Reprinted with permission from

June 14, 1997

It's a 10 - for all of us

By REED SAMPSON

DESTIN - Money magazine has listed Fort Walton Beach as the 10th best place to live in the United States - a rating that is expected to help the entire area.

Actually, the rating is really for all of Okaloosa County.

"What they do," said Larry Sassano, who heads the Economic Development Council, is take the 300 best metropolitan statistical areas in the country. The Fort Walton Beach MSA represents the entire community."

Destin Chamber of Commerce Director Ray Navitsky and Steve Abbott or Abbott Realty see the rating as helpful to the overall real estate business.

Navitsky called it a "boon to the real estate industry."

"It's a tremendous help from a marketing standpoint," said Abbott. "Being ranked 10th in the country has an awfully nice ring. You can't buy advertising like that/"

Abbott went on to say he believes the ranking will have a strong impact on those people who might be considering retirement in this area. "It's new recognition for Northwest Florida."

Legendary Realty's Greg Clauson took a more conservative approach to the ranking's influence on real estate specifically. "In all frankness," he said, "the ranking may bring some awareness to people across the country who are not aware of this area, but I don't expect to see large numbers of people wanting to move her."

Clauson said he's very pleased Money ranked our community No. 10 in the country. "It confirms a lot of our thoughts about the place we've chosen to live," he said. "It's a confirmation we're doing things right and an acknowledgment to our community leaders."

Tourist Development Council chief Darrel Jones said his agency will continue to market the area using the ranking as part of the campaign, "the same as we did when we were ranked No. 18," he said.

It's (the ranking) will aid us in continuing our efforts to market the area as a family destination - safe and clean," Jones said. "It should help us in years to come."

Jones went on to say that for the past seven years the TDC has tried to focus on the family aspect of the area. "It helps in what we're trying to portray to the rest of the country and, really, the rest of the world." he said. "To be rated No. 10 in the nation is a great honor."

The long-term effect is something that caught Navitsky's thoughts as well. "It will obviously be a boon for the business community, particularly," he said. "People will want to come visit here, since they'll know it's a resort community, and will want to see what the 10th best area looks like."

Business, the bread and butter of the EDC, has several sides and definitions. While Navitsky's thoughts include many lodging and dining establishments, Sassano sees the effect the ranking can have on bringing industry here.

"It works for us in trying to sell existing industry and in our recruitment effort," said Sassano. "We intend to get glossy reprints of the article and include a copy in the packages we send to prospects."

Sassano said the ranking reaches far beyond beautiful beaches.

"It's the quality of life aspects - low crime, housing and real estate, the labor market, growth and diversity - that companies look at when they're considering location or relocating here," he said.

Sassano said there have been six site selection visits made by corporations to the area in recent weeks. "Three of the six have put us on their short list - before the article came out," he said. "So corporate America is looking at us. We're busy, but it's the kind of busy you want to be."

What does the Money magazine ranking mean for the future?

"Three of the MSAs in Florida are ranked in the top 10," he said. "We've looked at some area rated as weaknesses, such as the arts. We were rated low, but that was before the new Arts Center at Okaloosa - Walton Community College was finished. I think our area will fare even better next year."