The Molten Florida Pre-Qualifier runs 26 to 28 February 2027 at the Tampa Convention Center, 333 S. Franklin St. The City of Tampa record lists 8 a.m. Saturday 27 February to 7 p.m. Sunday 28 February. JVC Tournaments publishes the longer span. The 14-18 Open and 14-17 USA divisions start no earlier than 2:30 p.m. Friday, and 12-13 Open and 10-18 Club play Saturday and Sunday.
Three building rules decide the day a coach plans.
Two long days, three sites
Courts 1-37 sit inside the convention center. Courts 38-42 sit at the USF Rec Center, 12301 USF Genshaft Dr. Courts 43-44 sit at Tampa Prep, 727 W Cass St. Both satellite sites run Saturday and Sunday only.
The full schedule posts on OttoEvent by 8 p.m. Wednesday 24 February. The field holds room for about 300 teams. JVC accepts a team on receipt of the entry fee. A non-local team also needs a confirmed hotel booking.
No cash inside the building
The event page prints the notice in capitals. The Tampa Convention Center is now a cashless building. A coach collecting for a team dinner, parking or a spectator pass carries a card.
The USF pay stations take VISA, MasterCard and Discover. The spectator pass sells online through OttoEvent, and the spectator enters the team code at the coupon code prompt. The club director issues that code.
Early bird pricing runs until 9 p.m. the day before play. A daily pass costs $14 and a tournament pass $28. Standard pricing is $18 and $34. A pass admits one person and cannot be shared. Spectators show the pass with matching photo ID to enter and re-enter. Children 5 and under enter free. JVC prints no cap on numbers for this event.
Coolers stay outside, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The convention center allows coolers in one place, the designated area near the Channelside entrance. JVC describes that area as unattended and open to spectators from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Coolers do not come inside.
The Dock Area holds no picnic area this year. JVC attributes the change to new building codes. A family planning lunch by the water has no table.
The venue FAQ sets the food rule. Outside food and beverages are not allowed in the building unless a guest has dietary restrictions or food allergies. Inside, Central Eats sits at the front of the Central Exhibit Hall. East Grill and West Grill sit at the back of their halls. Street Eats sits in the Rotunda food court, and the Coffee Bar between Central and West Halls serves Starbucks. The venue prints one line for all of them: hours determined by events.
Outside, The Sail bar keeps Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Big Ray's Fish Camp runs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The satellite site sells no food
Courts 38-42 sit at the USF Rec Center. The organiser's directions page is explicit. No concessions onsite. Teams bring their own food and drinks. Outside food stays outside, and coolers go in the designated outdoor areas. Tailgating with food and non-alcoholic beverages is allowed. Alcohol is not permitted anywhere on campus during the event.
USF rules shape the rest of the day. Enter through the North Gym Patio only. Park in Lots 6, 22A, 22D, 22E and 22F on both days. Wait outside until your match warmup begins, and send one person in to track the match. Wear the blue wristband issued at check-in. The track and the strength and cardio equipment are off limits.
Courts 43-44 sit at Tampa Prep. The organiser sends Saturday cars to the University of Tampa West garage and warns against arriving before 9 a.m.
A room for the hours between waves
Four downtown hotels sell a day room in Tampa. The Dayuse city page carried 14 priced cards on 21 October 2026. Aloft Tampa Downtown runs $109 plus a $7 booking fee for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Westin Tampa Waterside runs $129 plus $9 for the same window. Le Meridien Tampa, The Courthouse runs $129 plus $9 for 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown runs $139 plus $9 for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The venue puts the Westin 0.3 miles out, Aloft at 0.6 and Le Meridien at 0.7. No downtown window opens before 10 a.m., so none covers an 8 a.m. Saturday wave.
One card sits near the USF campus. The Sleep Inn near Busch Gardens - USF prices at $95 plus a $5 fee, with windows at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Rec Center runs Saturday and Sunday, so a Friday room covers no play.
A day room sits outside the block
Clubs more than 60 miles from the venue must hold at least 10 room-nights per team through THS to be accepted. THS opened reservations after 2 p.m. EST on 16 October and answers at 888-536-8326.
hotelSlots cannot process a booking request from or for travel to Florida. The seller of travel page, last updated 21 October 2026, names Florida, Hawaii, Iowa and Washington and cites Chapter 559 of the Florida Statutes. A day room here is a purchase made with the hotel. Neither the JVC page nor the THS portal explains how a day room and the stay-to-play block sit together.
Parking at the hall
The TCC garage at 141 E. Brorein St holds 454 spaces at an event rate band of $5.00 to $50.00. JVC adds one instruction that costs a ticket. Do not back in to a space, because payment is verified by plate.
