Manatee County to buy Seafood Shack for $13 million

Manatee County is buying Seafood Shack, Marina, Bar & Grill, which has been around since 1971. The county has agreed to pay $13 million for the waterfront property on approximately 8.9 acres in Cortez, which it plans to develop into a public boating access facility, according to a statement.

Seven separate parcels make up the property, according to county documents, including a single-family home on 0.1 acre and nearly 3 acres of submerged land leased from the state of Florida. A marina with 124 units — 94 wet slips and 30 yard storage spaces — is included in the purchase, according to the county. 

A public boat ramp and/or dry storage facility to accompany the marina are part of the county's plans for the area, according to a statement from Manatee County.

Manatee County commissioners voted unanimously during a Sept. 5 land use meeting to execute a contract on the property. Ownership will enable Manatee County to increase boat ramp access by making up to 25% more boat trailer parking spaces available countywide, the statement says. The Seafood Shack has 60 parking spaces, according to LoopNet.

“Fishermen will be very happy that we will have more boat ramps … and parking,” County Commission Chair Mike Rahn says in a statement.

The sale is expected to close in October, the statement says.

The seller is Vandyk 1st Gulf Coast - Marina LLC, Vandyk 1st Gulf Coast-Harbor Walk LLC and Vandyk 1st Gulf Coast - Dockside. 

Several tenants have leased space at the Seafood Shack, including pirate cruise business Pirate Adventures of Cortez and jet-ski and boat rental company H20 Watersportz.

"We hope to continue operating here for years to come!" Pirate Adventures of Cortez posted on Facebook Sept. 5, after commissioners voted to buy the Seafood Shack.

“The seller states all business leases are ‘expired’ and are month-to-month and the residential single-family home is currently vacant,” according to a statement from Manatee County property management officials.

It is unclear whether the restaurant will continue operating. The Seafood Shack, which also goes by the name The Shack, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. County officials say they are assessing the situation.

“The county is quickly evaluating how to continue to serve those with existing contracts and upcoming agreements and make every effort to honor those contracts,” Manatee County spokesperson Bill Logan says in an email. "Those contracts include current tenants as well as boat slip users.

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