An otherwise slower summer tourism season in Volusia County got a slight bump in August with bed tax collections countywide up 3.46% from August 2021.
West Volusia led the way with a 10.87% jump followed by the Halifax area at 4.48%, but Southeast Volusia was down 3.46%.
Hotels were reporting a strong NASCAR race weekend in August as rain delays at Daytona International Speedway added to their business.
It was a welcome change after the summer was down from the post-Covid 19 pandemic boom in 2021. The Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau reported the Halifax area, which accounts for about 70% of the bed tax collections in Volusia, saw hotel occupancy declined 3.7% to 77.2%, compared to 80.1% in July 2021, despite cheaper rooms. The average daily room rate declined 4.4% to $166.70 compared to $174.45 in July 2021 in the Halifax area.
The little boost in August also was welcome because storm damage probably will deter fall tourism. While the hotels that could reopen were full for Biketoberfest and with storm refugees, after that who knows what will happen.
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There were two big community acquisitions recently, including Three Pillar Communities of Los Altos, Calif., buying Terra Mar Village manufactured home community, or parts thereof, between U.S. 1 and the Indian River in Edgewater for $14.5 million. The price would have been higher, but many of the residents in the riverfront community own their lots as well as their manufactured homes. The park owner collects rent on some lots, but just a maintenance and amenity fee from the others. The purchase hadn’t been announced yet, so no other details were available.
On the other hand, a senior community in Holly Hill has already seen a name change to Woodmark at Daytona Beach. Apparently it didn’t matter to the folks at Pacifica Senior Living of San Diego that Bishops Glen was in Holly Hill when they bought it for $13.975 million.
Some other big commercial real estate transactions included a Nashville investor buying the ABC Supply property at 406 Oak Place in Port Orange for $6.775 million. Surfside, Fla., investors bought the commercial building housing an Edward Jones office and medical marijuana dispensary at 1303 Beville Road in Daytona Beach for $2.39 million. Pinehurst, Texas-based Baytown Self Storage bought the convenience store property at 495 N. Volusia Ave. in Orange City for $2 million.
Some smaller deals included Miami investors buying the small multi-family property at 202-204 Mullaly St. in Daytona Beach for $900,000. Allied Search Partners, a medical staffing firm, bought a commercial condo at 4240 Ridgewood Ave. in Port Orange for $525,000.
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It’s looking like Farmton North could begin later in 2022 or early 2023 as Miami Corp. is getting permitting finalized. The 5,000-acre residential/commercial development will extend the City of Edgewater to west of Interstate 95.
One other small development is Boston Coffeehouse is looking at a vacant site at 855 S. Woodland Blvd. in DeLand.
Managing Editor Cecil G. Brumley has been tracking business and the economy in Volusia County for more than 25 years. Contact him at cbrumley@hometownnewsmediagroup.com (no hyphens) or follow him on Twitter @cecilbrumley.
James Kelso 