US Airways - August 2012 - (Page 48)

Tampa Bay The airport’s international reach has recently expanded, with increased daily flights to London and new twice-weekly nonstop service to Zurich, Switzerland. TPA has the distinction of being the nation’s second-largest gateway to Cuba, offering special charter flights five times a week. The airport recently opened several new shopping and dining options, including outlets of four popular local restaurants: First Flight wine bar, Cigar City Brewing, the Green Iguana, and the Columbia Cafe. exhibit lets visitors see eye to eye with these majestic creatures. Near Busch Gardens, the University of South Florida has elevated its Athletics District into one of the finest in the country with nearly $70 million in new construction and upgrades. The multipurpose USF Sun Dome has been refurbished inside and out, and seven other campus athletic venues have been either built or significantly improved. The Tampa Bay Times Forum — the convention’s primary venue — is located along the waterfront in the heart of downtown and is one of the driving forces behind the area’s extensive sports offerings. Home to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and site of numerous marquee athletic events, the arena has been completely transformed with $40 million in renovations. Two other major-league sports franchises are based in Tampa Bay — baseball’s Rays and the NFL’s Buccaneers — while the legendary New York Yankees have long been identified with Tampa, their home for spring training; the team’s George M. Steinbrenner Field sits next door to the Bucs’ Raymond James Stadium. The Tampa Bay Sports Commission is the area’s lead group for bidding on and hosting sporting events. The commission promotes the Forum and other venues to national sport governing bodies and event organizers along with Tampa Bay & Company, the destination-marketing organization that works to grow the tourism industry in Hillsborough County. Their collaborative approach is deemed “Team Tampa Bay,” and that spirit of cooperation helps fuel other economicdevelopment partnerships. Many Ways to Play New restaurants may enliven the culinary scene in Tampa, but some spots define it. The Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City stands in the same place (and is owned by the same family) as when it opened more than a century ago — when it served café con leche to cigar workers — and has grown into one of the area’s largest Spanish restaurants. Bern’s Steak House and its Dessert Room are perennial favorites, as much for the discerning and attentive service as for the food. And SideBern’s earns accolades for its inventive modern Mediterranean cuisine, award-winning wine list, and electric atmosphere. Elsewhere in town, a variety of attractions and sports facilities are going to great lengths to further enhance their appeal. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, the iconic 335-acre family adventure park in the northern part of Hillsborough County, offers a vast array of thrill rides, animal habitats, shops, games, and live entertainment. Adrenaline lovers can experience a different breed of speed at the recently opened mega-attraction Cheetah Hunt, the state’s first triple-launch coaster that simulates the agility and hunting prowess of nature’s fastest predator. Adjacent to the ride, the new Cheetah Run A “Front Row” Seat Capitalizing on the worldwide attention that will focus on Tampa Bay during the 2012 Republican National Convention, the Tampa Bay Partnership has launched Front Row Tampa Bay, a major marketing campaign that will coincide with the convention (August 27–30) and feature business forums and other programming that tell the business story of Tampa Bay. Events will be live-streamed online, creating a unique platform for businesses and communities across the region to showcase Tampa Bay’s many strengths. For more information, visit frontrow tampabay.com. photos (from top) courtesy of tampa Bay partnership and Busch gardens From top: tampa Riverwalk at night, Cheetah Hunt at Busch gardens tampa Bay — the state’s ﬁrst triple-launch coaster 48 August 2012 usairwaysmag.com http://www.frontrowtampabay.com http://www.frontrowtampabay.com http://www.usairwaysmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - August 2012

US Airways - August 2012
Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Making Waves
Wine & Dine: The American Spirit
Adventure: Reynolds Plantation
Great Escapes: Puerto Vallarta
Tel Aviv: The City That Never Sleeps
Heavy Duty: US Airways Maintenance
Toques Off! Top Chefs on Summer Entertaining
Welcome to Tampa Bay
Driving Force: The First Tee of the Triad
New Vision: Lexington, Kentucky
Best of Education: Salisbury University
Puzzles
Charlotte in 2012: Making a New Economy Possible
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace™
Giving Miles for Good: Fisher House
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - August 2012