Visions of the Year to Come
Joe Kokolakis
President
Kokolakis Contracting, Inc.
I believe that 2016 will be a breakthrough year for Tampa
Bay. The resurgence of downtown Tampa, the continued
growth of Saint Petersburg, and the resultant impact on smaller
communities such as Dunedin, Clearwater Beach, and Tarpon
Springs, to name a few, all point to one of the healthiest economic
environments in recent history. Much of this growth is due to the
cultural shift towards community and quality of life. Developers
are quickly and effectively responding to a new demographic
looking for walkable towns, local restaurants, and affordable
housing where the primary amenity is the neighborhood itself.
I am, however, concerned that some of this may be the result
of artificially low interest rates and one-off impacts, such as
the billion dollar renovation at TIA or the Amazon and FedEx
distribution facilities. There is a tremendous amount of pent up
demand and capital that seems to still be sitting on the sidelines.
Without getting too political, I believe that the indecisiveness
of our current government is largely to blame. With 2-3% GDP
growth being our new normal, it is hard to get comfortable
underwriting any new investment. It is simply too tight a
margin in a world filled with uncertainty and lacking leadership.
Public Private Partnerships and other creative approaches that
restructure inefficient programs and attract private investment
are an essential component of continued growth. Through
such dynamic solutions, we can support the much needed
improvements to mass transit and infrastructure and deliver the
“live/work/play” lifestyle we are promoting.
Rick Homans
President and CEO
Tampa Bay Partnership
I am incredibly bullish on Tampa Bay. We’ve been on
a roll for years, with big business deals and exciting new
developments being announced on a remarkably frequent
basis. That momentum is reaching a critical turning point.
In the year ahead, I think we’ll see even more collaboration
between our political leadership, with a focus on projects of
such scope and importance that they create a ripple effect
throughout the entire region. This is also the year that our
regional business community will emerge as a driving force
behind those policy decisions, pushing for a bigger and
bolder approach to ensuring our economic competitiveness,
now and in the future.
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 45