The Casino on Pensacola Beach was a place for community gathering and entertainment. Built in the summer of 1931, the area remains the main public beach today. The popularity of the automobile influenced the construction of the two bridges that connect Pensacola with Santa Rosa Island. Only fisherman's cabins and Fort Pickens existed on the island prior to bridge construction. The double bridge project was built in conjunction with a community center on the public beach. The Casino cost $150,000 and held a capacity of up to 500 people.

The Casino was the only commercial building on the island and hosted entertainment that included a boxing ring, restaurant, and dance hall functions. The interior was Spanish-style with a mural created by a local artist. With the change of management in the 1950s the Casino's name was changed to the Cantina because some thought that Casino had negative implications, but the name change was not popular.

Overtime the Casino deteriorated and the Santa Rosa Island Authority, despite protests, demolished the Casino building in the 1960s with the promise of a new complex in its place.

A few restaurants and motels were built, but little else was constructed on the public beach. In the 1980s and 1990s Tiki Island was built as an attempt to draw tourists to Pensacola Beach and included Goofy Golf and water slides, but was also demolished in the 1990s. Today the old Casino site marks a popular public beach on Santa Rosa Island.

Researched and written by University of West Florida Public History student Sunne Heubach.