STOTTLER FAMILY SELLS COCOA BEACH PIER
By Space Coast Daily // April 30, 2014
Sold To David Siegel and Jim Gissy of Westgate Resorts In Orlando
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – It’s official, the Cocoa Beach Pier has been sold by the Stottler family to David Siegel and Jim Gissy of Westgate Resorts in Orlando.
Space Coast Daily reported earlier this month that the Stottlers had received, and accepted, an offer to sell the 52-year old iconic landmark on the east coast of Florida.
According to the new ownership, they plan to perform some immediate improvements and add some new offerings such as a Starbucks and a Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs stand.
According to Siegel, plans call for completely renovating the Cocoa Beach Pier into a premier family dining and entertainment destination for the Space Coast and Central Florida community.
“A large part of my family grew up in the Cocoa Beach area,” Siegel said.
The Cocoa Beach Pier is open 365 days a year and attracts about 1 million people annually, employs 150 people, and features five bars, four restaurants, shops, an ice cream parlor and arcade. It also have beach rentals and volleyball courts.
Originally built in 1962, the 270 pilings used to support the Pier measure 40 feet in length and are driven a minimum of 15 feet into the ocean bed.
Every year there is substantial work done to the pilings to maintain their structural integrity.
HISTORICAL LOCAL LANDMARK
In the early 1970’s the Pier was also home to a dance club called the Asylum whose big attraction was the cosmic lighted dance floor.
Since the beginning, the Cocoa Beach Pier has been a favorite of both locals and tourists.
In 1983 a $2 million remodeling and expansion of the Cocoa Beach Pier began. The opening of the Pier House Restaurant (now the Atlantic Ocean Grille) was their pride and joy.
It has been awarded the “Best in Brevard” and “Best Restaurant with a View” for numerous years by the locals and tourist alike.
“The restaurant has adhered to a tradition of excellent service and great food paired with a unique ambiance and panoramic ocean views,” said now former owner Lori Stottler.
For more information about the Cocoa Beach Pier, call 321-783-7549 or log on to CocoaBeachPier.com