Beach House Sales & Development: Pulling the Strings in Panama City Beach

Take a closer look at how they manage the group. Ever notice how comments that are critical of new developments mysteriously disappear or never make it through in the first place? That’s not a coincidence. It’s all part of a strategy to suppress any dissent and keep the conversation focused on how “great” these projects are for the community. But let’s be real—these projects are great for Beach House Sales & Development, not necessarily for you or your neighbors.

Let me give you a real-life example. A while back, I tried to warn folks in the group about Top Golf. Now, if you’re not familiar, Top Golf is a company that’s notorious for only setting up shop in cities where they can secure massive tax incentives. Essentially, they get local governments to pay for their buildings with taxpayer money. It’s a sweet deal for them, but not so much for the taxpayers who end up shouldering the cost. So, I posted in the group to let people know that this was happening, and guess what? My post was censored. It was like I had never said anything at all.

This isn’t just an isolated incident, either. I’ve seen this same kind of manipulation time and time again, and not just in Panama City Beach. During my time working in issue advocacy in New Mexico, we spent millions of dollars opposing Top Golf’s entry into Albuquerque for this exact reason. We knew that these types of subsidies don’t benefit the public—they’re a burden. They drain public resources and only serve to fatten the pockets of companies like Top Golf. What’s even worse is that there was a competitor willing to build the same kind of facility but with their own money—no taxpayer dollars needed. Yet, because of the slick PR and lobbying efforts of Top Golf, they were able to push their way into the city anyway.

So, here’s the deal: the Panama City Beach City Council voted to give away your tax dollars to Top Golf, a massive national corporation with locations in almost every state, instead of allowing a competitor to come in and do the same thing with their own money. Why would they do that? Because groups like ‘Everything Panama City Beach, FL’ had already laid the groundwork. They had already drummed up public support, making it seem like bringing in Top Golf was a no-brainer. But what they didn’t tell you was that you’d be the one paying for it.

This is cronyism, plain and simple. It’s government picking winners and losers, and it’s a huge problem. When local governments start handing out subsidies to the highest bidder, it distorts the market. It creates an uneven playing field where only those with the right connections and the slickest PR campaigns can succeed. And let’s be clear—this isn’t how a free market is supposed to work. It’s supposed to be about fair competition, where the best ideas and the best businesses rise to the top because they offer the most value, not because they have the government in their pocket.

But the real kicker here is that you, the taxpayer, are the one who ends up paying for all of this. These subsidies don’t create lasting economic growth; they drain resources from things that really matter, like schools, infrastructure, and public safety. They place an undue burden on future generations, all so a handful of companies can pad their bottom line. And when developers like Beach House Sales & Development use social media to manipulate public opinion in favor of these projects, they’re not just selling you on a vision of progress—they’re selling you out.

So what do we do about it? First things first, we need to start questioning the motives behind these projects and the groups that promote them. Don’t just take their word for it when they say a new development is going to be great for the community. Dig a little deeper. Who’s really benefiting here? What’s the real cost? And why are they so eager to silence anyone who questions them?

Next, it’s time to hold our city council accountable. If this is how they want to spend our hard-earned money, then maybe it’s time for a change. We need leaders who are going to put the interests of the taxpayers first, not the interests of developers with deep pockets. We need a city council that’s going to stand up to these companies and say, “No more.” No more giveaways of public money. No more backroom deals. No more cronyism. It’s time for a city council that believes in fair competition and responsible spending of taxpayer dollars.

And finally, I strongly recommend that you consider leaving the ‘Everything Panama City Beach, FL’ group altogether. Why continue to participate in a forum that’s being used to manipulate you? Why let your voice be silenced by those who don’t have your best interests at heart? By leaving the group and finding other, more transparent platforms for discussion, you can take back control of the conversation and make sure your voice is actually heard.

In the end, it’s up to all of us to demand better. We deserve transparency. We deserve accountability. And most importantly, we deserve to know that our tax dollars are being spent wisely, not wasted on projects that don’t benefit the community as a whole. Panama City Beach is a wonderful place to live, but if we want to keep it that way, we need to start paying attention to what’s really going on behind the scenes.

So let’s stand up, speak out, and make sure our city is run in a way that truly benefits everyone—not just the developers pulling the strings.

Written By: Stephen Despin Jr. | Founder/Contributor