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Tampa Chosen As Site To Film Lexus Commercial

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By RICH SHOPES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 9, 2008

TAMPA - Local motorists zipping through town might be immune to the city's waterfront views and downtown skyline, but the sights have enough panache to serve as the backdrop for a national commercial for Lexus.

A film crew will be downtown Thursday to shoot the commercial for Toyota, which manufactures the luxury Lexus line. Expect temporary closures today and more Sunday through Tuesday.

"It will be very Tampa, very recognizable locations," said Lindsey Norris, manager of the Tampa Bay Film Commission, which is working with the Los Angeles-based production company.

The ad will feature five Lexus vehicles driven by professional golfers. A film crew was scouting locations today to firm up its shooting schedule.

Norris said two likely locations are Bayshore Drive and the elevated portion of the Selmon Crosstown Expressway that meanders through downtown.

"It's exciting, Hollywood coming to Tampa," said Sue Chrzan, spokeswoman for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority.

The Lykes building and South Regional Garage, next to the St. Pete Times Forum, also might be featured, as well as a boardroom on the 21st floor of the SunTrust building. In all, 15 possible locations are mentioned, she said.

Police will have brief road closures and "rolling roadblocks," where traffic slows to a crawl, but they won't happen during rush hour. Shooting on the expressway is set for Sunday when traffic is light. Filming on Bayshore will happen Monday or Tuesday, Norris said.

About 80 people will be involved in the production, she said.

Tampa is no stranger to commercials. Several, including for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Volvo and Nike, were filmed in the city in recent years. A handful of feature films have shown Tampa, including "The Punisher," released in 2004 starring John Travolta, and "Grace is Gone," filmed last year with John Cusack.

The Lexus ad likely will be seen in a month or two, Norris said.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or rshopes@tampatrib.com.

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