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CITY OF PORT ST. LUCIE
An aerial view shows the Port St. Lucie Boulevard bridge and a portion of
Westmoreland Park, where the new section of boardwalk will go.
for the site last year due to financial issues, Manatee Island
Bar and Grill with restaurants in Fort Pierce and Port Salerno
stepped up last summer and offered to launch a Manatee
Island restaurant in the park.
The intended two-story restaurant’s owners, who want to
include an outdoor tiki bar, are still negotiating with the city.
They hope to have a 30-year lease with options for two 10-
year extensions signed by this month and to begin construction
in October.
Restaurant owners Paul and Elida Gonnella and Richele
and Michael Politano are asking for the first three years
rent-free due to construction costs. After that, they hope to
pay 4 percent of the gross revenue above $1 million for years
four and five of the lease. The percentages ramp up until the
10-year point, after which they expect to pay 6 percent of the
total gross revenues.
“We are very aware of the timeline and that Manatee
Island wants to open for the 2020-21 season, and we are going
to work very hard to make that happen,” CRA project
manager Jennifer Davis told the Community Redevelopment
Agency board (which is the city council sitting as the CRA
board) in November.
“It’s heartening to see a high quality local concept that’s
been tested and has an experienced partnership team,” said
Mayor Gregory Oravec following an update on the restaurant’s
18 Port St. Lucie Magazine
progress toward a lease. Council members were
assured that the restaurant would not affect the large banyan
tree in front of it and that River Nights, a monthly campfire
and music event at the park, would be able to continue. Paul
Gonnella said he hopes to add more events at the park.
Westmoreland Park, in the process of development now,
will contain a playground and a historical village consisting
of two buildings from the former Peacock Ranch. The park’s
entrance road on Westmoreland Boulevard also provides
entrance to the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens. E
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