When the $3 million International Inn came on the scene in 1961 at the corner of Grand Central (now Kennedy Boulevard) and West Shore, it was the lap of luxury. Situated close to the ever-growing Tampa International Airport, it was celebrated for its size and modern accommodations. It was a 172-room combination hotel and motel, as well as a 400-person convention hall. The large restaurant, called the Golden Triangle, featured a unique dining room known as the Crystal Room. The restaurant's architecture was a standout, with a circular, vaulted domed roof. The kitchen featured a newfangled contraption called a microwave cooker. Cocktails could be enjoyed in the Golden Galleon Lounge or at the poolside patio filled with fancy deck chairs and umbrellas. A half-dozen shops were located in the main building.

President John F. Kennedy delivered remarks to a convention of United Steelworkers there on November 18, 1963, just days before his assassination. Over the years, the International Inn became a significant part of Tampa's hospitality landscape, reflecting the city's growth and development during the mid-20th century. As it expanded, it opened a swimming and tennis club to the public, a practice done by other hotels, including the Causeway Inn, a few miles away. It later became known as Bill Watson’s International Inn. The restaurant was renamed The 4800 West Restaurant, The Crystal Room became The Garden Room, and the bar was renamed The Cove Lounge.

In 1982, Lincoln Properties was granted new zoning for the property, allowing the construction of three 10-story structures —two office buildings and a 300-room hotel —on the site, despite strong neighborhood resistance and protests at City Council meetings. At that same time, Lincoln was developing the first phase of Harbour Island. The twenty-year-old once state-of-the-art International Inn was demolished in April 1983, and construction began on the $100 million curved-glass and polished-granite Urban Centre in early summer. The Lincoln Hotel at Urban Centre, trumpeting itself as Tampa’s most luxurious setting as the International Inn did, and J. Fitzgerald’s Restaurant (a tip of the hat to JFK) opened in November 1984. A month later, Miami-based Continental Cos. took over the operation and renamed the hotel The Sheraton Grand Hotel at Tampa-Westshore. The Center Club, conceived by developer and Lincoln Properties partner Michael Hogan, joined other exclusive dining clubs, including the Tampa Club and University Club, atop the parking garage in March 1985.

Ten years later, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula opened his second steakhouse in the lobby in 1994. In the late 1990s, the hotel was renamed the Wyndam Westshore, and in 2007, it became the InterContinental Hotel.

Tribute Portfolio, a subsidiary of Starwood Hotels, bought the InterContinental in 2017, remodeled it, and renamed it the Westshore Grand. On May 4, 2020, the legendary Don Shula passed away, and the restaurant closed in 2021.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved