Where? Hang a left at the end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge causeway, and you'll run into Gulfport, a town of about 13,000, nestled among 23 other cities and towns in Pinellas County.

To an extent, Gulfport has done what Englewood -- especially around Dearborn Street -- is trying to do: turn an area of antiquated housing and businesses into a place where people spend money on artwork, entertainment and relaxation.

Jack Gray, who chairs the chamber's tourism development committee, led an entourage of business people for a visit. He grew up in Gulfport. "In the 1980s, Gulfport was pretty rough, to be honest with you. There were two thriving businesses downtown," he says. "They were biker bars."

Gray says when he moved to Englewood in 2001, he said to himself, "Omigod, this is Gulfport 20 years ago."

Point taken, although most of us see Englewood as a little more advanced.

But the parallels remain. Eighteen-year Mayor Mike Yakes has a touch of that small-town chip on the shoulder. Gulfport, like Englewood, has to fight to keep from being swallowed by its larger neighbors.

The city fixed its streets, installed new lighting, built parks, cracked down on boorish behavior, attracted artists and galleries, launched festivals, started marketing campaigns, opened a marina, and built piers and docks on Boca Ciega Bay -- all to make Gulfport better for tourists and residents.

Rising property values encouraged investors to replace some of the town's signature bungalows with McMansions. The city council responded by protecting historic areas and the town's brick streets.

Sarasota County's creation of a special redevelopment district has already helped Englewood's north end by guaranteeing tax money for improvements.

But Gulfport has demonstrated an even closer government partnership with businesses and residents. Experts often advocate festivals and special events to attract visitors and for pulling communities together.

Gulfport's city government co-sponsors such events, providing police coverage and other pluses, a contrast to Englewood's festivities.

Straddling two counties also creates problems, a point one Englewoodian addressed over lunch. "If we don't go home and incorporate, we're not going to have any of this," he said to applause.

Like Gulfport, that may get a look.

Eric Ernst's column runs Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Contact him at eric.ernst@heraldtribune

.com or (941) 486-3073.