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  • Issue #584: Tampa Aquarium Competes Nationally | Major USF Real Estate Summit | Historic Cigar Exhibit Debuts | Bolts Rally Fans for Playoffs

Issue #584: Tampa Aquarium Competes Nationally | Major USF Real Estate Summit | Historic Cigar Exhibit Debuts | Bolts Rally Fans for Playoffs

4/14/2026

Author

Ted Grellner
14 Apr

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Keep your finger on the Pulse!

GOOD MORNING

Dr Ted
USAF Retired

 
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In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

Our Event Calendar 

Please post events of interest to our NT|WC Live Events Calendar; its easy to do.

Local News

— Tampa’s Florida Aquarium Competes for National Top 10 Title

— Tampa to Host High-Level Real Estate Summit Led by USF

The Arts

— New Photo Exhibit Preserves the Vanishing Face of Tampa’s Cigar Era

Sports

— Tampa Bay Lightning Roll Out Watch Parties and Pep Rally for 2026 Playoffs

Tampa’s Florida Aquarium Competes for National Top 10 Title

The Florida Aquarium is once again in the national spotlight, earning a nomination in USA Today’s “10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards” for best aquarium.

The downtown Tampa attraction has ranked No. 8 for the past three years and is aiming to secure another Top 10 finish with community support.

Voting is open now through 11:59 a.m. on May 11, with participants allowed to vote once per day. Winners are determined entirely by public votes after a panel of experts selected the nominees.

Home to nearly 20,000 animals—from sharks to lemurs—the aquarium is recognized for both its exhibits and conservation work.

Earlier this year, its Tide Pool exhibit ranked No. 5 among best new attractions.

Leaders say strong local participation could once again highlight Tampa Bay on a national stage.

Tampa to Host High-Level Real Estate Summit
Led by USF

The University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business will host its inaugural Real Estate Leadership Summit on May 8, bringing together top industry voices in Tampa.

The one-day event, held at the Hilton Tampa Downtown from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., will convene developers, lenders and executives to discuss challenges shaping today’s market.

A featured Tampa Bay panel includes Jonathan Levy, Josh Taube and Randy Anderson, offering insights into the region’s rapid growth and structural pressures.

National keynote speakers will address capital markets, leadership under pressure and global real estate strategy, highlighting real-time decision-making over traditional forecasting.

Registration is $99, including meals, networking access and resources. Organizers say the summit emphasizes practical leadership strategies, risk management and navigating uncertainty in a shifting economic landscape.

New Photo Exhibit Preserves the Vanishing Face of Tampa’s Cigar Era

A new exhibit at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is spotlighting the architecture and identity behind Tampa Bay’s cigar legacy. “Cigars! Photography, Industry and Identity” features images by local photographer Zack Wittman, who documents the cigar buildings still standing in Ybor City and West Tampa.

This week marks 140 years since the first Tampa-made cigar was rolled in Ybor City, a turning point that helped transform the region from a settlement of about 700 people into a booming center of industry and growth.

At the peak of that era, more than 200 cigar factories operated in Ybor City and West Tampa. Now, only about 25 of those brick landmarks remain, and just a few still produce cigars.

Wittman, working with Drew Newman of J.C. Newman Cigar Company, gained access to both preserved and deteriorating sites. The exhibit runs through July 19 and is included with museum admission.

Tampa Bay Lightning Roll Out Watch Parties and Pep Rally for 2026 Playoffs

The Tampa Bay Lightning are gearing up for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a lineup of fan-focused events across the region.

The celebration begins with a Playoff Pep Rally on April 17 at Sparkman Wharf, featuring music, giveaways and alumni appearances.

Fans can also join a Pub Crawl on April 18, spanning hubs in Downtown Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater Beach.

Official watch parties will be held during all road playoff games, offering entertainment, team appearances and concessions. Locations are still to be announced.

For home games, Lightning Plaza Parties will take place outside the arena on Ford Thunder Alley, with live music and giveaways. Entry costs $5.

Most games will air on The Spot – Tampa Bay 66 (WXPX-TV) and be available for streaming, ensuring fans can stay connected throughout the playoff run.

Top Events in Tampa Bay for week of
Mar
Source:

 
Things to do Around Pasco this coming week:
4/16 - 4/22
Source:

Things to do Around
Tampa & WC
4/9- 4/15
Source:
tampabeacon.com

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