According to Forward Florida, The Voice of Florida’s Super Region….

What does $4 million-plus in restroom renovations buy you? If you’re officials of Tampa International Airport, the answer could be a place in Cintas’ Bathroom Hall of Fame. Cintas Corp. is in the midst of its 12th annual America’s Best Restroom contest, and Tampa International is one of 10 contest finalists, vying against the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, among others. You can go to bestrestroom.com to vote through Oct. 31. The winner gets inducted (or perhaps given a throne). In all seriousness, this is real business.

According to an online survey, 87 percent of responding passengers indicated they noticed the upgrades in the 20 airport terminal bathrooms, such as stainless steel plumbing fixtures and stalls, quartz countertops and porcelain tiles. The highlight of each restroom is a wall-size mural with a photographic print floating between two panes of glass, depicting native Florida scenes. There are even new LED light fixtures—for easy reading. The renovations were part of a $30 million main terminal modernization project.

“It’s a great opportunity! If you have a restroom that you’re proud of, it’s time to show it to the nation!
– Mark Mustacchio, Vice President, Don’s Johns, Inc., 2011 Finalist

While most people would likely characterize their trip to the restroom as a fairly unremarkable experience, we at Cintas think it should be unforgettable! Have you seen a unique, impressive restroom? Maybe it’s elegant, eclectic or downright quirky. As long as it’s immaculate, inviting and, most of all, memorable, it’s fair game!

The reality is that restrooms matter to the public. How a business maintains its facilities is a reflection of a business’ commitment to customer service.

Now, a growing number of companies are going the extra mile to create the most memorable restrooms imaginable, and we are recognizing those establishments with Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom® award. Cintas is on a mission to locate America’s porcelain pioneers who are taking dramatic steps to create unforgettable facilities.

The Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom® Contest is a great way to promote your own business, or bring some recognition to one of your favorite establishments. Nominate and vote for your favorite public restroom now. We will crown the 12th annual Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom® King of the Throne this fall!

Tampa International Airport
Tampa, Florida

Before blessing the budget to renovate Tampa International’s main terminal the CEO wisely noted that his airport restroom facilities “reflect the level of customer service provided by the business and it is something that people remember, for better or worse, so always make sure it’s better”. With 17 million passengers traveling through the Airport each year, that’s a lot of customer impressions. The 20 restrooms in the main terminal were renovated as part of the airport’s latest modernization project and were redesigned to provide a bright, clean atmosphere with a fresh, Florida feel. The restrooms feature automated, hands-free conveniences that exude a sanitary and modern feel. A family restroom, which features a changing station, bench seating and outlets for nursing mothers and guests with medical devices, is located directly adjacent to each set of restrooms. All of the high-end, quality materials used in the new facilities such as stainless steel, porcelain and quartz were selected for maximum durability and ease of maintenance. The focal point of each restroom is the full-wall graphic glass mural with a different image in each restroom. The murals were created from photographic prints that are floating between 2 panes of glass. The images were selected to depict scenery, animals and plant life all native to the state of Florida. Incorporating eco-friendly materials into the project was a high priority for the design team. State-of-the-art airblade hand dryers were added to cut down on paper waste. Lighting fixtures were replaced with LED lighting to reduce energy consumption while increasing the longevity of the fixtures. In addition, all of the toilets and urinals were replaced with low-flow fixtures reducing water usage by half.

View the full press release here.