Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryDecember 6, 2017

Hillsborough County demographics are changing more and more every year, but two prestigious boards in the region are represented almost exclusively by white men (or white-led) organizations. Take the Tampa Bay Partnership. CEO Rick Homans and Dave Sobush, the agency’s director of policy and research, came before the Hillsborough County Commission Wednesday to present some […]

Joe HendersonAugust 30, 2017

House Speaker Richard Corcoran is right on the money, so to speak, with his latest fiscal gambit. Corcoran has put 12 tourism development agencies throughout Florida on notice that they better have an accurate and public accounting of how they spend taxpayer dollars — and quickly. That includes big ones in Miami, Orlando and Tampa […]

Staff ReportsMarch 20, 2017

Members of the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation will celebrate Hillsborough Day at the State Capitol in Tallahassee March 22. The daylong event will bring many of the county’s most beloved attractions and traditions to the capitol for Florida lawmakers to enjoy, while showcasing all that the community has to offer. Visitors to the State Capitol […]

Mitch PerryJune 30, 2016

Britain is the No. 2 source market for international visitors to Florida, which is why Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine says the effects from last week’s “Brexit” vote will leave its mark on the Sunshine State. Several economists say the U.S. economy will likely take a modest hit from the U.K.’s vote last week to leave the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 24, 2016

At Disney World last week, Gov. Rick Scott said 105 million tourists had made their way to Florida last year, a new state record. Leading the way has been Hillsborough County, which generated more than $26.8 million during the fiscal year that ended last September, up 13 percent over fiscal year 2014, also a record year. […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 16, 2015

B9-Re5bIgAEu_De.jpg-large-1024x1024.jpeg

Speaking at a chilly Tampa International Airport, Gov. Rick Scott and Tampa Bay tourism officials hailed the record-breaking number of visitors to Florida this past year, but the governor also acknowledged it will take more than just tourism to drive the Florida economy. There were 97 million tourists who visited the Sunshine State in 2014, exceeding […]

Tag: Visit Tampa Bay
Image via AP.

Hillsborough Commission Democrats question lack of diversity in 2 local organizations

Joe Henderson: Richard Corcoran’s tourism threat isn’t bluff

Pirate invasion to mark Hillsborough Day at Capitol

Philip Levine predicts ‘Brexit’ will adversely affect Florida’s tourism industry

Tourism officials remain concerned about proposal to divert bed taxes

In Tampa, Gov. Rick Scott touts new tourism numbers, lobbies for manufacturer tax cut