WHAT’S NEW ON FROM FLORIDA’S BEACH,
THE ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER AREA
Here is a roundup of items
generating attention on Florida’s Beach. For more information, take a virtual
visit at www.FloridasBeach.com or call 1-877-FL-BEACH (352-3224).
1. Dali Turns 20: As part of
its 20th anniversary celebration, the Salvador Dali Museum is
featuring a special exhibit called Forms of Cubism: Sculptures and the
Avant-garde through Sept. 8. Including sculpture and related drawings by
Picasso, Lipchitz, and Brancusi, this exhibition examines the first major
modern art movement in Europe. Forms of Cubism showcases several of the
artists working with Picasso and the Paris art scene before and during World
War I. These artists provided immediate contexts for the emergence of
Surrealism. The exhibit was organized by the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in
Madrid. The Dali Museum breaks ground this year on a $6 million expansion to
add 15,000 square feet of exhibit space when completed in 2004. 727-823-3767
www.salvadordalimuseum.org
2. Native American Center: Scheduled to open in October, the Learning
Center at Weedon Island Preserve will keep the area’s Pre-Columbian Native
American culture alive for future generations. It will feature classrooms and
exhibit areas designed by anthropologists, historians and Native Americans to
reflect the art and history of the area’s first people. Weedon Island Preserve
is a group of low-lying islands in north St. Petersburg whose history goes back
10,000 years when early peoples such as the Timucuans and Manasotas made the
island their home. These early dwellers developed an elaborate culture burying
their dead in sand mounds along with ornate ceremonial pottery. Evidence of
this life has been found throughout the preserve. The Learning Center will
spotlight these artifacts and profile their culture. 727-217-7208
www.co.pinellas.fl.us/BCC/Environ/weedon.htm
3. Beaches Expand Trolleys: The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area beach
trolley service has expanded to include the Gulf Coast Museum of Art in Largo
as well as all the area beaches and the St. Petersburg Pier on Tampa Bay. The
air-conditioned, natural gas-operated trolleys run north along Gulf Boulevard
to Clearwater’s Sand Key and south to Pass-A-Grille in St. Pete Beach. The
system also takes visitors from Treasure Island on the beaches to downtown St.
Petersburg. Trolleys operate every day 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cost is $1.50 per ride
or $3 for the day. 727-530-9911 www.psta.net
4. Military/Police Museum Opens: What is believed to be the only
combined military and police museum in the United States opened this May in
Dunedin, just north of Clearwater. The National Armed Services & Law
Enforcement Memorial Museum is an educational memorial museum honoring those in
the U.S. Armed Forces and law enforcement. This volunteer-supported facility
arms and artifacts ranging from Revolutionary War flintlocks to a full
scale replica of “Old Sparky,” Florida’s electric chair. The museum hopes to
educate young people about the sacrifices made by those who have served to
defend the freedom of the United States and protect it from internal
corruption, crime, and violence. Admission is $5 and the facility is open
Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 727-734-0700 www.naslemm.com
5. New American Art
Museum: The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art opened in January 2002 on the
campus of St. Petersburg College in Tarpon Springs. The 53,000 square-foot
museum houses a 5,500-piece collection featuring works by renowned American
artist Abraham Rattner as well as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro and
the world’s only full-sized replica of Picasso’s 11 ½-foot by 25-foot oil
painting, Guernica. Valued at $20
million, the collection was donated to the college by local artist Allen Leepa,
Rattner’s stepson. Rattner’s work is exhibited worldwide in places such as the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, but the Tarpon Springs museum has the world’s
largest collection of Rattner paintings. The museum will includes a hands-on
gallery, children’s programs and art classes for adults. 727-712-5762
www.spjc.edu/central/museum
6. Historic Hotels:
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, Clearwater’s Fort Harrison Hotel
is offering free Sunday history tours. "Sundays at the Fort Harrison"
is an open house including tours of the hotel, the Images of a Lifetime
photo exhibition on Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard and Sunday brunch or
dinner at the hotel's Hibiscus restaurant. Owned and operated by the Church of
Scientology, the Fort Harrison is an international religious retreat for
Scientologists from across the globe. Guest rooms are not available unless
associated with a group function. 727-467-6860 www.fortharrison75th.info.
History tours are also offered at the Belleview Biltmore
(www.belleviewbiltmore.com), Renaissance Vinoy (www.renaissancehotels.com) and
Don CeSar (www.doncesar.com).
7. BayWalk Complex Heats Up: The $40-million “BayWalk” entertainment
complex has become a hot spot for shopping and nightlife. Adding momentum to a
revitalization of downtown St. Petersburg, “BayWalk” opened last year. The
150,000 sq. ft. open-air themed plaza is anchored by a 4,200 seat, 20-screen
Muvico Theater complex featuring stadium seating theaters, child care service
and fresh cuisine. The Mediterranean Revival-themed complex known as the “Soul
of St. Petersburg” includes bars and restaurants such as Wet Willie’s, dish and
Dan Marino’s Town Tavern as well as a full-line Ann Taylor shop and other
retail outlets. 727-384-6000 www.stpete.org/baywalk.htm
8. Beaches Earn Environmental Award: This summer area beaches at
Caladesi Island, Fort De Soto Park, Honeymoon Island, Sand Key, Clearwater
Beach, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island and Fred Howard Park received the Blue
Wave Award, the symbol of responsible beach management. The Clean Beaches
Council’s Blue Wave Campaign is America’s first national environmental beach
certification program. It promotes responsible beach management and encourages
public awareness of environmental, health and safety conditions at beaches.
202-537-9166 or www.cleanbeaches.org
9. Quack Attack: Duck Tours offer 80 minute trips through the heart of
downtown St. Petersburg and into Tampa Bay for a scenic view of the waterfront.
These World War II Army Amphibious “Ducks” depart every hour from the Pier and
are available for private events. Each Duck is a 1940s original vehicle that
explores the area by land and sea. 727-432-3825 www.ducktoursoftampabay.com
10. New Explorations: Great Explorations, The Hands On Museum moves to
a new home adjacent to St. Petersburg’s Sunken Gardens in early 2003. The
museum will incorporate the building that formerly was Sunken Gardens’ “World’s
Largest Gift Shop.” Great Explorations will undergo a $2.7 million renovation
with “all new” exhibits and formats. Great Explorations is a museum for
children of all ages with the goal of making learning fun. 727-821-8992
www.greatexplorations.org
11. Best Beaches: St. Petersburg/Clearwater area beaches at Caladesi
Island, Fort De Soto and Clearwater Beach are rated among the top beaches in
the U.S. by Florida International University's Dr. Stephen Leatherman.
Florida’s Beach is the only destination that features three top public beaches.
His 2001 annual survey of nature beaches ranked Caladesi Island State Park #5
and Fort De Soto Park #6. Clearwater Beach was rated the #1 city beach in the
Gulf Region in 1999, the last year he rated city beaches. Leatherman surveys
650 U.S. beaches each year. www.topbeaches.com
12. Miniature Wings: St. Petersburg’s Florida International Museum
features On Miniature Wings: Model Aircraft From the National Air &
Space Museum May 1– July 7, 2002. From the Smithsonian Air and Space
Museum’s collection of nearly 3,000 model aircraft, 25 superlative examples
have been selected for this exhibit celebrating the role aircraft modeling has
played in aviation history. The Florida International Museum transports
visitors back in time to experience the Kennedy era with exhibits on JFK and
The Cold War era. 727-822-3693 www.floridamuseum.org
13. Tarpon Adds Trolley: Tarpon Springs added a trolley service in
April taking visitors through the Sponge Docks, Spring Bayou and the Victorian
downtown. The air-conditioned vehicles complete the 10-stop circuit every 25
minutes. Cost is $1 per trip or $3 for the day. Trolley’s run every day except
for Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended weekend hours. 727-938-3711
www.tarponsprings.com
14. Queen of the Dolphins: The Dolphin Queen is a new sightseeing boat
operating from St. Petersburg’s Pier. This 38-foot Catamaran seats 70 people
for a 90-minute tour of Tampa Bay. Visitors see many spectacular homes on the
water, points of interest and, of course, wild Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.
727-647-1538 www.stpete-pier.com
AREA NOTES:
·
A group from Tarpon
Springs, a small Greek village north of Clearwater, plans
to bring sponge diving crews from Greece to revive the city’s sponge industry.
The city was known as the Sponge Diving Capital of
the World in the 1940s. 727-943-3624 www.tarponsprings.com
·
The Pier Pals Kids Club
offers a fun and entertaining environment sure to educate and inspire children.
This free group is offered for children ages 3 to 11. Hosted each Saturday 10
a.m. to noon, Pier Pals is sponsored in partnership with the Parent Guide
Magazine. 727-821-6443 www.stpete-pier.com or www.parentguide.com
·
The Airco
Golf Course has been refurbished
and reopened in the Gateway area between St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Airco is an 18-hole, par
72 public golf course that runs 6,088 yards from the white tees with a slope of
109 and a rating of 67.6. The course’s greens fees range from $19-24
year-round. 727-573-4653 www.fly2pie.com
·
St.
Petersburg’s Tropicana Field, home
to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team, was named the 2nd most fan friendly
stadium in the major leagues, according to a fan survey by Sports Travel Inc.
The Trop rated high on access to the ballpark, comfortable seats, high-quality
food and other amenities. The Devil Rays contend against teams like the New
York Yankees and Cleveland Indians from March to October. 727-825-3250
www.devilrays.com
·
Clearwater Beach was named one of the
nation’s 10 best beaches in a survey by USAToday.com for summer. Clearwater
also has approved construction of a $50 million fixed-span bridge and
recreational trail linking downtown and the beach. 727-562-4661 www.visitclearwaterflorida.com
AREA MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTS:
·
The
St. Petersburg Museum of History
features Webb’s City: A Community
Remembers running through September 2002. This exhibit explores the life
and business of most colorful businessman in the history of the region, J.E.
“Doc” Webb. Known as the “P.T. Barnum of retail,” Webb opened a tiny discount
drug store in St. Petersburg in 1925. Through hard work, good luck and a
healthy dose of “hucksterism,” Doc built an empire that covered 10 city blocks.
At its height, 60,000 people a day came to gawk at Webb City’s mermaids, dancing
chickens and kissing rabbits as well as to take advantage of the lowest prices
in town. 727-894-1052 www.museumofhistoryonline.org
·
St.
Petersburg’s Museum of Fine Arts
features Ansel Adams: Nature and Art. The exhibit runs June 22 – Sept.
15, 2002. This exhibition of 24 photographs explores the role of the natural
world in Adams' artistic philosophy and photographic imagery. As a photographer
Ansel Adams is almost exclusively connected to his images of the American landscape.
727-896-2667 www.fine-arts.org
·
The
Florida Holocaust Museum, the fourth
largest of its kind in the United States, features The A Day in the Warsaw Ghetto through Sept. 1, 2002. The exhibit
consists of photos taken by German Sergeant Heinz Jost that reveal a special
empathy. 727-820-0100 www.flholocaustmuseum.org
·
Great Explorations The
Hands-On Museum recently added the Smithsonian’s Kids Bridge allows children to see
why their similarities and differences are important. Kids can draw their
friend’s silhouette or greet their pals in Cantonese. 727-821-8992
www.greatexplorations.org
·
The Dunedin Historic Museum features The History of Florida Citrus July 1 - Nov. 1. The exhibit
highlights the role Dunedin played in the development of the citrus industry.
The city is the birthplace of frozen citrus concentrate which allowed U.S.
servicemen to have juice throughout World War II. 727-736-1176
ACCOMMODATION NEWS
Florida’s Beach offers more
than 39,000 places to stay in 26 distinct communities priced to fit any budget,
with new properties and millions in renovations underway.
·
The
CVB has released its 2002 Superior Small
Lodgings program and guidebook. With nearly 100 members, the St.
Petersburg/Clearwater area has the nation’s largest SSL program. To qualify,
properties must have 50 rooms or less and pass thorough inspections
administered by an independent expert in the hotel industry. The inspections cover areas similar to AAA
and Mobil ratings, stressing cleanliness and property maintenance. 727-360-1730
www.superiorsmalllodging.com or
www.floridasbeach.com/Accommodations/PlanHotelAboutSSL.html
·
The
Fort Harrison Hotel in the heart of downtown Clearwater is now available
for group events and functions. Built in 1927, the hotel is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and for years was the central meeting
point in Clearwater. The Fort Harrison offers a grand ballroom seating 600
banquet style, a 10th floor Crystal Ballroom with breathtaking views
of Clearwater Beach and a dedicated catering and banquet staff. Owned and
operated by the Church of Scientology, the Fort Harrison is an international
religious retreat for Scientologists. Guest rooms are not available unless they
are associated with a group function. 727-467-6875 http://scientology.fso.org/
·
A
76-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Clearwater North/Dunedin
opened in November. Located in the heart of downtown Dunedin along the Pinellas
Trail, the property features two Kidsuites sponsored by the Dunedin Fine Arts
Center and the Toronto Blue Jays. 727-450-1200
·
The Radisson Hotel &
Conference Center opened in December 2001 located in Pinellas Park serving the Gateway
and St. Petersburg areas. This $20 million, full-service property features 205
rooms that can be configured into 100 suites and 11,800 sq. ft. of meeting
space. 727-796-0021
·
The Pinellas Expo Center opened in October 2001. This
127,000-sq.-ft. center for trade and consumer shows accommodates nearly 600
booths and features a 4,000-sq.-ft. food court. The building, a former Sam’s
Club, was converted and includes two meeting rooms and ceilings ranging from 23
to 26 feet. 727-572-7100 www.pinellasexpo.com
·
Radisson
Hotels & Resorts has presented its top honor, the 2001 “President’s Award”
to the Radisson Suite Resort on Sand Key in March 2002. The President’s
Award winners represent the best of the best for Radisson. The award recognizes
the hotels that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to guest service.
727-596-1100 www.radissonsandkey.com
·
The
Don CeSar Beach Resort & Spa in
March completed renovations of the pool area revealing an open view of the Gulf
and including an expanded bar and grill and children's play area. The resort
also was named one of the nation's premier lodgings in Zagat's 2002 edition of
Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas. In addition, the “Pink Palace” received
AAA's 4-Diamond Award for the 22nd year in a row. 727-360-1881
www.don-cesar.com
·
The
244-room Belleview Biltmore Resort &
Spa completed a renovation of all its rooms in January 2002. The $9,000 per
room refurbishment included extensive work to the rooms and bathrooms. Listed
on the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel features nearly two
miles of hallways that received new wall coverings and carpet. The resort also
completed a restoration of its vintage 1925 Donald Ross golf course.
727-442-6171 ext.770 www.belleviewbiltmore.com
·
The Safety Harbor Resort & Spa has
partnered with TeamBuilders, a performance development company, to expand its
team building and performance development programs for group/business
meetings. The TeamBuilders Executive
Outdoor Learning Center is located on five acres of the resort, overlooking
Tampa Bay. The resort’s Phil Green Tennis Academy recently was named the 13th
best Tennis Retreat in the world according to Roger Cox, former Tennis magazine
travel editor and head of Tennis Resorts Online. 727-726-1161
www.safetyharborspa.com
·
The Bilmar Beach Resort will open
Florida’s only West Coast franchise of Sloppy Joe’s Bar this summer. The
172-room resort just finished renovating its 6,500 sq. ft. of conference space
and landscaping and room renovations are ongoing. 727-360-5531x789
www.bilmarbeachresort.com
·
TradeWinds Island Resorts, is in the midst of a
multi-million dollar renovation. Ninety one-bedroom suites at the TradeWinds
Sirata were renovated in April. The complex will be renovating all 585 guest
rooms at the TradeWinds Island Grand later this year. 727-562-1221
www.tradewindsresort.com
TRANSPORTATION
NEWS
·
The
St. Petersburg/Clearwater International
Airport plans to extend its main runway to 10,000 feet, so that the airport
will have the opportunity to provide nonstop trans-oceanic international
flights to and from any area of the world. The airport serves nearly a million
passengers per year with commercial airline charters and scheduled service to
the United States and international destinations. 727-531-1451 www.fly2pie.com
·
Tampa International Airport ranks #1 for customer
satisfaction among U.S. medium-sized airports according to a national survey
released last year by J.D. Power & Associates. The Airport was also voted
the #1 airport by U.S. travelers in an independent study, named top
international gateway by Official Airline Guide Worldwide in 2000. 813-870-8700
www.tampaairport.com
·
British Airways in March 2002 added a
fourth weekly flight to its London to Tampa route and changed the plane
configuration to add more business seats. BA will add a fifth trip in Oct.
2002. www.british-airways.com
·
Pan American Airways and Boston Maine Airways
began service to the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport in
December from regional airports serving Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Boston, New Hampshire and Maine. The program also features service to Orlando.
603-766-2000 www.flypanam.com
·
JetBlue Airways, voted the country’s number
two economy airline in the 2001 Zagat Airline Survey, in March added a fourth
daily flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. 718-286-7941.
www.jetblue.com
·
Southeast Airlines began service in December
to the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport from Newark with fares
starting as low as $89 with no advance purchase required. The non-stop routes
feature Southeast’s McDonnell Douglas MD-88 aircraft. 727-532-1632x206
·
Air Canada in October increased its Montreal to Tampa route to three weekly round
trips and is adding its Tango low fare service to Tampa before the end of 2001.
888-247-2262 www.aircanada.ca
·
Conquest Vacations returns to Florida with
weekend flights from Toronto to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International
Airport. Starting June 29, Conquest will fly Skyservice A320 aircraft to St.
Petersburg every Saturday. 866-278-8499 www.conquestvacations.com
·
In
March, AirTran Airways initiated two daily nonstop service between Tampa
International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI).
800-247-8726 www.airtran.com
·
American Airlines in March and April added one daily flight to Tampa from New York/La
Guardia, Dallas/Ft. Worth and San Juan Puerto Rico. 800-443-7300 www.aa.com
·
In
May, Spirit Airlines added one daily flight to Tampa from Chicago/O'Hare
and daily connecting service to Oakland and Los Angeles. 800-772-7117
www.spiritair.com
###
MEDIA
CONTACT:
St.
Petersburg/Clearwater Area CVB
Wit
Tuttell at 800-822-6461 or 727-464-7200