Tampa Airport Celebrates Opening Of 69 New Shops, Eateries, Spas

TAMPA, FL -- It's no longer just a place to wait for arriving and outgoing flights.

With the addition of 69 restaurants, shops and spas, Tampa International Airport has become a destination in itself.

The airport celebrated the grand opening of its new shopping and dining options on Saturday, Feb. 16 with live entertainment and food samples.

“It’s worth a visit to see the improved Tampa International Airport – even if you’re not flying,” said Airport CEO Joe Lopano. “The renovated Main Terminal and our new shops and restaurants are truly spectacular.”

New sights include the floor-to-ceiling guitar and rock star memorabilia at the Hard Rock Cafe, team gear at Tampa Bay Sports and views of planes in flight from four outdoor patios.

“We set out to create an all-new experience for our guests and turn the airport into a destination unto itself,” said Laurie Noyes, TPA’s vice president of concessions and parking. “Our new shops and restaurants reflect our region and better meet the needs of today’s travelers. We encourage everyone to come out and explore TPA.”

The final store to open in the Main Terminal – the Shoppes at Bayshore – opened for business in November and serves as a fitting tribute to the reimagined shopping and dining program. The 6,300-square-foot space showcases national and local boutique brands, including names like Tommy Bahama, Quiksilver and Bourbon and Bowties.

A pop-up Tampa shop holds a rotating display of local goods. The store’s bookstore and newsstand sells La Segunda pastries, Toffee To Go toffee and Kahwa coffee. Caviar, smoked salmon and a variety of gourmet pastas and local olive oils fill the shelves of a gourmet food section.

The re-make of the Main Terminal and all of the airport concessions were part of the first phase of a three-phase capital program designed to expand the airport’s capacity to 34 million annual passengers. The airport served a record 21 million passengers in 2018.

Construction on Phase 1, which also included a rental car center connected to the terminal by an automated people mover, began in November 2014. Work on Phase 2 – expanded curbsides and commercial development around the rental car center – began in 2018. Phase 3, a 16-gate airside terminal, is scheduled to begin sometime after 2020.

Image via TIA

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