Coming to St. Pete for TBR v LOU (July 7th) , looking for suggestions (self.TampaBayRowdies)

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8nmnwp/coming_to_st_pete_for_tbr_v_lou_july_7th_looking/

Coming to St. Pete for TBR v LOU (July 7th) , looking for suggestions (self.TampaBayRowdies)

Looking for recommendations for things to do and stuff, also any discounts for tickets? They're a bit more than my country bumpkin self was expecting.

Coming in on Friday morning and leaving Monday morning!

If you're a student you could get tickets for 11$ if you're a run of the mill adult you could get tickets for 11$ on Ticketmaster.

If you’re getting a bite around the stadium before the game I have some suggestions for ya: The avenue Red mesa Engine no.9

We get multiple queries like this every season; here's a thread from last year:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/5ttxfj/stlfc_fan_here_where_to_go_in_tampa/

Things to do: if you like museums, downtown St. Pete has a ton of them. Al Lang Stadium is a very short walk away from the Salvador Dali Museum.

There's the Chihuly Collection, the Morean Arts Center, the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, and coming next year the Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement, to name a few.

Visit Old Florida roadside attraction, Sunken Gardens, a short drive north of Al Lang.

Food and drink options within walking distance of Al Lang are too numerous to mention them all; the Mob meets before games at The Thirsty First. There's a number of brew pubs along 1st and Central Avenues.

I highly recommend the Cuban sandwich at Bodega on Central, and The Notorious P.I.G. at Central Melt grilled cheese, also on Central Avenue.

I have made random discoveries like a Poke Bowl at PIN Wok & Bowl on Central. You can take random walks around downtown St. Pete and discover all sorts of things worth trying.

There's a couple of Kahwa Coffees in downtown St. Pete; good coffee and IMO far better than Starbucks. Genaro Coffee also gets rave reviews, but I have not tried it yet.

Besides craft breweries, there are a number of craft distilleries in St. Pete too, and if you don't have time to tour them, you can still pick up their products in downtown St. Pete liquor stores, products which you probably won't be able to find outside of Florida.

There's Central Cigars, if you're into that sort of thing.

There's the Saturday Morning Market, held in the Al Lang Stadium parking lot, except in the summer when it moves north a few blocks to Williams Park.

Lots more things one could mention, depending on your interests and how much time you have.

Thanks for this, that's...extensive

There's also the Sundial, a mall owned by Rowdies owner Bill Edwards, just north of Al Lang; if you are looking for Rowdies souvenirs, gear, jerseys, etc., there is a Rowdies gear shop at Al Lang Stadium, and another one at The Sundial.

Say "hi" to Nancy, the store manager, who is a big Rowdies fan, like I am, going back to the original Rowdies in the 1970's. She has an extensive collection of Rowdies memorabilia from the 1970s.

Good guide to Tampa Bay Area breweries:

http://www.thebrewerybay.com/

Article on local distilleries:

http://www.tampabay.com/projects/2017/tbt/ultimate-bar-guide-2017/local-spirits-distilleries/

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8nq1hj/the_identity_tampa_bay_a_vinikbacked_digital/

The Identity Tampa Bay, a Vinik-backed digital network, launches apps and influencer program (Video) (bizjournals.com)

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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/05/31/the-identity-tampa-bay-a-vinik-backed-digital.html

The Identity Tampa Bay, a Vinik-backed digital network, launches apps and influencer program (Video)

The Identity Tampa Bay, a digital network backed by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, has officially launched its next phase: App-based, local video content that can be watched on your smartphone or TV via platforms like Roku.

The Identity, which is under the umbrella of Vinik's Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties, started as a sports and lifestyle newsletter in early March. The app is now available for iOS, Android, AppleTV and Roku.

TBEP launched in 2017 with a 10-year multimedia rights partnership with the University of South Florida.

In addition to the official launch of its apps, The Identity also revealed a group of Tampa Bay social media influencers who will share content with The Identity. The influencers — most of whom are video based — range from local food bloggers to organizations like ZooTampa and Visit Tampa Bay as well as the Tampa Bay Rowdies. (See full list below.)

The Identity will also produce its own content by covering local events. The overarching goal is that the content has a feeling of authenticity and organic quality. Eventually, advertising will be incorporated into The Identity. Bill Abercrombie, executive vice president of business development for TBEP, said work is beginning on the advertising component.

"We know all of the underlying culture that exists in this marketplace," said Matt Samost, senior director of new ventures for TBEP. "There are so many great outlets doing content creations, and this is just another chance to add buoyancy and depth. We have to have that critical eye for it not feeling sponsored or promoted, so we’re very happy with where it is."

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https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/922908?referrer_id=3485885

Nanchoff Earns Fans’ Choice Goal of the Week

Half-volleyed long-range strike for Rowdies claims top spot in weekly fan poll

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http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/visualarts/st-pete-sculpture-museum-announces-move-to-central-avenue/2334127

St. Pete Sculpture Museum announces move to Central Avenue

Sculptor Jon Hair with his 26-foot lion sculpture. Hair's St. Pete Sculpture Museum will soon move to a prominent spot on Central Avenue, Hair said. [Courtesy of Jon Hair]

Another museum is joining the mix in St. Petersburg's downtown Central Arts District.

The St. Pete Sculpture Museum has signed a lease on a 3,200-square-foot space in the same Central Avenue building that's now home to the Chihuly Collection, sculptor Jon Hair said.

Hair opened his museum and sculpting studio at 290 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N in late 2016, but said he's hoping the new location at the corner of 8th Street and Central Avenue across from the Morean Arts Center will boost the museum's profile.

"It's exciting, it's unusual, and there's nothing like it in the country, because you get to see how sculptures are made," Hair said. "We're just not getting the traffic right now because we're too far off Central."

The museum's current location is in the Fringe District where its home to around 200 of Hair's bronze sculptures and original clay masters, including a 9-foot-tall Neil Armstrong, several U.S. presidents, galloping horses and a 26-foot-long lion.

"You can see bronzes anywhere, but you never see the original clay master sculptures, which are the part that's actually shaped by the artists's hand," Hair said.

SEARCH: Dozens of art exhibits and fun art events in our database

Hair plans to begin moving into the new space in October and be open by Christmas. He hopes to use the higher ceilings to display his art with more dramatic effect.

Hair is an award-winning sculptor with more than 100 commissions completed over the past 12 years, including work for U.S. Olympic Committee, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and dozens of universities across the country.

He's currently working on what he said is the largest college mascot sculpture in the country, a massive, bronze gamecock going up at the University of South Carolina.

He grew up in St. Petersburg, but left as a teenager and returned to the city last year when he opened the museum.

Just five blocks east at 100 Central Avenue, the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art is set open in early 2018. Its 30,000 square feet of gallery space will house around 400 pieces from philanthropists Tom and Mary James' extensive art collection.

"I think when the sculpture museum and the Tom James museum opens it will help everyone," said Roger Ross, chief financial officer for the Morean Arts Center, which owns and operates the Chihuly Collection. "St. Pete has become a big destination for museums now, people can spend a couple days here seeing them all."

COMING SOON: James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in downtown St. Pete

LOOK INSIDE: Chihuly Collection's new location in St. Petersburg

INDOOR FUN: 21 fun places to escape the heat (or rain) and chill indoors in Tampa Bay

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http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/events/21-fun-places-to-escape-the-heat-and-chill-indoors-in-tampa-bay/2331349

21 fun places to escape the heat (or rain) and chill indoors in Tampa Bay

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http://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2018/05/30/st--pete-regional-skatepark-grand-opening-this-weekend

St. Pete Regional Skatepark grand opening this weekend

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https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/mls-names-fc-cincinnati-latest-expansion-team/

MLS names FC Cincinnati latest expansion team

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https://us.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2018053049044/david-beckham-net-worth-revealed/

What is David Beckham's net worth and how does he make his money?

His football salary, brand endorsements and more revealed…

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https://www.813area.com/events/top-10-things-to-do-this-weekend-in-tampa-bay-june-1st-june-3rd.html

Top 10 Things to Do This Weekend in Tampa Bay | June 1st- June 3rd

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Atlanta United II

On Saturday the Tampa Bay Rowdies play against Atlanta United II in Saint Petersburg at Al Lang Stadium . The game begins at 7:30pm. It looks likely that they’ll win according to both teams statistics. Atlanta has only won two games out of the 11 they’ve played this season but the Rowdies have won almost half. So come out and get rowdy for your favorite team in Tampa!

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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/05/30/as-st-pete-moves-forward-with-cross-bay-ferry.html

As St. Pete moves forward with Cross Bay Ferry return, Tampa mayor opposes funding

The city is moving forward with plans to continue the service with the same operator they used for the pilot.

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https://www.nevadabusiness.com/2018/06/ole-the-business-of-soccer-in-nevada/

Ole! The Business of Soccer in Nevada

Llamas are a quintessential piece of the Las Vegas Lights Football Club (LVFC). However odd that might sound, two live llamas, Dolly and Dotty, are a staple at LVFC games and events and embody the spirit the management wants to bring to Las Vegas with soccer.

Likewise, a smiley face waits on the inside of their jerseys for when a player scores and flips it over his head to celebrate. The fluorescently colored jerseys are sponsored by Zappos, the same company who introduced the llamas to the team at an early event. Owner Brett Lashbrook was so taken by the animals and the vibe they brought, he told the company to keep them around. So they’ve stuck around.

While many United Soccer League teams are affiliated with Major League Soccer (MLS) organizations, Lashbrook wanted to stay independent, to be able to have fun and, potentially down the line, advance to the top league.

“We want to be fiercely independent,” said Steve Pastorino, the team’s vice president of corporate partnerships. “We don’t want a technical director in some MLS city telling us who our coach will be or which players need to play.”

He went on to add, “That doesn’t fly when we want to do unique things, have a uniform with a crazy design, cool game presentation and having llamas roaming around. We want to put on a show and we want to reflect Las Vegas and did not see a benefit to affiliating with an MLS team; it’s not in our DNA.”

Team management doesn’t think much about a jump to a higher league, yet. They’re using this first year to figure out if soccer works for a full season in Las Vegas, particularly in the heat of a July night.