In a heartfelt ceremony this morning, Mayor Jane Castor joined community leaders, local elected officials, city staff, and the Buckhorn family to officially rename the Tampa River Center at Julian B. Lane Park in honor of former Mayor Bob Buckhorn. The facility will now be known as the Bob Buckhorn River Center.
The event celebrated former Mayor Buckhorn’s transformational leadership and enduring legacy, particularly his vision for reconnecting the city to the Hillsborough River and revitalizing the West Tampa riverfront. As Mayor Castor noted in her remarks, “It’s only fitting to give this building, the beating heart of our waterfront, a name that honors the man who brought it to life.”
The renaming highlights Buckhorn’s pivotal role in turning an underused stretch of land into a 25-acre park that now serves as a cultural and recreational hub for thousands of residents and visitors each year. During his time in office from 2011 to 2019, Buckhorn championed the redevelopment of Julian B. Lane Park, the construction of the River Center, and the expansion of the Tampa Riverwalk.
Mayor Castor cited the Center’s recent accomplishments, which include:
210 events hosted in the last year
$600,000+ in event revenue
$1.25 million in catering sales fueling the local economy
Welcoming more than 500 daily visitors and 100 children a week in summer camps
Home to 4 high school rowing teams, 3 dragon boat teams, and a community team, Team Tampa, whose boat placed 10th in the nation.
“Serving as mayor of this city I love was the greatest privilege of my life,” said former Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “To now have my name on a place that embodies community, joy, and everything good about Tampa is deeply humbling. I’m grateful to Mayor Castor for this honor—and even more grateful for the opportunity I had to help shape Tampa’s future. This center belongs to the people, and I’m proud to have played a small role in building it.”
The event closed with a city proclamation declaring June 25, 2025, as Bob Buckhorn River Center Day in Tampa and attendees moving outside to witness the official unveiling of the new signage: The Bob Buckhorn River Center.
This renaming continues a tradition in Tampa of current mayors honoring former mayors who helped shape the city. Other city landmarks named in honor of past Tampa mayors include the Pam Iorio Garage, William F. Poe Garage, Curtis Hixon Park, Lloyd Copeland Park, Nick Nuccio Parkway, Sandra W. Freedman Tennis Complex, Dick Greco Plaza, and Julian B. Lane Park.