Tourism Development Tax approved

Tourism Development Council meets bimonthly

  The Glades County Tourism Development Council, appointed by the Glades County Board of County Commissioners in May, subject to the November 4, 2008 referendum, has been meeting regularly since the election, discussing the status of tourism businesses in Glades County currently and opportunities to promote and expand tourism development going forward. The Council, comprised of Commissioner Paul Beck , Rhoda Planty of Joyner Development, Nita Shirley, and Janet Cavin of Whisper Creek, Bonnie Driggers, Lakeport Lodge, Patty Register, Gatorama; City Councilman Harry Ogletree,  Patti Pearce, L-Cross Extreme Events, and Dave Ferguson, Sunburst Tours, is currently reviewing the tourism development plan, approved by the BOCC last May, for updates.

  According to EDC executive director Tracy Whirls, several components of the tourism plan -rebuilding the city of Moore Haven’s marina, dredging the Moore Haven canal -have been funded, while other projects, like sponsoring events such as fishing contests or festivals are not directly addressed in the plan.  “We want to be sure the plan has enough flexibility, as new ideas emerge, to respond to them,” the EDC director said, adding that the revised plan will still be subject to commission approval.

   The council has agreed that their first priority will be developing a website to promote tourism in Glades County.

     Ms. Whirls said she was surprised by how few tourism businesses there are in Glades County and the apparent need there is to assist some businesses in better promoting their services. “Some of our RV parks and motels have wonderful websites and some don’t have websites at all,” Ms. Whirls said, noting that  industry studies show that 65 percent of tourists now make their travel decisions based on information they receive on line.

  “What we want to do is inventory all the tourism assets we have now, get some baseline information online in one place where potential tourists can find it, then add new features and new businesses, attractions and events as they come online,” Ms. Whirls said.

The TDC is expected to award a bid to build the new Visit Glades. Com  website at their regular meeting  at the EDC office, 998 Tenth Street in Moore Haven. Besides working on the website and revising the Tourism Development Plan, the TDC director said she hopes to work with the county on plans to develop Curry Island.

  Commission Chairman Paul Beck gave fellow TDC members an update on negotiations between Glades County, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Lake Okeechobee Habitat Alliance regarding improvements at Curry Island at their December meeting. Mr. Beck said in conversations with DEP, extension of the county’s lease to incorporate property across SR 78 to combine Curry Island with the larger Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area were not out of the question.  He noted that the LOHA group has money set aside for habitat improvement which could be lost if an agreement is not reached between Glades County, DEP and LOHA regarding the property. TDC members agreed that the property must remain open to the public and  that development of ecotourism opportunities at Curry Island would be an economic boon to existing stores, restaurants and lodging facilities not only in Lakeport but countywide.

  Mr. Beck said while the county would be open to the idea of concessionaires offering horseback riding, canoe and kayak or bicycle rental concessions at Curry Island, those should be open for bid by potential operators. Mr. Beck said development of Curry Island must respect natural features such as duck ponds and other areas on the back side of Curry Island which become habitat for thousands of ducks and other birds during the wet season.  He suggested a means of funding operation and maintenance of the park might be to install a magnetic gate which users could access via a card for an annual fee.

The TDC director said regardless of the outcome of discussions between LOHA and Glades County, she will be seeking grant funds to begin making physical improvements at the park. “Once we can get capital improvements at Curry Island, perhaps restrooms with compostable toilets and a vending area where visitors could buy snacks or rent bicycles, picnic pavilions where families can host gatherings, maybe an equestrian area or Boy Scout camp, I think more people will visit Curry Island and the Fisheating Creek trail at Banana Grove Road, across SR 78,” Ms. Whirls said, adding that the TDC is planning to make the Fisheating Creek Through Time celebration held earlier this month an annual event. “We’ve initiated a conversation with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to seek funding to build an Education Center at the FWC property at Fisheating Bay. The opportunities are endless.”

  Longtime tourism development advocate Patty Register of Gatorama agrees, noting that Glades County has tremendous assets beyond Lake Okeechobee and fishing in the land and people around the lake. Commissioner Beck said Glades is an excellent county for any kind of ecotourism, be it airboat or swamp buggy tours, ranch tours, including larger motorbus tours. 

    “We need to develop other opportunities beyond Gatorama and the Seminole Casino at Brighton for visitors to enjoy, not only to encourage them to stay longer to put heads in beds to benefit existing motels & RV Parks which collect the tourism tax, but for day trippers as well,” the TDC director said.

    Ms. Register said Gatorama is visited by 35,000 per year. “They drive an hour or more to get there. They spend 1-2 hours at our place, then they ask me, ‘What else can I do?” Mrs. Register said, adding that despite the recession and reports that tourism is down both state and nationwide, her business is only down 11 percent for the year. Ms. Whirls said the TDC’s next project, a brochure highlighting the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail in Glades County, funded by a Visit Florida grant, will answer the question of ‘what else can I do’ while in gloriously natural Glades County. For more information on tourism activities in Glades County, phone (863) 946-0300.