Mexico Beach officials give update on treasured landmarks

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - The City of Mexico Beach isn’t slowing down its rebuild efforts after Hurricane Michael nearly wiped the scenic town off the map.

“We got some great news,” said City Administrator Doug Baber. “The El Governor is planning on opening up for business partially in May.”

The motel is one of the city’s crowned jewels.

“This is what you see from as far away as you get when you’re coming in from your boat from fishing,” Baber said. “You see the El Governor. It’s kind of like a beacon for you.”

City officials said all of its 108 rooms were impacted by Michael.

“Every one of them were completely stripped down after the storm,” Baber said. “They had to tear everything down. It’s got all new plumbing, all new rooms of course, and it’s going to be state-of-the-art at the El Governor.”

The staple will also bring a sense of normalcy to the city.

“It’s very nice for people to have a place to stay when they come into town,” Baber said. “They don’t have to stay in Panama City or come back and forth from Port St. Joe.”

However, the motel isn’t the only thing making monumental steps in Mexico Beach.

“So we’re standing in front of where Toucan’s used to be,” Baber said. “I just got some exciting news that they’ve been working on for the past four years since the storm. They got all their permits from DEP and FDOT ready to go.”

Toucan’s on the Beach was one of Mexico Beach’s most popular eating spots before the storm.

“Toucan’s is an iconic restaurant here in Mexico Beach,” Baber said. “Anybody that’s anybody who’s been in Mexico Beach has been to Toucan’s.”

It’s a vacant lot at the moment, but this won’t last for long. The restaurant owned by White Sands Investment Partners LLC will be issuing a development order by the city to begin site preparation.

City officials also said the El Governor and Toucan’s will substantially help tourism.

“When the El Governor gets back open or when someplace like Toucan’s reopens its doors, that will bring more visitors to the destination,” Kimberly Shoaf, President of the Mexico Beach Community Development Council, said.

The motel should begin taking reservations in May.

Toucan’s reopening date isn’t known yet.

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