The town of Dewey Beach has long been a prime oceanside getaway for young adults, families, couples, retirees and all manner of tourist. The already desirable locale recently received a boost, thanks to the addition of a suite of brand-new public amenities at its newest mixed-use destination, Lighthouse Cove.

Located just one block from the Atlantic Ocean, Lighthouse Cove features Delaware’s first-ever Hyatt Place hotel, 83 luxury condos (Residences at Lighthouse Cove) and a brand-new wedding-and-event facility (Lighthouse Cove Event Center) with public beach access — all available to its guests and the Dewey Beach community throughout the year. In fall of 2019, it was recently enhanced even further, with the official opening of a new bay walk along Rehoboth Bay, a replenished beach and a recreational pier.

The public bay-walk structure will be the first of its kind in the Rehoboth Bay area. It will ensure continued public access to Rehoboth Bay for Dewey Beach residents and visitors, providing a venue for such recreational activities as crabbing, fishing, birdwatching and plant-and-habitat study. It will also allow access to the newly replenished beach for families and others who prefer calmer waters for swimming and other recreation.

A new sunset gazebo opened last fall, where guests can enjoy some of the best sunsets on the East Coast. Additionally, the iconic Lighthouse Restaurant, located on the property, is being rebuilt and is expected to open this summer.

The Lighthouse Cove Event Center, the new Lighthouse Restaurant, the new Sunset Bar and the Hyatt Place hotel are all operated and managed by full-service hospitality management company TKo Hospitality. TKo recently announced a new management team, which includes hospitality veterans General Manager Andrew DiFonzo, Food and Beverage Director Peter Lynch, Catering Sales Manager Lisa Wilgus and Executive Chef Robert Sosnovich.

The newly unveiled venue includes 14,600 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space overlooking Rehoboth Bay, as well as newly expanded beach space for wedding ceremonies. Guests will also enjoy a 4,340-square-foot ballroom, 3,020-square-foot pre-event space for cocktail hours and other gatherings, and nearly 10,000 square feet of outdoor patio space, where eventgoers can revel and take in beautiful sunsets over the bay.

“Positioned just steps from Rehoboth Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, in the heart of Dewey Beach, the Lighthouse Cove Event Center is the perfect setting for destination or beach weddings, receptions and events,” said Vince DiFonzo, president and COO of TKo Hospitality. After officially opening its doors in September, the venue has already hosted several weddings, conferences and high-profile events put on by the Delaware Restaurant Association, Cancer Support Community DE, the Delaware Center of Inland Bays and others.

“Since beginning work on Lighthouse Cove a decade ago, we always envisioned it as a one-of-a-kind resort destination that could serve as an asset to both visitors and residents of this community,” said Vince DiFonzo. “The opening of these amenities to the public marks yet another important step toward the realization of that vision, and we look forward to having them available for another exciting summer, in 2020.”