ABPA Conference in Tampa in 2011

TAMPA, FL--Reversing a decision it made in Charlotte, the Board voted to switch locations in Florida for the April, 2011, annual convention.

Out is Daytona Beach; in is Tampa/St. Pete.

If a person wants Florida, and they want it all where it takes only once to unpack a bag, then there is no problem!  They will want Tampa Bay.

There’s a sunny side to this West Coast community that makes this a true hot spot among the world’s destinations. Naturally there’s lots of water and sunshine. But visitors will also discover an area that’s full of rich arts, professional sports, sights to see and things to do you won’t find anywhere else. 

Whatever one’s preferences, they will find it in Tampa Bay!

Here, a single day's itinerary might include breakfast at a waterside cafe, a visit to Busch Gardens Africa, The Florida Aquarium, a streetcar ride to Channelside for shopping, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, or Lightning game, topped off with a stay in one of the area’s luxury hotels or resorts. 

Then on to historic Ybor City where the Cuban sandwiches are hot and crisp, the cigars are hand-rolled, and the colorful streets are lined with fun.

What next? White, sugar sand beaches, sport fishing, jet skiing, parasailing, and of course, golf courses in abundance.
Whether visiting for a vacation or a convention, Tampa/St. Pete and the surrounding counties offer an amazing getaway in fun-filled Tampa Bay! 

From the mouth-watering restaurants to the incredible entertainment, Tampa Bay is a popular destination for savvy travelers looking to get the most out of their Florida conventions. 

Plus, its proximity to Orlando may equally encourage some ABPA attendees to bring their families for a few day jaunt over to Disney World.

ABPA’s site selection committee, working with its hotel selection guru Bruce Highberg of the Helms Briscoe Indianapolis office, will determine which facilities have space available for the preferred times and which are most competitive in their bids.

ABPA President Dolores Richardson, who is convention chairperson, felt that after two consecutive conventions in which racing would be the theme--Charlotte in 2009 and Indy in 2010--that Tampa Bay and not Daytona offered more amenities.

For one, flight schedules favors Tampa. For another, there are more facilities from which to choose meaning that the hotels would be more competitive in their respective bids and for another, Tampa for many would be an easier drive.

Said Richardson, who with her husband Gary Suchan owns a home in Sarasota and knows the area fairly well, “When it comes to Florida, there’s no better way to experience this state than Tampa/St. Pete.”

The board totally agreed; the vote reconsider the locations and to move the site from the Atlantic side to the Gulf side for 2011 won decisively.