Florida Keys News
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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TDC asks BP for $1 million
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff
tohara@keysnews.com

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has asked BP for $1 million to help put the word out that Florida Keys beaches and waters are oil-free.

Director Harold Wheeler contends there remains a false belief that oil has washed up on Keys beaches. In the past several months, Wheeler has cited numerous reports in state and national media about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill reaching the Keys.

Earlier this summer, the tourism council received $400,000 from BP, which "played a major role in helping to motivate tourism flow to the Florida Keys in July and August," Wheeler wrote in his Aug. 30 letter to the company.

"We continue to have concerns about lingering Florida Keys oil spill-related travel misperceptions for the upcoming winter season," Wheeler wrote. "Thus, we are asking BP for additional dollars to ensure economic security for the region."

BP is still reviewing the letter and backup information and has not decided whether to fund the request, spokesman Mark Stultz said, adding the tourism council provided "good content and context" in its request.

"We understand the implications to the community and are trying to be responsive to those implications," Stultz said. "There are a lot of similar requests."

Wheeler included several analyses of media reports that showed how news coverage of the oil spill was tied to the Keys. The Keys were made a large part of national news stories when tar balls began washing ashore in May. The tar balls were tested and determined not to be from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen sent BP a letter Thursday, lending her support to the tourism council's request.

"Keys commercial and fishing interests and all other tourism-related industries in Monroe County are suffering from the incorrect perception that oil has reached Keys beaches," Ros-Lehtinen said. "All of us in South Florida know this is not the case but we must work doubly hard to let the rest of the nation know that Keys beaches are as pristine as ever and open for business."

tohara@keysnews.com

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MEOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TEE HEEE HEEEEEE

Submitted on Tue, 09/07/2010 - 8:34am
THEY SMELL LIKE A CAT'S BOX TOO!

Closed beaches

Submitted on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 5:12pm by notMac
This is a great picture of people ejoying Higgs beach. The beach was closed the next day for a "poopoo" alert. Why can't the TDC fix that?

More greed

Submitted on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 12:48pm by Wow
No one in the keys lost money due to the oil spill. If they said that they did, they are full of it. It's the slowist time of year for tourism. Only rude euro-trash comes in summer. The TDC will only waiste money! Where did the 400,000 go? Fantasy fest beads. BTW Bonnie needs an attitude adjustment!

Why does

Submitted on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 12:37pm by Wow
no one ever addresses the raw sewage that's pumped into our waters? Ever wonder why we have so many bad water warning days?

Is this a joke?

Submitted on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 9:13am by Charles Darwin
Key West has beaches like catboxes. Some oil may have helped. $1M dollars, HAHA. Someone sees a big payday coming.

So, it's true....

Submitted on Sun, 09/05/2010 - 12:20am by moonlight10
Conchs in command still haven't learned their lesson about being money- hungry thieves! Shame on the TDC for sticking out their opportunistic dirty paws!

I'd have to agree with Ed

Submitted on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 4:37pm by bertrum
The money should go to all the communities and businesses and citizens who WERE directly and long-lastingly hit by the spill. Yes, it's true that we lost some tourism... but have you reflected on why? There are probably half a dozen factors, including the little matter of a deepening economic crises in the US and the world, and the fact that a huge number of people in the gulf coast region who normally might have visited here are actually busted by the event and couldn't afford a vaction here right now. Now some people have responded to this whole issue by saying "what loss of tourism?"; they cite the published statistics that hotels in Key West did well this 'season'... but as a person who makes about half his livelihood from tourism, I can confirm... the tourists who come are just not able to spend in a general way... perhaps super inflated hotel/motel rates and absurdly overpriced foods absorb all the bucks. Just a guess. It doesn't surprise me the TDC did this, but it's wrong. Rather than try to take money from the people who need and deserve it, the powers that be should consider, gasp, dropping the absurd prices of commodities on the island. Then we'll get our happy, free spending tourists back. But we all know that won't happen, because it means sacrifice by the well-to-do.

inflated rates

Submitted on Sun, 09/05/2010 - 11:36am by dirtguy
It is very true that a "regular guy" just cannot afford the very high rates that the hospitality industry demands here. I have vacationed in other parts of the country, and it seems that Key West is kind of pricey when compared to similar accommodations elsewhere. I understand that Key West is unique as an island getaway, but in my opinion, offering more reasonable rates would attract more tourism than any other ideas coming down the line... As a part-time resident, I do look for affordable living every fall. I do not drive my motor home down here because the going rates that I have found for a month of hookups reaches well over $2,000. I do not have a super expensive unit, and I live on a fixed income. I leave the motor home up north because it just isn't affordable for me to drive it down, although I would prefer to do so. Other rentals i have found are similar, a bit steep for the regular guy. Perhaps if the owners of all forms of properties that cater to tourists would bring their prices down to where the "regular guy" could come down and spend vacation time, and in my case, a "6 month tourist" could live more comfortably, there would be more money to spend on incidentals, restaurants would see more business, other businesses would see a better bottom line, and the rentals and campgrounds might see more business throughout the year. I am speaking only from my experiences, a retired sun loving part-time islander.

There is no one that thinks

Submitted on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 1:45pm by Ed
There is no one that thinks we still have oil on our beaches. This is wrong. There are people who were seriously damaged by this spill that need the money. Even if you want more advertising for Key West, BP is not the place to get it. Wheeler is looking for free advertising for this winter season and his attempt will only make us look stupid and greedy.

Well Deserved

Submitted on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 8:15am by JC
As an outsider, I can say this is well deserved. I recently travelled to KW for one of our frequent vacations there. Anyone, like me, paying close attention to the news would know there never was any oil in KW. However, it amazed me how many people asked me before I left for KW "what about the oil?"

BP is a fool

Submitted on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 7:37am by Mac
BP is a fool if it grants this money to the TDC. All they'll spend it on are FatFest and the noisy, drunken Poker Run. This city had zero impact from the oil spill and this is just more Wrecker mentality-- demanding money for nothing.

Spending frenzy.

Submitted on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 9:33pm by notMac
It's time to downsize the TDC. Has Wheeler had a fresh idea since the typewriter was invented. Give him a million to go away.

I am with you. He spoke in

Submitted on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 11:14pm by Ed
I am with you. He spoke in a public meeting about the need to fund Fantasy Fest even though he is not allowed to do this. He also is in Tinsley's pocket and funnels millions to them. They take 15% off the top! Nice work if you can get it...

Get Rid of Wheeler

Submitted on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 10:02pm by Don Steele
Let's get rid of Wheeler, put the TDC back under the County and let's give all County employees big fat raises!!!
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