Channel District

Coordinates: 27°56′51″N 82°26′38″W / 27.9476089°N 82.4438019°W / 27.9476089; -82.4438019

Channel District
District
Overlooking Channelside Drive from the parking garage. Foreground: Channelside Bay Plaza Background: Harbour Island skyline
Nickname: Channelside
Country	United States
State	Florida
City	Tampa
Coordinates	27°56′51″N 82°26′38″W / 27.9476089°N 82.4438019°W / 27.9476089; -82.4438019

Channelside is a residential and entertainment district just east of Downtown Tampa, Florida, USA. It is bordered by Ybor Channel on the east and Garrison Channel on the south. Notable attractions in this area include the Tampa Port Authority containing the Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida, Florida Aquarium, American Victory Museum, and Channelside Bay Plaza for the nightlife and dining. Several official Super Bowl XLIII parties featuring celebrity appearances were held in the district.^[1][2][3][4] The center of the Bay Plaza has a large open court for live music, with views of the downtown skyline, cruise ships and the Port of Tampa. It also houses an IMAX theater.

The NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning play their games at the St. Pete Times Forum located here. Additionally, the Forum hosts concerts and other events. In 2008 it hosted the NCAA Women's Final Four.^[5] The Tampa Convention Center is also located right next to the district to the west.

Recently, a boom of construction on high rise condos and mixed-use skyscrapers along the Channel aims to transform the entire downtown area. Twin 30-story upscale condos Towers of Channelside were completed in 2007, with many other mid and high-rises such completed since. Saint Leo University also opened up an adult continuing education center, called the Tampa Education Center, in the Channel District in July 2011.^[6] More shopping and entertainment is also coming to the area, along with an urban park.^{[7][8][9][10]} The TECO Streetcar has several stops in the district.^[11] Also, NEVs are being utilized by startups to link Tampa's core neighborhoods including Channelside.^{[12][13][14][15]} Starting in 2010 the Tampa Attractions Association formed a tradition of coloring the Garrison Channel green for Saint Patrick's Day.^[16]

Channelside from distance showing Tampa Marriott Waterside, St. Pete Times Forum and Towers of Channelside.

See also

• Davis Islands
• Downtown Tampa
• Garrison Channel
• Harbour Island
• Hyde Park
• International Plaza and Bay Street
• SoHo
• Ybor City

References

1. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
2. ^ [2]^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Citytimes: Nightlife has a new spin". http://www.sptimes.com/2003/12/05/Citytimes/Nightlife_has_a_new_s.shtml. 
4. ^ "What is Kim Kardashian doing in Tampa? – St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. http://www.tampabay.com/features/events/article1002762.ece. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
5. ^ "Rain Doesn't Dim Final Four Hoopla". http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/06/rain-doesnt-dim-final-four-hoopla/. 
6. ^ PRWeb – Thu, Aug 25, 2011 (August 25, 2011). "Saint Leo Only One of the Universities in Tampa in Channelside District – Yahoo! News". News.yahoo.com. http://news.yahoo.com/saint-leo-only-one-universities-tampa-channelside-district-070943000.html. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
7. ^ "Towers of Channelside, Tampa / Emporis.com". http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/cx/?id=towersofchannelside-tampa. 
8. ^ Walt Belcher (June 23, 2009). "Downtown barber shop inspired by 'Big Lebowski'". TBO.com. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/23/trim-and-beer-barber-shop-inspried-big-lebowski/. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
9. ^ "Tbt: Twist on steel". Sptimes.com. September 17, 2004. http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/17/Tbt/Twist_on_steel.shtml. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
10. ^ "Tampa's Grand Central at Kennedy adds two retail tenants – St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/retail/tampas-grand-central-at-kennedy-adds-two-retail-tenants/1072279. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
11. ^ "Streetcar Maps". Tecolinestreetcar.org. http://www.tecolinestreetcar.org/about/maps/index.htm. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
12. ^ "Hop Tampa ready to give folks a ride downtown – St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/article459794.ece. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
13. ^ [3]^{[dead link]}
14. ^ http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/article989786.ece
15. ^ "Residents sketch plans for park | TBO.com". Centraltampa2.tbo.com. October 21, 2009. http://centraltampa2.tbo.com/content/2009/oct/21/st-residents-sketch-plans-for-park/#comments. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
16. ^ "For St. Patrick's Day, Channelside's waters go green – St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. http://www.tampabay.com/features/events/for-st-patricks-day-channelsides-waters-go-green/1078776. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 

External links

• Channelside Tampa
• Channelside Real Estate Developments
• Channelside District demographics page