While the chances of some oil making it to the east coast remain high, their misfortune is Southwest Florida's gain! Some media outlets and reporters are whispering what experts and locals have been telling everyone for months... there's a "Less than 1% Chance of oil making it onto Southwest Florida beaches". Unfortunately, the local media has echoed similar sentiments on some broadcasts in recent weeks but without much impact on the National and International (tourists) viewers that some local business and hotel owners are trying to reach. They wish the National News would inform everyone that "Southwest Florida is Open for Business!" and the oil is only in the panhandle of Florida.
On Thursday July 8th, I had the privilege, along with a few of my colleagues to listen to a short presentation by Tammy Hall, the chairman of the Lee County Commission. Following our discussion she did a Q & A with about 12 of us. Tammy Hall was recently awarded the title of "Estero Chamber Political Person of the Year" for 2010. The information she shared about what the commission is working on varied from cutting spending to balance the county budget, thereby eliminating any property tax increases for the average property owner to instituting change to the states renewable energy credits to benefit companies like Algenol Biofuels who generates renewable energy from Algae. Commissioner Hall also touched on how state mandate prevented the use of tourism reserves for anything other than the new stadium for the Boston Red Sox spring training, a concert hall or similar type venue. She also spoke on tax benefits to lure businesses and diversify the job base in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs & Estero area as well as the print and TV advertising the tourism bureau recently embarked on as a response to the oil spill to let people know there was no oil on ANY Southwest Florida beaches. Her depth of knowledge and the things she is involved in are fascinating and I found it incredibly enlightening.
One of the most interesting comments made by Commissioner Hall in response to the misinformation out there and some jittery tourists was that "A new national conversation is beginning to circle that there is Less than 1% chance of oil coming onto the beaches of SWFL. This was some very welcome news to everyone in the room who has been repeatedly asked for weeks, if not months about the oil on our beaches, and repeatedly responding "There is no oil". One of my clever colleagues has been responding with, "The only oil on Southwest Florida beaches is Suntan Oil".
You can read my recent post on the Gulf oil spill and see video on How Southwest Florida will likely stay Oil Free HERE
See a profile of some New Construction Developments & Homes in the Naples Area HERE
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