What

44th annual Tampa Boat Show
The Tampa Boat Show, the season’s premiere shopping destination for boating enthusiasts, offers the largest selection of boats and boating products, on land and in-water. The Bay Area’s largest boat show features hundreds of boats and specialty booths filled with marine accessories and new technologies, at the most competitive prices of the year. The 2009 show is the best place to view, board and buy everything needed for any boating adventure.

WHEN

Friday through Sunday, September 11-13, 2009
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

WHERE

Tampa Convention Center
333 South Franklin Street
Tampa, FL 33602

ADMISSION

$9.00 for adults
$5.00 for youth (ages 13-15)
FREE for children 12 years and under
FREE for police, fire fighters and military personnel who present a valid active ID
*Adult tickets purchased online prior to September, 11 2009 receive a $2.00 discount.

WHO

The 44th annual Tampa Boat Show is produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the world’s largest producer of boat shows. NMMA is the leading association representing the $33.6 billion per year recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers in North America. For more information about the NMMA, visit www.NMMA.org.

Highlights

Hundreds of boat models at competitive prices, newest marine products and boating accessories will be featured at the 2009 Tampa Boat Show. Show features include the NEW Affordability Pavilion and Green Boating Zone, and appearance by Deadliest Catch captains Jonathan and Andy Hillstrand, Miss GEICO racing boat, FREE boat rides , a chance to pre-shop the show online and much more!

Features

Affordability Pavilion (NEW!) – Premiering at this year’s show is the Affordability Pavilion, showcasing boats for those with smaller budgets, highlighting pricing options on boats that visitors can finance for $300 or less per month.

Pre-Show Shopping (NEW!) – Tampa Boat Show’s newest online offering allows attendees to pre-shop the 2009 show for the greatest deals on the newest boats by visiting TampaBoatShow.com. Show goers can plan ahead and search boats by brand, model and more, in addition to scheduling dealer appointments.

Deadliest Catch’s Hillstrand Brothers – Back by popular demand! Co-captains and brothers Jonathan and Andy Hillstrand, owners of the 113-foot house aft boat Time Bandit, fish the Bering Sea for king and opilio crab. The exploits of the Time Bandit and its crew are featured weekly on the Discovery Channel’s hit show, Deadliest Catch. The Hillstrands will be on hand September 11-12 to meet attendees and sign autographs

Fishing Seminars - Get tips on the latest fishing techniques and local hot spots from the Bay Area’s best captains and fishing guides. Free hourly seminars covering a wide variety of topics are a must see for fishing enthusiasts. The Fishing Center is located in the far right corner of the exhibit hall.

Free Boat Rides – Experience what it’s like to discover boating with free boat rides offered by Bay Area Watersports, Tampa’s exclusive Mastercraft Dealer. The boat rides are held daily from 1:00–4:00 p.m. (weather permitting) on the Demo Dock. Boat rides are 30 minutes in duration and run from the Tampa Convention Center to Hillsborough Bay.

Live Music on the Foster’s Party Barge – Take a stroll outside and stop by the Foster’s Party Barge for live music and cold drink specials from Foster’s. It’s a great place to meet up with other boaters and enjoy the view. Catch your favorite local musicians perform each afternoon from 4 – 7 p.m. and 2 – 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Foster’s Party Barge is centrally located on the in-water floating docks.

Miss GEICO – Miss GEICO, the world’s fastest offshore racing boat, is a catamaran poised for performance and can reach upwards of 185 mph. The 40-foot, twin-engine 1,500 turbine-powered offshore racer demolishes records and awes those unfortunate enough to race against her.

Members of the media interested in attending the show are encouraged to visit TampaBoatShow.com to sign-up for a press badge. Members of the media in need of additional information should contact Dana Fennewald at (312-946-6256, dfennewald@nmma.org)

Consumers interested in learning more about the 2009 Tampa Boat Show can visit TampaBoatShow.com for complete details.