After a long and successful collaboration with the Emerald Coast Foundation, the Florida Powerboat Club has opted to put on an event of its own in the Florida Panhandle area next year. The new event called the Emerald Coast Powerboat Poker Run is slated for the weekend of August 17-19.

The Florida Powerboat Club will have its own Emerald Coast event next year. Photo courtesy/copyright Florida Powerboat Club.

As reported on Speedonthewater.com on August 19, ongoing tensions heightened this year between the decision-makers at the two organizations. Earlier this week, Florida Powerboat Club president Stu Jones announced his organization’s new event, as well the end of its affiliation with the foundation, in a recent letter to the FPC members.

“In addition to separating the events, FPC will appoint a local poker run committee and will change all of the venues for most of the supporting events,” Jones wrote. “Lodging partners will continue to include Emerald Grande, Ramada Beach Resort in FWB, Destin West RV and Resort and so on.”

Jones said that the event “will still have a local youth charity as its beneficiary,” and will follow a course similar to past events.

“I confirmed today that the Emerald Grande will be blocking our rooms for the new FPC Emerald Coast Powerboat Poker Run, which is happening the weekend after the Emerald Coast Foundation event,” he said.

Related story: Future FPC Participation with Emerald Coast Poker Run ‘In Limbo’