April 09, 2025

Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort to be demolished and rebuilt

April 09, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort, a Treasure Island landmark for the past 68 years, is set to be completely demolished and rebuilt after sustaining catastrophic damage caused by last year’s back-to-back hurricanes.

The courtyard-style resort, located at 10700 Gulf Boulevard, was among many properties hit hard by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which left behind piles of debris and extensive structural damage, forcing the immediate closure of the beloved beachfront destination.

In a social media post on December 9th, the Thunderbird wrote, “We are deeply touched by the outpouring of love from our guests and the community. It means the world to us—and we want to make one thing clear: The Thunderbird Beach Resort is NOT going anywhere.”

Originally built in 1957 as the 64-unit Thunderbird Motel at a cost of $750,000, the resort has long been a staple of the area.

February 05, 2025

Tampa Bay's first Tokyo-style claw machine arcade debuts this weekend in Treasure Island

February 05, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Almost everyone has been unfairly let down by a claw machine at some point in their life. They lure you in with the illusion of skill, only to betray you with a weak grip and an unfair payout system, leaving you frustrated and broke.

However, there is a new generation of claw machines that are designed to offer a completely different experience, reversing the game’s negative reputation by featuring improved claws with stronger grips, more consistent payouts, and a better prize selection.

After exploding in popularity in Tokyo in recent years, arcades dedicated to this new era of claw machines have been popping up in big cities like New York, Chicago and Las Vegas.

This Friday, the first claw machine arcade, or “clawcade”, opens in Tampa Bay.

October 04, 2024

Done Deals: Caddy’s temporarily closes all locations, St. Pete apartment building sells, Pilates studio coming to Central Ave

October 04, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Done Deals is a weekly column by St. Pete Rising spotlighting recent real estate market insight and significant deals happening in the Sunshine City and beyond. The following information is sourced from public records and trusted intel.

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