FREE-FOR-ALL BEACH ADVENTURE

Amalie Arena had a free event in 2016 called The Beach Tampa. The unique art-installment event saw a beach come to downtown Tampa. Created by Snarkitecture, The Beach Tampa was a 15,000 square foot immersive environment featuring an “ocean” of 1.2 million recyclable and antimicrobial white balls.
“Everything was free, including parking, and we even gave everyone who came free ice cream,” said Preast. “We admitted over 100,000 people over 21 days.”
The event, which cost $1.5 million, was funded by Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment Owner and Chairman Jeff Vinik.
“First I had to wrap my head around a free event,” said Preast. “But once I vetted it out, I realized it was a way to give back to the community. The people loved it, and it was one of the coolest things I’ve been a part of.”
The Beach Tampa was such a hit they are having another free event in 2017. Art of the Brick, also paid for by the Vinik Foundation, will be hosted in a building just acquired by Strategic Property Partners, of which Vinik is a large part, at a cost of $1.5 million.
“We wanted to do something this year that added to the legacy of The Beach Tampa,” said Preast.
The building used to be known as District 3, but it’s being rebranded as Art of the Brick.
The exhibit opens June 23, and closes Sept. 4. It’s a walk-through exhibit featuring sculptures featuring the work of New York City artist Nathan Sawaya. “It’s all unique sculptures made from LEGO bricks,” said Preast. The exhibit will feature over 100 artworks.  Pieces include a 20-ft. long T-Rex, Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting and  Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa portrait. The brickyard will be an interactive play area. Sawaya was handpicked by Penny Vinik.
Additionally, the exhibition features a gallery showcasing an innovative, multimedia collection of LEGO brick-infused photography produced in tandem with photographer Dean West.
They expect up to 300 people an hour, 2,400 people a day. The arena is working on a preferred parking arrangement. The Brick sits two blocks from Amalie Arena. It’s not ticketed and all you have to do “is get in line and come on in,” said Preast.
Family-friendly food trucks will be available outside; inside there will be merchandise and an ice cream stand.
After the exhibit ends, the building will be part of the new entertainment district that’s being built around Amalie Arena. The Art of the Brick has visited over 80 cities worldwide; this is the first time it will visit Tampa Bay.