May 2007 Meeting Summaries

§ Tampa’s room ratio to exhibit hall space is on target at 1,800 committable rooms to 200,000 square feet of exhibit space; 1,200 rooms is the minimum requirement for that size space.

§ Having an anchor hotel helps to lower the cost of the overall package because transportation costs are not a factor.

§ Convention business is driven by dates, rates, and space.

§ The cranes in downtown Jacksonville signal an increase in more residential properties, which will drive the development of more amenities in the area.

§ Jacksonville should consider more uses for the St. Johns River to drive tourism – akin to the Navy Pier in Chicago or Tampa’s Dragon Boat Races.

Tampa CVB Commercial – Visit Tampa Bay

First impressions from looking at the video bring the following words to mind – water, recreation (outdoor, sports, good times), culture, natural environments, urban/modern, and historic.

Tampa is marketed as multi-faceted city surrounded by water, plentiful recreation, great

food, abundant nightlife, and a variety of things to do. The city is also portrayed as a growing metropolis that is ethnically diverse. This diversity of experiences and people extends beyond Hillsborough County and into the surrounding areas.

The Convention Center District

Waterfront location

The Tampa Convention Center, located on the Hillsborough Bay, offers conventioneers pre-function and meeting rooms that run parallel to the waterfront. Each meeting room is decked out with floor to ceiling windows that offer access to outdoor patios and the Riverwalk (14,600 SF), which can serve as a function space for up to 7,500 people or as a scenic break area during sessions.

The Center’s waterfront location is a major sales and marketing tool as evidenced by the CVB’s collateral material, sales video, and the TCC’s website, which showcases multiple pictures of the convention center “floating” on the Bay.

According to the Marriott’s Mike Falconer, the convention center languished until there were enough hotel rooms within walking distance to create a viable convention center package. The Tampa package (convention center, the hotels, and the arena) is enhanced because of the proximity of its components to the waterfront. Feedback from conventioneers also indicates that the waterfront was an important part of their TCC/Marriott experience. This is not an accident: The Marriott’s interior design was created to compliment its waterfront site. Falconer offered that the Marriott chain was more receptive to building the hotel because of the waterfront location as well.

Staff Note: The Convention Center is located near two hotels that sit directly on the Bay – the Marriott and the Westin on Harbour Island

Tampa Convention Center (large, flexible space)

The Tampa Convention Center offers 600,000 square feet of flexible spaces, including:

§ 200,000 square feet of exhibit space that can be divided into 75,000 100,000 and 125,000 SF sections;

§ 36,000 SF ballroom that can be divided into four sections;

§ 36 breakout rooms (10 with waterfront views) that total over 42,000 SF; and

§ 2 outdoor spaces - the aforementioned Riverwalk and the “Garden” for receptions up to 500 people.

§ Building assets also include proximity to amenities, flexible indoor & outdoor spaces, waterfront location, and natural light.

360 degrees

The transportation plaza at the heart of the primary convention center district offers a good vantage point for identifying most of the places of interest for a conventioneer - the convention center, Embassy Suites, St. Pete Times Forum, the Marriott, the Westin across the bridge on Harbour Island, ChannelSide and the Florida Aquarium in the distance.

Walking through the TCC to the Embassy Suites by way of the connecting land bridge and out toward the trolley station into the Marriott and out through the bayside patio, the number of residential properties on Harbour Island just across the bay is striking. This set-up is visually appealing and provides architectural density that hints at a large number of people in the area, even though there is not much foot traffic in the vicinity. By contrast, walking through the area surrounding the Prime Osborn makes you feel isolated.

Convention Center Hotels

Within less than one-half mile, conventioneers have a choice of five major hotels. Altogether there are 2,174 hotel rooms available in the hotels surrounding the convention center. Together these five hotels offer another 126,000 sq ft of meeting space. Some of these properties also have restaurants, bars, fitness centers, and other amenities. (Distance from convention center)

Embassy Suites (530 ft - .1miles)

Rooms: 360
Meeting space: 9,000 SF

Marriott (896 ft - .17 miles)

Rooms: 717
Meeting space: 50,000 SF

Westin (1,990 ft - .38 miles)

Rooms: 299
Meeting space: 22,000 SF

Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk (2,584 - .49 miles)

Rooms: 277
Meeting space: 18,000 SF

Hyatt Regency (3,082 ft - .58 miles)

Rooms: 521
Meeting space: 30,000 SF

Entertainment (Bars, Restaurants, Shopping, Nightclubs, etc.)

Though an entertainment district does not exist right outside the convention center door, you can access a TECO Streetcar or the In-Town Trolley at the Southern Transportation Plaza (600 feet from TCC) and arrive in Old Hyde Park, Channelside, the Florida Aquarium, or Ybor City in 15 minutes or less.

St. Pete Times Forum (1,256 ft - .24 miles)

The Forum, which seats up to 21,500, is consistently ranked as one of world’s most profitable concert venues according to Pollstar Magazine. In addition to hosting some 150 events per year, the Forum is also home to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightening franchise.

Yacht StarShip (2,929 ft - .56 miles)

Docked just a little over a half-mile from the Tampa Convention Center, the Yacht StarShip is a dining venue that offers five private rooms that can accommodate up to 600 guests. According to the Yacht’s website, it is the only dining yacht in America to receive a 3-Diamond Rating from AAA.

Channelside (3,047 ft - .58 miles)

With a design motif reminiscent of a theme park, urban village (or a movie set) with its colorful façade and a mega cruise ship in the very immediate background on the day the CCTF visited, Channelside offers something for almost everyone. Restaurants range from standards like Hooters and Bennigan’s to more innovative concepts like Stump’s Supper Club (live music and southern foods) or Tina Tapa’s (Spanish tapas - small plate - menu). Channelside also offers a boutique bowling alley (Splitsville), an IMAX theater, a dueling piano bar (Howl at the Moon) and other entertainments. Though opened in 2001, business at Channelside is still best on weekends and during special events.

Florida Aquarium (3, 575 ft – .68 miles)

The cornerstone of The Channel District, the Florida Aquarium is a not-for-profit institution that opened in March 1995. In October 1996, the City of Tampa acquired the Aquarium facility and assumed obligation for its bonds, making the project a public/private partnership effort.

Old Hyde Park Village (7,920 ft – 1.5 miles)

This is an upscale open-air shopping center encompassing approximately three city blocks. Retailers include Anthropologie, Brooks Brothers, Godiva, and Williams Sonoma. The Village also includes an assortment of specialty retailers and restaurants.

Ybor City/Centro Ybor (11,088 feet - 2.1 miles)

Ybor City draws up to 30,000 people on weekend nights. Tampa’s Historic Latin Quarter offers some 60 restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The resurgence of Ybor during the 1990’s was due in part to its bar and club scene, which appealed to young adults and college students. In 2001, Centro Ybor, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex, was built within the historic district offering shopping, entertainment and restaurants that cater to families and tourists during the day. Ybor City is also a National Historic Landmark District

Connectivity

Downtown Transportation: The TECO Streetcar System offers 10 station stops along its 2.4-mile route. Five stops are located in Tampa’s Channel District, four in historic Ybor City and one in downtown. The stations reflect the design characteristics of the districts where they are located and incorporate complementary public art elements. Each station stop offers benches, information kiosks, and canopies.

Southern Transportation Plaza, located in between the Marriott and Embassy Suites Hotels near the convention center, serves as an intermodal facility providing access and connection between pedestrians, streetcars, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HARTline) buses and taxis. The Plaza provides a connecting point for various points of interest. In addition to the TECO Streetcars, patrons can also access the In-Town Trolley system, which services Old Hyde Park and Tampa’s cultural centers (Tampa Bay History Center, Henry B. Plant Museum/University of Tampa, Tampa Museum of Art, Curtis Hixon Park, Tampa Theatre, and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center).

Staff Note: Building parking garages in Tampa are especially difficult because the blocks are among the smallest in the nation (210-by-210-foot blocks). Garages need a certain amount of slope, which might require multiple block lots and such land use is not always feasible. Because cars are not easily parked downtown, Tampa, like Portland (200-by-200-foot blocks), was pressed to develop solid public transit systems downtown. (Downtown Tampa emerges from its cocoon; Tampa Bay Business Journal - January 19, 2007; Michael Hinman)

Convention Business

Timeline

1. Mid 1980’s: Harbour Island, Incorporated was created to oversee operations for the creation of a multi-use downtown community (businesses, retail, and residential)

2. 1990: The Tampa Convention Center was completed

3. Mid 1990’s: Ybor City began experiencing revitalization

4. 1995: Florida Aquarium opened

5. 1996: St. Pete Times Forum opened

6. 2000: Marriott Waterside opened

7. 2001: Channelside and Centro Ybor were completed

8. 2001: Cruise ship terminal relocated to Channelside location

9. 2002: Street car rail system completed

10. 2004: Expansion plans to add at least 150,000 square feet of exhibit space were completed, but placed on hold because of unresolved financing issues

11. 2006: The Embassy Suites, which connects to TCC by a land bridge, was completed

12. 2009-10: Tampa Riverwalk, a 2.2 mile waterside walkway, will be completed

Bed Tax Revenue

Of the $18.3 Million collected in 2006…

§ 42% - Sports facilities (Raymond James Stadium, Legends Field, St. Pete Times Forum, & Plant City Stadium)

§ 38% - Tourism promotion

§ 14% - Facilities and venues (TCC, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center)

§ 2% - Local events and programs ( Black Heritage Festival, Streetcar Race, Arts Council, Specific events for four community chambers)

§ 2% - Local attractions (Tampa Trio, History Center)

§ 1% - Sports

Staff Note: In 2006, Jacksonville collected $14.7 million in bed tax revenue

Sales and Marketing

To streamline efforts, the CVB sales staff is not divided into leisure and convention business. Sales managers focus on both types of business. Some managers focus on geographic areas of the country, while others focus on types of business (Sports, Small meetings, Government, and *SMRF (*Social, Multicultural, Religious and Fraternal).

Collaboration: CVB, Hotels, and CC staff work together

Assisted by regular meetings and electronic connectivity these three groups are able to maximize the package offered to meeting planners, shore-up slow business during the off season (June – August), and build a reputation as a convention city that serves the needs of its customers. Based on discussions during the visit, each group is clear that their organization’s success hinges on the other groups. For example, the Marriott in particular acknowledges that 30 to 40 percent of its business is convention related. Though not a member of the trio mentioned, the Channelside Entertainment Complex also benefits from large group and convention business, especially during weekdays when business is slower.

Facility expansion

Building a larger facility is not only about hosting larger events. Convention centers with more exhibit space are able to host multiple events, which increases revenue. Breaking down a closing exhibit and building up for the next event is more efficient with more available space.

In 2004, Tampa studied the possibility of expanding its exhibit space to about 400,000 square feet. But the cost - then estimated at $111 million to $125 million – has been put on hold. According to CVB and TCC staff, the cost for the same expansion, in today's dollars, would be about approximately $200 million. Rebuilding their current center was estimated at $450 million or more.

Facility Staffing

The TCC is city owned and city staffed with almost 300 employees. Janitorial plus food & beverage services are out-sourced.

What is Tampa selling?

The Tampa Convention Package

The Convention Center
1800+ committable rooms
St. Pete Times Forum

Benefits

Location (Central Florida location draws conventioneers from North and South Florida)
Accessibility
Water
Center design and layout
Space-to-rooms ratio
History/Culture
Things to do

Competition

Mega hotels: Large hotels like Gaylord properties in Texas (Houston), Florida (Orlando), Tennessee (Nashville), and Washington D.C. (2008) offer a complete experience under one roof. Imagine a 2,000 room hotel with a mall, eateries, nightclubs, indoor gardens, a man-made river, a spa & fitness center, and up to 263,000 SF of exhibit space. Another perspective: Imagine a stationary luxury cruise liner. The meeting planner is offered one-stop shopping, a one venue site visit, and one contract for a plethora of services and amenities.

First and Second Tier cities: Since September 11, 2001, Tampa has become a “fishing ground” for competing first tier and other second tier cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and every other city with a convention center.

Notes on Jacksonville

As a convention center competitor: Tampa does not want more competition and would not want to compete with Jacksonville if a larger facility were built. With a larger box, Jacksonville could compete for more business, which could decrease Tampa’s market share, even though (today) Jacksonville lacks the amenities, connectivity, and accessibility of Downtown Tampa.

As a market: The perception inside the industry is that efforts are being made to improve downtown Jacksonville, but those efforts have not been successful as of yet. After offering this insight, speaker Guy Revelle also recalled that downtown Jacksonville was somewhat more vibrant when the Landing was first opened in 1987. While this perception is debatable because of an increased residential base in downtown and efforts by DVI and others, it is noteworthy that outsiders still have negative perceptions regarding the vibrancy of Downtown Jacksonville.

Suggested Reading

Tampa Convention Center

http://www.tampagov.net/dept_convention_Center/

Tampa Downtown Partnership

http://www.tampasdowntown.com/

Downtown Tampa Attractions Association

http://www.funintampabay.com/Directory.asp

Sticks of Fire: A Tampa Blog

http://sticksoffire.com/

Note: Look for articles on “downtown” using the search function

Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau

http://www.visittampabay.com/