Iconic St. Pete Beach hotels to remain closed until summer, missing busy spring break season

Some businesses closed for spring break

FOX 13’s Evyn Moon has a look at Bay Area businesses still struggling to rebuild after back-to-back hurricanes, causing them to remain closed through the busy spring break season.

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - Many Bay Area beach communities are racing to rebuild ahead of the upcoming spring break season, bringing in much-needed tourism dollars to areas devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. However, two prominent hotels on St. Pete Beach have disappointing news for workers and tourists alike: they will remain closed until summer.

The Bellwether Beach Resort and the Beachcomber, home to the well-known Jimmy B's Beach Bar, will be shut down until July. This extended closure means over 100 workers will be furloughed, including those who were hoping to return for the busy spring break season.

The Bellwether Beach Resort is one of two St. Pete Beach hotels missing out on spring break, staying closed until this summer.

What they're saying:

In a statement, management for both hotels said: "Like so many of our friends and neighbors, Bellwether Beach Resort & The Beachcomber were severely impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Our teams continue to navigate the complex and long recovery that has come from these historic storms. The significant damage the resorts sustained has led to delays in reopening. Our goal is to welcome guests back as soon as possible."

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Bill Pruitt, a bartender at Jimmy B's for 25 years, is shocked at the timing.

"There wasn't that much damage compared to a lot of the bars around here that were just completely destroyed. You know, and we were told a certain date and then we had a meeting and said it’s going to be longer, longer. To be honest, I thought I was going back to work mid to late December," said Pruitt.

The Beachcomber is one of two St. Pete Beach hotels missing out on spring break, staying closed until this summer.

Now, with the reopening date pushed back six months, Pruitt said it will be hard for so many workers.

"It’s awful. I’ve been strung along like that," Pruitt said. "You know, I keep thinking I’m going back to work. And so I’ve used up all my savings, retirement, everything. And I’m not the only one."

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The closure of these hotels also comes at the cost of spring break revenue, typically a major boost for the area. According to ‘Visit St. Pete-Clearwater’, the tourism group for the area, spring break usually brings in tens of millions of dollars annually.

"Anybody who's been to Jimmy B's [beach bar] knows the volume we get, that we bring in and the revenue we bring in. And to have this many employees out for this long is just unbelievable to me," Pruitt said. "Jimmy B’s has been my home for 25 years and I don't want to leave there. I have my health benefits through there. My 401K – everything. I just want to go back. I just want to go back to work."

The Source: Information for this story was collected by FOX 13's Evyn Moon.

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