Going green with new meeting pavilion
The TradeWinds Island Grand Resort on St. Pete Beach, which has won accolades for re-building its beach front lighting to accommodate sea turtles, is constructing a massive, almost 11,000 square foot pavilion.
In other news there, its sister property, the Sandpiper Hotel & Suites received a Green Lodging Certification from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The award was given for the hotel’s use of energy-efficient appliances and a reuse program for towels and linens, among other citations.
The TradeWinds’ new pavilion will bring its total meeting space to 68,000 square feet. The $1 million pavilion is set for completion next May.
The Tradewinds recently retrofitted all of its beach front lighting so that sea turtles and hatchlings can more easily make their way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Said Dean Gallahger, an Environmental Specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee:
“The TradeWinds Island Grand is the first in the state to do a major retrofit to meet wildlife lighting requirements that balance sea turtle survival with human safety and security.”
Report by David Wilkening
David
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