Month: April 2008

Possible upturn in Luxury Real Estate Market

Pennsylvania-based home builder, Toll Brothers, agrees the real estate market is still soft in many areas, but seems to have bottomed out in other areas.

Quote:

  • “In the Naples-Fort Myers market, sales activity is definitely up for new homes on the market at reduced prices. That’s a definite contrast to late 2007, when you couldn’t give away a home regardless of price.”
  • In the Orlando market, it takes a real bargain to interest buyers, he says. Many buyers are walking away from deposits — a trend that’s prompted the company to require additional funds as its new homes move toward completion. Continue reading “Possible upturn in Luxury Real Estate Market” →

Notes and Comments from the TDC/CVB Board Meeting 4/8/08

Only 5 of the 9 board members were present. Absent were Mike Nelson, Mayor Oberst, Yonnie Patronis, and Rick Russell.

College Spring Break Marketing

Although President Dan Rowe previously advised the Board that he would be asking them to consider their plans for 2009 at this meeting, he is now suggesting that the subject be postponed until the May meeting. Rowe explained that he would like to wait until the research and bed tax data is available for March.

While I understand Rowe’s reasoning, there is now a problem. Some Board and Marketing Committee members have previously suggested that the TDC/CVB should, at a minimum, discontinue direct funding of a College Spring Break marketing program. If implemented, this would still allow a co-op to request special event advertising support from the Board. However, the CVB’s Special Events Advertising Policy and Procedure requires that an application be filed by June 1, 2008. It would be difficult for an application to be prepared between the May 13th Board meeting and the June 1st deadline. I had hoped that the Board would have officially voted to give notice that 2009 College Spring Break funding might be discontinued at this meeting. As it stands now, the College Spring Break interests could claim that they had insufficient time to prepare a potential Special Event funding request.

Continue reading “Notes and Comments from the TDC/CVB Board Meeting 4/8/08” →

Education in Bay County – Let’s market what we have!

juliann

By: Juliann Talkington

Juliann Talkington is the administrator of the Panama City Renaissance School. She can be reached on 850-215-8712 or jtalkington@pcrschool.org.

What do employers and employees look for when they consider an area for relocation? Schools are always at the top of the list. Employers want skilled workers and potential employees want quality education at a reasonable cost.

So what is the state of primary and secondary education in Bay County and the nearby areas?

Within the past five years the number of schooling options has increased substantially. Most follow the standard US education model, but the area now hosts a Montessori school (South Walton Montessori Academy in Rosemary Beach) and a school that offers academics to the higher European and Asian standards and foreign language immersion (Panama City Renaissance School).

Continue reading “Education in Bay County – Let’s market what we have!” →

Letters to the TDC – Opposing College Spring Break

In support of the College Spring Break opposition, Mark Canfora is presenting several documents to the TDC at Tomorrows meeting.

Quote:

To TDC Board Members,
To sit by and watch this ongoing devastating PCB College Spring Break tragedy and TDC promotion (Event Failure in TDC terminology) continue and do NOTHING would be a form of Passive Collusion: Failure to confront known abusive, harmful or catastrophic behavior.”

Money, in many cases, is motivating factor and a total disregard to the loss and despair of families and the victims. This ongoing dangerous spring break promotion furthers the pain and suffering of the past and present victim’s families with constant reminders of the pain caused during this annual event.

Continue reading “Letters to the TDC – Opposing College Spring Break” →

Churchwell Road CRA Update and Pictures

The Churchwell Road CRA (Community Redevelopment Area) is pretty much done. They were painting the yellow stripes last week and painting the 127 space public parking lot yesterday. The ribbon cutting is on April 16, 2008 at 10:30 am on the new Churchwell Bridge, unless it rains, in which case it will be under a tent in the new parking lot close to Front Beach Road. More after the break.

Continue reading “Churchwell Road CRA Update and Pictures” →

TDC Meeting Agenda for 4/8/2008

On Tuesday, the main line items are:

  1. Discuss and Consider for Approval CVB/TDC Financial Statements Dated February 29, 2008, Mr. Dan Rowe, President
  2. Discuss and Consider for Approval TDC Visitor Information Center Brochure Display Racks Policy, Mr. Dan Rowe, President
  3. Discuss and Consider for Approval Funding Request, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Mr. Dan Rowe, President
  4. Discuss and Consider for Approval Board Resolution in Support of the Recreational and Local Charter Fishing Industry, Mr. Dan Rowe, President
  5. Discuss and Consider for Approval Board Resolution on Visual Blight Created by Inactive Development Projects on Panama City Beach, Mr. Andy Phillips, Chairman
  6. Discuss and Consider for Approval Coastal Planning & Engineering Invoice #80274-R, and Invoice #80347, Mrs. Lisa Armbruster, Sustainable Beaches, LLC
  7. Discuss and Consider Florida Department of Environmental Protection Grant 05BA2, Modification #2, Mrs. Lisa Armbruster, Sustainable Beaches, LLC

View or download the entire agenda by clicking below.

Continue reading “TDC Meeting Agenda for 4/8/2008” →

Foreclosures and what the government is going to do about it.

Thursday the Senate began a debate on taking measures to help curb foreclosures nationwide. Highlights for the bill:

  • Make loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration more widely available
  • Makes $4 billion available to communities to buy and rehabilitate foreclosed homes
  • Provides tax credits of $7,000 for buying a foreclosed home
  • Provides tax credits to homebuilders and businesses hurt by the housing downturn
  • Returning soldiers will be given an extra 6 months before foreclosure procedures could begin

This came after outcry that the government was more interested in bailing out the financial industry and less interested in the suffering American public. Many lawmakers are criticizing this bill saying that it isn’t going far enough.

Continue reading “Foreclosures and what the government is going to do about it.” →

Notes from the April 2, 2008 TDC/CVB Marketing Committee Meeting

9 of the 11 committee members were present. Absent was Debi Knight and Paul Wohlford.

Indian Summer Festival

  • Two organizations interested in taking over operation of the festival made presentations. Both proposals are for Columbus Day Weekend, October 10-12, 2008.
  • Jeffrey Wolfe, from Multimedia Publishing, Inc. (http://www.multimediapp.com), would like to provide a “Family oriented food and entertainment venue, which focuses on wholesome family fun.” The festival would remain at Frank Brown Park and retain the name Indian Summer Seafood Festival. Wolfe’s vision includes a cooking demonstration stage, a kid-oriented stage that would include the involvement of Bay County Schools, and a music stage. The music stage would have a unique music theme each day, such as margaritiville, country, and big band. Although the possibility of a Jimmy Buffett concert was subsequently reported by WJHG, it is my understanding that Wolfe is only proposing a margaritiville-style concert. Multimedia listed their affiliations with the Niceville Mullet Festival, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival, and Blue Angels events in Pensacola; however, I believe that they only provided services to these events rather than acting as event promoter. The presentation was silent as to what financial support they would be requesting from the TDC/CVB; however, their handout did refer to “seed money” being used for operations. Although and exception was made recently for the FSU Flying Circus, it is TDC/CVB policy to only provide advertising support to special events. Wolfe anticipates a total attendance of 18,000.

Continue reading “Notes from the April 2, 2008 TDC/CVB Marketing Committee Meeting” →

Solace Day Spa Opens in Pier Park – Grand Opening April 17

Press Release

Solace Day Spa & Salon Announces Grand Opening at Pier Park!

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (April 3, 2008) -Solace Day Spa & Salon-Aveda, now open for appointments in Pier Park, invites you to its Grand Opening Celebration on April 17, 2008, 5 – 9 p.m.

Guests are invited to join Solace Day Spa & Salon to celebrate the opening of their second location now in Panama City Beach. Enjoy an evening of beauty and wellness with complimentary mini-services, hors d’oeuvres, 20 percent off of Aveda products and up to $50 in free products with services booked that evening.  As the area’s newest full service salon and spa, you are invited to come and experience something more!

After the break, the rest of the press release.

Continue reading “Solace Day Spa Opens in Pier Park – Grand Opening April 17” →