* Air Force
* Beneath The 12 Mile Reef (Tarpon Springs)
* Black Like Me
* Cigar City Mafia by Scott M. Deitche
* Cocoon
* Cop and a Half
* Coupe de Ville
* Edward Scissorhands
* A Guy Named Joe
* Hell Harbor
* Lethal Weapon III
* The Norseman
* Orion's Cloud
* The Parent Trap II
* The Punisher
* The Second Noah (TV Series)
* Strategic Air Command
* Summer Rental (Pinellas County)
*More from the Tampa Chapter of the FL Motion Picture and Television Assoc. [50]Tampa is a sister city with {| valign="top" |
* - Agrigento, Italy
* - Barranquilla, Colombia;
* - Córdoba, Argentina
* - Granada, Nicaragua
* - Izmir, Turkey
* - Le Havre, France
* - Oviedo, Spain and
* - Camarines Sur, Philippines. | 
