Sarasota County celebrated the completion of a $21.5 million South Siesta Key Beach renourishment project on Monday. The project, the second of two phases, added more than 1 million tons of sand dredged from three areas located 7 to 10 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The work is intended to provide increased erosion and storm protection for public and private property along roughly 2 miles of shoreline. The $21.5 million project was funded primarily by Tourist Development Tax funds, as well as a state beach grant and assessments of gulf-front private residences within the project area.