Holiday Inn Express to receive funding for rooftop bar [Video]

Holiday Inn Express will be the first business to receive the grant of up to half a million dollars.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Rooftop bars and entertainment areas could become more commonplace in downtown Corpus Christi now that the first business has applied for and received a rooftop activation incentive.

This program, approved by City Council last year, uses tax money from businesses in the downtown area to offer incentives for improvement to local bars, restaurants and hotels.

The first business to receive the grant of up to half a million dollars will be the Holiday Inn Express. That’s being built directly behind the Emerald Beach hotel on Shoreline.

Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #3 board chair, Mike Pusley, said looking at downtown from any of the gateway streets can be a little disappointing.

“If you’re driving down the hill in Corpus Christi, you look at some of those rooftops, some of them are less than desirable,” Pusley …