Romance at Clearwater Marine Aquarium
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium will serve as the backdrop for the upcoming romance film “Christmas in Clearwater.” Produced by Country Mile Entertainment, the movie follows a career-driven woman who returns home to Clearwater for the holidays and reconnects with her former high school sweetheart, now the aquarium’s chief veterinarian. The release date for the movie has yet to be announced.
$80M Medical Magnet High School Planned for Wesley Chapel
A 73-acre high school focused on medical studies will be built on the west side of Meadow Point Boulevard in Wesley Chapel. The campus, which will include parking, utilities and sports fields, is expected to open in August 2028 and accommodate about 1,300 students. The school’s three primary programs will focus on medical lab sciences, medical imaging and nursing.
Tampa Bay’s Newest Michelin Guide Recognitions
For the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Florida, Tampa’s Fat Beet Farm Kitchen and Bakery earned a Green Star for its commitment to mindful gastronomy. Jada Vidal, chef de cuisine at Kinjo and a contestant on Season 24 of “Hell’s Kitchen,” received the MICHELIN Young Chef Award. Restaurants newly added to the list of recommended establishments include St. Petersburg’s Elliott Aster and in between days, along with Tampa’s Bar Terroir, Fat Beet Farm Kitchen and Bakery, Kinjo and The Brisket Shoppe.
Tampa Bay is the State’s Second-Largest Metro for Small Businesses
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area is home to nearly half a million small businesses employing more than 800,000 people across the Tampa Bay region. This makes it the second-largest metro area in Florida for small businesses, behind the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area. Nationally, the Tampa Bay metro ranks 15th for the highest number of small businesses.
Tampa-St. Petersburg Among Best Sports Business Cities
Tampa-St. Petersburg was ranked No. 13 on Sports Business Journal’s fourth annual Best Sports Business Cities list, which evaluates the nation’s top sports markets. Atlanta claimed the top spot in this year’s rankings. The publication analyzed 2,384 markets that are home to at least one professional sports team, Division I college athletic program, permanent sporting event or major industry stakeholder. Rankings were determined using factors including venue and construction developments, sponsorship activity, attendance figures and sports industry business events.
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