Category: Featured

Wesley Chapel District Park To Get Street Hockey Rink

The transformation of the Wesley Chapel District Park (WCDP) on Boyette Rd. continues.

Not only is the park getting an indoor basketball gymnasium — hopefully later this year — and not only is it now home to local cricket players, and not only does it have the only inclusive playground for children with disabilities in the area, it also will soon be home to a street hockey rink.

On Jan. 7, Pasco County finalized an agreement with the Tampa Bay Lightning to build two outdoor street hockey rinks in the county, one at the J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex in Holiday, and the other at WCDP.

“When they first came up here (with the idea), they were going to do one, but our county is so wide and we have such an interest that they were nice to agree to do two,” said District 3 Pasco Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who was originally pitched the idea.

The rinks will measure 60’ by 120’ feet, and will come with pins for dasher board systems, player benches, a penalty box area and a scoreboard.

Pasco County has budgeted $240,000 from the Capital Improvement Plan Projects Fund for the rinks, most of which will go towards the underlying concrete pads. The Lightning Foundation will take care of the rest.

“It’s obviously exciting anytime you can introduce kids to a new sport,” said District 2 Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore, who has spearheaded the indoor facility, cricket field and inclusive playground at the park. “It’s a positive, nice entry point for kids who can go to a public facility and not have to pay to get on there to learn.”

Jay Feaster, the Lightning’s vice president of community hockey development, told Pasco’s commissioners that the NHL team has donated 106,000 Lightning logo street hockey sticks and balls to children at 503 middle schools as part of their Build The Thunder program. This is the fifth year of the program.

“As Bruce Springsteen once said, I realized after I put all them people in all them cars, I had to figure out someplace for all them to go,” Feaster said.

So, after three years of distributing equipment as part of the Build The Thunder program, the Lightning now have the Connect The Thunder Initiative, with the team committed to building 10 outdoor street hockey rinks in nearby counties.

“We realized we had to have someplace for the youngsters to play,” Feaster said.

In addition to building the street hockey rink at WCDP, Feaster said the Lightning also will provide former players to help assist in the Grand Opening as well as programming throughout the year.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” he said.

Wesley Chapel already is home to AdventHealth Center Ice (AHCI), the largest skating facility south of New York in the United States. AHCI is being rightfully credited with increasing the popularity of ice skating in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas, and has been drawing more than a million visitors each year of its existence.

The outdoor street hockey rink will open the door for more people who might not be able to afford hockey equipment to be introduced to playing the sport.

“I think we have more kids that play hockey around here than anywhere in Florida,” Moore says. “The Bruce B. Downs corridor (down through New Tampa) has a lot of kids who play, and this will only help give (more) opportunities to others.”

street hockey tampa bay lightning

Urban Air Adventure Park Set Open In Tampa Palms Jan. 25!

It won’t be long before Wesley Chapel has its own “trampoline park” at The Grove, and it’s own bowling and laser tag center at Main Event on S.R. 56, but Urban Air Adventure Park will beat both of them to the punch when it opens next week in Tampa Palms.

Urban Air Adventure Park will hold its Grand Opening on Saturday, January 25, 10 a.m. The entertainment center is located at 6250 Commerce Palms Dr. in the Market Square at Tampa Palms shopping center anchored by BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Similar to openings at new Chick-Fil-As and Wawas, assistant general manager Chris Schade says the opening of the 28,000-sq.-ft. facility will be an “event.” At other Urban Air openings, he says people have camped overnight for a chance to be one of the 200 to win free access to the adventure center for a year. Schade says a DJ will be on hand the morning of the Grand Opening, and there also will be donuts and other goodies.

Urban Air Adventure Park is a Texas-based entertainment center franchise with locations all over the U.S.. The New Tampa location will be the company’s 10th in Florida, which includes centers in nearby Lakeland and Port Richey.

While broadly described by many as a “trampoline park,” Schade says the label really doesn’t do the new facility justice.

While there will be trampolines for jumping, the Tampa Palms Urban Air Adventure Park also includes a timed warrior course, bumper cars, dedicated dodgeball courts, rock walls and a kids area for youngsters that includes a 25-foot spiral slide.

There are also two rides that require harnesses — a Sky Coaster that circles high above the guests, and a ropes course.

“We’re able to give the little kids their own little area, and still let the bigger kids do what they want to do,” Schade says.

The Adventure Park’s on-site café will offer pizza, chicken wings and tenders, as well as beer and wine, including local craft beer favorites.

“We really want to get rid of that stigma that we’re just a trampoline park,” Schade says. “We can cater to everyone from toddlers all the way up to companies doing team-building exercises.”

For additional information, visit UrbanAirNewTampa.com.

Wesley Chapel Business Happenings

CRYSTAL CLEAR SHOPPING?: According to preliminary plans filed with Pasco County, a grocery store, six retail stores and a fitness center are being planned for the area around the entrance to Epperson, home of the country’s first Crystal Lagoons® amenity.

Filed by Minneapolis-based commercial real estate developer Ryan Companies, the plans for the northwest corner of the Overpass Rd./Curley Rd. intersection don’t specifically name any tenants but show a large health/fitness center abutting the easternmost end of the Crystal Lagoon, with a medical/emergency building to the south.

Closest to Curley Rd. is a planned grocery store, with one large retail space and five others about half the size and 996 total parking spaces for the development.

Ryan Companies and Metro Development Group had a scheduled meeting with Pasco planners to discuss the commercial development on Dec. 10, 2019.

Metro Development is developing Epperson, which will have roughly 2,000 homes, as part of the Connected City project, which will be the nation’s first gigabit community. The community’s prime amenity is the 7.5-acre lagoon, the first of its kind constructed in the U.S., although the area just north of Wesley Chapel along I-75 is getting an even larger lagoon (scheduled to open this year) in Metro’s Mirada development.

MORE CARS, TOO: Representatives of the Morgan Auto Group are scheduled to meet with county planners on Jan. 27 as Morgan moves forward with plans to build a new BMW dealership on S.R. 56.

According to plans filed with the county, the seven-story, 133,000-sq.-ft. dealership will abut the west side of Morgan’s MINI of Wesley Chapel dealership on S.R. 56, just east of I-75.

BMW had previously filed paperwork with the county, and scheduled a pre-application meeting, in the hopes of building a 32,758-sq.-ft. showroom at S.R. 56 and Mansfield Blvd.

The BMW dealership would join other luxury dealers that have opened in Wesley Chapel in recent years, like Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Lexus.

Plans are still working their way through permitting for a Volkswagen dealership right across S.R. 56 from MINI of Wesley Chapel. Those plans call for a 27,845-sq.-ft. dealership.

And, plans for a 21,232-sq.-ft. car dealership at the southwest corner of Eagleston Blvd. and Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Seven Oaks — just east and across Eagleston Blvd. from Wesley Chapel Toyota and Lexus of Wesley Chapel — also is under review by the county.

tampa palms Urban Air Adventure

Container Park Signs More, Submits Plans To Pasco

Developer Mark Gold isn’t exactly sure what made him settle on creating a one-of-a-kind shipping container park as part of his next big project.

He says he knew he wanted something green, and he wanted something small, and he wanted something unique.

“I wanted it to be different than everyone else,” he says.

It sure looks like that will be the case.

Conceptual plans for the park, which will officially be named Krate by Gold Box and be home to nearly 100 tenants running their businesses from modified shipping crates, were officially filed with Pasco County last month.

Krate is just one part, but perhaps the crown jewel, of The Grove project, which is transforming the old, worn-down retail center into a major Wesley Chapel hub. Mishorim-Gold Properties, a partnership between Gold and Mishorim Real Estate, bought the 200+ acres, including all of the existing structures in The Grove, for $62.7 million last year.

Phase 1 of Krate will be built on nearly 7 acres of land just west of I-75 and east of The Grove’s big box retail stores like Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Krate plans to have 87 tenants (many using multiple crates), 172 parking spaces, and a stage for bands and competitions that will be flanked by a pavilion and a children’s playground.

But, the biggest selling point, says Gold, is the opportunity for local residents to open their own businesses.

“We are building small spaces to give big opportunities to people,” Gold says. “We want this to be more mom and pop.”

He has 27 restaurants already with signed leases, although he says he is hoping for more service-based businesses. Most of the crates are already under contract and will start arriving in a few weeks.

He expects Krate will be up and running in 6-8 months.

“People are going to drive one hour, one-and-a-half hours to see this concept,” Gold says. “If I had built a shopping center, people would say ‘What is the big deal?’ But this is a shopping center built with containers with parking and lights and sidewalks and activity, lots of activity.”

While often compared to Sparkman Wharf at the Channelside Bay Plaza in downtown Tampa, Gold says he has visited the Tampa crate park and says “they do not compare.” He compared Sparkman Wharf to food trucks with no wheels where you eat outside, whereas Krate’s containers will be actual restaurants with many offering indoor and outdoor seating.

“This concept, I think, is the only one like it in the world,” Gold says.

At The Grove, where Gold is filling once empty buildings with fitness and yoga studios, a craft brewery, a dueling piano bar, Italian eateries and even an axe throwing bar while dubbing it “The Village,” variety is the spice of life, and he takes great pride in what Krate will offer.

Among his 27 restaurants are zero chains and places offering Cajun, Chinese, Colombian, Cuban, Dutch, French, Japanese, Italian, Puerto Rican, Thai and Vegan food, as well as other places serving cupcakes, ice cream, falafel, sandwiches, juices and even a mojito lab.

“People will drive here just for the variety,” Gold says.

He is so confident the concept is ready to take off, he says he already has plans to develop other Krate by Gold Box container concepts across the country. His second site, in Raleigh, NC., where he has two other developments, already has been picked out.

Meanwhile, here in Wesley Chapel, Gold’s office, in the heart of The Grove property that he is confident will one day be considered downtown Wesley Chapel, is bustling. He moves from one meeting to another, exchanging info with daughter Keren, the property’s leasing representative. There seems to rarely be a time where a prospective tenant isn’t talking to one of them, or waiting their turn.

“I love it,” he says. “People want something else, something different, and we are going to give it to them.”

The Grove

You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet!

Each passing year seems to be the biggest one yet for Wesley Chapel.

The area’s major growth began at the start of the last decade, and Wesley Chapel’s continued expansion and evolution have proceeded unabated to what we have now: a bustling mini “city” whose flowering has been astounding.

But, even with an eventful 2019 in the books, there is a chance we literally haven’t seen anything yet.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore (right) and CEO of the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce Hope Allen.

“I think 2019 was our biggest year yet, but there is going to be a lot of exciting things coming along in 2020,” says Hope Allen, the CEO of the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce (formerly the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce).

More than 1,000 commercial permits have been filed in Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes over the last three years, including 498 in 2019. Those that get approved typically come to fruition within 18 months. So, much of what we saw open in 2019 was news in 2017 and ‘18.

Wesley Chapel got its first green grocer in 2019, as Earth Fare opened in February. Allen thinks this was one of 2019’s more significant entries into the Wesley Chapel market, because a green grocer was so desperately desired by so many local residents. For Allen, it’s not a matter of quantity when it comes adding to Wesley Chapel’s growing landscape, but rather filling a need, or a desire.

“I think that Earth Fare had a big impact, because it filled a void,” she says.

But, Earth Fare was just the beginning of a busy 2019 for Wesley Chapel. A number of new restaurants and bars, including Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar on S.R. 56 and Glory Days Grill on S.R. 54, opened, and there are plans for dozens more coming in 2020 and beyond.

“The economy is still strong,” says Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore. “Typically, you’ll see the builders slow down when they see a change…but they aren’t slowing down.”

With all that growth, traffic remained an important issue for local residents.

The county did begin work on widening S.R. 54, and also moved forward with the construction of the much-anticipated Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) at the intersection of S.R. 56 and I-75. And, the S.R. 56 extension which was finally finished in 2019 — and has been well received by local commuters desiring another east-west road — will soon have something other than open pasture land along its length.

Yes, there will be more homes. And lots of them. According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Taylor Morrison Homes recently closed on 750 acres of land for $23.5-million at the northwest and southwest corners of the S.R. 56/Morris Bridge Rd. intersection, land that is already entitled for roughly 1,600-1,700 homes.

Wesley Chapel saw its fair share of new homes go up in 2019, and thousands of housing permits are in the system for the coming years. Last year, 4,335 single residential permits were filed with the county. In the last three years, 11,448 have been filed.

The Connected City in northern Wesley Chapel has hundreds of homes under construction, including another 713 waiting on approval for Metro Development Group’s Mirada development, which will soon be home to our area’s second Crystal Lagoons® by Metro Lagoons® amenity. Avalon Park West has plans for more than 1,300 homes off S.R. 54, and Winding Ridge in the Wyndfields MPUD is seeking approval for 469 homes, just to name a few.

This formerly rural area is filling up fast, good news for those who prefer a suburban lifestyle but much to the chagrin of many others.

“We hear about it from some residents, typically from people who have been here a long time and moved out here for a quiet, peaceful life,” Allen says. “If that’s what you are looking for, this is not the place to be. This is going to be an active suburban core.”

Emphasis on the word “active.” The county rebranded its tourism efforts as the Florida Sports Coast, a move heavily influenced by Wesley Chapel’s growth in the sports market. Although Pasco’s hiking and biking trails, Gulf coast fishing and outdoor attractions like Treehoppers in Dade City also are important aspects of the new push, the success of AdventHealth Center Ice and the soon-to-open Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County in the fastest growing area of Pasco likely sparked the rebranding.

Looking ahead to 2020, Allen personally lists the Wiregrass Sports Campus opening, likely in July, as the most anticipated opening of 2020 (and she is hopeful that Raymond James Financial breaks ground), but there is stiff competition.

The Blue Heron assisted living facility in Seven Oaks and the AdventHealth-Moffitt Cancer Center building on the AdventHealth Wesley Chapel campus will be completed by the end of the year and will provide much-needed services for local residents.

The Main Event entertainment center and the Florida Avenue Brewing Company on S.R. 56 will help spark the local nightlife scene, and a much-anticipated Aldi grocery store, as well as a host of additional new restaurants, will keep folks in the area buzzing.

And, let’s not forget the massive and speedy transformation of The Grove (see story, pg. 6), which after being left for dead by many will have, by this time next year, it’s own craft brewery, a dueling piano bar, an axe-throwing hangout, new restaurants and a one-of-a-kind shipping container park that, if developer Mark Gold is correct, will become Wesley Chapel’s downtown.

As Commissioner Moore says, “The whole county, but especially Wesley Chapel, is growing. It’s the fastest-growing area in the state and I don’t see an end in sight. Do you?”

grove growth

Vice President Pence To Visit

Vice President Mike Pence is coming to town.

The Venetian Event Center at St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, which in addition to weddings has hosted a few political townhalls organized by city councilperson Luis Viera as well as a City of Tampa mayoral debate in 2019, will be the site when Pence visits next week for a re-election rally for President Donald Trump.

Pence will lead the “Keep America Great” rally Thursday, January 16 at 1:30 p.m. at the Venetian, which is located at 9724 Cross Creek Blvd.

Venetian director of marketing and communications for the center, Valerie Mainguy, confirmed that The Venetian had been rented by the Trump campaign, but said she had no idea what they would be doing there, or who would even be there.

She said the event center could only hold 1,000 people, according to City of Tampa fire code.

To register for tickets for the event, go here: https://www.donaldjtrump.com/events/keep-america-great-event-with-vice-president-mike-pence-in-wimauma-fl

The decision to come to New Tampa was a last-minute one, as the rally was originally scheduled for the Valencia Lakes retirement community in Wimauma. But FloridaPolitics.com reported that complaints from Valencia Lakes residents and protests from the property owners association board forced the event to be moved.

According to Florida Politics, one of the complaints was that many attendees would be bused in and would overwhelm the private, gated community.

Some in New Tampa have similar concerns, especially since the event could conclude right around the same time that kids are getting out of school.

Cross Creek resident Cindy Kelly wrote on her Facebook page that “No matter your political leanings, hosting this event at St. Mark’s at 1:30 on a Thursday afternoon is not a good idea. At a minimum, how will Wharton and Benito kids get home from school if they live on either side of the church? We have enough of a challenge with traffic in New Tampa. Tiny Cross Creek (Blvd.) does not have the infrastructure to host this event.”

Asked about how the Venetian Event Center planned to deal with any traffic issues, Mainguy said: “They (the campaign) are taking care of all of that.”

Mainguy refused to provide any other information about the event. “We just rent the building,” she said.

Tampa city councilmember Luis Viera (left) and Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan hosted a townhall at the Venetian Event Center. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

Viera took to the local community website NextDoor.com to alert local residents about the Pence rally.

“When the Vice President of the United States arrives, there is the obvious justified heavy security presence with accompanying traffic challenges, etc.,” Viera wrote. “I have alerted our School Board member Cindy Stuart and am told that the School District is aware and on it.

“Therefore, if your child or children go to a school on or near Cross Creek, or you live in the area, just be aware before you plan your day if this event goes forward. I assume that the District will release a plan, but FYI for school and other purposes.“

The New Tampa Democrats cited some of the same traffic concerns in a Facebook post, in addition to the costs and potential protest rallies – a Rally Against Mike Pence page for that date is already up on Facebook – and are encouraging people to call St. Mark to ask that the rally be moved.

Pence is in Florida to help shore up Trump’s support among Hispanic voters — he’ll attend a second event in Kissimmee after his New Tampa visit — but Hillsborough County is a focus for Republicans as well.

While New Tampa has long been considered a red, or Republican area, it has been more fertile ground in recent elections for Democrats.

In 2016, President Trump may have been elected nationwide and won Florida, but Democrat Hillary Clinton won every New Tampa precinct by a combined 58-38 percent margin.

In 2018, Hillsborough County officially turned blue. In New Tampa, longtime local Republicans Shawn Harrison, the Dist. 63 State House Representative, and Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist, were swept out of office by Fentrice Driskell and Mariella Smith, respectively, and neither race was particularly close.

Another Republican County commissioner, Ken Hagan lost all but two New Tampa precincts but still survived unknown political newcomer Angela Birdsong.

2020 election eledction pence