03.20.2025

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79º | 20% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 7:33 a.m. | Sunset 7:41 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 6:22 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 2:55 p.m. | Low: 8:23 a.m. + 10:55 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

No longer the Island of Misfit Toys

A wide feel made up of light dirt and grass is framed by a pale blue sky with lots of clouds. The lot has fencing, light poles, and a porta potty parked on it.

The current state of the Toytown lot. | Screenshot via Google Maps

A Clearwater-based company wants to turn Toytown — an old Pinellas County landfill — into a youth sports complex. How’s that for a fitting future use?

Sports Facilities Companies submitted a proposal to transform the 235 acres into a sports complex complete with:

24 pickleball courts
20 baseball and softball fields
12 sand volleyball courts
5 long fields

It’s the latest quest to bring new life to the decommisioned landfill. Don’t worry: Toytown hasn’t seen junk in a long time. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection shut it down in 1990.

The Clearwater-based company projects the construction would cost $150 million to $200 million. But, the future return is estimated to be far greater —expected to bring in $350 million in its first five years.

What’s next? Sports Facilities needs to give the county a more detailed design and financial plan. Pinellas County Commissioners would also need to vote on the deal.

What do you think the land should be turned into? Let us know, and we may share your ideas.

Asked

Why is it called Toytown?

A. Because of the dumping toys, duh
B. The former owner of the land
C. Literally no idea
D. The former neighborhood

Take a guess

Events

Thursday, March 20

Friday, March 21

Disney On Ice presents “Frozen” & “Encanto” | Friday, March 21-Sunday, March 23 | Times vary | Amalie Arena | $25+ | A whole new cast of characters — including Olaf, Mirabel, and Luisa — take to Amalie’s ice as they bring the Disney adventures to life.

Hot Air Balloon & Kite Festival | Friday, March 21-Saturday, March 22 | 5-11 p.m. | Florida State Fairgrounds | $14+ | Check flyin’ high in the sky in a hot air balloon off the bucket list — plus, enjoy live music, kites, and tunes.

Saturday, March 22

Tampa Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Festival | 12-7 p.m. | Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa | Free entry | Head to the Riverfront for cultural performances from various Asian countries and islands of the Pacific, tons of food options, and informational exhibits.

Bands on the Bay | 3-10 p.m. | Waterfront Park, Safety Harbor | $15+ | Bring your chairs and blankets along to enjoy the “We Rock for Kids” show, food trucks, and drinks on the lawn.

Jake Shane | 8 p.m. | Ruth Eckerd Hall | $40+ | Get your “tents up” for the TikTok star, podcast host, and standup’s “Therapuss LIVE tour.”

Even more ideas

Click here to have your event featured.

Travel

Meet your dream beach getaway

Presented by The Seagate

Photo 1: A beachfront scene of a woman between two umbrellas, Photo 2: Overhead shot of umbrellas in a row on a beach, Photo 3: A woman in a pool at a resort

Three words for you: treat yo’ self. | Photos: Leo Diaz

Still looking for those perfectly sunny summer vacay plans? The freshly renovated Seagate at Delray Beach is waiting to welcome you for a week of memories (or seven days of nonstop me-time).

The Seagate lets you escape to tropical white sand beaches, crystal-blue ocean-front views, and high-end amenities — all without a passport.

While Delray has plenty to explore, it’s easy to fill your itinerary with unique experiences without ever leaving Seagate grounds.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Perfect your swing on the $14 million championship golf course
Cool off in either of the two pools
Unwind with a massage at the full-service spa
Dine at Bourbon Steak, The Seagate’s newly opened restaurant with a kitchen led by Michelin Star Chef Michael Mina
Watch the sunset on a private beach
And endless resort happenings

Bonus: Score up to 25% off your stay + two complimentary cocktails with the All-New Stays, Endless Rays package for a limited time.

Browse + book

News Notes

Real Estate

The Sunshine City’s City Center just got a fresh new look. The 12-story tower’s multi-million dollar renovation includes a marble-bedecked lobby, conference center that fits 60, and fitness center. Best of all: The revamped lobby features Bean Wandering, a coffee and sandwich bar. (St. Pete Rising)

Development

One day, Clearwater’s downtown library could share the space with a museum, planetarium, or a performing arts institution. The city is requesting proposals to transform at least 10,000 sqft of the Clearwater Main Library. Leaders will also consider restaurants and cafes as secondary features in the space. (I Love the Burg)

Open

Ready your karaoke song du jour. LALA just opened a new location in Tampa. The popular concept offers both public and private karaoke experiences, plus a full bar and restaurant. We’re huge fans of the espresso martinis and truffle fries. (That’s So Tampa)

Community

Struggling with a high water bill? Hillsborough officials say it could be your sprinklers. But there’s good news: County irrigation specialists can come evaluate your setup + usage in as little as 20 minutes. Set up an appointment. (WUSF News)

Announced

Tampa Bay’s population continues to balloon, but Pinellas’ stayed the same in 2024. Why’s that? The Tampa Bay Times reports that more people died than were born in the area + the number of new residents didn’t balance that out. (Tampa Bay Times)

Sports

Dig into the financial and strategic implications of locking in Randy Díaz for an additional season. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Rays with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Fact or Fiction

Fact: Some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster. (It sounds wild, but it’s true.) The secret: Find a credit card with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers. This one even offers 5% cash back on your purchases.*

Stat

Every six seconds. That’s how often a pet owner spends $1,000+ in unforeseen care costs for their fur baby. Pet insurance could cover up to 90% of these costs — find the right plan.*

Jobs

💼 Hiring, simplified

Find candidates who want to work right here, right now. | Gif by 6AM City

Small business owners, employers, and hiring managers — we understand that finding the right candidate can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s why we designed TBAYtoday Job Board to reduce hiring barriers and seamlessly connect you with top local talent.

To get started, create an account and post your first listing for free — it takes less than five minutes. Bonus: Level up your listing with a Featured Job Post and your job will be featured right here in the TBAYtoday newsletter.

Get started for free

The Buy

A highly-rated callus file to remove dead skin and calluses so feet are ready for sandal season.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:

Yesterday’s Gasworx update couldn’t have come at a better time for me personally, as my friends were asking about it at our St. Patrick’s (Read: Guinness sippin’) hang.

I highly recommend perusing our real estate page, so you can stay in-the-know.

Send us a scoop, question, or feedback

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