'The Beach Tampa' coming to Amalie Arena

TAMPA (FOX 13) - 'The Beach Tampa' is described as an "immersive environment featuring an 'ocean' of 1.2 million recyclable and antimicrobial white balls." And it's coming to Amalie Arena in August, thanks to the Vinik Family Foundation and Snarkitecture.

"After visiting 'The Beach DC' last summer, I was inspired to share Snarkitecture's vision with Tampa Bay," Penny Vinik said.

The experience is similar to ball pits that children play in, but on a much larger scale. Visitors are encouraged to "swim" through the balls, or they can simply relax on the shoreline.  

"The Beach Tampa is an interactive and immersive installation that explores the boundaries between art and architecture while inspiring play and relaxation," said Alex Mustonen, co-founder of Snarkitecture. 

The balls are protected with GermBLOCK, a "safe, powerful agent that provides antimicrobial protection for guests against 50 different germs and bacteria."

'The Beach Tampa' will open on August 5 for 20 days. The attraction is free and attendees can get a timed ticket on TheBeachTampa.com or Ticketmaster.com to minimize wait times.