Forbes Magazine recently listed Tampa Bay as #1 for the best place to live in the beautiful Sunshine State!

While the City of  Tampa has so much to offer, residents of many MetroPlaces communities in the greater Tampa Bay area enjoy  a unique beach-like attraction  where they can live the Lagoon Life every day.

In 2018, MetroPlaces opened the very first-ever Lagoon in the country at Epperson located in Wesley Chapel, FL. Since then, a second Lagoon opened at Southshore Bay in South Hillsborough, and there are plans to open more Lagoons in the Tampa Bay area over the next few years. This year will be big for the Mirada community in San Antonio, FL, with the largest Lagoon in the country opening this spring.

The Lagoons are the heart of each MetroPlaces community. They are not just a world-class amenity but the heartbeat of the community where families, friends, and neighbors come together to enjoy themselves without leaving home.

The Tampa Bay area Lagoons have limited public access, so you can check out the lifestyle before you move in.   The Lagoons offer so many choices!  Activities include kayaking and paddle boarding, bumper boats, waterslides and even a floating obstacle course.  Relax and unwind at the  swim-up bar, or in cabanas, where you can enjoy  live music and  a calendar of planned events.  Or simply hang out on the beach.  The adventure never stops when you live in a MetroPlaces community!

Check out the That’s So Tampa story to read more on the biggest Tampa stories of 2022.

On Thursday, September 15^th, MetroPlaces launched the very first Waves ‘n Wheels Promotion throughout their four communities Angeline, Epperson, Mirada, and Southshore Bay.

New home buyers that went into contract within the promotion dates received a FREE Icon electric cart from Davis Islands Electric Vehicles. (For those who have purchased a home prior to or following the promotion, Davis Islands Electric Vehicles is offering a $500.00 discount toward the purchase of an electric vehicle.)

In addition to the promotional perks of new home purchases, MetroPlaces welcomed everyone who visited a model home in the participating communities to be part of the Cash Sweepstakes giveaway. MetroPlaces announced the winners of the Cash Sweepstakes on November 5, 2022. Congratulations to Rhonda Ryals, Mark Carew, Edith Aviles, Keith Seeger, Sachin Patel, Tatessica Cooley, and Claudia Traficante!

From this promotion, up to 100 new home buyers will be exploring their communities in their brand new MetroPlaces Electric Vehicles also known as Lagoon Cruisers. Waves ‘n Wheels was a big success and provided the ultimate housewarming gifts!

It’s no secret that 813 Fresh has the best Acai bowls in Epperson, but what Epperson residents may not realize is that Steven and Victoria Goris are their neighbors, too.

Steven and Victoria, who run 813 Fresh as a side hustle, moved from New York to Florida with their four kids in 2020. The Goris family moved to Wesley Chapel sight unseen with no local friends or family nearby but quickly found their forever home at MetroPlaces community Epperson, “We don’t have family down here,” Victoria said, “but that’s what Epperson is – it’s one big family.”

Steven had always wanted to open a food truck, and their new neighborhood was a great place to launch it. It all started in their kitchen, sharing cuisine creations with their neighbors. The truck quickly became a hit its first time at the Epperson dog park, where a different dinner and dessert food truck is parked daily.

Now the truck also makes regular appearances at the Epperson Lagoon and Boyette Family Farms in Wesley Chapel. From their acai bowls to their top-shelf avocado toast, what sets them apart is what’s on top of their dishes – fresh local fruit sourced through Boyette Family Farms.

While Victoria heads up the marketing for 813 Fresh and is known as “that acai girl” to her neighbors, Steven, formerly a Veterans Service Officer, works full time managing the truck and the kitchen. Their passion for their community doesn’t end at 5 o’clock, though; after hours, Steven is a resource for a number of their neighbors who are military veterans.

Steven helps neighbors through their claims process if their claims for benefits have been denied.  With so many active duty and retired service members in the community – Steven estimates there are nearly 100 military households in Epperson – he is hoping to create a veterans group.

The family has found that Epperson is an easy place to make new friends and meet neighbors. With community events like karaoke and comedy night or Latin Night, the Goris’ favorite tied to their Dominican and Puerto Rican backgrounds, there’s always something to do for the whole family.

Steven sums it up this way, saying: “We couldn’t have picked a better place to live.”

There are so many reasons veterans and active-duty military members call MetroPlaces home – from the Lagoon lifestyle to the proximity to MacDill Air Force Base. And these military residents get involved in their communities, whether it’s by attending community events or working at community-hosted farmers markets.

With this in mind, we’re proud to support veterans. This Veterans Day weekend, MetroPlaces invites our community members and their friends and family to participate in two area veteran-focused events.

November 12-13 – Justice for Veterans Benefit Concert

MetroPlaces is sponsoring this event at the OCC Road House Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 6:30 p.m. Artists such as Bobby Friss, The Fulcos and U.S. Stones (a Rolling Stones tribute band) will play the main stage over this two-day Veterans Day celebration.

The weekend of music, fun, and classic rock n’ roll is hosted by Bay Area Legal Services, a regional, nonprofit public interest law firm, and proceeds directly benefit veterans in the Tampa Bay area. Tickets are available and can be purchased online.

November 12 – 5k Honor Run Presented by Advent Health of Wesley Chapel

For the second year, MetroPlaces is proud to sponsor the 5K Honor Run.  It begins Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at the Pasco-Hernando State College (Porter) Campus in Wesley Chapel, FL. The event is hosted by the North Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation and Pasco-Hernando State College and all proceeds benefit the PHSC Veteran scholarship and the NTBC Foundation’s Mission.

Want to run to benefit veterans? Registration is open now. All participants will receive a free shirt and goodies from sponsors. In addition, awards will be given in multiple categories from “Top Veterans” to age group and male and female overall awards.

(By the way, are you a veteran living at a MetroPlaces community? Let us know by contacting us at hello@metroplaces.com.)

People who live in MetroPlaces communities don’t just buy a new home, they become part of a unique community and lifestyle. From weekend trips to the huge community Lagoon to carting the kids to and from playdates to meetings with two- and four-legged friends at the dog park, MetroPlaces residents are frequently found rolling along miles of paved pathways in their Electric Vehicle (EV) carts, going from one activity to the next.

In fact, many residents at MetroPlaces communities often leave their cars in the garage and use their more environmentally friendly EV carts to get around. Thanks to thoughtfully curated community design, including Streetleaf solar streetlights and attentive community management, residents can easily live their lives throughout the community. Some even take advantage of the ULTRAFi high-speed internet at favorite neighborhood spots to work outside their homes!

From September 15 through October 23, up to 100 new homebuyers in the MetroPlaces communities of Angeline, Epperson, Mirada and Southshore Bay will have the chance to join this MetroPlaces lifestyle and ride in style with a new ICON i40L EV Cart from Davis Islands Electric Vehicles. (The vehicles are Caribbean Blue, to match the Lagoons!) Simply by purchasing a new home from participating builders, they will get the ultimate housewarming gift from MetroPlaces.

If you’re considering a new home this fall, plan to visit between September 15 to October 23. Those who visit model homes of participating builders in the four MetroPlaces communities can also enter a cash sweepstakes with eight chances to win up to $10,000. Just be sure to register at any of the participating model homes when you arrive.Legal Requirements:

The Waves N’ Wheels promotions are sponsored by the Tampa Bay-area MetroPlaces communities of Angeline, Epperson, Mirada and Southshore Bay.  CASH SWEEPSTAKES:  Potential winners must register in the model homes during the Promotion Period (September 15-October 23) and be validated by the Sponsors’ representative during the Promotion Period.  One entry per model home and per household.  Winners will be selected and their prizes determined by random drawing and notified on 11/5/22.  NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER.  Entrants must be US Citizens and ages 21 and up., No more than one winner per household. Additional restrictions apply. EV CART GIVEAWAY:  Up to 100 carts will be available for contracted new home sales with participating builders during the Promotion Period (September 15-October 23). Limit of one cart per customer. Recipients must be at least 21 years of age. Additional restrictions apply.