The economic impact of having the Tampa Bay region reported on by 15,000 journalists is one of the main reasons given for hosting the Republican National Convention. And local business leaders are not leaving to chance the kind of impression the bay area makes.
Preparations started in January to shape how out-of-town reporters write about the Tampa Bay area during the RNC.
“We worked with the U.S. State Department to host about 22 foreign journalists who came in to do advance work and learn about the market,” said Bob Rohrlack, president of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
In January the chamber gave those reporters an overview of businesses and institutions in Tampa.
As the RNC nears and more journalists arrive in town, the Greater Tampa Chamber unveiled a website to help them locate local companies that may demonstrate issues expected to come up during the RNC such as small business start-ups and government regulation.
“If it’s a company that through whatever means went through a tough time, but through hard work and that can do spirit, they turned things around and made things successful, yes, we would talk about that in there,” Rohrlack said.
The website, Tampa Media Center.com, will spotlight business leaders, local companies and institutions throughout the RNC and include suggested story topics for reporters.
