Amalie Arena Hosting The Beach Tampa

TAMPA, FL – While the Channelside District in downtown Tampa may not be the first place people think of to hit the beach, the Amalie Arena is offering an alternative for the next few weeks.

The Beach Tampa is a free, interactive architectural installation that offers a 15,000 sq. ft. immersive environment featuring an “ocean” of 1.2 million recyclable, antimicrobial white balls. The attraction opened Thursday, Aug. 5 and will run through Thursday, Aug. 25.

The Beach Tampa, created by Snarkitecture, is staged in an all-white enclosure made of construction materials, including scaffolding, wall panels, and perforated mesh, giving the appearance of a boardwalk beach arcade. Visitors can go for a “swim,” enjoy the view from the water’s edge or stroll along the pier.

The shoreline features a beach hut, beach chairs, umbrellas and other beach activities for visitors. The 75-foot-wide shoreline opens up to a sea of balls enclosed within mirrored walls that create an infinite reflected expanse.

The white balls comprising the ocean are protected with GermBLOCK, which provides antimicrobial protection for guests against 50 different germs and bacteria.

Free online tickets are available to The Beach Tampa by visiting ticketmaster.com. Free general admission tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis during all hours of operation at the McDonald’s Ticket Office at Amalie Arena, located at 401 Channelside Drive.

“We have plenty of tickets available for The Beach at our ticket office for every hour of every day that the exhibit is open to beachgoers,” said Kevin Preast, the senior vice president of event management for Amalie Arena. “We are encouraging those who can get tickets online to walk up to the arena for access.”

Visitors can park for free at the South Regional Garage, 301 Channelside Drive, and every guest will be treated to a free ice cream. Children age 14 or younger must be accompanied by an adult.

The Beach Tampa is open Monday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., Fridays from noon to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Beach will also be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 8 and Tuesday, Aug. 9.

For more information, visit www.thebeachtampa.com.

Image via Shutterstock

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