Spring Break in PCB... should it stay or should it go?

[swn5363]

There's a lively discussion over at PCBDaily about Spring Break and its affect on our local economy and PCB's reputation.

I'm curious what our vistors think?

Feel free to read through the 50-something comments associated with that post... I'll re-post mine below for your convenience.

Panama City Beach Spring Break 2008 - list of schools here this week | pcbdaily.com

1. During the last 20 years that PCB has been a major Spring Break destination, the local economy has exploded. Look at the number of new resorts and businesses that have been established… especiially recently. Pier Park? Town of Seahaven? Grand Panama? The new Airport? I’m not saying it’s because of Spring Break, but all of these companies and organizations invested here because they saw the growth we’ve had over the last 2 decades and see potential for more growth, despite PCB being known as a Spring BReak hotspot.

Additionally, PCB has increased the amount of YEARLY visitors dramatically over the last 20 years, even if you exclude the Spring Break numbers.

Could the local economy have done better if we weren’t known for Spring Break? Maybe, maybe not. Or maybe SB did have a positive effect on us. Impossible to say for sure, but when the local economy grows at a faster pace than the national economy, it looks to me like our leaders have been doing something right… and that includes Spring Break.

2. I don’t know where you guys were this month, but I spent every day of March eating at local restaurants and shopping in local businesses and I can say that I’ve seen plenty of families in the crowd. And yes, most of them were obviously visiting. Doesn’t look to me like Spring Break scares away all families as many people have suggested. I also still see plenty of snowbirds and families going in and out of the hotels during March.

Conclusion:
I think the big picture is that the lure of our area is much, MUCH bigger than Spring Break, or any (percieved) negatives that may acompany our reputation for Spring Break. I predict our local economy will continue to outpace the growth of the national econmomy, regardless of Spring Break. I think we will have more businesses and initiatives like Pier Park open during the next 10-20 years, despite Spring Break. I think our visitor base will continue to grow over the next two decades even if we continue to be known as a Spring Break hotspot. And I think these new businesses and visitors will either love Spring BReak or tolerate Spring Break, but they will have to co-exist with Spring Break during the month of March.

P.S. Surely you nay-sayers give credit to visitors to be intelligent enough to know that Spring Break is during March and not year round. I really think that saying our reputation for Spring Break affects our yearly visitors is an empty argument. 99% of the people I’ve met in my life are smart enough to know that Spring Break doesn’t happen in June and July.

P.S.S. Open your eyes… PCB is as beautiful as it’s ever been (as long as you don’t mind all the new condos)… we’re receiving more visitors and revenue than we ever have before… why change a co-existence that IS WORKING????

P.S.S.S. I think most of the objection to Spring Break is based on morals (including poeple from the comments above), rather than economic effect on our area. Can’t win a debate when you’re trying to convince someone to accept something against their morals… it just won’t happen.

Disclaimer (for Bryan): I work for a local website that promotes Spring Break, but we don’t really profit from it.. other than a few extra pageviews. Spring Break as far as I’m concerned… I could take it or leave it… as long as leaving it didn’t hurt the local economy (doubtful).

Comment by Steve — March 28, 2008

[beachnut]

There's a lively discussion over at PCBDaily about Spring Break and its affect on our local economy and PCB's reputation.

I'm curious what our vistors think?

Feel free to read through the 50-something comments associated with that post... I'll re-post mine below for your convenience.

Panama City Beach Spring Break 2008 - list of schools here this week | pcbdaily.com

1. During the last 20 years that PCB has been a major Spring Break destination, the local economy has exploded. Look at the number of new resorts and businesses that have been established… especiially recently. Pier Park? Town of Seahaven? Grand Panama? The new Airport? I’m not saying it’s because of Spring Break, but all of these companies and organizations invested here because they saw the growth we’ve had over the last 2 decades and see potential for more growth, despite PCB being known as a Spring BReak hotspot.

Additionally, PCB has increased the amount of YEARLY visitors dramatically over the last 20 years, even if you exclude the Spring Break numbers.

Could the local economy have done better if we weren’t known for Spring Break? Maybe, maybe not. Or maybe SB did have a positive effect on us. Impossible to say for sure, but when the local economy grows at a faster pace than the national economy, it looks to me like our leaders have been doing something right… and that includes Spring Break.

2. I don’t know where you guys were this month, but I spent every day of March eating at local restaurants and shopping in local businesses and I can say that I’ve seen plenty of families in the crowd. And yes, most of them were obviously visiting. Doesn’t look to me like Spring Break scares away all families as many people have suggested. I also still see plenty of snowbirds and families going in and out of the hotels during March.

Conclusion:
I think the big picture is that the lure of our area is much, MUCH bigger than Spring Break, or any (percieved) negatives that may acompany our reputation for Spring Break. I predict our local economy will continue to outpace the growth of the national econmomy, regardless of Spring Break. I think we will have more businesses and initiatives like Pier Park open during the next 10-20 years, despite Spring Break. I think our visitor base will continue to grow over the next two decades even if we continue to be known as a Spring Break hotspot. And I think these new businesses and visitors will either love Spring BReak or tolerate Spring Break, but they will have to co-exist with Spring Break during the month of March.

P.S. Surely you nay-sayers give credit to visitors to be intelligent enough to know that Spring Break is during March and not year round. I really think that saying our reputation for Spring Break affects our yearly visitors is an empty argument. 99% of the people I’ve met in my life are smart enough to know that Spring Break doesn’t happen in June and July.

P.S.S. Open your eyes… PCB is as beautiful as it’s ever been (as long as you don’t mind all the new condos)… we’re receiving more visitors and revenue than we ever have before… why change a co-existence that IS WORKING????

P.S.S.S. I think most of the objection to Spring Break is based on morals (including poeple from the comments above), rather than economic effect on our area. Can’t win a debate when you’re trying to convince someone to accept something against their morals… it just won’t happen.

Disclaimer (for Bryan): I work for a local website that promotes Spring Break, but we don’t really profit from it.. other than a few extra pageviews. Spring Break as far as I’m concerned… I could take it or leave it… as long as leaving it didn’t hurt the local economy (doubtful).

Comment by Steve — March 28, 2008

Well Steve, my opinion. For those people that don't agree with spring break but want to visit PC Beach or any other spring break hotspot, there is May thru September. Temps are warm enough during those months, warmer than March. From what I understand some colleges have their spring break in April instead of March but the majority of are in March. Just don't go during March when that is going on. My husband and I like coming later in the year. This is the first time we've decided to come down early, this year in early May. We usually wait and come the end of August or the Labor Day week. But I would never come during spring break. I had just read on the web two weeks ago about places like Fort Lauderdale and PC Beach making it less attractive to spring breakers as they were wanting it to more family oriented. Is this actually what they are planning on doing? I would think more money would be coming in to PC Beach from the spring breakers than from families but I have nothing to support that. I work with a woman whose son is college age and he and a group spent spring break last year at PC Beach. And I know they try and save money by eating in more and by putting more than allowed in one room for a week to cut down on their cost as do many of them I am sure. I was wondering about the cheap motels closing up and being replaced by more expensive high rises maybe being a deterrent to the spring breakers.

But when you think about the PC Beach image. When MTV comes down there and films a Spring Break segment at one of the beach clubs, this time it was Spinnakers I think, it does show a poor image due to the fact they are filming everything that is going on at the moment, including women exposing their breasts to the camera, they would be exposing the other part also if they could get away with it. And when this is aired on MTV which it is eventually it is on cable tv for all to see. And hopefully parents are not allowing their pre-teen children to view this channel.

Doesn't matter to me as I don't come then and wouldn't stay in the cheaper places where they stay anyway. We rent a private townhouse every time from a man that used to live here where we do, his daughter still does, and I know that owner would not rent to any of them probably as his renters are yearly repeat renters that take care of his place so it is a very well kept and taken care of . And at the quiet end of the beach. But we hit the strip several times a day. Are there any figures out there that show how many people yearly are vacationing families and how many are spring breakers? I am sure there are? I read I think on the pcbeach.com website that PC Beach receives 25,000 visitors a day. Is that an old figure or would you think that pretty accurate? We could choose to stay over on 30A but we like staying where we are and don't mind the 7 or 8 mile drive into PC Beach. We actually stay gulf front at Inlet Beach off of 98.

[tedinvegas]

March/April might not otherwise be a big time for PCB. If Spring Break died (or was pushed out of town), the bottom line is that PCB isn't South Florida. No guarantees of huge visitors during late Winter and early Spring.

I say... Let the MARKET decide. If spring breakers aren't good for PCB, business will not favor them. No one will rent to them.

If spring break helps the local economy during an otherwise slow time, it will continue to be a key part of spring.

If PCB gets more "upscale" visitors are coming down during that time, Spring Break visitors will be priced out and will go somewhere else.

At the end of the day...

Northwest Florida is going to see huge growth in popularity over the next 5-10 years. Hotels and Condos will always be filled up, because they need to be rented out.

During the times that Upscale visitors want to be in town, rates will reflect that. In March and April, Spring Breakers will fill up rooms that are otherwise not taken by others... and the area should enjoy the business.

Just my thoughts... yours might vary...

[beachnut]

March/April might not otherwise be a big time for PCB. If Spring Break died (or was pushed out of town), the bottom line is that PCB isn't South Florida. No guarantees of huge visitors during late Winter and early Spring.

I say... Let the MARKET decide. If spring breakers aren't good for PCB, business will not favor them. No one will rent to them.

If spring break helps the local economy during an otherwise slow time, it will continue to be a key part of spring.

If PCB gets more "upscale" visitors are coming down during that time, Spring Break visitors will be priced out and will go somewhere else.

At the end of the day...

Northwest Florida is going to see huge growth in popularity over the next 5-10 years. Hotels and Condos will always be filled up, because they need to be rented out.

During the times that Upscale visitors want to be in town, rates will reflect that. In March and April, Spring Breakers will fill up rooms that are otherwise not taken by others... and the area should enjoy the business.

Just my thoughts... yours might vary...

I agree with some of your thoughts, Most people unless they are snowbirds find those months too cool and prefer the warmer months so they can enjoy the beach. March and April are too cool for me. We are coming in May this year and hope the air temp and water temp are warm enough to enjoy the beach. We usually come late in the summer.

[jsmitty33]

Well after spending the last hour and a half reading all the comments I def learned a lot about the city....I liked the points ya made throughout steve and was getting very annoyed with the Durta's. I was getting the impression that their number one goal was to end spring break. They obviously did some research I would assume before they moved to pcb and knew exactly what they were getting into. I liked the points on how they have lived their only 6 years where as yourself and Patrick have either grown up in pcb or lived there long enough to see how the city has been evolving..I've been coming down to pcb since 2003 and even in that short time period ive noticed the city has cleaned up drastically. Bottom line is Springbreak isn't going anywhere anytime soon regardless of the amount of money being spent to advertise.
The only negative thing I can say about pcb is you guys built way way too many condos in a short period of time. How are people even going to complain about them being empty when they exploaded so fast?

[sportsfan1084]

I think that spring break in pcb should stay. To be honest with you, I think that is where most profits are made each year. When the hundreds of people come from all over the country to experience life in beautiful pcb. If you think about it, people come here to have fun and spend money.

[Xi Bowhunter]

I did the PCB spring break thing when I was younger, but I have no use for it now, so I don't go.

I also wait until the warmer months to go and enjoy the beach. the weather in march and April is so temperamental that you can never be sure if it is going to be warm or not.

I think, for the most part, that spring break has gotten away from good times and made a sharp turn to debauchery and lewd behavior. I know kids are going to experiment and do stupid things, but it just seems like every year the kids become more and more stupid with their behavior.

I don't blame the residents of PCB for wanting to put an end to spring break, and as far as i can tell, PCB does very well for it's self during the summer months.

On the other hand, spring break gives the hooligans their chance to visit the beach so i don't have to deal with them when I visit. So I am kind of on the fence on this issue

[swn5363]

Spring Break is much more contained than it used to be. It's limited to Front Beach, west Thomas Drive and a little spillover on middle beach.

The students are better behaved than in the past.

Less citations and less arrests. Less major injuries and less wrecks. (per an article just published in the News Herald)

Plus, it's diminished from 8 weeks in the 90s, to 6 weeks, to 4 weeks.... and this year was only 3 weeks (maybe because of the early Easter, though)

I think everyone will be happy if we just let things run their course.

PCB will know when it's time to say goodbye to Spring Break.

[Xi Bowhunter]

PCB will know when it's time to say goodbye to Spring Break.

Can PCB really stop spring break even if they wanted to?

Seems to me, if the college co-eds want to party in PCB, they will no matter if MTV is there or not.

[jsmitty33]

I don't think they could stop it if they tried...If anything I think it is growing again. There were alot more people down there this year than when I was down two years ago. Mtv is pretty much a joke and its not like they are out advertising to get people down there. I think just as many people will come regardless if mtv stays or goes

[LBResort3]

Spring Break will always be with us. Location, location, location! We are in a location that is good to most of our visitors. As they say, "build it and they will come." The four lane highways are bringing them to us.

In the early 60's, my family bought a motel on the beach near the "Y" (hwy. 79 and 98 bus). It was very common for a college faternity to book the whole motel for spring break. Everyone was well behaved and had a good time. The whole idea was to relax from a hard winter quarter. On the last days, there would be a beach party to celebrate the end of their vacation. Instead of being wild it would turn into a bonding moment as the time ended.

After being on the beach for the last four Spring Breaks, I have decided two things have created the problems with SB. The first thing is the changing the drinking age to 21 from 18. We have created forbidden fruit to 2/3s of the college age people. In their goal of sampling the forbidden fruit of drinking, they have to glamorize the act by over doing it. With too much beer comes bad behavior. It is the stories of past SB that fuel the bad behavior of todays visitors.

The second item that hurts SB is when the high schools have theirs. If you were on FBR last week at night you would have been amazed at the roaming packs walking FBR and Thomas Drive. At least the college students know that you don't walk in traffic.

We believe that the high school breakers are bad because their parents allow them to be bad. There were several times last week where the parents would allow their children to run wild while they just did other things. Several times the parents would buy the beer for the kids to have on the beach. A 15 year old girl is not very pretty throwing up blood after a day of "fun and sun" on the beach. Then to hear her mother bragging about it at the pool the next day makes it clear why SB will continue when the children get to college. These parents are the same ones that will be misbehaving in July. Monkey see, monkey do!

When I was in college in the early 70's, it was required to take a session on social drinking. Funneling and beer pong were not considered good behavior. Maybe we need to return to the idea that the beach is a place to relax, not a place to see if you can kill yourself.

The Corona beer ads might have a point that PCB TDC needs to consider. Relax, you don't have to do everything that the beach offers in the week that you are here.

[swn5363]

That's some great insight LB! Thanks for the feedback.

I think you're spot-on and it's interesting to hear about SB in the 60's, required social drinking class in the 70's. Maybe we can learn from our past.

I haven't noticed the highschoolers being quite that much of an issue, but I'll pay more attention to it next year.

Sad to realize a parent might brag about their kid blowing chunks from drinking too much. They wuold def be eligible for the worst parent of the year award.

[BJD]

I liked the points ya made throughout steve and was getting very annoyed with the Durta's. I was getting the impression that their number one goal was to end spring break. They obviously did some research I would assume before they moved to pcb and knew exactly what they were getting into. . . .

Bottom line is Springbreak isn't going anywhere anytime soon regardless of the amount of money being spent to advertise. . . .

The only negative thing I can say about pcb is you guys built way way too many condos in a short period of time. How are people even going to complain about them being empty when they exploaded so fast?

JSmitty33,

I have been staying out of the discussion on this forum since most of you love College Spring Break which is definitely your right. But since you decided to mention me by name, I figured it was time to get involved. I will say my peace and hopefully we can both decide to just accept each other's opinion and move on.

Yes, it is my opinion that PCB would be better off without College Spring Break as we know it today. College students from the southeast will always come here, but I would like to see us stop trying so hard to be the Spring Break Capitol of America just as every other destination in Florida has decided to do. If we could rid ourselves of the spring break image, I believe our year-round tourism would grow and I believe we would be more successful in attracting year-round residents. However, I do understand that others disagree and neither side has the clear evidence to prove the other wrong. So we need to agree to disagree.

As far as you mentioning that I have only lived here 6 years compared to some College Spring Break proponents living here much longer, we came here because PCB was changing. We just want to do our part to make sure it continues happening. I believe if looked deeper, you would find that there are many long-term residents who agree that our tourism industry went down the wrong path when they decided to try to attract the national spring break business back in the mid-90s. It is not like all long-term residents think College Spring Break is great.

Concerning the condos, our community definitely built more than there is current demand for. But we can't just tell the owners that they made a mistake and should just accept them being empty. We are already experiencing year-round downward pressure on rental rates of both condos and hotels as a result of too many units chasing after too few tourists. We now need to do everything possible to quickly attract more tourists year-round to save our economy. Some of us believe that trying to rid ourselves of our College Spring Break reputation will help.

As you probably already know from my writings on the MTV situation, I agree with you that our MTV situation is a joke. I believe our government should quit spending tax dollars on College Spring Break expenses like this. That $150,000 could have been better spent in trying to attract the year-round tourists we need.


Thank you,
Bryan Durta