After years in the planning, months of preparation and attention to detail in the final days (along with the tens of millions of dollars that have been spent), Tampa is looking pretty sweet. Here are some pictures of the preparations for Tampa's big prom.
The Dance hall is ready.
The party hall is set to go. The Tampa Bay Times forum has been through a huge transformation — including a name change.
The invitations have been sent and the guests are arriving.
This weekend thousands of guests are expected to arrive at Tampa international Airport, which underwent several million dollars worth of recent renovations.
Buses, cars and crowds arrive at the Marriott Waterside in downtown Tampa, ground zero for the big event.
See more pictures after the break …
This article appears in Aug 23-29, 2012.