There's a new place stay and play in downtown Tampa.
A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday for the grand opening of the Aloft Tampa Downtown hotel.
It sits at the corner of Ashley and Kennedy in the old Mercantile Bank office building.
The hotel features 130 loft-like rooms, along with a bar, lounge, pool, and outdoor terrace that overlooks the Tampa Riverwalk.
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said this hotel adds to the splendor and excitement of downtown.
"You think about the buzz about this community. You think about the excitement. You think about the fact that not only do people in America know about Tampa, Florida but now the entire world knows about this community and what an exciting place it is. So this is one more jewel in the crown," Buckhorn said.
The Aloft is part of the Starwood Hotel & Resorts Group.