Tampa Convention Center

Tampa Convention Center
Address	333 S. Franklin Street
Location	Tampa, Florida
Coordinates	27°56′30″N 82°27′24″W / 27.9417°N 82.4567°W / 27.9417; -82.4567Coordinates: 27°56′30″N 82°27′24″W / 27.9417°N 82.4567°W / 27.9417; -82.4567
Owner	City of Tampa
Built	1989-90
Opened	October 1990
Construction cost	$140-million
Enclosed space
• Total space	600,000 square feet (56,000 m2)
Public transit access	Dick Greco Plaza
Website	Official website

The Tampa Convention Center is a mid-sized convention center located in downtown Tampa, Florida at the mouth of the Hillsborough River. It has both waterfront views of Tampa Bay and views of the city's skyline. Harbour Island is across the eponymous bridge on the other side of the Garrison Channel. The center is connected to the neighboring Channelside District and Ybor City via the TECO Streetcar Line, which has a station across the street. The center opened in 1990 and encompasses 600,000 square feet (56,000 m²) in total. It has a 200,000 square feet (19,000 m²) exhibit hall, a ballroom capable of accommodating over 2,000 guests, and 36 meeting rooms that can be adjusted to various sizes.The facility hosts over 300 events per year.

The Tampa Convention Center is built on the historical site of Fort Brooke, the original American outpost on Tampa Bay established in 1824. The community of Tampa slowly grew around Fort Brooke through two wars with the Seminole Indians and the American Civil War. The post was decommissioned by the United States Army in 1883 and the land was sold for private use.

The former location of the fort was used for various industrial and commercial purposes until the late 1980s, when it was cleared to make way for a new convention center to replace Tampa's aging Curtis Hixon Hall. Construction began in early 1989, with the city of Tampa paying the $140 million cost by issuing municipal bonds. It opened in October 1990.