The Gulf Coast Community Foundation has awarded The Bay Park Conservancy a $300,000 grant to support the development of the first 10 acres of The Bay Park. The funding will help transform land that is currently mostly a parking lot into an accessible park that celebrates nature and promotes environmental sustainability.

The approved Bay master plan will conserve 53 acres of city-owned land and create an  public park along Sarasota Bay. The project will cost about $100-150 million and will take between seven-10 years and three or more phases to complete. The Blue Pagoda currently serves as a welcome center for visitors and an on-site office for The Bay Park Conservancy.