Are you a meeting planner who is interested in Tampa Bay for one of your next meetings? Are you also a football fan who would like to go to the biggest game of the year? If you can answer YES to both of those questions, then I have some exciting news for you....

Tampa Bay area Marriott and Renaissance hotels have joined together to create an amazing opportunity for meeting planners. If you submit a qualified RFP (any group that requires more than 10 or more guest rooms on peak night) by January 16, 2009 to a participating Marriott or Renaissance hotel, you will automatically be entered into a drawing to win an awesome prize: The winners will receive 2 tickets to Super Bowl XLIII, taking place on Sunday, Feb. 1 at Raymond James Stadium, along with 2-nights' accommodations and a site visit of the city. 

To enter the drawing, simply click on this link to view the participating hotels, then submit your RFP by January 16, and cross your fingers!

Good luck everyone! Keep checking back for more information on Tampa Bay meetings.  

 

Tampa Bay&Company is looking forward to hosting the American Composites Manufacturers Association's 2009 Convention & Trade Show this weekend. The annual tradeshow will take place at the Tampa Convention Center and meeting delegates will be staying in Tampa's downtown hotels. We are expecting up to 5,000 attendees from Saturday, Jan. 10 through Friday, Jan. 16. The estimated economic impact which is mostly from attendee spending, is expected to be around $1.8 million.





The American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) represents 850 of approximately 3000 composites manufacturers and suppliers to the industry. ACMA provides a forum for the composites industry to develop and enhance shared opportunities and address common challenges. To learn more about ACMA, visit their Web site at www.ACMAnet.org. 

Thanks for reading my little Tampa Bay Meetings tid bit. I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year, and make sure to keep coming back for more info on Tampa Bay!

Ok, we like to share big news,and since the Seminole Hard Rock is HUGE in Tampa, especially since they just got Blackjack (a little hint for all you gambling fans out there), we just had to share. 

This just in -

"The Hard Rock announced the first BIG Seminole Player’s Club winner of 2009.  Rhonda H. of Plant City won a Lexus 600 HL (Hybrid) valued at $113,265.45 in the 2009 Reasons to Win Promotion on January 1st! Participants in the 2009 Reasons to Win Promotion had a chance to win $2,009 or a “key” to a Lexus 600HL hourly from 12 pm to 8 pm with a grand prize “key off” at 8:30pm on January 1st. At each hourly drawing, the winner received a key that could have opened the Lexus LS 600HL. At 8:30pm, all nine winners tried their key, the key that started the car (Rhonda) won the car and the other eight participants received $2,009 in cash.  The winner of the Lexus 600HL could have chosen a cash option in lieu of the car."

Now, how is that for excitment in Tampa Bay??!!  Make sure you head over to the Hard Rock for some of the best Tampa Bay entertainment in town. 

Keep checking back here for more Tampa Bay area events and updates, as well as for things to do in Tampa Bay!

Equestrian events are continuing to hit their stride and generate significant economic impact for Hillsborough County!  

More than 2,000 fans and competitors came out to experience the 39th Annual Arabian Horse Association of Florida’s Thanksgiving Arabian Show/Regional Championship Horse Show.  The event produced nearly 1,900 hotel room nights creating $1.1 Million in Estimated Delegate Spending.  The history of the Arabian Horse Association of Florida dates back to the early 1950's when a group in south Florida who loved the Arabian horse banded together to plan the future of the Arab in the state.  


The primary purposes of the Florida Association are to promote Arabian horses in the state, maintain the annual high point awards and futurity programs, and to encourage shows throughout the state.  

For more information, log on to www.ahaflorida.org.

The 2008 United Soccer Leagues SoccerFest, which featured the Super Y-League North American Finals and the organization’s Annual General Meeting enjoyed another successful year in Tampa Bay.

The tournament came to Tampa Bay from Nov. 19-25 with more than 7,500 fans and participants.  This year’s SoccerFest produced more than 7,700 hotel room nights, which created $4 Million in Estimated Delegate Spending.  More than 130 teams, including four local teams, competed at locations across the Tampa Bay area, including Ed Radice Field and the Land O Lakes Recreation Complex. 

The United Soccer Leagues is the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America.  To learn more, visit www.uslsoccer.com.

Ok, we always provide you with the best things to do in Tampa Bay, so when this came across the computer screen, we just had to share.  This just in from the City of Tampa –

Welcome Iowa and South Carolina fans to Ybor City!  The 23rd Anniversary Outback Bowl Parade and Pep Rally will take place today (New Year’s Eve) from 5:30pm - 8:30pm.  The event includes a parade of high school bands and the two college bands followed by a pep rally on the corner of 14th Street and 7th Avenue.

On-street parking and public lot parking in the area will available until 1:00pm (firm).  Parking signs will be installed stating “No Parking After 1pm”. Cars must be removed by 1:00pm to avoid towing.  Pedestrian barricades will be installed starting at 1:30 pm on 7th Avenue from 14th St. to 20th St.  No on-street parking will be permitted between 20th St. and 26th St. 

7th Avenue from Nick Nuccio Parkway to 21st Street and north/south side streets from 6th Ave to Palm will be closed by 3:30pm, unless crowds call for an earlier closure. Westbound traffic on Palm will be allowed to turn south on 15th Street to utilize the Centro Ybor Valet and Palm Ave Garage. The event will end at approximately 8:30pm. The pedestrian barricades will be removed following the parade, and 7th Ave will be re-opened at 9:00pm unless crowds dictate otherwise. 

EVENT SCHEDULE
Event Staging   ……………………………………………..    1:30pm
Parade (on 7th Avenue from 20th to 14th Streets) ………  5:30pm
Pep Rally (Parking Lot at 14th Street and 7th Ave) ……..    7:00pm-8:30pm

Now, if that doesn’t sound like fun, then I don’t have anything else for ya!  Ybor City provides it all...if you are looking for places to eat or where to stay, then head on down.  Plus, they have some fo the best Tampa Bay Nightlife out there!  

In case you need it - for more street closure information, call Tampa Police Department.

See you all out there! 

Merry Christmas all... Jerm here with a holiday blog update for you Super Bowl fans! As promised I told you that I would be updating the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay page on our website as we got new info about the big game.

This weeks update come from our friends over at Navteq and NxtBook. In addition to the Visit Tampa Bay version of the Travel Planner (stay tuned for that update later), feel free to browse through the Official Super Bowl Event Guide and get the scoop on all of the NFL sponsored events that will be going on that week ofthe game.

With officically 38 days left until kickoff, the game will be here before you know it so make sure you got your hotel, attractions, golf, and other entertainment plans already set in place so you can be sure to make the most of your Visit to Tampa Bay in February!

Stay tuned in for more as we get new updates and such!!!

Don't know about you guys, but this weekend I will be on hand to watch the USF Bulls take care of business this weekend against the Memphis Tigers in the inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl.

I was severely hurtin last week without there being any college football played, so this will be a welcome addition to my weekend! The Bulls coming off of hard fought a 7-5 season, will look to end their season on a high note versus conference USA opposition in front of a its home fans at Tropicana Field.

If you are reading this post right now and don't already have your tickets then I am not sure what you are waiting for exactly, as tickets are a steal starting at $30 a pop.

So go out and get your tickets as it should be a great atmosphere at the Trop, and oh yeah...GO BULLS!!!

Okay gang, so with the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay this year, if you plan on coming here, then you may need to know how to navigate around, need driving directions, or need to know where that cool party is.

If that is the case, then you are going to need a map of some sort right? Well we have the Official Interactive Map for the Super Bowl now brought to you by our friends at the Super Bowl Host Committee and Navteq ID Maps!

But of course you had to know that I was going to take the time out to give you a little cheesy map humor first right! I promise I will be brief:

Q. Why do senior military officials like small scale maps?
A. Because they have been GENERAL-ized.

Q: Why did the innocent map go to jail?
A: It was framed by the neatline.

Q: What is the difference between a tub full of freezing water and a depth contour? A: One is an icy bath and the other is an isobath.

WOW!!! Those were even more cheesy than my previous ones...lol, but its always good to have a little map fun. For all of your planning needs, be sure to check out the Tampa Bay&Company web site for the scoop on what to do when not at the game!

Ok, so that was a corny way to start, but this was a perfect opportunity to tell you about the volunteers that our Company relies on...ALL THE TIME!!!! 

At the heart of Tampa Bay&Company lie the many volunteers that continue to welcome visitors to our destination.  Whenever someone is wondering about the things to do in Tampa Bay, or where to eat, where to stay, hotels in Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay area beaches, Tampa Bay area events and anything else around the area, these are the folks that help out. 

During the month of November alone, Tampa Bay & Company staff and volunteers assisted more than 1,800 visitors at its Channelside Visitor Information Center and handled more than 150 visitor inquiry phone calls. And let's not forget about the 380 hours of service they put in at the VIC. 

Plus, we welcomed some really cool partners last month!  Our new members include: Dakin Dairy Farms, Dex Imaging, EliteCareMD, Holiday Inn Express Tampa Stadium - Airport Area, Jennifer Hawthorne Inc., Inspirational Speaker, La Ideal Sandwich Shop, Magic Carpet Glide, Register With Ease and Teatro on Seventh. 

We'll give you an update next month too, so stay tuned!!! 

Here at Tampa Bay&Company, we always provide visitors with the best way to plan their vacations.  From things to do in Tampa Bay, where to eat, shopping in Tampa Bay,  and Tampa Bay entertainment, the Travel Planner has you covered.  

From Tampa Bay area beaches to Ybor City and the Westshore District, visitors can begin creating their own original Tampa Bay experience before their vacation starts with Tampa Bay & Company’s 2009 Travel Planner.

The newest edition of the Travel Planner is packed with information about Tampa Bay, such as how to get around, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and various area services that are available.

Whether looking for information like the best places to shop, where to experience Tampa Bay’s arts & culture or where the best golf courses are hidden, visitors can plan out their perfect itinerary before ever setting foot in Tampa Bay.

Order your copy of the 2009 Travel Planner by visiting http://brochures.visittampabay.com or by stopping by one of Tampa Bay & Company’s Visitor Information Centers located in Channelside Bay Plaza and the Tampa Convention Center.

Have fun planning your trip to Tampa and we'll see you when you get here. 

In case you hadn't heard...we have a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay this year,  As we draw closer to the big game in February, many of you may be wondering where to go for travel related info such as hotels, attractions, stadium info etc.

Well wait no longer! Jerm just created a little page on the Tampa Bay&Company website to help you get around during all the fun such that is guaranteed to be going on while you are here.

Leading up to the event I'll be adding and removing info to the site as relevant events pop up, but in the mean time feel free to check it out and get the skinny on what all this destination has to offer when you are not at the game or the numerous parties!

And of course you know I had to throw my favorite thing in there...MAPS, MAPS, MAPS. Well, its not quite up yet, but as we draw closer I will be sure to add maps to the page so you can know where the heck you are going.

That's it for today, so be sure to keep checking the page for new updates surrounding the game!

So if you are looking for something family oriented and fun to do around the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, then look no further. Tickets went on sale this month at Ticketmaster for the The NFL Experience presented by Bank of America, pro football’s interactive fan festival that annually precedes the the big game. The events will take place on Jan. 24-25, Jan. 29-31 and will be located next to Raymond James Stadium. 

The NFL Experience spans nearly 850,000 square feet, and features more than 50 interactive games and attractions. Fans who attend The NFL Experience may test their skills in a variety of football attractions in which they can run, throw, punt, kick and pass just like the pros. 

For the skinny on this event and others going on in Tampa around the Super Bowl, visit the Super Bowl Host Committee website for more info. Until then, be sure to get your hotel, air and other travel arrangements together for the big game as they are going fast! Only 51 days left!

Just wanted to drop a quick blog about an update we recently made here at the blog space! For those of you who patiently await my blog each month about the sending out of the Tampa Bay Traveler, then this feature is just for you!

At the top right of the blog page is a space that will ask you for your email address, so if you want to recieve the newsletter as opposed to waiting for me to do blog about it, then feel free to add yourself so that you can get the most up to date info on what to do, where to eat, or where to stay, in Hillsborough county for that upcoming month!

The newest addition to the Tampa Bay hotel package is the Crowne Plaza Tampa Westshore, located on Kennedy Avenue, just minutes from downtown. The 221-room hotel has been completely renovated and rebranded and offers event planners over 9,000 square feet of meeting space. 
The reconstruction project includes a new ballroom and eight breakout rooms, an executive suite level and a redesigned swimming pool and whirlpool surrounded by 50 cabana suites. The full-service hotel also offers guests complimentary parking, valet parking, airport shuttle and business center, just to name a few. 

You will also have the convenience of being able to dine inside the hotel at Pergia Bistro, which will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Or maybe you'd like to enjoy a cocktail in the hotel's cocktail lounge. The choice is yours. 

The hotel is expected to open in spring 2009. Make sure to keep checking back for updates on the status of this hotel, plus more of the latest news on hotels and restaurants in the area.

Since December is a special month, I knew that I had to choose a very special place for my monthly feature venue. And Teatro on Seventh is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in Tampa (and I've lived here all my life!). 
Teatro on Seventh is an upscale dining facility set in the historic Centro Espanol building which was built in 1912, and is located in the heart of Ybor City. Upon entering the old brick building, you climb a magnificent marble staircase up to the second floor, through grandiose double doors and into the grand ballroom that is now Teatro on Seventh. The 7,000-square-foot ballroom is absolutely stunning, boasting original engraved tin ceilings, parquet wood floors and dramatic views of Ybor City through the floor-to-ceiling windows. 


The restaurant can be used to accommodate up to 275 guests for a seated dinner and up to 800 guests for a cocktail reception. Complete with a dance floor, this space is absolutely perfect for a dance party, wedding reception or opening night reception for your next convention. The restaurant is also open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner is served daily. 

Make sure to stop by Teatro on Seventh the next time you're in Ybor City. It's truly a dazzling sight to see, and I've heard the food is scrumptious too! 

With tons of hard work and dedication, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission put on a fantastic weekend of events surrounding the 2008 Dr. Pepper ACC Championship Game. The 48-hour celebration of ACC football was a huge success, with guests and VIPs in attendance at four fantastic events.

It all started with the ACC Coaches  &  Awards Luncheon, which took place on Friday at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel&Marina in downtown. The invitation-only luncheon was attended by Boston College and Virginia Tech coaches and staff, VIPs from college football and community leaders. MVPs from both teams were honored at the luncheon, as well as the team coaches.

Next on the roster was Channelside's Toast to the Atlantic Coast, which took place on Friday evening in the courtyard at Channelside in downtown and was presented by EA Sports. This ACC pep rally was free to the public and featured a live DJ, food and drink vendors and even a jousting match between all 12 ACC team mascots. 

The exclusive, invitation-only ACC Night of Legends event took place on Friday night at the ACC Headquarter Hotel, the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Presented by the Florida Sports Foundation, this event celebrated the careers of the 2008 ACC Legends Class and featured food, drinks and live entertainment. 


And last, but definitely not least... Country music star and heartthrob, Blake Shelton, performed a full concert immediately following the Championship Game. Presented by local radio station, US 103.5 FM, this concert was free to all game ticket holders. Now how can you beat a free concert right after a thrilling football game?     

The Sports guys have definitely been busy trying to prepare for last weekend, and it showed. Each event was successful and perfectly planned. Hats off to the Sports Commission and all of the local volunteers for orchestrating such a winning weekend!

Wow was I way off a few weeks ago when I guessed which teams will be here in the Outback Bowl this year! Well, it just goes to show you what a crazy season it has been in college football. This past weekend the teams were announced and this should without question be one of the most exciting games we have seen in a while!

Having said that, congrats to the Iowa Hawkeyes and the South Carolina Gamecocks for making it to the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on New Year's Day. Fans for each team should visit check out our landing page on the Visit Tampa Bay site in order to plan their trip and get all the info they need to spend the start of a new year in Tampa Bay.

Check out the Outback Bowl website for more info on events, hotels, tailgating, and even enter to win free tickets to the game! We will be blogging about this event leading up to it, so be sure to stay tuned!

Ready for something a little different than every years “loop around the block” look at holiday lights? Check out the Henry B. Plant Museum this month for a Victorian Christmas Stroll.

Travel back to 1891 in the former Tampa Bay Hotel where room after room various 19th century themes take over. Each room is lit by sparkling trees and the Grand Hallway that is reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” with antique toys, shiny wrapped gifts and Christmas stockings hung with care.

This year, the museum even created a three-story, fully furnished Victorian dollhouse filled with “burning” fireplaces and hanging chandeliers.

To truly immerse yourself in the holiday, enjoy complimentary spiced cider and Christmas cookies on the veranda. Every evening, join carolers around the 18-foot tree to sing traditional holiday songs.  This is a fun and different way for the whole family to enjoy the holidays together!

Okay Hokie and Eagles fans, that time you have all been waiting for is finally upon us! 
Its ACC Football Championship time! Congrats to both teams for making it to the end of the road and representing their respective schools.
Being the nice guy that I am, Jerm is gonna give you a sneak peak on where do get all of your travel info from:

• If you are looking for hotel info or just where to stay in general then look no further than the Road to Tampa Bay Site.
• There will be a ton of events before the game so be sure to check that out and make sure that you are first in line for all of the pre-game celebration.
• Of course, in order for you to get in the game you are going to need a few TICKETS. Believe me when I say that this is the best ticket value anywhere so log on and get your tickets before they are long gone.
• Be sure to give the official fan guide a look see too when you need to know where the stadium and other things are.

As always, let Tampa Bay&Company be your official one stop shop for destination info, and check us out for more posts during the week.