Louisville throws party to woo area's young professionals

TAMPA — Talk about slugging a town when it's down. Louisville — the town that gave the name to the famous slugger — is trying to poach Tampa's young talent by plying them with jobs and booze.

Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson has armed himself with Kentucky Derby tickets and top-shelf bourbon, and plans to throw a party Thursday night in Tampa inviting the city's young malcontents to "Move to Possibility City." The effort to recruit former Kentuckians to move back home comes in the wake of Forbes naming Tampa the worst major metro area in America for young professionals for the second straight year.

"Bring it on, Louisville," said Larry Richey, senior managing director of Cushman Wakefield in Tampa and chairman of the Committee of One Hundred, the Tampa chamber's economic development arm. "These young professionals will get free beer any chance they get, but I doubt many of them will move to Louisville."

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio was likewise confident. "I'm not worried," she said. "We've got a great city, a great quality of life. … We've got a wonderful atmosphere — so good that I don't need to throw parties in other cities to get people to move here."

"Beaches?" scoffed Louisville's Abramson. "We've got fall and winter. Seasons are important to some people."

The party, dubbed the "Louisville Reunion," is in its sixth year and has visited San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta. This is its first Florida visit. The invitations go to people with ties to Kentucky, like graduates of some of the state's colleges and universities. Abramson said the Tampa-St. Petersburg area is home to one of the largest alumni groups of the University of Louisville.

The party offers a tasting of Kentucky's signature liquor — bourbon. Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve will be on offer, as will door prizes to the 2009 Kentucky Derby and the 2008 Ryder Cup. Abramson bragged about his city's vibrant downtown, its "great public schools" and its many large employers, like Humana, Kindred Health Care and UPS Worldport's shipping hub. The city was just named among the "Best Towns of 2008" by Outdoor magazine and named "Most Livable City" by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Speaking of mayors, Abramson was asked if he'd given Tampa's mayor a heads-up. "Is your mayor still Greco?" he asked. (No, the mayor isn't still Dick Greco and, no, Abramson did not call ahead.)

"You think the used car business is tough, you should try being mayor," said Abramson, who has been mayor for 19 years. "It's very competitive."

Comments on this article

by Ron	Jul 28, 2008 11:00 AM
I am a native Louisvillian and used to believe Louisville was a great city. Mayor Abramson does little to protect our quality of life. Loud car stereos and loud mufflers ruin the peace and quiet because laws are not enforced. Also drugs & crime

by Kiel	Jul 27, 2008 8:56 PM
Funny how Luoisville comes here and talks jobs, our leaders can not respond to that so blather about beaches and sunshine. I have to pay the bills before I can enjoy the beach you know?

by Bill	Jul 25, 2008 2:14 PM
Stupid Poll. Let's be realistic folk, lottery winners do not pick Kentucky... Hawaii, California, NYC, Florida, but not Kentucky. Tampa area is fine except for the povs and rednecks.

by jeff	Jul 25, 2008 2:14 PM
Tampa is a dump. Louisville is a dump. It's just a matter of what dump pays better in my opinion!

by DAVID	Jul 25, 2008 2:00 PM
TO PAM - please stop with your attempt at being "cool". There is NOTHING in Louisville taht is even close to a "vibrant urban scene." LOL!

by Marylyn	Jul 25, 2008 1:52 PM
The current administration in Florida/Tampa has brought this state to it's knees. Any person hoodwinked into believing Florida has anything to offer other than pretty beaches is mssing out on the big picture. Too bad.

by Andrew	Jul 25, 2008 1:26 AM
Lets send Louisville all of our young mortgage brokers.

by Pam	Jul 24, 2008 9:06 PM
Lville and Tampa are both plagued by a trashy core populace. Professionals can tap into a funky, vibrant urban scene in Lville, or they can go to the beach here. As for culture & class, Lville has little, Tampa has none. Schools here are a disaster.

by rod	Jul 24, 2008 8:56 PM
Wow, no stereotypes in these comments!

by Ramone	Jul 24, 2008 8:07 PM
There is NOTHING nice about your state of Florida. Unless of course you're into lawless gangs of thugs running the housing market & supported by some gov't officials.

by Gayle	Jul 24, 2008 8:07 PM
To Ignatius - Is there a typo in your name? Shouldn't it be spelled "Ignoramus"? You obviously know nothing about Kentucky!

by Judy	Jul 24, 2008 8:06 PM
By Kentucky bound

by Mike	Jul 24, 2008 7:32 PM
I just moved back to KY from the Tampa Bay area for family reasons. You can have Louisville and I'll throw in Lexington for good measure.

by Scourge	Jul 24, 2008 6:17 PM
We at Scourge Tampa Bay assure you all is well, everyone is happy and well paid, anyone who dissents from that party line is an evil whiner, failure, illiterate and a sexual deviant. Agree with us or leave, we are never wrong. All hail the chamber!

by DAVID	Jul 24, 2008 5:13 PM
TO GEORGE - arts? = banjo festival. dining? = roadkill & wendy's.

by J	Jul 24, 2008 5:11 PM
TPA and Lville are both great but its nice to live in a city w nearly the same amenities (arts,dining scene,culture.nlife) yet half the commute time and half the ppl yet has more dnse big city feel..Lville 1 Tampa 0.. Thats why I left to Lvl this yr.

by Stephanie	Jul 24, 2008 5:10 PM
Good God, there is NOTHING in Louisville. Having lived in that state for a couple of years, I can tell you you will die of boredom. It is pretty. Big deal. Everyone is close-minded, homophobic, tech-challenged, and just plain dull. Move? Don't do it!

by Paisa el Toro	Jul 24, 2008 4:20 PM
The Tampa Bay area really needs to step up to the plate to prevent further "brain drain." Drastically cutting the budgets of all the state universities isn't helping the situation either.

by Native Floridian	Jul 24, 2008 3:29 PM
As a native floridian, i love louiseville and would move there in a heartbeat, if I didn't have things holding me here. Only a matter of years and I'm out of this he!! hole! Florida is too corrupt for me.

by pat	Jul 24, 2008 3:28 PM
I've been to Ky and NC the only reason someone would move there is if their homophobic, anit shirts, anti shirt, anit shoes and the biggest one is ANTI TEETH.

by Paul	Jul 24, 2008 2:23 PM
The only professionals preferring Kentucky over here are the ones that do not appreciate great diversity. If you are professional and do not like it here please leave so there is more room for those of us who appreciate a good thing when we see it.

by George	Jul 24, 2008 1:19 PM
As a native of St. Petersburg (a St. Pete High and UF grad) I love Tampa and St.Pete, but 31 years ago I chose to move to Louisville and a cooler climate. What a terrific city! The people are friendly and gracious. Dining and the arts are the best!

by Jeff	Jul 24, 2008 1:19 PM
Unless you can smoke that Kentucky Bluegrass I couldn't imagine any other reason to live there. It's a dark musty place that smells. But if you are from there please go back and don't bring the quality and the IQ of Tampa down.

by James	Jul 24, 2008 11:24 AM
Tampa Bay is great! Hillsborough & Pinellas are home to some of the best schools in the nation. We have TONS of things for young people to do. And our downtown areas are growing rapidly. Louisville - really? This whole thing is just laughable.

by Habilis	Jul 24, 2008 11:24 AM
I used to date a girl from Louisville, does that qualify me for free beer? I miss her.

by J	Jul 24, 2008 11:23 AM
It's not where you live, but what you make of it. I love Florida, but if I were offered something someplace else that was lucrative, I'd go. It's silly not to take a better opportunity. But going somewhere else without a secure job offer isn't smart.

by DShenise	Jul 24, 2008 11:23 AM
My family left last year for Atlanta. Basically it was 25% more money for both of us, cost of living is about 12% less. The growth potential is substantial. Tampa is great if you have low standards. We don't.

by Mike	Jul 24, 2008 11:23 AM
Where's Louisville?

by Vitale	Jul 24, 2008 11:23 AM
On a recent trip through Louisville, I noticed their support of the arts was very impressive, small and large galleries line the streets along with public sculptures, It's got Tampa beat on that for sure!

by Craig	Jul 24, 2008 11:23 AM
Ken, thanks for letting us all know how much you make. You're cool. I know I'M impressed.

by Ken	Jul 23, 2008 8:49 PM
I am leaving Tampa for a much higher (150K+/yr) paying job in a real city. A city that has light rail, a downtown with things to do and is walkable. Tampa is a horrible, dead past 5, non-transit, un-walkable city. Mayor Iorio YOU SHOULD WORRY!

by Bubba	Jul 23, 2008 8:46 PM
Yeah, you whiners go home. I like it here in America's most depressed & angry city. Who cares about inept gubmint? I get my check every month. Schools? Hey, You Wish you had a Steph Ragusa. Slow, dirty, simple & proud; that's me, and my Tampa Bay.

by Anne	Jul 23, 2008 6:33 PM
As a native Floridian, I say "don't let the door hit you in the tush on your way out!" This state was a hell of a lot nicer before the whiners moved in.

by Bil	Jul 23, 2008 5:06 PM
I agree, I just recently left Fl for NC for a job w/better benefits and better pay. However, I can't wait to get back to the beaches like Patty, who needs changing leaves...

by Patty	Jul 23, 2008 3:38 PM
I had to leave tampa to move to NC for a resume enhancing job, and I can't wait to get back! Beaches or 4 seasons? There is no comparison, cold weather sucks!!!! Can't wait to get back to FLA....