For $1.8 million, considerably more than the initial $1.25 million bond issue, Tampa Municipal Hospital was lauded as “one of the finest public structures in the country” by the Tampa Sunday Tribune. Built on land provided by D.P. Davis, developer of Davis Islands, the location has long been criticized due to its vulnerability to hurricanes and its limited access, having to cross a 2-lane bridge to get to it. The hospital opened in 1927, expecting a 186-patient capacity when completed. By early 1928, the hospital was so crowded that officials moved nursing students out of their resident rooms to provide more patient beds. In September of 1956, the official name changed to Tampa General Hospital (TGH), and an expansion in 1959 led to a total of 514 beds.

A $14.2 million renovation in 1979 and a $160 million bond in 1982 tripled the size of the hospital. TGH signed its affiliation agreement with the University of South Florida in 1970, solidifying its efforts as a teaching hospital. By 2011, it celebrated its 1000th heart transplant. It now has over 1000 beds and continues to expand in 2020. The hospital recently applied for a $500 million bond for capital improvements, including purchasing more land on Davis Islands.

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