"Is the concession operational now? If so who is the operator/incumbent? What equipment do they currently have/use?" Someone posted that question anonymously on August 28 to Sarasota County's procurement portal, and the County answered on September 2. "Yes. The concession is currently operated by Shark Tooth Beach Concessions/North Jetty Grille. The County provides the commercial kitchen hood. Other equipment currently used by the incumbent is not included with the concession area."
That last sentence matters to anyone who grabs lunch at the jetty. The County owns the building and one hood. The fryers, the coolers and everything else that makes the Grille run belong to whoever holds the contract. Sarasota County has now put that contract out for bid. So the park's near future depends more on an evaluation committee than on a construction crew. Two years after Helene and Milton, most of what will shape a visit to North Jetty in 2027 is being settled in documents rather than rebuilt on the ground.
What the County Is Actually Offering
The solicitation is Project 262898MM, "North Jetty Park Concession Services." It was released through the County's OpenGov portal on Monday, August 17, 2026. The County is looking for one concessionaire to run the concession area. Food and beverage service is required, and retail is optional if the County approves it. The term is fixed at three years with two possible one-year renewals. The County turned down a request for a longer initial term.
The Q&A spells out the day-to-day rules more clearly than the summary does:
- The operator must accept cash.
- Preferred seating is capped at eight agreed-upon tables inside the concession area. Adding tables or seating outside it takes written County approval.
- County-approved beach rentals can be stored only within the designated concession area.
- Sales or delivery outside the area are prohibited unless the County approves in writing. A mobile delivery service has to be proposed at least 45 calendar days before it would start.
- Sheds, lock boxes and other exterior additions need prior written consent and must meet ADA and park aesthetic standards.
The building is newer than many regulars might guess. The County says the current pavilion opened in 2014. Shark Tooth Beach Concessions has a longer history on this stretch of shoreline. The Herald-Tribune reported its opening at 208 S. Casey Key Road on Nokomis Beach in December 2016, run by Justin and Ashley Bloomquist. That puts the family's Nokomis Beach operation just shy of ten years this December. The County's records don't show when they took over North Jetty.
For anyone curious how busy the Grille really is, the County told bidders that its monthly sales reports for 2021 through 2025 are available through links in the public Q&A. It's a rare public look at the business of a beach snack bar.
The Calendar Between Now and a Decision
Proposals are already in. The project page now shows the solicitation in evaluation, and no award had been posted when this was written.
- August 17, 2026: RFP released.
- August 31, 2026, 10 a.m.: Optional pre-bid site visit at the concession building, 1000 Casey Key Road.
- September 4, 2026, 5 p.m.: Question deadline, extended by Addendum #1.
- September 17, 2026, 2:30 p.m.: Proposals due.
- October 5 and October 19, 2026: Evaluation meetings, both listed as tentative.
The current operator could win the new term. So could someone else. Either way, the October meetings are when the County's evaluators will weigh who serves the fish tacos and cold drinks at the jetty for at least the next three years.
Two Fences, Two Different Clocks
The concession is one decision on paper. The parking lot involves two more, and they're easy to mix up because both show up as fenced-off asphalt near the water.
| Southeast staging area | Waterway-side parking | |
|---|---|---|
| Why it's closed | Contractor staging for the Venice Island Beach Renourishment Project | Hurricane damage from 2024 |
| Who's behind it | City of Venice and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors | Sarasota County |
| Timeline | June 10, 2026 through fall 2026 | No construction schedule set |
| What stays open | Kayak launch directly north of the staging area | Not specified |
| Size | "A portion of the southeast section" | 50 to 100 spaces, per a bidder's estimate, not the County |
The staging fence has an end in sight. According to the County's June 10 notice, the renourishment project will restore about 3.2 miles of eroded shoreline on Venice Island. It's the first such effort since 2015, and the fence is expected to stay up through fall 2026. The notice doesn't say whether the staging area overlaps the storm-damaged section.
The storm-damaged section is the open question. A bidder asked on August 25 whether the south side of the lot along the jetty waterway would reopen, estimating that 50 to 100 spaces were still unavailable. The County answered the next day. It said the hurricane-damaged areas, including the park grounds, are "still in the preliminary design/preconstruction phase," that "a construction schedule has not yet been established," and that it "cannot provide a date for reopening the currently unavailable parking spaces at this time." Almost two years after the storms, that project is still in design. The County's list of park capital projects currently in progress doesn't include North Jetty.
What the Storms Took That No Contract Replaces
The Grille and the fish camp are two different things. The North Jetty Fish Camp dated to 1946, and the Herald-Tribune reported in November 2024 that Helene and Milton damaged it beyond repair. No County agenda item, capital project entry or news report from 2025 or 2026 describing a replacement turned up in our research. The new concession contract doesn't require bait or tackle sales. It requires food and beverage, with any retail at the County's discretion.
The park partially reopened on March 1, 2025, and the North Jetty Grille reopened with it. At the time, Your Sun reported lifeguards, concessions and parking in the north and east lots, but said the jetty itself was not open. A separate Your Sun report said the Army Corps planned repairs to the North Jetty revetment separately from the County's walkway repaving, with no timeline announced. We didn't find any later confirmation that the jetty walkway has reopened for fishing. The County's facility page still lists fishing among the park's amenities, along with a kayak launch, restrooms and a concession, but it's a general directory and doesn't show current status. If you're planning to fish from the rocks, check with the County first.
Down Casey Key Road at Nokomis Beach
The same pattern holds a short drive north. On August 7, WWSB reported that lightning hit and set fire to a lifeguard tower at Nokomis Beach North. County crews removed it once it was clear the tower couldn't be saved. Nobody was hurt. County officials said they had no plans to replace it, which leaves one other lifeguard tower on the beach.
Some of the fall schedule is set. Free beach yoga at Nokomis Beach Park started September 1 and runs through April 6, 2027. Times vary, and the County lists two locations: the plaza at 100 Casey Key Road and the concession at 208 S. Casey Key Road.
Inland, County commissioners approved a Nokomis Community Park expansion of nearly $1.69 million in June. That total includes a $1.37 million purchase of a vacant 1.01-acre parcel on Nash Avenue with frontage on Curry Creek. A walking path, picnic areas, creek access for fishing and wildlife watching, and a larger community garden were all floated as options, not a final plan. Closing papers were due by August 31, and we found no public confirmation yet that the purchase closed.
So several decisions that will shape Nokomis's public waterfront next season are still open: the evaluation meetings tentatively set for October 5 and October 19, a parking restoration without a start date, and a creekside parcel whose uses haven't been chosen.
If you own near Casey Key Road and want to know how changes at North Jetty and Nokomis Beach could affect how your property is presented next season, Anthony Laporta follows these County decisions closely and is happy to walk through what's settled and what's still pending. Let's Connect.
