From Wayside Park to THE BOARDWALK
OKALOOSA ISLAND - Larry Latocha comes to The Boardwalk every now and then to gaze at the Gulf of Mexico and find a little serenity.
The Fort Walton Beach man likes the park, but when shown a photo of the way it looked in 1998, he gets nostalgic.
"This is when it was really cool," he says, staring at the simple structure. "I guess they have to keep up with the times."
It has been 10 years since Surfside Ventures took over management of The Boardwalk. The 12-acre Okaloosa County park had been leased to another private company, Paradise Parks, for six years prior to the transfer.
In its first two years, Surfside added The Crab Trap, The Swamp and Howl at the Moon, and leased space to a number of small shops. Floyd's Shrimp House opened a short time later.
These days, The Boardwalk is at 100 percent occupancy, and tenants say their business has increased every year.
"It's definitely been an improvement, business-wise, for me," said Scott Johnson, who runs Surfside Outfitters.
Johnson also had a small gift shop at the park while it was still being run by the county.
"We're probably fixing to reach a plateau, but every year we've been up and hopefully we'll keep on going up," Johnson said.
For him, the key was the addition of the restaurants, which bring visitors to the park.
That's part of the draw for Amy Anderson of Fort Walton Beach, who also remembers the way The Boardwalk used to be.
"I love the way it is now," she says. "It's beautiful and it attracts tourists and locals. I come out here for the restaurants and the beach."
George Golematis has been The Boardwalk's general manager since 2002. Before that, he worked at The Swamp, the popular nightclub that keeps The Boardwalk busy until 4 a.m.
Golematis visited the park back in 1982, when it was known as Newman C. Brackin Wayside Park. It was "just a bathroom with a line of 200 people waiting to get in," he said.
He and other locals remember the free concerts that were held there. In 1984, the rock band Heart drew about 30,000 people, according to old news articles.
Golematis says there is no doubt the park needed improvements.
Surfside has added everything from stores and restaurants to elevators, security cameras and a new playground. Improvements continue to be made.
Almost all of the wood has been replaced by a new synthetic material that won't splinter. The bathrooms at the east end of the complex were recently redone with tile walls from floor to ceiling.
Okaloosa County Administrator Jim Curry didn't have his current job when the deal was signed. But he says that from what he can tell, the board is satisfied. The public has access to the beach, without it coming at taxpayers' expense.
The 30-year-lease increases incrementally every five years. Surfside now pays the county $65,000 a year to use the park, Curry said.
"I think it's definitely an asset," Curry said. "I think from the board's standpoint, they've enjoyed the relationship and felt like it's been a good transaction."