“We’re amazed at how much wealth there is in the [tag]Tampa Bay[/tag] area,” said Dimmitt president Jack Doherty, who manages the [tag]Rolls-Royce[/tag] and [tag]Bentley[/tag] brands. “Rolls-Royce is coming out with a convertible at the end of this year that will be $400,000. We have six of those presold.” Oh and Dimmitt sold 125 Bentleys last year. Starting price? $175,000. While it’s not quite Palm Beach just yet, Tampa Bay is making a mark as a luxury market. We’ve collected the critical mass of wealthy residents that attracts purveyors of luxury goods and services, and they’re coming here in ever-growing numbers.

“This area is a hotbed for entrepreneurial enterprise,” said Tom duPont, publisher of the St. Petersburg-based [tag]duPont Registry[/tag] and other magazines targeting the wealthy. In addition to specialty magazines for cars and houses, the company publishes duPont Registry Tampa Bay six times a year. “Tampa Bay is a very attractive physical location,” duPont said. “We’ve become a magnet for people looking for a luxurious and comfortable life.” Many of those who move here and start businesses made big money elsewhere but weren’t ready to retire, said Lisa Glor, a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch in Tampa. “We don’t even call it retirement on our team (of advisers); we call it financial freedom.”

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