5 things to know about Vinik's plans for downtown Tampa
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Sep 25, 2014

Here are the key takeaways from Thursday's news that Bill Gates will back a potentially billion dollar development project led by Jeff Vinik.

Cascade Investment LLC's backing of Jeff Vinik's plans for downtown Tampa is a huge endorsement of Tampa's urban core. Cascade is controlled by Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Here are five things to know about the news that Tampa Bay Lightning CEO Tod Leiweke shared with reporters in his office on Thursday afternoon:

- The overarching theme of the plans for Vinik's real estate is a unified district with a mix of commercial, residential and hospitality uses that's connected to the waterfront. No one type of commercial use will dominate the development.

- Vertical construction could begin in 2016. Leiweke did not want to discuss the idea of a baseball stadium or the acquisition of Tampa Marrriott Waterside Hotel and Marina.

- Don't expect to hear much more about Cascade. "It's not something we're going to talk a lot about," Leiweke said. "They did not want to be the out-front guys. They love the fact that Jeff is and love the fact that [an] owner-operator is here day in and day out."

- Gates isn't the only big name joining the team. Tampa commercial real estate veteran Bob Abberger is on board, leaving Trammell Crow after 18 years. Trammell Crow will move its Florida office to a different market.

- Will the Bay Plaza be razed? "Not necessarily," Leiweke said, though he acknowledges the property has "design challenges."

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