There aren’t many other skateparks in our wild little world as iconic as the legendary Skatepark of Tampa. In this new short documentary from our friends at The Platfrm, Paul Zitzer and Brian Schaefer break down how the park came to life and became a permanent part of skateboarding history. Settle in and press play:
I don’t want to spoil too much if you haven’t watched it yet, but what began as a grassroots skate contest in a local community has grown into the longest-running pro skate contest in the world. That’s insane! Now, both Tampa Pro and Tampa Am are basically considered rite-of-passage events that continue to send hungry up-and-comers from around the globe straight into the spotlight.
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Related: Ripping Shippers: This Is What Lunch Break Looks Like At Skatepark Of Tampa
I remember walking into this iconic skatepark in my 20s and just tripping out on the fact that I was actually there. All those years growing up watching 411VM, seeing this legendary indoor park covered in stickers and packed with the best skaters in the world—it all came rushing back. I actually just stood there for a bit, simply taking it in, completely caught up in the moment. If only those walls could talk.
The place has an energy to it, that’s for sure. And it appears that energy has been there since day one. Decades later, it’s still as much of a proving ground as it is a reunion of sorts—pretty much the dopest reunion in skateboarding, depending on who you ask.
From the park itself, to the contests they host to the thriving e-commerce site SPoT has established over the years, it seems like the sky continues to be the limit. If you ever get a chance to visit this amazing place—do it.
I bet you’ll feel some of the same feelings I did. SPoT forever!
