#19 Story
Aqua Restaurant Announces Reopening by Easter

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

January 12, 2013

The new owner of Bay Creek Marina Village, including Aqua Restaurant, the marina, and accompanying shops and villas, plans to reopen the restaurant in time for Easter weekend.

Bob Occhifinto, a New Jersey entrepreneur who bought the properties at a December 28 foreclosure auction at the County Courthouse, hinted in a press release that his new venture will cooperate closely with the original Bay Creek developer.

“We are excited to become a part of the Bay Creek family, and honored to have the opportunity to build on Dick Foster’s commitment to excellence and his vision for a first-class destination marina resort,” Occhifinto said.

Foster, the developer of Bay Creek properties, continues to hold a 25 percent share of Bay Creek South, the golf course side of the development.

Occhifinto’s company is named Peacock Holdings VA, LLC, presumably because prior to buying the Marina Village properties, he bought and renovated the Peacock Motel in Capeville.

Renovations at Aqua are scheduled to be complete by late March, with a grand reopening of the restaurant and catering operations by Easter weekend.

Occhifinto’s staff includes a number of former Bay Creek employees along with a mix of new names. [Read more…]

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#20 Story
EXTRA! Town Council to Sell Inner Harbor for $10

In this view of Cape Charles Town Harbor, the new Yacht Center will utilize the rectangular cutout at middle back of photo.

Inner Harbor at left rear will be sold, but the new Outer Harbor at front will remain, as will Coast Guard station and new yacht repair facility.

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

April 1, 2014

Cape Charles Town Council has tentatively agreed in closed session to accept an unsolicited confidential proposal to buy the inner portion of the Town Harbor for $10. The original offer was $1, but was raised ten-fold as a demonstration of goodwill by the buyer. “Even though we don’t receive a whole lot of money up front, we can expect to benefit in the future from property taxes, water bills, and increased tourism,” explained one Council member who supports the deal.

The purchaser is J. David Schmick, originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, owner of Sketch-Along Resourcing LLC. Schmick, an international entrepreneur, promises that Sketch-Along’s investments in Cape Charles will invigorate the entire Eastern Shore, beginning with the Shanty, which will become a floating restaurant after the style of those in Hong Kong.

Drawing a sketch on a Shanty napkin, Schmick outlined his plan to relocate the Shanty onto a floating dock in mid-harbor. There will be a harbor taxi service to ferry customers, and Cape Charles Water Sports would be a logical supplier of the service, he said. There is also the opportunity for tourists to rent a jet ski to get to the Shanty, eat, and then zoom over to the public beach.

According to an official, the town’s newly increased transient occupancy tax will also be levied on customers of the harbor taxi. “What could be more transient than that,” reasoned the official.

However, at least one close observer is worried that Schmick’s development plans could destroy the small-town charm of Cape Charles. For example, it is already rumored that Schmick will take control of the Shanty and rebrand it as a McCormick & Schmick’s seafood restaurant. Schmick is not known to be associated with the famous restaurant chain, but admits to an affinity for the company that shares his unusual last name.

Entrepreneur Schmick was able to convince Town Council to essentially give him the Inner Harbor to fulfill his vision for a water theme park replacing the current boat slips. Schmick claims to have financing already in place to build a Disney-style “Slip ‘n’ Slide” along with paddle boats, a competition jet ski race course, and an “Ol’ Tyme Ferry Boat” modeled after a Mississippi riverboat casino. (The ferry boat casino would come in Phase 2, with a yet-to-be-determined start date, operated by a separate firm doing business as Charade Adventures LLC.) [Read more…]

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