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New dining prospects rated for Tampa International Airport

 
Published April 11, 2015

TAMPA — The most coveted endorsements in bay area food and beverage circles were released Friday, offering a glimpse at what new eating and drinking options might come to Tampa International Airport in 2017.

There could be a Hard Rock Cafe and Qdoba Mexican Grill in the main terminal.

Ducky's, Pei Wei Asian Diner and Burger 21 could come to Airside A.

A slew of old and new restaurants — Cigar City Brewing, PDQ, RumFish Grill and Ulele Bar — could end up in Airside C.

A South Tampa staple, Four Green Fields, could win a space in Airside E alongside the Columbia Restaurant Café and Panda Express.

An upscale bar called Cafe by Mise En Place could set up in Airside F, a spinoff of Maryann Ferenc's classic restaurant Mise En Place.

Those are among the top-ranked candidates to open at the airport — but they may not be the final candidates, or the winning ones.

The results still have to be approved by airport CEO Joe Lopano. Then the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, the board that governs the airport, will use the results as a guide when it votes on the winning bidders June 4.

Host International Inc., which has been the airport's only concessionaire since the main terminal opened in 1971, saw two of its bid packages earn a top rating.

So did TPA Hospitality Partners LLC, the group that Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and Ferenc belong to. Its main investor is concessionaire Delaware North, which is also the concessions company for Amalie Arena.

SSP America Inc. wants to bring the famous Hard Rock Cafe to the airport and also saw its proposed "marche" markets inside Airside C and F earn top rankings. Both markets offer quick dining and drinking options from the popular local brands Bella's Italian Cafe, Buddy Brew Coffee, Fitlife Foods, Goody Goody, Louis Pappas, Square 1 Burgers and Yogurtology.

A four-member airport committee has spent weeks evaluating the bids. This past week it held public meetings to evaluate all the bids submitted for six food and beverage packages and five retail packages.

The committee's job was to evaluate and rank each proposal after judging the concept, floor plans, management, operations plans, presentations and financial plans.

The airport's goal is to find the best combination of local flavors and famous brands to anchor the redesign of the main terminal — and generate more revenue for the airport.

Revamping and rebuilding the dining and shopping options is just one facet of Tampa International's massive $943 million upgrade.

Contact Jamal Thalji at thalji@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3404. Follow @jthalji.