07.02.2025

From our friends at

85º | 50% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 6:37 a.m. | Sunset 8:30 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 9:26 a.m. + 9:26 p.m. | Low: 3:46 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 5:36 p.m. | Low: 11:53 a.m. + 11:35 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

Staycation, anyone?

Two towers framed by palm trees and light blue sky in downtown St. Pete.

A street view of the new The Central complex. | Rendering via Ellison Development

What isn’t building up in the Burg? The latest: The Central, a new mixed-used complex featuring an Autograph Collection hotel, office tower, and parking garage.

The Ellison Development project is pushing along, the Tampa Bay Business Journal first reported, with permits just filed to start construction on the hotel.

What’s included?

An 168-room, 16-story Autograph Collection hotel with a bar and restaurant
42 affordable housing units
A 540-space parking garage
The Halcyon, A 12-story, 130,000-sqft office building
About 16,000-sqft of retail space

Where at?

The complex has been going up slowly on the old St. Pete Police Department headquarters land along *ahem* Central Avenue + right across the street from Ferg’s. The parking garage of the project opened up last month.

What’s the timeline?

The workforce housing component of the complex should open next year, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reports. The hotel would open in early 2027, and the office and retail should be built by late 2027.

Asked

How many hotels/places to stay are there in St. Pete?

A. 253
B. 670
C. 189
D. 395

What's your guess?

Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services

Events

Wednesday, July 2

Mayor’s Food Truck Fiesta | 11 a.m. | Lykes Gaslight Square Park | Price of purchase | The first Wednesday of every month, you can sweeten your lunch break with local food trucks at the downtown park.

Sesame Street Safari 15th Birthday Bash | Wednesday, July 2-Sunday, Aug. 3 | 12-5 p.m. | Busch Gardens Tampa | Free with admission | Pop over to the Gwazi Pavilion to celebrate 15 years of Sesame Street fun with decorations, birthday-themed storytimes, and dance parties.

Independence Day Celebration | Wednesday, July 2-Thursday, July 3 | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | BayCare Ballpark | $13+ | Head to the ballpark to celebrate the holiday weekend with some Clearwater Threshers and fireworks.

Thursday, July 3

Stick Figure with Stephen Marley and The Hip Abduction | 7 p.m. | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre | $31+ | Let your worries float away with reggae and dub band hits from the “Island Holiday Summer Tour.”

Friday, July 4

Star Spangled Sparkman | 5-9:30 p.m. | Sparkman Wharf | Free | It’s a Tampa Bay tradition, starting with the Blessing of the Fleet, followed by the Water Ski Show, the Friends of the Riverwalk July 4th Boat Parade, and a waterfront fireworks finale.

Flick & Splash | 7-10 p.m. | Lake Vista Park & Center, St. Petersburg | $1+ | Sit back for a showing of “The Wild Robot” atop a pool float, noodle, or deck chair at this family-friendly movie night.

Saturday, July 5

Full Body Workout with MMFitness | 9-9:45 a.m. | Armature Works | Free | Amp up that steamy summer outdoor workout with this guided class using body weight movements, kettlebells, resistance bands, and Plyo ladders.

Sunday, July 6

Mettra Morning | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | The Foodie Labs, St. Petersburg | $20 | Cool off with a cold plunge party with wellness-minded community, followed by some craft coffee or tea from LX Coffee.

Beso del Sol: Tampa Bay’s Premium Latin Dance Pool Party | 4-9 p.m. | Hotel Alba Tampa, Tapestry Collection by Hilton | $14+ | Slip on your fave sarong and learn how to groove to bachata, salsa romantica, and mambo beats poolside, then enjoy eats and drinks.

Spice up your summer

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

Gov. Ron DeSantis just signed the state budget, but what does that mean for Tampa Bay? Eighty local projects were cut, including: $14 million for a hanger for the aviation division of the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office and ~$1 million for renovations at Ybor City’s historic Cuban Club. (WUSF News)

Development

A new 381-unit apartment could go up soon in North St. Pete. Wood Partners wants to build Alta Roosevelt, a five-story building + a three-level parking garage in the Gateway area. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Announced

Curry Leaves is on the move. The Tampa Indian restaurant is moving from its tiny perch next to a gas station to a new location near Westshore Plaza. The beloved eatery should open its new spot to the hungry public in August. (Tampa Bay Times)

Opening

Do we have any Dutch Bros fans? The popular West Coast coffee chain is opening a new location in Largo. We don’t have a projected opening date yet, but you can check out their coffees, smoothies, and teas at the Ballast Point location. (I Love the Burg)

Shop

We’re shopping local this summer. Indie Flea just announced two indoor markets at the Coliseum. Mark your calendars for Sunday, July 13 + Sunday, Aug. 10 to check out goods and treats from 100+ vendors. (I Love the Burg)

Open

Champs Sports Reimagined recently opened in The Brandon Exchange. Highlights include 3D digital shoe scan technology, headwear walls, and family-friendly zones. Stop by the grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 9 + Sunday, Aug. 10 to see the new space and enjoy live entertainment, giveaways, and gear customization. (That’s So Tampa)

Try This

The Bucs are celebrating their 50th birthday this upcoming season. Fans can join in on the 2025-2026 NFL season magic by catching the training camp action, appearances by Bucs cheerleaders, and more. (That’s So Tampa)

Sports

MLB All-Star Game voting ignites fierce debate. Is fan selection flawed? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Rays with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Number

1 million. That’s how many working professionals subscribe to Superhuman AI to learn the latest AI skills, tools, and news. Sign up for free.*

The Buy

Save up to 70% at local restaurants, spas, museums, gyms, and more with curated deals from Groupon. New deals appear every day so you can discover your next “why-didn’t-we-do-this-sooner” at the click of a button.

Browse deals for free

Games

The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.

Let the games begin

The Wrap

Taking a cruising right out of Port Tampa Bay is high up there on my local bucket list. If it’s on yours too, Margaritaville at Sea is offering 50% off cruises now through Sunday, July 13 for their Fourth of July Flash Sale.

You can choose from Key West, Aruba, Curaçao, Montego Bay, Mexico, and New Orleans. If you’re asking (no one is), I’d go for Key West or New Orleans.

Send us a scoop, question, or feedback

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