Tampa Bay’s Beer Can Island is for sale for $14.2 million
APOLLO BEACH — Their story unfolded like a National Lampoon movie.
Four friends needed a place to park their floating bar, bought an island, ran afoul of the powers-that-be and then fought for their right to party.
Now, a little more than six years after their purchase, they are selling Pine Key Tampa Bay — better known as the apostrophe-shaped Beer Can Island located between Apollo Beach and MacDill Air Force Base.
The listing price is $14.2 million and includes the 9-acre island plus another 60 acres of surrounding submerged land, said Cole Weaver, one of the owners.
On Friday, the owners will launch PineKeyTampaBay.com with further details. Interested buyers can call 813-434-3366.
“We are ready to move on to our next chapter,” Weaver said. “We’ve enjoyed the experience and the camaraderie and the friendships we’ve made. But it’s time for us to move on.”
The island is now closed to the public.
Their story started with the floating bar barge called Tiki Bay Island. The four friends — Weaver, Russell Loomis, James West and John Anthony Gadd — built a motorized wooden deck topped by a tiki roof as a venue for a private party business.
Wherever they docked it, neighbors complained. They sought permanent waterfront property and thought of Pine Key, but the island wasn’t for sale.
It was owned by Imperial Island, whose president also served as president of the Tampa Bay Marina. And it was where Tampa Bay Marina dropped sand from dredging operations at its marina in Apollo Beach.
The company had no interest in changing that practice. So, the friends made an offer: Sell the island at its appraised worth and they would allow sand dumping to continue there. On Dec. 22, 2017, the deal was sealed for the bargain price of $63,650.
The new owners docked their tiki boat and then decided to expand the party enterprise by bringing their brand of order to the island.
Before, it had been a lawless party place for boaters and campers to visit without supervision or amenities, earning it the Beer Can Island nickname.
The friends added bathrooms, trashcans, food trucks and security guards. They cleaned the property regularly and sold memberships that provided access to private structures and a designated camping ground. They also gave it an address — 1 Beer Can Island Way.
Then Hillsborough County argued that the business model ran afoul of code violations and brought safety concerns.
The owners countered that the island was safer than it had previously been because they hired off-duty emergency medical technicians and had first aid kits. The island actually did not have any zoning — which they claimed meant the county didn’t have jurisdiction over it.
But they agreed to discuss zoning options. The county wants to treat the island as a private nature preserve, but that would effectively eliminate its use as a commercial bar and special events center.
That conversation is ongoing.
The next owner will also have to deal with erosion. The island was once around 23 acres — years before Weaver and his friends purchased it — and they’ve battled the waves ever since. Last year, it was under 5 feet of water during Hurricane Idalia. The next owner could also add to its size due to the submerged property, Weaver said.
“Pine Key offers a unique opportunity for innovation,” a news release for the sale says. “With the right vision and willingness to collaborate with Hillsborough County, opportunities for development could be explored and expanded upon. ... In Hillsborough, there are currently four other islands with residential zoning. ... These instances provide valuable insights into the diverse residential zoning options already enjoyed within the county.”
