{"id":119792,"date":"2026-01-15T22:39:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T22:39:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/119792\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T22:39:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T22:39:08","slug":"creative-loafing-tampa-bay-has-been-sold-and-is-locally-owned-for-the-first-time-since-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/119792\/","title":{"rendered":"Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has been sold, and is locally-owned for the first time since 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AA vintage Creative Loafing Tampa Bay stand in April 2020. Credit: Ray Roa \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

For the first time in 18 years, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is locally-owned.<\/p>\n

On Thursday afternoon, a group of current employees and two new partners completed the purchase of Tampa Bay\u2019s 39-year-old alt-weekly from San Antonio-based Chava Communications, which has owned the publication since 2023.<\/p>\n

The publication\u2019s previous owners\u2014Euclid Media Group (2018-2023), SouthComm Inc. (2011-2018), and the Atalaya hedge fund (2009-2011)\u2014were based in Cleveland, Nashville, and New York, respectively.<\/p>\n

Terms of the deal will not be disclosed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re now our own overlords,\u201d said Creative Loafing Tampa Bay Editor-In-Chief Ray Roa, who started at the publication in 2011 as a freelancer before being hired as music editor in 2016. \u201cI\u2019m really excited for the next chapter of a publication I\u2019ve been reading for more than half of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Publisher James Howard, who celebrated his 31st anniversary at the publication this week, is among the new co-owners alongside Roa, Senior Account Executive Anthony Carbone\u2014who has 26 years at the publication\u2014and Digital Editor Colin Wolf, who returns to the masthead after a 10-month sabbatical.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen this offer came in front of us, I knew we had the team to continue growing our publication, website, events, newsletters and audience for our readers and clients,\u201d Howard said. \u201cWe\u2019re proud of the journey we had with our past owners and grateful for this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sale was made possible by an investment from Tampa trial lawyer Mike Trentalange, who comes on as a co-owner alongside John T. Fox, a public affairs consultant.<\/p>\n

The sale happens less than two months after the launch of the Tampa Bay Journalism Project, a nascent, nonprofit donor and grant-driven effort that finds Creative Loafing Tampa Bay and other community websites teaming up to bring more non-paywalled news and information to readers across the Bay area.<\/p>\n

Chava Communications will continue to operate Orlando Weekly, San Antonio Current, and the Local Culture Creative agency.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re proud of the work accomplished at Creative Loafing Tampa Bay and excited to hand over the reins to a team that knows Tampa better than anyone. We look forward to continuing to collaborate on future projects,\u201d said Cassandra Wagner, co-owner of Chava Communications.<\/p>\n

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay\u2019s existing staffers\u2014Creative Director Jack Spatafora, Marketing & Events Director Leigh Wilson and Managing Editor Selene San Felice\u2014will stay on as part of the sale.<\/p>\n

\"A(L-R) Mike Trentalange, John T. Fox, Anthony Carbone, James Howard, Colin Wolf, Ray Roa in Tampa, Florida on Jan. 15. 2026. Credit: Ray Roa \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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This article appears in Jan. 15 \u2013 21, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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