"La Setima," or 7th Avenue, closes to traffic and clubgoers mingle in the street until the early morning hours. It's not unlike New Orleans Bourbon Street, sans strippers and sex shows. The nightclubs began hitting it big about five years ago.. The reason is the diversity of entertainment the district has to offer.....
The after-dark awakening of this 10-block area has kept the Tampa Police Department on its toes. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights are "when things are beefed up in Ybor City." About 20 or so officers _ some on horseback, others on bicycles _ are deployed to the area.
But the entertainment Ybor offers is not only drawing crowds by night. It also is seeing big investments by day....Director Steven Spielberg is taking part in a $50 million project currently under construction. A cinema and Spielberg's "Gameworks," a state-of-the-art arcade, will be part of Centro Ybor, scheduled to open by fall.
