Taking the Torch: Robinson Settles Into His Role as TBSC Executive Director

TAMPA, FL - When it came time to select a new executive director for the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, the organization’s Board of Directors was dazzled by the diverse interest in its top position.

 

Candidates included former heads of Super Bowl organizing committees, as well as officials from the MLB, NBA, and NHL. There were sitting athletic directors and executives from major college conferences. There were heads of media groups, CEOs of international companies, and well-known marketing professionals. There were more than 200 applications in all.

 

After looking far and wide, the TBSC hired a familiar face, a man whose office was about a mile down the street in downtown Tampa.

The choice was Lanness Robinson, a former high school coach and athletic director who built his career in education and spent 19 years as the Director of Athletics for the Hillsborough County School District.

 

And in five rapid-fire months — where he largely “drank water from a fire-hose’’ with high-level, nonstop activity — Robinson already has built on the TBSC’s legacy. That meant hosting all the familiar major sporting events — the NHL’s Stadium Series and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, recently among them — while also serving as a catalyst for sports tourism through attracting a never-ending stream of popular amateur and youth tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay area.

 

As the TBSC prepares for its annual “Sneaker Soiree’’ celebration — a gathering of top officials and athletes from the area’s professional franchises and schools, plus an array of civic and business leaders — Robinson said he knows a key role is serving as chief unifier and connector for all of Team Tampa Bay.

 

“Lanness is a phenomenal leader,’’ said Rob Higgins, who was the TBSC’s executive director for 21 years before becoming the University of South Florida’s CEO of Athletics last September. “He’s bright. He’s energetic. He’s a team player, and he’s really the definition of a servant leader.

 

“He has the ability to control a boardroom, yet also the ability to roll up his sleeves and help do event set-up. I think Lanness has fit in perfectly with the Sports Commission’s existing All-Star staff. With his perspective, having served as our chairman while being a longtime board member, plus his familiarity with our sports community, Lanness is going to take Team Tampa Bay to new heights.’’

 

After Higgins jumped to USF, Robinson said he was initially uncertain if his skill set was appropriate to become the TBSC successor. But Higgins and Jeff Adams, the TBSC board chairman, assured Robinson that he could quickly build his network of national connections.

 

“That he wasn’t initially certain whether to apply because he wanted to be sure the fit was right, that showed great maturity to me,’’ Adams said. “When he heard about the importance of our local stakeholders and the fact that we can introduce him nationally, he was all-in. When we hired Rob (Higgins) 21 years ago, he didn’t have the national connections and experience that he has now. It’s easier and more natural than bringing in somebody from outside the community, then immersing them in what makes Team Tampa Bay (tick). Lanness has known that all along.

“Lanness is a consensus-builder. He’s a team player. He values our staff and wants to be part of the team. He didn’t come in as the ‘boss.’ He came in to learn from our staff and work with them to support the success of the organization, all of our stakeholders, our teams, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, all the hoteliers and businesses. We’re excited because Lanness is so well-liked and respected.’’

 

Robinson, a self-described “lifetime sports fanatic’’ who’s passionate about playing golf (10-handicap), was a quarterback and point guard for Pompano Beach Ely High School, a longtime Florida prep powerhouse that fell just short of winning state titles in football and basketball during his time there.

 

He entered Florida State University as an accounting major and ultimately switched to education, which he parlayed into his first jobs — as a boys' basketball coach at Plant City High School and an athletic director at Wharton High School. Robinson also felt a kinship with Tampa because his parents attended the old Blake and Middleton high schools. His father grew up in West Tampa, and his mother was raised in Progress Village.

 

Robinson was groomed for the county’s top AD position, succeeding the legendary Vernon Korhn, and he fully expected to finish out his working days with the Hillsborough County School District.

 

The TBSC opportunity was unexpected, but it has energized Robinson like never before. Instead of winding down to an end — he and his wife, Christine, have a daughter (Jasmyn) who just graduated from law school and a son (Trey) who’s in graduate school — it seems like a new beginning.

 

“It’s like the stars have aligned,’’ Robinson said. “Our Sports Commission team is awesome, just fantastic, so working with them has helped so much. I’m surrounded by professionalism and excellence in this office. Overall, this is so drastically different from what I’ve been doing for a long time, so it's really been fun.

 

“With the task of taking care of all our partners — whether it’s the city or county government, Raymond James Stadium, the Bucs, the Lightning, the Rays, highlighting our area as a destination, the whole idea of Team Tampa Bay — I find myself waking up every day full of energy. It’s like a dream job because for my whole life, I’ve revolved everything so much around sports.’’

 

Following Rob Higgins?

 

Of course, that’s a challenge, but even Higgins acknowledged that a new set of eyes and a different approach could be beneficial.

 

“Rob is a very creative guy, and it’s really hard to top all that he brought for so long,’’ Robinson said. “I wouldn’t say I’m trying to do Rob 2.0. But my ideas will continue to grow as we find new ways to be creative while also maintaining the same level of success.

 

“Like always, we judge our success on getting events back. Rob had a lot of relationships that automatically helped to get things back. I’m developing those kinds of relationships, so we are looking to continue our upward trajectory. Sports — and the values that sports provide — have always been an important part of my life.’’

 

Robinson’s uncle was Freddie Solomon, the legendary University of Tampa quarterback and NFL veteran receiver who won two Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers. Solomon married Dee, the sister of Robinson’s father, and a lifetime relationship was forged.

 

“I might as well have been the son of Freddie and Dee,’’ Robinson said. “They looked after me and took me everywhere. To me, he was just Freddie. As I got older, I began to realize that, hey, he was kind of a big deal.’’

 

Robinson was a constant presence at 49ers games, flying across the country regularly (his mother worked at Delta Air Lines). Top highlight: He attended the NFC Championship Game in 1982 at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, a prelude to the 49ers’ first Super Bowl title.

 

That was “The Catch,’’ the famous Joe Montana-to-Dwight Clark touchdown connection. The play was actually designed for Solomon, who slipped in the end zone, forcing Montana to improvise.

Robinson was befuddled afterward over Solomon’s forlorn locker-room mood.

 

“What’s wrong? We’re going to the Super Bowl,’’ Robinson said.

 

“I gotta be better,’’ said Solomon, still disappointed that his physical mistake almost cost his team a shot at its greatest glory.

 

To this day, Robinson wears a wristband that reads: “Be Better FS.’’

 

The memory of Solomon, who died in 2012 after a bout with colon cancer, still fuels Robinson’s motivation and drive. Professionalism, the pursuit of excellence, and community service are among Robinson’s core values. It’s a reflection of Freddie Solomon, forever a beloved figure in Tampa Bay.

 

“You can always be better tomorrow than you are today,’’ Robinson said. “That has become like a mantra for me.’’

 

For Lanness Godfrey Robinson II, it’s a lesson worth remembering. But it’s much more than that. There’s the influence of Freddie Solomon. There’s working for the betterment of high-school athletics. There’s his love of Tampa Bay. And there’s his natural ability to bring everyone together.

 

Robinson has already fit in nicely.

 

“Diagnosing issues and resolving them, I feel like that’s my specialty,’’ Robinson said. “I’m good with systems and organization. That’s my cup of tea. I was sometimes the person who had to say ‘no’ when I was with the School District, but you always find ways to build relationships, even though you may not be giving the answer they want to hear. If you’re consistent, fair, and understanding, people will respect that.

 

“When you’re dealing with events, there are always problems to smooth out and solutions to find. There’s the component of building relationships and trust. You’re tough when you need to be. You’re compassionate when you need to be. All of that is a huge part of doing this job. I don’t keep a very large circle, but the people in my circle mean a lot to me, and that helps. It’s always about the people.’’

 

That’s the strength of Team Tampa Bay — and it’s a quality that is always on display at the Sneaker Soiree.

 

Maybe it’s a new era for the TBSC, but there’s also familiarity and the comfort of knowing that a torch has been passed in traditional fashion. A worldwide search circled back to a place just down the street. It led to a man who understands Tampa Bay’s sporting fabric better than anyone.

 

“It’s a new job, a new position, a new sort of professional life in some ways,’’ Robinson said. “But I love it. And I’ve got to say, it feels like home.’’