SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Review and approve the results of the solicitation for proposals of a city-owned property at 1875 Airport Drive and provide direction to the City Manager for next steps.
Body
SUMMARY:
In December 2025, the City of Clearwater received an unsolicited proposal to redevelop the Landings Golf Course, a city-owned recreational property located at 1875 Airport Drive in Clearwater. The proposal from Sunshine Recreational and Entertainment LLC was submitted and evaluated under the guidelines outlined in F.S. Section 255.065, which allows governmental entities to consider public-private partnerships for qualifying public infrastructure and development projects. The project submitted was a large, multi-use sports complex with the following features:
• Multi-purpose sports fields
• Pickleball courts
• Aquatic and water park attractions
• Fitness and wellness facilities
• Restaurants and food service venues
• Publicly accessible walking and biking trails
• Event and tournament programming
The total estimated project cost is $179.6 million, with construction anticipated between 2027 and 2030.
After review and evaluation of the proposal, city staff presented its findings and recommendation to the Clearwater City Council on August 6, 2026. The presentation included a summation of a city staff high-level review and third-party financial analysis by the Public Resources Advisory Group. The recommendation to accept the Sunshine Recreational and Entertainment LLC proposal and solicit additional development proposals was approved by the City Council at the August 6, 2026 meeting.
On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, a Request for Proposal was advertised acknowledging the city received an unsolicited proposal and additional proposals would be accepted and due no later than September 21, 2026. Additionally, after receiving input from residents about the process to properly submit a proposal, the city's procurement division held a virtual Pre-Submittal Meeting on September 15, 2026. On September 21, 2026, two proposals were received - an updated proposal from Sunshine Recreational and Entertainment LLC and a proposal from Clearwater Golf Associates, Inc. Copies of both submittals are attached.
An evaluation committee meeting to review and rank the proposals was held on October 1, 2026. The outcome of the evaluation committee meeting concluded that the top ranked proposer was Sunshine Recreational and Entertainment LLC.
City staff recommends accepting the results of the evaluation committee for RFP 56-26 and authorizing staff to enter into negotiations for an Interim Agreement with Sunshine Recreational and Entertainment LLC.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
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USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
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STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
Objective 2.1: Strengthen public-private initiatives that attract, develop, and retain diversified business sectors.
Objective 2.3: Promote Clearwater as a premier destination for entertainment, cultural experiences, tourism, and national sporting events.
