Economic development leaders: Branding Tampa Bay could be simpler

Eric Snider
Staff Writer- Tampa Bay Business Journal

"We're prettier than them."

That was the impromptu catch phrase for Bay area economic development posited by Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano. He came up with it during a luncheon roundtable on the topic presented by the Tampa Bay Business Journal at Eddie V's in Tampa. The event brought together 11 people from economic development and business communities, along with Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe. Near session's end, the conversation turned to the thorny issue of branding Tampa Bay.

Lopano was saying, in effect, that a unified message to the wider world should incorporate a lot of things, but the Bay area's physical beauty and temperate weather should not be overlooked in the chase for technology workers, corporate headquarters, startups and all the other hot-button issues in economic development.

Lopano, who came from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport three-and-a-half years ago, added, "In Texas, people brag a lot. We should too. We're big, bad and beautiful."  More here.