Razorback Riviera: Many Northwest Arkansas Residents Make Emerald Coast Their Second Home

A 100-mile stretch of Gulf Coast shoreline on the northeast Florida Panhandle is known as the Emerald Coast. Destin, one of its gems, is beginning to take on quite a flavor of the Ozarks.

More than 100 Northwest Arkansas residents have purchased condominiums in the Destin area, and a few local businessmen are impacting the powerful real estate market around those sparkling beaches.

“There are so many people from Northwest Arkansas [in Destin] now that sometimes it feels like being at home,” said Jim Selman, owner of Comet Cleaners in Springdale. “I know I have so many friends there. Another thing I like is the convenience of getting there. From here I can be there is four hours with airline connections. It’s real easy to get there and get back.

“And one thing I tell a lot of people that I like the most is everybody there knows how to say y’all. There’s a lot of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi people there.”

Razorback Development LLC — which consists of Vic Evans of Bentonville, Mark Marquess of Fayetteville and Gary Brandon of Springdale — developed Emerald Waters, a $7.5 million, four-story, 36-unit condominium complex in Destin. The condos at Emerald Waters sell for $200,000-$400,000 each and average about 1,050 SF with two- and three-bedroom units.

Also, Brandon is busy with two more Destin projects. He is developing The Courtyards at Crystal Beach subdivision. The $10 million project includes 28 houses (from 2,000 to 2,450 SF in size) that sell for $425,000 to $625,000 each.

And he plans to break ground around April 1 on another condominium complex in the Destin area. The Alexander at Palm Court in Seacrest, Fla., will be an $11 million, four-story project with retail on the first floor and condos on the top three floors. Brandon said the condos will sell for $550,000 to $600,000 each. That project also includes two out buildings.

Dana Percival, director of Legendary Resorts in Destin, said there is “no question” about the recent influx of Arkansans to the area.

“The recognition and general awareness factor of people from [Arkansas] has risen dramatically,” Percival said. “Everyone I’ve met from there is very enthusiastic about our area. And they’re very much promoting it obviously back there.”

Phil Mayo, owner of Around the World Travel in Springdale, owns two condos in Destin. He recalls a night a few years back while sitting on his deck when he began hearing “Hog Calls” out on the beach. Turns out a group of Razorback fans had just learned of another national championship won by the University of Arkansas track team.

Selman said he began vacationing in Destin about 20 years ago. He would take other trips, but always ended up going back to Destin for a second vacation. Finally, in 1995 he bought a condo on the beach for a price he said “he couldn’t begin to touch it with today.” And in 2000, Selman built a house there. His condo is now strictly for rental purposes.

“Some day I want to retire there,” Selman said. “You can’t find more beautiful beaches anywhere.”

A weekly rental of a condominium in Destin costs at least $1,500.

“What’s happened is they’ve built all the beach front out and there’s only a limited number of places left,” Selman said.

Driving to Destin from Northwest Arkansas takes about 12-13 hours.

Known as “The Luckiest Little Fishing Village,” Destin is three hours from the Mississippi casinos, four hours from New Orleans, 63 miles from Panama City and 375 miles from Orlando.