Lake Worth Beach opens the Casino building's second floor to bids with a June 25 deadline

The ocean exposure is the second constraint. The Casino sits about 75 feet from the high-tide line, which puts the building inside FEMA's V-zone for storm surge and triggers the raised-base structural standards that any new HVAC, kitchen equipment, or interior partitions need to meet. The 2013 renovation already addressed the ground floor's compliance; the second floor's build-out adds the same set of upgrades on top of whatever interior layout the winning bidder proposes.

What the Bid Window Looks Like

The June 25 submission deadline is tight by municipal RFP standards — six weeks from the May 11 release. The city's procurement office has framed the timeline as deliberate: the goal is to keep the building active commercially while preservation review is moving in parallel, and a longer bid window risks losing operators who would otherwise commit to a 2026 build-out and a 2027 opening.

Site visits are coordinated through the city's economic development office. Interested bidders sign a non-disclosure agreement, schedule a walkthrough, and receive a tenant-improvement package that includes the as-built drawings, the preservation review checklist, and the city's standard lease terms. The lease length and the rent structure are open for negotiation through the ITN — the city has signaled a preference for revenue-share arrangements over flat lease rates, particularly for restaurant or event-venue operators whose performance would be most affected by the building's seasonal traffic patterns.

The city's longer-term goal for the Casino is straightforward: keep the building visibly active year-round, generate rent and revenue-share income that funds preservation maintenance, and avoid the long-vacancy pattern that has hollowed out other coastal Casino buildings along the eastern seaboard. The 2nd-floor decision is the largest activation step the city has taken on the building since the 2013 renovation; the bid winner's identity and the proposed use will reshape how the Casino programs across the next decade.

Proposals are due to the city's procurement office by 5 p.m. on June 25. A consultant review follows the submission window, and the city's economic development office expects to advance to negotiations with the leading bidder or bidders by late July.