Clearwater Beach Featured On ESPN

Clearwater Beach will be featured in this year’s Outback Bowl Preview Special on ESPN2 and ESPNU. In addition to Clearwater Beach, Busch Gardens Tampa, the Florida Aquarium, Channelside Bay Plaza, Ybor City, St. Pete museums and area events will also be featured.  The Outback Bowl, named for sponsor Outback Steakhouse,  kicks off at 11 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and will be telecast internationally on ESPN TV. The event is in its 24th year.

The half-hour show also will highlight Auburn University and Northwestern University football teams, who will compete in the bowl. The show will air at 2 p.m. on Dec. 28th on ESPN2 and is scheduled to run eight additional times until Dec. 31 on ESPNU.

 

New Hotels Approved For Clearwater Beach

The Clearwater Community Development Board has approved new hotel projects on Clearwater Beach. They will also require the City Council's approval as well because they're seeking more than their allotted number of rooms.

Tropicana Resort Motels, headed by developer Gus DiGiovanni, received approval to build 2 hotels between Hamden and Coronado south of Third Street. The properties are currently occupied by a number of buildings including the Sandman Resort, Sea Cove Motel and Alex Family Restaurant. One hotel will hae 142 rooms, the other will have 118 rooms.

Shephard's Beach Resort was given approval for a major expansion. The hotel and entertainment complex will add nearly 100 rooms. One of the existing buildings will be torn down to construct a new one.

Super Boat Championship Weekend Schedule

2009 Clearwter Super Boat National Championship & Festival

This weekend long event offers fun for the whole family.

Friday October 2nd, 4pm - 9pm

· Coachman Park: Super Boats in the Dry Pits with food, drinks and fun for the entire family.

Saturday October 3rd

· Coachman Park: Super Boats in the Dry Pits 10am - 4pm

· Clearwater Beach at Pier 60: “Make a Difference Fishing Tournament” 8am - NOON

· Clearwater Beach at Pier 60: Super Boat practice runs NOON - 6pm off

· Clearwater Beach at Pier 60: Coast Guard Rescue Demonstration at 2pm

· Clearwater Beach at Pier 60: Caribbean Chillers Concert at 6pm

· Clearwater Beach at Pier 60: Fireworks at 8:30 pm

Sunday October 4th, 10am - 3pm

· Clearwater Beach at Pier 60: The Clearwater Super Boat Offshore National Championship Races

Visit official website

Marriott Restaurant Received People's Choice Award

Congratulations to the winners of the 20th Annual Taste of Clearwater.

Best Themed Booth - Sand Pearl Resort Caretta's on the Gulf
Best Entree - Salt Rock Grill for their Crab Cake
Best Appetizer - Sand Pearl Caretta's on the Gulf for their BBQ Oysters
Best Dessert - Oaks of Clearwater for their outstanding Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Best Beverage - Great Bay Distributors for the Gordon Blersch Beer

Best of Taste 2009 (The Peoples Choice) - Watercolour Steakhouse and Grill located at the Marriott Suites on Sand Key.

New Hotel On Coronado Approved

Last night the Clearwater City Council unanimously approved a development allowing construction of a Holiday Inn Express at Coronado and Devon Drive.

The new hotel will replace the now closed Port Vue hotel next to the marina, and will have 8 stories with 108 hotel rooms. The developer, Decade Properties, also owns the Holiday Inn on Gulfview Blvd.

Frenchy's Owner Opening Clearwater Beach Hotel

Mike "Frenchy" Preston, owner of popular Frenchy's restaurants has purchased 2 Clearwater Beach hotels with plants to open a hotel with a retro "classy early 1960's theme".

The $1.6 million dollar purchase includes Ann's Edgewater and the Olympia Motel. The Olympia will be renovated and should be complete in a few months. There are no plans yet for changes to Ann's Edgewater.

The 2 properties located on East Shore Drive next to Frenchy's Seafood Co., which supplies the Frenchy's Restaruants with fresh seafood.

Finally, A Deal For Beach Parking Garage

Clearwater Beach has finally struck a deal to build a city parking garage. City council voted unanimously on a 300 space 4 level garage atop ground floor retail space. Vehicles will enter and exit the garage from Coronado Drive.

The site is currently the home of Britt's Laguna Grill, a popular restaurant on the Beachwalk promenade. A new Britt's will be located on the ground floor. Surf Style Retail Management, who owns the site will pay to build the garage itself, with no city tax dollars. It has not yet been determined what the city will charge for parking, but it will likely be similar the agreement the city has with the Hyatt, which will have 400 parking places for the public in its 750-space garage - rates must be "comparable" to the garages of other beachfront resorts.

The Beachwalk project, which was completed last year, eliminated hundreds of waterfront parking spaces on S. Gulfview Blvd, and the city has been scrambling ever since to come up with replacements. The city is currently leasing 2 vacant lots for parking.

The project is expected to to be complete by next fall.

Honeymoon Island Makes TripAdvisor Top 10 Beach List

Honeymoon Island State Park ranked ninth on the list TripAdvisor's Top 10 Beach list for 2009. "What sets this beach apart is its undisturbed natural beauty. Not your typical "beachgoer's beach," it lets visitors interact with the scenic natural environment of the area, from swimming to seashells to sunsets."