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A City Transformed by Aviation

Once a place to ‘drive through, not to,’ Tavares, Florida, is now a popular destination for seaplane pilots.

An Aviat Husky piloted by Kevin Oaks. [Photo: Dan Nickens]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Tavares, a previously "dying town," revitalized its economy by investing in a seaplane base and marina, leveraging its unique location and historical aviation ties.
  • The strategic investment of $8.3 million transformed Tavares into "America's Seaplane City," leading to significant economic growth, a doubling of its population, and the opening of 24 new businesses.
  • Tavares has become a thriving hub for seaplane-related businesses, events, and training, serving as a successful model for other communities seeking to use aviation for economic development.
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About 15 years ago, John Drury was sitting at a local bar in Tavares, Florida, contemplating the future of what was then a “dying town,” when he had an epiphany of sorts. As two people walked up and ordered a soda and an iced tea, he recalls, “I looked at their feet…and I saw Crocs, and seaweed dripping on the floor.”

A pilot himself, Drury suspected they had landed their seaplane at Lake Dora, a short walk from the bar. His hunch proved correct. “They said, ‘We just splashed in, in that seaplane. It’s kind of hard to get from the water to the restaurant…but you get a pretty good hamburger and a pretty good meal here.’”   

Sara Withrow

Sara is the former copy chief at FLYING. She fell in love with aviation over a decade of working as editor of Lift, the flagship magazine for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She holds a M.S. in Mass Communication and is passionate about authentic storytelling—and making sure that “every I is dotted and every T is crossed.” Follow Sara on Twitter @sarawithrow.

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