Tampa Bay Center
Encyclopedia
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
located in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, across the street from Tampa Stadium. When it was opened on August 5, 1976 the 877000 square feet (81,476 m²) Tampa Bay Center was Tampa's fourth major mall and operated until 2001, when most of its tenants relocated to the nearby International Plaza
International Plaza and Bay Street
International Plaza and Bay Street is a large upscale shopping mall located in the Westshore business district of Tampa, Florida. The mall, which opened in 2001, was built to give travelers an option to shop and dine in high-class surroundings, while at the same time be able to stay near Tampa...
. The mall was a two story building that had an anchor at each end, plus one in the center of the mall: Burdines
Burdines
Burdines was a leading department store chain in the state of Florida. The first Burdines store was opened in Bartow, Florida in 1896., Burdines became part of Federated Department Stores, Inc in 1956...
on the east side, Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
in the center, and Sears on the west side.
Appearance
Tampa Bay Center's main corridor was splashed in sunlight, a large portion of the roof was actually constructed with skylights; a bright and sunny day outdoors meant a bright and sunny day indoors considered to be an inviting feature at a time when many malls were being built with dropped ceilings and finished with darker colors.The mall featured exposed, light-colored truss ceilingCeiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
s over the main corridor, tan-brown floor tiles, floor-based water fountains, and trees intermittently planted on the bottom floor of the main corridor, growing upwards toward the skylights. The open-and-airy interior was further augmented by what was thought to be one of the mall's most important trademarks, a glass elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
located in the center of the mall. The North Side parking lot had an unusual-for-flat-central-Florida slope to it that meant that the mall entrance on that side of the building was on the second floor, leading directly into the food court.
Cinema
The mall featured a cinema with two screens from the beginning until it closed on February 28, 1990. The final movies shown were Roger and Me and Stella.Montgomery Ward
Due to the success of the mall, a third anchor, Montgomery WardMontgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
was proposed in November 1977.
It opened by 1979 on the south side of the mall.
Decline and closure
In 1994 the mall's managementManagement
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
was accused of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
for closing early during the Florida Classic
Florida Classic
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Classic is the annual college football game between the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University and the Rattlers of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The series record is FAMU 18, B-CU 10...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game
Game
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
between FAMU and Bethune Cookman, both primarily African-American universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. Then Montgomery Ward was closed in 1999, and the Burdines followed soon afterwards, moving to the new Citrus Park Town Center mall
Westfield Citrus Park
Westfield Citrus Park, formerly Citrus Park Town Center, is a shopping mall in Citrus Park, Florida that opened in March 1999. Its five anchor stores are Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Sears and also include a Regal Cinemas multiplex theater.Westfield Group acquired the...
northwest of Tampa. Tampa Bay Center hung on with only Sears, but then International Plaza opened nearby in 2001. International Plaza had lured Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
away from WestShore Plaza
WestShore Plaza
WestShore Plaza is an enclosed shopping mall located in the Westshore business district of Tampa, Florida, developed by Albert L. Manley of Boston, MA. WestShore Plaza was opened in 1967 and was touted as Tampa's first shopping center that was fully air-conditioned...
, and in early 2002, Sears moved into the old Dillard's location. Tampa Bay Center closed entirely after that.
New Owner and Demolition
The mall was acquired by Malcolm GlazerMalcolm Glazer
Malcolm Irving Glazer is an American businessman and sports team owner. He is the president and chief executive officer of First Allied Corporation, a holding company for his varied business interests, most notably in the food processing industry...
and his family for $22.8-million in cash on December 31, 2002 to make way for a training facility for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . It was demolished in 2005.
The only remnants of the mall are the large sections of parking lots. The HARTline
Hartline
Hartline can refer to:* An anglicized surname of German origin.* Haldan Keffer Hartline, American Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine winner* Hartline, Washington* HARTline, the brand name for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit...
bus terminal was relocated to the southwest section of the property in 2007, known as the West Tampa Transfer Center.
Former Anchor Stores
- BurdinesBurdinesBurdines was a leading department store chain in the state of Florida. The first Burdines store was opened in Bartow, Florida in 1896., Burdines became part of Federated Department Stores, Inc in 1956...
(moved to Westfield Citrus ParkWestfield Citrus ParkWestfield Citrus Park, formerly Citrus Park Town Center, is a shopping mall in Citrus Park, Florida that opened in March 1999. Its five anchor stores are Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Sears and also include a Regal Cinemas multiplex theater.Westfield Group acquired the...
in 1999) - Montgomery WardMontgomery WardMontgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
(closed in 1999) - Sears (moved to WestShore PlazaWestShore PlazaWestShore Plaza is an enclosed shopping mall located in the Westshore business district of Tampa, Florida, developed by Albert L. Manley of Boston, MA. WestShore Plaza was opened in 1967 and was touted as Tampa's first shopping center that was fully air-conditioned...
in 2001)