Jeff Vinik leaves and The Claw closes | Editorial

Vinik (sorta) moves on. Jeff Vinik’s departure from Tampa’s Water Street doesn’t necessarily signal hiccups for this bustling, downtown neighborhood. Vinik, who owns the Lightning, announced this week he sold his stake in the company behind this upscale, mixed-use project. But Vinik also said he would remain an “active” adviser as his partner in the deal, Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment, begins the next phase of development. That should send a message of stability as Water Street, which today includes 1,335 residential units, the five-star Tampa Edition hotel, the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute and other developments enters its next phase, stretching north to build more of the same. Vinik’s vision and confidence in putting his resources behind Tampa have helped put this entire region on the global radar. And Vinik isn’t going anywhere, so look for him to continue playing a lead civic role. He hopefully has already inspired a younger generation of leaders to pick up the baton.

Coachman Park reopens. Decades of dreaming became reality this week with the grand reopening of Clearwater’s Coachman Park. City officials cut the ribbon Wednesday on the $84 million remake, kicking off a long weekend of festivities on the downtown waterfront. With its views of Clearwater Harbor, sweeping paths and open green, the 19-acre park is destined to join the St. Pete Pier and Tampa’s Riverwalk as a signature destination. The genesis, as the Times’ Tracey McManus reported, began more than two decades ago, but gathered steam after 2016, when officials moved to make the waterfront a true gathering place. The Sound, an amphitheater with space for up to 9,000 people, makes Coachman Park the only place in Tampa Bay with a mid-sized outdoor venue. Its opening is a testament, as Clearwater City Manager Jennifer Poirrier noted, “to the power of collective vision, collaboration and community involvement.” Whether it attracts more visitors and businesses to downtown remains to be seen; many buildings and storefronts nearby, owned by companies tied to the Church of Scientology, are vacant. But this still marks a fresh start and hopefully a new chapter in Clearwater.

Deputy saves manatee. Here’s to Jill Constant. A marine patrol deputy for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Constant spotted a distressed manatee recently and helped save its life. During an acutely bad red tide bloom earlier this year, Constant answered a call for a manatee in trouble near the Treasure Island Causeway. She knew immediately something was wrong; The manatee was struggling to breathe and stay afloat. After contacting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Constant established the manatee was suffering from red tide paralysis, which can cause manatees to lose motor function and drown. But wildlife officers wouldn’t make it there for hours. So Constant jumped in the water, and with help from other deputies, held the manatee above water for two hours so it could breathe. “Protecting all species, protecting all walks of life is very important to me,” Constant said. “I’m aware of the risks and I’m OK with it.” The manatee regained its strength, and wildlife officers later relocated the aquatic mammal nearby, away from the red time bloom. This was smart, fast work from a trained, conscientious professional.

The Claw closes. We were saddened this week to hear that the University of South Florida was closing its aging and beloved golf course, The Claw. This public golf course was truly public; its greens fees were cheap, the pro shop sold used balls and splurging at the lunch counter meant adding cheese to the burger. Opening in 1967, across the street from the Tampa campus, the 18-hole golf course was where generations of young people learned the sport, amid some of the most beautiful surroundings in Tampa Bay. Named for its doglegged fairways, the course is lined with moss-draped oaks and towering pines. And abutting a nature preserve, it’s a place where alligators, deer and other wildlife often played through to the delight of foursomes savoring the moment. The university said the course was bleeding money and that it wanted to “repurpose the land to better serve students.” That’s an odd change in thinking after all these years. Still, The Claw had a good run. It enabled untold residents to learn and love the game and to treasure the natural beauty of their hometown.

Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. The members of the Editorial Board are Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, Sherri Day, Sebastian Dortch, John Hill, Jim Verhulst and Chairman and CEO Conan Gallaty. Follow @TBTimes_Opinion on Twitter for more opinion news.