‘Strippers, Cigars and Gasparilla’: Topher Morrison wants to rebrand Tampa

No one can accuse Topher Morrison of not having ideas.

The branding consultant turned political candidate has lots of them. Make Tampa known for its rooftop scene? Yes, and: hold a contest to see who can build an elevator that wraps around a building on the way up to the roof.

Somewhere, a building inspector just felt a cold shiver pass down her spine.

Morrison, who is  making his first run for office, faces an uphill battle to become Tampa's next mayor. Other candidates have better name recognition. Think Jane Castor. Others have unlimited supplies of cash. Paging David Straz. Still others have reservoirs of political capital through relationships built over years of public service: Ed Turanchik, Harry Cohen, Mike Suarez, your table's ready.

None of them may have Morrison's speaking chops. In front of a modest lunchtime crowd on the 42nd floor of the downtown Bank of American building Friday, Morrison passed the first test of holding an audience's attention: during his roughly 40-minute stump speech and Q&A, no one looked behind them at the spectacular views outside the window of the Tampa City Club. (Except a Tampa Bay Times reporter)

Maybe it was his pitch to persuade Elon Musk's Boring Company to build it's lightning-fast Hyper Loop tunnels in Florida.

How about a 13-minute commute to Miami by climbing aboard at the Tampa Bay Rays' new ballpark in Ybor City, which could have a stop inside the stadium?

Morrison has lots of these ideas. For him, Tampa shouldn't be known as the city of Dale Mabry strip clubs, Ybor cigars and a weekend festival in January called Gasparilla. Instead, the city should "clarify" its image as a next-gen destination. Think Portland, Ore. ,a frequent object of praise from the 49-year-old Morrison.

"St. Pete is known for their arts. Clearwater has the best beaches," Morrison said. "What's Tampa known for?"

After a pause, a woman says, "Gasparilla."

"But the fact that there was a pause there is a concern of mine," Morrison said. "I love my city, but we could do better with our clarity."

Usually, he said, when he asks Tampa crowds about what distinguishes their city, they often pause before offering up strippers, cigars or Gasparilla.

"We need to have a sense of identity. A sense of self. Something that every citizen can rally behind and get behind and say, 'This is what we're known for.'"

Morrison thinks it might be "the rooftop city," with bars and other venues connected with urban gondolas and showcasing the city's "million-dollar" views by incentivizing property owners like the Bank of America to open up balconies and roofs to create that identity.

Morrison passed out petition slips in an attempt to get himself on the ballot without paying the filing fee. He also asked for donations.

So far, he's raised $56,352 in direct contributions. He doesn't yet have a political committee to raise soft money.

For comparison, Straz, the retired banker and philanthropist, has put in more than $1.5 million.

But Morrison said he's counting on his ideas and energy to counter bigger piles of campaign cash.