b'T h eI s l a n d sLUXURY PROPS SELLING AT A RECORD PACEWhen Atlanta marketing guru Jeff Lamkin announced Cinnamon Shore more than fifteen years ago, the success of a high-end, Key West-style oceanfront community in Port Aransas was in no way innevitable. While builders snatched up lots for the opportunity to be part of the most prestigious develop-ment in the Coastal Bend, sales slowed amid the 2008 national housing collapse, and the construction of village amenities was delayed.The Cinnamon Shore sales team, determined to deliver Lamkins vision, persisted and found an emerging audience of mainly San Antonio and Austin buyers who sought drive-tocentered on golf driving real estate sales in a period during which golf was on the vacation homes, and who bought into the long-term investment viability of luxurydecline in popularity, which brought the added risk of sacrificing half of the devel-waterfront development on Mustang Island.In the years around the launch of Cin- opable land for the golf course. Today, with the golf course reduced to nine holes, namon Shore, major island projects Tortuga Dunes, at the southern end of MustangMcCombs Development is enjoying great success at Palmilla Beach, selling the high-Island near Packery Channel, and the former Newport Dunes Golf community, whichest cost per square foot in the Coastal Bend. Today, the median single-family home became Palmilla Beach, had failed for different reasons. What ultimately set Cinna- price in Cinnamon Shore North (the original) is almost $1.5 million, and homes are mon Shore apart and led to its success was the community plan itself, as well as thepopping up at a brisk pace at the developers new South community.strict quality standards required of builders. In 2021, tracking double-digit tourism growth in Port Aransas, high-end projects are Tortuga Dunes was placed in a disastrous location for anyone aspiring to sellemerging along Hwy 361 on both the gulf and bay sides of the island. The word has million-dollar weekenders on the beach. The Newport Dunes business plan wasgotten out around Texas about Port Aand the buyers are rushing in!88 THE COASTAL BEND TOUR+RELO+BUILD GUIDE TheCoastalBend.com'