Tampa Considers How to Invest $100 Million in its Downtown

With the bonds from the Tampa Convention Center to be paid off in 2015, Tampa will soon have $100 million to spend in its Downtown Community Reinvestment Area. How should the city invest in its downtown?

1 minute read

February 23, 2014, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Linda Paul-Sena asks the question: how should Tampa spend $100 million “to encourage economic vibrancy in our urban core.”

“Would you select one big project, say a baseball stadium or its parking structure, where this princely sum becomes a dowry to woo the Rays?” asks Paul-Sena.

Or, “Do you choose a series of projects like parks, public art, wider sidewalks, capital needs of city-owned cultural facilities, like the Straz and the Tampa Theatre — all smaller in scale, intended to boost activity throughout the area?”

The article also surveys city council members, local planners, and other local stakeholders for their opinions, and asks for public opinion on the question via the article’s comment board and social media.

Thursday, February 20, 2014 in Tampa Bay CL

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

May 2, 2025 - SD News

Pump station with blue pipes coming out of concrete wall in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle Builds Subway-Sized Tunnel — for Stormwater

The $700 million ‘stormwater subway’ is designed to handle overflows during storms, which contain toxic runoff from roadways and vehicles.

May 13 - City Observatory

Sign for Deschutes National Forest in Oregon.

Feds Clear Homeless Encampment in Oregon Forest

The action displaced over 100 people living on national forest land near Bend, Oregon.

May 13 - The New York Times

Seeing the Better City

Is This Urbanism?

Chuck Wolfe ponders a recommended subscription list of Substack urbanists and wonders — as have others — about the utility of the "urbanist" moniker.

May 13 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.