Does Tampa Bay have the potential to become a major/global city? (Miami: 2015, apartments)

[BucFan]

I think Tampa/STP being a big "global city" would be one reason to get the heck out of Dodge......don't need the headaches that we see in the news with crime, traffic, population density, etc etc etc. You can have it.

[theurbanfiles]

I think it depends, and of course there are positives too, if the growth is managed well. For example, Tokyo, the world's largest city has also been voted as most livable two years running, and has a reputation for being pleasant/safe/navigable. But, the managing growth part is difficult, and Sun Belt cities haven't always been the best at doing so (see: Miami).

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by cavsfan137

I think it depends, and of course there are positives too

For every growing city, there's a pretty sizable population who "liked it better 'back in the day.'" They will find the negative to any growth and complain the second something changes. My favorite complaint so far has been that Picnic Island sucks because, and I quote, "they used to have more palm trees."

[EngGuy]

Without a good sewage system, it will only be known as St Sheete.

[just_visiting 9]

Originally Posted by Concert D Major

Tampa is too lame to ever become a real city.

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I would say No. I don't find the area giving the impression, that there is any interest in being more than it is now.

Originally Posted by jdallas

No. the geography is not conducive to major development so Tampa will never be a global city in that sense.

Spot on each of you!!

[dothetwist]

The OP is asking if "Tampa Bay" has potential to become a global "city." Obviously Tampa Bay is a geographical metropolitan area; Tampa is a city.

I think the Tampa Bay metro area has the ability to become a major metro area, similar to the DC-metropolitan area.

DC-Metro, which includes various cities, counties and towns within Maryland, Virginia and the entire District of Columbia, was able to become a major metro area through the cooperation of all these political entities.

Up until the late 1960s, there was very little cooperation among the various cities, counties and towns. It was the dream of Metro (the subway system) that brought everyone together (or left them behind for those localities that chose not to join in).

Work on the subway began in 1969 and it didn't open until 1976. But it was well-planned and participating jurisdictions did a lot of smart urban planning around the subway stations, long before these stations opened. The system started small, but had expansion plans in its original design, many of which have since been built. The Metro transit system made the DC-Metro area what it is today.

While underground transit isn't an option in FL, light rail that goes through Pinellas County, the Cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg, Hillsborough County is something that out to be on the drawing boards now with regional boards getting their acts together.

[gauchere90]

Idk. I used to live in the Tampa Bay Area but it didn't feel like a real city to me. Much of it is trashy. However, I feel like most people who are familiar with the state of Florida know of it, and it definitely draws in the tourists.

[Concert D Major]

If you watch Sunday or Monday night football, they show those aerial overhead videos from the blimp showing all the big city lights and tall buildings and cool stuff going on. But in Tampa? Everything is dark and covered in trees and there's almost nothing going on.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by Concert D Major

If you watch Sunday or Monday night football, they show those aerial overhead videos from the blimp showing all the big city lights and tall buildings and cool stuff going on. But in Tampa? Everything is dark and covered in trees and there's almost nothing going on.

I take it you've never been here?

[Last1Out]

Hmmmm..................yes and no. Yes, because it is the closest deep water port to central America. No, because our manufacturing needs to come back so we have something to export.