The Port Tampa Bay board of directors has voted in favor of a plan to demolish part of the Channelside Bay Plaza.
Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik wants to open up that retail complex with restaurants and a waterfront park.
Vinik's development entity Strategic Property Partners is in the midst of spending more than a billion dollars to redevelop part of downtown Tampa and leases the Channelside Bay Plaza land from Port Tampa Bay.
Demolition is expected to start this summer.