Could Tampa Bay be the best metro area in the eastern U.S.? (Miami: living in, costs)

[blueeys285]

Hey if Tampa area is small, then I guess being the 17th largest metro area in the u.s. is nothing. You can take the whole metro area of Jacksonville & New Orleans & it would still be smaller than the Tampa metro. But Tampa is small, lol!!

[MiamiRob]

Tampa Bay be the best metro area in the eastern U.S.?

Somebody needs to put down the "pipe".

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by Leaving4Ca

What is wrong with being tiny? That is a wonderful thing!

That's not what she said?!

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by blueeys285

Hey if Tampa area is small, then I guess being the 17th largest metro area in the u.s. is nothing. You can take the whole metro area of Jacksonville & New Orleans & it would still be smaller than the Tampa metro. But Tampa is small, lol!!

Tampa is actually 18th when you talk about metro population. New Orleans is 46th.
List of metropolitan statistical areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tampa itself is the 53rd most populous city in the US. New Orleans is 51st.
List of United States cities by population - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you're going by land size, Tampa is 83rd. New Orleans is 50th.
List of United States cities by area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[tinytrump]

Size wise and population it is here, how productive it is - that another matter- We need the higher paying jobs and good money to DEVELOP and upgrade what is already here. I would really beef up the code enforcement, people, that would force Tampa to "look" better. Clean-up streets and business areas. It could do better , why stay the same? it's sad when you see Channelside going down- and more empty stores and restaurants. I hear ST. Pete night life is getting better. You want your kids to do better, why not your town? Improve what we have, and people keep coming , so forget "tiny"

[SouthTampaDude]

Short answer, no.

The climate is terrific (if you can tolerate the humidity in the summer), but that's about it. It bears repeating, but Tampa is not St. Pete/Clearwater. To get to the nearest white sand beach is a 45 minute drive. Drivers here are rude and obnoxious. The traffic is horrendous. The food culture is non-existent, despite the fact that you can grow things year round here. The past few years have seen some improvement restaurant-wise (The Refinery, etc.) The music scene is dead - show me the nearest jazz club. There is none.

As a bastion of class and grace, Tampa has a huge Confederate flag fluttering in the breeze at the junction of I-4 and 75. Very welcoming. The claim to fame for Tampa is what, Ybor City and Channelside? Both are pathetic. Busch Garden? Why don't I just drive an hour to Orlando for some real theme parks. Things are done half-assed in Tampa because no one gives a crap. The medical care is abysmal, and it's impossible to find a decent primary care physician. People here are shallow and superficial, but without the real sense to do it right. Tries to be Miami and LA, but without the glamour. For a fine example of this, hang out at the bar at Ocean Prime on a Friday night. Public transit is a joke, and there's hardly any worthwhile green space within the city limit. Schools are laughable, unless you live in South Tampa and send your kids to Plant, Wilson.

There's definitely potential here, but the people here have no foresight and no vision for this city. It will always be a second class city. Always trying too hard. It lacks a soul. It doesn't know what it wants to be.

[DWMachineshop]

Originally Posted by SouthTampaDouche

Short answer, no.

The climate is terrific (if you can tolerate the humidity in the summer), but that's about it. It bears repeating, but Tampa is not St. Pete/Clearwater. To get to the nearest white sand beach is a 45 minute drive. Drivers here are rude and obnoxious. The traffic is horrendous. The food culture is non-existent, despite the fact that you can grow things year round here. The past few years have seen some improvement restaurant-wise (The Refinery, etc.) The music scene is dead - show me the nearest jazz club. There is none.

As a bastion of class and grace, Tampa has a huge Confederate flag fluttering in the breeze at the junction of I-4 and 75. Very welcoming. The claim to fame for Tampa is what, Ybor City and Channelside? Both are pathetic. Busch Garden? Why don't I just drive an hour to Orlando for some real theme parks. Things are done half-assed in Tampa because no one gives a crap. The medical care is abysmal, and it's impossible to find a decent primary care physician. People here are shallow and superficial, but without the real sense to do it right. Tries to be Miami and LA, but without the glamour. For a fine example of this, hang out at the bar at Ocean Prime on a Friday night. Public transit is a joke, and there's hardly any worthwhile green space within the city limit. Schools are laughable, unless you live in South Tampa and send your kids to Plant, Wilson.

There's definitely potential here, but the people here have no foresight and no vision for this city. It will always be a second class city. Always trying too hard. It lacks a soul. It doesn't know what it wants to be.

I agree 100% and include Pinellas, Pasco as well!

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by SouthTampaDouche

Short answer, no.
The music scene is dead - show me the nearest jazz club. There is none.

Sure there is.....

Fox Jazz Cafe

Also "the blue martini"

There are several others.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by SouthTampaDouche

As a bastion of class and grace, Tampa has a huge Confederate flag fluttering in the breeze at the junction of I-4 and 75. Very welcoming.

I don't understand why people always blame the City of Tampa for that flag when it's being flown on private property?! I also don't understand why it would be such a huge detraction for the city? There is a row of confederate flags flying along I-75 near the FL/GA border, no complaints about that.

There are huge confederate flags flying in most southern cities from Atlanta to Nashville, Charlotte to New Orleans. There's a huge monument in South Nashville that has Nathan Bedford on horseback with I believe it's 13 confederate flags surrounding it, right along I-65.

Florida was a Southern State, it's a part of the states history and always will be.

[Spring Hillian]

I agree. It certainly is not a "tampa" thing.

Florida STILL IS a southern state. Always will be.

Originally Posted by TXRyan23

I don't understand why people always blame the City of Tampa for that flag when it's being flown on private property?! I also don't understand why it would be such a huge detraction for the city? There is a row of confederate flags flying along I-75 near the FL/GA border, no complaints about that.

There are huge confederate flags flying in most southern cities from Atlanta to Nashville, Charlotte to New Orleans. There's a huge monument in South Nashville that has Nathan Bedford on horseback with I believe it's 13 confederate flags surrounding it, right along I-65.

Florida was a Southern State, it's a part of the states history and always will be.