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Good Morning!

That fog yesterday was no joke, and with classes getting canceled earlier in the week because of the smoke from the fires, it felt like everyone’s routine got thrown off a bit. Hopefully you still made it where you needed to be.

It’s shaping up to be a busy weekend around town with Valentine’s Day here. Restaurants are filling up, special events are popping up everywhere, and we did our best to round up as many as we could. There are almost certainly a few more out there, so it’s worth taking a look through everything before making plans.

Enjoy the beautiful weather, have a great weekend, and go USA in the Olympics.

But first…

If you’re feeling antsy: jump to all of our event links here:

And let’s get to it.

-Mike

In this edition of the North Tampa Buzz:

⚾ Rays Fans Get Ballpark Survey
🍹 Bahama Breeze Leaving SR 56
🏗️ Saddlebrook Growth Picks Up Again
⚡ EV Chargers Coming to Lutz Walmart

…and more!

Feel free to follow us on Instagram for more local updates.

Bahama Breeze Closing, New Concept Coming

The Bahama Breeze on SR 56 in Wesley Chapel is on its way out after about eight years at Cypress Creek Town Center. Instead of staying open, the location is set to be converted into a different Darden-owned restaurant, though the replacement brand hasn’t been announced yet.

There’s plenty of speculation out there in the comments and if you look long enough, there’s possible insider information leading to Yard House. Season’s 52 is also rumored to have put in a permit.

Saddlebrook’s Reimagination Continues Forward

Saddlebrook’s reimagination continues with a new $8.5 million land deal that will bring 118 luxury townhomes to a 20-acre parcel near the resort’s entrance along State Road 54. The project also includes a one-acre commercial site planned for future office or retail space. It places new housing right next to one of Pasco County’s most recognizable properties as the area continues to grow.

This is just one piece of a much larger transformation already in motion. Long-term plans for the property include a town center with 465 apartments, additional townhomes, and roughly 75,000 square feet of retail and office space. Since purchasing the 480-acre resort in 2022, the current ownership group has invested $92 million into upgrades like renovated rooms, new dining concepts, updated meeting spaces, and a rebuilt golf course.

A Huge Thank You to our wonderful local partners!

Rays Send Ballpark Survey to Select Fans

Some Rays fans are starting to receive surveys about the future ballpark experience, covering everything from food options to seating and player access. It’s not being sent to everyone, just a select group, so if you’re a fan, keep an eye on your inbox.

The team is gathering input to help shape what game day could look like down the road, and feedback from local fans may play a role in future decisions.

More EV Chargers Planned Nearby

Walmart is continuing to expand its fast-charging network across the country, and our area is on the list. One Florida location is already operating in Lakeland, and a new site is planned at the Walmart on Dale Mabry in Lutz, with more locations across the state marked as “coming soon.” The stations use high-speed 400-kW chargers with multiple ports for compatibility, and drivers will need to use the Walmart app to start and pay for a charging session.

Housing Crunch Numbers Come Into Focus

There’s a very interesting new regional housing study that pulls Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas together to show the bigger picture. A new regional housing report shows just how fast Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas are growing and why prices keep climbing. The Tampa Bay area is projected to add about 564,000 residents and 211,000 households by 2035, but home construction hasn’t kept up. Between 2018 and 2023 alone, nearly 100,000 households were added while only 82,000 housing units were built, which has helped drive rising costs.

Right now, the region is short roughly 80,650 homes that are affordable for families earning about 80 percent of the median income. To keep pace with growth, about 254,700 new housing units will be needed by 2035, or more than 21,000 per year. The pressure is already showing, with about a third of households spending over 30 percent of their income on housing and rents rising 48 percent in five years while wages grew 29 percent.

Local Effort Helps Feed Pasco Families

A Wesley Chapel company recently partnered with Florida Farm Share and Grace’s Food Pantry to support families facing food insecurity across Pasco County. Vantagepoint A.I. donated more than 600 pounds of canned goods and also helped fund a 26-foot refrigerated truck for Grace’s Food Pantry, allowing the organization to expand its food distribution. Local officials noted efforts like this can help families cover meals for the week and save hundreds of dollars on groceries, especially during times of higher costs.

While the charitable work is recent, the company itself isn’t new to the area. Vantagepoint A.I. has been headquartered in Pasco County for decades and has continued investing locally, including a recent expansion tied to plans for about 60 new jobs. That long-term presence, paired with growth, is part of why you’re seeing their name more often around the community.

I hope this answers the question, “What is there to do around town without having to drive down to Tampa?”

Instead of listing every single event here, I’m going to start highlighting/featuring a few things each day to keep this section easy to scan. So these are just some standouts.

If you’re looking for everything happening around town, the full Community Calendar is still the best place to go. Or, you can find the full list here.

Friday Night Market: Valentine Edition
That Place Down The Street, Land O’ Lakes
Friday, February 13 | 5PM–9PM

This Valentine-themed night market brings together local vendors, food trucks, drinks, and live music for a fun evening out. It’s designed to be family-friendly with yard games, a kids play area, and plenty of spots to browse for gifts or grab dinner.

Friday Moonlight Market at The Hub at Bexley
The Hub at Bexley, Land O’ Lakes
Every 2nd and 4th Friday | 5PM–9PM

This evening market brings together live music, food, craft drinks, and a wide variety of local vendors under the stars. It’s a relaxed, family- and pet-friendly event where you can shop handmade goods, grab a bite, and enjoy a laid-back community night out.

Carrollwood Market
Carrollwood Cultural Center, Carrollwood
2nd Saturday of each month | 10AM–2PM

This monthly community market features a mix of fresh produce, farm eggs, baked goods, plants, local art, and handmade items from area vendors. It’s a family-friendly, dog-friendly event with live music and plenty of local shopping all in one spot.

We’ll be on Instagram with updates wherever we end up. Feel free to slide into our DM’s.

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