CLEARWATER, Fla. — When you think of Clearwater, you may think of the white sandy beaches that bring millions of visitors every year.
Pinellas County set a record in 2023 with $98 million in hotel bed tax collected. Clearwater alone accounted for more than a quarter of that cash.
However, it's not just beaches the city is betting on. Officials invested about $84 million to get more people into the area, including its struggling downtown.
This year will mark the first anniversary of the renewed Coachman Park. Locals and tourists can be found crowding The Sound Amphitheater, where stars like The Beach Boys, Cheap Trick and Peter Frampton have graced the stage in the last six months since it opened.
Not to mention, there's the splash pad and playground, along with the waterfront view to enjoy.
On top of the city's new crown jewel, there's another plan aimed at making it a destination and not just a place to pass to get to the beach.
Voters approved the Bluffs project referendum on November 2022. The city presented a potential $400 million development to voters with the goal of reshaping the landscape of downtown. If all goes as planned, a mix of hotels, retail, entertainment, restaurants and apartments could come to the area.
However, there are those like Karen Cunningham, a resident of 43 years, who believe Coachman Park could be the catalyst for making the area more vibrant.
"It's taken a long time," Cunningham said. "But that's the way it is with these kinds of projects."
Cunningham, the former president of the Clearwater Neighborhood Coalition, said the city was the most exciting place to be in Pinellas County when she first moved from New York. The energy of downtown was among the reasons why she moved.
"It had a lot of activity. It had nice stores," Cunningham said. "It had parades. A lot of parades."
Pizza parlors, jewelry stores, novelty shops, a department store and a doll shop were among Cunningham's fondest memories.
Since then, Cunningham said the downtown spirit has dwindled and the vitality needs to be picked up. The energy can feel lifeless compared to the Clearwater she remembers.
Empty storefronts or vacant properties are present downtown. Compared to the beach and other nearby cities like Dunedin, the crowds may be no match, especially on dates where there are no events.
Some critics have pointed to the Church of Scientology, a major landowner downtown and concerns over vacant properties as prominent reasons.
"It's made it somewhat challenging, but we are in negotiations and discussions with them preliminarily to see what we can do to activate all the properties downtown and make it a great downtown for everyone," Interim Mayor Brian Aungst Sr. said.
Clearwater is home to the church's "spiritual headquarters." Its move to town dates back to 1975.
The then-St. Petersburg Times won a Pulitzer Prize for national reporting on its arrival decades ago.
While the city can take advantage of its crowds of visitors and new residents moving to the county, Clearwater faces unique challenges, said Dr. Elizabeth Strom, associate professor at the University of South Florida School of Public Affairs.
Coachman Park and potential development from the Bluffs may help boost continuous activity, however, Strom said the fewer available properties for the larger community to enjoy, the less impact.
"You have a lot of the real estate footprint in Clearwater used by people who aren't sort of generating multiplier effects all around downtown," Strom said.
Thriving downtowns usually consist of magnets to attract people and cultural institutions where people can continuously attend, she said. Museums, performing arts centers, theaters and on the more controversial and debatable investments, sports arenas may add to their success, she said.
For instance, the Dali Museum has been a draw for people to St. Petersburg. Those same crowds make use of its restaurants, shops and local entertainment, Strom said. In addition, attractions like its renovated pier have also boosted traffic.
In Tampa's case, its crown jewel, the riverwalk, has been a feature heavily used by both residents and tourists. Programs and events along Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park have also helped.
The lack of economic activity from vacant properties is a concern echoed by both council members Lina Teixeira and Kathleen Beckman, the latter of whom is running for mayor.
"This is a downtown corridor. Commerce must occur. Retail must be available. That is my ultimate goal," Teixeira said.
Despite back-and-forth conversations, those talks and negotiations are necessary for the area's success, both members said.
"We're going to do our best with the properties that we have in our control and activate those," Beckman said. "I feel very positive about the future and moving the needle and really making progress in Clearwater."
However, in the meantime, officials are also looking at other options to best serve the city as a whole, not just the urban core.
For instance, officials decided they wanted apartments as part of the Bluffs project in order to attract people to stay long-term.
Recently, Friends of Coachman Park was recently formed as an advocacy group to boost engagement. Mural projects and opportunities to engage more vendors have been smaller ideas to enhance collaboration.
Pinellas County-owned facilities are also set to move out of Clearwater. Officials 10 Tampa Bay spoke with said that also presents an opportunity for redevelopment that can better serve the people.
While discussions continue to improve downtown, the impact of the renewed Coachman Park is providing hope for a more vibrant downtown to some people.
Teixeira said scenes of younger families making use of the waterfront almost didn't seem possible prior to the renewed park's completion. More importantly, the economic impact has been felt since its opening.
"I tear up at every great concert," Teixeira said. "It's never been as good as it is now because now, we see the light at the end of the tunnel."
As for Cunningham, she said she hopes the area isn't just busy on days when performances aren't being held at The Sound.
"This park is the first step towards putting some vitality back into downtown," Cunningham said.
The Church of Scientology did not respond to requests for comment.