Conference Location

The 2019 JETC will be held in Tampa, FL. All daytime conference activities, including the Society Ball and Awards Gala, will take place at the Tampa Convention Center.

Tampa Convention Center

333 S. Franklin Street | Tampa, FL 33602

Tampa Convention Center Parking information: https://www.tampagov.net/tcc/parking

Lodging

The hotel link for JETC is closed for new reservations.  Please contact hotels directly regarding availability for a NEW reservation.

If you need assistance with an existing reservation, please contact SAME's housing partner, Connections Housing, at 855-476-6976 between 6:00 am - 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

SAME has negotiated room blocks with a number of hotels within walking distance of the Tampa Convention Center. Please do not book your room directly through the hotel. Reservations will be made via Connections Housing.

Room rates are below. The negotiated room block is specifically for conference attendees; one must register to attend the conference within five working days of making hotel reservations (government employees excepted).  All hotels will offer a limited number of rooms at the prevailing government per diem (currently $121). SAME is only able to block a limited number of rooms at per diem, and we must ensure these rooms are occupied by those attending JETC to represent the government.  Contractors and retirees are not eligible for these rooms. Therefore, we do regular audits of the room block and will change the room rate for those who are ineligible for the per diem rate to the industry rate. We thank you for your understanding.

The cut-off date for room reservations is April 15, 2019, or until the room block is sold out, whichever comes first.  

Please do NOT book a room directly through the hotel. If you have already booked a room through the housing site and need to make an edit, please contact Connections Housing (contact information below) or click on the housing link then click, "Manage Existing Reservation." 

Property Room Rate
(plus 12% tax )
Tampa Marriott Water Street
700 S Florida Ave (0.2 miles to Tampa Convention Center)
813-221-4900
$209
Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk
111 W Fortune St (0.5 miles to Tampa Convention Center)
813-223-1351
$155
Embassy Suites Tampa - Downtown Convention Center Hotel
513 S Florida Ave (Connected to Tampa Convention Center via Sky Bridge)
813-769-8300
$200
Hilton Tampa Downtown
211 N Tampa St (0.3 miles to Tampa Convention Center)
813-204-3000
$181
Westin Tampa Waterside
725 South Harbour Island Blvd (0.2 miles to Tampa Convention Center)
813-229-5000
$205

Please Note: The Society Ball & Awards Gala will be held at the Tampa Bay Convention Center. 

If you have questions or need assistance booking your hotel room please contact Connections Housing.
Phone: 702-476-6976 or 855-476-6976
Email: SAME@Connectionshousing.com
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 6:00 AM-5:00 PM Pacific Time


Travel

Tampa Bay, Florida offers numerous opportunities for fun through entertainment, dining and relaxation. Click for more information. Visit Tampa Florida

Looking for places to eat, discounts to be had, Tampa-specific events while you're in town? SAME has partnered with the local Convention & Visitors Bureau to provide JETC guests with the best of Tampa! View the site for more information at Visit Tampa!

Don't forget to tag SAME and Tampa while you're out and about and having fun. Share the experience! #SAMEJETC19 and #UnlockTampaBay

Airport

Tampa Bay is served by Tampa International Airport. The Tampa Convention Center is about a 15-minute drive from the airport.

Transportation Options

Tampa offers convenient public transportation options for attendees including a free trolley to get around downtown. Read more about how to get around here. 


Unauthorized Housing Warning

Please be vigilant if contacted by any company or service that implies or claims to be an official housing provider for the SAME Joint Engineer Training Conference (JETC). SAME's official housing company is Connections Housing. The only way to book your rooms for the 2018 JETC is through our housing site or by calling 702-476-6976 or 855-476-6976. We have been made aware of other housing companies or travel agencies that may be pursuing you, or your company, to book your guest rooms through their company at supposedly significant discounts. If you are contacted by one of these pirate companies, please notify SAME immediately.

Housing “Pirates” and “Poachers”

SAME works with Connections Housing to secure sleeping rooms at hotels for our conferences (commonly referred to as room blocks), we research the properties to make certain that our attendees will be adequately accommodated. The room block is established to ensure that rooms meet our standards and are offered at a discounted price. 

Room poaching is a practice carried out by third-party companies that act as travel agencies, wholesalers, or destination management companies to solicit registrants for room reservations. Poachers often represent themselves as being affiliated with SAME. The poacher might inform registrants that the hotel room block is “sold out,” and that if you do not book with them immediately, you may not get a room. Additional deceptive tactics may include distributing forms or promotional materials that appear to be issued by SAME.

  • Room poachers make it more difficult for us to meet our room block commitments and expose us to penalties and increased room rates for our events.
  • Room poachers often don’t deliver on promises to customers. When customers arrive, reservations are non-existent or the hotels are not conveniently located. Sometimes the rooms have been canceled and hefty cancelation fees have been placed on the customer’s credit card. 

How You Can Help

Do not be misled! If you are contacted by anyone asking if you need a room for the JETC, please get as much information as you can and pass it on to SAME.