He’s not the Santa Claus from Central Casting. But close enough for Tampa. Jeff Vinik just unwrapped a billion-dollar present for downtown.
(And, yes, there will be public funding for infrastructure improvements, but that’s what a downtown Tax Increment Financing district is for.)
Last week’s pre-Christmas unveiling of a “Vision Plan”–as opposed to “Master Plan”–had all the right trappings.
Out front of the Vinik-owned Marriott Waterside Hotel, it looked like a satellite-truck rally. Inside, Salone E was crammed with local A-listers: Here a Dick Greco, Ed Turanchik and Will Weatherford, there a Mark Sharpe, Jane Castor and Mike Suarez. Ron Weaver: check. Alex Sink, of course. Bob Morrison, to be sure. Where else do you find Linda Saul-Sena and Dave Andreychuk at the same function?
Mayor Bob “We’re on the precipice of something amazing” Buckhorn introduced Vinik, who, in turn, would delegate certain facets of his waterfront vision to other presenters. Put it this way, when Judy Genshaft, the president of the University of South Florida, and Gray Swoop, the secretary of commerce and Enterprise Florida CEO, are among your presenters and the mayor is your wingman, it’s big.
For the next hour and a half, the 400 or so enamored VIPs, some of whom were relegated to an over-flow room for the videoed version, were part of a well-orchestrated, rapt session. They saw and heard a continuous loop of economic-impact numbers–from visitors and employees to property-tax rolls–and the mantra vocabulary of revitalization: “vibrant,” “transformative,” “connectivity,” game-changer” and “18-7.”
They heard about a 10-figure makeover of what will soon morph beyond the erstwhile “Channel District.” They heard about 3 million square feet of development–apartment towers, office buildings, a med school, parks, restaurants and shops–even streetcar and water-taxi scenarios. They heard about “full-court press,” Fortune 500 corporate recruiting plans, and they heard about “moving dirt” by next summer. They heard, in short, about 40 Vinik-controlled acres of “live, work, play and stay” lifestyle.
They also heard from someone who keeps his word. Ask the mayor how much he appreciates Vinik fronting the city $40 million for that arena makeover in time for the GOP convention.
“There’s vacant land and water on three sides in a major American city,” underscored Vinik. “You don’t find that anymore. … It’s a virtual blank slate.”
And thanks to Vinik’s wherewithal, vision and commitment, the national trend toward reurbanization had finally found Tampa. Think northern downtown’s “Quad Block” on steroids.
This was not a Super Bowl event that leaves unfulfilled corporate-relo scenarios after the big game. This was not the drive-by exercise in hauteur that was the Trump Tower fiasco. This was the deep-pocketed heralding of a re-branded Tampa with a revamped future–grounded in real-world economics. Hey, Bill Gates (via his Cascade Investments firm) is part of Vinik’s private-sector financing.
Frankly, this is as much about the catalyst Vinik–and his Strategic Property Partners LLC holding company–as it is about the city of Tampa. Vinik is more than a rich guy who made a lot of money in hedge funds. This is about more than an huge investment with big return prospects. This is also about a legacy.
Vinik could have stayed in Boston and overseen this project from afar. But he and his wife Penny moved here. They’re integral parts of the arts scene. They’re philanthropists. They are part of the community that this is being built for. It matters. Big time.
“I love living here,” understated Vinik.
And despite all the in-house expertise he has hired–including Bob Abberger from Trammell Crow and Jim Shimberg from City Hall–Vinik still wants input from the community. In fact, suggestions from those who want to be part of creating “America’s first Crowdsourced Neighborhood” are welcome at tampawaterfront2020.com.
We’ll give the literal last word to Vinik: “Lunch is served next door.”
Nothing was overlooked.