Tampa Bay area

Each of these cities has a population in excess of 100,000 inhabitants.

• Tampa
• St. Petersburg
• Clearwater
• Brandon (CDP)
• Spring Hill (CDP)

Downtown Tampa

St. Petersburg

Clearwater

Westfield Shopping Center in Brandon

More than 10,000 inhabitants

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater MSA consists of the following ethnic demographics:

Nearly 20% of Tampa Bay's population is in the 18–34 age group.

Hispanic or Latino by Origin

From 2000 to 2004, total net migration for the Tampa Bay region was 262,961 or an average of 65,740 per year. During this time Tampa Bay accounted for nearly 20% of Florida's total net migration. The annual migration totals grew steadily since 2000 until 200 people a day moved to Tampa Bay in 2004. Two Tampa Bay region counties are among the top counties in the country for net in-migration. Pasco County ranks 8th in the nation for net migration and Hillsborough County ranks 13th out of more than 3,000 counties.

Tampa Bay Area from space

The Tampa Bay area has a humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa), with hot, humid summers, with daily thunderstorms, drier, predominantly sunny winters, and warm-to-hot springs with a pronounced dry season maximum. On average, two days experience frost per year in the cooler parts of the Tampa Bay area, less than annually in the coastal parts. However, hard freezes (low temperatures below 28 °F/−2 °C) are very rare, occurring only a few times in the last 75 years. The United States Department of Agriculture designates the area as being in hardiness zones 9b and 10a (the latter being western and coastal, due significantly to maritime influences of the Gulf of Mexico and the 400-square-mile Tampa Bay). Plant climate-indicator species, such as coconut palms, royal palms, as well as other elements of Florida's native tropical flora, reach their northern limits of reliable culture and native range in the area.[15][16] Highs usually range between 65 and 95 °F (18 and 35 °C) year-round. Tampa's official high has never reached 100 °F (38 °C)—the all-time record high temperature is 99 °F (37 °C). St. Petersburg's all-time record high is exactly 100 °F (38 °C).[17]

Royal Palms in front of St. Petersburg's city hall

Pinellas County lies on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, and much of the city of Tampa lies on a smaller peninsula jutting out into Tampa Bay. This proximity to large bodies of water both moderates local temperatures and introduces large amounts of humidity into the atmosphere. In general, the communities farthest from the coast have more extreme temperature differences, both during a single day and throughout the seasons of the year.

Nearly one in four of the state's business and information services firms resides in Tampa Bay. These firms range from financial services firms to information technology providers to professional services organizations such as law firms, accounting firms, engineering firms, consulting and more. As a gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor, Tampa Bay is home to many information technology firms along with many business services providers.

Financial services firms:

• Bank of America
• JPMorgan Chase
• Citigroup
• Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation
• Raymond James Financial
• Franklin Templeton
• Metlife
• USAA
• Progressive Insurance
• State Farm
• New York Life

With more than 50 hospitals, dozens of clinics and ambulatory care centers, the Tampa Bay has an abundance of top-rated health care facilities for children and adults. The region also has a wealth of well-trained medical professionals—nearly 53,000 nurses and more than 9,200 physicians (including physician assistants)—provide care to Tampa Bay residents and visitors every year.

Tampa Bay ranks in the top 20 nationwide for medical device manufacturing clusters. The industry employs more than 10,000 people with an average wage in excess of $49,000 and produces over $2 billion worth of goods and services for an economic impact of more than 51,000 jobs and $5 billion. Tampa Bay's history of manufacturing for the defense industry has created a workforce skilled in high-precision fabrication of electronic parts and assemblies and experience in dealing with government relations, easing the transition to the highly regulated medical manufacturing industry.

Tampa Bay serves as the gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor which spans 23 counties. Created as a partnership between the University of South Florida, University of Central Florida and now including the University of Florida, the Florida High Tech Corridor promotes the growth of the high-tech industry across Central Florida.

Academic research is a key component of high-tech growth and a powerful economic engine. The presence of cutting-edge research in the region is vital to technology transfer, which enables innovative ideas discovered in academia to achieve commercialization in the marketplace. Tampa Bay has several powerhouse research centers that are engaged in both pure scientific research and aggressively pursuing technology transfer to enrich people's lives.

Researchers at the University of South Florida's Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Research Center (NNRC), H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and the Center for Ocean Technology at USF's College of Marine Science are researching how to use nanotechnology for a myriad of targeted uses including drug delivery, mechanized microsurgery, customized laser microchips, ways to turn sunlight into electricity, purifying water, storing hydrogen in small nanotubes, designing and developing marine sensors using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and curing cancer. University of Tampa is located in Downtown Tampa, Florida on the Hillsborough River and is a historic university linked back to Teddy Roosevelt.

In 2008 the area's construction based boom was brought to a sudden halt by the financial crisis of 2007–2010, and by 2009 it was ranked as the fourth worst performing housing market in the United States.[24]

Changes in house prices for the area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case–Shiller index; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor's and is also a component of S&P's 20-city composite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market.

The University of South Florida's Center for Ocean Technology, which has been a leader in microelectromechanical systems research and development and has been using the technology to collect biological and chemical data to monitor water quality, provided underwater technology for port security at the 2004 Republican National Convention. USF's Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue used its miniature robots to assist rescue teams at Ground Zero following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Tampa Bay is also the location of three major military installations, MacDill Air Force Base, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg. MacDill AFB is home to the 6th Air Mobility Wing (6 AMW) of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and the 927th Air Refueling Wing (927 ARW) of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). Both wings share flight operations of a fleet of KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and the 6 AMW also operates a fleet of C-37A Gulfstream V aircraft. MacDill AFB also hosts multiple tenant organizations, to include two major combatant commands: United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), which directs military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Middle East; and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), which has responsibility for all special operations forces in the U.S. Armed Forces. CGAS Clearwater is located at the St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport. It is the largest air station in the United States Coast Guard, operating HC-130H Hercules aircraft and MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters with principal missions focused on search and rescue, counternarcotics interdiction, and homeland security. The HC-130 aircraft are slated to be replaced by new HC-27J Spartan aircraft beginning in 2017. Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg is located on the site of the former Coast Guard Air Station St. Petersburg at Albert Whitted Airport. It is home to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg[25] and is homeport for the USCGC Resolute (WMEC 620), USCGC Venturous (WMEC 625), and numerous smaller cutters and patrol boats.[26]

Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg

• Museum of Fine Arts near the Pier in downtown St. Petersburg
• Salvador Dalí Museum in downtown St. Petersburg
• Florida International Museum at St. Petersburg College in downtown St. Petersburg
• Florida Holocaust Museum in downtown St. Petersburg
• Tampa Museum of Art in downtown Tampa
• USF Contemporary Art Museum on the USF's main Tampa campus
• Florida Museum of Photographic Arts in downtown Tampa
• Museum of Science and Industry adjacent to USF's main Tampa campus
• Tampa Bay Automobile Museum in Pinellas Park
• Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art on the Tarpon Springs Campus of St. Petersburg College
• The Royal Theater & Manhattan Casino Historic Landmarks in St. Petersburg
• The Carter J. Woodson African-American Museum St. Petersburg
• the Tampa Bay History Center

Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa

• Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa
• Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater
• Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg
• Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center

• Gasparilla Pirate Festival held every January in Tampa
• Florida Strawberry Festival held every March in Plant City
• Clearwater Jazz Holiday held every October in Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater; in its 32nd year
• Guavaween, a Latin-flavored Halloween celebration held every October in the Ybor City section of Tampa
• Festa Italiana, annual festival of Italian heritage held every April in Ybor City, Tampa's Latin Quarter

• Adventure Island in Tampa
• Busch Gardens in Tampa
• Dinosaur World in Plant City
• Weeki Wachee Springs in Hernando County
• Legoland Florida in Winter Haven, Polk County

Florida Aquarium

• Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa
• Florida Aquarium in Tampa
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater
• Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores

• Florida Botanical Gardens, part of the Pinewood Cultural Park in Largo
• Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, a former tourist attraction now run by the City of St. Petersburg
• USF Botanical Gardens in Tampa

The Tampa Bay area is home to an extensive system of state, county, and city parks. Hillsborough River State Park in Thonotosassa is one of Florida's original eight state parks and Honeymoon Island State Park, near Dunedin, is Florida's most visited state park. Pinellas County is home to the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail, a 37-mile running and cycling trail over a former railroad bed connecting Tarpon Springs to St. Petersburg. Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, the remnants of the approaches to the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge forms the world's largest fishing pier in Pinellas and Manatee counties. The shallow waters and many mangrove islands of the bay and gulf make the area popular with kayakers. The gulf is also home to a large number of natural and artificial coral reefs that are popular for fishing and scuba diving. Away from the coast, Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland (Polk county) has been designated as a Great Florida Birding Trail site, a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Amalie Arena

Tropicana Field

Raymond James Stadium

The Tampa Bay Area is home to three major professional sports teams—the Buccaneers (NFL), Rays (MLB), and Lightning (NHL).[29] The Tampa Bay area also hosts a number of minor-league and college teams. Regardless of the specific city where they play their games, all of the major pro teams use "Tampa Bay" in their name to signify that they represent the entire area.

Major League Baseball teams have come to the Tampa Bay area for spring training since the Chicago Cubs trained at Tampa's Plant Field in 1913 and the St. Louis Browns trained at St. Petersburg's Coffee Pot Park in 1914.[30] Grapefruit League games are still a favorite pastime for both residents and tourists alike every March. The following five Major League Baseball teams play spring training games in the Tampa Bay area:

• The New York Yankees in Tampa
• The Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater
• The Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin
• The Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton
• The Detroit Tigers in Lakeland

Minor League baseball has also been a constant in the Tampa Bay area for over a century. The Tampa Smokers, St. Petersburg Saints, Lakeland Highlanders, and Bradenton Growers were charter members of the original Florida State League, which began play in 1919. Current local teams include:

Florida State League (Class-A Advanced)

• The Tampa Tarpons: George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa
• The Clearwater Threshers: Spectrum Field in Clearwater
• The Dunedin Blue Jays: Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin
• The Bradenton Marauders: LECOM Park in Bradenton
• The Lakeland Flying Tigers: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland

The area is also home to several affiliates of the Gulf Coast League, a rookie league in which many young players gain their first experience in professional baseball.

The Tampa Bay Area doesn't have any basketball teams in the NBA. But they have several teams in minor basketball leagues.

The Tampa Bay Titans play in The Basketball League (TBL). Their home games are played at Pasco–Hernando State College.

The St. Pete Tide and the Tampa Gunners play in the Florida Basketball Association (FBA). The Tide's home games are played at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, and the Gunners are a travel team.

Major League sports

• Four Super Bowls have been held in Tampa: Super Bowl XVIII in 1984, Super Bowl XXV in 1991, Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, and Super Bowl XLIII in 2009. The 1978 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was held in Tampa at Tampa Stadium
• The 2008 MLB World Series; Games 1 and 2 were played in St. Petersburg at Tropicana Field
• The 1999 NHL All-Star Game was held in Tampa at the Ice Palace.
• The 2004 NHL Stanley Cup Finals; Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 were played in Tampa at the St. Pete Times Forum.
• The 2018 NHL All-Star Game was held in Tampa at Amalie Arena.

NCAA sports

• The NCAA football Outback Bowl is held annually at Raymond James Stadium, usually on January 1. The NCAA football St. Petersburg Bowl is held annually at Tropicana Field, usually in December. (Began in 2008). The NCAA football East–West Shrine Game is held annually at Tropicana Field, usually in January. (Since 2012)
• The 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship was held at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017.
• Two NCAA football ACC Championship Games (2008 and 2009) have been played in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium
• The Amalie Arena in Tampa has been the site for various rounds of NCAA Men's and Women's basketball championship tournament over the years, as well as conference tournaments. The 1999 NCAA Men's Final Four was held in St. Petersburg at Tropicana Field. The 2008 and 2015 NCAA Women's Final Four was held in Tampa at the Tampa Bay Times Forum
• Five NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championships have been held in Tampa: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1990 and 1991
• The 2012 and 2016 NCAA Men's Frozen Four were held in Tampa at the Tampa Bay Times Forum/Amalie Arena

Tampa International Airport is the largest airport in the region with 21 carriers and more than 17 million passengers served last year. In addition to the recent opening of a new terminal, improvements are being planned to handle 25 million passengers by 2020.

St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport provides access to commercial airliners, and smaller charter craft. The airport is currently planning an expansion which will include new terminal facilities and runway extension. Dotting the landscape throughout the area, are many general aviation airports for the aircraft enthusiast and smaller corporate jets.

Tampa International Airport panorama

Amtrak provides passenger rail service from Union Station in Tampa. CSX provides freight rail service for the entire Tampa Bay region.

The Cross-Bay Ferry has connected Tampa's Channelside District to Downtown St. Petersburg since 2016.[31] The Pirate Water Taxi, also operating since 2016, has several stops along the waterways in the vicinity of Tampa's downtown area and Channelside District.[32]

MetroRapid bus in Tampa

Streetcar in Ybor City

Sunshine Skyway over Tampa Bay

Bus service is provided in Hillsborough County by Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), in Pinellas County by Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), in Pasco County by Pasco County Public Transportation and in Hernando County by THE Bus. HART and PSTA provide express services between Tampa and Pinellas County, and PSTA provides connections to Pasco County. HART also operates the TECO streetcar between Downtown Tampa and Ybor City. In 2013, HART also began operating a Bus rapid transit system called MetroRapid that runs from Downtown Tampa to the University of South Florida.

On July 1, 2007, an intermodal transportation authority was created to serve the seven county Tampa Bay area. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) was formed to develop bus, rapid transit, and other transportation options for the region.

The Tampa Bay area is served by these interstate highways.

• Interstate 4
• Interstate 75
• Interstate 175
• Interstate 275
• Interstate 375

Hillsborough County is also served by other roadways such as the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway (SR 618) which commutes workers from Brandon into downtown Tampa and the Veterans Expressway/Suncoast Parkway (Toll 589) which serves traffic from the Citrus/Hernando County border southward into Tampa.

In Pinellas County, U.S. 19 is the main north–south route through the county, and is being upgraded to freeway standards complete with frontage roads to ease congestion through the north part of the county. Also, the Bayside Bridge allows traffic to go from Clearwater into St. Petersburg without having to use U.S. 19.

The Courtney Campbell Causeway (SR 60) is one of the three roads that connect Pinellas County to Hillsborough County across the bay. The other two are the Howard Frankland Bridge (I-275) and Gandy Bridge (U.S. 92). The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is part of I-275 and connects Bradenton and other Manatee County and Sarasota County commuters into Pinellas County.