"Tampa is really set to be the gateway for all of Southern Florida. It’s a very very exciting city that’s now finally coming into its own. "

When Ian Schrager thinks about creating a great hotel, he thinks about Walt Disney.

“When Disney started doing animated films, that process was available to everybody else,” he said. “There were other animated films out there. But he put it together in a way that resonated with people, so that my kids today can watch an animated feature that was done 70, 80 years ago, and still respond to it. Pretty amazing.

“Now, I’m not comparing myself to Disney,” he continued. “I’m just saying, that’s the ideal. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

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