Season 5 of the Wards Way Podcast commenced with host Kristina Hebert engaging in a comprehensive dialogue with Bahia Mar developer Jimmy Tate. They delve into the contentious and speculative discourse surrounding the ongoing developments at the renowned Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale. Amidst a backdrop of rampant inquiries and industry-wide rumors, Kristina and Jimmy work to elucidate the underlying truths, providing insights into the financial, architectural, and regulatory implications of the project's evolution.

The story of Bahia Mar is really a story about patience, trust, and fit. For decades, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show grew around a tired hotel and a patchwork of tents, cables, and parking lots. Then a developer walked in without a fixed vision, met the people who mattered, and started asking better questions. What do marina operators need to function? What does the show need to flourish? What does the neighborhood want to keep? Piece by piece, a plan formed: preserve the outdoor show on the water, compress the setup window with permanent infrastructure, and create public waterfront space that breathes all year, not just for five days.

Jimmy Tate explains how the early years were bumpy. The development team cycled through designs that tried to force-fit indoor halls and work around community pushback against high-rise massing. They learned the hard way that the boat show is a 30-day operational reality, which ripples through lease terms and marina schedules. They also learned that trying to please everyone without clear commitments slows everything. The turning point came with radical transparency: put the industry, the city, and the design team at the same table, map every booth and pathway, and plan the event as if it were a permanent resident. The payoff is plug-and-play infrastructure, power below grade, and a cleaner, quieter experience for exhibitors and guests.

Meanwhile, Tate's team tested their philosophy with Marina Village and the Shorely, turning underused parking into a waterfront hub. A nationwide barge shortage almost killed the idea, but a costly pivot produced a floating venue that locals love and other cities want to copy. Foot traffic surged to thousands each weekend, validating the hunch that people want a place to linger by the water. Tate emphasized that the rule at the door is simple: check your attitude and your wallet. This principle shaped the larger master plan, which includes a 25-foot boardwalk, sweeping views, public access, and a show that feels curated rather than crammed.

Choosing St. Regis was less about glitz and more about a service promise that matches the waterfront’s potential. When brand leaders stood atop the current tower and saw the panorama, the partnership clicked. Sales followed the traffic: the boat show concentrates qualified buyers, and many yacht owners now choose to live where they dock. That synergy raises an overlooked truth about destination-making: hospitality, residences, and events reinforce one another. When people can stay, they don’t just visit; they invest their time and spending in the local economy.

A broader civic case sits under the design drawings. Growth anxiety is real, but stagnation won’t fund resilience, parks, or public safety. Responsible development can be a lever for sustainability if it pays into community needs. Tate's team set up trust funds fed by sales and resales to support environmental work, workforce housing, STEM access, and homelessness initiatives. It’s not charity marketing; it’s a structure that aligns private upside with public benefit over decades. Add a local operating bench and a promise to perform with a proven partner, and the city gets more than a skyline change; it gets capacity.

For exhibitors and visitors, the headline is clarity: the outdoor show remains on the water, now embedded in a master plan with faster setup, less noise, and better wayfinding. Power, tent pads, and logistics are designed in, not bolted on. For residents, the promise is year-round enjoyment of the waterfront and a brand standard that brings consistent quality. For the city, the bet is that a rising tide truly lifts every dock: more reasons to stay, more reasons to spend, and more resources to care for the place that makes it all possible.

To examine the 3D model referenced in this episode, which illustrates the designated location for the upcoming boat show, please visit the St. Regis Sales Showroom situated at the northeast corner of Bahia Mar property on Seabreeze Blvd.

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