Destination Panama City continues to work towards accomplishing the goals set forth in the Tourism & Economic Impact Study Report that was adopted by the Panama City Commission in December 2015. The plan can be found here.
Current Projects include:
St Andrews School Creative / Cultural Tourism Recommendations
In 2020, Bay County acquired the St. Andrews School from Bay District Schools. Bay County Tourism Development tax dollars funded the acquisition of the facility, which was damaged during Hurricane Michael in 2018. At the request of the City of Panama City, Bay County agreed to lease the school to the City of Panama City; the 10-year lease was executed in mid 2020. Because the acquisition was funded by tourism development tax dollars, the lease required the facility be used pursuant to Florida Statute 125.0104 (authorized uses of tourism development tax). As the official destination marketing organization for Panama City, Destination Panama City has a vested interest to make certain the school is utilized in the highest and best manner that attracts tourists and benefits locals. Likewise, it is vitally important in sustainable tourism for the venue to be self-sustaining and well managed. In 2021, Destination Panama City CEO, Jennifer Vigil, engaged Robin Malpass & Associates to aid in the development of a report that would evaluate the current school, the regional opportunities, and define the best recommended use for the facility. This report was provided to the City of Panama City and received with overwhelming support. The FINAL report can be found here. Due to funding shortfalls, on February 28, 2023, the City of Panama City agreed to release their lease on the St. Andrews School Property with the recommendation that Destination Panama City be assigned to pick up the project. In July 2023, Destination Panama City entered into a lease with Bay County for the resurrection of the historic St. Andrews School.
On July 1, 2023, a historic preservation grant was received for the school project. This grant is a $500,000 matching grant that can only be used for specific elements of repair and rehabilitation of the facility (such as roof repair / replacement, electrical, and plumbing). Destination Panama City will fund the $500,000 match for the grant.
The current goals are to have the greenspace operational for public gatherings, the auditorium available for educational (ex. Ted Talks, small conference / meeting venue) and cultural arts (ex. Panama City Symphony, Panama City Comedy, Panama City Music Association, Gulf Jazz Society, etc.), and the interior as a multi-purpose venue for immersive digital experiences, creative makerspaces, weddings, gallery exhibits, and artist in residency programming.