Tampa History

The word "Tampa" is a Native American word used to refer to the area when the first European explorers arrived in Florida.[citation needed] Its meaning is believed to be "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.Toponymist George R. Stewart writes that the name was the result of a miscommunication between the Spanish and the Indians, the Indian word being "itimpi", meaning simply "near it" (Stewart, pg. 231).

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. While "Tanpa" is the apparent basis for the modern name "Tampa", archaeologist Jerald Milanich places the Calusa village of Tanpa at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor, the original "Bay of Tanpa". Later Spanish explorers, having failed to locate Charlotte Harbor, assumed that the large bay they did find was the Bay of Tanpa, and the name stuck with the current Tampa Bay.[4]

In April of 1528, the ill-fated Narváez Expedition landed near Tampa with the intention of starting a colony. After being told by the natives of better riches to the north, they abandoned their camp after only a week. A dozen years later, a surviving member of the expedition named Juan Ortiz was rescued by Hernando de Soto's expedition.[5] 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 Great Britain 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-Onís 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.[6] Tampa was reincorporated as a town on December 15, 1855, and Judge Joseph B. Lancaster became the first Mayor in 1856.[7][8] 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.[9][10] 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.[11]

In 1885, the Tampa Board of Trade persuaded Vicente Martinez 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 called the Tampa Bay Hotel in the city in 1891, which became the foundation of the University of Tampa when it was established in 1933 becoming Tampa's first institute of higher learning.[12]

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.[citation needed] 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.[13][14]

The University of South Florida was established in 1956, sparking development in northern Tampa and nearby Temple Terrace.

There were four attempts to consolidate Tampa with Hillsborough County (1967, 1970, 1971, and 1972), all of which failed at the ballot box with the biggest margin was 33,160 for and 73,568 against the proposed charter in 1972.[15]

The city of Tampa grew rapidly, growing by another 150,289 residents from 1950-1960, but only grew by 2,600 (population:277,714) people from 1960-1970. It lost about 9,000 residents from 1970-1980,(population:271,523) but has grown past the 1970 point and is now 303,447 and is estimated at 333,040 and is expected to rise even further to 352,285 by 2010, which would be a 80,000 increase from the figure in 1970.

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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

Tampa is known for its abundance of lightning, being dubbed "The Lightning Capital of America." During the summer months (rainy season) East coast and Gulf coast seabreezes clash along Florida's Gulf coast, generating nearly daily Thunderstorms in the summer, with the Tampa Bay area accumulating more than any other location. Tampa is also nicknamed "Cigar City" for its historic cigar factories headed by Victor Martinez Ybor, and "Pirate City," for the city's historic association with swashbuckling thieves and criminals in the city's early days. Others include "Big Guava" and "T Town."

On January 5, 2002, just four months after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 15-year-old amateur pilot Charles Bishop stole a Cessna plane and flew into the 42-story AmSouth 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.

In 2004, The Marvel Comic themed film "The Punisher" starring Thomas Jane, John Travolta, Rebecca Romijn, Roy Scheider, and Will Patton was filmed in Tampa and Pinellas county.

Tampa is located on the West coast of Florida at 27°58′15″N, 82°27′53″W (27.970898, -82.464640).GR1 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 Hillsborough 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. The highest point in the city is only in the forties.

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 occasional 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.[16] The lowest temperature ever recorded in Tampa was 18 °F (-7.8 °C) on December 13, 1962.[17]
The 1977 snowfall
The 1977 snowfall

In the Great Blizzard of 1899, Tampa suffered its one and only blizzard, with bay effect snow coming off of Tampa Bay.[18] [2] The last measurable snow in Tampa occurred on January 19, 1977; the accumulation amounted to 0.2 inches.

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).[19] Other times of the year, the temperatures are moderate and sunshine is abundant.

Thunderstorms are a major concern on summer afternoons, as Florida is the lightning capital of the U.S.[20] 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. Tampa has a pronounced wet season, averaging 20.6 inches (524 mm) between July and September, but only 6.2 inches (157 mm) between November and January. The wettest month is August, which averages 7.6 inches (193 mm); November is the driest month, averaging only 1.6 inches (41 mm). Yearly precipitation averages 44.8 inches (1137 mm).[21]

Another major concern for Tampa is the Atlantic hurricane season which runs from June 1 to November 30 and peaks in September. Tampa feels the effects of tropical systems, on average, every two to three years, but the city has not had a direct hit by a hurricane since the 1930s. If a category four or five hit the area, Tampa would see a storm surge of 25-30 ft. This surge, coupled with the fact that most of the downtown area is within five feet of sea level, means that Tampa could see greater destruction than Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst disasters in American history.[22]

Tampa also is popularly known as the "Lightning Capital of the United States" (Kiufka, DRC maintains the World title)[23], due in part to the frequent, dangerous and (on rare occasions) deadly lightning strikes.

Culture

Tourism

Galleries and museums

* African Art Gallery
* American Victory Museum
* Artists Unlimited located in the Channelside district.
* Cigar Museum And Visitor Center is in Ybor City.
* Covivant Gallery is on North Florida av. heading downtown.
* Flight 19, a gallery located in the Union Train Station located at 601 North Nebraska Ave. is programmed by Experimental Skeleton
* Graphicstudio is a world famous print studio located at USF.
* Henry B. Plant Museum is located at the University of Tampa across the Hillsborough River from downtown.
* Kid City, the Children's Museum of Tampa. It is located alongside Lowry Park Zoo
* 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 enthusiasm for a career in police work.
* Ybor City Museum State Park is near downtown Tampa in Ybor City.
* Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is a photography museum located at the corner of Tampa and Jackson Streets, across from the Hyatt.
* USF Contemporary Art Museum

Attractions and points of interest

* Florida Aquarium
* Adventure Island, a 23-acre water park composed of fantastic slides, (wave) pools, and a lazy river. Adventure Island is owned by Busch Brewing Company is directly across the road from the famed Busch Gardens
* Channel District, Tampa, upscale nightlife district featuring higher-end restaurants, clubs, and an IMAX movie theatre
* Soho, trendy nightlife district featuring upscale clubs, many fine restaurants, and a 24-hour Starbucks
* 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[3] is a historical district in South Tampa with many fine architectural examples.
* 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 skateboard contests.
* 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 historic 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.
* Malibu Grand Prix, renamed to Tampa Grand Prix, featuring a large realistic go kart track, and other family attractions
* Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 24-hour gaming/nightlife venue and certified four-diamond hotel/resort
* 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 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.

Zoological parks and aquariums

* 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 vertical drop roller coaster, one of only two in the United States. The other one is Griffon, at Busch Gardens Europe.
* 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.

Landmarks

* Sulphur Springs Water Tower is a highly visible but somewhat mysterious landmark.[citation needed]
* Sidewalk along upscale Bayshore Boulevard, longest continuous sidewalk in the U.S.
* Babe Zaharias Golf Course in the Forest Hills area of Tampa has been designated a Historical Landmark by the National Register of Historic Places. 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.[24]

* 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 commissioned in 2003 by the City of Tampa's Public Art Program and can be found in the lobby of the Tampa Municipal Office Building.[25]

* The Tampa Riverwalk is a project in the works, designed to open the Hillsborough River, which winds through the city, to the people.[26]

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.

Events

* 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 last Saturday of January 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 Festival
* Imagine International Film Festival

Performing arts

Cinema

* 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.)

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 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 Center

Music

* The Florida Orchestra in a professional orchestra that plays concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater
* The Tampa Bay Symphony is an all-volunteer community orchestra that gives concerts throughout the Tampa Bay area

See also: Jook music

Tampa in TV/film/novels/pop culture

* Air Force
* Anna in the Tropics (play by Nilo Cruz)
* Black Like Me
* Cigar City Mafia by Scott M. Deitche
* Cocoon
* Cop and a Half
* Coupe de Ville
* Edward Scissorhands
* A Guy Named Joe
* Goodfellas
* Hell Harbor
* Lethal Weapon III
* The Norseman
* Orion's Cloud
* The Parent Trap II
* The Punisher
* Second Noah (TV Series)
* Strategic Air Command
* A Time To Kill
* Tony Hawk's Underground
* Triggerfish Twist (novel)
* "100 Tears"

See also: Tampa Chapter of the FL Motion Picture and Television Assoc.[27]

For up to date information on the film and television industry in the Tampa Bay area, go to Green Room Tampa Bay

Languages

As of 2000, English spoken as a first language accounted for 77.43% of all residents, while 22.56% spoke other languages as their mother tongue. The most significant was Spanish speakers who made up 17.76% of the population, while French came up as the third most spoken language, which made up 0.63%, and Italian was at fourth, with 0.56% of the population.[28]


Religion

Tampa's first church was the First Methodist Church, founded in a cabin by circuit rider J.C. Lay in 1846. The most famous church, however, is the Sacred Heart Church which was officially opened in 1905. The city also contains St. Paul's A.M.E. Church which was founded by Reverend Thomas W. Long in 1870 and is Tampa's oldest African-American congregation, and First Presbyterian Church which is housed in a Spanish mission style building from 1930. There are also many other churches such as St. Patrick Catholic Church and Christ the King Catholic Church. The First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was one of the first also, in 1899 the church was downtown on top of the old railroad station which is still there today. It has since been remodeled into restrooms. The church moved in the 1920's to Hyde Park Avenue. And has been a part in starting satellite churches throughout the area.[29]


Shopping

* 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 Brandon, A fairly large mall located in an eastern suburb, Brandon, with Sears, Dillards, Macy's and JCPenney as anchors.
* Westfield 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.
* 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. Hyde Park is accessible by trolley from downtown, the Cruise Port and Ybor City.

Sports

Club Sport League Stadium
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Football National Football League (NFL) - NFC Raymond James Stadium
Tampa Bay Devil Rays Baseball Major League Baseball - AL Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey National Hockey League (NHL) - Eastern Conference St. Pete Times Forum
Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football Arena Football League (AFL) St. Pete Times Forum
University of South Florida Bulls Football College Football NCAA - Big East Conference Raymond James Stadium
University of South Florida Bulls Basketball College Basketball NCAA - Big East Conference USF Sun Dome
Main entrance to Raymond James Stadium
Main entrance to Raymond James Stadium
St. Pete Times Forum
St. Pete Times Forum
Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field
The USF Sun Dome
The USF Sun Dome

Tampa is represented by teams in four major professional sports leagues; the NFL, the NHL,Major League Baseball, and the Arena Football League. Three of the teams 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 against the Oakland Raiders. The NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning was established in 1992, and currently play their games in the St. Pete Times Forum. The team won their first Stanley Cup championship in Tampa in an ultimate game 7 against the Calgary Flames 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 eight of the nine seasons they have played. The Tampa Bay Storm play in the 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, winning more than any other AFL team. Since 1997, the team has played its home games in the St. Pete Times Forum, which is located in Tampa.

Other sports teams include:

* The Bay Area Krewe rugby union team who play at Skyview Park
* The Tampa Bay Titans rugby union team

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.

Tampa has hosted three Super Bowls. Super Bowl 18 (1984) and Super Bowl 25 (1991). Super Bowl 35 was played in the newly built Raymond James Stadium in 2001. Tampa is slated to host the Super Bowl in February 2009.

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 Dunedin

And 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: Knology Park in Dunedin

Sporting Events:

* The NCAA football Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium is held in Tampa each January.[citation needed]
* Three Super Bowls have been held in Tampa, which will also be hosting the Super Bowl in 2009.
* The USHRA holds an event every January at Raymond James Stadium.

Media

Newspapers

Daily

* St. Petersburg Times, 9th largest newspaper in the country
* The Tampa Tribune[4]
* 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 (University of South Florida): Daily student newspaper

Weekly

* La Gaceta: The nation's only trilingual newspaper, written in English, Spanish and Italian.
* Creative Loafing: A free "alternative" tabloid, formerly published as Weekly Planet.
* Tampa Bay Business Journal: A subscription tabloid focusing on local business news.
* South Tampa News: Free tabloid community newspaper.
* Centro Mi Diario: Free Spanish-language newspaper published by The Tampa Tribune.
* Tampa Bay Newspapers: Publishes community newspapers, including the Seminole Beacon, Beach Beacon, Largo Leader, Belleair Bee, Clearwater Citizen and Pinellas Park Beacon.


Economy

Like much of Florida, Tampa's economy is heavily based on services and tourism.[citation needed] 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.

The downtown area is undergoing significant development and redevelopment in line with a general national trend toward urban residential development. The Tampa Downtown Partnership notes development proceeding on 20 residential, hotel, and mixed-use projects as of April 2007.[30] Many of the new downtown developments are nearing completion in the midst of a housing market slump, which has caused numerous projects to be delayed or revamped,[31] and some of the 20 projects TDP lists have not broken ground and are being refinanced. Nonetheless several developments are nearing completion, which city leaders hope will make downtown into a 24-hour neighborhood instead of 9 to 5 business district.[32]

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. Many cruise ships anchor in Tampa as well.[33]

Three Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered in the metropolitan area-- OSI Restaurant Partners (the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and Bonefish Grill), TECO which provides energy for the surrounding area, and Raymond James Financial, the namesake of Buccaneers home field Raymond James Stadium. Fortune 500 company Tech Data is based across the bay in Clearwater, Florida.[citation needed]

Wikipedia is based in Tampa, with additional servers in Amsterdam and Seoul.

Government

Tampa is governed under the strong mayor form of government. The Mayor of Tampa is the chief executive officer of city government. The City Council is a legislative body. Pam Iorio is the current mayor of Tampa.

The city's web site has won awards for excellence.

Demographics
City of Tampa
Population by year[34], [35]

1850 - 974[36]
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
2005 - 326,519(Est.)
2006 - 334,550(Est.)

As of the censusGR2 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 are Puerto Ricans. There are significant populations from Cuban, Italian, Mexican, 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 34.7 years old. 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.


Infrastructure
HARTline logo
HARTline logo
A TECO streetcar picking up passengers in Ybor City.
A TECO streetcar picking up passengers in Ybor City.

Airports

* Tampa International Airport (IATA: TPA, ICAO: KTPA) is the city's main airport and, as of 2005, is ranked as the 27th-busiest in the US.[37] In March 2003, Condé Nast Traveler magazine ranked the airport #1 in the US and #3 in the world for its creativity and interior design.[38]
* Peter O. Knight Airport (IATA: TPF, ICAO: KTPF)is a small general aviation terminal located on Davis Islands near downtown.
* Vandenberg Airport (IATA: VDF, ICAO: KVDF) is another option for general aviation fliers.
* St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (IATA: PIE, ICAO: KPIE) is across the bay and offers another option for air travelers.

MacDill Air Force Base

MacDill 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. Like the port, it could potentially be a target for terrorism.

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 2001 and 2003, the Tampa Bay area was awarded the Abilene Trophy, which annually honors the most supportive Air Force city in Air Mobility Command.

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.[citation needed]

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. Carnival Cruise Lines regularly departs from the Port of Tampa on Mexican and Caribbean cruise sailings.

Mass transit

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) operates streetcars as well as the bus system. HART has a signed transit deal with the University of South Florida, allowing students to ride for free on most bus routes.[39] In addition, students from several other colleges and universities can purchases passes at half price from their school.[40]

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.[citation needed] Currently, the line has 10 stops along its 2.4 mile (3.9 km) route.[41]

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
* Interbay Boulevard