This is from Bay News 9. Proof that the merger between the Tampa and Orlando area as a CMSA has already happened.
From Rural US Population Disappearing.
http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/ap/july/286353/Rural-US-disappearing-Population-share-hits-low

So this means the area has about 8 million people and is now the largest region in the south and in Florida as far as numbers are concerned.

The Census Bureau will begin to define new "combined statistical areas", often referred to by demographers as megapolitan areas or megalopolises based on growth and overlapping commuter traffic. Analysts point to a merger of areas between Austin and San Antonio, between Tampa and Orlando and possibly between Phoenix and Tucson, with the Washington-Baltimore region extending southward to Richmond, Va.

Sweet, although there is still a lot to be done to completely make it one metro.

Hopefully this can help attract more large businesses to the area.

With the new USF on I-4, the gap between cities will slowly close.

The Census Bureau will soon begin to define new "combined statistical areas" _ often referred to by demographers as megapolitan areas or megalopolises _ based on growth and overlapping commuter traffic. Some analysts point to a merger of areas between Austin and San Antonio, between Tampa and Orlando and possibly between Phoenix and Tucson, with the Washington-Baltimore region extending southward to Richmond, Va.

Hold up there, sparky. It does not say it is announced at all. It says some analysts are talking about it.

I believe the planned HSR between the two cities would have definitely linked them more closely together. :(

One day we will see a Tampa-Orlando-Miami metro as the development along the coasts continue.

One day we will see a Tampa-Orlando-Miami metro as the development along the coasts continue.

With a huge empty middle area(the everglades)... haha actually that'd be pretty interesting.

Hold up there, sparky. It does not say it is announced at all. It says some analysts are talking about it.

I was going to say, this is not official... and probably won't be until at least 2020 in the case of TPA-ORL.

The Census Bureau will begin to define new "combined statistical areas"...didnt they setup the way they will define us in the 2010 census

So, we're ignoring that big, empty area in Polk, right?

So, we're ignoring that big, empty area in Polk, right?

Well there is still a steady stream of towns (Plant City, Lakeland, Winterhaven) along I-4 that will eventually develop. This is a future idea right?

Does there have to be a continuous of developments to claim it as a CSA though? I thought once Lakeland was more built up, that would be enough. It's not like all of our MSA is all developments, there's areas that are empty.

Actually this has been talked about before and the only thing that will always keep the area separated is the green swamp in Polk County. In one way or another we are almost totally sprawled together already...

Look at a map - swamp aside, they're quickly becoming entangled.

Thankfully (not), the Census Bureau has been decimated by our friends in Washington, so I wouldn't look for much from them in the future. Hopefully we'll have a Census still -- looks like lots of their work will be contracted out to private firms and universities from now on, which is - personally - a little terrifying.

While the Green Swamp will remain, Polk has, is and will continue to develop right around it. Follow US 92 through Polk and you'll discover the string of development already nearly reaches Haines City and US 27.

While the Green Swamp will remain, Polk has, is and will continue to develop right around it. Follow US 92 through Polk and you'll discover the string of development already nearly reaches Haines City and US 27.

Polk does play a key role in this CMSA report.. Back in the day it seemed like it took an hour and 15 minutes, now you can zoom from DT Tampa and start to see Disney in about 50-55 minutes..

And they dont call it Orlampa for nothing..

One thing is for damn sure, HSR would have helped immensely with tying the region together.

Thanks to ballooning growth over the past decade, North Port is no longer the redheaded stepchild to glitzy Sarasota among government bean-counters. This portion of Southwest Florida has a new official designation: the "North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area." Or, in updated shorthand references from CNN to The Brookings Institution, simply: the North Port, Fla., area.

"It depends on where your audience is," he said. "We've been making a lot of international connections lately. For them, we say we're part of south Tampa Bay."

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110809/ARTICLE/110809557/2416/NEWS&tc=email_newsletter

Kind of similar to the story above, Brandon now has a population of 103k, only 5k less than Clearwater. I know Brandon isn't incorporated, but do you think there is any chance Tampa could annex Brandon?

After they pry the guns from the cold dead hands of the good people of Brandon. . . Brandon part of Tampa, are you kidding?

After they pry the guns from the cold dead hands of the good people of Brandon. . . Brandon part of Tampa, are you kidding?

I'm sorry, don't really understand what you're referencing. That they're conservative? or ...?

I think its been Tampas intent to incorporate unincorporated Brandon for years, If Tampa were to absorb Brandon it would only add 103k from Brandon proper, where there would be little to no objection. Its when you start looking within the sprawl, the actual area that is Brandon is pretty small...close to 500k live within the greater area that is known as sprawl and opposed to any annexation, Brandon only accounts for 1/5 of the "greater" Brandon area. Areas such as Dover, Ruskin, Riverview used to be considered hick...the area grew rapidly over farms and rural areas. they had/have a confederacy flag that was recently ruled it needed to be taken down.

A recent law allows cities to no longer solicit the people living within that area they want to annex allows them to do just that with little to no worry of legal revolt. It makes no sense why people in this area want to be separate, I understand having districts that were once these cities and regions...but I think now the counties should merge with the cities. Pinellas County alone is 205 sq/miles that you can live on and it has a population with seasonal of just over 1 million, 910k permanent...a lot of cities nationwide have larger land areas than the county itself, if Saint Petersburg could ever take control of the county, it would be now with the state of peoples frustration with cities an counties from largo to unincorporated palm harbor.

While Brandon tends to be more conservative than Tampa - the real point is there is no way in hell they would join Tampa because there is nothing to be gained except higher taxes. I don't know of anyone in the county that wants to be annexed by Tampa - what is the point?

If the city stopped letting outsiders freeload on its infrastructure, that tune would change quickly.

If the city stopped letting outsiders freeload on its infrastructure, that tune would change quickly.

In what ways do the burbs freeload?
Like "Tampa pays for roads that everyone uses"?

Like, when people in Brandon want to enjoy some culture or entertainment (sporting events, fine dining, a cruise, BG, the zoo, aquarium, the arts, etc, etc), they go to Tampa. When they want a college education, they go to Tampa. When they want to work at a good job, they go to Tampa. When they need to fly, they go to Tampa. When they need to shop at a place that isn't a cookie cutter box store, they go to Tampa.

Suburban residents use Tampa's infrastructure and amenties constantly (in many cases even more so than actual Tampa residents), yet they contribute little or nothing to Tampa's ability to maintain those things. THAT is what I'm talking about.

Like, when people in Brandon want to enjoy some culture or entertainment (sporting events, fine dining, a cruise, BG, the zoo, aquarium, the arts, etc, etc), they go to Tampa. When they want a college education, they go to Tampa. When they want to work at a good job, they go to Tampa. When they need to fly, they go to Tampa. When they need to shop at a place that isn't a cookie cutter box store, they go to Tampa.

Suburban residents use Tampa's infrastructure and amenties constantly (in many cases even more so than actual Tampa residents), yet they contribute little or nothing to Tampa's ability to maintain those things. THAT is what I'm talking about.

How would you stop that?

^^

I think a better question would be, why would you want to stop it?

Like, when people in Brandon want to enjoy some culture or entertainment (sporting events, fine dining, a cruise, BG, the zoo, aquarium, the arts, etc, etc), they go to Tampa. When they want a college education, they go to Tampa. When they want to work at a good job, they go to Tampa. When they need to fly, they go to Tampa. When they need to shop at a place that isn't a cookie cutter box store, they go to Tampa.

Suburban residents use Tampa's infrastructure and amenties constantly (in many cases even more so than actual Tampa residents), yet they contribute little or nothing to Tampa's ability to maintain those things. THAT is what I'm talking about.

Except all that inflates Tampa's tax revenues above what they would be if it only served its population, so it is a wash.

Not to mention that having a parallel administration is a waste of money. You don't need two fire departments, two police departments, etc. If Tampa wants them, fine - but there is a cost.

I'm all in favor of eliminating the redundant bureaucracy of city and county government.