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Tampa named one of the world's greatest places
Justin Matthews reports
TIME Magazine released its list of 50 "World’s Greatest Places" for 2023, and Tampa made the list.
For a lot of people, it’s the climate that makes it such a desirable place to live.
But for TIME Magazine, it’s more than just the weather. Tampa is booming, and developments like Water Street, destinations like Sparkman Wharf, Armature Works, and the 2.6-mile Riverwalk really got Time Magazine’s attention. Not to mention new businesses coming in and local businesses expanding.
"We used to be the retirement state, and I don’t think we’re that anymore," said Lynda Remund, the President and CEO of Tampa Downtown Partnership. "You can walk around here, you can see all the young people walking around, there’s a lot of energy here, there’s a lot of innovation going on."
The list of the world’s greatest places also includes Barcelona, Spain, Naples, Italy, Medellín, Colombia, and Phuket, Thailand. American cities on the list include Washington, D.C.; Bozeman, MT; and Tucson, Arizona.
Most places were picked because of their positive growth and change, sustainable tourism practices, and accessibility. For instance, TIME Magazine cited the soon-to-be double daily non-stop flights from Tampa to London (Heathrow and Gatwick).
For the region, the exposure is great for tourism and business.
"The growth and the excitement of being a city that’s taken seriously, not only from a sports aspect but from real estate aspect, from a growth aspect, companies wanting to move here, employees wanting to move here," said Anna Stoshiadutko. "I’m in real estate and I see like, 60 percent of the business is people moving here. It’s not people from Tampa, it’s people from out-of-state, so I’m continuing to see the growth astronomically."
See the full list of cities here