Beloved sandcastle sculptor banned by luxury hotel over ‘political messages’

A longtime sandcastle artist says he has been barred from creating his sculptures outside the historic Hotel del Coronado after hotel management objected to what it described as “political or controversial messages” in his work.

Bill Pavlacka, known locally as “The Sandcastle Man,” said he was told to leave his usual spot along the beach after nearly two decades of building elaborate sand sculptures for visitors. According to Pavlacka, the issue came to a head after he included a quote attributed to Mark Twain in one of his pieces: “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”

Pavlacka said he had previously created works featuring phrases such as “I love democracy” and “I love freedom of speech,” and had been cautioned about them over the past year. He also said hotel staff accused him of drinking while working and asked to check his cooler, though he insists the Twain quote was what ultimately prompted action.

He said a manager asked him to step away from the beach and brought him to an office, where he was told the message was unacceptable. Pavlacka later shared what he said was a letter from the hotel outlining policies he allegedly violated, including rules that prohibit “political or controversial meaning” in sandcastle content, ban alcohol consumption on the property, and require professional conduct with guests.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Pavlacka told the Coronado Times. “I love doing my art. This is what I do. It’s fun and people appreciate it.”

He said he was surprised the quote drew objections. “I thought Mark Twain was a loved American writer. I actually thought the quote was kind of funny,” he said, adding that he was not told of any guest complaints.

The quote is widely believed to trace back to conversations involving Twain recorded in Rudyard Kipling’s 1899 travel writing From Sea to Sea: Letters of Travel. In modern times, the line is often cited in discussions about how information can be shaped to fit a particular narrative.

Pavlacka, a former construction worker, does not work directly for the hotel but had been creating sandcastles on the stretch of beach it owns for nearly 20 years. He said he has also collaborated with hotel staff for corporate events in the past.

Some local residents expressed disappointment over the decision. Kimberly Weed told the Coronado Times that Pavlacka is “hardworking and quiet” and said she had never seen him drinking while working. Another local, Ken Fitzgerald, said there was “nothing controversial” about quoting a well-known American author.

In a brief statement, the Hotel del Coronado said only: “We can confirm that Hotel del Coronado and The Sandcastle Man have parted ways effective February 5.”

Pavlacka said he is saddened by the outcome but plans to continue his work elsewhere. “I won’t give up,” he said. “I’ll still build sandcastles. It may not be here, it will be somewhere.”