20th Annual Lobster Festival & Tournament Sept 17-20

Schooners, The Last Local Beach Club, will host the 20th Annual Lobster Festival & Tournament again this year! The event, which has grown to be the biggest 4 day Lobster Festival in Florida will be held on September 17, 18, 19 & 20. The first tournament was held in the fall of 1989; today, it draws divers and enthusiasts all over the country!

Divers will have the opportunity to compete in a variety of categories including Spiny Lobster, Big 6 and Shovelnose, with cash prizes totaling $5000.00. Weigh-ins will be from 3-6pm on Saturday and Noon-3pm on Sunday.

Saturday, Schooners will attempt to beat the Guiness Book of World Record for the longest Lobster Roll. The record is 65 feet; Schooners will attempt 70 feet and then sell it by the slice to benefit the Florida Aquatic Marine Institute and the Toys for Kids Foundation.

The Lobster Feast will begin at Noon on Sunday, and spectators will get a chance to taste the catch for themselves! A special Schooners menu has been developed for all the fresh local lobster that will be harvested by the divers… take a look!
WHITE LOBSTER CHILI
LOBSTER GUMBO
LOBSTER BISQUE
LOBSTER CEVICHE WITH SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS
SMOKED LOBSTER CRAB AND CHEESE DIP
LOBSTER AND CORN HUSHPUPPIES
LOBSTER KABOBS WITH STEAK AND SAUSAGE
NEW ENGLAND STYLE LOBSTER ROLLS
LOADED LOBSTER LASAGNA
LOBSTER PAELLA WITH SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE
SAVORY LOBSTER POT PIE
LOBSTER-SHRIMP & GRITS WITH TASSO HAM

The final awards ceremony and the Huge Auction will begin Sunday at 4pm. Lobsters, incredible merchandise and unique packages donated by local businesses are up for bid.

Otherwise known as “Lobsterfest”, the Annual Lobster Festival & Tournament has experienced changes over the years. Eleven years ago, a family oriented Sand Sculpting Contest was added to the lineup. This year, professional sand sculptors Sanding Ovations return to WOW the crowds with their spectacular sculptures. They have won or placed in every major competition in the country.

Live entertainment starts with Troy Syfrett and the Nashville Mafia on Thursday night for the kick off party. Arizona Band takes the main stage Friday thru Sunday and an hometown favorites Nothing Short of Pure host the beach party on Saturday with a concert on the beach stage.

Proceeds from the event will benefit two very worthy local youth oriented charities; Florida Aquatic & Marine Institute (FAMI) and the Toys for Kids Foundation.

Opinion: Why all the 30A Love?

Recently a trip to 30A by the TooCreative team, meant to experience the magnetism of a increasingly popular area just west of Panama City Beach, caused grumbles among a few of our readers. Questions as to why a hyper-local media outlet would suddenly focus on a totally different city filled comment and email boxes. Well, just so you know, there was an underlying purpose behind the trip that walking the cobblestone streets only seemed to underscore: the future of Panama City Beach is on 30A.

It should be said that Panama City Beach’s future is much, much, larger than 30A and to be frank, I’ve always seen Panama City Beach becoming a smaller-less-hedonistic version of Miami. At the same time, however, I recognize how badly PCB is in need of an identity change. With the new airport scheduled to be operational in less than a year, there is not enough time to truly make the change needed to not only win over the new market but to change the unflattering perceptions of PCB in current markets. The solution then, is 30A.

Many readers took our trip to 30A as betrayal; us PCBdaily guys going over to talk about the enemy. You’d be shocked at how many people criticized us saying we were turning our heads towards Destin. My initial reaction was that perhaps they don’t realize how close Panama City Beach is to 30A—much closer than Destin, they don’t realize Bay County ends mere yards from the luxurious strip, they don’t understand that when that new airport comes online Panama City Beach’s inevitable expansion will go westward right into, you guessed it, 30A. So why all the canoodling, you ask? Well, it’s all about perception.

If you’ve never been to New York City, New York, you may not realize the actual size of the city. It’s big, but not as big as you may think. Southerners are notorious for assuming that when someone from “Up North” says, I’m from New York, they automatically are from New York City. That’s not the case. But the perception still lingers. Same case for 30A. When people talk about Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach and great restaurants like Calizas or the Red Bar, others assume they are talking about Destin. Imagine if those same people associated those places with Panama City Beach. All of a sudden, the Redneck Riviera takes on a more artistic and cultural identity. Imagine if Panama City Beach a held few of its events in Rosemary Beach or encouraged Seaside to hold part of its festivals at Pier Park. Imagine if the magic that makes up Panama City Beach blended with the magic of Seaside. The benefit would be immense.

This idea, mind you, didn’t come out of thin air and surely I am not the first person to think of it. I once worked for a company called Paradise Found Vacation Rentals, who coincidentally rented units in the Villages of South Walton. I saw firsthand the guests who stayed spent more time in Panama City Beach than 30A. Currently, Oaseas Resorts rents units within the Village of South Walton.

The big question on everyone’s mind is, when that new clientele from Chicago and New York fly into the new airport will they be more inclined to turn left off 79 or right? Many of these people have never heard of Panama City Beach and if they have they know the city as the party-capitol-of-the-south. I’ve lived in St. Louis, been to Chicago, Cincinnati and spent time in New York. What Panama City Beach is growing and developing into is a better, more multifaceted landing pad for this new clientele; a clientele who likes jazz and blues, good wine, attractions, shopping, beach lifestyle and well staffed, nicely appointed accommodations. Panama City Beach will be that place, and it almost is now, but not quite. What you have on 30A is a ready-made transition for that clientele. I’m not suggesting Panama City Beach guests go out and stay or spend all their money on 30A, only that they see 30A as an extension of Panama City Beach’s versatility, giving Panama City Beach a richer, enhanced perception.

This all begins with co-operatives. As it stands, Panama City Beach allows the Destin area to assume 30A as its own. With new ad/creative and PR agencies representing Panama City Beach, co-operatives with businesses, accommodations and events in that area will be easier than ever. And, truth be told, if you don’t think 30A businesses have PCB envy already, you’re wrong. During our trip to 30A, we found that lots of business would be more willing to work with Panama City Beach than you might imagine. In fact, only one comment, out of dozens, said “only if Panama City Beach cleans up its image,” the others were excited about the prospect. There simply needs to be a greater participation and Panama City Beach imprint in that area. We could exchange databases, co-op for events, work together on city programs such as beach clean-up and recycling and so much more. In the end, Panama City Beach will absorb some of 30A’s magic and 30A will ride the wave of Panama City Beach’s expansion. It’s a virtual win-win, if not an inevitability.

I guess this piece is a call to action. Panama City Beach needs to extend a hand to 30A. This isn’t “betrayal” thinking as much as it is “futuristic” thinking. We only have one shot to make a great impression on New York, Chicago, Detroit and cities we never dreamed would have direct flights into our little town. Now is the time to set aside our differences and show these new vacationers everything we have to offer. So, CVB, TDC, JB Inc, Fahlgren, Lou Hammond and all you local business owners we encourage you to take a ride and re-discover 30A; I’m positive you’ll find yourself thinking what I’m thinking.

Why we Still Need the News Herald

The News Herald is and has been for a long time the locals medium for obtaining the “news”. Chances are, if you read pcbdaily.com, you are familiar with the “local rag,” and many of you probably read it on a daily basis. I know I do.

It’s funny, if you ask most of our readers what our main competition is, you don’t hear the likes of TripSmarter.com, pcbeach.com, or any of the other numerous blogs and web sites about our area; people will tell you that the News Herald is our biggest competition. I don’t see it that way, and I never have.

You see, I read the News Herald each day because they do a job that I (I as in pcbdaily) can’t do, nor do I want to do. Furthermore, I don’t think you would want me to do that job here either. You never see crime stats, crime reports, car crashes, who died or pictures of Obama photoshopped up like The Joker with “why so serious” marked across his forehead on pcbdaily. We focus on a specific niche that is targeted, and frankly commands a smaller audience. But, we have a sophisticated reader. You read that right, if you read pcbdaily.com with regularity, you are probably educated, somewhat financially stable (if not well-off), and there is a good chance you own a small or medium business.

While we talk about what is happening specific to real estate, growth and tourism in Panama City Beach, the News Herald covers the more generic side of the news world. They cater to a much larger audience that craves that information. Only some care about what we talk about here at pcbdaily. We talk about real estate, growth and tourism because that is what drives the Panama City Beach area and that is what people that are vested in this area care about.

“You guys do a great job, and you’ve become a great value to the community,” said a gentleman I had lunch with today. I hear that all the time, and it is kind words like that that keep me going. I often say that makes it all worth while. I love that people use this as a resource. I hear from people frequently that they spend numerous hours each week reading through content and I’ve found a fairly healthy shelf life on old content as well. Keep scouring those archives.

Recently the News Herald’s parent company, Freedom Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Delaware court so that they could keep operating regardless of their immense debt load (a whopping $770 million). Running 33 dailies, 70 weeklies, various other publications and 8 television stations, has a huge overhead cost and with media ad sales down across the country, they aren’t generating revenue like they used to.

That’s the thing I always said was great about pcbdaily, being all online. We have virtually no overhead. Hosting costs, employee costs and equipment costs are about it, and it’s great. When times are tough, I can just find some freelance work to make ends meet, but everything else keeps moving. Of course, many of you know that I started pcbdaily and ran it for a long time while working a full time job somewhere else.

So many people complain about the News Herald. But, them, along with many media companies, battle political inclinations that motivate them to lean one way or another. I suppose I’ve been influenced in the like from time to time. But, the News Herald is mostly a good read. I read it daily, and personally, enjoy the ink on my fingers.

I’m thankful for our loyal readers who read us daily, and I always hope that we are meeting up to your expectations. Please use the comments section below to tell us your suggestions for what you want to hear about.

Panama City Beach’s New Era Starts With Fahlgren & Lou Hammond

The era of Y-Partnership is over. Y-Partnership’s replacement as the ad agency to represent Panama City Beach is Fahlgren, a sharp group based out of Ohio with ties to VisitFlorida and Southwest Airlines. The agency chosen by the board to handle Public Relations for PCB will be the Lou Hammond agency out of New York, strong in crisis management with international ties.

Both agencies presented to the board alongside 3 other agencies, LKM, Beber Silverstein, Hayworth Creative, all talented and thorough in their respective disciplines, competing to carry Panama City Beach into its very bright future.

Fahlgren, represented by Neil Mortine, impressed the board with ties to Southwest as well as a strong belief in the need to develop co-operatives locally and regionally. Fahlgren proved to have a broad enough knowledge of the area’s diversity, great social media marketing understanding and were balanced with creativity and the range of contacts capable of pulling off what Y-Partnership could not; make Panama City Beach a top destination. Representing 45 companies like McDonald’s, Cooper Tires and others, Panama City Beach will be one of Fahlgren’s top 10 clients and should receive a great deal of attention from an award winning agency.

The Lou Hammond Agency, an award winning agency in its own right, with offices in New York, Charleston and Miami, wowed the board to a hands-down decision. Lou Hammond herself, the agency’s president and owner, conducted the presentation and the board loved every second of her outgoing attitude and creative ideas. LH, won the board over with an impressive resume, long line of contacts and previous work in crisis management and airport related Public Relations.

The benefit of having separate agencies in both disciplines, unlike previous years where a single group handled both creative advertising and public relations, can be summed up in one word: synergy. What Panama City Beach can expect are totally fresh ideas, new and far-reaching campaigns cooked up by a talented group of individuals. Lou Hammond will bring big-time contacts and a great understanding of fly markets while Fahlgren will invigorate Panama City Beach with ultra-creative ideas and new ways of implementation.

The timing couldn’t possibly be better and both agencies acknowledged how the new airport makes Panama City Beach a prime expansion city in America as the economy picks up. These two agencies will be presented contracts in the future and if negotiations can not be reached, the board will move to the companies that landed second in the rankings which were LKM and Hayworth.

In related news, we here, at PCBDaily are giddy just thinking about Panama City Beach’s future sans Y-Partnership.

Panama City Beach’s Lingering Miracle

There is something to be said of abandoned amusement parks. Even in dilapidation and neglect, they all carry still a sense of fascination and forlorn delight; even moreso in a park as personal to its community as Miracle Strip Park on Panama City Beach. You see, it’s the silence that gets you.

Where once dazzling lights, laughter and thrills enchanted tourists and locals, where once the heart of Panama City Beach radiated and made clear nights electric there stands the graveyard of classic Panama City Beach. The park is silent now; dark. Erect still are the pieces to be cleared in the coming weeks by Dickens Land Clearing and Rock World. The forgotten wonders; Abominable Snowman, Dante’s Inferno, The Haunted Castle, these pieces, gravestones really, are now considered eyesores. In weeks it will all be gone and so too will the lingering miracle, the fascination that captured Panama City Beach lovers for so many years.

The saddest part of the final clearing of the derelict land is that to this day the park’s fascination, the miracle as it were, still lingers behind those sagging green fences. It is that fascination, that magic which still compels the passerby to climb the fence to peek at the beloved relic, causes adults to tell their kids about Panama City Beach’s old park, pushes the bored teen to sneak in after dark and release his mischievous adolescent energies in a place that is no longer accepting them. The smell of hot dogs, the cloying of sweet cotton, the echoing screams of delight still exist on those grounds.

That will end in the coming weeks.

As the city wipes out its eyesores to make way for a newer, brighter Panama City Beach, Miracle Strip Park has always been at the top of the eradication list, but has taken the longest to be completed.

In a strange way, I, like many residents, sort of hoped they would never take it all. Secretly, I hoped that this one eyesore they might leave to remind us of a more thrilling time. You see, I met my wife at Miracle Strip Park. I had my very first job shifting between working in a candy stand, the arcade and the “ring a bottle” game. Miracle Strip Park was the biggest outlet for all my teenage energies.

This is not the first time the city has said goodbye to the park. I suspect we keep saying goodbye because deep down we all know how much Panama City Beach needs a place like Miracle Strip Park even if as just a memory. Miracle Strip Park provided that spark, that unfailing “Thing to Do” where $5 could buy you the night of your life. The concept of reincarnation has always been an enigmatic prospect in my mind. But in this regard, and for the sake of the city’s future, I hope the spirit of our once beloved park can be brought back. The beach needs it.

Otherwise, we’ll all be left to purchase the pieces of our youth, our memories of Panama City Beach on EBay.

Contingencies, Love 'em or Hate 'em

All you sweet Beach show followers know that ALL of my articles come from Real life problems or challenges that happen during my week; I conduct a therapy session by bringing them before you. So thanks for listening. So many things have already come up this week with 2 short sales buyer back outs after 5 months, one going into foreclosure and lending and appraisal issues. . . where do we start? Although all that needs some reflection I had another issue that came up this week and I think many people are not aware of how some of the contingency issues work in Florida. So lets talk a little about common Purchase Contract Contingencies that a buyer may utilize.

I have a sell going on and we are waiting on an appraisal and holding our breaths to make sure it flies and the question was. . . What if it does not appraise? Does the buyer have to buy it? For the most part the answer is NO. Unless the buyer states that the offer is cash and does not put an appraisal contingency in the contract, then failure of property to appraise is an acceptable back out of a contract. The bank will require an appraisal by a third party that has no interest in the sale to determine the property value. There was a time in the distant past that a buyer would just come to the table with some extra cash to buy that dream hacienda. Not saying that NEVER happens but do not count on it. Many cash offers today include an appraisal clause in the contract.

Another common contingency is the inspection period which varies from state to state and can be explicitly stated in the contract. If the sale is an AS IS with right to inspect then the buyer can get an inspection and at his sole discretion get out of the contract if he does not like the findings of the inspection. If a buyer has a regular contact such as FAR 9 then the seller is required to fix any warranted or safety items. The seller and the buyer will discuss and come to terms with how that is handled. But for clarification sake it is the duty of the seller to have those items fixed by a licensed professional and may be required to have a re-inspection before close.

Federal law also gives a buyer 10 days to inspect for lead paint. Don’t run for the hills this will only apply to older homes but again ask your trusted Realtor. We will talk about Chinese Dry Wall another time!!!

Lender approval is another facet of contingencies embedded in the contract unless waved, and even though a customer has a pre-approval letter that does not mean that he has the loan locked in. Any number of things can happen and sometimes do so if a buyer can not attain a loan he has a suitable back out of a contract. A perfect example as happened in one of my deals today was a buyer who lost their job before the property went to close. She now no longer qualifies for her loan so was able to legitimately get out of her contract and have her earnest money returned.

I have heard in the past contingencies called weasel clauses because they allowed a person to weasel out of a contract. That does sound kind of slimy but the fact is contingencies are a necessary part of the Real Estate transaction, and your Realtor can explain all of these to you. Remember I am not a lawyer and I do not even play one on TV so this is meant to be a basic intro to contingencies as they relate to a typical sale in Florida. Thanks for being my therapist one more time.

Episode #22 – Aqua Developer Deals (HOT)

This week’s features:

Deal 1 & 2 – Aqua Developer Closeout Deals
Deal 3 – Huge Colony Club Home for only $215k

The Beach Show is your ONLY internet TV show all about Real Estate on Panama City Beach.

Download the podcast

Remember, it doesn’t cost anything to work with us if you are a buyer.

Click the “more” tag for show notes and pictures.

Call us at 850-527-5651 to see these properties or for anything else you need regarding real estate in Panama City Beach.

Show Notes

Deal 1 & 2 – Aqua Developer Closeout Deals

List Price: $238,995 – $510,440
Square Feet: 1,010 – 1,823
Don’t miss this opportunity to be in one of the most highly coveted beach front condominium resorts on Panama City Beach. Aqua is a high-end luxury resort with exquisite amenities and beautiful architecture. These will only be available for sale until the end of the week with over 20 being sold in the last two weeks. Give us a call now to see these amazing deals.

Deal 3 – Huge Colony Club Home for only $215k

List Price: $215,000
Square Feet: 1,900
Price/SqFt: $113.16
3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath
Built in 1995
Talk about a steal, you couldn’t touch a home in this neighborhood a few years ago for less than $275,000, and this home is a huge 3 bedroom home on a corner lot right on the fairway for only $215k!!! This home features a huge vaulted ceiling in the main living area, huge vaulted ceiling in the master bedroom, full dining room, eat-in kitchen, huge backyard and Florida room. This is a total steal and will not last.

Call us at 850-527-5651 to see these properties or for anything else you need regarding real estate in Panama City Beach.

AGENDA CVB Meeting: Presentations for Y Partnership Replacement

As you no doubt learned last week, Y Partnership is out as the TDC and CVB’s marketing and public relations agency. This Thursday presentations will be given by the top three candidates from each discipline to take over in Y-Partnership’s vacated position. If you’re not excited, check your pulse.

AGENDA

PANAMA CITY BEACH CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, INC.
Panama City Beach
Thursday, September 10, 2009
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Council Room, PCB City Hall

I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER

II. ROLL CALL

A. Invocation
B. Pledge of Allegiance

III. PRESENTATION FROM ADVERTISING AGENCIES, Mr. Dan Rowe, President

A. Beber Silverstein Group
B. Fahlgren
C. LKM

IV. PRESENTATIONS FROM PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRMS, Mr. Dan Rowe, President

A. Fahlgren
B. Hayworth Creative
C. Lou Hammond and Associates

V. BOARD DISCUSSION AND FINAL RANKING

VI. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

VII. ADJOURNMENT

To download this agenda please click HERE

All Play, No Work at Laketown Wharf Labor Day Weekend

Laketown Wharf is the place to play this Labor Day weekend with a full schedule of family fun events including a special dancing fountain light show, reptile show with John “The Snakeman” Moravek, live music and more. Bring a chair or blanket and catch a Saturday lineup of entertainment! Plus, a holiday discount takes some work off the wallet. Labor Day weekend guests save 20% off of fall vacation rates on 1, 2 or 3-bedroom condos.
Labor Day Events – Saturday, September 5 – All events open to the public

Reptile show with The Snakeman, John Moravek from 4pm – 6pm
Concert on the Green with Emerald County Live from 7pm – 9pm
Extended Dancing Fountain Light Show after the concert – 9pm
Extended hours for Laketown Wharf shops (Nola Blue, CHIC Culture, GOLF the World)
Weekend getaway giveaway for Laketown Wharf
Weekend children’s activities

Guests who want to extend their stay may take advantage of Laketown Wharf tours and save even more.

Vacation rental condo tour and receive a 15% discount on your next vacation 5pm – 8pm

Laketown Wharf Open House for long term rental units 4pm – 6pm

For more information please go to www.laketownwharf.com

Edgewater Beach Resort Earns Top Industry Professional Designation

Edgewater Beach Resort Management, Inc., the management company for The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach, recently joined the elite group of community association management companies who have earned the Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) designation from the Community Associations Institute (CAI). Edgewater Beach Resort Management, Inc., is one of only 140 management companies nationwide who have earned the highest level of professional recognition in the community association field.

Edgewater Beach Resort Management, Inc., manages a total of 1664 condominium units, including 53 commercial units. The accreditation process took more than two months to complete. “This was a great exercise for our staff; the accreditation process is indepth and challenges you to look at the way you operate,” said Mike Wray, vice president of association management.

CAI is a national organization dedicated to fostering vibrant, responsive, competent community associations. Some 57 million Americans live in the nation’s estimated 286,000 association-governed communities.

To earn the AAMC distinction, management companies need three years of experience in community association management and at least 50 percent of their managers must have earned professional designations. Edgewater Management has over 25 years of experience and has two Professional Community Association Managers (PCAMs) on staff. The PCAM credential is the highest CAI designation that can be earned by an individual manager.

Professional managers provide administrative, operational, and managerial counsel to community association boards. They typically are responsible for managing budgets and contractors, directing association personnel, and overseeing compliance with association covenants and restrictions.

CAI has more than 55 state, regional, and local chapters and more than 28,000 members, which include community association volunteer leaders, community managers, management companies, and businesses that provide products and services to communities.