Opinion

The Florida Aquarium at 30: How one building truly changed a city

A belief in Tampa — and a hope in an unseen vision — led a major success that defined three decades of growth.


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  • | 5:00 a.m. November 6, 2025
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The aquarium has become an iconic part of the downtown Tampa landscape.
The aquarium has become an iconic part of the downtown Tampa landscape.
Courtesy image
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In the 1980s, Tampa modeled most post-war American cities with a rising skyline and a dying downtown. This unsustainable model of lost revenue and zero growth potential ultimately bankrupted some American cities. In 1986, Tampa too, risked fiscal issues, until a daring mayor, and an underfunded nonprofit partnership built a new model for downtown Tampa,


A dead downtown

 

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