Good Morning!
Before we get started, I hope you and your family had a great Christmas yesterday! The news is typically slow this time of year so there might not be much included in these Daily Rundowns.
At this point, it’s hard to imagine Destin without HarborWalk Village, and it’s hard to imagine that it is 10 years old! I’m 32. I can definitely remember Destin without HWV but it seems like it has been there forever now.
But no matter who I talk to, just about everyone has an opinion on it.Most of the locals I have talked with about HarborWalk Village never go there unless there is some sort of event taking place. But for tourists, it’s a destination and there is no denying the impact that the massive shopping and entertainment complex has done for the tourism in Destin.
The Destin Log did a good write up on developer Peter Bos. In the article Bos talks about how he fell in love with the Harbor and had a vision to create a boardwalk that stretched all the way to the bridge.
“It actually began with me sitting on a park bench in 1972 for about an hour and a half falling in love with the piece of property. I kind of set my sights on it and basically committed to myself to work continuously to try to own the property that is now HarborWalk.”
Peter Bos
In 2008, HarborWalk Village opened. And with it came continuous scrutiny from traffic issues, to paid parking, and (more recently) the plans to build a “Baby Grande” next door.
How do you feel about HarborWalk Village? Do you go there often or just for events? Hit the reply button and let me know!
Speaking of Destin…
The new City Manager answers questions for The Destin Log
Now that Lance Johnson is the permanent City Manager for Destin, The Destin Log sat down with him to see how the transition from Director of Parks and Recreation to city manager has been, take a look at how 2018 went for the city and find out what’s in store for Destin in 2019.
Questions he answers:
- How does it feel to officially be the city manager?
- What has the transition been like?
- What were some of the city’s biggest accomplishments and hurdles?
- Moving into 2019, what do you hope to accomplish?
- What are some of the city’s big projects in 2019?
- Will there still be a fee to park in the city parking lots in 2019?
- Which projects are you most passionate about?
To see what the new manager had to say, click here.
New Event hall opens on Racetrack Road
Racetrack Road in Fort Walton Beach is getting a little more love with the opening of a new event hall. Perfect Day Planning Events & Hall Rental wants to be the place to host weddings, banquets and other special events.
Here’s what you need to know:
- The event hall is designed so that people could make it their own.
- To rent just the space is $550. The price for the hall, music and decor is approximately $2,500.
- It is located at 21 Racetrack Road N.E.
To read more about the father and 15-year-old son who run the event hall, click here.
Ok, that’s all I have for you this morning. I told you this week might be kinda short! Later today we drop a new episode of the “Everything Show” where we talk about the New Year’s Day Pelican Plunge!
See ya tomorrow!