A Majestic Panama City Beach Icon Succumbs to Fire
By Allan Boyles
Where days earlier sat the Fabulous Treasure Ship, now bears a charred resemblance of glory gone by. On Wednesday, April 28th, at approximately 3:15pm, an iconic Panama City Beach restaurant caught fire and burned, out of control, for nearly two hours. Despite the heroic efforts of every fire department in Bay County, it appears that The Treasure Ship may be a complete loss.
Construction of The Historical Treasure Ship began in 1977 and the beautiful replica of Sir Frances Drake’s The Golden Hind opened for business in 1978. For 32 years, this one-of-a-kind restaurant complex delighted and entertained hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals alike. Pirates roamed the decks and cannons exploded from her bow while the galley prepared tasty feasts of steaks and fresh seafood for all who came aboard.
The Treasure Ship was built by William and Thelma Nomberg and designed by architect Phillip Spann, all of Dothan, Alabama. The Nomberg’s daughter, Lisa Todd and her husband, Jimmy, are the present owners.
Wednesday afternoon, employees scheduled to work that evening, looked on through tears of dismay, as flames and smoke engulfed their beloved workplace. I, too, watched the surreal, what seemed, slow-motion demise of my former work place. A place I called work, home and family for nearly 25 years. Once a “Shippie” always a “Shippie”. I knew exactly how they felt, because I felt the same.
One would imagine, that with all of the problems facing an owner in a situation such as this, the displacement of employees might not find itself at the top of the list. On the contrary, The first thing the Todd’s said to me, while flames were still flickering in the hull of the grand ship, was: We’ve got to try to help the staff find jobs. This is a testament of why employees see The Ship as more than just a job…why I still feel part of a family.
The community has pulled together for their long-time Treasure Ship friends. Jobs have been offered by Hammerhead Fred’s, Sharky’s, Edgewater Beach Resort, TGI Friday’s, The Olive Garden, Boardwalk Beach Resort, Breakers, Harpoon Harry’s, McDonald’s, Reggae J’s, Barefoot Beach Club, Los Antojitos, Gulf World, Margaritaville, Water Color, The Boar’s head, The Back Porch, and there will be more.
The United Way of Northwest Florida in conjunction with Regions bank is spearheading employee relief efforts. Intercity Oz, Inc. is assisting with Internet communication and countless others have offered assistance. Thank you Bay County!
Last, but certainly not least, are the unsung heroes that tried desperately to save the Grand Ship. Firefighters from all over Bay County, the Sheriff’s Department, The American Red Cross, and paramedics, whom thankfully, played only a precautionary role. Thank you all!
The absence of the majestic outline of The Treasure Ship on Grand Lagoon will have a profound effect on all of us.
Information, news links, employment opportunities can be viewed on The Treasure Ship’s Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Panama-City-Beach-FL/The-Treasure-Ship-Restaurant/337089584151?ref=sgm
The entire staff of InterCity Oz extends their thoughts and prayers to Lisa and Jimmy Todd, the employees and their families, and the friends and neighbors of The Treasure Ship.