NAGS HEAD, N.C. — Nags Head firefighters conducted a controlled burn of a former restaurant that the Dare County Tourism Board hopes to make part of a new soundside events center.
The building’s former owner, Mike Kelly, said a lot was running through his mind while watching a place he invested so much time burn, but he is optimistic about the future of the site.
The building held memories for more than just Kelly.
"The people were nice, the food was good,” said Sue Cutler of Hampton as she watched the fire. “The views were beautiful, especially at sunset."
The restaurant stood on the site for more than three decades; first, as Penguin Isle, then as Pamlico Jack's.
"They've had dinners, they've had birthday parties, they've had weddings,” Kelly said. “And that’s important, that's why we were in business. That's what we enjoyed doing."
In 2019, Kelly decided it was time to turn his focus elsewhere, so he sold the property to the Dare County Tourism Board for more than $3 million.
Executive Director Lee Nettles said the vision is to turn this– and neighboring properties the Board owns along the sound– into an events center with a hall to host things like sporting events and concerts.
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"We did consider the potential of rehabbing it or investing further in it and developing it into an event center, but it wasn't financially feasible," Nettles said.
Instead of merely demolishing the old property, the Tourism Board worked with the Nags Head Fire Department to turn clearing the building from the site into a training opportunity.
Departments from around the area practiced valuable skills.
"A fire like this in a big building, there's large open spaces, there's lots of tables and chairs, and materials you would find in a house in greater quantities,” said Chief Randy Wells of the Nags Head Fire Department.
Nettles said the fire training was just one way this site is already helping the community and he hopes it will continue to do so in the future.
“It’ll provide the opportunity to have year-round tourism and events out on Outer Banks," he said. "Right now, we’re challenged with having a covered space that’s suitable for groups of over 300 people. The events center will provide that.”
Once the debris is hauled away the site will sit open and be used for parking until plans for the event center are finalized.
