30 Years of
Tampa Bay Magazine
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
he 30-year history of our publication,
Tampa Bay Magazine, parallels and
chronicles the ongoing events of the
Tampa Bay area. Since our first issue in 1986,
we have featured the people, places and pleasures
that make up this unique metropolitan melange of
communities. As the area grew, so did we. When
there were financial struggles due to the economy,
we suffered them just like anyone else did.
Over the years, we have learned that, as important
as our editorial content is, the advertisements that
appear in our magazine have also helped establish
changes in fashion, dining, charitable giving
and all the other elements that collectively make
up our area’s lifestyle. However, we also have
realized that over this 30-year period, much more
has remained the same than has changed. Most of
the larger changes came in the form of professional
sports teams, such as the Tampa Bay Rays and
the Tampa Bay Lightning, both of which helped
familiarize the name, “Tampa Bay” to our evergrowing
population. Perhaps the most significant
recognition of this often-challenged name was
when the venerable St. Petersburg Times changed
its name to the Tampa Bay Times on January 1st,
2012. Thirty years ago, or even ten years ago, the
mere possibility of this action would have been
unthinkable. In line with this change of attitude
about our area’s former divisions, many charities
that once operated separately in Hillsborough
40 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2016
County and Pinellas County for years have joined
together to work jointly in a more efficient, unified
effort. Even the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg
and Clearwater meet frequently to help solve the
problems they are experiencing together that often
require joint solutions.
Over the years, The Florida Orchestra has led
the way in melding the various sections of the
Tampa Bay area by performing the same programs
in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. It has
continuously made it clear that the Orchestra is
here to serve the entire Bay area. By doing so, it has
earned the support of the entire metropolitan area,
as it continues to grow stronger each year.
Thirty years ago, we believed that our local
communities would grow and meld together to
produce a wonderful place in which to live, do
business and enjoy a productive lifestyle in one
large area that would be called “Tampa Bay.” It
appears as though we might have had a vision that
becomes more real every day. Maybe it was always
there and just had not been recognized as such.
Our thirty years of Tampa Bay Magazine has
allowed us the opportunity to play a part in much
of the area’s growth and achievement. We are
proud of Tampa Bay as a place for individuals,
families, businesses and charitable organizations
to thrive. We look forward to doing whatever we
can to keep this process going.
T