J.C. Newman Cigar Company announced that the final phase of construction began last week on the historic Sanchez y Haya Hotel in Tampa’s Ybor City. Built in 1910, the building was once a hub for cigar workers, located across the street from J.C. Newman’s famed El Reloj factory, but has fallen into disrepair after decades of neglect.
Now owned by J.C. Newman, the building has been structurally stabilized, stripped to its bones, cleared of a long-running bat infestation, and prepared for total revival. Backed by $18 million in public and private investment, including major support from Hillsborough County and Tampa’s CRA, it is scheduled to open as a boutique hotel and cigar destination in November 2026.
J.C. Newman president Drew Newman said the project is a “responsibility and tribute to Tampa’s cigar story.”
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