WE’RE PAINTING THE TOWN PURPLE & GOLD!
TAMPA BAY WELCOMES OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC. FOR ITS 84TH GRAND CONCLAVE
Visit Tampa Bay anticipates significant economic growth with more than 20,000 attendees
Tampa, FL (June 28, 2024) – Visit Tampa Bay is rolling out the purple and gold carpet as the city gets ready to host the distinguished gentlemen of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. for their 84th Grand Conclave. This momentous event marks the first time since 1982 that Florida has had the honor of hosting the Conclave, making it a historic return after more than four decades.
Expected to surpass the fraternity’s 100th-anniversary conclave held in 2011, more than 10,000 people have registered to attend. And with overall expected attendance between 20,000 to 25,000, this will be the largest Conclave in the fraternity's celebrated history. With 12,000 room nights booked, the Grand Conclave is poised to make a significant economic impact on the local community.
"The Grand Conclave is a landmark event for Tampa Bay in that it sends a strong signal how prepared and welcoming Hillsborough County, its residents, and its facilities are to host groups that are as diverse as we are,” said Santiago C. Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. "As the second of the Divine Nine to host their national convention in Tampa Bay, we are proud to support such a meaningful and historic gathering that stresses community engagement, social impact, and economic growth."
Themed "Conclave with a Purpose", this year's Conclave, the largest in over 100 years, will not only conduct the fraternity's business but will focus on key areas targeted at giving back to the community they have chosen to host their grand event.
"The decision by Fraternity leadership to bring our Grand Conclave to Tampa was influenced by the eagerness of the city leadership to embrace our vision of a 'Conclave with a Purpose',” said Dallas Thompson, Special Assistant to Omega Psi Phi’s Grand Basileus, Ricky Lewis. “We're grateful for the support we've received and the willingness of city and county leadership to align with, and accommodate, our efforts. This will be a festive and celebratory gathering, but our aim is to be deliberate in providing a forum where tools to shape a more equitable future can be discussed, leveraged, and amplified."
Financial Empowerment, Voting Registration and Mobilization, Book Drives, a Youth Symposium, and a Community Forum, are just a few of the initiatives the Divine Nine organization plans to implement while in Tampa. The list of diverse events includes:
Thursday, June 27th
- Youth Leadership Conference at the Tampa Convention Center from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- African American History Book Drive at the Tampa Convention Center from 8:30 a.m.-Noon.
- Voter Registration, Education, and Mobilization at the Tampa Convention Center from 9-11 a.m.
Friday, June 28th
- The Julliard School Master Class at the Tampa Convention Center from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Silent March on the Tampa Riverwalk from 9 a.m.-Noon.
- African American Museum & Artifacts Exhibit at the Tampa Convention Center from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Omega Mixer at the Park in Curtis Hixon Park from Noon-6 p.m.
- Career Fair at the Tampa Convention Center from 1-3 p.m.
- Youth Symposium at the Tampa Convention Center from 1-3 p.m.
- Public Program at the Tampa Convention Center from 3:15-5:15 p.m.
- 84th Grand Conclave Stepshow at the Tampa Convention Center from 8:30-11:30 p.m.
Press interested in covering all or a specific portion of the 84th Grand Conclave can contact Ms. Renee Kelly at reneekellypr@gmail.com.
Press interested in learning more about Visit Tampa Bay and the impact meetings and gatherings have on our community and economy can contact Visit Tampa Bay’s Director of Public Relations, Curtis Kellogg, at ckellogg@visittampabay.com.
ABOUT VISIT TAMPA BAY
The heart of Florida’s Gulf Coast beats in Tampa Bay. Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventure with a relaxing vibe to create vacation experiences that are authentically Tampa Bay. As a not-for-profit corporation certified by Destinations International’s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), we work with hundreds of partners to tell the world the story of Tampa Bay. Treasure awaits. For more information, visit our website.
ABOUT OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.
Omega Psi Phi was founded over 113 years ago at Howard University in Washington D.C., by three undergraduate students and their faculty advisor. They sought to address the racial hostilities of the day and find ways to uplift the Black community. Today, the Fraternity’s membership stands upward of over 200,000 in more than 700 undergraduate and graduate chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It was the first black-male Greek-letter organization founded on the campus of a historically black university. If you would like more information about the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, we encourage you to visit www.oppf.org.