New marketing plan dubs this area 'The Beach'

After 13 months of planning, the previously unknown Coastal Vision 3000 Committee unveiled a plan to unify and strengthen the identity of Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. Committee chairman Buddy Runnels presented the committee’s proposal for “The Beach” at the Feb. 6 Walton Area Chamber’s Power of Business luncheon at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

“How does it define us?” Bea Reynolds, owner of Bea’s Interiors, in South Walton, asked. ”There are a lot of beaches in Florida, just saying ‘The Beach’ could mean Daytona Beach or Miami Beach.”

Lane Rees, a Walton County resident and owner of Human Resource Solutions also in South Walton and a former Walton County commissioner, said he had questions about the proposal, but his initial reaction was to the color chosen. The logo “The Beach” is white on an orange background.