Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a big city on the Gulf Coast of Florida. It is the third-largest city in Florida, after Jacksonville and Miami, with almost 400,000 people living there. Tampa is also part of a larger area with over 3 million people, making it an important place in the United States.

The city began in 1824 with the building of Fort Brooke after the United States got Florida from Spain. It grew quickly in the 1880s when railroads and cigar factories were built. Today, Tampa has many jobs in tourism, health care, finance, and other industries. The city's port is the biggest in Florida and helps the local economy a lot.

Tampa has many fun things to see and do, like the Tampa Museum of Art, the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the historic Ybor City area. It is also home to big sports teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Tampa Bay Rays. The city has important schools like the University of South Florida and University of Tampa, and it is where the United States Central Command is located at MacDill Air Force Base.

Etymology

The name "Tampa" first appeared as "Tanpa" in the memoirs of Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda. He was held by the Calusa people and traveled through much of Florida. Archaeologist Jerald Milanich believed Tanpa was a Calusa town near Charlotte Harbor.

Early Spanish maps called Tampa Bay Bahía de Espíritu Santo (Bay of the Holy Spirit). By 1576, it was known as B. Tampa (Bahía Tampa or Tampa Bay). The area’s names were often confused by early explorers and map-makers.

When the community near Fort Brooke became a town in 1849, it was named “Tampa Town”. By 1855, the name was shortened to simply “Tampa”.

People from Tampa are called “Tampans”, “Tampanians”, or “Tampeños”. The term “Tampeños” became popular among descendants of Cuban, Italian, and Spanish immigrants who arrived in the late 1800s.

History

Main article: History of Tampa, Florida

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Tampa, Florida.

Indigenous peoples and European exploration

Main articles: Tocobaga and Pohoy

The shores of Tampa Bay have been home to people for thousands of years. A culture known as the Weeden Island developed in the area about 2,000 years ago. Evidence shows these people relied heavily on the sea for food and resources, with most settlements near the water and little farming.

When Europeans first arrived in the early 1500s, several groups of the Safety Harbor culture lived in the area. Spanish explorers met the Tocobaga most often. Their main town was near today's Safety Harbor in Pinellas County. There is less information about the Pohoy, who lived near the Hillsborough River close to modern downtown Tampa. Both groups had similar cultures and languages to the Tocobaga.

Early Spanish expeditions led by Pánfilo de Narváez and Hernando de Soto visited near Tampa but did not stay. Florida had no gold or silver, and the native people resisted Spanish attempts to settle or convert them to Catholicism. Many Native Americans died from diseases brought by Europeans, and the cultures of the Tampa Bay area faded away by about 1600. The west coast of Spanish Florida was largely empty for over 200 years.

In the mid-1700s, the Seminole people moved into northern Florida. They reached central Florida after the United States took control in 1821.

Before the United States owned Florida, a few Cuban and Native American fishermen had small seasonal camps called "ranchos" on Tampa Bay. The largest was at Spanishtown Creek in today's Hyde Park neighborhood along Bayshore Boulevard.

U.S. control

After the United States bought Florida from Spain in 1821, they built forts and trading posts. Fort Brooke was built in January 1824 at the mouth of the Hillsborough River in Downtown Tampa.

Tampa was a small outpost at first. Most people left during the Second Seminole War from 1835 to 1842, but returned after the Seminoles were gone.

Florida became a state on March 3, 1845. Tampa became an official village on January 18, 1849, with 185 civilians and 974 people including soldiers. Tampa became a town on December 15, 1855.

Civil War and Reconstruction

Main article: Florida in the American Civil War

When the Civil War began, Florida joined the southern states to form the Confederate States of America, and Fort Brooke was defended by Confederate soldiers. Martial law started in Tampa in January 1862, and normal city government stopped during the war.

In 1861, the Union Navy blockaded many southern ports. Some ships sneaked past the blockade to bring cattle to Spanish Cuba, earning money for the Confederacy. On June 30, 1862, the ship USS Sagamore fired on Fort Brooke, which fired back. The Sagamore left after a few hours, causing little damage. Later in 1863, Union forces attacked and destroyed ships hidden along the Hillsborough River.

In May 1864, Union soldiers took Fort Brooke without a fight. They destroyed much of the fort and took supplies but left after two days.

The Civil War ended in April 1865. In May 1865, Union troops occupied Tampa and the fort until August 1869.^{[citation needed]}

After the war, Tampa was a poor fishing village with about 1,000 people and little industry. Yellow fever outbreaks from mosquitoes caused many to leave. In 1869, people voted to end Tampa's city government.

In 1870, Tampa Town had about 800 people, dropping to about 700 by 1880. Fort Brooke closed in 1883, hurting the economy at first but later allowing development along the waterfront. Only two cannons from the fort remain, displayed at the University of Tampa.

1880s economic prosperity

In the mid-1880s, Tampa's luck changed. In 1883, phosphate was found in the Bone Valley area southeast of Tampa. This mineral, important for making fertilizers and other products, was shipped from Tampa's port in large amounts. Tampa remains a major phosphate exporter.

The discovery of phosphate, the arrival of Plant's railroad, and the founding of Ybor City and West Tampa in the mid-1880s turned Tampa from a struggling village into a busy boomtown overnight. By 1900, it was one of Florida's largest cities.

Plant's railroad

In late 1883, Henry B. Plant's South Florida Railroad reached Tampa, connecting it to the national railroad system. Before this, Tampa's roads were sandy and made travel difficult. The railroad made it easier to send phosphate and commercial fishing products north and brought new goods and tourists to Tampa.

Ybor's cigars

See also: History of Ybor City

The railroad also helped another industry grow. In 1885, Vicente Martinez Ybor moved his cigar factory to Tampa from Key West. Tampa's closeness to Cuba made it easy to import "clear Havana tobacco" by sea, and Plant's railroad made it easy to send finished cigars across the United States by land.

Tampa was still small, with fewer than 5,000 people, so Ybor built many houses for the Cuban and Spanish cigar workers moving to the area. Ybor City produced its first cigars in 1886, and many other cigar makers came to town. Italian and some Eastern European Jewish immigrants also arrived, opening shops for the workers.

By 1900, over 10,000 immigrants lived in Ybor City. Many Cuban immigrants also built West Tampa, another cigar-focused neighborhood. Together, these "Latin" communities quickly grew Tampa's population, economy, and tax money, making Tampa known as the "Cigar Capital of the World".

Early 20th century

In the early 1900s, making cigars was the main industry in Tampa. Factories in Ybor City and West Tampa hand-rolled over 500 million cigars in 1929, the most ever.

In 1904, local business leaders formed Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, named after the mythical pirate José Gaspar. They started the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, which has been held almost every year since.

Mid to late 20th century

Tampa grew a lot during World War II. Before the U.S. entered the war, construction began on MacDill Field, which became a main base for Army Air Corps and later Army Air Forces operations before and during the war. After the war, MacDill stayed open as MacDill Air Force Base.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1950s and 1960s, Tampa grew faster than ever before. This growth led to new highways and bridges, bringing more people and tourists. Popular spots like Busch Gardens and Lowry Park were developed. Important institutions that helped Tampa's economy were also created.

The University of South Florida opened in North Tampa in 1956 and began classes in September 1960. The university led to new homes and businesses in the area around its campus. Tampa continued to spread out during the 1960s with new hospitals, schools, churches, and neighborhoods. Many offices moved from downtown to newer locations.

In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Tampa's population as 80.0% white and 19.7% black.

Tampa tried to combine city and county governments four times between 1967 and 1972, but each vote failed. The biggest loss was in 1972, with 33,160 (31%) voting yes and 73,568 (69%) voting no.

The most recent big growth started in 1988 when Tampa added a rural area of 24 square miles (62 km²) between I-275 and I-75.^{[citation needed]}

East Tampa, historically a mostly Black community, saw several difficult times during the period of racial separation, mainly because of issues between residents and the Tampa Police Department.

Geography

Main articles: Geography of the Tampa Bay area and Climate of the Tampa Bay area

Topography

Tampa covers a total area of 175.3 square miles, with 113.4 square miles of land and 61.8 square miles of water. The highest point in Tampa is 48 feet above sea level. The city is bordered by Old Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Bay, which flow together to form Tampa Bay, leading to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Hillsborough River flows into Hillsborough Bay, passing by Downtown Tampa and providing the city's main fresh water supply. The Palm River is a smaller river flowing into McKay Bay. Tampa's geography includes the Interbay Peninsula, which separates Hillsborough Bay from Old Tampa Bay.

Cityscape

Main article: Cityscape of Tampa, Florida

Tampa has many neighborhoods, some of which were towns before the city grew around them. The main areas are Downtown Tampa, New Tampa, West Tampa, East Tampa, North Tampa, and South Tampa. Well-known neighborhoods include Ybor City, Forest Hills, Ballast Point, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, Palma Ceia, Hyde Park, Davis Islands, Harbour Island, Tampa Palms, College Hill, Water Street, Channelside, and parts of Gary and the Westshore Business District.

Tampa has many tall buildings, with 30 that are over 250 feet high. The tallest building is 100 North Tampa, which is 579 feet tall and was completed in 1992. Other tall buildings include Bank of America Plaza, One Tampa City Center, SunTrust Financial Centre, Park Tower, Rivergate Tower, and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Landmarks

See also: List of tallest buildings in Tampa

Tampa has many famous places, including Tampa Theatre, Downtown Tampa from Bayshore Boulevard, the Tampa Riverwalk, fountains at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, and the Sulphur Springs Water Tower. The Ybor City District has many historic buildings, such as El Centro Español de Tampa and Centro Asturiano de Tampa. The Babe Zaharias Golf Course is also a historic landmark.

The Story of Tampa is a large painting in the Tampa Municipal Office Building that shows many important parts of the city's character. Park Tower is one of the first big skyscrapers in downtown Tampa. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge spans Tampa Bay. Tampa is also home to Bro Bowl, an old skatepark from the 1970s, and the Tampa Riverwalk, a long path along the Hillsborough River.

Climate

The Tampa Bay area has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. Summers are hot and wet with frequent thunderstorms, while winters are cooler and drier. Tampa's average temperatures range from the 50s to the 90s °F year-round.

Tampa is sometimes threatened by tropical storms and hurricanes during the hurricane season from June to November. Although major hurricanes are rare, several have come close to the area in recent years, causing some damage and power outages.

Tropical storms

Tampa faces threats from tropical storms almost every hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Although it has rarely been directly hit by major hurricanes, several have come close, causing some damage and power outages.

Seasonal trends

Summer

Summer in Tampa lasts from late May to early October and is the rainy season. Days are hot and humid, with temperatures around 91 °F and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. These storms can sometimes bring heavy rain, lightning, strong winds, and hail.

Autumn

Autumn begins in September, with temperatures slowly dropping and less rain. November is usually the driest month, but passing tropical systems can bring heavy rain.

Winter

Winter in Tampa is dry and cool, with temperatures in the 70s °F during the day and the 50s °F at night. Cold fronts can bring brief rain and cooler temperatures. Frosts are rare, and hard freezes occur every few years.

Spring

Spring starts in mid-February, with slowly warming temperatures. While it stays warm, the rainy season usually begins in June, leading to a risk of brush fires from late March to May. Occasionally, cold fronts can bring brief severe weather and cooler temperatures.

Demographics

Tampa first appeared in the 1850 U.S. Census with a population of 974, including soldiers at Fort Brooke.

In the 2020 United States census, there were 384,959 people, 156,705 households, and 85,195 families living in Tampa.

The racial makeup of Tampa, as counted in the 2020 U.S. census, was 49.70% White alone, 21.91% Black alone, 0.41% Native American alone, 5.43% Asian alone, 0.08% Pacific Islander alone, 7.63% Other Race alone, and 14.85% Multiracial or Mixed Race. When counting Hispanics separately, the makeup was 43.32% White alone (non-Hispanic), 20.93% Black alone (non-Hispanic), 0.19% Native American alone (non-Hispanic), 5.35% Asian alone (non-Hispanic), 0.06% Pacific Islander alone (non-Hispanic), 0.71% Other Race alone (non-Hispanic), 3.81% Multiracial or Mixed Race (non-Hispanic), and 25.62% Hispanic or Latino.

Communities of faith have been part of Tampa since 1846. Tampa has many different religious groups, including various Christian denominations, Jewish synagogues, mosques for Islam, a Tibetan-style Buddhist temple, a Thai Buddhist Wat, and worship centers for the Sikh, Hindu and Baháʼí Faiths. The Church of Scientology also has a location in Tampa.

Economy

Finance, retail, healthcare, insurance, shipping, national defense, professional sports, tourism, and real estate all help make Tampa a busy place to work. There are many jobs in Hillsborough County, and even more are expected in the future.

Big companies and nonprofit groups have offices in Tampa. Some well-known companies start or have important offices here. Downtown Tampa is growing with new homes, hotels, and places to shop and live all day long. Port Tampa Bay is a busy place where many ships come and go, helping bring goods to and from Florida. MacDill Air Force Base is also an important part of Tampa, providing many jobs for military workers and support staff.

Arts and culture

Tampa has many places for arts and entertainment. You can find theaters like the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Theatre, and Gorilla Theatre. There are also music groups such as the Florida Orchestra and Opera Tampa.

The city has lots of museums, including the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) with science exhibits and a special movie theater, and the Tampa Museum of Art. The Children's Museum of Tampa opened in 1986 to give kids a fun place to learn and explore. It moved to a bigger spot in 2010.

Tampa has many different kinds of food from around the world. You can find Cuban, Spanish, Italian, and even seafood restaurants. The city is famous for its special Cuban sandwich, which has extra Genoa salami.

Tampa has beautiful parks and fun places to visit, like Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, a big amusement park with roller coasters and animals. There is also ZooTampa at Lowry Park where you can see over 2,000 animals. The Florida Aquarium has many fish and sea creatures to see.

Every year, Tampa has exciting events like the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, a big parade that looks like a pirate invasion. There are also movie festivals, music events, and more. In March 2024, Tampa had its first International Book Fair with authors from many countries.

Sports

Main article: Sports in the Tampa Bay Area

Tampa is home to teams in three major professional sports leagues: the National Football League, the National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball. The NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning are based in Tampa, while the Tampa Bay Rays of the MLB play across the bay in St. Petersburg. These teams, along with others, represent the entire Tampa metropolitan area. Together, Tampa Bay's professional teams have won eight championships in their leagues.

The Tampa Bay area is also a popular spot for Major League Baseball spring training and minor league baseball teams. The New York Yankees hold spring training in Tampa, and their Low-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, play there during the summer.

On the college level, the University of South Florida Bulls compete in 17 sports in NCAA Division I, and the University of Tampa Spartans compete in 20 sports in NCAA Division II.

Between September 2020 and July 2021, Tampa Bay's major teams and the Tampa Bay Rowdies all reached their sport's championship series. The Lightning won the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals, the Rays lost the 2020 World Series, the Rowdies and Phoenix Rising FC were named co-league champions after the USL Championship game was canceled, the Buccaneers won the first home-game victory in Super Bowl history, and the Lightning won the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. This success earned the area the nickname "Champa Bay".

Football

Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started in 1976 as an expansion team in the NFL. They struggled at first, losing their first 26 games in a row, which set a league record. After some early success in the late 1970s, they faced many losing seasons. Things improved after hiring Tony Dungy in 1996, leading to their victory in Super Bowl XXXVII under coach Jon Gruden. They won their second championship in Super Bowl LV with quarterback Tom Brady and became the first NFL team to win a Super Bowl at their home stadium.

Storm

Originally the Pittsburgh Gladiators and a founding member of the Arena Football League (AFL), the Tampa Bay Storm moved from Pittsburgh in 1991 and won ArenaBowl V that year. They went on to win four more ArenaBowls and were the most successful team in the league's history. The AFL faced financial difficulties in the 2010s, leading to fewer teams. By the 2017 season, there were only five teams, and the Storm's ownership group stopped operations.

Bandits

Tampa was also home to the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. The Bandits made the playoffs twice in their three seasons under head coach Steve Spurrier and drew large crowds to Tampa Stadium. However, the team folded along with the rest of the USFL after the 1985 season. They played at Tampa Stadium, which hosted the 1984 USFL Championship Game.

Vipers

The Tampa Bay Vipers joined the second edition of the XFL. Their first season was cut short after five weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, and is now known as the Las Vegas Vipers.

Tornadoes

The Tampa Bay Tornadoes were founded in 2020 and consider themselves the successors to the defunct Tampa Bay Storm. They play in the American Arena League.

Baseball

Main article: Baseball in the Tampa Bay area

History

The Tampa Bay area has a long history with amateur baseball and has hosted spring training and minor league teams for over a century. Tampa became the first city in Florida to host a major league team for spring training in 1913, when the Chicago Cubs trained at Plant Field. The Tampa Smokers were the city's first minor league team, starting in 1919 as part of the new Florida State League.

Rays

After many years of trying to attract a Major League Baseball franchise, the Tampa Bay area got its team in 1998 when the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays began playing at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. After early struggles, the team shortened its name to the Rays in 2008 and soon won the American League Pennant, reaching the World Series but finishing as runners-up. They also won American League East titles in 2008 and 2010 under manager Joe Maddon before falling back in the standings.

In 2007, the Rays started looking for a new stadium site closer to the area's population center, possibly in Tampa. However, over a decade later, disagreements between Tampa and St. Petersburg and financing challenges have kept the Rays at Tropicana Field.

In 2020, the Rays won the AL East for the first time in ten years with the best record in the American League. Because of the COVID-19 shortened season, 16 teams made the playoffs, so the Rays faced the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round and won. They then beat the New York Yankees in the divisional series and faced the Astros in the league championship. After falling behind 3–0, the Rays came back to tie the series 3–3. They won Game 7 to reach the World Series but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

Florida State League

Several Major League baseball teams hold Spring Training in the area, and most also have minor league teams in the Low-A Florida State League. The New York Yankees and their minor league affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, use George M. Steinbrenner Field across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium.

Across the bay in Pinellas County, the Philadelphia Phillies affiliate Clearwater Threshers and the Toronto Blue Jays affiliate Dunedin Blue Jays also play in the Florida State League. Other nearby Florida State League teams include the Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate Bradenton Marauders and the Detroit Tigers affiliate Lakeland Flying Tigers. The Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates, and Tigers all play their Spring Training games at their minor league teams' ballparks.

The Tarpons have won five league titles, the Flying Tigers have won four, the Threshers have won two, and the Blue Jays and Marauders have each won one.

The area was formerly home to many Florida State League teams that no longer exist, most notably the Tampa Smokers, St. Petersburg Saints, and the original Tampa Tarpons.

Hockey

Lightning

The NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, named for the city's frequent lightning strikes, was established in 1992 and plays at Benchmark International Arena in downtown Tampa. The team won its first Stanley Cup in 2004 by defeating the Calgary Flames in seven games. After that championship and a league-wide pause, the Lightning had mixed success in several years but won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, beating the Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens respectively.

Tampa hosted the skills contests and 2018 NHL All-Star Game weekend on January 27–28, 2018. Former captain Steven Stamkos is the franchise's top scorer with 555 goals over sixteen seasons before signing with the Nashville Predators after the 2023–24 NHL season.

Soccer

Rowdies

The Tampa Bay Rowdies compete in the United Soccer League Championship after spending their first six seasons in the North American Soccer League. The team started playing at Tampa's George M. Steinbrenner Field in 2010, then moved to St. Petersburg's Al Lang Field in 2011. The Rowdies won their first league championship in Soccer Bowl 2012. In 2020, the Rowdies reached the USL Championship Final, but it was canceled due to COVID-19, and they and the other finalist, Phoenix Rising FC, were named co-champions by the league.

Previously, Tampa had two top-level soccer teams. The Tampa Bay Rowdies of the original North American Soccer League was the area's first major sports franchise, starting in 1975 at Tampa Stadium. The Rowdies were very popular, drawing good crowds and winning Soccer Bowl '75 in their first season to bring Tampa its first professional sports championship. Though the NASL stopped in 1984, the Rowdies kept playing in various leagues until folding in 1993.

Mutiny

The success of the Rowdies led Major League Soccer (MLS) to award Tampa as a founding member of the new league in 1996. The Tampa Bay Mutiny were the first MLS Supporters' Shield winners and had early success starting in (/wiki/1996_Major_League_Soccer_season). However, the club folded in (/wiki/2001_MLS_season) when local ownership couldn't be found, mainly because of a financially poor lease agreement for Raymond James Stadium. Tampa doesn't have an MLS team now, but the Rowdies are trying to join the league.

Sun

Tampa Bay Sun FC was founded in 2023, becoming a founding member of the USL Super League, a top-division women's soccer league. They play at Suncoast Credit Union Field, a newly renovated stadium on the campus of Blake High School. They won the inaugural Super League championship, beating Fort Lauderdale United FC in the final.

Basketball

The Tampa Bay Titans play in The Basketball League (TBL). Their home games are at A. P. Leto High School.

Amalie Arena was used as the home of the NBA's Toronto Raptors for the 2020–2021 season because of Canadian government rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. It was the first time an NBA team played home games in Tampa, though some preseason exhibition games had been played there before between the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.

Former minor league teams include The St. Pete Tide and the Tampa Gunners, which played in the Florida Basketball Association (FBA). The Tide's home games were at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, and the Gunners were a travel team.

College sports

University of South Florida

See also: South Florida Bulls

The University of South Florida is the only NCAA Division I sports program in Tampa. USF started intercollegiate sports in 1965. The Bulls added a men's basketball team in 1971 and a football team in 1997 and now sponsor 17 teams. The Bulls joined the Big East in 2005, and the football team reached as high as #2 in the BCS rankings in 2007. They are now part of the American Athletic Conference. USF has won six NCAA national championships: softball in 1983 and 1984, women's swimming in 1985, and sailing in 2009, 2016, and 2017.

University of Tampa

See also: Tampa Spartans

The University of Tampa Spartans compete in 20 sports at the NCAA Division II level in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). They have won a total of 19 Division II National Championships, including eight in baseball.

Hillsborough Community College

The Hillsborough Community College Hawks are an NJCAA Division I junior college team and a member of the Florida College System Activities Association. They compete in the Suncoast Conference and the Southern Conference in Region VIII of The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Major events hosted in the Tampa Bay Area

Further information: Sports in the Tampa Bay area § Major championship events hosted in Tampa Bay

• Super Bowls XVIII and XXV (Tampa Stadium)
• Super Bowls XXXV, XLIII, and LV (Raymond James Stadium)
• 1984 USFL Championship Game (Tampa Stadium)
• 2008 World Series games 1 and 2 (Tropicana Field)
• 2004 Stanley Cup Finals games 1, 2, 5, and 7 (Benchmark International Arena)
• 2015 Stanley Cup Finals games 1, 2 and 5 (Benchmark International Arena)
• 2021 Stanley Cup Finals games 1, 2, and 5 (Benchmark International Arena)
• Soccer Bowl 2012 Leg 2 (Al Lang Stadium)
• ArenaBowl IX (Tropicana Field)
• ArenaBowl XII and XVII (Benchmark International Arena)
• 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game (Raymond James Stadium)
• 1999 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Final Four (Tropicana Field)
• (/wiki/2008_NCAA_Division_I_women's_basketball_tournament#Final_Four_–_St._Pete_Times_Forum,_Tampa,_Florida), (/wiki/2015_NCAA_Division_I_women's_basketball_tournament#Final_Four), (/wiki/2019_NCAA_Division_I_women's_basketball_tournament), and 2025 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four (Benchmark International Arena)
• (/wiki/1978_NCAA_Division_I_Soccer_Tournament#Final), (/wiki/1979_NCAA_Division_I_Soccer_Tournament#Final), and 1980 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game (Tampa Stadium)
• (/wiki/1990_NCAA_Division_I_men's_soccer_tournament#Final) and 1991 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game (USF Soccer Stadium)
• (/wiki/2012_NCAA_Division_I_Men's_Ice_Hockey_Tournament#Frozen_Four_–_Tampa,_Florida) and 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Frozen Four (Benchmark International Arena)
• 2009 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Final Four (Benchmark International Arena)
• 2015 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship and 2015 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship (The Concession Golf Club)
• 2021 USL Championship Final (Al Lang Stadium)
• 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Frozen Four (Benchmark International Arena)
• 2023 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Final Four (Benchmark International Arena)
• 2023 Tampa Bay Frog Swim (Gandy Beach)
• 2023 Swim Across America Tampa Bay (North Shore Park)
• 2024–25 USL Super League final (Suncoast Credit Union Field)

Future events planned to be held in the Tampa Bay area

• 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball first and second round (Benchmark International Arena)

Government

Tampa uses a strong mayor system, where the Mayor of Tampa leads the city government. The mayor is elected for four-year terms and can serve up to two terms in a row. The current mayor is Jane Castor, who began her role on May 1, 2019.

The city has a City Council with seven members. Four are chosen from specific areas of the city, while three are elected by the whole city.

The city is protected by the Tampa Fire Rescue Department, which operates 23 fire stations and helps keep Tampa, New Tampa, and nearby places safe.

The Tampa Police Department has over 1,000 officers and many support staff to keep the city secure. They are led by a chief of police selected by the mayor and approved by the city council.

Elections for city leaders happen on the first Tuesday in March, with any needed runoff elections in April. All elected leaders start their jobs on May 1. Voters can ask for special help when voting if they need it.

There are also other important offices in Tampa, like the City Clerk, Legal Department, Internal Audit, and Revenue and Finance Department.

Education

See also: List of schools in Hillsborough County, Florida and Tampa United Korean School

Primary and secondary schools

Further information: Hillsborough County Public Schools

Public schools in Tampa are run by Hillsborough County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the United States. It has nearly 190,000 students and includes many different types of schools, such as elementary, middle, and high schools. Some of the high schools are known for being among the best in the country.

Public libraries

Tampa has a network of public libraries managed by the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System. There are 25 libraries in total, including the John F. Germany Public Library in Downtown Tampa. The libraries began with a gift from Andrew Carnegie and now serve people from many nearby areas.

Higher education

Tampa is home to several colleges and universities. The University of South Florida is a large public university with over 51,000 students. The University of Tampa is a private university with around 9,000 students. There are also community colleges like Hillsborough Community College and other schools that offer training in various fields.

Media

Main article: Media in Tampa Bay

See also: List of films set in Tampa

The main newspaper for Tampa is the Tampa Bay Times, which bought another paper, The Tampa Tribune, in 2016. There are also many smaller papers and magazines, like Florida Sentinel Bulletin, Creative Loafing, Reax Music Magazine, The Oracle, Tampa Bay Business Journal, MacDill Thunderbolt, and La Gaceta. La Gaceta is special because it is the only newspaper in the country that prints in three languages: English, Spanish, and Italian. This is because it started in Ybor City, a neighborhood where many people from different countries lived.

Tampa has many TV stations, such as WEDU and WEDQ 3 (PBS), WFLA-TV 8 (NBC), WTSP 10 (CBS), WTVT 13 (Fox), WCLF 22 (CTN), WFTS 28 (ABC), WMOR-TV 32 (Independent), WTTA 38 (The CW), WSNN-LD 39 (MyNetworkTV), WTOG 44 (Independent), WVEA 50 (Univision, with UniMás on DT6), WFTT 62 (Religious) and WXPX 66 (Independent, with Ion Television on DT2).

The area also has many radio stations, including WDAE, which was the first radio station in Florida when it started in 1922.

Infrastructure

Tampa has many ways for people to move around the city and to other places.

Transportation

Roads

Three big bridges cross Tampa Bay to Pinellas County: the Howard Frankland Bridge, the Courtney Campbell Causeway, and the Gandy Bridge. Tampa has several big roads and highways that help people get around.

Airports

Main article: List of airports in the Tampa Bay area

Tampa has three airports. Tampa International Airport is the main one. St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport is across the bay, and Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport is in nearby Sarasota.

Rail

Tampa has a train station where people can catch trains going to Miami and Chicago. There are also buses and trains that help move goods.

Seaports

Main article: Port Tampa Bay

Port Tampa Bay is a very busy port where many ships come to load and unload things like petroleum and phosphate.

Mass transit

Tampa used to have many streetcars a long time ago, but now it has buses and a streetcar line that goes through parts of the city. There are also special small electric cars and water taxis for getting around.

Healthcare

Tampa has ten hospitals, including Tampa General Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital.

Utilities

The city gets its water from the Hillsborough River and other places. Most of the city's power comes from TECO Energy.

Sustainability

Tampa works hard to take care of the environment. The city has done things like giving special help to buildings that are built in green ways and making plans to help people during disasters.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida, has been home to many famous people throughout history. These individuals have come from all walks of life and have made their mark in various fields such as entertainment, sports, and more. The city continues to be a place where inspiring stories begin.

Sister cities

See also: List of sister cities in Florida

Tampa has made special sister city friendships with cities around the world. These partnerships began in different years, starting with Barranquilla, Colombia, in 1966 and most recently with Heraklion, Greece, in 2019. The sister cities include places in Italy, Israel, Colombia, Mexico, France, Greece, Turkey, China, Spain, Brazil, Ireland, and more.