Today the Aparium Hotel group  http://aparium.com/  held a hotel ground breaking service in Ybor City. Aparium’s local partners include Ybor City investor Darryl Shaw, as well as the Capitano, Garcia and Ellison families, investor Alex Walter, Alfonso Architects, Batson-Cook Construction and EWI Construction.  There will be soon opening, a 50 million dollar hotel on 7^th Ave.  There has been talk about a Hotel on this location for over 20+ years.  It will be good to see the new addition to Ybor City. On this Location was the Original Havana Hotel and Las Novedades Restaurant http://www.tampapix.com/lasnovedades.htm  . Since the 1980’s there were 4 Gay night Clubs here;  El Goya Club  https://www.facebook.com/elgoya , Tracks Nigh Club, Pleasure Dome and Czar.  Today there is a very funny GAY Historical Marker in front of the building. The marker talks about Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. One of the soldiers so appreciated the hospitality of the local man that he rode his horse into Las Novedades and Gayly galloped down 7^th ave. This became known as “The Charge of the Yellow Rice Brigade.”  For many years later when a local want to say a person was Gay they would say “he is yellow rice”. Good luck to the new developers.

There was a huge campaign kickoff celebration at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. Over 400+ guest cheered as Jane talked about her ideas for Tampa. From transportation, housing, jobs and more. https://www.facebook.com/janecastorformayor/

GO BOLTZ!!!Last night the Lightning beat the Capitals 4 to 1. In Centro Ybor there were 2 large jumbo screen put up. The traffic on 7^th ave was stopped from 15^th street to 21^st street. This was the 1^st time there was a watch party in Ybor City. What a huge SUCCESS! What an incredible fun celebration of what’s right in Tampa Bay. The pre party was off the chain fun with floating cameras catching people on the huge screens! I’m not sure what liquor license permit the event promoter got but I hope others can now get the same one. Everybody was enjoying drinks on the street with no fences while the police looked on. Can’t wait for the next Tampa Bay Lightning Viewing Party YBOR CITY STYLE!!!