Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are taking their morning talk show to Clearwater Beach, where four taping slots are scheduled across two days.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Sandpearl Resort operates under the Opal Collection hotel brand and is within walking distance of Pier 60. Fans can request tickets online, and attendees must meet an age requirement.
A Tourism Board Sweetens the Deal
Beyond the audience seats, local tourism promoters are leaning hard into the moment. Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, Pinellas County's official destination marketing organization, is running a getaway sweepstakes through October 27 offering one winner and a guest round-trip airfare, a stay at Sandpearl Resort from November 15 through 18, two VIP taping seats, and a $1,000 Visa gift card.
It is the kind of high-profile exposure regional tourism boards chase. A similar remote production landed at The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa in Greater Palm Springs, California, in November 2024, drawing more than 8,000 live audience members across four episodes, according to a Facebook post from Greater Palm Springs documenting the event.
Why Clearwater Beach Is Rolling Out the Red Carpet
The broadcast arrives as Pinellas County leans on tourism as an economic engine. The industry generates more than $10 billion in annual economic impact, while Tourist Development Tax collections reached $92.5 million in fiscal year 2025, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. Bed-tax proceeds help fund beach renourishment and community events.
That tourism spending translated into direct savings for residents: bed tax collections and related tourism spending saved every Pinellas County household roughly $2,000 on annual property taxes in fiscal year 2025, FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported, with local hospitality businesses generating nearly $400 million in sales and property taxes.
A Barrier Island Still Recovering From Helene and Milton
The tourism rebound hasn't been linear. Tourist Development Tax collections actually dropped 4.4% in fiscal year 2025, falling to $92.5 million from $96.8 million the year before, as Hurricanes Helene and Milton disrupted the barrier island's hospitality economy, per Visit St. Pete-Clearwater's own data. Collections have since rebounded with record visitor numbers in spring 2026.
A national morning show filming in Clearwater Beach offers unpaid promotional exposure as the barrier island continues its recovery.
