International Plaza News

International Plaza Had Waited Years to Open. Then Came Sept. 11

September 11, 2026

Dick Corbett recalls the four days that transformed the mall’s long-awaited debut.

About the Mall

What Is International Plaza?

International Plaza and Bay Street is a roughly 1.2 million-square-foot shopping and dining complex in Tampa’s Westshore business district, next to Tampa International Airport. Opened in 2001, the mall established a higher-end retail tier in Tampa Bay by bringing major anchors including Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus to the market alongside Dillard’s, then surrounding them with national fashion, luxury and specialty retailers.

Its location and tenant mix made International Plaza more than a neighborhood shopping center. The mall draws customers from across Tampa Bay and visitors moving through the region, while the adjoining open-air Bay Street extends the property into restaurants, nightlife and hospitality. That reach makes new stores, expansions and departures at International Plaza a measure of how national retailers view the Tampa Bay market. TBBW Magazine follows those moves, along with restaurant openings, leases, redevelopment and the companies investing in one of the region’s largest retail properties.

More International Plaza News

International Plaza Had Waited Years to Open. Then Came Sept. 11

Tampa’s International Plaza refinanced with $551M loan

Ceviche to open in Tampa’s International Plaza

Charley’s Steakhouse Tampa to relocate across from International Plaza