Coming this spring, BUSCH GARDENS announced its new coaster Tigris, set to be the tallest launch coaster in Florida. The ride will feature more than 1,800 feet of steel track, propelling itself more than 60 miles per hour as it twists over 150 feet upward.
A SKRIMP SHACK has come to the Temple Terrace area, the Virginia-based seafood chain’s first Florida location. This spot near the University of South Florida offers fish and grilled shrimp options, ranging from catfish, to flounder and fish tacos. A variety of sides are served as well, including collard greens and mac ‘n’ cheese.
TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT has recently introduced a total of 69 new shops, spas and restaurants within its main terminal as part of the first phase of its multibillion-dollar renovation. Local restaurants with new locations inside TPA include Burger 21, Four Green Fields and Cigar City Brewing. The last of the retailers to join the main terminal, Shoppes at Bayshore, offers a variety of local and national boutique brands.
Formerly online-only retailer BONOBOS has opened its first location in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village. Providing a line of “better-fitting” mens-wear, the store carries an array of men’s clothing items, swimwear, loungewear and accessories.
COAST BIKE SHARE has recently upgraded the technology available to its Tampa Bay users. A new GPS-enabled system no longer requires users to end trips at designated Coast Bike Share stations; bikes can instead be locked anywhere within the system area. Coast is now powered by the HOPR transportation app, with a lower cost of use ($1 to unlock a bike and 15 cents per minute of use, with monthly and annual passes available).
BUDDY BREW COFFEE opened its sixth location, occupying the bottom floor of the Park Tower office building in Downtown Tampa. The shop features a full lounge, seating at the bar and free WiFi connectivity, plus coffee drinks and items.
Demolition has begun on the UNIVERSITY MALL, removing the space between the former JCPenney and the main section of the mall to make way for a new walkable strip with space for new restaurants and retail locations. The area will be rebranded as the Uptown District.
The TECO LINE STREETCAR, Tampa’s trolley system, has been linked to the OneBusAway Tampa app in order to provide patrons with real-time arrival information. On the app, users can search for the streetcar route number and see the trolley’s exact location on a live map.
Swedish biotech firm VYCELLIX INC. announced it will establish its U.S. headquarters in Tampa near Moffitt Cancer Center. Vycellix is the latest biotech company to establish a significant presence in Tampa, joining the likes of Bristol Myers Squibb and Axogen.
The latest addition to WATER STREET TAMPA, 1010 Water Street, has been revealed. The building will stand on the corner of Water Street and Cumberland Avenue and include 481 apartments, plus 32,000 square feet of retail space and shared amenities like a rooftop pool, bar and recreational lawn. Developer Strategic Property Partners says 1010 Water Street is targeted to younger “price-conscious” renters.
