'Five-star across the board': Wedding event venue to open at Daytona's Ocean Walk Shoppes

DAYTONA BEACH — Wedding bells soon will be ringing at the Ocean Walk Shoppes , the retail center at the heart of the entertainment district of the World’s Most Famous Beach.

Crystal Ballroom Franchised Event Venues , a family-owned Florida-based company that specializes in luxury destination wedding and special event experiences, plans to celebrate the grand opening of its new Crystal Ballroom Ocean Walk on Aug. 1, according to company officials.

The company is renovating, re-designing and redecorating 10,000 square feet of space on the third, fourth and fifth floors of the Ocean Walk, nestled on Atlantic Avenue west of the beachside Daytona Bandshell between Volusia County's two largest hotels: the 744-room Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort to the south and the 710-room Club Wyndham Ocean Walk timeshare resort to the north.

“This includes the former Wyndham offices and the movie theater tower, which will be transformed to accommodate cocktail hours and ceremonies with stunning ocean views and the picturesque Boardwalk,” said Lukasz Rogowski, the company’s CEO.

The former Wyndham offices will be transformed into a banquet hall that’s connected to a VIP groom’s suite with an ocean view and amenities that will include a pool table, leather furniture and a mini-bar.

In the movie theater tower, on the Ocean Walk's southeast corner, there will be a VIP bridal suite with its own array of amenities that are expected to include a pedestal for photos and the capability to show videos or photo slides on a big screen.

On a recent afternoon, workers were installing ebony and ivory-colored floor tile in the tower and preparing to hang dozens of glimmering chandeliers. The latter is a signature Crystal Ballroom design element at the company’s existing properties in Altamonte Springs, Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Lauderdale Beach, Lake Mary, North Tampa and St. Augustine.

Founded in 2011, the company also has additional locations in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Success in Fort Lauderdale sparked Ocean Walk interest

Rogowski said the company’s success in Fort Lauderdale Beach inspired its interest in the Ocean Walk.

“We recognized the appeal of surrounding attractions and hotels, which are very attractive to clients seeking destination events,” he said. “Our clients come from all over the country and even overseas. We chose Ocean Walk for its proximity to the beach, local attractions and hotels, ensuring we meet all our clients' needs and provide an unforgettable event experience.”

The company has signed a 10-year lease, according to Rogowski and Richard Wakeel, a director with the Toronto, Canada company that owns Ocean Walk Shoppes.

Wakeel was excited about the potential for Crystal Ballroom to introduce Ocean Walk to a new audience.

“From all we’ve gotten to know about Crystal Ballroom, they are a foundational company,” Wakeel said. “They represent a very special moment between two people that is immortalized for eternity. They are the very kind of tenant that can bring and cement wholesome value to our beach.”

More: Major restaurant closes after 13 years at Daytona Beach's Ocean Walk Shoppes

Rogowski declined to disclose how much the company is spending to open at Ocean Walk, but stated that the investment “is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.” The company plans to hire at least 20 employees, including office, design and banquet team members, he said.

On its website, crystalballroom.com, the company already is offering reservations for events at Ocean Walk for a $3,500 initial deposit.

“The average event cost, including all services such as food, decor, flowers, DJs and entertainment, ranges between $35,000 and $60,000,” Rogowski said.

Weddings won't be the only focus of new Crystal Ballroom

In addition to weddings, the new Crystal Ballroom also hopes to attract other special events, said Robert Allen, the company’s director of design and décor. At other locations, the list has ranged from corporate seminars to Sweet 16 and quinceañera celebrations, the latter on the rise in popularity, he said.

“We’ve even done two funerals, two celebrations of life,” Allen said. “The list is pretty much endless.”

Bridal parties and guests will be able to access the fourth and fifth floor towers, both offering panoramic ocean views, via escalators and elevators. After the ceremony, guests will return to the third-floor banquet room for reception or additional events.

Part of the Crystal Ballroom renovation includes the addition of a covered patio and champagne bar on the third-floor terrace, Allen said. The goal is to offer a setting unique for each occasion, he said.

“We can do it all for you, 100%, five-star across the board,” he said. “It’s completely customizable to the individual and we design it that way.”

Crystal Ballroom lifts Ocean Walk to 100% occupancy

Since enduring the sudden closure of the landmark Key West-themed Sloppy Joe's restaurant in November, Ocean Walk Shoppes has rebounded now to reach 100% occupancy with the addition of Crystal Ballroom, Wakeel said.

“That includes spaces that were never marketed before,” he said.

The former Sloppy Joe’s space, a prime spot that overlooks the Bandshell, is now occupied by Dick’s Last Resort, a casual dining bar and restaurant chain with locations in Texas, Nevada, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina. It opened in June.

Another new restaurant tenant, Dill, also opened in June in the vacant space next to Johnny Rocket’s.

Meanwhile, repairs and renovations continue on the shuttered movie theater complex. After Ocean Walk’s owner entered into a multi-year management agreement with a new operator that intends to reopen it as Sun-Ray Cinema.

That work, originally expected to be finished earlier this year, has been delayed by major AC issues, Wakeel recently told The News-Journal.

The 110,646-square-foot multi-story Ocean Walk shopping center was built in 2002, originally anchored by a 10-screen movie theater that has since closed after several ownership and name changes.

It is connected via a covered pedestrian overpass to the parking garage for the Ocean Center convention center across the street.

Its tenants are a mix of restaurants ― Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Ker's WingHouse, Johnny Rockets, Mai Tai Bar, The Beach Hut Cantina, and Cold Stone Creamery — and shops such as Maui Nix, Sunglass Hut, Rocket Fizz, Point Break, BrikaBrak, D&D Blacklight Mini Golf, and The Beach Mart.

The prospect of Ocean Walk as a wedding destination earned a thumbs-up from Bob Davis, president and CEO of the Lodging & Hospitality Association of Volusia County.

“Weddings are in big demand,” said Davis, who added that his only concerns were potential issues with traffic and parking on busy beach weekends. Otherwise, “I think it’s a great idea.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 'Five-star across the board': Wedding event venue to open at Daytona's Ocean Walk Shoppes