Thanks for asking. The facts are critical to separate hyperbole from reality. The numbers I reference have been published in The Citizen and are from studies done by The Chamber of Commerce. Last year, The Chamber put out a study showing the ships contribute 6 percent. The more current number indicates 4 percent due to all the growth in our tourism business outside cruise ships. Remember that The Chamber is totally pro cruise ship. Organizations like Last Stand believe these numbers are exaggerated, but I am accepting The Chamber's numbers. Again, the most pro cruise ship lobbying group in Key West, The Chamber of Commerce, published these numbers and they were printed twice in this very newspaper. Now, you are correct that this 4 percent does bring money to businesses and locals. The problem is these passengers have a massive impact on the island that dwarfs the money they spend. Thanks to these thousands and thousand of low spending visitors, Lower Duval is a zoo of touts and cheap outlets. Please come downtown on a day three ships are in port and see the impact yourself. Walk around (if you can) and ask what you would think if you were visiting and staying in a $300 per night hotel room. I actually have nothing against a limited number of ships, but the intention of widening the channel and bringing more and more ships here, will ruin the tourist district and impact the 96 percent of the economy that is what really keeps us all alive.

in the early morning when cruise ships are here, nor do they hardly ever go period. The cruise ship passengers start boarding around noon, so they don't interfere with snow birds like you claim. And I highly doubt cruise ship passengers come here to spend their time at Ft Zach. it's time you come up with some other nonsense that maybe someone will believe.