REAL ESTATE, JOBS AND TOURISM EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE PANHANDLE
Wednesday, 24 February 2010 11:24
According to an article recently posted on
NewsChannel 7 Panama City Beach, Florida’s website, it seems that locals are expecting the new airport to boost job opportunities while greatly increasing the number of visitors to the area.
Rayford Corvo, a resident of Panama City Beach, stated that he and his girlfriend have never been without a job, he also added that jobs were scarce and that the airport will most likely create more jobs for the local community.
Corvo, a landscaper, seems pretty excited due to his expectation that tourist will fill local condos as well as increase demand for real estate in the surrounding areas. He feels that people will start buying houses again! Naturally if people are buying houses they will need a landscaper.
Local officials have been preparing for the opening of the new airport and seem to think that Panama City Beach is now prepared for the boom of tourists! Officials have recently approved the initial set of plans for a St. Joe Company business center development -- 110 acres of land by the entrance of the airport.
Wow! A business center on 110 acres of land right in front of the new airport! It is no wonder St Joe’s donated 4,000 acres for a new airport plus agreed to cover up to $26 million in potential losses for Southwest Airlines….the region will become an accessible DESTINATION and real estate values will SKYROCKET!!
Bay County public information officer Valerie Lovett said, "In the area surrounding the airport, you're going to see a litany of different types of development. It could be residential, commercial, any number of things. Commercial will likely come before any residential would come out there."
As for new beach attractions, Pier Park is continuing to fill a niche, recreating a part of the beach's hey-day with it's own Miracle Strip amusement park, as well as an amazing open air Simon Mall that is more than 1 million square foot property.
Just last week, beach city council members approved plans for the new Emerald Coast water park on Front Beach Road.
What most people don’t understand is that there are numerous entities with deep pockets that are acting in concert to boost the value of the surrounding areas. History tells us that one of the best things you can provide a local economy with is attractions that catch the attention of tourist across the world. Throw a discount airliner like Southwest to service the area and a 10,000 foot runway that can accommodate European jetliners and now you have a winning formula for creating a boom in the local economy.
A great example of what could take place in the panhandle is Orlando. Where would Orlando be without Disney World.
Panama City is already one of Frommer’s top 12 tourist destinations in the world, Southwest will certainly make this destination accessible domestically, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see overseas visitors landing in the area in the foreseeable future.
The question is “who will gain from this boom in the local economy?”
Here’s is the most likely answer, The St Joe Company (NYSE: JOE). Leukadia National (NYSE:LUK) Southwest Airlines (NYSE :LUV) New Bastion Development (NWBA:OTC Pinksheets) and according to rumors Disney may even have some skin in the game when it comes to the panhandle!
