Clearwater's Long Center reopened its indoor pools last Friday, capping a 17-month, $17.3 million renovation that had shut down one of Florida's few indoor, climate-controlled, Olympic-size competition pools. City leaders and summer campers took the first jump back into the water together, marking the return of a facility that also includes a therapy pool for community members.
A $17.3 Million Fix for a Rusting Landmark
The overhaul was paid for with $5 million in Penny for Pinellas sales tax revenue and $12.5 million from Clearwater's General Fund, according to the Clearwater Sentinel. The natatorium closed on February 18, 2025, and didn't reopen to the public until July 31, 2026, according to the City of Clearwater.
The lengthy closure was driven by corrosion of the building's structural steel framing, caused by an original HVAC system that couldn't handle the humidity and temperature swings of an indoor pool environment, per the City of Clearwater. Decades of moisture buildup had degraded the frame enough to force the comprehensive rebuild rather than a simple patch job.
Hurricane-Rated Glass, Solar Panels, and New Filtration
Crews replaced the building's single-pane glass with an insulated glass curtain wall rated for hurricane-force winds, added a 25-kilowatt rooftop solar array, installed a new reflective roof, and swapped out the pool's filtration and water-treatment systems, the Clearwater Sentinel reports.
Contractors and Cost-Cutting Behind the Project
Clearwater City Council approved an $818,916 design contract for Wannemacher Jensen Architects starting in 2023 and picked Clearwater-based Creative Contractors to manage construction, per the City of Clearwater.
City planners also found more than $1 million in savings through a value-engineering review, cutting planned features such as pool deck resurfacing, gutter drain replacements, and a saltwater pool conversion, according to the Sentinel's reporting.
A Recreation Hub With Deep Local Roots
The Long Center first opened in 1990 under the private Long Center Foundation before the City of Clearwater took over ownership and operations in 2003. Beyond the newly reopened pools, the facility at 1501 N. Belcher Road houses a gymnasium, fitness center, soccer fields, an Aging Well Center, and the adjacent Sunshine Limitless Playground, according to Clearwater Parks and Recreation.
Snow Cones, Mermaids, and a Councilmember's Full-Circle Moment
The city marked the reopening with a public celebration that included behind-the-scenes natatorium tours, resource tables from local community organizations, free snow cones, and a live mermaid performance, per the City of Clearwater. Clearwater Councilmember Suzanne Mannino wrote in a Facebook post that she attended the facility's original 1990 ribbon-cutting ceremony as a child with her father, a detail that underscores the pool's multi-generational pull in the community.
City Leaders and Campers Take the First Plunge
In a Facebook post, the City of Clearwater said City Manager Poirrier, Mayor Rector, Councilmember Mannino, Councilmember Teixeira, and Councilmember Allbritton joined summer campers for the first jump into the renovated pool. The post welcomed the community back to the Long Center and invited everyone to return to its pools.
