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    This week after several years of massive renovations the newly named Floridan Palace Hotel is re opening in downtown Tampa. It has been restored meticulously to the great grandeur of yesteryear. It is even taking back the post office space and have returned the large beautiful convention center. Originally built in 1927 at a whopping cost of $1.9 million. At one time the hotel with 19 floors was the tallest building in Florida. It stayed the tallest structure in Tampa until 1966 when the Franklin Exchange Building was completed. It was honored to be guest home quarters to movie stars including Gary Cooper and Lupe Velez and an overnight to singing sensation king, Elvis Presley. Also mobsters, judges and regional political figures did business at the famed hotel. The open 3 story dining room was a place to be seen! Politics, legislation and business ideas had a lot of creation and beginnings in this historic hotel gem.

    The Official VIP Party was Saturday night. Lights on the outside upper floors highlighted the Tampa skyline. Classic 1920 cars were adorned around the hotel. The street all blocked off. The big tall 1 story red neon lettered rooftop sign, Floridan Hotel was shining bright in the clear sky all over and above the city lights. Monday, July 30 will be the first night open to over night guests. Congratulations to hotelier and investor Antonios Markopoulos for a super 7 year renovation undertaking to the National Register of Historic Buildings designated Tampa footprint.

    Our first time in the old run down hotel was in early 1980’s. Our friend Jack was staying there as it was a rooming house then. His room was on the 7th floor. Jack S. insisted we go with him to see the view of Tampa from up there. We had just moved here from Minneapolis, MN where we were used to old tall buildings and sky scrapers. This was one of the scariest elevators we had ever been in. It squeaked, squawked and shook all the way up & down. It even missed the floor landing by a foot plus! Some of the residents in the hallways were even scarier!

    Then in 2005 our friend and realtor, Manny Alvarez had keys & took us inside. We unscrewed the outside containing entry boards to enter. At this time the building had been condemned. Hopes were in talks to have a gay investment group buy the building, renovate and open as a gay hotel. The city was taking offers of its sale. It was like a over done scene from a horror movie. The elevator shafts were open with no cars. The smell was very musty and the walls were moldy & somewhat wet. There was at least a half foot of dirt and bird droppings, woven cob webs & trash everywhere with birds flying above. Most of the windows were in tack and original. The carved worn marble floors still glistened when brushed with our feet. Then we looked up in the lobby to the old restaurant space and there were the beautiful crystal chandeliers in place and covered in dust far away from the reach of vandals or building thieves.

    In 1986 Dr Walt Banks, a local gay doctor & founding member of the MCC Tampa Church here, told us a chilling legend story about the hotel. In the 1950’s there was an annual secret Good Friday Easter Party in the Floridan penthouse. The party was of gay men from MacDill Air Force base and local businessmen. In those days gay was considered a mental illness and an undisputed military court marshal offense. The Tampa police & MP’s heard of the party & decided to raid it. Blocking all the stairwells, elevators & doors. They knocked on the door and rammed it open. You can just imagine what went thru the terrified guests inside the party. 2 of the men was said to instead of facing the police & court marshal jumped out the window & to their deaths. This day became known as “Black Friday” in the Tampa GLBT community.

    Most recently as a member of the Barrio Latino Commission we were given a VIP still in renovation tour of the madam building. Large steel girders open in the center of the building going from the ground level to the top of the building. Rooms in the transition state with state of the art large 3 room bedroom suites almost completed on the top floors. Another great historic Tampa building coming to life again!