Florida Connects - Winter 2008 - (Page 19)

ian Club have undergone million-dollar renovations and are magniﬁcent alternatives for off-site functions. This Latin Quarter became even livelier with the opening of Centro Ybor in 2000. The $45 million entertainment complex is anchored by the historic Centro Español social club and includes a 20-screen Muvico movie theater, the Tampa Improv Comedy Theater & Restaurant, Game Works interactive video game room, plus numerous shops and restaurants. The complex also includes the Ybor City Cigar Museum and Visitor Center. But the growth doesn’t stop at the downtown core. The Westshore Business District lies between downtown and the passenger-claimed “best airport” in the country, Tampa International Airport. Considered “Florida’s largest and most dynamic ofﬁce market,” the Westshore area also is becoming an upscale retail center. The Westshore and International Plazas brought hundreds of ﬁne retailers to Tampa Bay. In March 2004, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino opened in Tampa, offering 250 guest rooms, 12,000 square feet of meeting space, a 90,000-square-foot casino, a spa and plenty of rock ’n roll memorabilia. Later in 2004, the Renaissance Hotel Tampa opened at the International Plaza shopping center. The 293-room, nine-story Renaissance Hotel features many resort amenities plus 12,000 square feet of meeting space. Tampa also is offering two new venues. In 2003, Busch Gardens adventure park opened the Gwazi Pavilion, a new 7,000-square-foot catering facility offering an exclusive, climate-controlled special events venue located adjacent to the twin-track, dueling, wooden Gwazi roller coaster. In July 2004, the $23 million Ford Amphitheatre opened at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Operated by Clear Channel Entertainment, the 20,000-person, open-air venue has nearly 9,900 ﬁ xed seats under a translucent fabric roof and an uncovered grass berm with space for 10,100 more. Reasons to Meet In Tampa • Waterfront: The Tampa Convention Center is located directly on the waterfront, allowing delegates to soak up sunshine and catch cool bay breezes from the facility’s many break-out areas. • Airport: Tampa International Airport has been ranked the No. 1 airport by Airline Passengers Association for four consecutive years. • Climate: The average temperature is 73° F. • Location, Location, Location: Centrally located on Florida’s West Coast, Tampa offers many exciting pre- and post-activity options. The Gulf Coast beaches and Orlando theme parks are all within a short drive from Tampa Bay. • Service: Tampa shows up as one of the top convention and visitor bureaus in the country for meeting and destination support. Tampa Convention Center Located directly on the waterfront, the Tampa Convention Center is the cornerstone of Tampa’s Downtown Business District. The Convention Center has 600,000 square feet of meeting space and 2,000 feet of waterfront views. It also The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & includes a 200,000-square-foot 20 04 and boasts 12,00 0 square fee Casino opened its doors t of meeting space . exhibit hall, a 250-seat lounge and a 36,000-square-foot ballroom. A $5.9-million expansion project that doubled the center’s number of breakout rooms to 36 was completed in 2001. The new meeting rooms, which are divided equally between the center’s ﬁ rst and third ﬂoors, range from 500 to 1,600 square feet, and many include waterfront and cityscape views. In 2002, the center added a restaurant called Calypso’s, multiple “convention cafes” and a new business center, and in 2004 it added a marina with 18 boat slips. In 2006, the renovations continued — new air walls in the ballrooms, carpet, lighting, tables and chairs, and the escalators and public restrooms were ital of Florida’s n called “night life cap tor ic Ybor Cit y is ofte improved. His West Coast.” Additional enhancements planned for 2008 will round off the eight years of continuous upgrades and renovations for this state-of-the-art meeting facility. ■ Photos courtesy Tampa Bay & Company in Winter 2008 Florida CONNECTS 19

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Florida Connects - Winter 2008 Contents Message from the Presidents Boards of Directors Chapter Calendars Member News Tampa Bay’s Convention Package Ready or Not Tampa North Florida Orlando South Florida Advertiser.com Index of Advertisers On the Radar

Florida Connects - Winter 2008

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