A collection of interesting happenings and recent developments that contribute to the bright future of Greater Tampa Bay

A New Rays Stadium?

The Dec. 2 deadline for bidders to respond to a Request for Proposal has passed in the pursuit of a much-anticipated new replacement for Tropicana Field.

Included in this proposal is more than just a ballpark. Covering the entire Historic Gas Plant district, the RFP specifically addresses lower-income housing, a hotel and open green space.

“I am confident the requirements laid out in this RFP will chart a path to reach our goals of inclusive progress and equitable redevelopment,” St. Pete mayor Ken Welch said in an announcement back in August.

All that is missing now is a World Series win.

Tampa — the Next Final Frontier

New to MacDill Air Force Base is CENTCOM, a program under the jurisdiction of the United States Space Force. CENTCOM and its 28 service members will primarily work to track satellites and missiles. It is the first of these programs in the area.

The Space Force was created in 2019 under President Donald Trump. It is the youngest and smallest branch of the military.

Today’s Medicine, Tomorrow

Whether human or artificial, the intelligence keeps coming from Tampa General Hospital.

In December 2022, Denver-based tech company Palantir teamed up with the esteemed medical center to assure top patient care. AI-based decision-making will maximize TGH staff’s efficiency and enable them to better provide critical services.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Biotech Company Amgen, who expanded into Greater Tampa Bay with a $25 million facility in 2018, has announced the acquisition of biopharmaceutical company Horizon Therapeutics.

In the business of growth, Amgen previously made headlines in April 2020 for their 33,000-square-foot expansion of their next-generation workspace in the Westshore District.

More Vets for Pets

The doctor is in. A new veterinary clinic has opened in St. Pete, on Dec. 5.

Bayview Animal Hospital is the latest spot to provide both medical care and boarding services to area residents. Drs. Brett Zager and Brett Zielinski are the owners and operators of this locally run practice.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected to follow.

It is Not Goodbye, it is ‘See You Later’

The Sykes Building, otherwise known to Tampa locals as the Beer Can Building, will no longer be home to tech company XPRO.

XPRO will now be called Bedrock. It relocated offices to the Morgan Stanley tower in St. Pete as part of a rebranding and growth mission.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Bedrock CRO Devin Noonan was held in December 2022, officially ushering a new era for the company.

New Snacks and Sips

• Shortwave Coffee opened in Sparkman Wharf in early December. The Missouri-based roasters bring their unique flair with drinks such as Mexican hot chocolate and the mint mayday.
• Also in downtown Tampa, café Blind Tiger completed a nearly $500,000 renovation project in December. They opened their newest location in the Tampa City Center.
• Wagamama plans to open a new location in Water Steet Tampa in 2023. It is a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen, curry, teppanyaki and more.
• Cozy wine bar Bin 6 South opened in downtown St. Pete in November.
• Ponte Modern American opened in Midtown Tampa in December 2022. It is the latest and long-awaited new restaurant from celebrated chef Chris Ponte.

Awards and Accolades

• Tampa International Airport received an honor for its sustainability infrastructure development at the Airports Going Green Conference in Chicago in November.
• The Tampa Bay Tech Awards awarded A-LIGN the Technology Company of the Year award in November.
• Three of the top 10 spots on Thrillist’s Best Breweries in Florida, Ranked, belong to GTB-based breweries. Dunedin’s 7venth Sun Brewery took 10th, Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing took ninth and St. Pete’s Pinellas Ale Works took fifth.

By Ryan Walsh.