WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce has existed since 1998, and this area has also seen significant growth since then.
Hope Kennedy is the CEO of the chamber and has been here for 12 years.
"We have literally watched this community come out of the ground. And it has been so exciting to celebrate the success with our business community with various ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings and all those fun things that we get to do," said Kennedy. "But we've also seen some challenges with the growth and the influx of people coming to our community. There have been some challenges with infrastructure and with schools and figuring all of these things out. But I think we've done an amazing job at building our own city without being incorporated city."
Kennedy said when she first came here, it was more challenging to get businesses to come to Wesley Chapel.
Now, they're lining up.
"Twelve years ago, we were actually out recruiting," she said. "And now we don't have to do that as much. They're, again, lined up for coming, particularly in the retail and services industry."
But Kennedy said this area of Pasco County is special, and its uniqueness is what keeps people moving and visiting here.
"There are so many things that make it unique to Tampa Bay. And nobody's from here. This was a cow field," she said. "So every single person has immigrated in, if you will. They've come to Wesley Chapel for the quality of life, for the homes, for the schools, for the education, for the quieter hustle and bustle."
