Tampa Bay Hospitality

Hospitality continues to grow across Tampa Bay as hotels, restaurants and venues invest in new experiences for visitors and locals. Here, you’ll find reporting on the people, projects and trends shaping the region’s travel and service industry.

Hotel ORA is approaching a new pricing phase

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Luxury hotel suite rendering at Hotel ORA with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Tampa at dusk.

Hotel ORA is nearing a pricing inflection point as financing milestones shift leverage from sales velocity to long-term control in downtown Tampa.

Pinellas tourism hits $10B impact, funds $153M projects

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Aerial view of downtown St. Petersburg showing waterfront, high-rise buildings and marina, highlighting how tourism dollars support local infrastructure and growth.

Tourism continues to anchor Pinellas County’s economy, generating more than $10 billion in economic impact in 2025 while supporting roughly 100,000 jobs across hospitality, retail, transportation and related sectors. Beyond visitor spending, tourism is also driving significant reinvestment back into the county. In 2025, tourism-generated dollars returned nearly $155 million directly into Pinellas County communities, … Read more

Buddy Brew Coffee to open 10 cafés inside Sprouts stores

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Buddy Brew Coffee storefront with black awnings during retail expansion into grocery stores

Buddy Brew Coffee plans 10 in-store cafés inside Sprouts locations across Tampa Bay.

Bavaro’s opens central kitchen on North Nebraska

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Exterior of Bavaro’s new central kitchen on North Nebraska Avenue used for bread, pasta and catering production.

Bavaro’s opened a central kitchen on North Nebraska to shift catering and production out of its restaurants.

Gasparilla: How Tampa invented its defining tradition

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Historic illustration of the Gasparilla invasion ship sailing through downtown Tampa as crowds line the riverbanks and bridges.

How Gasparilla evolved from a staged pirate invasion into one of Tampa’s most durable civic traditions.

Valspar Championship pumps $75M into Tampa Bay

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Golfer tees off at the Valspar Championship with spectators lined behind the fairway signage in Tampa Bay.

The Valspar Championship generates $75M a year in economic impact across Tampa Bay.

Mirasol hotel rezoning denied by City Council

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The Mirasol building on Davis Islands, a historic waterfront apartment complex proposed for boutique hotel conversion, photographed at dusk.

City Council denied a rezoning request to convert the historic Mirasol into a boutique hotel.

Who pays for Tampa’s New Year’s Eve fireworks?

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Fireworks light up Tampa Bay as a Starship cruise vessel passes the downtown waterfront during New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Tampa’s New Year’s Eve fireworks are privately funded by local businesses, not the city, a nearly 20-year tradition led by Jackson’s Bistro.