After a month long success of baseball and softball Spring Training Showcase in 2008, the National Club Baseball Association/National Club Softball Association has once again named Tampa as their main host location for their 2009 Spring Training Showcase.

Mike Sansone Park in Plant City will be the physical location for this year’s showcase with the Red Rose Inn & Suites, less than 2 minutes away, as the official host hotel and sponsor.  Last year this showcase brought in revenue of over one million dollars along with 1,000 plus players and spectators during players spring break.  This year’s showcase will look to replicate and surpass 2008’s numbers as they are expecting over 60 clubs to be in attendance. 

NCBA and NCSA have confidence in Tampa and their baseball and softball events, as over the last 3 years there has been a steady 10% increase each year in their tournaments held in the Tampa area!

I don't know about you guys but I like saving money and am a sucker for a good deal! So before you take that family vacation and start to book a hotel be sure to check out the Hot Deals section of our website. 
As we get closer to the end of the football season and approach events like the ACC Football Championship, Outback Bowl, and that small little event known as the Super Bowl (insert sarcasm here), you might want to get an early start on making sure you got a place to lay your head! 

Lately we seem to have more hotel deals than we know what to do with! Properties like the Intercontinental Tampa, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, and the Doubletree Hotel Tampa Westshore Airport just to name a few. 

Of course we got you covered on the dining and nightlife front from free drinks, early seating coupons, to free beignets! We add to this list on a regular basis so be sure to check it out save some cash! 

The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee announced on Friday, Nov. 14 that they have chosen Tampa Bay as host for the 2015 Women's Final Four Championship games! Tampa Bay was host to the 2008 tournament, which was held at the St. Petersburg Times Forum in April. The event was such a huge success that the NCAA decided to award Tampa with one of the five open years.

The other cities that were chosen for future tournaments were Denver (2012), New Orleans (2013), Nashville (2014) and Indianapolis (2016). 

Tampa Bay is looking forward to another great event in 2015... bring on the basketball madness! It seems like it's far away now, but it will be here before we know it.


Thanks for stopping by and keep checking back for more about the beautiful destination that is Tampa Bay!

That’s right!  After months of effort and planning, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee has chosen to host the 2015 Women’s Final Four Championship in Tampa Bay!  The Women’s Final Four rolled through Tampa Bay this past April, and to say it was a success wouldn’t do it justice. 

No matter who you are, or where you worked, this past April you absolutely KNEW that the NCAA Women’s Final Four was here.  This one single tournament has an estimated Direct Economic Impact of more than $19 MILLION. 

That means, whether it’s an attraction, a restaurant, or a hotel…or even if you were just having your meeting or convention in the area, then this event had an impact on you. 

From the Westshore District to Ybor City and throughout Tampa Bay, there were Women’s Final Four activities going on everywhere.  As far as things to do in Tampa Bay were concerned, this topped the list.  And now we can look forward to its return in 2015. 

The NCAA also chose host cities for 2012-16, which were: 2012 – Denver, Colo.; 2013 – New Orleans, La.; 2014 – Nashville, Tenn.; 2015 – Tampa Bay, Fla.; 2016 – Indianapolis, Ind. 

Check out some more information here – Women’s Final Four in Tampa Bay.

Were you here for the last Women’s Final Four, or have you attended the event elsewhere?  Drop a line and tell us about it.  

Until next time, keep checking back here for the latest on Tampa Bay area events.  From attractions to hotel updates and even Tampa Bay emergency information, we’ll have it ready for you. 

Are you ready for some USL SoccerFest!  November 20-25^th marks this year’s third annual USL Soccer Fest in Tampa.  This annual event is hosted together by USL and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.  This year’s annual event consists of a five day Super Y-League North American Finals, a five-a-side frenzy, a three day USL Annual General Meeting and various festivities throughout. 

Soccer matches will be played at Ed Radice Sports Complex along with the Land O’Lakes Recreation Center.  Watch as over 130 youth soccer teams from North America battle it out for their chance at a league championship. 

The USL Annual General Meeting is a three day meeting which will be held at the host hotel in the Grand Hyatt.  This meeting consists of over 300 plus soccer coaches, franchises, and team owners discussing important issues facing the USL community.  During the AGM, there will also be numerous seminars and expos on how to improve and build up individual USL organizations.

Another great example of a  great sports event here in the bay area!  Be sure to check out all the games and  enjoy Tampa Bay in your downtime!

I am sure that you are as ready for the weekend as I am. And as I have said before, there is so much to do in Tampa Bay, that there is just no possible way to fit everything in. Here are a few Tampa Bay area events and activites from our partners going on this weekend.

Tonight, Channelside Bay Plaza is hosting a smooth jazz session in the Channelside Courtyard. From 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. stop by for the smooth sounds of Al Chisolm + The On Que Players. Afterwards, you can walk over to Howl at the Moon and sing along with the piano players, Splitsville and try to strike out in a bowling match against your friends, Sling Shots for line dancing lessons or one of the many other Channelside Bay Plaza hot spots for some Tampa Bay nightlife.

Saturday, head over to Centennial Park in Ybor City to celebrate the history that once made Tampa the “Cigar Capital of the World’ with the 10th Annual Cigar Heritage Festival. The festival will include a kid zone, lessons in Sicilian wine making and sausage making, cigar rolling, dominos, live entertainment and even a charity beer garden. Oh, and did I mention it’s free admission?

If you’re still going strong Sunday night, Jimmy Fallon will be at the Tampa Improv. Tickets are sold out for both showings Saturday night, so if you want to get in on Sunday, log on and buy your tickets A.S.A.P! Jimmy Fallon, one of my favorite comedians, is best known for his impressions on Saturday Night Live and roles in movies like Taxi and Fever Pitch.

A weekend like this will probably leave you with a severe case of the Monday’s when it’s over. Make sure you come back and tell me how it went and what you’re planning for next weekend. Until then, have fun and be safe! For a complete list of Tampa Bay area events, check out our Calendar of Events.

Want to see the next major wrestling Superstar before anybody else? For almost 5 years, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) has been the spot to get your live wrestling fix in Tampa Bay. Now, FCW is officially sanctioned and recently reorganized by WWE, making it the arena where tomorrow’s WWE Superstars are trained.

Past FCW talent includes: Mike Graham, Dusty Rhodes, Jack Brisco, Gerry Brisco, Steve Keirn, Barry Windham, Kevin Sullivan, Dick Slater and more. With 60 different talents from 14 different countries, the shows will have you on the edge of your seat cheering! Also, fans can expect WWE Superstars to make regular guest appearances on FCW programming and live events.

Every Thursday night the arena will host a Wrestling Extravaganza and everyone is invited. The wrestling matches will also be aired on Brighthouse Sports Network on Thursday at 11:30 p.m. and Saturday at 6:00 pm. so you don’t ever have to miss a match!

So what are you waiting for? Tickets are only $10 for adults and $5 for kids 10 and under. Check out the WWE Superstars of tomorrow ringside, tomorrow night!

Let's go OutBack tonight! Hola internet peoples, Jerm here with a partner website update for ya! As we draw ever so near to the end of the college football season, and the numerous New year's day bowl games, fans of the SEC and Big Ten, should pay close attention to www.OutBackBowl.com to see if their respective hometown teams will be making plane trips to Tampa Bay. 
The Outback Bowl is Tampa Bay's New Year's Day college football game matching teams from the SEC and Big Ten Conference (3rd pick from each).  If the season were to end today, it looks like we would see an Ohio State vs Georgia matchup which would be an awesome matchup and sure to draw a sellout crowd. You never know though, as this college football season has provided one surprise upset after another so you can never be to sure!

If you are wondering if your team will make it to Tampa for the game then I suggest bookmarking this site, as the team announcement is most likely to break at this website first!

In addition to team announcements as far as who will be playing in the game, you can expect to find information on fan housing, tailgate parties, hotels, things to do, and schedules of game week events!

Be sure to log on and check it out!

Looking for something a little different this weekend? How about an art viewing or perhaps a wine tasting? This weekend is packed with arts and culture in Tampa Bay. Here are a few fun (and affordable!) events going on this weekend with some of our partners.

If you are interested in art and art history, the Salvador Dali Museum holds regular Avant-garde Lecture Series’. On Friday at 6:30 p.m., guest speaker Andrew Laird will be talking about the origins of Classical influences from Greece and Rome in Mexican, Cuban and North American art, myth and nationalism. Even better, the lecture is free with museum admission which is only $5 after 5:00 p.m.

Also on Friday, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center will be hosting their Scene on the Green. This month’s showing is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Don’t forget to bring lawn chairs and blankets for this free, outdoor movie showing on the TBPAC Riverwalk.Keep your fingers crossed that the Tampa Bay weather stays fabulous!

Visit Malio’s Prime Steakhouse Saturday night for the San Rafael Wine and Live Music Series. From 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. there will be a wine tasting of MAIRENA Vinos De Mendoza paired with specialty cheeses by Malio's. From 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. enjoy live music from Half Circle and Friends. A whole evening for just $20.00 per person!

In honor of Veteran’s Day, MOSI will bring in patriotic music, hands-on science exhibits and an IMAX Dome Theatre film to honor our country’s heroes! Times for the special event vary. For all of our hometown (and visiting from out of town) heroes, November 8-11 MOSI will offer free admission to the museum for all active and retired military personnel, EMTs, firefighters, and police officers.

Invite a little culture into your life this weekend. While you’re at it, have fun! Don’t forget to come back Monday and tell me what you ended up doing this weekend in Tampa Bay! For a complete list of things to do in Tampa Bay this weekend, check out our Calendar of Events.

If you have some time this afternoon, stop by the USF Recreation Center where an event called Hoops of Hope will be taking place. This event is a part national movement where participants shoot basketball free throws in an effort to help children orphaned by AIDS. 

Hoops of Hope was started four years ago by Austin Gutwein who shot 2,057 free throws on World AIDS Day to represent the number of children who are orphaned daily from parents who die of AIDS. Oh, and did I mention that he was 10-year-old at the time? Since then, he has been traveling the country to inspire people to participate.

If you want to help support the cause, you can register at the door. The program will go on from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. tonight.

So did the title get your attention? Well it's completely true! Tampa's premier animal attraction, Lowry Park Zoo, is in the process of adding 17,000 square feet of meeting space to their Safari Africa habitat area.

The Safari Lodge will feature two adjoining rooms, which can either be rented out together or separately depending on how much space you need for your event. The 11,000-square-foot Grand Hall is themed as an African courtyard, featuring a facade of authentic-looking hutch-style homes and a rustic tile floor. It even features a cloud and star machine that help transform the ceiling into an African night sky.

The Reilly Reserve is a 3,000-square-foot elevated annex that boasts a panoramic view of the park's African safari, home to giraffes, elephants, zebras and more. The safari will also be lit up at night, which will offer guests a breath-taking view of some stunning creatures in their authentic habitat. The patio area outside of the Reserve is also perfect for cocktail receptions before a seated dinner in the lodge, or just to use as extra space for a large banquet.

The Safari Lodge is set to be completed in early December of this year. It is going to be a sight to see and I am looking forward to being able to offer this unique meeting space to our clients.

As always, thanks for stopping by and checking out what's going on in the exciting world of Tampa Bay meetings!

It’s official – the coolest way to tour Tampa’s downtown waterfront has taken off and is full-speed ahead!  Whether you are a visitor or a resident, you’ll want to hop on your “Segway Personal Transporter,” which weighs 105 pounds, rolls on 19-inch tires, zips down the sidewalk at a maximum 12 miles per hour, and travels 24 miles between plug-in recharges. 

Chances are that you have already seen this small fleet of upright Segways zipping through Cotanchobee Park or gliding silently along the Bayshore Boulevard sidewalk.  The company responsible – Magic Carpet Glide Tours, which opened in early October.  Now I know what you are asking yourselves…what route do you take? 

Well, from Channelside, tours pass by the St. Pete Times Forum, follow the Tampa Riverwalk, pass around the Tampa Convention Center, and then move to Bayshore Boulevard, passing by Tampa’s famous Gasparilla ship, the Jose Gaspar.  Tours continue onto Davis Islands, where riders can enjoy a lovely view of downtown Tampa from a different vantage point.  From there, riders Segway over to Harbour Island, and then back to the starting point at Channelside.

And the cost is pretty good too.  Tours cost $50 per person for 90 minutes.  Tour times are 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 5:30pm.  For more information or to make a reservation you can call Magic Carpet Glide at 813-380-1916.  You can even visit their website – www.magiccarpetglide.com.

Take a ride and let us know what you think…inquiring minds want to know! 

Until next time, keep checking back here to see the latest Tampa Bay area events, updates on Tampa Bay Tours, and what's new on the Tampa Bay sports scene, the hottest updates from venues from Ybor City to the Westshore plaza, and so much more. 

Firstly, Kudos to fellow blogger 'Jerm' for the title on this one.

Now the christening of the Title by Jerm was preceded by a little info on
an event in Tampa Bay the likes of which I’ve only rarely come across, and no, it’s not just a light show. It’s a huge compilation of award winning artists, and art installations that emphasize technology and education, from all over the world. This is a biennial event and this time around it starts on January 10th, 2009, and goes on till February 2nd, 2009, charging up Super Bowl fans.

The installation locations include, “The Tampa Convention Center and Riverwalk, USF Park, Cotanchobee Park, and Fort Brooke Parking Garage. Community members, and visitors will celebrate the opening of Lights On Tampa 2009 through a pedestrian-friendly public event in order to experience each of the destinations.” The show is dedicated to giving everyone a “multi-sensory experience” with interactive experiences including ‘Shared Virtual Experiences’ like a Cell-phone engagement and podcasts.If your looking for some quick general info, go to www.lightsontampa.org.

Come January, I predict a possible overall rise in blood-pressure around Tampa, with footballs fans practically foaming at the mouth, men giving coats to shivering women, and of course breaking of New Year resolutions! Well no matter what your condition or schedule, make sure you check out every single exhibit at Lights on Tampa Bay.

Mark your calendar and put your mothers’ picture next to it, cus this baby is not gonna be delivered again for another two years. So I, will see you there!

Its the start of a new month here in Tampa Bay and you know what that means! Yup you guess it, its E-Newsletter time here in Tampa Bay. I just sent out this month's edition on Friday and man was it loaded with stuff to do in November. I thought Thankgiving would be the highlight of my month, but I was wrong. 
Click here to view the latest edition so hurry up and book your flight and hotel info here, as this is the most beautiful time of year here in Florida with the sunny warm weather. Pay particular note to the calendar of events as we got a lot going on this month. 

Also, a big congrats goes out to the AL East Champion Tampa Bay Rays for an awesome season!

It’s Friday, and you know what that means… here’s what to do this weekend in Tampa Bay. Our partners are bringing you a ton of things to do in Tampa Bay this holiday weekend!

As it is Halloween, Friday you should be doing something holiday related. If you don’t have any small children to take trick-or-treating (or even after they’re done and tucked in for the night), The Florida Aquarium is throwing its 11th annual Halloween costume bash, Nauti-Night. From 8:00 pm to midnight enjoy steak and shrimp skewers, beer, wine, soda and live entertainment (all included with the cost of admission). The costume contest is offering a $2,500 cash prize for the most original costume. Not only is it the “It” party to be at, it’s also for a good cause. Proceeds from the event go to The Florida Aquarium marine science education.

On Saturday and Sunday, the 20th Annual Ruskin Seafood Festival, is going on. There will be live music, a boat show, arts&crafts, a Kid’s Fun Land area and, of course, as much savory, fresh seafood fare as you can handle.

Also, it’s Grandparent’s Weekend atDinosaur World where Saturday and Sunday grandparent’s get free admission to the park when they bring a grandchild. So grab you’re favorite grandkid and go check out the 150+ life size dinosaurs, dig for fossils, explore a “boneyard” and dine in the “Caves” (a subterranean picnic area).

Have fun, be safe and don’t forget to come back and drop me a comment Monday to let me know how your weekend was. For a full listing of weekend events make sure you check out our onlineCalendar of Events.

Happy Halloween from Tampa Bay & Company!

As promised in one of my posts last week, I told you guys we were going to be doing our Facebook thing here at VisitTampaBay.com. It took me long enough, but I actually got it up and running and we are officially on there now!

If you already have a Facebook profile, be sure to log on and become a fan of ours and participate in discussion boards, check out photos and imagery, and be the first to know about blog posts & calendar of events updates! If you don't have one, then hop in my Volkswagen and let me drive you into the year 2008, as its really easy to setup.

Use the link above to get you there, or if you want something easy to remember, then just log on to www.VisitTampaBay.com/Facebook.

So stay tuned as I should be getting us on Flickr and possibly Linkedin sometime in the near future.

Okay so I know the title may be a bit misleading, but I couldn't think of a better way to start this one off!  Seeing as how times are rough economic wise and all I figured this would be an awesome site to share with my faithful readers.

So if you don't have the cash to fly for the holidays and want to take that road trip you have been planning since senior year of college and never got around to... then let me help you and your gas tank out. Cost 2 Drive is a  slick new trip planning tool that lets you calculate how much money you can expect to spend on gas when traveling.

Even though the price of gas has fallen in recent weeks, this would still be some good info to know. The Galculator as its called (get it... "gas calculator") is the tool that determines the mileage from your trip, make&model of your car, and current gas rates to. I really do wish I was smart enough to think of stuff like this!

So when you are drivign to Tampa, for to see that big event, like the Super Bowl, ACC Football Championship, or Gasparilla, be sure to give this site a look-see to plan your trip.

Want to check out tonight’s Bulls game against Cincinnati but don’t want to stay at home? Head over to USF’s Sun Dome Arena for Bulls Frenzy II, a free watch party. The Bulls need to kick some Bearcat butt tonight in order to stay in the Big East Conference, so this game is going to be intense.

Join the sea of green-clad USF student to cheer on the hometown team in a great party atmosphere. Above and beyond watching the nationally televised game via big screen, the 2008 – 2009 men’s and women’s basketball teams will be introduced to the crowd. During the Bull Frenzy there will also be interactive games on the basketball court with both teams and the students as well as free t-shirts and other giveaways.

The free event is open to the general public. The game will start at 7:30 pm, but doors open at 6:30 pm so make sure you get there early! Wear green and cheer loud! Afterwards, come back and tell me what you thought of the Bulls and the Bearcats.

Go Bulls!

On Monday, the weather dipped to a crisp 70 something degrees and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was the perfect for a day on the green, so that’s exactly where we went for another fabulous Tampa Bay&Company event.

Our 15th Annual Golf Tournament, Tee Off for Tourism was the best way to kill a few hours in the middle of the day. This year’s tournament attracted 68 golfers from all over the Bay area to the lush Emerald Greens Golf Resort & Country Club. We also hosted an online auction of donated hotel stays and attraction tickets among other vacation getaway packages that raised about $10,000.

The proceeds from both the tournament and auction are being used to fund five college scholarships for local Hillsborough County high school students completing the Academy of Travel & Tourism program. Not only was the tournament a blast, it was for a good cause!

All in all, the tournament was a success. If you’re coming to visit Tampa Bay and want to get a few games of golf in, make sure you check out our list of partner golf resorts. If you’ve been to any of our local golf resorts, drop a comment and let me know how your Tampa Bay golf experience went.

One of the perks of my job is that I get to experience different restaurants and attractions first-hand in order to know the product that we promote in our community and also write about it in our sales blog and quarterly newsletter. Yesterday I got to experience something that was completely different than anything I had done with the company so far... I went on a water adventure ride!

Tampa Bay&Company staff members were invited to get an exclusive look at a brand new attraction that is now being offered to individuals and groups alike. I was one of the 15 staff members that was brave enough to face this powerful creature on the water. And I was happy that I did.

White Lightning, a new thrill ride in the form of a 1200-horse-power jet boat, is docked at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel in downtown. This boat can seat up to 42 people and is also available for charters. It would be perfect to charter a boat for a small group of attendees that want to get a unique view of the city. You get a fantastic view of downtown Tampa, the Bay, Harbour Island, the St. Pete Times Forum and much more. And it wouldn't be right to not mention how they blasted AC/DC and Bob Marley to set the mood on the way out to the open water.

I can definitely say without a doubt that this attraction is one that you cannot miss. I'm glad I took one for the team, now it's YOUR turn!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog. Make sure to ask questions or make comments as you see fit. And make sure to keep coming back for more Tampa Bay meetings info!