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As Pop City deflates, the complex has landed a steakhouse and courts Salt Rock Grill.
By SCOTT BARANCIK, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 20, 2003
TAMPA -- Channelside may have lost Pop City, but it's close to landing a Hooters.
Neil Kiefer, president of Hooters Inc. of Clearwater, said the bar-and-restaurant chain is drafting a lease with Channelside and sent staffers there Monday to lay out a potential floor plan. "We're leaning very favorably toward putting a restaurant there," he said.
It's good news for Channelside, the 230,000-square-foot entertainment complex along Garrison Channel that has struggled for foot traffic and full occupancy since its inception. Susan Martin, marketing director for complex manager CB Richard Ellis, said the loss of Pop City has driven the occupancy rate down two points to 73 percent.
That figure reflects the addition of a steakhouse, yet to be given a name, that is taking over part of Pop City's space. Restaurant Partners Inc. of Orlando recently signed a lease for 8,900 square feet at Channelside and expects to open for business there in October.
Channelside also has invited the owners of Salt Rock Grill, a bustling Indian Shores restaurant with a fashionable reputation, to open up for business at the complex. Salt Rock co-owner Frank Chivas gauged his interest level at five on a scale of zero to 10. "Like any smart businessmen, we're looking at our avenues," he said.
Though Sunday was Pop City's last day of business at Channelside, it is building a new arcade at the former Don Pablo's restaurant on E Busch Blvd near Busch Gardens. Pop City also is negotiating a possible site on the ground level of the garage at the BayWalk entertainment complex in St. Petersburg, according to Bullard Group vice president Greg Morris. The Bullard Group is part-owner of both Pop City and BayWalk.
But Craig Sher, president and CEO of the Sembler Co., BayWalk's developer, said he has some reservations about opening an arcade at the complex. He said BayWalk's owners are concerned it might attract an unruly crowd of teenagers, a clientele that the complex has tried to keep in check.
-- Times staff writers Mark Albright, Adrienne Samuels and Chris Sherman contributed to this report. Scott Barancik can be reached at barancik@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8751.