Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is a big natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the western coast of Florida, made up of Old Tampa Bay, Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, and New Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay consists of 7 counties: Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Manatee County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Polk County and Sarasota County. Three prominent cities are located along the shores of the bay, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. Tampa Bay is the 12th largest media market in the United States and has over 4 million residents.

Other uses of the name, Tampa Bay

The term "Tampa Bay" is also informally used as the name of the entire metropolitan area encompassing Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and several smaller cities. The Tampa Bay Area settlers were originally from Cuba and Italy. The Native Americans from this region are known as Seminoles. A town in Pinellas County, named Seminole, Florida, was subsequently named after the Native Americans who lived in the region.

Demographics

Population and Age

Tampa Bay’s expanding population has grown more than 11 percent in the past six years and is projected to grow an additional 9 percent by 2011. The Tampa Bay region’s population is projected to increase from the current 3.8 million to more than 4.2 million in 2011. That translates to over 70,000 new people a year, mostly through migration.

Populatio	Tampa Bay
2011 Projection	4,207,447
2006 Estimate	3,863,811
2000 Census	3,469,880
1990 Census	2,962,824

Regional Counties	2006	2011 Estimate
Hernando	154,045	171,593
Hillsborough	1,139,830	1,264, 811
Manatee	306,512	342,712
Pasco	418,075	473,053
Pinellas	937,182	959,546
Polk	541,006	591,742
Sarasota	367,161	403,990

Nearly 20% of Tampa Bay’s population is in the highly desirable 18-34 age group. That is a market of more than three-quarters of million of the most sought-after consumers and workers.

Age	Tampa Bay	Percentage
0-17	852,600	22.03%
18-34	757,808	19.62%
35-54	1,066,684	27.32%
55-64	447,581	11.58%
65 and over	750,138	19.42%
MEDIAN AGE	41.39 years old

Climate

Tampa Bay averages 27 more clear days per year than Miami. The Tampa Bay area holds the record for most consecutive days of sunshine – 768 to be exact. Template:Tampa, Florida weatherbox

Ethnicity

Ethnicity	Tampa Bay	Percentage
Caucasian	3,141,549	81.31%
Hispanic or Latino	479,936	12.42%
African American	411,157	10.64%
Asian	77,296	2.00%
Other	149,948	3.89%
Two or more races	83,861	2.17%

Hispanic or Latino by Origin

Ethnicity	Tampa Bay	Percentage
Mexican	145,685	30.36%
Puerto Rican	135,133	28.16%
Cuban	63,728	13.28%
All Others	135,390	28.21%

Migration

From 2000-2004, total net migration for the Tampa Bay region was 262,961 or an average of 65,740 per year. During this time Tampa Bay accounted for nearly 20% of Florida’s total net migration. The annual migration totals grew steadily since 2000 until 200 people a day moved to Tampa Bay in 2004. Two Tampa Bay region counties are among the top counties in the country for net in-migration. Pasco County ranks 8th in the nation for net migration and Hillsborough County ranks 13th out of more than 3,000 counties.

Major Tampa Bay Industry Clusters

Avionics, Defense & Marine Electronics

From homeland security to avionics to marine electronics, Tampa Bay region has many centers of excellence which support these industry clusters. The University of South Florida’s Center for Ocean Technology, which has been a leader in MEMS research and development and has been using the technology to collect biological and chemical data to monitor water quality, provided underwater technology for port security at the 2004 Republican National Convention. USF’s Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue used its miniature robots to assist rescue teams at Ground Zero following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Tampa Bay is home to United States Central Command which directs military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the middle East.

Business and Information Services

Nearly one in four of the state's business and information services firms resides in Tampa Bay. These firms range from financial services firms toinformation technologyproviders to professional services organizations such as law firms, accounting firms, engineering firms, consulting and more. As a gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor, Tampa Bay is home to many information technology firms along with many business services providers to support the strong information technology needs of Tampa Bay's companies.

Wall Street South
Tampa Bay's financial services cluster is the largest in the state of Florida and ranks 20th in the nation in terms of domestic employment. The size and scope of this sector has drawn many service vendors to the region to support the financial services industry. Financial Service Firms:

• JPMorgan Chase
• Citigroup
• Deposit Trust & Clearing Corporation
• Raymond James Financial
• Franklin Templeton
• Metlife
• USAA
• Progressive Insurance
• State Farm

Information Services
Tampa Bay serves as the gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor which spans 23 counties. Created as a partnership between the University of South Florida, University of Central Florida and now including the University of Florida, the Florida High Tech Corridor promotes the growth of the high tech industry across Central Florida.

Biomedical/Life Sciences Technologies/Health Care

Tampa Bay has created a healthy economy ideal for hospitals, research and medical-related firms. Plus, this region is the gateway to the Florida High-Tech corridor, a area that is home to more than 3,000 high tech companies.

Technology
Tampa Bay is home to hundreds of medical technologycompanies, including medical device manufacturers and suppliers, pharmaceutical firms, cutting-edge biotech companies and information technology firms with healthcare-related components.

Research
Academic research is a key component of high-tech growth and a powerful economic engine. The presence of cutting-edge research in the region is vital to technology transfer, which enables innovative ideas discovered in academia to achieve commercialization in the marketplace. Tampa Bay has several powerhouse research centers that are engaged in both pure scientific research and aggressively pursuing technology transfer to enrich people’s lives.
Education
Education is the key to ensuring a healthy future for the Tampa Bay region. Dozens of well-known universities, community colleges and technical schools offer the tools needed for a well-trained workforce, from information technology and healthcare careers to science and medical technology. Many schools also offer online distance learning, making it even easier for Tampa Bay residents to reach their educational goals.
Patient Care

With more than 50 hospitals, dozens of clinics and ambulatory care centers, the Tampa Bay has an abundance of top-rated health care facilities for children and adults. The region also has a wealth of well-trained medical professionals – nearly 53,000 nurses and more than 9,200 physicians (including physician assistants) – provide care to Tampa Bay residents and visitors every year.

Transportation

The Tampa Bay area has a transportation system that is prepared to connect you seamlessly to your customers, suppliers, and distributors throughout the region and around the world. By air, sea, and land, Tampa Bay's infrastructure includes some of the biggest and best in Florida.

Air
Tampa International Airport is the largest airport in the region with 21 carriers and more than 17 million passengers served last year. In addition to the recent opening of a new terminal, improvements are being planned to handle 25 million passengers by 2020. Traveler satisfaction has always been a top priority for “America’s Favorite Airport.” It has won high recognition in the international J.D. Power and Associates Global Airport Passenger Satisfaction Study for three consecutive years. Conde Nast Traveler Magazine recognized TIA as the third best airport in the world and IATA Skytrax 2003 survey named TIA as the No. 2 airport in North America.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has experienced a 19.2 percent increase in passenger traffic during the first quarter of 2005, mainly due to the addition of AirTran airways and expanded service to destinations.

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport provides excellent access to commercial airliners, and smaller charter craft. The airport is currently planning an expansion which will include new terminal facilities and runway extension. Dotting the landscape throughout the area, are many general aviation airports for the aircraft enthusiast and smaller corporate jets.

Sea
The Port of Tampa, Seaborne commerce has historically been a large part of the Tampa Bay area’s economy. It is fitting that the area boasts the largest port in Florida and the 10th largest in the nation – the Port of Tampa. The port accommodates half of Florida’s cargo in the form of bulk, break bulk, ro-ro, refrigerator and container. The port also has a large ship repair and building industry, and recently expanded cruise facilities.

The Port of Manatee, with more refrigerated dockside space than any other Gulf of Mexico port, is the closest of the three Tampa Bay deepwater ports to the Panama Canal. It is also one of the state's busiest, ranking fifth among Florida's 14 seaports in total annual cargo tonnage.

The Port of St. Petersburg, is home to a U.S. Coast Guard Station and is home to the Ocean Jewel gaming ship. The smallest of Florida’s ports, it operates as a landlord port managed by the city of St. Petersburg.

Roads
Tampa Bay area is investing in its future with more than $1.8 billion in new construction and improvements (current, proposed, recently completed) to its interstate and highway infrastructure.

This construction includes: the expansion of I-4 through East Hillsborough and Polk counties; improvements to Tampa’s downtown interchange and I-275 in Hillsborough County; a reversible-lane bridge on theSelmon Crosstown Expressway; the widening of I-75; the widening of S.R. 70 in Manatee County; a new Crosstown Connector to connect the Port of Tampa with I-4 and the Crosstown Expressway; and additional expressway overpasses for U.S. 19 in Pinellas.

Bridges that Cross Tampa Bay

• Sunshine Skyway Bridge
• Gandy Bridge
• Howard Frankland Bridge
• Courtney Campbell Causeway
• Clearwater Bayside Bridge

Rail
CSX provides dependable rail service for the entire Tampa Bay region. The railroad serves every major population and industrial center east of the Mississippi including Ontario and Montreal. CSX also connects with more than 166 bulk intermodal distribution terminals and rail-to-truck bulk transload facilities throughout its service area, linking it to all of North America.

Manufacturing (Microelectronics, Medical Devices)

The Tampa Bay area's manufacturing cluster is diverse and much of it has a high tech component. From food processing to packaging, pharmaceuticals to defense, microelectronics to medical devices, Tampa Bay's manufacturers are a powerful engine with the region.

Medical Device Manufacturing
Tampa Bay ranks in the top 20 nationwide for medical device manufacturing clusters. The industry employs more than 10,000 people with an average wage in excess of $49,000 and produces over $2 billion worth of goods and services for an economic impact of more than 51,000 jobs and $5 billion. Tampa Bay's history of manufacturing for the defense industry has created a workforce skilled in high-precision fabrication of electronic parts and assemblies and experience in dealing with government relations, easing the transition to the highly regulated medical manufacturing industry.
Microelectronics/Nanotechonology

Researchers at the University of South Florida's Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Research Center (NNRC), H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and the Center for Ocean Technogy at USF's College of Marine Science are researching how to use nanotechnology for a myriad of targeted uses including drug delivery, mechanized microsurgery, customized laser microchips, ways to turn sunlight into electricity, purifying water, storing hydrogen in small nanotubes, designing and developing marine sensors using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and curing cancer.

Community Mix

Downtown Tampa

St. Petersburg

Clearwater Beach

Lakeland

File:Bradentonpic1.jpg

Bradenton

Sarasota

Tampa Bay is a seven-county region on Florida's west coast offering a diversity of communities. The counties of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota come together to shape a vibrant market where lifestyle options reflect all the best Florida offers. Whether you seek big city downtown living, quiet golf course communities, a waterfront lifestyle, majestic horse farms or historic neighborhoods - the communities of Tampa Bay provide a mix like no where else in the country.

Touting Downtown Tampa
With its relaxing waterfront views, world-class entertainment, pulsating nightlife and gripping professional sporting events, downtown Tampa is the place to be. An old movie house, a historic Victorian era hotel and museums are yours to experience. Conventioneers and cruise passengers to office workers and urban pioneers, the treasures of Tampa's downtown are there for the taking.

St. Petersburg Keeps Shining
St. Petersburg, the state's fourth largest city, is one of the most progressive communities for business in the United States. St. Petersburg, roughly 58 square miles and surrounded by sparkling blue water on three sides, boasts 234 miles of exquisite shoreline. With an average temperature of 73.7 degrees and 361 days of sunshine a year, it’s easy to see why St. Petersburg is the “Sunshine City.”
Clearwater Adds Touch of Class
While fun 'n sun lovers still come from around the world to get away, it's an even better place to live. With one of the most pristine beaches in the world, and acknowledged as one of the nation's premier sailing and powerboat environments, Downtown Clearwater enjoys a vibrant economic and liveability that draws businesses, residents, and tourists to the area.
Lakeland Comes Alive
Located between two major urban areas – Tampa Bay and Orlando - Downtown Lakeland balances the quality of life characteristics of smaller cities with the easy access and amenities of larger metropolitan areas. Downtown Lakeland's redevelopment efforts have brought a resurgence of neighborhoods and the unemployment rate has decreased to an all time low of 3.4 percent.
Bradenton/Palmetto: A River Renaissance
The Manatee Riverwalk is bringing a countywide renaissance. The Riverwalk offers residents and tourists recreational, cultural, and community events and services helping bring Manatee's diverse communities together. Without losing the small-town charm, business services, restaurants, healthcare and cultural organizations are all showing strong signs of growth.
Sarasota's Downtown Sizzles
Sarasota County is rich in diversity, with rustic ranch lands and sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay. Yet downtown Sarasota is positioned just 60 miles south of Tampa and this artistic coastal city is garnering national attention. Forbes magazine named Sarasota the 44th "Best Place to Live and Do Business" out of the largest 150 U.S. metro areas.
Main Streets of Dade City, New Port Richey, and Zephyrhills
If location is everything, than Pasco County is as strategically positioned as it gets. Downtowns along Florida's Gulf Coast are just miles from Tampa to the south and Orlando to the East. You'll enjoy the unique flavor of Dade City with an abundance of fine dining, exquisite gift shops and an opportunity for extensive antiquing. In the southeast corner of Pasco County, semi-rural Zephyrhills offers the vistas of hills and gental breezes. New Port Richeyhas also joined the Florida Main Street Program to preserve its historic downtown.
Brooksville Downtown Booms
The City of Brooksville is the southern belle of Hernando County and, with the completion of the Suncoast Parkway, it has never been closer to Tampa Bay. Scenic riverbanks, brackish creeks, shallow bays, cypress ponds, hardwood hammocks, rolling hills, pastures and pine forests characterize Hernando County. This area is located about 45 miles north of downtown Tampa and 50 miles west of Orlando. It is considered the northern gateway to Tampa Bay.
Dunedin Does Downtown
One of the oldest towns on the West Coast of Florida, Dunedin has a wooded and subtropical setting with almost four miles of picturesque waterfront. The mini-metro is nationally recognized as a walkable downtown, complete with brick walkways, decorative streetlights and beautiful landscaping. There are more than 100 privately owned shops, restaurants, boutiques, art, antique shops, a marina, hotels and bed and breakfasts - all within a few blocks of easy walking.

Culture and Recreation

The Arts

Arts and culture make a big impact in Tampa Bay. In a single year, the economic impact of the cultural institutions in the Tampa Bay area was $521.3 million, according to a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study. In 2004, 5.6 million people attended plays, musical performances, museum exhibits and other cultural institutions in Tampa Bay, supporting 7,800 jobs. That's economic music to the ears! The arts are a vital component of this vibrant community. Theater groups, orchestras, world-class performance halls, museums, galleries and much more provide enriching performances, inspirational youth education programs, and exhibits that showcase the world's most talented artists, actors and musicians. There are always eye-catching exhibits and interesting programs that highlight any number of media and venues.

Sports teams

Raymond James Stadium

St. Pete Times Forum

Tropicana Field

Keep baseball, hockey and football enthusiasts entertained throughout the year, and are a viable option for anyone who prefers to sit comfortably on the sidelines.

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a National Football League team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers, or Bucs as they are nicknamed, were the 2002 Super Bowl Champions.
• Tampa Bay Devil Rays, a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
• Tampa Bay Lightning, a National Hockey League team based in Tampa. The Lightning were the 2004 Stanley Cup Champions.
• Tampa Bay Storm, an Arena Football League team based in Tampa. The Storm were 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, and 2003 ArenaBowl Champions.

Spring Training in Tampa Bay has always been a favorite pastime of both residents and tourists alike.

• Tampa Bay Devil Rays, St. Petersburg
• New York Yankees, Tampa
• Toronto Blue Jays, Dunedin
• Cincinnati Reds, Sarasota
• Pittsburgh Pirates, Bradenton
• Cleveland Indians, Winter Haven
• Detroit Tigers, Lakeland
• Boston Red Sox, Ft. Myers

Recreation/Attractions

The area’s signature warm weather provides ample opportunities to escape outside for fresh air and fun all year long. Avid golfers rave about the range and diversity of courses, while nature-lovers can get right to the heart of “real Florida” by fishing and shrimping the surrounding waters, horseback riding through a cattle ranch, or leisurely canoeing down the pristine Hillsborough River. In Tampa Bay you don't have to look too far for adventure. Packed with excitement, the Bay area offers visitors an explosion of educational, entertaining and cultural attractions. With family venues such as zoos, aquariumsand theme parks and a climate that allows for outdoor activities like beach-going and canoeing year-round, it's no wonder families love Tampa Bay. The area is home to such favorites as Busch Gardens, The Florida Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, and Lowry Park Zoo.

Education

Education is the key to ensuring a healthy future for the Tampa Bay region. Dozens of well-known universities, community colleges and technical schools offer the tools needed for a well-trained workforce, from information technology and healthcare careers to science and medical technology. Many schools also offer online distance learning, making it even easier for Tampa Bay residents to reach their educational goals.

Medical Schools

Tampa Bay has three outstanding medical schools for health care professionals.

• The USF College of Medicine has a national reputation for excellence. More than 2,400 physicians have graduated from the school since it opened in 1974, and over half pursue further training in physician residency programs at affiliated USF hospitals.
• This year, Florida State University College of Medicine will open a new regional branch in Sarasota, the fourth of six regional campuses that FSU expects to develop in the state. A full roll-out of the Sarasota campus will take place over the next few years with the eventual goal of 20 third year and 20 fourth year medical students on-site.
• The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, is opening a regional campus in Manatee County for the training of osteopathic primary care physicians. Graduating physicians will have the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.).

Nursing Schools

Whether Tampa Bay residents are interested in pursuing a career path as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN), Tampa Bay has a program to meet every person’s need. Here are some of the highlights:

• The USF College of Nursing offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral level nursing degrees, as well as a post master’s certificate program for advanced registered nurse practitioners. The college is nearly doubling its undergraduate enrollment to help meet the national nursing shortage.
• Three private schools offer nursing programs: Florida Southern College in Polk County offers a bachelor’s of science nursing degree, and the University of Tampa offers both bachelor’s and master’s of science nursing degrees. Keiser College in Manatee County offers an associate degree in nursing.
• Numerous Tampa Bay community colleges offer nursing programs, including: Hillsborough Community College, Pasco-Hernando Community College, Polk Community College, Sarasota-Manatee Community College.
• St. Petersburg College in Pinellas County, previously a junior college, now offers a four-year nursing program.
• Technical schools in Sarasota County, Hillsborough County and Pinellas County offer nursing programs for licensed practical nurses.

Health care Management

Saint Leo's College in Pasco County offers a four-year health services management degree for health care professionals pursuing an administrative career path

Public Health

The USF College of Public Health was the first of its kind in Florida and continues to be one of only 33 accredited programs nationwide.

Business, Engineering, Technology and More

• The University of South Florida, with a main campus in Tampa, has branches in Sarasota, Manatee, St. Petersburg and Lakeland. USF is the second largest university in the Southeast.
• New College in Sarasota offers a unique liberal arts curriculum.
• Eckerd College, St. Leo’s College, University of Tampa and Florida Southern College offer a variety of liberal arts and business courses for undergraduate and master’s level programs.
• The Brandon campus of Hillsborough Community College offers a new medical products development curriculum.
• Sarasota’s Ringling School of Arts and Design has a national reputation for programs in computer animation, graphic & interactive communication, fine arts, illustration, interior design, photography and digital imaging.
• Manatee Community College recently opened an innovative Center for Technology satellite campus in Sarasota’s Lakewood Ranch master-planned community.
• St. Petersburg College, previously a two-year college only, received approval to add four year degrees in education, nursing, dental hygiene and applied science in technology management.

High School Magnet Programs

Tampa Bay makes every effort to preparing high school students for careers in health care, technology and other growth industries. Many counties now offer special magnet programs where in addition to traditional academic courses, students can pursue studies in their field of interest.

Hurricane Concern in Tampa Bay

There is great concern of a hurricane striking Tampa bay. Tampa Bay has some very low lying populated areas and Tampa itself is very low lying. NOAA placed Tampa Bay behind New Orleans in metropolitan areas in danger of being struck by a Hurricane. Tampa Bay was threatened by 2004's Hurricane Charley and when a mandatory evacuation order was enacted, only half of those in the evacuation zone actually moved. Officials in Tampa have since tried to get people to evacuate when ordered to. Many didn't evacuate because of the cost to evacuate and uncertainty surrounding the storm (the storm didn't strike Tampa; It made a last minute turn to the northeast and rapid development into Punta Gorda, miles to the south of Tampa, catching many of those residents completely off-guard). However, ever since Hurricane Katrina tragedy, and if the mass evacuation of areas along the Texas coast during Hurricane Rita is any indication, more people in Tampa may leave if a Hurricane does come its way.

See also

• Battle of Tampa, an American Civil War naval battle in Tampa Bay.
• International Arts and Film Foundation (Official Site)

External links

• Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau Official Tourism Website
• Tampa Bay Estuary Atlas
• Hillsborough Bay (USACE)
• Tampa Bay Partnership web site for business relocation