An 8 a.m. Floor Call on a Sunday
Showcase of Champions runs Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, in the Entertainment Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. Hwy 301 N, Tampa. The venue calendar carries the competition at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event page prints “All Day” for the same date. The calendar entry carries the clock.
Dec. 5 is the Saturday night that the 8 a.m. gate creates. One night covers the competition. The hall releases at 5 p.m., and the drive home happens after that.
Room First, Parking Second, Gate Ticket Third
Three purchases carry three kinds of risk. The order follows the risk.
The room goes first. Dec. 5 is the Saturday of a weekend that carries three shows. The Florida Gun Show runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Expo Hall that day. The Tampa Sports Collectors Expo runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Special Events Center. Both sit inside the same 4800 U.S. Hwy 301 address as the cheer competition.
Parking goes second. The venue sells one dated product for this show: “Showcase of Champions - Parking Only,” Dec. 6, 2026, “General Parking $10.00.”
The gate ticket goes third. The event page lists spectator admission at $25 and kids 3 and under free. Its only purchase button is the parking one. The venue publishes no advance adult ticket channel.
Two Dollars for Buying the Pass Early
The event page prints “$10 online | $12 onsite.” The parking catalogue prices the same product at $10. The gap is $2 per vehicle, and it is the only price on this booking that moves with the channel.
The portal carries the fee line: “In accordance with the FTC’s new ‘Junk Fees Rule’, all convenience fees are included in the pricing below.” The $10 is the checkout total.
Three terms apply. “Parking does not include Event Entry.” “Each Ticket Is Good For One Parking Entry.” “TICKETS ARE NOT REFUNDABLE - NOT TRANSFERABLE - NO RAINCHECKS - ALL SALES ARE FINAL.”
The one-entry rule matters at a competition. A mid-afternoon trip to the car for a costume change or a cooler costs a second pass. Load the car once, in the morning, before the gate.
Gate 1 Serves Two Buildings on Dec. 6
The venue entrance roster puts Entertainment Hall and Expo Hall behind one lane: “US Hwy 301 Entrance, Gate 1.” The event page’s Where to Enter field reads “US HWY 301.” The parking item repeats the gate line.
Sunday puts two of the day’s three shows at that lane. The gun show opens at 10 a.m., two hours after the cheer floor. The cheer queue forms first, and the gun-show queue forms behind it. The Collectors Expo uses the MLK Blvd entrance at Gate 3.
Arrive before 7:30 a.m. The parking ticket scans on entry. Keep the emailed code open on the phone at the window.
Across the Street, 0.2 Miles
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa Fairgrounds Casino sits 0.2 miles out. The venue partner card reads “directly across the street from the Florida State Fairgrounds.” The venue directions read “Turn LEFT at The Fairgrounds entrance across from the Holiday Inn Express and Winghouse Restaurant.”
A guest at that property walks in and skips the Gate 1 queue. No rate, no block and no cutoff appear on the venue partner list for this date. The distance is the published lever. The number comes from the property.
The 1.5-Mile Fallback, Then the Outer Ring
Wyndham Garden Tampa Fairgrounds/Casino sits 1.5 miles out. Its card reads “just one mile from the Florida State Fairgrounds” in the copy and 1.5 miles in the Distance field. Plan on 1.5. The property opened in 2025 and publishes free parking, free Wi-Fi, an outdoor heated pool, a 24/7 fitness center and a pet policy.
Staybridge Suites Tampa-Brandon sits 2.7 miles out with apartment-style suites and full kitchens. The kitchen suits a family that eats breakfast in the room before a 7:30 a.m. departure. Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-East/Brandon sits 2.8 miles out and splits the same way: “less than 2 miles” in the copy, 2.8 in the Distance field.
Courtyard Tampa-Brandon runs 4.4 miles. Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon and Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa East both run 5 miles.
The Campsite Route, at $60 a Night
The Fairgrounds sells event camping for all Fairgrounds and area events except the annual Florida State Fair. The grounds list “Fully Equipped, Pet-Friendly Sites” and “Complete Electric Capabilities.” The reservation form prices the night at “$60.00” with a 30-amp or 50-amp plug.
Reservations take a minimum of 48-hour notice and are processed Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST, up to six months ahead. A Thursday decision is the last comfortable one for a Sunday show. Sleeping tents are prohibited, so this route suits an RV.
What to Put in the Request
Send six lines: one night, Dec. 5; Sunday morning checkout; the rate for two queens; early check-in Saturday in writing; a cutoff date and the cancellation term; and the house parking rule for a guest who drives.
hotelhuddle sends one request to 50+ hotels in a destination. Hotels return competing quotes in 24 to 72 hours. All hotelhuddle brands are free to use, with no booking fee and no commission added to the rate. The group form takes 10 or more rooms a night.