CK's Revolving Restaurant at Tampa International Airport

Construction of the Host Hotel at Tampa International Airport and CK’s Restaurant. Circa early 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Ck’s Revolving Restaurant opened in June 1974, atop the new Host International Airport Hotel at Tampa International Airport. The 200-seat restaurant offered panoramic views of the airport as it revolved 360 degrees 96 feet above the runways at one revolution per hour. The views from the 54 windows were stunning, especially at sunset.

The name “CK’s” came from a mythical World War I flying ace conjured up by Host International as they looked for a fun moniker appropriate for an airport. Their menus and newspaper advertisements featured a leather skull-capped man with goggles on his head, wearing a fur-collared bomber jacket, holding a fork and looking hungry. The restaurant aimed to deliver an upscale dining experience for travelers on layovers, hotel guests, and locals alike, who soon embraced it as a go-to spot for special occasions. The aeronautical theme carried through to the menu, with many dishes named after aviation legends, such as the Wright Brothers and Tony Jannus.

It was interesting to visit. There was really no sense of movement as the tables rotated so slowly. But if you got up to visit the restroom, your party had moved by the time you got back. Wait staff regularly had to "chase" tables as they circled the central, stationary bar. The restaurant’s open-window kitchen offered guests a glimpse of the culinary action as they passed by on their orbit.

In 1981, Marriott Corp. agreed to pay Host International Inc. $149 million to acquire all of Host’s stock. The hotel at Tampa International then became known as the Host Marriott. The building still bears the Marriott name today.

Initially, parking was free and Ck’s was a “jackets required” luxury restaurant, but those standards eventually eased. As other high-end restaurants began to appear in the nearby Westshore area and travel became less formal, CK’s popularity dwindled. It finally closed its doors in 2013 after nearly 40 years and thousands of panoramic circular miles traveled. The space sat empty for years, and according to the Marriott staff, it has reopened as CK’s rooftop event space. It no longer rotates, but still looks striking at night. The exterior of the lower level has been fitted with numerous antenna arrays.

Photo from inside CK’s Restaurant. Circa early 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Promotional photo from inside CK’s Restaurant. Circa early 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Newly constructed Host Hotel. Circa early 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection