The Tampa Bay Estuary Program was among the premier sponsors of a regional visioning exercise that recently brought together 300 community leaders in Tampa to brainstorm how to accommodate the population and job growth expected by the year 2050 .

“Reality Check Tampa Bay” asked participants to find room for the 3.2 million additional residents and 1.5 million new jobs projected to arrive in West Central Florida by the year 2050 by stacking Legos representing new homes and jobs on large table-size maps.

Working in small groups, the 300 community leaders – including elected officials, developers, corporate executives and community activists – plotted where in the 7-county area stretching from Hernando to Sarasota new homes and jobs should go, along with the transportation corridors to link them.

Each workgroup had to decide upon three major guiding principles that they endeavored to follow in laying out their growth scenarios. Three top principles emerged: Create an integrated multi-modal transportation system using cars, buses, light rail and even ferries to bridge the bay; cluster housing close to work, shopping and entertainment; and preserve Florida’s natural habitats and water supplies.

ULI Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Partnership Regional Research & Education Foundation helped coordinate the effort. Dan Mahurin, president and CEO of SunTrust Bank, TampaBay was co-chairman of Reality Check with Don Whyte, chairman of the ULI District Council and president of Newland Communities southeast division. Other major sponsors included the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.