Vinik plans to buy Tampa Marriott Waterside
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Sep 23, 2014

Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik's next downtown acquisition may be the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina.

Sources who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation said Vinik intends to buy the 719-room hotel - which is on the riverfront in downtown Tampa, between Amalie Arena and the Tampa Convention Center - in a deal that could close in the coming weeks.

A Lightning spokesman declined comment. The ownership of the hotel, a corporate entity tied to Marriott, in late August filed paperwork with the city to verify the zoning of the property, a move that real estate experts say is typically done if an owner plans to sell or refinance a property.

It's not clear how the Marriott Waterside would fit into Vinik's plans for downtown and the Channel district. Vinik has acquired about 25 acres in downtown Tampa and also holds the ground lease to Channelside Bay Plaza, the tired waterfront mall along Channelside Drive, between the arena and the Florida Aquarium.

But Vinik's desire to control a hotel in downtown Tampa is clear: The city has signed off on his plans for a combination hotel-condominium project at the corner of Old Water Street and Florida Avenue, which is across the street from the Marriott Waterside. While he's yet to publicly unveil a grand plan for his real estate holdings, he and Lightning representatives have said that they want to create a district that will bring people to area around the forum on a consistent basis - reinvigorating the south end of downtown Tampa and turning it into a vibrant, live-work-play neighborhood.

Built in 2000, the Marriott Waterside is the city's convention hotel, with 50,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Ashley Gurbal Kritzer is a reporter for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.