St. Pete Beach approves $500 million expansion of TradeWinds Island Resorts
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After St. Pete Beach commissioners delayed voting on TradeWinds' proposed expansion plans last week, the owners have finally won their approval.
Following hours of debate that started Tuesday evening and bled into Wednesday morning, in a 3-2 vote, the commissioners narrowly approved a development agreement and conditional use permit (CUP).
The approval comes with a list of conditions for the redevelopment of the 25-acre beachfront resort at 5500 Gulf Boulevard on St. Pete Beach.
Commissioners Karen Marriott, Nick Filtz, and Richard Lorenzen voted in favor of the expansion plans. Mayor Adrian Petrila and Betty Rzewnicki cast the opposing votes.
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A beachfront property known for its pink cottage-style villas on St. Pete Beach could be replaced with a six-story, 34-room resort under plans recently presented to neighboring condominium owners.
Kevin Bowden, who owns the Miramar Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach and the Cambria Hotel in Madeira Beach, is proposing to redevelop the 0.89-acre Beach Haven Villas property at 4980 Gulf Boulevard.
The property is in St. Pete Beach’s Large Resort District, which allows up to 50 hotel rooms per acre.
Bowden purchased Beach Haven Villas for approximately $6.24 million in January 2025.
The 1949-built hotel temporarily closed after Hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged several units. It has since reopened following repairs but does not meet current FEMA requirements.
Under the proposed plan, the existing 18-unit hotel, pool, and parking area would be demolished for a new 34-room boutique resort with covered parking at ground level, four floors of guest rooms, a restaurant and bar overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, and an open-air, covered rooftop lounge.