Tampa Bay’s instant recipe for great events calls for adding one main ingredient: the attendees themselves, soaking up the fun and sun while interacting with each other.
"The Tampa Bay area has so many features for fun events," says Thelma Ramey, owner and partner at Plan Ahead Events of Tampa Bay (www.planaheadevents-tampabay.com). "The beaches are an attraction themselves."
Ramey’s company has coordinated beach parties and unique team-building activities on the beach, some of which happen when the sun goes down, including glow-in-the-dark volleyball. Tug-of-war is also a very popular group team-building activity.
"There is something hilarious about seeing grown people pulling on this massive rope," Ramey notes. "Limbo contests are really popular, too. It’s a neat way to get groups working together and having fun together."
Ramey notes that the location of the Tampa Bay Convention Center on the waterfront is appreciated by planners.
"We’ve done a cocktail hour outside at the convention center, which has great outdoor spaces for groups," Ramey points out. "Then from there they board a boat for a dinner cruise. They don’t need to board a motorcoach, which then takes them to a dock."
Krista Soroka, senior vice president of events and marketing for EventMakers Corp., says that the city’s historic Ybor City offers many off-site options, including The Cuban Club.
"It’s this gorgeous Neoclassical building with a beautiful patio and a cantina," Soroka says. "It’s a great place for live music."
The Cuban Club first opened its doors in 1917 as a gathering place for members of the Cuban National Club. The grand ballroom occupies the entire top floor.
"The Ritz Ybor is another venue in Ybor City that is fantastic, and it was renovated just last year," Soroka points out. "Groups can do a buy-out. It’s great for a VIP reception or a dinner. It has marquee lights and red velvet curtains. It’s definitely unique and different."
Another site Soroka recommends is the TPepin Hospitality Centre, located in East Tampa.
"It’s only about a year old with a rich mahogany feel to the decor," Soroka says. The facility is named for Tom Pepin, the head of the Pepin Distributing Co., which distributes Anheuser-Busch beers. The 18,863-square-foot facility features a cascading waterfall, a show kitchen with an open-fire pizza oven and a 10,000-square-foot ballroom. Catering is provided by Busch Gardens.
In addition to beaches, a picturesque waterfront and interesting off-site options, Tampa Bay offers a number of other ideas for planners.
"Tampa has a number of affordable public golf courses, as well as more upscale golf resorts," Ramey notes.
Along with nighttime luminescent volleyball, Plan Ahead Events coordinates glow-in-the-dark golfing. The company has also arranged fishing tournaments throughout the bay.
