Hotel Proposed For Channel District

[bobliocatt]

A Sarasota company is proposing a 150-room hotel in the Channel District that would include up to 10,000 square feet of retail space and 20 to 30 condominiums

Full article:

http://www.tampatrib.com/Business/MGBR1BPQBAE.html

[JoseGaspar]

Add this one to the growing list of new hotel projects planned for DT Tampa -

- Embassy Suites (U/C)

- Fairmont Hotel

- Floridan renovation

- Seaboard Square planned hotel

- Platt St (4 Green Fields) planned hotel

How many of these will get built in the next three years?

[bobliocatt]

Good question. Hopefully there's a market for all of them.

[hjack]

Good question.  Hopefully there's a market for all of them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A larger Convention Center would allow for more business, but where to put it... unless ofcourse, they cleared out some of those loading facilities at the Port... which would subsequently skyrocket the value of my waterfront townhome...

hjack

[robbie]

A larger Convention Center would allow for more business, but where to put it... unless ofcourse, they cleared out some of those loading facilities at the Port... which would subsequently skyrocket the value of my waterfront townhome... 

hjack

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's too much money! Where is all the money coming from to build a new bigger convention center? Waht will happen to the existing CVC?

[JoseGaspar]

There have been studies commissioned to determine the best route to expand our current Conv Ctr. It will be difficult no matter which course they take, as it's kind of 'boxed in' (hotels to East, water to South and West, expressway to North).

There is another camp that is saying that all the moneys cities are spending on expanding their conv ctrs is a waste, and will not be recouped due to a somewhat shrinking convention business, and the tendency for repeat business at the typical convention cities (Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, etc.).

And the pivitol expansion question remains - where would all this money come from?

[bobliocatt]

The convention issue is a real big one. Only a had full actually make money. Orlando's has been operating in the red ever since they expanded it.

[tambay]

What about the land in between the Mariott and the Forum parking garage where the Mariott does its valet parking. It is a decent chunck of land. They could build up and build a large connector to the original center. Just a thought.

[robbie]

What about the land in between the Mariott and the Forum parking garage where the Mariott does its valet parking.  It is a decent chunck of land.  They could build up and build a large connector to the original center.  Just a thought.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can you get more vertical with the existing CC? Wasn't there originally a proposal to build the hotel on top of the convention center? If it were a Sheraton?

[bobliocatt]

What about building something on the North side of the Lee Roy Selmon and connecting it to the existing center with a crosswalk.

[Eternalrsx]

What about building something on the North side of the Lee Roy Selmon and connecting it to the existing center with a crosswalk.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Watch what you say, we could end up with our own 'Big Dig' to bury the crosstown through downtown and open up more land. Although a good idea, when said outloud, it's truly unfeasible (burying the crosstown). I've heard they're looking at extending the convention center over the bay. BAD IDEA. Why not tear down the ghetto on the west side of the river and build it there.

[I-275westcoastflorida]

Watch what you say, we could end up with our own 'Big Dig' to bury the crosstown through downtown and open up more land.  Although a good idea, when said outloud, it's truly unfeasible (burying the crosstown).  I've heard they're looking at extending the convention center over the bay.  BAD IDEA.  Why not tear down the ghetto on the west side of the river and build it there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cause that ghetto is the port which is a big econmic factor the current convention center is fine why need a new one?

[thehappysmith]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the convention center underutilized already? With convention travel down nationwide over the last few years, how would the city justify spending the money to expand the existing CC? The last convention I attended in town was the Florida Association of Counties annual grabfest, and the entire convention was held in the Marriott. I wandered into the CC just out of curiousity to see what was going on there that we couldn't have the convention there, and I heard pins dropping. I'm surprised expanding the CC is even on the radar screen for this city... but then, Tampa city government has never been accused of great competence.

[hjack]

Eternalrsx said "Why not tear down the ghetto on the west side of the river and build it there."

I-275westcoastflorida said "Cause that ghetto is the port which is a big econmic factor the current convention center is fine why need a new one?"

I-275, I think you are misunderstanding the area Eternalrsx is referring to. On the west side of the Hillsborough river, North of 275, are projects. The port is on the East side of the Sparkman Channel.

Regardless, I think the area Eternalrsx is referring to is too far removed from downtown to be appropriate.

hjack

[thehappysmith]

And, that area is already under discussions for redevelopment; the Tampa Heights neighborhood just a few blocks north of 275 there is being seriously looked at by I think it's BofA for a major redevelopment. Low rise, of course, nothing terribly dense, but mixed-use and mixed-income. The few blocks between Stetson Law and the Heights project probably are likely to be picked up for redevelopment if and when the Heights project gets underway (if, really).

Putting the CC there is not a bad idea though... if we ignore my prior comments about CC expansion.

[bobliocatt]

Tampa Heights is to the North on the east side of the river. Is the west side he's referring to, the area just west of Univ. of Tampa between the school and Rome Avenue, along Cass, Cypress, Main and Spruce Streets?

Nevertheless, as said earlier, does the city really need to expand its convention center. The industry isn't exactly booming these days.