Yep since they want springbreakers out it makes more since to get rid of club lavela to because it wont be makeing no money like it has been so what does it matter if its the biggest club when its gone to be in a dead town after the mayor gets done with his bull****.I think club lavela will be gone and condo put in its place, what a waste.

Naw ... that wasn't the point of my post. La Vela does too much business to sell out to condo owners.

Spring Break will march strong in PCB for years.

Eventually, the property owned by all the mom and pop hotels ... and even maybe by the Super Clubs will become worth so much that they sell. But not soon. As the article noted, Spring Break is a cash cow. They all need to ease off and let it rock.

you guys are scaring me!!

Same thing happened in Daytona beach a few years ago, and they pretty much turned spring break into a tame-event.

A developer buys a small piece of gulf front property. He got a deal (We'll say $5 million)because it was a 30yr old, ratty, falling down hotel (Mom & Pop are living large!). Then, builds a 300 unit condo with every amenity available. The property has a relatively small footprint because this new place will be 25 stories tall with an attached parking garage. Each of these units goes for an average of $250,000. That's 75 million dollars people. Now there are not less than a dozen of these places going up in PCB right now and plans for a dozen more. That's a lot of money, jobs & potential for PCB. Who could resist?
When you look at it in these terms Spinn & LaVela are small potatoes. It takes a lot of cover and drinks to equal this kind of cash.

I think someone else said this, but other places have already beat Panama City to being a family place. Gulf Shores isn't far away and Destin is right there next to Panama City. If I was a business man I wouldn't resist either, but PCB has been the best place to go for students. Even in the summer there are plenty there. Panama City already has a family thing going on on the west end of the beach. I remember when I was younger and my family went down there that's where we stayed because my mom didn't want to be around the strip where all the craziness happens. Let the developers have the rest of Panama City Beach, but leave the strip, at least what hasn't been torn down, from Days Inn and Ramada to The Summit for the college kids who just want to come let loose.

Since I started this mess (and was the one who mentioned that other Emerald Coast areas are more family friendly) let me conjecture this:

The ability to sell a property for $5 million (using your numbers -- I don't know what the properties go for) is great for mom and pop. But I'm guessing the Super Clubs can make that in a year (and probably more).

You would never sell a business for what it can make in one year. You sell it for what it can make in 10 or 20 years.

Now ... as the clientele of the area changes, the Super Clubs might change. Little more upscale. Little more South Beach. But with so much buildable land along the 27 miles of beaches down there ... I think the Super Clubs will be there for some time.

Plenty of other mom and pops willing to sell before the price reaches what a Super Club property would cost. The mom and pops only have the land to sell. Spinnaker and La Vela have spent years branding a huge profit business.

Club La Vela is closing for other reason's... I don't know where yall are getting the idea Pcb is tryin to get rid of Spring Breakers, They bring in way too much money and jobs to the area. Plus we love you guys

Did I miss something?!?!? Who said Club La Vela is closing? I remember reading on the La Vela website earlier in the year that had "revamped" the club over the winter...new lights...sounds system, etc. That would be a dumb move on their part if they were going to close.

A few friends of mine told me that they had to close for some reason (not sure why) but this will be their last year. I'm sure someone will buy the club rename it and it will be up and kicking once again next year

ah...ok. I guess time will tell.

personally my father is a property developer who does this sort of clean up. from what he said is theres always a lifecycle of towns like this. vacation spots turn into the "hot" places to live. restaurants, clubs, golfcourses, and beaches attract mobile people with $$. investors go buy tracts of land developed or undeveloped and subdivide it into cash property (subdivisions, apartments, condos). in turn another location will pop up and become party central.

its happened everywhere and eventually will happen in pcb, but then theres always a new destination to look forward to...

Club La Vela announced earlier this year they had agreed to sell to someone, and within a couple weeks decided to reverse their decision. They will probably be around at least until SBers decide to go elsewhere.