A Holiday Inn at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, is hiding a military radar receptor in a massive beach ball statue on the roof, the AP reports. The property on which the hotel sits is actually owned by the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force struck a deal to build the hotel on the site, which would allow them to test radar signals on the roof while taking in $190,000 a year in rent from hotel profits.
Though the sketchy beach ball seems like a dumb attempt at a military cover up, a contractor developing the project told the AP it was merely to make the hotel look “less military and more visitor-friendly.” Because who doesn’t want to vacation on an Air Force test site?
Part of the deal also allows military families a chance to take advantage of discounted room rates at the hotel. General David Harris said he feels this is the main benefit of the site, giving “Young airmen who would never get a chance to stay in place like this can bring their families for some R and R.” The fact that a young family of Air Force personnel couldn’t get a chance to stay somewhere as nice as a beach in Florida is also depressing, but at least they’ve got a view of a massive beach ball to comfort them.
