Latin Grammy-winning Cuban duo Gente de Zona will headline a brand-new Hispanic Heritage Month concert at Tampa's Yuengling Center on October 17, joined by merengue group Grupo Manía and bachata artist Alexandra “the Bachata Queen.” The inaugural event, called Juntos y con Ritmo, kicks off with a free outdoor plaza celebration at 5 p.m. before the main show begins at 7 p.m. inside the 10,500-seat arena on the University of South Florida campus.
The concert was announced by Suncoast Credit Union and the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando, according to WFTV. Suncoast Credit Union members qualify for tickets at 50% off, while the general public can shave $10 off admission using chamber promo codes GOSCU26 and TBLSCU26, according to Suncoast Credit Union. Those codes link directly to specific beneficiary nonprofits, the credit union notes.
Alexandra, formerly one half of the duo Monchy & Alexandra, rounds out a lineup built around Latin dance genres that have deep roots across the Caribbean and Central America, per WFTV's report. The pre-concert plaza celebration outside the arena will include community showcases, live entertainment and other activities before doors open for the ticketed show, according to the same report.
Where the Money Goes
Concert proceeds will support local nonprofits, though the full list of beneficiaries is still taking shape. Suncoast Credit Union has named Prospera, which assists Hispanic small business entrepreneurs, and the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, which serves farmworker families, as designated nonprofit partners tied to the ticket-discount codes. The Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando, meanwhile, says it will separately choose an organization serving the Central Florida community, and as of WFTV's report, that recipient had not yet been identified. Hispanic chambers of commerce across Suncoast's broader service area are expected to select additional local nonprofits to receive a share of the proceeds, though it remains unclear exactly how much each organization will receive or whether more Tampa Bay or Orlando groups will be added before the October 17 date.
A Credit Union Betting Big on Tampa
The concert lands as Suncoast Credit Union expands its footprint across the state. Members of Launch Credit Union approved a merger with the Tampa-based institution effective September 1, creating a combined financial cooperative with more than $22 billion in assets and 1.5 million members, according to the Business Observer. Suncoast traces its roots to January 31, 1934, when it was chartered as the Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union before growing into Florida's largest credit union, per its own history.
Hosting a major concert at USF's home arena also lines up with the region's demographics. Hispanic or Latino residents make up between 30.4% and 32.1% of Hillsborough County's population of more than 1.5 million, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released earlier this year. Within Tampa proper, 26.2% of the city's roughly 401,618 residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, making it the city's largest minority demographic group.
A Renovated Arena With a Long History
The Yuengling Center opened in November 1980 as the USF Sun Dome and has since become the university's main venue for both collegiate sports and large-scale entertainment. The arena underwent a $35.6 million renovation in 2012 that reconfigured its bowl and concourse areas, and it is now managed by Vinik Sports Group's Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties. The venue has hosted other high-profile touring acts in recent memory, including a rescheduled Reneé Rapp show last fall.
Juntos y con Ritmo also arrives ahead of the federally recognized National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15 each year. That 30-day observance was signed into law under Public Law 100-402 on August 17, 1988, when President Ronald Reagan expanded what had been a weeklong celebration since 1968. Tickets and additional event details are available through Suncoast Credit Union's event page.
