(Follow link for full article.)
https://theathletic.com/1570453/2020/01/29/the-miami-fc-owner-riccardo-silva-on-joining-the-usl-promotion-relegation-and-inter-miami/
The Miami FC owner Riccardo Silva on joining the USL, promotion/relegation and Inter Miami
The first thing most American soccer fans think when they hear the name Riccardo Silva are the words “promotion” and “relegation.”
The Italian businessman made this association firm thanks to the eye-popping $4 billion broadcast deal he offered to Major League Soccer… if the league opened itself to promotion and relegation. While Silva has served as the owner of The Miami FC since their formation in 2015, his advocacy for an open system has arguably become a greater part of his identity in American soccer. That’s in part due to the leagues in which his club has participated in: the NASL wasn’t shy about their ambitions to challenge MLS directly, while NISA initially explored the potential to operate outside of the same closed pyramid as MLS — ultimately securing provisional third-division sanctioning from U.S. Soccer in February 2019.
Over the last two years, Silva’s role as owner has come with challenges beyond the club’s results on the pitch.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ottawamatters.com/local-sports/ottawa-getting-pro-soccer-back-this-time-in-canadian-premier-league-2056669
Ottawa getting pro soccer back, this time in Canadian Premier League
Club Atlético de Madrid’s ownership and CPL Commissioner, David Clanachan will be officially unveiling the club at TD Place on February 12.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/29/u-s-open-cup-2nd-round-draw-revealed-11-mls-teams-join-field-3rd-round
U.S. Open Cup 2nd round draw revealed, with 11 MLS teams to join field in 3rd round
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.massivereport.com/2020/1/29/21113239/columbus-crew-considering-changing-name-colors-black-and-gold-dee-jimmy-haslam-mls-2020
Report: Crew ‘seriously’ considering changing name and colors in rebrand
The Black & Gold may not be the black and gold much longer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ussoccerplayers.com/2020/01/gridiron-lines-in-mls-stadiums.html
GRIDIRON LINES IN MLS STADIUMS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4043073/diego-reyes-responds-to-chicharito-liga-mx-still-ahead-of-mls
Diego Reyes responds to Chicharito: Liga MX still ahead of MLS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/29/heres-which-mls-teams-are-winning-offseason-so-far-andrew-wiebe
Here's which MLS teams are winning the offseason (so far) | Andrew Wiebe
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wcnc.com/video/sports/soccer/charlotte-files-application-for-eastland-mall-site-home-to-mls-hq/275-488dcf7c-4a29-4dc3-aeba-105dbaf1d33d
Charlotte files application for Eastland Mall site, home to MLS HQ
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/columbus-crew-sc/columbus-crew-sc-fans-express-outrage-over-possible-rebrand/
Columbus Crew SC fans express outrage over possible rebrand
The team’s name, colors and logo reportedly are under consideration for a rebrand.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-trades-goalkeeper-vancouver-whitecaps-draft-pick-20200130-iv7cpkswfrevhf6swnykgru2ju-story.html
Inter Miami CF trades goalkeeper Bryan Meredith to Vancouver Whitecaps FC for 2021 MLS SuperDraft pick
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2020/01/2020-us-open-cup-second-round-pairings-and-host-scenarios
2020 U.S. OPEN CUP SECOND ROUND PAIRINGS AND HOST SCENARIOS
CLUBS FROM USL CHAMPIONSHIP, NISA AND USL LEAGUE ONE TO MAKE TOURNAMENT DEBUT APRIL 7-9; SEVENTY-SEVEN OF 100 ENTRIES NOW AWARE OF THEIR OPENING MATCHUPS TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE; ALL GAMES AVAILABLE ON ESPN+
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.vancourier.com/sports/eric-akis-cuban-sandwich-for-the-win-1.24063178
Eric Akis: Cuban sandwich for the win
Enjoy this Cuban sandwich while watching the Super Bowl. The sandwiches are popular in Miami, host of this year's game.
The Super Bowl is Sunday and the game is being held just north of Miami. If you plan to watch and want to serve a food popular there, make Cuban sandwiches.
Some describe Cuban sandwiches as the quintessential Miami snack — numerous restaurants, corner snack bars and shops sell them there and in other parts of Florida, such as Tampa Bay.
In fact, lore suggests the Cuban sandwich didn’t even come from Cuba. It was first served in the historic Tampa Bay neighbourhood of Ybor City, a place where a century or so ago, Cuban immigrants came to work in Florida’s cigar industry.
Cafés that catered to those workers at lunchtime served them what ended up being called a Cuban sandwich, or simply the Cuban or cubano. English speakers gave them that name because it was Cubans they saw eating them.
The Cuban sandwich spread to Miami, also home to a large Cuban immigrant population. To this day, there is a friendly rivalry as to where the sandwich originated and which city makes the best ones.
With the Super Bowl being played near Miami, my focus is on the style made there. When you check out menus of Miami eateries offering Cuban sandwiches, you’ll see many modern variations.
But the sandwich is traditionally prepared with Cuban bread spread with yellow mustard, slices of ham, pickles, roast pork and Swiss cheese — some of those ingredients introduced by European immigrants.
The sandwich is then grilled and pressed. Toasting the bread and compacting the fillings causes their flavours to deliciously meld together.
The roast pork used in the sandwich is often marinated before cooking — in my recipe, I use citrus juice, garlic, onion and seasonings. The ham, pickles, mustard and cheese can be bought at any B.C. supermarket, but not the Cuban bread.
The latter is yeast-risen, white, soft on the inside, light and crispy on the outside and enriched with some fat, such as lard.
Because the bread is not sold here, I decided to make my sandwiches with buns that had similar qualities. They are not exactly the same, of course, which is why I call my recipe “Cuban-style” sandwiches.
If you make the sandwiches, you’ll have to plan ahead, as the pork has to marinate overnight before you roast and slice it for the sandwiches.
The sandwiches can be cooked in a sandwich press, grill pan or even a skillet (see recipe method for details). The recipes yields six sandwiches and, depending on the size of your press, pan or skillet, you’ll likely have to cook and serve them in batches.
The grill pan I used when testing the recipe was large enough to cook three sandwiches at a time. When the first batch was ready, I served them and quickly got the next batch of three cooking on the grill.
Cuban-style Sandwiches
These hot and hearty sandwiches are deliciously filled with slices of succulent marinated roast pork, tangy pickles, Swiss cheese and smoky ham. I like to serve them with potato chips and a cold beverage, such as beer, a rum-based cocktail or grapefruit-flavoured soda.
Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus overnight marinade
Cooking time: About 90 minutes
Makes: six sandwiches
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (see Note)
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coarse sea or kosher salt
1/2 to 1 tsp freshly and coarsely ground black pepper
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 (2 lb/950 gram) pork leg or shoulder roast
6 (about 6- to 8-inch long, 3-inch wide) large hot dog, submarine sandwich, hoagie or panini buns, split
• soft butter
• yellow mustard
250 grams thinly sliced deli ham, such as honey or country
6 to 8 baby dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise, or to taste
225 to 250 grams Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
Combine juices, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and onion in a sided dish just large enough to hold the pork. Add the pork and turn to coat. Cover and marinate pork in the refrigerator overnight, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Set the pork in a small roasting pan or ovenproof skillet and pour marinade over it.
Roast pork 20 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 F and cook pork 55 to 60 minutes more, or until the centre of the meat registers 155 F on a meat thermometer. Baste the pork occasionally with pan juices as it roasts.
When roast is cooked, set on a plate and let rest 30 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, very thinly slice the meat and set back on the plate the roast rested on. If you’re not making the sandwiches right away, set pork in refrigerator until ready to do so.
To make sandwiches, evenly spread the cut sides of each bun with the mustard. Set bottom buns on a work surface, mustard-side-up. Divide and top each bottom bun with layers of ham, pickles, roast pork and cheese. Set on top buns, mustard-side-down, and press sandwiches together.
Preheat your sandwich press or stovetop grill pan to, or set over, medium heat. When hot, brush the surface of the press or grill with butter. Set on three of the sandwiches, or as many as you can fit on your press or grill.
If using a sandwich press, lower the top of it and firmly press down on the sandwiches. Cook sandwiches until compacted, piping hot in the middle, and browned and crispy on the outside, about 10 minutes.
If using a grill pan to cook the sandwiches, once they are on the grill, set something heavy on them, such as a baking sheet topped with a very heavy skillet and/or some cans of food. Press down on the sandwiches, and then grill five minutes. Turn each sandwich over, top with something heavy again, and cook five minutes on the other side.
Set cooked sandwiches on a cutting board, cut each one in half and serve. Cook and serve the remaining sandwiches as you did the first batch.
Note: Four to five large limes and one to two oranges, depending on size, should yield the juice needed here.
Eric’s options: If you don’t have a sandwich press or grill pan, you could also cook the sandwiches in a large skillet or stove top or electric griddle set to, or over, medium heat. If you do, top the sandwiches with something heavy.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/soccer/soccer-is-back-atletico-madrid-jeff-hunt-behind-ottawa-expansion-team-in-cpl/wcm/a10621da-5fe6-4344-a49f-171cac490b8f
Atletico Madrid, Jeff Hunt behind Ottawa soccer club that will start CPL season in April
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wdrb.com/sports/louisville-city-fc/louisville-city-fc-to-host-u-s-open-cup-match/article_af31e856-42fc-11ea-a144-9b38d281359d.html
Louisville City FC to host U.S. Open Cup match 4 days before original Lynn Family Stadium opener
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/84829/new-us-youth-soccer-ceo-skip-gilbert-on-his-soccer.html
New US Youth Soccer CEO Skip Gilbert on his soccer roots, the USSF's 'huge responsibility,' and ...
Soccer America
He was an All-American goalkeeper at the University of Vermont and was on the NASL's Tampa Bay Rowdies 1983 team. His Rowdies teammates ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-wednesday-20200129-cqyt6uj2e5fkjdqo7kho7nijua-story.html
Inter Miami CF launches 'Your Futbol is Here’ campaign during Super Bowl week
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.egcitizen.com/sports/republic-fc-s-stefano-bonomo-set-to-retire/article_2b370bb4-42be-11ea-ba7d-eff02995ba7f.html
Republic FC’s Stefano Bonomo set to retire
Bonomo was originally selected by the NY Red Bulls in the second round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft before signing with their USL affiliate and guiding them to the 2016 Eastern Conference title, the USL Regular Season Championship and their first-ever USL Cup. The towering attacker followed his title-winning campaign as RB II’s top scorer with 13 strikes the following year and his impressive USL campaign earned Bonomo an MLS contract prior to the 2018 season where he made his senior side debut during a 3-0 home win in March over Minnesota United. He was later loaned to Red Bulls II before Tampa Bay Rowdies signed the goal-getter in July 2018 where he contributed three goals and one assist.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1081987
2020 Open Cup Second Round Matchups Revealed
TRIO OF MATCHUPS BETWEEN CHAMPIONSHIP, LEAGUE ONE CLUBS HIGHLIGHT THREE-DAY SCHEDULE
Phoenix Rising FC, meanwhile, could play host to League Two’s FC Golden State Force at Casino Arizona Field, while the Tampa Bay Rowdies will host either The Villages SC or South Georgia Tormenta FC 2, Hartford Athletic will meet either the Western Mass Pioneers or GPS Portland Phoenix, and North Carolina FC will face either the North Carolina Fusion U23 or the South Carolina United Bantams.
Southeast Region
April 7
Charlotte Independence vs. Stumptown Athletic, 7 p.m. ET, Sportsplex at Matthews
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. The Villages SC or South Georgia Tormenta FC 2, 7 p.m. ET, Al Lang Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/29/report-inter-miami-make-late-bid-edinson-cavani-complicating-atletico-madrid-move
Report: Inter Miami make late bid for Edinson Cavani, complicating Atletico Madrid move
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-petersburg/2020/01/30/hardball-rays-threaten-to-block-redevelopment-of-tropicana-field/
Fans enter Tropicana Field for the Tampa Bay Rays' games against the Boston Red Sox in March 2018.
ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays are now playing hardball with the most lucrative piece of property in the city.
Rays officials have told City Council members that the team will hold up any attempts...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10852178/cavani-inter-miami-beckham-atletico-hijack/
CAV A GO David Beckham’s Inter Miami launch last-gasp Edinson Cavani bid to try and hijack Atletico transfer
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/paper-talk-late-business/176740
Thursday's Paper Talk: Football transfer news, rumours and gossip, including the late deals before Deadline Day
David Beckham's MLS franchise side Inter Miami have made a late move for PSG's wantaway forward Edinson Cavani. (AS)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.fox46charlotte.com/news/city-of-charlotte-files-to-rezone-eastland-mall-for-new-mls-facility
City of Charlotte files to rezone Eastland Mall for new MLS facility
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Why 2028 could be the year that reshapes, expands and completely alters Major League Baseball
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/why-2028-could-be-the-year-that-reshapes-expands-and-completely-alters-major-league-baseball/
Why 2028 could be the year that reshapes, expands and completely alters Major League Baseball
Baseball might look very different by the end of the decade
The Rays relocate
Tropicana Field's days are numbers. USATSI
Owner Stuart Sternberg's ambitious two-city plan is going nowhere and the Rays have been unable to gain any traction on a new ballpark site in the Tampa area. The promising Ybor City project is dead and, as far as we know, there are currently no leads on other possible ballpark locations. The franchise is no closer to getting a new stadium today than it was five years ago.
The Rays are locked into their Tropicana Field lease through 2027. What happens after that? Who knows. Given the club's ongoing attendance issues -- they drew 1.18 million fans in 2019, second fewest in baseball -- and inability to find a new ballpark site, I think relocation is the most likely answer. MLB and the Rays have seven years to figure it out. (Less than that, really.)
Montreal stands out as a potential landing spot given the club's interest in playing games in the city, though ballpark issues exist there as well. Austin, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Nashville, Portland, and San Antonio are other possible destinations. I'd call Montreal the favorite to land the Rays right now, but it's hardly a lock. Point is, Tampa's stadium issues are the springboard for our 2028 plan.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/pasco/2020/01/28/pasco-unveils-sports-campus-in-wesley-chapel/
Pasco unveils sports campus in Wesley Chapel
The $44 million facility is expected to hold its first tournament in September
Construction continues on the new Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County located in Wesley Chapel. The center will feature a 98,000 square foot sports center with eight bio-cushioned hardwood courts that can be utilized for basketball, volleyball, mixed martial arts, gymnastics, wrestling, soccer, futsal, cheerleading and dance.
WESLEY CHAPEL — Forty-year-old J.D. Porter was in high school when his family started talking about a sports-tourism venue.
But the more-than-two-decade-long talks about a tennis stadium, baseball comp...
Already, the company hired former Tampa Bay Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell as its soccer director. The site sits north and east of the Shops at ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200128/columbus-crew-hires-longtime-mls-assistant-tim-hanley-as-goalkeepers-coach
Columbus Crew hires longtime MLS assistant Tim Hanley as goalkeepers coach
Before his coaching days, Hanley played five professional seasons, including some in the defunct North American Soccer League for the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Earthquakes.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.massivereport.com/2020/1/28/21111986/columbus-crew-sc-tim-hanley-assistant-coach-caleb-porter-eloy-room
Crew name Tim Hanley as assistant coach
The Black & Gold bring a longtime MLS goalkeeper coach on to the staff.
As a player, Hanley had a five-year career as a professional goalkeeper, suiting up for the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1980-1981), the Earthquakes (1981, 1983-1984), as well as stints in Scotland with Hibernian Football Club (1982) and Switzerland with Servette FC (1985).
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.abcactionnews.com/lifestyle/taste-and-see/the-columbia-floridas-oldest-restaurant-lives-in-historic-ybor-city
The Columbia: Florida's oldest restaurant lives in historic Ybor City
TAMPA, Fla. — The Columbia Restaurant in historic Ybor City is Florida’s oldest restaurant and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world.
What started as a small 60-seat corner cafe in 1905 can now seat over 1,700 people in 15 different dining rooms. Each time you go for dinner or lunch, your experience in the restaurant will be different from the last.
This Tampa staple has served up the same delicious Spanish and Cuban cuisine for 115 years.
Now in its fifth generation, the Hernandez/Gonzmart family still owns and operates the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor.
Tasty food we recommend:
The 1905 Salad
Original Cuban Sandwich
Paella
Shrimp and Crab Enchilado
Tapas
Mussels y Chorizo "Andres"
Sangria
You need to also catch the nightly flamenco dance show, which consists of ballet moves in colorful Spanish costumes accompanied by the distinctive sound of castanets. This must-see rhythmic dance is an entertainment experience you don't want to miss.
Flamenco dances run every night except Sundays. Click here for reservation information.
The Columbia Restaurant is located at 2117 East 7th Avenue, Tampa.
Visit the website for more information on the history of The Columbia Restaurant.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/2020/01/28/tampas-popular-downtowner-rides-could-end-soon-unless-someone-pays-for-them/
Tampa’s popular Downtowner rides could end soon unless someone pays for them
Money for the service runs out March 31. Members of the Hillsborough transit agency board are reluctant to pay for it.
Chris Murray with the Downtowner ride service drops off a passenger in the Channelside area. The popular free service is now in jeopardy. [Times (2017)]
TAMPA — The days of opening a smartphone app and catching a free ride anywhere within Tampa’s downtown may soon be over.
The popular Downtowner service, which launched in October 2016, is running out o...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.jewishexponent.com/2020/01/28/st-petersburg-florida-offers-attractions-galore/
St. Petersburg, Florida Offers Attractions Galore
(Follow link for full article.)
https://hoodline.com/2020/01/tampa-s-5-favorite-spots-for-affordable-coffee
Tampa's 5 favorite spots for affordable coffee
Yolk White & Associates | La Segunda Central Bakery | Ginger Beard Coffee | Spaddy's Coffee | The Blind Tiger Cafe
(Follow link for full article.)
https://en.as.com/en/2020/01/29/football/1580276593_153130.html
ATLÉTICO MADRID
Beckham's Inter Miami make late bid for Edinson Cavani
Contacts close to the player have confirmed to AS that the new MLS franchise has made a significant bid for the striker who is still keen on a move to Atlético.
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/why-2028-could-be-the-year-that-reshapes-expands-and-completely-alters-major-league-baseball/
Why 2028 could be the year that reshapes, expands and completely alters Major League Baseball
Baseball might look very different by the end of the decade
The Rays relocate
Tropicana Field's days are numbers. USATSI
Owner Stuart Sternberg's ambitious two-city plan is going nowhere and the Rays have been unable to gain any traction on a new ballpark site in the Tampa area. The promising Ybor City project is dead and, as far as we know, there are currently no leads on other possible ballpark locations. The franchise is no closer to getting a new stadium today than it was five years ago.
The Rays are locked into their Tropicana Field lease through 2027. What happens after that? Who knows. Given the club's ongoing attendance issues -- they drew 1.18 million fans in 2019, second fewest in baseball -- and inability to find a new ballpark site, I think relocation is the most likely answer. MLB and the Rays have seven years to figure it out. (Less than that, really.)
Montreal stands out as a potential landing spot given the club's interest in playing games in the city, though ballpark issues exist there as well. Austin, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Nashville, Portland, and San Antonio are other possible destinations. I'd call Montreal the favorite to land the Rays right now, but it's hardly a lock. Point is, Tampa's stadium issues are the springboard for our 2028 plan.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/pasco/2020/01/28/pasco-unveils-sports-campus-in-wesley-chapel/
Pasco unveils sports campus in Wesley Chapel
The $44 million facility is expected to hold its first tournament in September
Construction continues on the new Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County located in Wesley Chapel. The center will feature a 98,000 square foot sports center with eight bio-cushioned hardwood courts that can be utilized for basketball, volleyball, mixed martial arts, gymnastics, wrestling, soccer, futsal, cheerleading and dance.
WESLEY CHAPEL — Forty-year-old J.D. Porter was in high school when his family started talking about a sports-tourism venue.
But the more-than-two-decade-long talks about a tennis stadium, baseball comp...
Already, the company hired former Tampa Bay Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell as its soccer director. The site sits north and east of the Shops at ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20200128/columbus-crew-hires-longtime-mls-assistant-tim-hanley-as-goalkeepers-coach
Columbus Crew hires longtime MLS assistant Tim Hanley as goalkeepers coach
Before his coaching days, Hanley played five professional seasons, including some in the defunct North American Soccer League for the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Earthquakes.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.massivereport.com/2020/1/28/21111986/columbus-crew-sc-tim-hanley-assistant-coach-caleb-porter-eloy-room
Crew name Tim Hanley as assistant coach
The Black & Gold bring a longtime MLS goalkeeper coach on to the staff.
As a player, Hanley had a five-year career as a professional goalkeeper, suiting up for the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1980-1981), the Earthquakes (1981, 1983-1984), as well as stints in Scotland with Hibernian Football Club (1982) and Switzerland with Servette FC (1985).
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.abcactionnews.com/lifestyle/taste-and-see/the-columbia-floridas-oldest-restaurant-lives-in-historic-ybor-city
The Columbia: Florida's oldest restaurant lives in historic Ybor City
TAMPA, Fla. — The Columbia Restaurant in historic Ybor City is Florida’s oldest restaurant and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world.
What started as a small 60-seat corner cafe in 1905 can now seat over 1,700 people in 15 different dining rooms. Each time you go for dinner or lunch, your experience in the restaurant will be different from the last.
This Tampa staple has served up the same delicious Spanish and Cuban cuisine for 115 years.
Now in its fifth generation, the Hernandez/Gonzmart family still owns and operates the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor.
Tasty food we recommend:
The 1905 Salad
Original Cuban Sandwich
Paella
Shrimp and Crab Enchilado
Tapas
Mussels y Chorizo "Andres"
Sangria
You need to also catch the nightly flamenco dance show, which consists of ballet moves in colorful Spanish costumes accompanied by the distinctive sound of castanets. This must-see rhythmic dance is an entertainment experience you don't want to miss.
Flamenco dances run every night except Sundays. Click here for reservation information.
The Columbia Restaurant is located at 2117 East 7th Avenue, Tampa.
Visit the website for more information on the history of The Columbia Restaurant.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/2020/01/28/tampas-popular-downtowner-rides-could-end-soon-unless-someone-pays-for-them/
Tampa’s popular Downtowner rides could end soon unless someone pays for them
Money for the service runs out March 31. Members of the Hillsborough transit agency board are reluctant to pay for it.
Chris Murray with the Downtowner ride service drops off a passenger in the Channelside area. The popular free service is now in jeopardy. [Times (2017)]
TAMPA — The days of opening a smartphone app and catching a free ride anywhere within Tampa’s downtown may soon be over.
The popular Downtowner service, which launched in October 2016, is running out o...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.jewishexponent.com/2020/01/28/st-petersburg-florida-offers-attractions-galore/
St. Petersburg, Florida Offers Attractions Galore
(Follow link for full article.)
https://hoodline.com/2020/01/tampa-s-5-favorite-spots-for-affordable-coffee
Tampa's 5 favorite spots for affordable coffee
Yolk White & Associates | La Segunda Central Bakery | Ginger Beard Coffee | Spaddy's Coffee | The Blind Tiger Cafe
(Follow link for full article.)
https://en.as.com/en/2020/01/29/football/1580276593_153130.html
ATLÉTICO MADRID
Beckham's Inter Miami make late bid for Edinson Cavani
Contacts close to the player have confirmed to AS that the new MLS franchise has made a significant bid for the striker who is still keen on a move to Atlético.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Rowdies sign Sheffield product
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/usl/usl-notes-charlotte-independence-jamaica-dane-kelly-2020-phoenix-sheffield/
USL notes: Charlotte Independence land Jamaican striker Dane Kelly
Kelly has scored 77 goals in his USL career. He has earned four caps with the Reggae Boyz since 2017.
Rowdies sign Sheffield product
The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced last Friday they acquired midfielder Jordan Doherty on a permanent deal from English squad Sheffield United FC.
A 19-year-old Irish midfielder, Doherty came up in the academy of the Premier League side, but spent last season on-loan with Tampa Bay, appearing in 20 matches. He was the youngest player to ever debut for the Rowdies at age 18.
Doherty has represented Ireland on the youth national team, playing at the U-19 and U-23 levels.
“We’re really excited to welcome Jordan back to the Rowdies on a permanent basis,” Rowdies technical director Neill Collins said in a statement. “Jordan is a player that really showed his qualities last season despite being the youngest player in the team. We really look forward to watching his development.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wfla.com/sports/the-big-game/what-tampa-bay-items-can-you-buy-for-price-of-super-bowl-ticket/
THE BIG GAME
What Tampa Bay items can you buy for price of Super Bowl ticket?
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – What could you buy here in Tampa for the astronomical price of a ticket to Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami?
According to CNN, the average resale price of a ticket is $6,232 via SeatGeek.
So, what could that get you and how much of some of your favorite Tampa staples? 8 On Your Side did the math.
1. 519 Cuban sandwiches at the Columbia Restaurant
At $12 a sandwich at the restaurant’s original location in Ybor City, Cuban sandwich lovers could scoop up 519 of them for the price of a ticket.
2. 17 Busch Gardens platinum season passes
The platinum pass gets you access to 11 parks across the country, from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to SeaWorld San Diego. At $363 a pass, you could enjoy all the fun for almost 20 years.
3. Tickets for you and 108 friends to WrestleMania 36
WWE’s biggest show of the year is coming to Raymond James Stadium on April 5. The cheapest tickets on SeatGeek are $57, so if you’d rather see some wrestling instead of football, you could buy 109 “Mania” tickets.
4. 980 Tabanero Cigars
A 20-count box of Robusto cigars from Tabanero Cigars is $125. For the price of a Super Bowl ticket, you could purchase 49 boxes, for a total of 980 cigars.
5. 131 steaks at Bern’s Steak House
Treat yourself to a steak dinner rather than a Super Bowl ticket and get 131 10 oz. filet mignon steaks at $47.40 a piece.
6. 3,738 6-packs of Cigar City Jai Alai beer
If you’re a fan of this local brewery’s IPA, you could forgo a trip to Miami and purchase 623 6-packs at $9.99 for a total of 3,738 beers.
7. 283 full flats of Parkesdale Farm Market strawberries
Take your money to Plant City and scoop up 283 flats of strawberries at $21.99 a flat.
8. 15 round-trip flights from Tampa to Miami
Bienvenido a Miami! You could purchase 15 3-day round-trip flights during Super Bowl weekend for the price of one of the event’s tickets. The cheapest ticket is $399 via American Airlines.
9. 21,384 Gasparilla beads
Stay in the festive Gasparilla spirit for a long time at the price of a Big Game ticket. For $6.99 for 24 beads at Party City, you’ll be set for many a Gasparilla to come.
10. 311 all-day trips on the Pirate Water Taxi
Set sail on the Hillsborough River for almost a full year of all-day ticket trips on the Pirate Water Taxi.
11. 219 Florida Aquarium tickets
Gear up for the game at The Florida Aquarium with 218 of your closest friends at $28.45 admission on Feb. 2.
12. 57 standard theme park tickets to Disney World
Visit one park a day 57 times at $109 per ticket for the hefty price of a Super Bowl ticket.
13. 6 Disney World platinum annual passes
The pricey Disney World passes will set you back $899 a pass. You’d be very close to paying for a seventh pass with Super Bowl ticket money.
14. 75 Buccaneers regular season tickets
According to Statista.com, the average Buccaneers ticket price was $82.59 in 2019. Since the Bucs didn’t make the Super Bowl this year, you could spend your money seeing 75 different games through the next few years.
15. 323 tickets to see the Lightning play Las Vegas
The cheapest ticket to the Bolts’ game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 4 is $19.25, meaning you could buy one 323 times over with the cost of a Super Bowl ticket.
16. 276 Rays regular season tickets
Statista.com confirms the average Rays ticket price in 2019 was just $22.53. If football isn’t your thing, you could always buy 276 baseball tickets if you have over $6,000 laying around.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/david-beckham-eyes-chelsea-star-21371016
David Beckham eyes Chelsea star Pedro at Inter Miami but faces Japanese battle
Chelsea star Pedro has struggled for minutes under Frank Lampard and could yet be on the move before the January transfer window is up with David Beckham's Inter Miami interested
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/chelsea-pedro-vissel-kobe-nycfc-inter-miami/8o9hrkg3evgd1moptu3ftcyc1
Chelsea's Pedro wanted by ambitious Vissel Kobe amid interest from NYCFC & Inter Miami
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/top-5-international-players-in-mls-2020
Top 5 international players in MLS 2020
(Follow link for full article.)
https://bleacherreport.com/soccer-world-pays-tribute-to-kobe
SOCCER WORLD PAYS TRIBUTE TO KOBE
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.presstelegram.com/2020/01/27/soccer-community-around-the-world-mourns-kobe-bryant/
Soccer community around the world mourns Kobe Bryant
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/usl/usl-notes-charlotte-independence-jamaica-dane-kelly-2020-phoenix-sheffield/
USL notes: Charlotte Independence land Jamaican striker Dane Kelly
Kelly has scored 77 goals in his USL career. He has earned four caps with the Reggae Boyz since 2017.
Rowdies sign Sheffield product
The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced last Friday they acquired midfielder Jordan Doherty on a permanent deal from English squad Sheffield United FC.
A 19-year-old Irish midfielder, Doherty came up in the academy of the Premier League side, but spent last season on-loan with Tampa Bay, appearing in 20 matches. He was the youngest player to ever debut for the Rowdies at age 18.
Doherty has represented Ireland on the youth national team, playing at the U-19 and U-23 levels.
“We’re really excited to welcome Jordan back to the Rowdies on a permanent basis,” Rowdies technical director Neill Collins said in a statement. “Jordan is a player that really showed his qualities last season despite being the youngest player in the team. We really look forward to watching his development.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wfla.com/sports/the-big-game/what-tampa-bay-items-can-you-buy-for-price-of-super-bowl-ticket/
THE BIG GAME
What Tampa Bay items can you buy for price of Super Bowl ticket?
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – What could you buy here in Tampa for the astronomical price of a ticket to Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami?
According to CNN, the average resale price of a ticket is $6,232 via SeatGeek.
So, what could that get you and how much of some of your favorite Tampa staples? 8 On Your Side did the math.
1. 519 Cuban sandwiches at the Columbia Restaurant
At $12 a sandwich at the restaurant’s original location in Ybor City, Cuban sandwich lovers could scoop up 519 of them for the price of a ticket.
2. 17 Busch Gardens platinum season passes
The platinum pass gets you access to 11 parks across the country, from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to SeaWorld San Diego. At $363 a pass, you could enjoy all the fun for almost 20 years.
3. Tickets for you and 108 friends to WrestleMania 36
WWE’s biggest show of the year is coming to Raymond James Stadium on April 5. The cheapest tickets on SeatGeek are $57, so if you’d rather see some wrestling instead of football, you could buy 109 “Mania” tickets.
4. 980 Tabanero Cigars
A 20-count box of Robusto cigars from Tabanero Cigars is $125. For the price of a Super Bowl ticket, you could purchase 49 boxes, for a total of 980 cigars.
5. 131 steaks at Bern’s Steak House
Treat yourself to a steak dinner rather than a Super Bowl ticket and get 131 10 oz. filet mignon steaks at $47.40 a piece.
6. 3,738 6-packs of Cigar City Jai Alai beer
If you’re a fan of this local brewery’s IPA, you could forgo a trip to Miami and purchase 623 6-packs at $9.99 for a total of 3,738 beers.
7. 283 full flats of Parkesdale Farm Market strawberries
Take your money to Plant City and scoop up 283 flats of strawberries at $21.99 a flat.
8. 15 round-trip flights from Tampa to Miami
Bienvenido a Miami! You could purchase 15 3-day round-trip flights during Super Bowl weekend for the price of one of the event’s tickets. The cheapest ticket is $399 via American Airlines.
9. 21,384 Gasparilla beads
Stay in the festive Gasparilla spirit for a long time at the price of a Big Game ticket. For $6.99 for 24 beads at Party City, you’ll be set for many a Gasparilla to come.
10. 311 all-day trips on the Pirate Water Taxi
Set sail on the Hillsborough River for almost a full year of all-day ticket trips on the Pirate Water Taxi.
11. 219 Florida Aquarium tickets
Gear up for the game at The Florida Aquarium with 218 of your closest friends at $28.45 admission on Feb. 2.
12. 57 standard theme park tickets to Disney World
Visit one park a day 57 times at $109 per ticket for the hefty price of a Super Bowl ticket.
13. 6 Disney World platinum annual passes
The pricey Disney World passes will set you back $899 a pass. You’d be very close to paying for a seventh pass with Super Bowl ticket money.
14. 75 Buccaneers regular season tickets
According to Statista.com, the average Buccaneers ticket price was $82.59 in 2019. Since the Bucs didn’t make the Super Bowl this year, you could spend your money seeing 75 different games through the next few years.
15. 323 tickets to see the Lightning play Las Vegas
The cheapest ticket to the Bolts’ game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 4 is $19.25, meaning you could buy one 323 times over with the cost of a Super Bowl ticket.
16. 276 Rays regular season tickets
Statista.com confirms the average Rays ticket price in 2019 was just $22.53. If football isn’t your thing, you could always buy 276 baseball tickets if you have over $6,000 laying around.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/david-beckham-eyes-chelsea-star-21371016
David Beckham eyes Chelsea star Pedro at Inter Miami but faces Japanese battle
Chelsea star Pedro has struggled for minutes under Frank Lampard and could yet be on the move before the January transfer window is up with David Beckham's Inter Miami interested
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/chelsea-pedro-vissel-kobe-nycfc-inter-miami/8o9hrkg3evgd1moptu3ftcyc1
Chelsea's Pedro wanted by ambitious Vissel Kobe amid interest from NYCFC & Inter Miami
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/top-5-international-players-in-mls-2020
Top 5 international players in MLS 2020
(Follow link for full article.)
https://bleacherreport.com/soccer-world-pays-tribute-to-kobe
SOCCER WORLD PAYS TRIBUTE TO KOBE
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.presstelegram.com/2020/01/27/soccer-community-around-the-world-mourns-kobe-bryant/
Soccer community around the world mourns Kobe Bryant
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Ralph's Mob has opened a new Discord server for talkin' Rowdies. Open for anyone (you don't have to be a mob member). Invite your friends!
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/etejc5/ralphs_mob_has_opened_a_new_discord_server_for/
Ralph's Mob has opened a new Discord server for talkin' Rowdies. Open for anyone (you don't have to be a mob member). Invite your friends!
https://discordapp.com/invite/vJHxBKC
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/etbms5/back_in_2020_jordan_doherty/
Back in 2020: Jordan Doherty
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1080222
BACK IN 2020: JORDAN DOHERTY
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/esvb7u/rowdies_sign_goalkeeper_evan_louro/
Rowdies Sign Goalkeeper Evan Louro
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1079623
ROWDIES SIGN GOALKEEPER EVAN LOURO
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2020-01-23/chicharito-hernandezs-move-to-mls-is-not-a-retirement-stop
Column: Chicharito’s move to MLS represents something — but it’s not retirement
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.themaneland.com/2020/1/23/21077477/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-dwyers-hungry-the-mls-cba-and-more-miami-headaches
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Dwyer’s Hungry, the MLS CBA, and more Miami Headaches
Dom looks to rebound, a potential work stoppage for MLS, Beckham’s potentially bad decision, and the loss of a legend.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/five-highway-i--ramps-to-close-permanently-on-feb/article_6c311c99-c464-5506-8296-a994c1c724c3.html
Five Highway 40 (I-64) ramps to close permanently on Feb. 3 for new soccer stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/23/nashville-sc-aim-record-breaking-crowd-inaugural-mls-match
Nashville SC aim for record-breaking crowd in inaugural MLS match
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article239566378.html
St. Louis to close I-64 ramps for new soccer stadium. What will it mean for commuters?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/01/23/chicharito-tells-father-mls-move-is-beginning-of-my-retirement/
Chicharito tells father MLS move is ‘beginning of my retirement’
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/inter-miami-announces-first-head-coach/2180114/
Inter Miami Introduces First Head Coach
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/i-64-ramps-close-permanently-feb-3-mls-stadium-plan-st-louis/63-52fd771e-bae2-4d50-b19d-defc274131f2
5 I-64 ramps to close permanently on Feb. 3 as MLS stadium plan moves forward
The City has come up with detailed detours for each of the ramps to ease the transition.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/atlanta-united-fc/atlanta-united-puppy-charter-flights-mlspa-union-cba/
Atlanta United’s new ‘designated puppy’ arrives on charter flight
The MLS players union threw some shade at a dog receiving nicer travel accommodations than players do.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://theathletic.com/1559988/2020/01/24/systematizing-our-thoughts-on-chicharito-and-mls-as-retirement-league/
Systematizing our thoughts on Chicharito and MLS as a retirement league
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.espn.com/soccer/la-galaxy/story/4039677/what-chicharitos-galaxy-move-means-to-the-future-of-mls-and-mexican-soccer
What Chicharito's Galaxy move means to the future of MLS and Mexican soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
https://theathletic.com/1559913/2020/01/24/officially-in-place-at-inter-miami-coach-diego-alonso-looks-to-imprint-a-winning-mentality-on-the-expansion-side/
Officially in place at Inter Miami, coach Diego Alonso looks to imprint a winning mentality on the expansion side
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1080466
SIGNINGS: Rowdies Add Doherty on Permanent Deal
HAITIAN INTERNATIONAL HERIVAUX JOINS SAN ANTONIO; INDEPENDENCE SIGN COLLEGE STANDOUTS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2020/01/24/5-i-64-ramps-to-close-permanently-feb-3-as-mls.html
5 I-64 ramps to close permanently Feb. 3 as MLS stadium plan moves forward
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/01/24/panthers-spending-up-to-20m-to-add-suites-at-field.html
Panthers spending up to $20M to add suites at field level
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/18/nashville-sc-unveil-new-2020-mls-jersey-forever-gold-home-kit
Nashville SC unveil new 2020 MLS jersey: Forever Gold home kit
(Follow link for full article.)
https://katu.com/sports/content/timbers-bring-back-popular-axe-portrait-photo-shoots-to-celebrate-10th-year-in-mls
Timbers bring back popular axe portrait photo shoots to celebrate 10th year in MLS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.theledger.com/news/20200125/like-good-cuban-heres-your-ticket-in-lakeland
Like a good Cuban? Here’s your ticket in Lakeland
Restaurateur Dwayne Williams is capitalizing on a growing demand in Florida and elsewhere for Latin and Hispanic foods and flavors like Cuban sandwiches, black beans and rice, tacos and cinnamon-laced churros.
LAKELAND — Dwayne Williams’ love for the Cuban sandwich began with his childhood visits to the Port of Tampa, now known as Port Tampa Bay, where his dad worked as a shop supervisor for an oil company.
Saturdays back then were all about soaking up the harbor sights, sounds and smells, and tucking into a fresh-made Cuban, plush with roast pork, ham, Swiss and salami, a signature of Tampa’s version of the celebrated sandwich.
Today, Williams, 53, owns three Ole’ Tampa Cubans sandwich shops — one each in Mulberry, Plant City and Lakeland in Alamo Plaza, which opened in December. He plans on opening at least two more shops before venturing into franchising the concept.
In advance of the larger plan, Williams, who recently moved from Lakeland to the rural Tampa suburb of Lithia, is broadening his menu with creative spins on the classic Cuban. One version features a honey-based sauce and the exterior gets coated in honey butter before taking a spin in a hot press.
Another version borrows from Williams’ recipe for deviled crab rolls, or croquettes, a staple of Tampa Bay’s Cuban-influenced culinary scene. Williams’ crab rolls are a featured item at the new Cigar City Brewing Taproom at Amalie Arena.
He uses the mildly spicy red sauce that helps bind the crab meat to add a new dimension of flavor to his Cuban sandwich.
Additional variations on the theme are spinning around in the head of Williams, who also owns Dwayne’s Place Diner & Grill in Christina Plaza, just north of Mulberry on South Florida Avenue.
“It can’t be just another Cuban,” he said of his creative urges. “It has to be a ‘Wow’ Cuban” without straying too far from tradition.
Williams is capitalizing on a growing demand in Florida and elsewhere for Latin and Hispanic foods and flavors like Cuban sandwiches, black beans and rice, tacos and cinnamon-laced churros.
In Florida, the influx of Hispanics from places like Puerto Rico and Central and South America also has driven an appetite for Latino-inspired culinary goods, said Larry Ross, a former restaurateur and professor emeritus of business administration at Florida Southern College.
The burgeoning Latino population also has fueled a taste for fancier dishes, he said. “There are some notable chefs coming out of South America that are increasing the depth of Latino foods.”
Williams’ plans to grow his Cuban café concept with a more varied menu makes sense, Ross said. “He’s riding a good trend.”
Williams’ base sandwich is all about tradition — the bread is baked by La Segunda Central Bakery in Ybor City, which has been in business since 1915. His classic version is finished with a scatter of pickle slices and a swipe of yellow mustard. Another version goes all-American with a tangle of shredded lettuce and thin slices of tomato.
Emboldened by positive feedback on his more creative versions of the Cuban sandwich, Williams is forging ahead with expanding his menu. He plans to add a palomilla steak sandwich, a thin-cut, quick-fried staple of many Cuban cafés, and a fried shrimp basket.
La Segunda bakery also makes a slightly sweet egg-based baguette — a crucial element for the media noche sandwich, which is filled with traditional ingredients that comprise a classic Cuban. The media noche will soon be added to the menu at Ole’ Tampa Cubans.
Williams, a former director of operations for the Fred’s Market restaurant chain, plans to spend the next year or so fine-tuning recipes and gauging customer reaction before taking his concept into franchise territory.
“The last thing I want is to take people’s money and not have the promise of a future with (an Ole’ Tampa Cubans franchise),” he said. “You don’t want to go too fast. You’ve got to take your time.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/2020/01/22/a-guide-to-gasparilla-drinks-from-milk-punch-to-rum-concoctions/
A guide to Gasparilla drinks, from Milk Punch to rum concoctions
There’s a lot of history pouring into the glasses along the parade route for the brunch (and even breakfast) cocktails.
Beverage manager for the Tampa Yacht and Country Club, Kasia Nowakowska prepares a Milk Punch cocktail, the club's signature drink for Gasparilla. Milk Punch contains brandy, simple syrup, heavy cream, milk and is garnished with nutmeg. Nowakowska says the club will make more than 120 gallons of Milk Punch for the annual Gasparilla Parade of Pirates on Jan. 25 -- and most of it will be consumed by noon prior to the invasion.
Tampa has been a drinking town since its early days, and the city’s fondness for strong drinks is on display.
Saturday’s Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest marks more than 100 years of the city ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cltampa.com/food-drink/openings-closings/article/21111816/food-concept-ryguys-chicken-and-waffles-is-now-located-within-ybors-james-joyces-irish-pub-eatery
Tampa's RyGuy's Chicken and Waffles celebrates new Ybor location with free beer next weekend
And they're hosting a welcome party next Saturday with free beer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/316878-gasparilla-2020-how-to-get-discounted-rides-and-other-ways-to-get-there
TAMPA BAY
Gasparilla 2020: How to get discounted rides and other ways to get there
It might be a good idea to ditch the car.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2020/01/23/arrive-early-gasparilla-transportation-routes-and-tips-to-avoid-traffic-snarls-saturday/
‘Arrive Early’: Gasparilla transportation routes and tips to avoid traffic snarls Saturday
A schedule of road closures beginning Friday night, plus bus lines and shuttles to arrive in time for Gasparilla 2020.
The Jose Gasparilla sails toward the Tampa Convention Center during the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion in Hillsborough Bay sailing north to Seddon Channel on Saturday, January 26, 2019. Hundreds of boats join the flotilla.
TAMPA — As the Jose Gasparilla and accompanying flotilla prepare to sail across Hillsborough Bay into Seddon Channel, county transportation officials are gearing up for the thousands of expected attendees at the 2020 ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-city/transfer-talk/news/david-beckham-to-move-for-sergio-aguero_386951.html
Inter Miami owner David Beckham to move for Manchester City's Sergio Aguero?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.theledger.com/news/20200124/annual-rum-experience-eat-drink-and-be-merry
Annual Rum Experience: Eat, drink and be merry
About 45 rum and food vendors will be on hand Saturday for the Central Florida Rum and Food Experience at the RP Funding Center. Event runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/elsentinel/os-es-festival-sandwich-cubano-kissimmee-2020-20200123-7haeni2cjjardbunjgsxcvsiva-story.html
EL SENTINEL
Regresa a Kissimmee el Festival del Sándwich Cubano
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/01/24/tampas-gasparilla-festival-trivializes-historical-evil/
Tampa’s Pirates Festival Trivializes Historical Evil
(Follow link for full article.)
https://aftn.ca/once-a-whitecap-where-are-they-now-part-one/
Once A Whitecap: Where are they now? (Part 1)
Without making an appearance for Man City Leftovers FC, Salgado had spells at Tigres II in Mexico, the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL, and Jaguares FC in Colombia, before bouncing around the USL between El Paso and Las Vegas for the last two years.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://thegabber.com/spb-classic-its-no-ordinary-race/
SPB Classic: It’s No Ordinary Race
Fifteen little tykes took to the streets in the five- to six-year-old race category. They donned race tees far toolarge, “number one” race bibs and started off the run with a bang. It didn’t quite go off without a hitch as a few stumbled and tumbled to the pavement as the horn blew. Those who persevered were met at the finish line by proud parents and St. Petersburg’s beloved sport mascots, DJ Kitty and Raymond of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, and Pete the Pelican of the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1080076
TRANSACTIONS: San Antonio Installs PC to Midfield
MIAMI RE-SIGNS EXPERIENCED CAPTAIN ROZEBOOM; ATL UTD 2 BOLSTERS DEFENSE WITH JADAMA
The 25-year-old also made 45 appearances across parts of two seasons with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers before being sold to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the middle of the 2016 season. PC made 14 appearances for Tampa Bay, recording one goal and one assist to close the season for the Rowdies.
The defensive midfielder is no stranger to the USL Championship, having featured in over 100 league matches for several clubs throughout his professional career. Born in Walker, Iowa, Rozeboom joined Miami FC in early 2019 after spending a season with in-state rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/etejc5/ralphs_mob_has_opened_a_new_discord_server_for/
Ralph's Mob has opened a new Discord server for talkin' Rowdies. Open for anyone (you don't have to be a mob member). Invite your friends!
https://discordapp.com/invite/vJHxBKC
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/etbms5/back_in_2020_jordan_doherty/
Back in 2020: Jordan Doherty
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1080222
BACK IN 2020: JORDAN DOHERTY
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/esvb7u/rowdies_sign_goalkeeper_evan_louro/
Rowdies Sign Goalkeeper Evan Louro
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1079623
ROWDIES SIGN GOALKEEPER EVAN LOURO
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2020-01-23/chicharito-hernandezs-move-to-mls-is-not-a-retirement-stop
Column: Chicharito’s move to MLS represents something — but it’s not retirement
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.themaneland.com/2020/1/23/21077477/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-dwyers-hungry-the-mls-cba-and-more-miami-headaches
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Dwyer’s Hungry, the MLS CBA, and more Miami Headaches
Dom looks to rebound, a potential work stoppage for MLS, Beckham’s potentially bad decision, and the loss of a legend.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/five-highway-i--ramps-to-close-permanently-on-feb/article_6c311c99-c464-5506-8296-a994c1c724c3.html
Five Highway 40 (I-64) ramps to close permanently on Feb. 3 for new soccer stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/23/nashville-sc-aim-record-breaking-crowd-inaugural-mls-match
Nashville SC aim for record-breaking crowd in inaugural MLS match
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article239566378.html
St. Louis to close I-64 ramps for new soccer stadium. What will it mean for commuters?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/01/23/chicharito-tells-father-mls-move-is-beginning-of-my-retirement/
Chicharito tells father MLS move is ‘beginning of my retirement’
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/inter-miami-announces-first-head-coach/2180114/
Inter Miami Introduces First Head Coach
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/i-64-ramps-close-permanently-feb-3-mls-stadium-plan-st-louis/63-52fd771e-bae2-4d50-b19d-defc274131f2
5 I-64 ramps to close permanently on Feb. 3 as MLS stadium plan moves forward
The City has come up with detailed detours for each of the ramps to ease the transition.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/atlanta-united-fc/atlanta-united-puppy-charter-flights-mlspa-union-cba/
Atlanta United’s new ‘designated puppy’ arrives on charter flight
The MLS players union threw some shade at a dog receiving nicer travel accommodations than players do.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://theathletic.com/1559988/2020/01/24/systematizing-our-thoughts-on-chicharito-and-mls-as-retirement-league/
Systematizing our thoughts on Chicharito and MLS as a retirement league
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/la-galaxy/story/4039677/what-chicharitos-galaxy-move-means-to-the-future-of-mls-and-mexican-soccer
What Chicharito's Galaxy move means to the future of MLS and Mexican soccer
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https://theathletic.com/1559913/2020/01/24/officially-in-place-at-inter-miami-coach-diego-alonso-looks-to-imprint-a-winning-mentality-on-the-expansion-side/
Officially in place at Inter Miami, coach Diego Alonso looks to imprint a winning mentality on the expansion side
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https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1080466
SIGNINGS: Rowdies Add Doherty on Permanent Deal
HAITIAN INTERNATIONAL HERIVAUX JOINS SAN ANTONIO; INDEPENDENCE SIGN COLLEGE STANDOUTS
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https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2020/01/24/5-i-64-ramps-to-close-permanently-feb-3-as-mls.html
5 I-64 ramps to close permanently Feb. 3 as MLS stadium plan moves forward
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https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/01/24/panthers-spending-up-to-20m-to-add-suites-at-field.html
Panthers spending up to $20M to add suites at field level
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/18/nashville-sc-unveil-new-2020-mls-jersey-forever-gold-home-kit
Nashville SC unveil new 2020 MLS jersey: Forever Gold home kit
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https://katu.com/sports/content/timbers-bring-back-popular-axe-portrait-photo-shoots-to-celebrate-10th-year-in-mls
Timbers bring back popular axe portrait photo shoots to celebrate 10th year in MLS
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https://www.theledger.com/news/20200125/like-good-cuban-heres-your-ticket-in-lakeland
Like a good Cuban? Here’s your ticket in Lakeland
Restaurateur Dwayne Williams is capitalizing on a growing demand in Florida and elsewhere for Latin and Hispanic foods and flavors like Cuban sandwiches, black beans and rice, tacos and cinnamon-laced churros.
LAKELAND — Dwayne Williams’ love for the Cuban sandwich began with his childhood visits to the Port of Tampa, now known as Port Tampa Bay, where his dad worked as a shop supervisor for an oil company.
Saturdays back then were all about soaking up the harbor sights, sounds and smells, and tucking into a fresh-made Cuban, plush with roast pork, ham, Swiss and salami, a signature of Tampa’s version of the celebrated sandwich.
Today, Williams, 53, owns three Ole’ Tampa Cubans sandwich shops — one each in Mulberry, Plant City and Lakeland in Alamo Plaza, which opened in December. He plans on opening at least two more shops before venturing into franchising the concept.
In advance of the larger plan, Williams, who recently moved from Lakeland to the rural Tampa suburb of Lithia, is broadening his menu with creative spins on the classic Cuban. One version features a honey-based sauce and the exterior gets coated in honey butter before taking a spin in a hot press.
Another version borrows from Williams’ recipe for deviled crab rolls, or croquettes, a staple of Tampa Bay’s Cuban-influenced culinary scene. Williams’ crab rolls are a featured item at the new Cigar City Brewing Taproom at Amalie Arena.
He uses the mildly spicy red sauce that helps bind the crab meat to add a new dimension of flavor to his Cuban sandwich.
Additional variations on the theme are spinning around in the head of Williams, who also owns Dwayne’s Place Diner & Grill in Christina Plaza, just north of Mulberry on South Florida Avenue.
“It can’t be just another Cuban,” he said of his creative urges. “It has to be a ‘Wow’ Cuban” without straying too far from tradition.
Williams is capitalizing on a growing demand in Florida and elsewhere for Latin and Hispanic foods and flavors like Cuban sandwiches, black beans and rice, tacos and cinnamon-laced churros.
In Florida, the influx of Hispanics from places like Puerto Rico and Central and South America also has driven an appetite for Latino-inspired culinary goods, said Larry Ross, a former restaurateur and professor emeritus of business administration at Florida Southern College.
The burgeoning Latino population also has fueled a taste for fancier dishes, he said. “There are some notable chefs coming out of South America that are increasing the depth of Latino foods.”
Williams’ plans to grow his Cuban café concept with a more varied menu makes sense, Ross said. “He’s riding a good trend.”
Williams’ base sandwich is all about tradition — the bread is baked by La Segunda Central Bakery in Ybor City, which has been in business since 1915. His classic version is finished with a scatter of pickle slices and a swipe of yellow mustard. Another version goes all-American with a tangle of shredded lettuce and thin slices of tomato.
Emboldened by positive feedback on his more creative versions of the Cuban sandwich, Williams is forging ahead with expanding his menu. He plans to add a palomilla steak sandwich, a thin-cut, quick-fried staple of many Cuban cafés, and a fried shrimp basket.
La Segunda bakery also makes a slightly sweet egg-based baguette — a crucial element for the media noche sandwich, which is filled with traditional ingredients that comprise a classic Cuban. The media noche will soon be added to the menu at Ole’ Tampa Cubans.
Williams, a former director of operations for the Fred’s Market restaurant chain, plans to spend the next year or so fine-tuning recipes and gauging customer reaction before taking his concept into franchise territory.
“The last thing I want is to take people’s money and not have the promise of a future with (an Ole’ Tampa Cubans franchise),” he said. “You don’t want to go too fast. You’ve got to take your time.”
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https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/2020/01/22/a-guide-to-gasparilla-drinks-from-milk-punch-to-rum-concoctions/
A guide to Gasparilla drinks, from Milk Punch to rum concoctions
There’s a lot of history pouring into the glasses along the parade route for the brunch (and even breakfast) cocktails.
Beverage manager for the Tampa Yacht and Country Club, Kasia Nowakowska prepares a Milk Punch cocktail, the club's signature drink for Gasparilla. Milk Punch contains brandy, simple syrup, heavy cream, milk and is garnished with nutmeg. Nowakowska says the club will make more than 120 gallons of Milk Punch for the annual Gasparilla Parade of Pirates on Jan. 25 -- and most of it will be consumed by noon prior to the invasion.
Tampa has been a drinking town since its early days, and the city’s fondness for strong drinks is on display.
Saturday’s Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest marks more than 100 years of the city ...
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https://www.cltampa.com/food-drink/openings-closings/article/21111816/food-concept-ryguys-chicken-and-waffles-is-now-located-within-ybors-james-joyces-irish-pub-eatery
Tampa's RyGuy's Chicken and Waffles celebrates new Ybor location with free beer next weekend
And they're hosting a welcome party next Saturday with free beer.
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https://floridapolitics.com/archives/316878-gasparilla-2020-how-to-get-discounted-rides-and-other-ways-to-get-there
TAMPA BAY
Gasparilla 2020: How to get discounted rides and other ways to get there
It might be a good idea to ditch the car.
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https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2020/01/23/arrive-early-gasparilla-transportation-routes-and-tips-to-avoid-traffic-snarls-saturday/
‘Arrive Early’: Gasparilla transportation routes and tips to avoid traffic snarls Saturday
A schedule of road closures beginning Friday night, plus bus lines and shuttles to arrive in time for Gasparilla 2020.
The Jose Gasparilla sails toward the Tampa Convention Center during the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion in Hillsborough Bay sailing north to Seddon Channel on Saturday, January 26, 2019. Hundreds of boats join the flotilla.
TAMPA — As the Jose Gasparilla and accompanying flotilla prepare to sail across Hillsborough Bay into Seddon Channel, county transportation officials are gearing up for the thousands of expected attendees at the 2020 ...
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https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-city/transfer-talk/news/david-beckham-to-move-for-sergio-aguero_386951.html
Inter Miami owner David Beckham to move for Manchester City's Sergio Aguero?
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https://www.theledger.com/news/20200124/annual-rum-experience-eat-drink-and-be-merry
Annual Rum Experience: Eat, drink and be merry
About 45 rum and food vendors will be on hand Saturday for the Central Florida Rum and Food Experience at the RP Funding Center. Event runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
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https://www.orlandosentinel.com/elsentinel/os-es-festival-sandwich-cubano-kissimmee-2020-20200123-7haeni2cjjardbunjgsxcvsiva-story.html
EL SENTINEL
Regresa a Kissimmee el Festival del Sándwich Cubano
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https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/01/24/tampas-gasparilla-festival-trivializes-historical-evil/
Tampa’s Pirates Festival Trivializes Historical Evil
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https://aftn.ca/once-a-whitecap-where-are-they-now-part-one/
Once A Whitecap: Where are they now? (Part 1)
Without making an appearance for Man City Leftovers FC, Salgado had spells at Tigres II in Mexico, the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL, and Jaguares FC in Colombia, before bouncing around the USL between El Paso and Las Vegas for the last two years.
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https://thegabber.com/spb-classic-its-no-ordinary-race/
SPB Classic: It’s No Ordinary Race
Fifteen little tykes took to the streets in the five- to six-year-old race category. They donned race tees far toolarge, “number one” race bibs and started off the run with a bang. It didn’t quite go off without a hitch as a few stumbled and tumbled to the pavement as the horn blew. Those who persevered were met at the finish line by proud parents and St. Petersburg’s beloved sport mascots, DJ Kitty and Raymond of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, and Pete the Pelican of the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team.
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https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1080076
TRANSACTIONS: San Antonio Installs PC to Midfield
MIAMI RE-SIGNS EXPERIENCED CAPTAIN ROZEBOOM; ATL UTD 2 BOLSTERS DEFENSE WITH JADAMA
The 25-year-old also made 45 appearances across parts of two seasons with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers before being sold to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the middle of the 2016 season. PC made 14 appearances for Tampa Bay, recording one goal and one assist to close the season for the Rowdies.
The defensive midfielder is no stranger to the USL Championship, having featured in over 100 league matches for several clubs throughout his professional career. Born in Walker, Iowa, Rozeboom joined Miami FC in early 2019 after spending a season with in-state rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Beckham’s MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
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https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/beckhams-mls-team-in-miami-takes-field-for-first-time/
Beckham’s MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
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https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mls-david-beckhams-inter-miami-steps-field-first-time-1674792
MLS: David Beckham's Inter Miami steps onto the field for the first time
Inter Miami, currently in talks with Qatar Airways over a sponsorship deal, is set to debut against LAFC on 1st March at the Banc of California Stadium
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https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/01/20/beckhams-mls-team-in-miami-takes-field-for-first-time/
Beckham’s MLS Team In Miami Takes Field For First Time
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https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/david-beckham-plots-ambitious-sergio-21328945
David Beckham plots ambitious Sergio Aguero transfer for Inter Miami
Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero is out of contract next summer and David Beckham is keen to lure him Stateside for his new Inter Miami franchise
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https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/84768/awards-2019-independent-supporters-council.html
Awards: 2019 Independent Supporters' Council
Soccer America
1. 3252 (LAFC) 2. Rose City Riveters (Portland Thorns) -- Timbers Army (Portland Timbers) -- Skyway Casuals and Ralphs Mob (Tampa Bay Rowdies)
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https://sports.abs-cbn.com/football/news/2020/01/21/beckham-s-mls-team-miami-takes-field-first-time-65290
Beckham's MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-hyde-inter-miami-camp-starts-20200120-dks7tysbxrdmjc7rmt4ipzrsza-story.html
Hyde: 'It's real,' as Inter Miami has first practice with first view of hope | Commentary
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4034791/javier-chicharito-hernandez-out-of-sevilla-squad-amid-la-galaxy-negotiations
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez out of Sevilla squad amid LA Galaxy negotiations
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https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/2020/01/21/gasparilla-2020-what-to-know-before-you-go/
Gasparilla 2020: What to know before you go
The best parking places, bathroom stops, meeting points, after parties and places to catch beads.
The Jose Gasparilla pirate ship sails toward the Tampa Convention Center during the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion in Hillsborough Bay sailing north to Seddon Channel on Saturday, January 26, 2019. Hundreds of boats join the flotilla.
On Saturday, the world’s only fully rigged pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla, will set sail from the south end of Hillsborough Bay along with an accompanying flotilla to travel across Tampa Bay before...
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https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1079530
MURRAY: Dalglish, Miami FC Aiming to Hit New Heights in Championship
CLUB HOPES HISTORY OF SUCCESS IN HEART OF MIAMI WILL BRING OUT PASSIONATE FANBASE AS IT ENTERS NEW ERA
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https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/5193521/celtic-news-inter-miami-lewis-morgan-winner-mark-spalding/
LEW-SA Celtic news: Inter Miami would be signing a winner in Morgan says Spalding
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https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-01-21/soccer-newsletter
Soccer newsletter: Chicharito joins Galaxy at critical juncture
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/21/where-javier-chicharito-hernandez-ranks-among-biggest-mls-transfers-ever-andrew
Where Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez ranks among biggest MLS transfers ever | Andrew Wiebe
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10788007/aguero-inter-miami-transfer-beckham/
KUNBELIEVABLE Man City legend Sergio Aguero attracting transfer interest from David Beckham’s Inter Miami
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7912597/Manchester-City-striker-Sergio-Aguero-wanted-David-Beckhams-Inter-Miami.html
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero 'wanted by David Beckham's Inter Miami and would not be against a move' to the new MLS team
Sergio Aguero recently became the Premier League's highest foreign scorer
His tally of 177 has seen him overtake legendary Arsenal man Thierry Henry
His present contract at Manchester City expires in the summer of 2021
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https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/01/21/david-beckham-and-inter-miami-plot-ambitious-swoop-for-premier-league-superstar/
David Beckham and Inter Miami plot ambitious swoop for Premier League superstar
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https://www.goal.com/en-ae/news/live/transfer-news-and-rumours-live/pt0irr6xufvg1m528ctlkzrml
Transfer news and rumours LIVE: Inter Miami set sights on Aguero
Goal takes a look at the biggest transfer news and rumours from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and around the world
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https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/javier-chicharito-hernandez-officially-joins-the-la-galaxy-it-was-the-right-time-the-right-opportunity-163621117.html
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez officially joins the LA Galaxy: 'It was the right time, the right opportunity'
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https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/david-beckhams-inter-miami-targeting-21331068
David Beckham's Inter Miami 'targeting transfer' for Man City legend Sergio Aguero
Manchester City great Sergio Aguero - who scored his 252nd Blues goal on Tuesday - is reportedly a transfer target for David Beckham-owned MLS franchise Inter Miami
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http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2020/01/21/beckham-takes-inter-miami-pitch-qatar-sponsorship-backing/
Beckham takes Inter Miami pitch to Qatar for sponsorship backing
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https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/football-news/david-beckham-in-talks-with-qatar-over-a-deal-for-inter-miami-cf.html
David Beckham In Talks With Qatar Investors Over Sponsorship Deal For Inter Miami
FOOTBALL NEWS
David Beckham is reportedly in talks with investors from Qatar for sponsorship deals as he gears up for the debut season of his MLS franchise - Inter Miami.
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http://www.curvemag.com/Lifestyle/Livin-the-High-Rollin-Hard-Rock-Life-in-Tampa/
Livin' the High Rollin' Hard Rock Life in Tampa
Get lucky with a quick getaway to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
Cigar aficionados know that Tampa proudly wears the sobriquet "Cigar City," thanks to the historic neighborhood of Ybor City, which was populated in the 1890s by thousands of Cuban immigrants. A cigar factory tour at Tabanero Cigars features dexterous Cuban artisans rolling handmade cigars in the heart of Ybor City.
Tampa is known as "cigar city"
Regardless of where you wander throughout Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, what becomes increasingly clear is how well the resort and the greater Tampa Bay area honor the Hard Rock tagline Love All Serve All. It's enough to make you feel lucky all over again. Light a cigar and place a bet: you just can't miss with a good luck charm like that.
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4033304/javier-chicharito-hernandez-confirms-move-to-la-galaxy-it-was-the-right-time
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez confirms move to LA Galaxy: 'It was the right time'
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https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mls-david-beckhams-inter-miami-steps-field-first-time-1674792
Sport | Football
MLS: David Beckham's Inter Miami steps onto the field for the first time
Inter Miami, currently in talks with Qatar Airways over a sponsorship deal, is set to debut against LAFC on 1st March at the Banc of California Stadium
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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/sports/soccer/chicharito-galaxy.html
Mexico’s ‘Chicharito,’ Javier Hernández, Joins Los Angeles Galaxy in M.L.S.
The striker will enter the league as its highest-paid player and raise the stakes in a nascent Los Angeles rivalry with L.A.F.C.
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/21/where-javier-chicharito-hernandez-ranks-among-biggest-mls-transfers-ever-andrew
Where Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez ranks among biggest MLS transfers ever | Andrew Wiebe
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https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/inter-miami-soccer-fans-indignant-over-potential-team-sponsorship-with-qatar-11446017
Inter Miami Fans Indignant Over Potential Sponsorship Deal With Qatar
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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/sports/soccer/chicharito-galaxy.html
Mexico’s ‘Chicharito,’ Javier Hernández, Joins Los Angeles Galaxy in M.L.S.
The striker will enter the league as its highest-paid player and raise the stakes in a nascent Los Angeles rivalry with L.A.F.C.
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https://abc7.com/sports/javier-chicharito-hernandez-confirms-move-to-la-galaxy-it-was-the-right-time/5867324/
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez confirms move to LA Galaxy: 'It was the right time'
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https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1079722
SIGNINGS: Miami Brings Bezecourt Aboard for New Season
SACRAMENTO ADDS GRINWIS TO GOALKEEPING CORPS; LUNDT RETURNS TO LOUISVILLE ON LOAN
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https://www.statesman.com/sports/20200121/soccer-notebook-why-chicharito-landing-in-la-matters-for-austin-fc
Soccer notebook: Why Chicharito landing in LA matters for Austin FC
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https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2020/01/21/javier-chicharito-hernandez-officially-joins-galaxy/
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez officially joins Galaxy
Popular Mexican star joins Galaxy as as new Designated Player after spending past 10 years in Europe
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https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/soccer/changes-underway-to-get-charlotte-ready-for-a-new-mls-team/275-183d64c1-02fa-4544-a8c0-e15d792827eb
Changes underway to get the Queen City ready for a new MLS team
A permit was issued on January 14 for renovations at Bank of America Stadium needed to help the city prepare for an MLS team.
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https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2020/01/21/mls-ownership-group-to-move-forward-on-stadium.html
MLS ownership group to move forward on stadium project without state tax credits
The proposed MLS stadium will be located north of Market Street near Union Station.
St. Louis’ Major League Soccer ownership group plans to move forward with its proposed Downtown West stadium development regardless of whether it receives state tax credits, a lawyer representing the expansion franchise told a city board Tuesday.
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https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1079688
TRANSACTIONS: Louro Makes Move to Tampa Bay
GUYANA INTERNATIONAL DOVER RE-SIGNS WITH HOUNDS; ENERGY FC BRINGS BACK IBEAGHA FOR THIRD SEASON
New Tampa Bay Rowdies signing Evan Louro made 79 starts for the New York Red Bulls II over the past three season, placing him in the top five in minutes among goalkeepers in the Championship. | Photo courtesy New York Red Bulls II
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies added a new face to their goalkeeping corps on Tuesday with the signing of Evan Louro ahead of the 2020 USL Championship season. Per club policy, further contract details were not disclosed.
Louro is a familiar foe for the Rowdies, having served as starting goalkeeper for the New York Red Bulls II since 2017. In three years with the Red Bulls, Louro made 79 starts and played more than 7,000 minutes, making him one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the Championship, despite having only turned 24 this past Sunday.
“Evan is a goalkeeper that has always been a bit of a thorn in our side,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “As we’ve seen in our games against him through the years, he’s a great shot stopper and he’s he organizes his back line well. We’re excited to have him on our side now because we feel he’ll fit well within our system.”
Louro is a New York metro area native that came up through the Red Bulls system. He joined the club’s academy in 2008, helping the U16s to an undefeated record and U.S. Soccer Development Academy championship in 2012. While attending the University of Michigan, Louro played for the Red Bulls U23s in USL League Two before signing an MLS contract with the Red Bulls as a Homegrown player in 2017.
“I’m super grateful to be here,” said Louro said. “I’ve had the privilege to play against the Rowdies many times and it was always my favorite trip of the year. The fans are second to none, the stadium being right next to the water is second to none. Neill really made me feel wanted and welcomed and all the guys have been welcoming so I’m just really excited to get started.”
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/20/2020-mls-trialists-your-rundown-where-players-are-auditioning-new-contracts
2020 MLS Trialists: Your rundown of where players are auditioning for new contracts
Colorado Rapids
The Rapids have several trialists in their camp, with one name MLS fans will surely recognize. Former NYCFC midfielder Kwadwo Poku — who scored five goals in 34 matches — is in camp with the club after spending the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He is joined by two young Argentines, Andres Alarcon and Brian Lopez, from Argentinos Juniors and Racing Club respectively, a former draft pick (Jacob Hauser-Ramsey) and a former US youth international (Will Vint).
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https://www.burgundywave.com/2020/1/21/21075570/rapids-release-2020-preseason-roster
Rapids release 2020 preseason roster
The preseason roster includes signed players, the two 2020 MLS SuperDraft picks, select players from the Rapids Academy, and several trialists.
Kwadwo Poku: 27-year-old attacking midfielder who has experience with NYCFC, Anzhi in Russia, and most recently played for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL
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https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/bar-breweries/2020/01/16/the-dark-barriehaus-beer-co/
The Dark, BarrieHaus Beer Co.
In Ybor City, cross over to The Dark side with this dunkel lager. | Local craft beer of the week
The Dark is BarrieHaus’ Munich dunkel lager. [Photo courtesy of Geneva Johnson]
The gradual increase in demand for traditional lagers has been consistent in the past few years.
In some ways, this is burnout in the face of ever-hazier IPAs and bombastic stouts, but it’s also...
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https://www.cbs17.com/hidden-history/hispanic-heritage-month/tampa-stakes-claims-to-cuban-sandwich-2/
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Tampa stakes claims to Cuban sandwich
Hispanic Heritage Month
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s an age-old debate: Was the famous Cuban sandwich born in Tampa’s historic Ybor City?
Second-generation baker Bryant Valdez, who has worked at La Segunda Bakery Ybor for 32 years now, will be the first to tell you the Cuban sandwich belongs to Tampa. “Yeah, I’m gonna fight this, debate it until the end,” Valdez said as he beamed with pride. He went on to laugh and say, “Miami’s got the formula, but they don’t have the flavor.”
Bakers like Valdez have been working at La Segunda for generations. Each one plays a special role in baking the bread from scratch.
“Our dough grows very slowly. It’s all handmade from start to finish. It’s really the bakers that have been here on average for 20 to 25 years that have to communicate with each other to get the bread from start to finish,” said owner Copeland More, part of the four generations of family keeping history alive in Tampa Bay.
Photo provided by La Segunda
More’s grandfather, Juan More, had a vision in the late 19th Century to head from Spain to Cuba to learn to make Cuban bread using the traditional recipe. To this day, La Segunda handcrafts this bread which is now enjoyed across the United States. “It’s a family business for us. We have employees that have been here longer than I have been alive,” More said.
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https://www.heraldtribune.com/entertainment/20200116/now-playing-for-sarasota-manatee-jan-16-22
Now Playing for Sarasota-Manatee: Jan. 16-22
YBOR CITY STATE MUSEUM: Depicts history of Cuban community through a cigar cottage, historical garden, artifacts, photos and more. 1818 E. Ninth Ave., Ybor City, Tampa. 813-247-6323; ybormuseum.org
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https://stpetecatalyst.com/artificial-intelligence-innovation-lab-sets-up-shop-in-ybor-city/
Artificial intelligence innovation lab sets up shop in Ybor City
Adriana Avakina, CEO, TheIncLab, presenting at the Tampa Bay Wave TechDiversity Pitch Night in St. Petersburg last year.
A few months after taking part in Tampa Bay Wave’s TechDiversity accelerator, TheIncLab has established an office in Ybor City.
The company, headquartered in Washington, D.C. and with an office in Nashville, develops artificial intelligence-based systems designed to learn and collaborate with humans. On Monday, the company moved into The Undercroft, a cybersecurity guild and development center in Ybor City.
Local civic, business and government leaders have been pushing to grow the technology sector, so the TheIncLab’s decision to open an office here comes as welcome news.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://thatssotampa.com/yacht-starship-adds-a-pirate-ship-lost-pearl-to-its-fleet/
Yacht Starship adds a Pirate Ship, Lost Pearl, to its fleet
Drink up, me hearties! It’s Gasparilla season in the city of Tampa. While the pirates will make their collective presence felt during the parades and performances downtown and Ybor City, another ship is set to dock in the city on a more permanent basis.
Don’t worry, no need to raise the white flag. The pirates aboard this ship have no interest in taking over the city. Instead, these pirates are just out to let you cruise around the city in buccaneer fashion.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mandatory.com/wrestlezone/news/1164842-titus-oneil-named-parade-grand-marshal
Titus O’Neil Named Krewe Of Tampa Sant’ Yago Knight Parade Grand Marshal
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wflanews.iheart.com/featured/pm-tampa-bay-with-ryan-gorman/content/2020-01-17-tampa-bays-gasparilla-season-kicks-off-this-weekend-with-kids-parade/
Tampa Bay's Gasparilla Season Kicks Off This Weekend With Kids Parade
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2020/01/17/artificial-intelligence-firm-theinclab-expands-to-tampa/
Artificial intelligence firm TheIncLab expands to Tampa
The Washington, D.C.-area company expects hiring 15 developers and engineers in the next twelve months and partnering with bay area universities to augment its staff with student interns.
The Undercroft — the new home to a branch office of TheIncLab, an artificial intelligence firm — provides work space for several cybersecurity companies in one of Ybor City’s most historic structures, the El Pasaje building on E Ninth Avenue.
TAMPA — A tech company that works to develop artificial intelligence-enabled systems that learn and collaborate with humans is expanding to Tampa.
TheIncLab, based near Washington D.C., has opened an...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/01/17/floridas-oldest-restaurant-also-holds-the-title-for-largest-spanish-restaurant-in-us/
Florida’s oldest restaurant also holds the title for largest Spanish restaurant in U.S.
The restaurant is known for much more than its food and size
YBOR CITY, Fla. – Did you know that Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City is Florida’s oldest restaurant?
What first began in 1905 as the Columbia Saloon, a small corner cafe where cigar workers gathered, is now the largest Spanish restaurant in the world, with a seating capacity of over a thousand people.
The popular restaurant near Tampa continues to be operated and owned by Casimiro Hernández’s family. Andrea Gonzmart is Hernández’s great-great-granddaughter, an immigrant from Spain who lived in Cuba prior to arriving in the United States.
“When he initially immigrated from Cuba at the turn of the century he wanted to give, you know, the comfort foods of home,” Andrea said.
One of those dishes is the popular Cuban sandwich made with ham, roast pork, salami, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard and pickles on top of Cuban bread.
The restaurant features a more than five thousand square-foot kitchen and has fifteen different dining rooms. All designed with a Spanish style.
Ceramic Spanish tiles were imported from Spain to decorate the restaurant. Other artifacts inside the restaurant reflect the family’s heritage.
Among the several dining rooms is one dedicated to a famous Spanish novel.
“The Don Quixote dining room was actually the first air-conditioned dining room in the city of Tampa,” Gonzmart noted.
Back in 1956, the Siboney room, a large showroom, was popular for bringing in some top Latin performers. It was during the era when the cigar industry started to disappear in the city.
"It brought people back to Ybor and that was the important thing," Andrea said.
Other dining rooms include the Patio room, which offers a feel of the Spanish courtyards and the Red dining room which was a bar prior to being remodeled.
“We have the original Terraza that we found all around the border,” Andrea said.
Columbia Restaurant is not just known for its food and its size -- it’s also known for its variety of wine.
“We actually have over 1,000 bottled wine list, which makes up about 80 percent Spanish wines and 20 percent Californians, South American wines,” Andrea said. “The fact that I can look back and see that my great-great-grandfather founded what now is a whole city block but a small corner café restaurant in 1905, it’s kind of mind-blowing.”
Central Floridians can visit the Columbia Restaurant in Celebration. Click here to see the menu.
Columbia Restaurant
https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/beckhams-mls-team-in-miami-takes-field-for-first-time/
Beckham’s MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mls-david-beckhams-inter-miami-steps-field-first-time-1674792
MLS: David Beckham's Inter Miami steps onto the field for the first time
Inter Miami, currently in talks with Qatar Airways over a sponsorship deal, is set to debut against LAFC on 1st March at the Banc of California Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/01/20/beckhams-mls-team-in-miami-takes-field-for-first-time/
Beckham’s MLS Team In Miami Takes Field For First Time
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/david-beckham-plots-ambitious-sergio-21328945
David Beckham plots ambitious Sergio Aguero transfer for Inter Miami
Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero is out of contract next summer and David Beckham is keen to lure him Stateside for his new Inter Miami franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/84768/awards-2019-independent-supporters-council.html
Awards: 2019 Independent Supporters' Council
Soccer America
1. 3252 (LAFC) 2. Rose City Riveters (Portland Thorns) -- Timbers Army (Portland Timbers) -- Skyway Casuals and Ralphs Mob (Tampa Bay Rowdies)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.abs-cbn.com/football/news/2020/01/21/beckham-s-mls-team-miami-takes-field-first-time-65290
Beckham's MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-hyde-inter-miami-camp-starts-20200120-dks7tysbxrdmjc7rmt4ipzrsza-story.html
Hyde: 'It's real,' as Inter Miami has first practice with first view of hope | Commentary
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4034791/javier-chicharito-hernandez-out-of-sevilla-squad-amid-la-galaxy-negotiations
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez out of Sevilla squad amid LA Galaxy negotiations
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/2020/01/21/gasparilla-2020-what-to-know-before-you-go/
Gasparilla 2020: What to know before you go
The best parking places, bathroom stops, meeting points, after parties and places to catch beads.
The Jose Gasparilla pirate ship sails toward the Tampa Convention Center during the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion in Hillsborough Bay sailing north to Seddon Channel on Saturday, January 26, 2019. Hundreds of boats join the flotilla.
On Saturday, the world’s only fully rigged pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla, will set sail from the south end of Hillsborough Bay along with an accompanying flotilla to travel across Tampa Bay before...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1079530
MURRAY: Dalglish, Miami FC Aiming to Hit New Heights in Championship
CLUB HOPES HISTORY OF SUCCESS IN HEART OF MIAMI WILL BRING OUT PASSIONATE FANBASE AS IT ENTERS NEW ERA
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/5193521/celtic-news-inter-miami-lewis-morgan-winner-mark-spalding/
LEW-SA Celtic news: Inter Miami would be signing a winner in Morgan says Spalding
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-01-21/soccer-newsletter
Soccer newsletter: Chicharito joins Galaxy at critical juncture
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/21/where-javier-chicharito-hernandez-ranks-among-biggest-mls-transfers-ever-andrew
Where Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez ranks among biggest MLS transfers ever | Andrew Wiebe
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10788007/aguero-inter-miami-transfer-beckham/
KUNBELIEVABLE Man City legend Sergio Aguero attracting transfer interest from David Beckham’s Inter Miami
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7912597/Manchester-City-striker-Sergio-Aguero-wanted-David-Beckhams-Inter-Miami.html
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero 'wanted by David Beckham's Inter Miami and would not be against a move' to the new MLS team
Sergio Aguero recently became the Premier League's highest foreign scorer
His tally of 177 has seen him overtake legendary Arsenal man Thierry Henry
His present contract at Manchester City expires in the summer of 2021
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/01/21/david-beckham-and-inter-miami-plot-ambitious-swoop-for-premier-league-superstar/
David Beckham and Inter Miami plot ambitious swoop for Premier League superstar
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.goal.com/en-ae/news/live/transfer-news-and-rumours-live/pt0irr6xufvg1m528ctlkzrml
Transfer news and rumours LIVE: Inter Miami set sights on Aguero
Goal takes a look at the biggest transfer news and rumours from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and around the world
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https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/javier-chicharito-hernandez-officially-joins-the-la-galaxy-it-was-the-right-time-the-right-opportunity-163621117.html
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez officially joins the LA Galaxy: 'It was the right time, the right opportunity'
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/david-beckhams-inter-miami-targeting-21331068
David Beckham's Inter Miami 'targeting transfer' for Man City legend Sergio Aguero
Manchester City great Sergio Aguero - who scored his 252nd Blues goal on Tuesday - is reportedly a transfer target for David Beckham-owned MLS franchise Inter Miami
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2020/01/21/beckham-takes-inter-miami-pitch-qatar-sponsorship-backing/
Beckham takes Inter Miami pitch to Qatar for sponsorship backing
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https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/football-news/david-beckham-in-talks-with-qatar-over-a-deal-for-inter-miami-cf.html
David Beckham In Talks With Qatar Investors Over Sponsorship Deal For Inter Miami
FOOTBALL NEWS
David Beckham is reportedly in talks with investors from Qatar for sponsorship deals as he gears up for the debut season of his MLS franchise - Inter Miami.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.curvemag.com/Lifestyle/Livin-the-High-Rollin-Hard-Rock-Life-in-Tampa/
Livin' the High Rollin' Hard Rock Life in Tampa
Get lucky with a quick getaway to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
Cigar aficionados know that Tampa proudly wears the sobriquet "Cigar City," thanks to the historic neighborhood of Ybor City, which was populated in the 1890s by thousands of Cuban immigrants. A cigar factory tour at Tabanero Cigars features dexterous Cuban artisans rolling handmade cigars in the heart of Ybor City.
Tampa is known as "cigar city"
Regardless of where you wander throughout Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, what becomes increasingly clear is how well the resort and the greater Tampa Bay area honor the Hard Rock tagline Love All Serve All. It's enough to make you feel lucky all over again. Light a cigar and place a bet: you just can't miss with a good luck charm like that.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4033304/javier-chicharito-hernandez-confirms-move-to-la-galaxy-it-was-the-right-time
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez confirms move to LA Galaxy: 'It was the right time'
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mls-david-beckhams-inter-miami-steps-field-first-time-1674792
Sport | Football
MLS: David Beckham's Inter Miami steps onto the field for the first time
Inter Miami, currently in talks with Qatar Airways over a sponsorship deal, is set to debut against LAFC on 1st March at the Banc of California Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/sports/soccer/chicharito-galaxy.html
Mexico’s ‘Chicharito,’ Javier Hernández, Joins Los Angeles Galaxy in M.L.S.
The striker will enter the league as its highest-paid player and raise the stakes in a nascent Los Angeles rivalry with L.A.F.C.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/21/where-javier-chicharito-hernandez-ranks-among-biggest-mls-transfers-ever-andrew
Where Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez ranks among biggest MLS transfers ever | Andrew Wiebe
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/inter-miami-soccer-fans-indignant-over-potential-team-sponsorship-with-qatar-11446017
Inter Miami Fans Indignant Over Potential Sponsorship Deal With Qatar
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/sports/soccer/chicharito-galaxy.html
Mexico’s ‘Chicharito,’ Javier Hernández, Joins Los Angeles Galaxy in M.L.S.
The striker will enter the league as its highest-paid player and raise the stakes in a nascent Los Angeles rivalry with L.A.F.C.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://abc7.com/sports/javier-chicharito-hernandez-confirms-move-to-la-galaxy-it-was-the-right-time/5867324/
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez confirms move to LA Galaxy: 'It was the right time'
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1079722
SIGNINGS: Miami Brings Bezecourt Aboard for New Season
SACRAMENTO ADDS GRINWIS TO GOALKEEPING CORPS; LUNDT RETURNS TO LOUISVILLE ON LOAN
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https://www.statesman.com/sports/20200121/soccer-notebook-why-chicharito-landing-in-la-matters-for-austin-fc
Soccer notebook: Why Chicharito landing in LA matters for Austin FC
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2020/01/21/javier-chicharito-hernandez-officially-joins-galaxy/
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez officially joins Galaxy
Popular Mexican star joins Galaxy as as new Designated Player after spending past 10 years in Europe
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/soccer/changes-underway-to-get-charlotte-ready-for-a-new-mls-team/275-183d64c1-02fa-4544-a8c0-e15d792827eb
Changes underway to get the Queen City ready for a new MLS team
A permit was issued on January 14 for renovations at Bank of America Stadium needed to help the city prepare for an MLS team.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2020/01/21/mls-ownership-group-to-move-forward-on-stadium.html
MLS ownership group to move forward on stadium project without state tax credits
The proposed MLS stadium will be located north of Market Street near Union Station.
St. Louis’ Major League Soccer ownership group plans to move forward with its proposed Downtown West stadium development regardless of whether it receives state tax credits, a lawyer representing the expansion franchise told a city board Tuesday.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1079688
TRANSACTIONS: Louro Makes Move to Tampa Bay
GUYANA INTERNATIONAL DOVER RE-SIGNS WITH HOUNDS; ENERGY FC BRINGS BACK IBEAGHA FOR THIRD SEASON
New Tampa Bay Rowdies signing Evan Louro made 79 starts for the New York Red Bulls II over the past three season, placing him in the top five in minutes among goalkeepers in the Championship. | Photo courtesy New York Red Bulls II
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies added a new face to their goalkeeping corps on Tuesday with the signing of Evan Louro ahead of the 2020 USL Championship season. Per club policy, further contract details were not disclosed.
Louro is a familiar foe for the Rowdies, having served as starting goalkeeper for the New York Red Bulls II since 2017. In three years with the Red Bulls, Louro made 79 starts and played more than 7,000 minutes, making him one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the Championship, despite having only turned 24 this past Sunday.
“Evan is a goalkeeper that has always been a bit of a thorn in our side,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “As we’ve seen in our games against him through the years, he’s a great shot stopper and he’s he organizes his back line well. We’re excited to have him on our side now because we feel he’ll fit well within our system.”
Louro is a New York metro area native that came up through the Red Bulls system. He joined the club’s academy in 2008, helping the U16s to an undefeated record and U.S. Soccer Development Academy championship in 2012. While attending the University of Michigan, Louro played for the Red Bulls U23s in USL League Two before signing an MLS contract with the Red Bulls as a Homegrown player in 2017.
“I’m super grateful to be here,” said Louro said. “I’ve had the privilege to play against the Rowdies many times and it was always my favorite trip of the year. The fans are second to none, the stadium being right next to the water is second to none. Neill really made me feel wanted and welcomed and all the guys have been welcoming so I’m just really excited to get started.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/20/2020-mls-trialists-your-rundown-where-players-are-auditioning-new-contracts
2020 MLS Trialists: Your rundown of where players are auditioning for new contracts
Colorado Rapids
The Rapids have several trialists in their camp, with one name MLS fans will surely recognize. Former NYCFC midfielder Kwadwo Poku — who scored five goals in 34 matches — is in camp with the club after spending the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He is joined by two young Argentines, Andres Alarcon and Brian Lopez, from Argentinos Juniors and Racing Club respectively, a former draft pick (Jacob Hauser-Ramsey) and a former US youth international (Will Vint).
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.burgundywave.com/2020/1/21/21075570/rapids-release-2020-preseason-roster
Rapids release 2020 preseason roster
The preseason roster includes signed players, the two 2020 MLS SuperDraft picks, select players from the Rapids Academy, and several trialists.
Kwadwo Poku: 27-year-old attacking midfielder who has experience with NYCFC, Anzhi in Russia, and most recently played for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/bar-breweries/2020/01/16/the-dark-barriehaus-beer-co/
The Dark, BarrieHaus Beer Co.
In Ybor City, cross over to The Dark side with this dunkel lager. | Local craft beer of the week
The Dark is BarrieHaus’ Munich dunkel lager. [Photo courtesy of Geneva Johnson]
The gradual increase in demand for traditional lagers has been consistent in the past few years.
In some ways, this is burnout in the face of ever-hazier IPAs and bombastic stouts, but it’s also...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cbs17.com/hidden-history/hispanic-heritage-month/tampa-stakes-claims-to-cuban-sandwich-2/
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Tampa stakes claims to Cuban sandwich
Hispanic Heritage Month
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s an age-old debate: Was the famous Cuban sandwich born in Tampa’s historic Ybor City?
Second-generation baker Bryant Valdez, who has worked at La Segunda Bakery Ybor for 32 years now, will be the first to tell you the Cuban sandwich belongs to Tampa. “Yeah, I’m gonna fight this, debate it until the end,” Valdez said as he beamed with pride. He went on to laugh and say, “Miami’s got the formula, but they don’t have the flavor.”
Bakers like Valdez have been working at La Segunda for generations. Each one plays a special role in baking the bread from scratch.
“Our dough grows very slowly. It’s all handmade from start to finish. It’s really the bakers that have been here on average for 20 to 25 years that have to communicate with each other to get the bread from start to finish,” said owner Copeland More, part of the four generations of family keeping history alive in Tampa Bay.
Photo provided by La Segunda
More’s grandfather, Juan More, had a vision in the late 19th Century to head from Spain to Cuba to learn to make Cuban bread using the traditional recipe. To this day, La Segunda handcrafts this bread which is now enjoyed across the United States. “It’s a family business for us. We have employees that have been here longer than I have been alive,” More said.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.heraldtribune.com/entertainment/20200116/now-playing-for-sarasota-manatee-jan-16-22
Now Playing for Sarasota-Manatee: Jan. 16-22
YBOR CITY STATE MUSEUM: Depicts history of Cuban community through a cigar cottage, historical garden, artifacts, photos and more. 1818 E. Ninth Ave., Ybor City, Tampa. 813-247-6323; ybormuseum.org
(Follow link for full article.)
https://stpetecatalyst.com/artificial-intelligence-innovation-lab-sets-up-shop-in-ybor-city/
Artificial intelligence innovation lab sets up shop in Ybor City
Adriana Avakina, CEO, TheIncLab, presenting at the Tampa Bay Wave TechDiversity Pitch Night in St. Petersburg last year.
A few months after taking part in Tampa Bay Wave’s TechDiversity accelerator, TheIncLab has established an office in Ybor City.
The company, headquartered in Washington, D.C. and with an office in Nashville, develops artificial intelligence-based systems designed to learn and collaborate with humans. On Monday, the company moved into The Undercroft, a cybersecurity guild and development center in Ybor City.
Local civic, business and government leaders have been pushing to grow the technology sector, so the TheIncLab’s decision to open an office here comes as welcome news.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://thatssotampa.com/yacht-starship-adds-a-pirate-ship-lost-pearl-to-its-fleet/
Yacht Starship adds a Pirate Ship, Lost Pearl, to its fleet
Drink up, me hearties! It’s Gasparilla season in the city of Tampa. While the pirates will make their collective presence felt during the parades and performances downtown and Ybor City, another ship is set to dock in the city on a more permanent basis.
Don’t worry, no need to raise the white flag. The pirates aboard this ship have no interest in taking over the city. Instead, these pirates are just out to let you cruise around the city in buccaneer fashion.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mandatory.com/wrestlezone/news/1164842-titus-oneil-named-parade-grand-marshal
Titus O’Neil Named Krewe Of Tampa Sant’ Yago Knight Parade Grand Marshal
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wflanews.iheart.com/featured/pm-tampa-bay-with-ryan-gorman/content/2020-01-17-tampa-bays-gasparilla-season-kicks-off-this-weekend-with-kids-parade/
Tampa Bay's Gasparilla Season Kicks Off This Weekend With Kids Parade
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2020/01/17/artificial-intelligence-firm-theinclab-expands-to-tampa/
Artificial intelligence firm TheIncLab expands to Tampa
The Washington, D.C.-area company expects hiring 15 developers and engineers in the next twelve months and partnering with bay area universities to augment its staff with student interns.
The Undercroft — the new home to a branch office of TheIncLab, an artificial intelligence firm — provides work space for several cybersecurity companies in one of Ybor City’s most historic structures, the El Pasaje building on E Ninth Avenue.
TAMPA — A tech company that works to develop artificial intelligence-enabled systems that learn and collaborate with humans is expanding to Tampa.
TheIncLab, based near Washington D.C., has opened an...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/01/17/floridas-oldest-restaurant-also-holds-the-title-for-largest-spanish-restaurant-in-us/
Florida’s oldest restaurant also holds the title for largest Spanish restaurant in U.S.
The restaurant is known for much more than its food and size
YBOR CITY, Fla. – Did you know that Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City is Florida’s oldest restaurant?
What first began in 1905 as the Columbia Saloon, a small corner cafe where cigar workers gathered, is now the largest Spanish restaurant in the world, with a seating capacity of over a thousand people.
The popular restaurant near Tampa continues to be operated and owned by Casimiro Hernández’s family. Andrea Gonzmart is Hernández’s great-great-granddaughter, an immigrant from Spain who lived in Cuba prior to arriving in the United States.
“When he initially immigrated from Cuba at the turn of the century he wanted to give, you know, the comfort foods of home,” Andrea said.
One of those dishes is the popular Cuban sandwich made with ham, roast pork, salami, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard and pickles on top of Cuban bread.
The restaurant features a more than five thousand square-foot kitchen and has fifteen different dining rooms. All designed with a Spanish style.
Ceramic Spanish tiles were imported from Spain to decorate the restaurant. Other artifacts inside the restaurant reflect the family’s heritage.
Among the several dining rooms is one dedicated to a famous Spanish novel.
“The Don Quixote dining room was actually the first air-conditioned dining room in the city of Tampa,” Gonzmart noted.
Back in 1956, the Siboney room, a large showroom, was popular for bringing in some top Latin performers. It was during the era when the cigar industry started to disappear in the city.
"It brought people back to Ybor and that was the important thing," Andrea said.
Other dining rooms include the Patio room, which offers a feel of the Spanish courtyards and the Red dining room which was a bar prior to being remodeled.
“We have the original Terraza that we found all around the border,” Andrea said.
Columbia Restaurant is not just known for its food and its size -- it’s also known for its variety of wine.
“We actually have over 1,000 bottled wine list, which makes up about 80 percent Spanish wines and 20 percent Californians, South American wines,” Andrea said. “The fact that I can look back and see that my great-great-grandfather founded what now is a whole city block but a small corner café restaurant in 1905, it’s kind of mind-blowing.”
Central Floridians can visit the Columbia Restaurant in Celebration. Click here to see the menu.
Columbia Restaurant
David Beckham's Inter Miami and in sponsorship talks with Qatar
(Follow link for full article.)
https://en.as.com/en/2020/01/20/football/1579552180_123416.html
David Beckham's Inter Miami and in sponsorship talks with Qatar
New MLS franchise are close to securing Qatar as their main sponsor for their first season, David Beckham’s team have been negotiating this deal for months
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/construction-on-new-charleston-battery-stadium-on-schedule-for-patriots/article_f9ebdaa6-3bb2-11ea-8331-9f24ce337433.html
Construction on new Charleston Battery stadium on schedule for Patriots Point site
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/cpl-poised-to-announce-ottawa-expansion-team-atletico-madrid-involvement-expected/
CPL poised to announce Ottawa expansion team, Atlético Madrid involvement expected
Jeff Hunt, an Ottawa businessman who is part owner of the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Redblacks, has confirmed he is part of a group looking to bring a Canadian Premier League team to the Canadian capital city.
There has been widespread speculation that a LaLiga club, specifically Atlético Madrid, will be involved in the project as well.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/plymouth-argyle-memphis-probable-next-3756672
From Plymouth Argyle to Memphis: The probable next step for midfielder Jose Baxter
The 27-year-old has been out of football since leaving the Pilgrims in November
Midfielder Jose Baxter is set to resume his career in the United States, according to reports.
The 27-year-old has been without a club since his short-term contract at Plymouth Argyle was cut short by mutual consent in November.
Now, Mail Online are reporting that Baxter will sign for Memphis 901, who play in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship.
Baxter’s former Everton team-mate, Tim Howard, is the sporting director of the Tennessee-based team.
Memphis are preparing for their second season in the USL Championship, which starts in March.
They finished 15th out of 18 sides in the Eastern Conference in 2019 when their home crowds averaged around 6,500.
Their opposition included the second teams of Major League Soccer outfits Atlanta United and New York Red Bulls, as well as the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Baxter signed for Argyle last July after being released by Oldham Athletic at the end of the 2018/19 season.
The Green Army saw glimpses of the ability which enabled Baxter to make his Premier League debut for Everton at the age of 16.
However, a calf problem limited his involvement for Argyle to seven starts and five appearances off the bench before his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://asumetech.com/mls-plans-jersey-exposes-other-occasions-to-mark-25th-season/
MLS plans jersey exposes, other occasions to mark 25th season
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2020/01/20/new-stadium-thinking-offer-europes-clubs-revenue-lifeline/
New stadium thinking could offer Europe’s clubs a revenue lifeline
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/usl/usl-transactions-miami-fc-mls-lawrence-olum-rowdies-monarchs-2020/
USL transactions: Miami FC adds former MLS defender Lawrence Olum
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are getting a loan from Norwich, Memphis 901 FC signed five players and Bob Lilley is reuniting with a former Rhinos captain.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.newschannel5.com/news/nashville-sports-fans-shifting-from-football-to-futbol
Nashville sports fans shifting from football to fútbol
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/inter-miami-david-beckham-qatar-sponsorship-talks-mls
Report: David Beckham’s Inter Miami in Qatar sponsorship talks
New MLS franchise close to securing Gulf state as top-tier sponsor.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/316505-david-beckhams-mls-team-in-miami-takes-field-for-first-time
David Beckham’s MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
“Every day we do something, every milestone we hit, everything becomes more real.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mysuncoast.com/2020/01/20/latest-florida-news-sports-business-entertainment-am-est/
Latest Florida news, sports, business and entertainment at 3:20 p.m. EST
INTER MIAMI-FIRST PRACTICE
Beckham's MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. (AP) — David Beckham's Inter Miami team finally got to play soccer. The MLS expansion franchise opened its first training camp at Barry University on Monday. It came more than six years after Beckham decided to put a team in Miami. The team begins play for real on March 1. Its home opener is March 14 at a new stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-city/transfer-talk/news/david-silva-in-line-to-move-to-inter-miami_383698.html
Manchester City midfielder David Silva in line to move for Inter Miami?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-hyde-inter-miami-camp-starts-20200120-dks7tysbxrdmjc7rmt4ipzrsza-story.html
HYDE: 'IT'S REAL,' AS INTER MIAMI HAS FIRST PRACTICE WITH FIRST VIEW OF HOPE | COMMENTARY
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/inter-miami/article239371908.html
Inter Miami opens preseason camp with a new Argentine player, six signings to come
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/new-chiller-plant-cools-Water-Street-Tampa-012120.aspx
How to be cool: Water Street Tampa chiller plant sports innovation
Tampa boasts one of the warmest average year-round high temperatures in the continental United States at a balmy 82 degrees Fahrenheit. But the heat won’t keep people away from Water Street Tampa, a WELL-certified community designed for waterfront urban living on 56 acres surrounding Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa.
A new chiller plant on the northwest corner of South Nebraska Avenue and East Cumberland Avenue will help keep folks in the emerging neighborhood cool and comfortable. Yet, the state-of-the-art District Cooling facility does more than keep the insides of nearby homes and businesses at a comfortable temperature. The chiller plant represents a forward-thinking, environmentally friendly leap into the future.
How does the chiller plant work?
The basic science behind modulating indoor temperatures hasn’t changed much since 1902 when 25-year-old engineer William Carrier invented the first modern air conditioner. Most air conditioners use mechanisms that blow air over water-cooled coils and help transfer heat away from indoor areas and subsequently lower temperatures.
In the most basic sense, air conditioners work the same way now as they did in 1927 when Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa became the city’s first commercial building to use air conditioning. But a lot has changed in perfecting how these cooling systems work, and, now, less than a mile east of Tampa Theatre, some of the most efficient and sustainable air conditioning technology imaginable will help keep the homes and businesses being built in Water Street Tampa cool year-round.
Among the innovations offered by the new District Cooling chiller is its connection to a network of buildings in Water Street Tampa. The large central chiller will efficiently distribute chilled water to the majority of the buildings under construction or planned. This cooled water flows through heat exchangers that absorb heat from buildings before it recirculates to the central plant in the enormous closed-loop system.
Some 8,500 linear feet of insulated steel pipes, some as large as 30 inches in diameter, run as deep as 20 feet underground from the chiller plant throughout the neighborhood.
“We send water out at 39 degrees and it comes back to our plant at 57 degrees,” notes Tampa Bay TRANE VP Stephen Koontz.
The heart of the system, contained within a 12,500-square-foot, three-story-tall building, contains one 1,500-ton TRANE ice-making centrifugal chiller and two 2,500-ton TRANE duplex centrifugal chillers. On top of the roof stand six 1,250-ton Marley cooling tower cells.
“A ton,” Koontz explains, “refers to the amount of ice historically used in an air conditioning system during a 24-hour period,” noting that system of measurement dates back to the early days of air conditioning when 2,000-pound (1-ton) blocks of ice were used in cooling. The more tons involved, the larger and more powerful the air conditioning system.
The ice in the District Cooling plant is stored in 98 Calmac ice-storage tanks lined up in rows three abreast outdoors just to the north of the facility’s main building. Each Calmac ice storage tank has a capacity of several hundred gallons. Helping move the chilled water around the facility and into the distribution pipes throughout the district are 11 system pumps and six 3,000-amp electricity distribution units to help ensure the whole system operates. The chiller plant is tied to two TECO substations, so in the event that the power goes out at one substation, an automatic relay will allow power from the other substation to kick in.
Overall, the chiller plant is immense -- it’s one of the largest of its kind in the Tampa Bay region. The system currently has an 8,000-ton capacity and is providing cooling services for a few buildings in Water Street Tampa, including the recently opened University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute and Taneja College of Pharmacy. And there is still room to expand as the designed community grows in the years ahead.
“We have the capability to add two more 2,500-ton chillers and three more cooling towers,” Koontz says.
Responsible climate control
In the mechanical sense, District Cooling is not much different than other chiller plants in the area.
“Every one of these tall office buildings has a similar plant,” says Koontz.
But that’s where the similarities between ordinary chiller plants and the new one in Water Street Tampa end.
“Water Street planned this well ahead and doing upfront planning and consolidating the cooling equipment all into one plant is a very sustainable way to develop a community,” Koontz says. “We get to use a lot less equipment because we all share it, and the reason we get to do that is because we don’t all need the cooling capacity at the same time.”
Most residents will be using the air conditioners in their condos during the mornings and evenings, but not during the bulk of the day. That’s when usage shifts to businesses and restaurants throughout the community.
“So, the cooling load will shift to where the people go in a given day – to the office in the mid-mornings through afternoons and to the bars and restaurants later in the evenings.” Koontz remarks such a system, which aggregates the cooling needs of an entire network of buildings, can reduce cooling needs by 30% to 40%, making it far more efficient than individual cooling plants for separate buildings.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp says those energy reductions make a big impact at the environmental level.
“We’re saving 180,000 tons of carbon,” she says. “It’s really helping our carbon footprint. This is a wonderful, great step forward.”
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor echoes similar praise for the District Cooling plant, which she says represents the resiliency and sustainability being built into the entire Water Street Tampa.
“We went through a number of research agencies and organizations deeming us as the epicenter for climate change here in the Tampa Bay Area,” Castor says. “I have no doubt that we will be able to mitigate the effects of sea-level change and climate change while reducing the carbon footprint. And I can’t think of a better example right now than this chiller plant and the efficiency of it and everything it does to cool the entire Water Street area while helping create more green space on top of buildings where chillers went before.”
Holistic benefits
The added room for greenspace, community-gathering areas, gardens, and other amenities on the ground and on top of buildings is a major boon for Water Street Tampa and for downtown Tampa.
Upon completion, Water Street Tampa will boast 13 acres of public space, nine million square feet of mixed-use development, pedestrian-oriented streets, and a walkable design aimed at connecting people with the surrounding community. These dynamic innovations are anticipated to help Water Street Tampa become the world’s first WELL-certified neighborhood, a coveted designation bestowed by the International WELL Building Institute and awarded to businesses and developments built around human-centric designs aimed to provide a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle.
The diverse concepts of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, sound, mind, temperature, materials, and community are at the heart of what the master planners behind the community project embraced when designing Water Street Tampa. And planning for a centralized chiller system as part of the network of community infrastructure helps provide a feasible solution for achieving those goals.
“There are myriad benefits offered to future residents, businesses, and visitors,” says Charlie Rollins, SPP Director of Development and Construction, about the new District Cooling plant. “Chillers are loud, and this one being isolated away from other buildings helps reduce noise and vibrations usually caused by chilling plants. ... It also allows us to offer a more resilient infrastructure.”
Contributing to the list of holistic benefits for the community is the aesthetic design of the chiller plant structure itself. While the building designed by Florida-based Baker Barrios includes 21st-century innovation inside, the outside of the edifice offers a humble nod to the past.
“We wanted to pay homage to the historical architecture of the nearby community of Ybor City, with its old cigar factories,” notes Darren Morse, senior manager of development at SSP. “So, we clad the entire façade of the building in a thin veneer of red brick.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/growing-craft-distilleries-in-Tampa-Bay-Area-012120.aspx
Locally owned, locally made: The growing craft spirits scene in Tampa Bay
Inside a small warehouse just off Air Cargo Road near Tampa International Airport, Matt Allen and his partners at Dark Door Spirits are brewing up unique, artisanal spirits like a whiskey blended with an IPA beer from Safety Harbor’s Crooked Thumb craft brewery. And gin infused with lavender and rose hips.
“We’re focused on small-batch, unique products that are very drinkable,” says Allen.
Around the country, small craft spirit distilleries are springing up, and Tampa Bay is no exception. There’s a demand for artisanal rum, vodka, whiskey, and gin, often mixed with unusual extra ingredients like citrus, herbs and spices, even craft beer and coffee.
According to the American Craft Spirits Association, there were just 195 small distillers in the U.S. in 2010. Eight years later, there were 1,835. Craft breweries may be more numerous and get more attention, but craft spirit distilleries represent the next wave of opportunity.
“Both craft breweries and craft distilleries are like the pioneers in experimentation with ingredients and products,” says Matthias Kozuba, VP of Kozuba & Sons in St. Petersburg. “People want something new, fresh, big, and bold that the larger standardized brands aren’t releasing. You go to a liquor store, it’s all the same.”
Florida has a reported 56 craft distilleries. St. Augustine Distillery is one of the largest and best-known in the state. Located in a restored century-old ice plant, its tasting room accommodates thousands of visitors a month.
Tampa Bay’s craft distilleries are much smaller in size, but they’re ramping up and gaining momentum. Here’s a look at a few of them:
Dark Door Spirits, Tampa
“Be careful, don’t touch the stills,” says Matt Allen, steering a visitor away from the 26-gallon copper tanks that Dark Door Spirits uses to brew its unique blends of gin, vodka, and whiskey.
They’ve been operating out of a warehouse near the Tampa International Airport. But they’re anticipating their next move, which includes acquiring a 1,000-liter still to increase production and scouting locations for a public face where they can open a tasting room, host tours, and offer sales through a retail shop.
Allen says it hasn’t been easy getting to this point.
“Spirits are a highly regulated business,” he says. Allen is a founding member of the Florida Craft Distillery Association, which has been lobbying to change some of the state and federal laws that make it challenging for small craft distillers to thrive.
“Many of the regulations were enacted during Prohibition and are very outdated,” says Allen. “We’re asking to be licensed in the same way as a restaurant, bar, or brewery.”
Kozuba & Sons, St. Petersburg
The Kozuba family launched their craft distillery in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District five years ago. Zbigniew Kozuba and his sons, Matthias and Jacob, had initially opened a distillery in Poland in 2005, but the future didn’t look very promising.
“We were the only privately owned microdistillery and there wasn’t really a market for it at the time,” says Matthias Kozuba. “We had to look for an evacuation route for our business.”
They considered several different European cities, before deciding to relocate to the United States.
“My brother and I spoke English pretty well and we saw the renaissance underway in the American craft distilling industry,” says Kozuba.
After thinking about California and Texas, they narrowed their search to Florida, and then St. Pete.
“We liked the smaller community and loved the vibe of the city right away,” says Kozuba. “We liked seeing all the people out on the streets. It reminded us of a small European city.”??They purchased and renovated an old seafood storage facility, taking Kozuba & Sons fully operational in 2016 with a combination production facility and tasting room. Now there’s a line of vodkas, rye malt whiskeys, and both cranberry and quince cordials.
Last year, they completed the final phase of a capital investment project and are moving forward on a major expansion to add more special event space.
“An area for special events wasn’t part of our initial business plan, but more and more people want to rent the distillery for special events and weddings. It’s a unique venue and they love seeing the barrels,” says Kozuba. “We’ve also annexed a small building next door and hope to create a Tiki bar as a destination for people to come, relax, have a cocktail and enjoy themselves.”
Tampa Bay Rum Company, Ybor City
During the week, Sam Meyers is a chiropractic physician and owner of Bay Injury & Rehab in St. Petersburg. On the weekends, he’s at the Tampa Bay Rum Company, a craft spirit distillery he founded two years ago in Ybor City.
“A good friend from high school had a successful distillery in Seattle and when I went back for my 20th high school reunion, I spent some time there,” says Meyers. “They were producing whiskey but I felt that rum was a better choice for Tampa Bay. Then I discovered no one had ever trademarked the name Gasparilla Rum. I couldn’t believe that the city with the biggest pirate festival in the world didn’t have a rum named after it.”
He and his partners converted an old motorcycle repair shop near the Columbia Restaurant into a production facility and tasting room for Gasparilla rum with flavors ranging from coconut, key lime, and butterscotch to apple spice.
Last year, they released two new products -- Blunderbuss Cane Vodka and a Gasparilla Reserve barrel-aged rum. Sometime in the future, they also hope to add a craft brewery inside the distillery.
“Our head distiller is a brewmaster by trade and we’ll be producing a Gasparilla craft beer,” says Meyers.
In the meantime, Meyers and his distiller, Brad Bunn, are focused on cooking up their craft spirits from scratch, including driving to South Florida’s sugar cane fields to get the supplies they need.
“We drive to a mill and they load me up with about five tons of molasses,” says Meyers. “Then we get back and transfer it into 250-gallon totes with a pump so we can store and use it inside the distillery.” Definitely a home-grown, locally owned operation.
Florida Cane Distillery, Ybor City
In 2002, Lee Nelson and his wife wanted to bring a wedding gift to friends in Denmark—something that would represent Florida. They couldn’t bring citrus because of customs restrictions, Nelson says. And they didn’t want to bring cigars since not everyone smokes.
“We just had a really difficult time thinking about what would best capture the spirit of Florida and Hillsborough County,” says Nelson. “That got us thinking about starting our own business.”
For years he’d been brewing craft beer at home and was wondering what he could do to take it to the next level. One of those options was to move into distilling craft spirits.
“I started experimenting and bringing some samples to my hockey buddy Pat O’Brien. It was really just an excuse to schedule some drinking time,’’ Nelson jokes. Eventually, the idea of launching a craft spirit business caught on.
“We said, yes, let’s do this,” says Nelson. Rather than asking for a traditional bank loan, he went online and pitched the idea in a “peer-to-peer” lending approach. “People were giving us anywhere from $15 to $85. It gave us the capital to start the business,” says Nelson.
In 2012 Florida Cane Distillery officially launched in what Nelson calls a glorified storage unit in Brandon. The next step was to acquire a more permanent location. Like other Tampa Bay craft distillers, he bumped up against restrictive rules and regulations. He also had to confront Tampa zoning laws, which at the time, prohibited a distillery from opening in a commercially zoned area.
The city was very supportive, says Nelson, and within a short time, Florida Cane opened up shop in Ybor City. Today the microdistillery produces more than 32 spirits with some intriguing flavor profiles, including 11 different vodkas (one with jalapeno). There are also three different types of rum, whiskey, gin, and moonshine.
“I feel unbelievably blessed,” says Nelson. “I still have a day job and my partner and co-founder Pat O’Brien is a sales director for a medical device company. But we’re now at the point where we have three full-time people and seven part-time people. We’re constantly collaborating on new unique taste blends. The fun part is in the creating.”?
https://en.as.com/en/2020/01/20/football/1579552180_123416.html
David Beckham's Inter Miami and in sponsorship talks with Qatar
New MLS franchise are close to securing Qatar as their main sponsor for their first season, David Beckham’s team have been negotiating this deal for months
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/construction-on-new-charleston-battery-stadium-on-schedule-for-patriots/article_f9ebdaa6-3bb2-11ea-8331-9f24ce337433.html
Construction on new Charleston Battery stadium on schedule for Patriots Point site
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/cpl-poised-to-announce-ottawa-expansion-team-atletico-madrid-involvement-expected/
CPL poised to announce Ottawa expansion team, Atlético Madrid involvement expected
Jeff Hunt, an Ottawa businessman who is part owner of the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Redblacks, has confirmed he is part of a group looking to bring a Canadian Premier League team to the Canadian capital city.
There has been widespread speculation that a LaLiga club, specifically Atlético Madrid, will be involved in the project as well.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/plymouth-argyle-memphis-probable-next-3756672
From Plymouth Argyle to Memphis: The probable next step for midfielder Jose Baxter
The 27-year-old has been out of football since leaving the Pilgrims in November
Midfielder Jose Baxter is set to resume his career in the United States, according to reports.
The 27-year-old has been without a club since his short-term contract at Plymouth Argyle was cut short by mutual consent in November.
Now, Mail Online are reporting that Baxter will sign for Memphis 901, who play in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship.
Baxter’s former Everton team-mate, Tim Howard, is the sporting director of the Tennessee-based team.
Memphis are preparing for their second season in the USL Championship, which starts in March.
They finished 15th out of 18 sides in the Eastern Conference in 2019 when their home crowds averaged around 6,500.
Their opposition included the second teams of Major League Soccer outfits Atlanta United and New York Red Bulls, as well as the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Baxter signed for Argyle last July after being released by Oldham Athletic at the end of the 2018/19 season.
The Green Army saw glimpses of the ability which enabled Baxter to make his Premier League debut for Everton at the age of 16.
However, a calf problem limited his involvement for Argyle to seven starts and five appearances off the bench before his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://asumetech.com/mls-plans-jersey-exposes-other-occasions-to-mark-25th-season/
MLS plans jersey exposes, other occasions to mark 25th season
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2020/01/20/new-stadium-thinking-offer-europes-clubs-revenue-lifeline/
New stadium thinking could offer Europe’s clubs a revenue lifeline
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/usl/usl-transactions-miami-fc-mls-lawrence-olum-rowdies-monarchs-2020/
USL transactions: Miami FC adds former MLS defender Lawrence Olum
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are getting a loan from Norwich, Memphis 901 FC signed five players and Bob Lilley is reuniting with a former Rhinos captain.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.newschannel5.com/news/nashville-sports-fans-shifting-from-football-to-futbol
Nashville sports fans shifting from football to fútbol
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/inter-miami-david-beckham-qatar-sponsorship-talks-mls
Report: David Beckham’s Inter Miami in Qatar sponsorship talks
New MLS franchise close to securing Gulf state as top-tier sponsor.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/316505-david-beckhams-mls-team-in-miami-takes-field-for-first-time
David Beckham’s MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
“Every day we do something, every milestone we hit, everything becomes more real.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mysuncoast.com/2020/01/20/latest-florida-news-sports-business-entertainment-am-est/
Latest Florida news, sports, business and entertainment at 3:20 p.m. EST
INTER MIAMI-FIRST PRACTICE
Beckham's MLS team in Miami takes field for first time
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. (AP) — David Beckham's Inter Miami team finally got to play soccer. The MLS expansion franchise opened its first training camp at Barry University on Monday. It came more than six years after Beckham decided to put a team in Miami. The team begins play for real on March 1. Its home opener is March 14 at a new stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-city/transfer-talk/news/david-silva-in-line-to-move-to-inter-miami_383698.html
Manchester City midfielder David Silva in line to move for Inter Miami?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-hyde-inter-miami-camp-starts-20200120-dks7tysbxrdmjc7rmt4ipzrsza-story.html
HYDE: 'IT'S REAL,' AS INTER MIAMI HAS FIRST PRACTICE WITH FIRST VIEW OF HOPE | COMMENTARY
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/inter-miami/article239371908.html
Inter Miami opens preseason camp with a new Argentine player, six signings to come
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/new-chiller-plant-cools-Water-Street-Tampa-012120.aspx
How to be cool: Water Street Tampa chiller plant sports innovation
Tampa boasts one of the warmest average year-round high temperatures in the continental United States at a balmy 82 degrees Fahrenheit. But the heat won’t keep people away from Water Street Tampa, a WELL-certified community designed for waterfront urban living on 56 acres surrounding Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa.
A new chiller plant on the northwest corner of South Nebraska Avenue and East Cumberland Avenue will help keep folks in the emerging neighborhood cool and comfortable. Yet, the state-of-the-art District Cooling facility does more than keep the insides of nearby homes and businesses at a comfortable temperature. The chiller plant represents a forward-thinking, environmentally friendly leap into the future.
How does the chiller plant work?
The basic science behind modulating indoor temperatures hasn’t changed much since 1902 when 25-year-old engineer William Carrier invented the first modern air conditioner. Most air conditioners use mechanisms that blow air over water-cooled coils and help transfer heat away from indoor areas and subsequently lower temperatures.
In the most basic sense, air conditioners work the same way now as they did in 1927 when Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa became the city’s first commercial building to use air conditioning. But a lot has changed in perfecting how these cooling systems work, and, now, less than a mile east of Tampa Theatre, some of the most efficient and sustainable air conditioning technology imaginable will help keep the homes and businesses being built in Water Street Tampa cool year-round.
Among the innovations offered by the new District Cooling chiller is its connection to a network of buildings in Water Street Tampa. The large central chiller will efficiently distribute chilled water to the majority of the buildings under construction or planned. This cooled water flows through heat exchangers that absorb heat from buildings before it recirculates to the central plant in the enormous closed-loop system.
Some 8,500 linear feet of insulated steel pipes, some as large as 30 inches in diameter, run as deep as 20 feet underground from the chiller plant throughout the neighborhood.
“We send water out at 39 degrees and it comes back to our plant at 57 degrees,” notes Tampa Bay TRANE VP Stephen Koontz.
The heart of the system, contained within a 12,500-square-foot, three-story-tall building, contains one 1,500-ton TRANE ice-making centrifugal chiller and two 2,500-ton TRANE duplex centrifugal chillers. On top of the roof stand six 1,250-ton Marley cooling tower cells.
“A ton,” Koontz explains, “refers to the amount of ice historically used in an air conditioning system during a 24-hour period,” noting that system of measurement dates back to the early days of air conditioning when 2,000-pound (1-ton) blocks of ice were used in cooling. The more tons involved, the larger and more powerful the air conditioning system.
The ice in the District Cooling plant is stored in 98 Calmac ice-storage tanks lined up in rows three abreast outdoors just to the north of the facility’s main building. Each Calmac ice storage tank has a capacity of several hundred gallons. Helping move the chilled water around the facility and into the distribution pipes throughout the district are 11 system pumps and six 3,000-amp electricity distribution units to help ensure the whole system operates. The chiller plant is tied to two TECO substations, so in the event that the power goes out at one substation, an automatic relay will allow power from the other substation to kick in.
Overall, the chiller plant is immense -- it’s one of the largest of its kind in the Tampa Bay region. The system currently has an 8,000-ton capacity and is providing cooling services for a few buildings in Water Street Tampa, including the recently opened University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute and Taneja College of Pharmacy. And there is still room to expand as the designed community grows in the years ahead.
“We have the capability to add two more 2,500-ton chillers and three more cooling towers,” Koontz says.
Responsible climate control
In the mechanical sense, District Cooling is not much different than other chiller plants in the area.
“Every one of these tall office buildings has a similar plant,” says Koontz.
But that’s where the similarities between ordinary chiller plants and the new one in Water Street Tampa end.
“Water Street planned this well ahead and doing upfront planning and consolidating the cooling equipment all into one plant is a very sustainable way to develop a community,” Koontz says. “We get to use a lot less equipment because we all share it, and the reason we get to do that is because we don’t all need the cooling capacity at the same time.”
Most residents will be using the air conditioners in their condos during the mornings and evenings, but not during the bulk of the day. That’s when usage shifts to businesses and restaurants throughout the community.
“So, the cooling load will shift to where the people go in a given day – to the office in the mid-mornings through afternoons and to the bars and restaurants later in the evenings.” Koontz remarks such a system, which aggregates the cooling needs of an entire network of buildings, can reduce cooling needs by 30% to 40%, making it far more efficient than individual cooling plants for separate buildings.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp says those energy reductions make a big impact at the environmental level.
“We’re saving 180,000 tons of carbon,” she says. “It’s really helping our carbon footprint. This is a wonderful, great step forward.”
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor echoes similar praise for the District Cooling plant, which she says represents the resiliency and sustainability being built into the entire Water Street Tampa.
“We went through a number of research agencies and organizations deeming us as the epicenter for climate change here in the Tampa Bay Area,” Castor says. “I have no doubt that we will be able to mitigate the effects of sea-level change and climate change while reducing the carbon footprint. And I can’t think of a better example right now than this chiller plant and the efficiency of it and everything it does to cool the entire Water Street area while helping create more green space on top of buildings where chillers went before.”
Holistic benefits
The added room for greenspace, community-gathering areas, gardens, and other amenities on the ground and on top of buildings is a major boon for Water Street Tampa and for downtown Tampa.
Upon completion, Water Street Tampa will boast 13 acres of public space, nine million square feet of mixed-use development, pedestrian-oriented streets, and a walkable design aimed at connecting people with the surrounding community. These dynamic innovations are anticipated to help Water Street Tampa become the world’s first WELL-certified neighborhood, a coveted designation bestowed by the International WELL Building Institute and awarded to businesses and developments built around human-centric designs aimed to provide a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle.
The diverse concepts of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, sound, mind, temperature, materials, and community are at the heart of what the master planners behind the community project embraced when designing Water Street Tampa. And planning for a centralized chiller system as part of the network of community infrastructure helps provide a feasible solution for achieving those goals.
“There are myriad benefits offered to future residents, businesses, and visitors,” says Charlie Rollins, SPP Director of Development and Construction, about the new District Cooling plant. “Chillers are loud, and this one being isolated away from other buildings helps reduce noise and vibrations usually caused by chilling plants. ... It also allows us to offer a more resilient infrastructure.”
Contributing to the list of holistic benefits for the community is the aesthetic design of the chiller plant structure itself. While the building designed by Florida-based Baker Barrios includes 21st-century innovation inside, the outside of the edifice offers a humble nod to the past.
“We wanted to pay homage to the historical architecture of the nearby community of Ybor City, with its old cigar factories,” notes Darren Morse, senior manager of development at SSP. “So, we clad the entire façade of the building in a thin veneer of red brick.”
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https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/growing-craft-distilleries-in-Tampa-Bay-Area-012120.aspx
Locally owned, locally made: The growing craft spirits scene in Tampa Bay
Inside a small warehouse just off Air Cargo Road near Tampa International Airport, Matt Allen and his partners at Dark Door Spirits are brewing up unique, artisanal spirits like a whiskey blended with an IPA beer from Safety Harbor’s Crooked Thumb craft brewery. And gin infused with lavender and rose hips.
“We’re focused on small-batch, unique products that are very drinkable,” says Allen.
Around the country, small craft spirit distilleries are springing up, and Tampa Bay is no exception. There’s a demand for artisanal rum, vodka, whiskey, and gin, often mixed with unusual extra ingredients like citrus, herbs and spices, even craft beer and coffee.
According to the American Craft Spirits Association, there were just 195 small distillers in the U.S. in 2010. Eight years later, there were 1,835. Craft breweries may be more numerous and get more attention, but craft spirit distilleries represent the next wave of opportunity.
“Both craft breweries and craft distilleries are like the pioneers in experimentation with ingredients and products,” says Matthias Kozuba, VP of Kozuba & Sons in St. Petersburg. “People want something new, fresh, big, and bold that the larger standardized brands aren’t releasing. You go to a liquor store, it’s all the same.”
Florida has a reported 56 craft distilleries. St. Augustine Distillery is one of the largest and best-known in the state. Located in a restored century-old ice plant, its tasting room accommodates thousands of visitors a month.
Tampa Bay’s craft distilleries are much smaller in size, but they’re ramping up and gaining momentum. Here’s a look at a few of them:
Dark Door Spirits, Tampa
“Be careful, don’t touch the stills,” says Matt Allen, steering a visitor away from the 26-gallon copper tanks that Dark Door Spirits uses to brew its unique blends of gin, vodka, and whiskey.
They’ve been operating out of a warehouse near the Tampa International Airport. But they’re anticipating their next move, which includes acquiring a 1,000-liter still to increase production and scouting locations for a public face where they can open a tasting room, host tours, and offer sales through a retail shop.
Allen says it hasn’t been easy getting to this point.
“Spirits are a highly regulated business,” he says. Allen is a founding member of the Florida Craft Distillery Association, which has been lobbying to change some of the state and federal laws that make it challenging for small craft distillers to thrive.
“Many of the regulations were enacted during Prohibition and are very outdated,” says Allen. “We’re asking to be licensed in the same way as a restaurant, bar, or brewery.”
Kozuba & Sons, St. Petersburg
The Kozuba family launched their craft distillery in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District five years ago. Zbigniew Kozuba and his sons, Matthias and Jacob, had initially opened a distillery in Poland in 2005, but the future didn’t look very promising.
“We were the only privately owned microdistillery and there wasn’t really a market for it at the time,” says Matthias Kozuba. “We had to look for an evacuation route for our business.”
They considered several different European cities, before deciding to relocate to the United States.
“My brother and I spoke English pretty well and we saw the renaissance underway in the American craft distilling industry,” says Kozuba.
After thinking about California and Texas, they narrowed their search to Florida, and then St. Pete.
“We liked the smaller community and loved the vibe of the city right away,” says Kozuba. “We liked seeing all the people out on the streets. It reminded us of a small European city.”??They purchased and renovated an old seafood storage facility, taking Kozuba & Sons fully operational in 2016 with a combination production facility and tasting room. Now there’s a line of vodkas, rye malt whiskeys, and both cranberry and quince cordials.
Last year, they completed the final phase of a capital investment project and are moving forward on a major expansion to add more special event space.
“An area for special events wasn’t part of our initial business plan, but more and more people want to rent the distillery for special events and weddings. It’s a unique venue and they love seeing the barrels,” says Kozuba. “We’ve also annexed a small building next door and hope to create a Tiki bar as a destination for people to come, relax, have a cocktail and enjoy themselves.”
Tampa Bay Rum Company, Ybor City
During the week, Sam Meyers is a chiropractic physician and owner of Bay Injury & Rehab in St. Petersburg. On the weekends, he’s at the Tampa Bay Rum Company, a craft spirit distillery he founded two years ago in Ybor City.
“A good friend from high school had a successful distillery in Seattle and when I went back for my 20th high school reunion, I spent some time there,” says Meyers. “They were producing whiskey but I felt that rum was a better choice for Tampa Bay. Then I discovered no one had ever trademarked the name Gasparilla Rum. I couldn’t believe that the city with the biggest pirate festival in the world didn’t have a rum named after it.”
He and his partners converted an old motorcycle repair shop near the Columbia Restaurant into a production facility and tasting room for Gasparilla rum with flavors ranging from coconut, key lime, and butterscotch to apple spice.
Last year, they released two new products -- Blunderbuss Cane Vodka and a Gasparilla Reserve barrel-aged rum. Sometime in the future, they also hope to add a craft brewery inside the distillery.
“Our head distiller is a brewmaster by trade and we’ll be producing a Gasparilla craft beer,” says Meyers.
In the meantime, Meyers and his distiller, Brad Bunn, are focused on cooking up their craft spirits from scratch, including driving to South Florida’s sugar cane fields to get the supplies they need.
“We drive to a mill and they load me up with about five tons of molasses,” says Meyers. “Then we get back and transfer it into 250-gallon totes with a pump so we can store and use it inside the distillery.” Definitely a home-grown, locally owned operation.
Florida Cane Distillery, Ybor City
In 2002, Lee Nelson and his wife wanted to bring a wedding gift to friends in Denmark—something that would represent Florida. They couldn’t bring citrus because of customs restrictions, Nelson says. And they didn’t want to bring cigars since not everyone smokes.
“We just had a really difficult time thinking about what would best capture the spirit of Florida and Hillsborough County,” says Nelson. “That got us thinking about starting our own business.”
For years he’d been brewing craft beer at home and was wondering what he could do to take it to the next level. One of those options was to move into distilling craft spirits.
“I started experimenting and bringing some samples to my hockey buddy Pat O’Brien. It was really just an excuse to schedule some drinking time,’’ Nelson jokes. Eventually, the idea of launching a craft spirit business caught on.
“We said, yes, let’s do this,” says Nelson. Rather than asking for a traditional bank loan, he went online and pitched the idea in a “peer-to-peer” lending approach. “People were giving us anywhere from $15 to $85. It gave us the capital to start the business,” says Nelson.
In 2012 Florida Cane Distillery officially launched in what Nelson calls a glorified storage unit in Brandon. The next step was to acquire a more permanent location. Like other Tampa Bay craft distillers, he bumped up against restrictive rules and regulations. He also had to confront Tampa zoning laws, which at the time, prohibited a distillery from opening in a commercially zoned area.
The city was very supportive, says Nelson, and within a short time, Florida Cane opened up shop in Ybor City. Today the microdistillery produces more than 32 spirits with some intriguing flavor profiles, including 11 different vodkas (one with jalapeno). There are also three different types of rum, whiskey, gin, and moonshine.
“I feel unbelievably blessed,” says Nelson. “I still have a day job and my partner and co-founder Pat O’Brien is a sales director for a medical device company. But we’re now at the point where we have three full-time people and seven part-time people. We’re constantly collaborating on new unique taste blends. The fun part is in the creating.”?
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