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3 weeks ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |J.C. Barrott
Tampa Bay Wave has announced the 15 startups selected for its 2025 Tech|X Accelerator, a program aimed at supporting high-growth technology companies across industries such as healthcare, fintech, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Powered by the Nielsen Foundation, the Tech|X Accelerator is known for its zero-equity model and extensive mentorship and support services.
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1 month ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |Megan Kostner |Michael Connor |J.C. Barrott
LEGOLAND Florida Resort provided an early look at its upcoming SEA LIFE Florida Aquarium, during a behind-the-scenes hard hat tour. The new attraction, described as the world’s first “Theme Park Under the Sea,” is scheduled to open on May 23, 2025. “SEA LIFE Florida is designed to be a child’s first aquarium experience,” said Franceen Gonzales, president of LEGOLAND Florida Resort. Gonzales emphasized the attraction aims to educate young visitors and promote marine conservation efforts.
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1 month ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |J.C. Barrott
Moffitt Cancer Center has appointed Josh Carpenter as president of SPEROS FL, the cancer center’s 775-acre global innovation campus, in Pasco County. Carpenter will also serve as Moffitt’s chief integration officer, overseeing strategic alignment between the cancer center and its research and commercial partners. Carpenter will guide SPEROS FL’s expansion as a biotechnology and life sciences hub, working to advance cancer prevention and treatment.
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1 month ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |J.C. Barrott |Kris Kosaka
Tampa General Hospital, Lifepoint Health and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine have opened Florida’s first academic medical center–affiliated behavioral health teaching hospital. The facility, a joint venture between Tampa General and Lifepoint Behavioral Health, is located at 1303 West Kennedy Boulevard, in the Tampa Medical & Research District, and spans about 83,000 square feet with 96 inpatient beds.
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2 months ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |Kiran Malik-Khan |J.C. Barrott
The Tampa Bay History Center has been ranked among the top 10 history museums in the country, by USA TODAY’s 2025 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The annual list is compiled by a panel of experts, with final rankings determined by public voting. The recognition places the History Center alongside some of the most prominent cultural institutions in the United States.
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2 months ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |J.C. Barrott
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the inaugural She is Football 5K Run, Walk & Stroll on March 8, at the AdventHealth Training Center, with proceeds benefiting programs that help keep girls engaged in sports. The event is open to participants of all fitness levels. The route will begin in the flag lot at AdventHealth Training Center, pass through Raymond James Stadium and conclude in the indoor practice facility, where a women-owned market will be held.
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2 months ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |Michael Connor |J.C. Barrott
Hillsborough County’s tourism industry hit another milestone, in 2024, generating a record $1.16 billion in taxable hotel revenue, according to Visit Tampa Bay. The figure marks an $80 million, or 7.4%, increase from the previous record set in 2023. This is the county’s third consecutive year surpassing $1 billion in hotel revenue and the fourth straight year of record-breaking totals. Revenue figures have climbed steadily from $758 million, in 2021, to more than $1 billion annually, since 2022.
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2 months ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |J.C. Barrott |Kiran Malik-Khan
The Straz Center has long been a beacon for the performing arts in Tampa Bay, hosting two major fundraising events every year, at least that’s what it has always done in the past. Each gala had its own theme and mission but, this year, the Straz is debuting a reimagined “production.” For the first time ever, the Broadway Ball and the Opera Tampa Grand Gala will merge into one, star-studded affair, aptly named the Gala for the Straz Center.
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2 months ago | 
tbbwmag.com | Jo-Lynn Brown |J.C. Barrott
Under Oscar Horton’s leadership, Sun State International Trucks grew from a floundering dealership into a powerhouse. Today, the company’s revenue is on track to reach $250 million. It has six locations and 250-plus employees. Horton also has a large, giving heart and a strong relationship with the University of South Florida, where he supports student athletes and other initiatives.
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2 months ago | 
tbbwmag.com | David Krakow |Bridgette Bello |Jo-Lynn Brown |J.C. Barrott
Gerene Keesler’s parents were told she would not live past the age of two. She grew up having seizures and her parents were told it meant there was a 98 percent chance she had epilepsy. But, for most of her childhood, she was shepherded along the standard path. “They could not handle having a differently wired kid,” says Keesler. She did her K-12 education and was taken off anti-seizure medications when she was around 12.
