Mei brought a flashy Nordic-Japanese debut to downtown St. Pete from the team behind Tampa's Kosen. Big Dave's Cheesesteaks made its first Tampa Bay stop, West Philly-style and halal-certified. And millions in federal money just landed on Tampa's port and airport -- a new ferry to St. Pete, shipyard upgrades, a new air traffic control tower.

On the market side: mortgage rates hit a one-year high at 6.69%, but Tampa Bay inventory didn't blink. A handful of homes just cut their price, and rents in some ZIPs now cost more than owning.