Tampa Bay Center

Tampa Bay Center was an enclosed shopping mall in Tampa, Florida, located across the street from Tampa Stadium. Developed by Rouse-Tampa Bay, LLC, a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, it opened on August 5, 1976, as Tampa's fourth major shopping mall. The approximately 877,000-square-foot, two-story complex was designed as a regional retail destination, with major department-store anchors positioned at both ends and in the center of the building. Its original anchors were Burdines on the east side, Sears on the west side, and Montgomery Ward in the central portion after that store was added in 1980. The mall's architecture emphasized openness and natural light. A substantial part of the roof consisted of skylights, allowing sunlight into the main corridor. Exposed, light-colored trusses, tan-brown floor tiles, trees extending toward the skylights, floor-level fountains, and a centrally located glass elevator gave the interior a bright and distinctive appearance at a time when many enclosed malls used darker finishes and suspended ceilings. A slope in the northern parking area created an unusual configuration for flat central Florida: the north entrance entered directly onto the second floor and connected with the food court, which opened in 1987. Entertainment and visitor attractions formed part of the center's identity. The mall originally included a two-screen cinema operated by General Cinema Corporation. The theater closed on February 28, 1990, after showing films including Roger & Me and Stella. During the 1990s, the center court displayed a restored 1922 Herschell-Spillman carousel. Lynne Beckett and Tommy Sciortino found the carousel in a West Tampa warehouse and invested $100,000 in its restoration. Its oldest horse had reportedly been carved in 1880. The carousel used taped music after its original Wurlitzer band organ was replaced, and its canvas top was removed so that shoppers on the upper level could view it. The mall later faced increasing competition from newer retail developments and the loss of anchor stores. In 1994, management was accused of racism after the mall closed early during the Florida Classic college football game between Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University. Montgomery Ward closed in 1999, and Burdines subsequently relocated to the newer Citrus Park Town Center. Tampa Bay Center remained open largely through Sears, but the opening of International Plaza in 2001 accelerated its decline. International Plaza attracted Dillard's from WestShore Plaza, and Sears moved to the former Dillard's location in early 2002. Tampa Bay Center then ceased operations entirely. On December 31, 2002, Malcolm Glazer and his family acquired the former mall property for $22.8 million in cash. The site was intended for a training facility for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The mall was demolished in 2005. Most of the developed structure disappeared, although substantial portions of the parking lots remained. In 2007, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit bus terminal was relocated to the southwest portion of the property, where it became known as the West Tampa Transfer Center. The transfer-center area remained under the transit agency's ownership, but much of it was reported to be inoperable by 2017 after a system-wide network reorganization known as Mission MAX.

Tampa Bay Center emerged during the expansion of enclosed regional shopping malls in the Tampa area during the 1970s. Rouse-Tampa Bay, LLC, a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, developed the mall on a site across from Tampa Stadium. When it opened on August 5, 1976, the center measured approximately 877,000 square feet and ranked as Tampa's fourth major mall. Its launch came one day after the opening of the nearby East Lake Square Mall. The original building was a two-story enclosed mall with department-store anchors at either end. Burdines occupied the east side, while Sears occupied the west side. A third anchor location had been planned from the beginning, and Montgomery Ward was proposed in November 1977. The store eventually opened in October 1980 in the center of the complex. This arrangement gave Tampa Bay Center a strong conventional mall profile built around national and regional department stores. The physical design was a notable part of the center's identity. Rather than relying on dark finishes and low dropped ceilings, the main corridor used extensive skylights, exposed pale trusses, warm tan-brown tile, planted trees, fountains, and a glass elevator at the center. The northern parking lot had a slope unusual for the generally flat central Florida landscape. Because of that grade change, the north entrance led directly to the second floor and the food court, which opened in 1987. Entertainment was also incorporated into the center. A two-screen cinema operated from the mall's opening until February 28, 1990, under General Cinema Corporation management. In the 1990s, the center court featured a restored 1922 Herschell-Spillman carousel. Lynne Beckett and Tommy Sciortino discovered it in a West Tampa warehouse and spent $100,000 restoring it. The oldest horse was said to date from 1880. The carousel's original Wurlitzer band organ was replaced with taped music, and the canvas canopy was removed to improve visibility from the upper level. Despite these attractions, the mall's competitive position weakened in the 1990s and early 2000s. In 1994, management was accused of racism after the mall closed early during the Florida Classic, a football game involving Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. Montgomery Ward closed in 1999. Burdines later moved to the newer Citrus Park Town Center, leaving Sears as the mall's only remaining anchor. The opening of International Plaza in 2001 created a nearby, modern competitor and drew further retail activity away. Dillard's moved from WestShore Plaza to International Plaza, and Sears relocated to the former Dillard's space in early 2002. Tampa Bay Center closed after that relocation. The property changed purpose after its retail life ended. Malcolm Glazer and his family purchased the site for $22.8 million in cash on December 31, 2002, with plans for a Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facility. The mall was demolished in 2005. Remaining traces included large portions of the parking lots. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit moved its bus terminal to the southwest portion of the property in 2007, creating the West Tampa Transfer Center. By 2017, much of that transfer-center area was reported to be inoperable following the transit system's Mission MAX network reorganization. Tampa Bay Center therefore survives primarily as a former retail landmark whose site was repurposed for sports and public transportation infrastructure.

• 2007

  Transit terminal moves to the site

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Hillsborough Area Regional Transit relocates a bus terminal to the southwest portion of the former mall property.

• 2005

  Mall is demolished

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The former shopping center is removed for redevelopment associated with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facility.

• 2002

  Mall closes and property changes ownership

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Sears relocates in early 2002, the mall closes, and the Glazer family acquires the site on December 31.

• 2001

  International Plaza opens nearby

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A newer nearby mall opens and accelerates Tampa Bay Center's decline.

• 1999

  Montgomery Ward closes

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The central department-store anchor shuts down.

• 1990

  Mall cinema closes

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The two-screen General Cinema theater closes on February 28.

• 1987

  Food court opens

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The mall's food court opens near the north-side second-floor entrance.

• 1980

  Montgomery Ward opens

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Montgomery Ward becomes the center's third department-store anchor in October.

• 1976

  Tampa Bay Center opens

  [1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The approximately 877,000-square-foot, two-story enclosed mall opens in Tampa on August 5 with Burdines, Sears, and planned space for a future third anchor.

A large regional enclosed shopping mall serving Tampa-area consumers, differentiated by its highly skylit, open interior and by its location across from Tampa Stadium.

• Retail property · 1976

  Regional enclosed shopping mall

  Tampa Bay Center's principal offering was a large, climate-controlled retail environment serving the Tampa area. The two-story mall combined department stores, specialty shops, dining, entertainment, landscaped public areas, fountains, and a prominent skylit central corridor. Its anchor strategy centered on Burdines, Sears, and later Montgomery Ward.

• Cinema · 1976

  General Cinema two-screen theater

  A two-screen cinema operated at the mall from its opening under General Cinema Corporation. It provided movie entertainment as part of the center's broader retail and leisure mix and closed on February 28, 1990.

• Family entertainment

  Herschell-Spillman carousel

  During the 1990s, the center court displayed a restored 1922 Herschell-Spillman carousel. Its restoration was undertaken after its discovery in a West Tampa warehouse. The carousel featured carved wooden horses, including one reportedly dating from 1880, and was arranged so upper-level shoppers could see the ride.

• 1994

  Early closure during the Florida Classic

  Tampa Bay Center management was accused of racism after the mall closed early during the Florida Classic football game between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman, two historically Black universities. The available reference identifies the accusation but does not provide a documented legal outcome.

  Source

Read more

• 2002

  Repurpose the property for a football training facilityStrategy

  Background

  The mall had lost major anchors and faced competition from newer nearby shopping centers, leading to its closure after Sears relocated.

  Action taken

  Malcolm Glazer and his family acquired the site for $22.8 million in cash on December 31, with plans for a Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facility.

  Aftermath

  The mall was demolished in 2005 and the property was subsequently used for purposes associated with the football organization and public transit.

  Property acquisition price. $22.8 million (December 31, 2002)

  Source

• 1980

  Add Montgomery Ward as a third anchorProduct launch

  Background

  The mall had included a third anchor pad in its original planning, and management proposed Montgomery Ward after the center's early success.

  Action taken

  Montgomery Ward opened in the central anchor position in October 1980.

  Aftermath

  The center gained a three-anchor department-store configuration that remained part of its identity until Montgomery Ward closed in 1999.

  Source

• 2007

  West Tampa Transfer Center opens on part of the former mall property[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit bus terminal moved to the southwest section of the former Tampa Bay Center site.

• 2005

  Tampa Bay Center is demolished[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The former mall was demolished to make way for a training facility associated with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

• 2002

  Tampa Bay Center closes after Sears relocation[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Sears moved to the former Dillard's location at another Tampa shopping center in early 2002, after which Tampa Bay Center closed completely.

• 2002

  Glazer family acquires the former mall property[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Malcolm Glazer and his family acquired the property on December 31 for $22.8 million in cash, intending to develop a Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facility.

• 2001

  International Plaza opens and intensifies competition[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The opening of nearby International Plaza drew retailers and shoppers away from Tampa Bay Center and contributed to the older mall's decline.

• 2000

  Burdines relocates to Citrus Park Town Center[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Burdines left Tampa Bay Center for the newer Citrus Park Town Center, further weakening the older mall's anchor lineup.

• 1999

  Montgomery Ward closes at Tampa Bay Center[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Montgomery Ward anchor closed as the mall began losing department-store support.

• 1980

  Montgomery Ward becomes a third anchor[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Montgomery Ward opened in the mall's previously planned third anchor space in October, expanding the center's department-store offering.

• 1976

  Tampa Bay Center opens as a major Tampa regional mall[1]Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The approximately 877,000-square-foot enclosed mall opened on August 5 with Burdines and Sears as anchors. Its bright skylit corridor and central glass elevator were prominent design features.

1. 1Tampa Bay Centeren.wikipedia.org