From Paradise Boulevard, Treasure Bay looks finished from the edges in. There's a perimeter walkway along Boca Ciega Bay, a boardwalk, new gazebos, and a dock where kayaks and paddleboards go in. The tennis courts have fresh surfaces and new fences. The middle of the property is the part that hasn't come back. Grass is growing in there, and signs ask visitors to stay on the trail.
That shape is on purpose. The city started with the shoreline because the seawall was failing. The 17 acres inside it are still undecided, and Treasure Island commissioners are set to take them up at a workshop in early December. For now, Treasure Bay Golf & Tennis at 10315 Paradise Blvd. is a bayfront park with courts and a trail. The golf it's named for is the piece still on the table.
The Edge Got Built First, and It Started as a Seawall Repair
The project started with a 2020 citywide seawall assessment. That study put Treasure Bay's repairs near the top of the list, at roughly $1.8 million. The city didn't patch the wall. It applied to the Tampa Bay Estuary Program for a grant to replace it with a living shoreline, which the city describes as protection from erosion that also creates habitat, improves water quality and usually costs less to maintain than a traditional seawall. The grant came through in June 2020. It paid to design a living shoreline along all 2,340 feet of existing seawall and to build the first 500 feet on the northwest side. The project also restored the golf course's stormwater ponds as working habitat. According to the city's Treasure Bay project page, a separate $1.5 million Resilient Florida grant was awarded to convert the rest of the seawall.
Construction took longer to start than the grant did. The Tampa Bay Times reported in November 2024 that commissioners moved the project forward. Their Nov. 19, 2024 agenda carried a contract with Sea & Shoreline, LLC for $2,767,838.50, or about $3.04 million with a construction contingency.
That vote came weeks after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. A Tampa Bay Times report from April 2025 said Helene flooded every building on the property and left at least six feet of water in the clubhouse. Milton then destroyed the tennis-court fence, damaged sheds and took the roof off the maintenance building. Treasure Bay had to recover from the storms and build a new shoreline at the same time.
The shoreline work is done. The city's December 2025 update said all seawall repairs and shoreline stonework were complete. A seawall failure at the north end was handled with extra stonework, which the city says gave the shoreline a more uniform look. By February 2026 the gazebos and sidewalk were in, the boardwalk was in place with minor finishing left, shoreline planting was complete, and the restored clubhouse had reopened. The June 2026 update confirmed the living shoreline, walking trail and kayak launch were complete.
How the Park Works This Month
Treasure Bay today is mostly a trail and racquet facility on the water. The city's Treasure Bay Golf & Tennis page lists the current rules for the trail and kayak dock:
- Hours are 8 a.m. to sunset Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
- The infield grass is still growing in, so stay on the walking trail.
- No motorized vehicles or e-bikes.
- Dogs must stay on a leash.
- No fishing.
PADL runs kayak and paddleboard rentals, tours and personal kayak storage at the Treasure Bay launch. The tennis courts are open for reservations with new fast-dry surfaces and new fences, and court hours are back to normal, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. Pickleball has a morning schedule from 8 to 11 a.m.: organized play on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, open play on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The same page also says there is no golf or footgolf right now. You can reach the front desk during business hours at 727-360-6062.
The project page lists what the site has now: the clubhouse, 10 tennis courts plus a multipurpose court, 79 parking spaces with bus parking, a playground, the kayak and paddleboard dock, exercise equipment and the perimeter walkway. All of it sits around the edges, and the open question is the center.
Three Plans for the Middle of the Park
At a commission workshop on June 2, 2026, city staff presented three levels of improvement for the 17-acre site. The city says the commission will choose the next phase with input from residents, and none of the three has been picked.
| Option | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Alternate 1: site enhancements | Fill the north pond to gain usable land, grade and sod the property, add a central sidewalk and more landscaping |
| Alternate 2: golf course | A nine-hole par-3 course, more landscaping, the existing clubhouse and rebuilt restrooms |
| Alternate 3: new concepts | A 36-hole putt golf course, a clubhouse with grill, bar and ice cream, a playground, a mobile marine lab, the 10 tennis courts where they are now, a spray park, a multipurpose field, and an event lawn with temporary stage seating for 1,500 |
The three are far apart in scale. The first mostly finishes the grass now growing in. The second brings golf back at a smaller size. The third splits the park into three zones: recreation on the west side, exercise in the center and a community area on the east side. The east side would have extra restrooms, room for vendor and food tents, and event hours set by the city. That plan also adds a 24-foot paved road for fire, police and EMS access, plus parking spread through the site, 85 spaces on the west side and 94 in the center.
These options grow out of planning that started well before the storms. The city's future planning page traces it back to a 2017 University of South Florida student study, a Master Park Plan adopted in August 2020, public sessions on Dec. 1 and 4, 2021, and commission discussions from July 2021 through August 2023. In June 2023 the commission accepted a traditional-layout golf course design concept. The course redesign was then bid together with the shoreline and trail. When the shoreline contract was approved in November 2024, the golf element stayed a separate decision.
Why the Workshop Moved to December
Commissioners first planned to discuss Treasure Bay on Oct. 6. At their Sept. 15 meeting they pushed it to Dec. 1. The Gabber reported that the delay gives the city more time to collect financial information and work through design options. Some commissioners were uneasy about approving more design spending before reviewing what the city already has. The Gabber also said golf course revenue would be part of the December review.
The city's Oct. 7 weekly newsletter recorded a commissioner asking for confirmation that Treasure Bay would be on a "Dec. 6" workshop agenda. That date doesn't match the Dec. 1 date recorded in September. If you plan to attend or follow along, check the city's meeting calendar for the final date.
The Holiday Calendar Runs Past Two Rebuilt Sites
Treasure Bay is already part of the island's season. On Saturday, Dec. 5, the Paradise Island Civic Association holds its holiday party there from 6 to 9 p.m. The site has a gap in its parade history, though. Treasure Bay usually hosted the city's watch party for the Holiday Lighted Boat Parade. The city's December 2025 newsletter said there would be no official watch party that year because of the shoreline construction. Bay News 9 reported that viewers were pointed to private waterfront spots or the John's Pass boardwalk. The 2024 parade was canceled while recovery was underway.
The city's parade page lists this year's parade for Saturday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m. It runs through Boca Ciega Bay to a finish at John's Pass on what the city calls a "new shorter parade route." Vessel registration opens this month. The page doesn't mention a watch party yet.
On the Gulf side, the Sunset Beach Community Association's Santa Stroll returns to the Sunset Beach Pavilion at 8000 W. Gulf Blvd. The pavilion reopened June 4 after hurricane repairs. WFLA reported that the pavilion had gone more than 600 days without an event before it reopened.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 18, 6 to 8 p.m. | Sanding Ovations Meet the Masters, $20 | Waves Beach Bar at the Bilmar Beach Resort, 10650 Gulf Blvd. |
| Nov. 19 to 22 | Sanding Ovations Master's Cup, fireworks Sat., Nov. 21 at 10 p.m. | Treasure Island Beach at the Bilmar |
| Weekend after Thanksgiving | Sanding Ovations encore weekend | Same site |
| Fri., Dec. 4, 6 to 8 p.m. | Deck the Palms | Community Center, 1 Park Place |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 6 to 9 p.m. | Paradise Island Civic Association holiday party | Treasure Bay, 10315 Paradise Blvd. |
| Sat., Dec. 5, time TBD | Isle of Palms tree lighting | Isle of Palms |
| Sun., Dec. 6, 8 a.m. to noon | Gulf Beaches Rotary pancake breakfast | Community Center, 1 Park Place |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 8 a.m. | Run for the Beaches 5K | Gulf Front Park, 10400 Gulf Blvd. |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 4 to 8 p.m. | Santa Stroll | Sunset Beach Pavilion, 8000 W. Gulf Blvd. |
| Sat., Dec. 19, 6 p.m. | Holiday Lighted Boat Parade | Boca Ciega Bay to John's Pass |
This is the second Sanding Ovations since its comeback. The 2024 festival was canceled, and it returned in 2025 after almost two years off. Kids' sand sculpting and kite flying lessons run on Saturday and Sunday of the main weekend at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. They're free and meet at the merchandise tent, and Windworks of John's Pass donates buckets and tools while supplies last. For lunch on the island that weekend, Caddy's moved back into its permanent Treasure Island building in April after running from a food truck and tent, according to Creative Loafing.
The Treasure Bay workshop is set for early December, a few weeks before the boat parade that used to have its watch party there. If you'd like to talk through what the Treasure Bay plans could mean for nearby streets, or how the rebuilt parks on Treasure Island and the other Gulf beaches are shaping the island's next few years, Julie Kelsey follows these projects closely and is glad to share what she's watching. Let's Connect.
