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Surf park concept making waves, but needs site
By: Associated Press December 1, 2022 0
TAMPA, Fla. – People keep asking Tony Miller exactly when he'll open his Tampa Bay surf park project.
He doesn't have an answer yet.
Peak Surf Park, a first-of-its-kind attraction for a region with a lack of surfable waves, was announced earlier this year with much buzz. It will use a 30-ton "Mad Max plunger" device in the center of a pool made by Australian company Surf Lakes to create swells and a man-made beach. It has the ability to send out waves for beginner, intermediate, expert or pro surfers at the same time from different sections of the pool.
But so far, Miller – who has a background in marketing – hasn't done a whole lot of developing the surf park. In fact, he doesn't have a location. As Tampa Bay has grabbed the attention of real estate developers around the country, it's been no easy feat to compete for the 30 acres of space needed for the park.
Many developers typically refrain from announcing new attractions to an area until details like a site and financing are set in stone. Miller told the Tampa Bay Times he had to get the word out first to help get the community, and potential investors, on board.
"It's such a new thing," Miller, 55, said. "I needed people early on to understand what it is."
The Tampa Bay area has become very competitive, Miller said, as developers are trying to get in on the hottest housing market in the U.S. That 30 acres Miller needs for the surf park is about the same size many real estate investors are looking for to build housing complexes. If he could build up hype, he said, it could help give him an edge for a seller to choose his site over another out-of-state real estate investor.
When asked when he would like to close on a location for the park, Miller chuckled.
"Yesterday," he said. "Really as soon as possible, because everything dominos from that point."
Peak Surf Park 4:18 pm Thu, December 1, 2022
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