Since 1986, the Tampa Downtown Partnership has been working to enhance the quality of life in Tampa’s Downtown. We aim to provide workers, residents and visitors a clean, safe and dynamic neighborhood.
The Tampa Downtown Partnership administers the Special Services District (SSD) program through an annual contract with the City of Tampa. The Special Services District is the longest operating business improvement district in the State of Florida. It encompasses 1,177 acres.
Since its inception in 1994, the SSD has provided services above and beyond the standard services provided by the City of Tampa. Funding for the SSD comes from an assessment placed on non-exempt property owners within the District. These programs and services make significant improvements in the way Downtown looks and operates.
The Partnership’s Downtown Ambassadors’ mission is to create a welcoming and safe Downtown environment through their role as on street hospitality stewards. They patrol the SSD on foot and by vehicle, through our DASH program, acting as eyes and ears on the street staying in the know about all Downtown has to offer. They utilize technology for data collection, provide litter patrol and light landscaping, and act as good will ambassadors welcoming all to Downtown Tampa.
On-going training is an essential element to the Ambassadors’ performance, and they receive some of the best available from organizations like AAA – The Auto Club Group, Tampa Fire and Rescue, Tampa Police Department, Visit Tampa Bay, and more.
The Partnership’s Downtown Clean Team provides supplemental litter and debris removal, minor landscaping, and maintenance to the sidewalks, curbs, and other public areas located within the Downtown Special Services District, to maintain a clean and safe Downtown experience. Team members also observe and report code enforcement issues, trip hazards, streetlight outages, and other relevant concerns related to the look and safety of Downtown. The Clean Team also recently began using iPads to track and record maintenance concerns, directly reporting the issues electronically to the appropriate City of Tampa department for resolution. To complete a Special Event Assistance Application contact Rachel Radawec at 813.221.3686 for more information.
The Tampa Downtown Partnership’s public space initiatives advance unique spaces in our Downtown into highly and thoughtfully programmed and attractive places. This multi-faceted approach to planning, design, and management has helped to create some of Downtown Tampa’s most beloved events. You can enjoy everything from weekly community fitness classes to a two-month installation of Winter Village, to a redesigned park space in the center of Downtown. Programs are deployed throughout the seven neighborhoods and aim to serve the needs of that community.
The Tampa Downtown Partnership supports the growth and vitality of the urban core through the marketing and creative direction of Tampa’s Downtown. The Partnership’s communication efforts promote Downtown using creative storytelling, innovative technology, and design excellence to brand Tampa’s Downtown and engage and inform stakeholders, visitors, and the community about all facets of the Special Services District. The Marketing and Communications team serves as an in-house creative agency, designing sub-brands for public events, informational videos, place-branded collateral, and neighborhood identity campaigns. They work frequently with local and national news outlets to ensure that Tampa’s Downtown is extensively covered in the media and serves as a responsive and timely source for Downtown updates.
The Partnership publishes several communications pieces as well as a weekly online newsletter, the Monday Morning Memo. Additionally, the Partnership promotes Downtown’s happenings through our social media channels including Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Tampa Downtown Partnership membership provides an opportunity to improve and promote your business, build relationships with Downtown community and business leaders, and make your company’s voice heard on key issues. Additionally, the Partnership provides up-to-date data on trends and information that will help you make informed business decisions and provide opportunities for your employees to become involved and connected in Tampa’s Downtown community.
The Tampa Downtown Partnership’s Transportation & Planning team focuses on improving how visitors, employees, and residents get around Tampa’s Downtown. Through their planning efforts and collaboration with local, county, state, and private agencies they lead innovative studies regarding mobility issues and advocate for good urban planning principles, multi-modal transit options, and safety.
