Tampa Republic

The Tampa Convention Center has resumed operations after avoiding significant damage from Hurricane Helene. This reopening comes just in time for the International Boat Builders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), which will take place from Tuesday, October 1 to Thursday, October 3. The event's schedule remains unchanged, and hotels in Downtown Tampa are ready to accommodate attendees.

IBEX is a key annual gathering for the boat-building industry, attracting around 8,000 participants. It is not open to the general public but is expected to generate over $5.4 million in economic benefits for Tampa.

"We want to thank the City of Tampa employees who have worked hard to clean up in the aftermath of the storm," organizers stated. "Our thoughts are with community members who continue to deal with storm impacts."