COMMUNITY
NEW PORT RICHEY GROWS
Recent Developments
By Aaron R. Fodiman
Helping to contribute to New Port Richey’s growth is the Keiser University campus at the corner of U.S. Highway 19 and Main Street.
New Port Richey, or “Hollywood East,” as it was known in the 1920s and 1930s after
incorporating in 1927, became a hot spot for stars of the silver screen, sports and
entertainment industries. At the time, the Hacienda Hotel served as the heart of
the city. Now, nearly 100 years later, it is being renovated to return to its former
glory in order to regain its prominence. Ideally located on the banks of the Pithlachascotee
River in the city’s downtown, it is ready once again to host grand affairs. The hotel’s backyard
flows into beautiful Sims Park, which was named for George Sims of the Port Richey Land
Company, who donated the land to the city in 1924 when the land was called Enchantment
Park. The Spanish Colonial Revival-style hotel will have 40 rooms and is about 2 miles from
the Gulf of Mexico. The pink stucco with white trim hotel will have a bar and restaurant
and be operated by Jim Gunderson of the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora. Gunderson has an
option to purchase the restored hotel from the City of New Port Richey, which currently
owns The Hacienda.
140 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
J. DAVID WRIGHT