Florida Panhandle is a Diamond Coming out of the Rough
The “Redneck Riviera” nickname for Panama City and the surrounding area along Florida’s panhandle has stuck like a canoe after hitting a sandbar.
The moniker populated out of the area’s penchant for drawing tourists from nearby Georgia and Alabama during the summer, hosting rowdy spring breaks, and housing an assortment of decrepit homes and seedy motels. Tom T. Hall even sang a song in 1996 entitled “Redneck Riviera” with lyrics that included, “Gulf Shores up through Apalachi-cola they got beaches of the whitest sand. Nobody cares if gramma's got a tottoo or Bubba's got a hot wing in his hand.”
Twelve years later, the song’s title is outdated with the area singing a different tune. Some great things are happening here!
Pier Park, which opened May 1 at the heart of Panama City Beach, is a 900,000-square-foot open-air lifestyle center featuring more than 70 retailers. Dillard’s and JC Penney are just some of the premiere retail choices; along with Paradise Found, an upscale beachwear and resort wear shop. The shopping center also features several eateries, such as Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, and a 16-screen movie theater.
In addition, PCB should have a new pier in 2009. This area, also including the more than 200-acre Frank Brown Park recreation facility, represents a sparkling new centerpiece for the panhandle.
The Panama City Chamber of Commerce recently added a state of the art tourist information center. The center includes interactive kiosks, a history wall and "The Best of PCB" program featuring all Panama City Beach has to offer. The lobby promotes Panama City Beach's businesses, accommodations, restaurants and attractions as well as community events and relocation information.
Northwest Florida’s infrastructure is also changing with the times. The new Hathaway Bridge, opened in 2004, links PCB to Panama City proper. It features two bridges – one for each traffic direction – with each providing four lanes and a sidewalk. The former bridge, a single structure, had half the number of lanes and no sidewalk.
A new international airport, scheduled to open next year, will serve as a model for the country’s new security measures and be the only one classified as a "Green" airport for its efficiency and environmentally friendly construction. Besides domestic service Latin and Caribbean routes are also a possibility with our international status. Charters are another opportunity to bring more tourists here form other destinations, such as the great white north, Canada, Britain, and Europe.
These endeavors reflect northwest Florida’s skyrocketing, more upscale real estate market. In November 2006, CNN/Money named Panama City Beach the No. 1 real estate market in America for the next five years. Inhabitants are more adults and families, and less vacationing college students, with luxury high-rise condominiums and homes replacing older structures.
The Emerald Coast, another name associated with the panhandle’s gulf coast, is true. The area includes miles and miles of white-sanded beaches with emerald-green waters. Redneck Riviera, however, is false. Check it out and I am sure you will agree that it’s a gem.