Next month, Amalie Arena will transform into a giant indoor beach complete with pier and gleaming shoreline of 1.2 million white, recyclable balls.
And it’s all for free, including parking, thanks to the Vinik Family Foundation.
The 15,000-square-foot enclosure was designed by Snarkitecture, an architecture and design studio based in New York. You’ll be able to swim through the balls (which are antimicrobial, to protect against germs and bacteria), relax on the manmade shore and take part in beach activities.
“The Beach Tampa transforms the familiar beach experience into a truly unique, visually stimulating and tactile activity,” Penny Vinik said in an announcement about the event. “It’s just pure fun.”
The beach opens Aug. 5 and runs through Aug. 25. It will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Visit TheBeachTampa.com or Ticketmaster.com for reserve a timed-entry ticket. For general admission tickets, visit the McDonald’s Ticket Office at Amalie Arena.
Parking will be available at the South Regional Parking Garage. You can receive a voucher for free parking during your visit to The Beach, which you’ll give to the parking attendant when leaving.
