The Great American Franchise Expo runs Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February 2027 at the Tampa Convention Center. The City of Tampa record prints a 7 a.m. Saturday open and an 11:59 p.m. Sunday end. That span is the record's window.
A two-night stay covers the show: Friday 26 and Saturday 27 February, with a Sunday checkout. The record was updated on 20 October 2026.
The two-night count
Friday and Saturday put a bed behind a Saturday morning at the venue. The Saturday night covers the Sunday programme. A Thursday arrival adds a night with no session in front of it. A Saturday morning arrival puts a drive in front of that morning.
Two nights and one checkout on Sunday leave one walk on each morning.
What the record carries
The record carries the address at 333 S Franklin St, Tampa FL 33602, and names no hall. Its body text reads free attendance for all who register online, with seminars on franchise law, growing absentee businesses and franchise financing. It links franexpousa.com.
What the organiser publishes
The organiser lists 12 shows for 2026. Its Tampa page carries the 2026 edition at this venue on 21 and 22 March 2026, with Saturday hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
That page prints a $29 door fee and exempts anyone who registers online. The attend page prints the same $29 line. No 2027 door time appears on the organiser site.
Two facts have to come back from the organiser before the stay is fixed: the door time on each day and the Sunday close. The contact address is info@franexpousa.com.
The sky bridge
The venue's hotel list marks one property as connected to the building by sky bridge. Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Downtown Convention Center sits at 513 S Florida Ave, and the number is (813) 769-8300. One connection serves both mornings.
The Water Street pair
Tampa Marriott Water Street is at 700 S Florida Ave, (813) 221-4900. JW Marriott Tampa Water Street is at 505 Water Street, (813) 221-4950. Both sit 0.2 miles out on the venue list, and they sit on different streets. The walk is two blocks each way.
The same list runs to The Westin Tampa Waterside at 0.3 miles and to four properties at 0.5 miles.
Parking across two show days
The Convention Center garage at 141 E Brorein Street prices event parking in a $5.00 to $50.00 band. The city publishes no billing unit for the band, so the weekend total depends on what the garage charges the band per. The garage holds 454 spaces, 11 ADA spaces and 2 electric vehicle chargers, and it clears 6 ft 6 in. The city lists no long-term parking there.
Pam Iorio at 301 Channelside Drive holds 790 spaces and Fort Brooke at 107 N Franklin Street holds 556. Both allow overnight parking to 6:00 a.m.
A weekend-only lot at 301 S Florida Ave holds 64 spaces at $2 an hour capped at $14 a day. Front Drive at 333 S Franklin Street has 36 metered spaces at $4 an hour with no overnight parking.
The same weekend in Tampa
The JVC Tournaments 2026-27 calendar lists the MolTen Florida Pre-Q at Tampa on 26 to 28 February 2027. The calendar names the city and no venue. The venue calendar lists the same event on 27 and 28 February, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the exhibit hall and meeting rooms.
When to book
Register online first, because the free ticket sits behind that step. Then book the two nights and ask for the nightly rate, the cancellation deadline and the penalty in writing. Confirm the Sunday close before the Sunday checkout goes firm.
hotelhuddle.com lists Florida among four states where it cannot process hotel booking requests. Send the two-night enquiry straight to the property.