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- Issue #478: USF Golf Course Plans Stir Debate | 1,500 Amazon Jobs Coming | Halloween Events Around Tampa
Issue #478: USF Golf Course Plans Stir Debate | 1,500 Amazon Jobs Coming | Halloween Events Around Tampa
10/15/2025
Ted Grellner
15 Oct
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In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel
Local Pulse
Our Event Calendar
—> Feel free to post events of interest to our NT|WC Live Events Calendar; its easy to do.
Local News
— USF Faces Backlash Over Golf Course Redevelopment Plans
— Amazon to Hire 1,500 Workers in Tampa Ahead of Holiday Rush
Of Interest
— Tampa’s Ultimate Halloween Roundup: What to Do & Where to Go
Sports
— Mayfield’s MVP Moment: Hollywood Couldn’t Script It Better
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USF Faces Backlash Over Golf Course
Redevelopment Plans
A planned protest is brewing over the University of South Florida’s decision to redevelop its former golf course into a mixed-use site bordering a sensitive forest preserve.
In September, USF trustees approved the first phase of a project featuring student and multifamily housing, academic facilities, retail, and green space.
But environmental activists, including USF biology graduate Calista Snider, argue the area should be left undeveloped.
“It’s the perfect buffer between city and forest,” Snider said, stressing its ecological importance.
The group Save the USF Forest Preserve says the land is part of a critical wildlife corridor linking Cypress Creek and the Hillsborough River, and worry added traffic will harm the environment.
In 2021, similar development plans were shelved after public outcry.
USF now insists the preserve itself will remain untouched, but protesters will gather Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 56th & Fletcher to voice concerns.
Amazon to Hire 1,500 Workers in Tampa Ahead of Holiday Rush
Amazon is hiring 1,500 workers in the Tampa area as part of a major seasonal expansion ahead of the holiday shopping rush.
Nationwide, the company plans to bring on 250,000 workers, with 13,500 in Florida alone. Jobs include both temporary and permanent roles, with seasonal positions averaging $19 per hour and full-time roles paying about $23 per hour.
Amazon says new job listings will be added weekly through December, and positions are expected to fill quickly.
The openings span the company’s fulfillment and transportation network, which includes 30 Florida-based facilities—eight of them along the Gulf Coast, according to industry data.
While 1,500 roles are set for metro Tampa, the total number may be higher once surrounding counties like Pasco and Polk are included. However, specific breakdowns remain unavailable.
With operations ramping up across the state, South Florida and Orlando will each see 2,000+ hires, followed by Jacksonville with over 1,000.
Tampa’s Ultimate Halloween Roundup: What to Do & Where to Go
Tampa Bay is packed with Halloween fun for all ages this season — from haunted parks to trick-or-treat events and spooky screenings.
Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream runs through Nov. 1, featuring haunted houses and scare zones for mature audiences.
Scream-A-Geddon in Dade City unleashes six attractions, including a 3D haunted circus, through Nov. 8.
At Tampa Theatre, A Nightmare on Franklin Street offers scary film classics like Candyman and Halloween through Oct. 31.
Sir Henry's Haunted Trail in Plant City brings multiple trails, escape rooms, and axe throwing through Nov. 1.
ZooTampa’s Creatures of the Night returns weekends through Oct. 26 with kid-friendly thrills.
Dinosaur World’s Jurassic Haunt runs through Nov. 1, featuring glowing trails and spooky train rides.
In downtown St. Pete, the Halloween Bar Crawl (Oct. 31–Nov. 1) offers creepy cocktails, while Main Street Trick-or-Treating lights up Safety Harbor on Oct. 31 from 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Mayfield’s MVP Moment: Hollywood Couldn’t
Script It Better
Baker Mayfield’s MVP campaign is writing itself — all it needs now is a highlight reel with a bit of Hollywood polish.
Tampa Bay’s 5-1 record, fueled by four fourth-quarter comebacks, has fans chanting “MVP” at Raymond James Stadium — and not without reason.
A hypothetical short film follows Mayfield from his Texas high school days, to walking on at Texas Tech, winning the Heisman at Oklahoma, and now leading the resurgent Bucs.
Scenes include game-winning throws to Emeka Egbuka and Sterling Shepard, jaw-dropping scrambles, and a heartfelt moment with his daughter, Kova, pregame.
Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the imagined campaign video paints Mayfield as more than just a stat-sheet stuffer — he’s the underdog-turned-leader reviving a franchise once buried in salary-cap debt.
As one analyst puts it:
“The Bucs could be 1-5 without Baker Mayfield.”
And the story’s still being written.
What’s New In Tampa Bay
Oct 2025
Source: tampamagazines.com
Top Things to do in Tampa Bay |
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🎭 Tonight in Wesley Chapel & New Tampa (& TB): Entertainment Spotlight
Date (Day) | Time | Act | Venue |
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Useful Arts & Entertainment Event Links
The Arts
- The Exhibiting Society of Artists (new)
- USF College of the Arts
- USF Steinway Piano Concert Series
Theater
- NTPAC - New Tampa Performing Arts Center
- New Tampa Players
- USF School of Theatre & Dance
- Wesley Chapel Theater Group
- Carrollwood Players Theatre
Misc
- Carrollwood Center Events
- Craft Festivals (new)
- Fall (Farmer’s) Market Guide for Tampa Bay (new)
- The Krate, WC
- The Shops at Wiregrass, WC
- visitflorida.com
For Kids
- Fun4TampaKids
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