[size=14]Greater Metro Tampa Sprawl[/size]

City at a Glance

The Greater Metro Tampa Sprawl includes the areas that used to be St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Palmetto and Bradenton where the sprawl merges somewhat with Sarasota, which has crept ever northward since the turn of the century. With temperatures that average around 69.9° year round Tampa is a subtropical paradise where the rich and famous rub elbows while soaking up the sun, and sipping something cool! The latest fashions, ultramodern mass transportation, clean beaches and hot night life make Tampa one of the hottest spots in North America!

Facts at a Glance:

Current Population: 5,380,019

   

• Human: 53%
• Elf: 7%
• Dwarf: 3%
• Ork: 25%
• Troll : 7%
• Other : 5%

Population Density: 1,894 per square kilometer
Per Capita Income: 97,500 ¥
Below Poverty Level: 41%
On Fortunes Active Traders List: 2%
Corporate Affiliation: 67%
Voting Precincts: 13
Education:

   

• < 12 Years: 32%
• High School: 35%
• College Degree: 26%
• Graduate Degree: 7%

Hospitals and Clinics: 59


Geography

Located midway down Florida's west coast, about 25 miles east of the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa is bordered on the south and west by the Hillsborough and Old Tampa bays. Downtown is divided by the winding Hillsborough River, which originates northeast of the city and empties into Hillsborough Bay. The city's year-round semitropical climate is free from many of the extremes found elsewhere. Its most remarkable feature is the summer thunderstorm season. On an average of ninety days from June through September, late afternoon thundershowers sweep across the area, making Tampa one of the stormiest cities in the United States.


Politics

Politics in Tampa can easily be described as convoluted at best. The current Mayor of the sprawl is Ray Simmons, an affable human who used to be a street cop, before Tampa privatized it's Police Department in the late 30's. Most famous for solving the Busch Twin murders Mayor Simmons came to office on a True American party platform, and a strong law enforcement platform, capitalizing on Mayor Breckin's administrations failure to protect several witnesses who were murdered while under the cities protection.

Mayor Simmons has close ties with the Governors office, in part because his wife is a close cousin of the governor and of course their party ties, which has lead to some conflicts with the United Corporate Council of the Greater Tampa Metro Area, which represents the 16 major corporations that operate in the Tampa Sprawl.

Mayor Simmons also has faced severe criticism from the Olivia Ruiz, an elven Federal Judge who presides over the 13th Federal District Court. Judge Ruiz has presided over several high profile cases including the cases which helped unseat Mayor Breckin. Judge Ruiz has faced criticism from Mayor Simmons for her heavy handed tactics, as well as her close corporate ties. Her honor was instrumental in setting up the local Lone Star and federal combined Organized Crime Task Force, as well as Evergate, the offshore underwater maximum security prison.

The United Corporate Council of the Greater Tampa Metro Area consists of sixteen Corporations, of varying degrees of influence. All of the big ten MegaCorporations have representatives on the council, except Aztechnology who has been cordially told to take a long walk off a short pier, as well as several local and national corporations. Membership for these smaller corporations is on a rotating basis and competition is fierce.

Getting In and Out

Road

Three major interstates bring road traffic into and through the City of Tampa Bay. Interstate 4 brings in traffic from the eastern coast of Florida, through Orlando and Kissimmee. This road sees the most traffic of a commercial nature, dealing with moving goods from Tampa's ports to Orlando and points north in CAS.

Interstate 75 passes through the northern borders of the Tampa City limits at Route 54 just northeast of the suburb of Lutz. This major commuter highway splits off into Interstates 275 and 75 just south of Route 54. Interstate 75 continues southeast through Seffner, Brandon, Riverview, Gibsonton and Apollo Beach. Interstate 75 then traverses the length and width of the state of Florida; eventually passing through Port Charlotte, Bonita Springs, and Naples before reaching Miami in the Caribbean League.

Interstate 275 passes through portions of Downtown Tampa before crossing the Howard Franklin Bridge into St. Petersburg. The highway continues through south through St. Petersburg and moves back across Tampa Bay via the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a six tiered bridge with 2 lanes of traffic going in each direction.

Rail

Three regional rail lines provide access into and around the city of Tampa Bay. The Northern Red Line runs smaller fuel and electric cell powered trains and trams south from the origin point of North Brooksville. This line passes south through Brooksville, mostly following route 41 through Lutz and points south. It then parallels Interstate 275 until reaching the four way (Clover) exchange in the southwestern corner of Ybor City. Passenger trains move west towards the major transit hub of Union Station in downtown Tampa. Commercial units often continue southeast to the two major shipping and commercial hubs (North Gibsonton and Gibsonton) along the South Tamiami Trail. These hubs provide shipping containers to the extensive Gibsonton docks, as well as other commercial transit methods (road, rail, and air via Tampa International Airport). Additional commercial rail lines continue south and east from these two hubs to Miami (Caribbean League) and Port St. Lucie.

The City Blue Line runs passenger and metro style trains, powered by Gridguide systems. The line runs a loop starting from Union Station in the downtown district. The northern leg of the loop runs along aside the commercial Red Line until it branches off at Busch Blvd. It then moves west, passing through Tarpon, Oldsmar, and eventually south through Clearwater. This northern leg continues southwest from Clearwater, moving through the St. Petersburg District and eventually terminates just across from Tropicana Field at the Tropicana Station.

The Green Line is a high-speed maglev train that moves east from Union Station, utilizing two separate multi-line tracks that run parallel along 7th Avenue. As 7th Avenue and Broadway Ave combine, the two lines begin moving in different directions. One heads southeast towards Port St. Lucie and Miami, while the upper track heads towards Kissimmee and Orlando. Both commercial cargo and passenger trains run on these high-speed lines, though the higher price obviously keeps some customers from utilizing this service.

Air

Numerous airports handle the substantial air traffic found in and around the city, but two major airports handle the larger commercial and passenger vessels. Tampa International Airport (TPA) is the only airport in Tampa currently capable of handling the sub-orbital and semi-ballistic craft used for rapid passenger transport in the 21st century. It holds a place of prestige among the denizens of the city, offering a wide variety of both passenger and cargo airlines.

St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport (PIE) also handles all types of air traffic, though it cannot handle sub-orbital craft. This has forced SPCI into a secondary role in the city, something that causes the two districts' Council representatives to grind their teeth. As of 2063, no current plans exist to expand SPCI to handle sub-orbital craft. This will leave the airport out in the cold for a large percentage of the passenger market, forcing SPCI to remain a second-rate primarily commercial traffic facility.

MacDill Air Force Base handles military grade traffic in the area, and is the center of operations for the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing, and the 4th Support Flight Wing of the Confederated Air Force. Special Operations Command also operates a training center out of MacDill that serves both civil and military training groups.

Two smaller airports exist to serve additional air traffic, particularly city transit VTOL craft. Peter O Knight Airport on the Davis Islands (Downtown District) and Albert Whitted Airport serve as the major municipal airports for the city.

Boat

It is called Tampa *Bay* after all. The amount of boat and naval access to Tampa is near limitless.Individually owned docks and berths are numerous, however there are several significant commercial, private and military sites worth mentioning .

On the commercial side, two shipyards handle the majority of the larger cargo haulers. The Port of Tampa Bay (Downtown District) can handle all types of commercial and passenger vessels. Gibsonton Central Port (Riverview District) also handles the same class of vessels, but typically sees far more commercial traffic than any other type. Buccaneer Pointe Shipyards (Downtown District) can handle medium size cargo vessels, but typically sees mostly passenger vessels and civilian watercraft.

The MacDill Confederated Naval Station handles the majority of military traffic in the area, as well as the Coast Guard and Privateer Fleets.

Dozens of smaller docks, yacht clubs, and boat yards handle the large volume of civilian watercraft and small passenger transports found on Tampa's waterways. The most prominent of these is the Isla Del Sol Yacht Club (St. Petersburg District), which handles the large majority of the city's luxury watercraft and private yachts. This is also the home of the annual Rigatta Del Luna, Tampa's famous non-powered boat race. Safety Harbor Boatyards (Clearwater District) is the home of the lower income fishermen and tourist lines that trawl the Bay. It also sees a great deal of quasi-legal water racers and smugglers, along with Buccaneer Pointe Shipyards (Downtown District).

Economy

Tampa Bay is a bustling center of economic activity-busy harbor, international airport, commerce hub, cultural mecca, and hedonistic paradise. All of these things accurately describe Tampa Bay, and still fail to really give any visitors the true scope of what happens here in Tampa Bay!

With the balkanization of the former North American states, international trade and shipping has exponentially increased in importance. First and foremost amongst Tampa's industries is shipping. Freight, passengers, goods and services, all of it eventually comes through Tampa. Combined with low local, state and federal taxes on goods Tampa Bay is an excellent place to live, and work.

Wuxing and Saeder Krupp have both invested heavily into the Aquanautics business-Aquaculture, underwater Aquatic living, as well as much more. Money from these two corporations has played heavily into funding the city's coffers. Wuxing also has invested heavily in the local port infrastructure, paying to have Buccaneer Pointe Shipyards dredged twice in the last ten years, as well as reinforcing various structures (Light Houses, retaining walls, etc...) against the weather, which can be unpredictable at best.

Novatech has also invested in the areas telecommunication infrastructure, revamping the Matrix access points, as well as providing free storage and access for the city and it's may services, as well as allowing many private citizens access. Plans for a wireless initiative is also rumored to be in the works, but Novatech has suffered some recent set backs after several incidents of corporate espionage.

Renaraku has a presence in Tampa as well, as they've begun construction on a new Arcology off the coast. They keep a pretty low profile for the most part, preferring to play their hand close to vest.

Demographics

The twentieth century saw heavy influxes of Hispanic immigrants, many from Cuba but also thousands from Mexico, and Central America. Many found work as laborers, repairing the storm damage that was all too frequently dealt out by storms. The awakening saw massive portion of this segment of society becoming Orks, which are Florida's second largest racial group.

The death knell of the baby boomer generation saw Florida's population, and Tampa's specifically, rapidly shift from over 50 to under 30 almost over night. The rapid growth of the ork population was fueled both by traditional Hispanic family outlooks, but also because of the heavily Catholic composition of the Hispanic community. The Hispanic's communities influence can be seen every where: most papers are bilingual, as are most radio stations, and trideo stations broadcast in both English and Spanish. Spanish is an essential skill in this part of the world.

Tampa Bay also has a rapidly growing population of Elves, mainly from the upper end of the socioeconomic spectrum, who've begun to reshape portions of the city-Apollo Beach being one of the best examples.

Tampa Bay also has a small but thriving population of Dwarves, and a small but vocal community of Night Ones.

With the death of the baby boomer generation, Tampa's graveyards were pushed to the limit, and beyond. A thriving population of Ghouls resides in Tampa Bay, however this population has suffered a great deal of violence in recent years, especially at the hands of Humanis affiliated groups.

Crime and Violence

Violent crime is on the decline here in Tampa, and with the assistance of of the CAS Attorney general major inroads have been made in compromising gangs and voodoo posses in the area. Organized Crime in Tampa Bay is on a severe decline,due to the diligent work of Lone Star and the DDI, and their agents in the area. Many of the families in this area are subservient to crime families outside of the city and state.

>Organized Crime in Tampa Bay remains a problem to this day. Despite efforts to limit the influence of Giancana and DeCavalcante families, both of these New Jersey based Mob operations have made major gains in the last two decades. They control most of the high end shipping and smuggling operations, as well as making a large amount of cash from hijackings, and kidnappings. The Family is pretty proactive down here, recruiting Hispanics and Meta's heavily. Next to New Orleans they are perhaps the most proactive portion of the Family.
>Gryphon

>Gryphon is correct that the Giancana's are pretty much equal opportunity, but the DeCavalcante's, lead by Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante is an old fashioned crew, and while they'll use Meta's for muscle, they can pretyy much never expect to go much further than that.
>Downtown Playah!

>The Triads and the Yakuza have some people in the area, the Green Lotus Society being the largest Tong in Tampa, and the Shokaku-Gumi being the biggest and most aggressive Clan in the area, but both of them are playing second fiddle to the Family, who's been in this part of the world since the 1930's.

The Shokaku-Gumi is a part of the Bokutoru-Rengo which controls most of the Clan's operations on the East Coast. Fred Korematsu is the Oyabun of the Shokaku, a shrewd and calculating man who owns a chain of Japanese restaurants through out the Gulf Coast. The Yakuza have begun to make in roads into the prostitution rackets, as well as investing in some of the off shore casinos.

The Green Lotus Society seems pretty intent on expanding it's market share, but because of the lack of a significant Chinese population, their traditional power base, things have been slow. The compete heavily with The Family in the BTL market, as well as computer crimes. Violent clashes between the Tongs and anyone aren't uncommon.

The Vory have a negligible presence here in Tampa, operating some safe houses and getting a small piece of the smuggling operations, but most of their Operations run further north in the baltimore area.
>Zeus

>Gangs are a serious problem in Tampa, and elsewhere in Florida. Tampa Bay has a lot of street gangs, more than it's share of Go-Gangs, and water based, self styled "Pirate" krewes. These range from semi-harmless groups of preteen adolescents looking to have "fun", to seriously supported idealogical nightmares looking to spread their brand of mayhem. OC and the Gang task Force don't always play well with each other, each thinking the other is an idiot and underestimating their work on the streets. Needless to say there are a lot more problems on the streets than the Mayor's office would like to admit.
>Zeus

>The practice of downgrading crimes, padding the numbers, is pretty common place in Tampa Bay. Murders downgraded to man slaughter, or assaults. Each district scrambling to pad as much as possible with out being caught red handed.
>Buccaneer

Major Districts

Tampa Bay is divided into thirteen primary voting districts, each encompassing several smaller districts. Over the years political gerrymandering has blurred the lines between certain districts, which overlap in sometimes unfathomable ways. Still other districts have clearly defined borders, and when you add in extraterritorial property, well things quickly become messy.

Each of the thirteen districts elects a councilman and an alternate. The thirteen councilmen comprise the city council, which works with the mayor in determining city policy.

Each district also elects three Aldermen, who together comprise the Greater Tampa Metro Congress, a body which acts in a variety of capacities including approving fiscal budgets, the wording of any and all ballots, proposals and elections. The Aldermen also control their individual districts, reporting to their City Councilman.

The thirteen districts are:

   

• Apollo Beach-Includes Sun City, Adonis and Big Bend
• Brandon- Includes Dover, Plant City, Seffner, and Valrico
• Bradenton-Includes Cortez, Ellenton, Holmes Beach, and Palmetto.
• Clearwater- Dunedin, and Safety Harbor
• Lake Tarpon-Includes Anclote Anchorage, Holiday, and New Port Richey
• Largo-Belleair, Belleair Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, and Indian Shores
• New Tampa Bay
• North Tampa-Includes Hillsborough, Land O Lakes, Lutz, Odessa, and Wesley Chapel
• Old Tampa Bay-Includes Downtown, Pinella Park, The International District, and The St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
• Riverview-Includes Gibsonton
• Palm Harbor- Includes Olldsmar, and Saint Josephs Sound
• St. Petersburg-Seminole, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, Kenneth City, St. Pete

     Beach and Gulfport.
   

• Temple Terrace- Includes Hillsborough Park, Nowatney, and Thonotasassa.

Each district is served by Lone Star as it's primary Law Enforcement Service provider, except New Tampa Bay which has retained Knight Errant on a trial basis. The current Chief of Police for the Metro Tampa Bay area is Marcus Slade, a charming Troll built similar to a tank.

Franklin Associates Inc. provides city wide fire and rescue coverage, along with corporations like Doc Wagon and Crash cart, who also both provide rescue Services. The current Fire Chief is Allan Butler, a rosy cheeked rotund man who has served the city well.

Sanitation services are contracted out by district, however each district is accountable to the Sanitation Commissioner Harold Redface, who represents the city. His assistant Vincent DeCavalcante represents the Sanitation Workers Union Local 329 in official matters.

The Tampa Bay Public Database is maintained by Novatech, and the Public Database Commissioner is Eugene H. Martin, representing Novatech.

The Public Works Commissioner, representing Shiawase Envirotech, is Sarah Tate.

The Public Transportation Commissioner is Hazel Vroman, representing Metro Transit International.

Wow. Good stuff Paul!

No Horizon? (I take this is a 3rd edition setting?)

Correct, I have not adopted the fourth edition yet. I tried to keep it as broad as  possible, as to be somewhat useful for someone else to use. (Feel free to customize it for your own ends.)

Well, you can still use AA corps like Spain's Sol Media Group, which is heavy into tourism, entertainment, and the Latino market.

Yeah I really have't gotten too in depth with this yet. I have a plan to go district by district yet.

Got to say Serious Paul you hanging around the rpg section seems way more interesting than you hanging around the help desk IMO. So far you are probably the only forum poster that makes me want to run Shadowrun...your Natural Geographic take was cool and I kinda of like this one too.

Regards,
David R

Thanks.

I don't post too often, but when I do I try to make it count. This is also the setting I'll be using in my upcoming SR game, so this is part of the prep work.

DAMN this lloks great. My own Backyard ( ) to play in.

You might want include Westley Chapel as a suburb for the area. Tampa keep trying to extend into Pasco County every year anyways. Since this is Tampa Bay area and not just Tampa itself, I say go for it.

List Westley Chapel, Zepherhills, Dade City, Land O'Lakes, Lakeland,  and Brooksville as well. All we which is concidered greater Tampa Bay by the News Media. Just a suggestion

SOunds great so far though

Quote from: Serious PaulInterstate 275 passes through portions of Downtown Tampa before crossing the Howard Franklin Bridge into St. Petersburg. The highway continues through south through St. Petersburg and moves back across Tampa Bay via the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a six tiered bridge with 2 lanes of traffic going in each direction.

It's the Howard Frankland Bridge, not Howard Franklin.

And I object to your characterization of the climate here as anything but hell on earth.  The Tampa Bay area has the most disgusting climate I have ever had the misfortune to experience.

EDIT: Except south Florida/Fort Lauderdale area.  I guess the farther south you go the worse it gets.

Good stuff though.  You don't think Tampa would be more likely to expand northward than south into Manatee?  If I'm not mistaken the current trend is expansion up 75 (New Tampa)

I don't live in Florida, and other than a single weekend in Sarasota I've never been there. This is all pretty much guess work on my part, combined with some (limited) research.

Quote from: Serious PaulI don't live in Florida, and other than a single weekend in Sarasota I've never been there. This is all pretty much guess work on my part, combined with some (limited) research.

Interesting. Nice job then.  And I think you're spot-on about Sarasota moving northward.

Thanks. I'll be looking at your suggestions and others in here, and adjusting my materials appropriately where needed, or where it makes a better story. (I'm willing to sacrifice accuracy for fun.)

Bookmarked and ready for Yoink!age the next time I run SR. Thanks!

Thanks for the read, and feel free to use whatever I have up. At some point I'd like to get my Seattle 206x up for public consumption, I think at last count it was 270 plus pages of just locations that could be transplanted anywhere. Part of it was published in TSS, but the rest has sort of just sat there waiting.

Has Disney World expanded all the way to Tampa by then?  Will Disney be one of the corps?  I wish I was joking.