07/26/2007
Fort Lauderdale Gay Businesses Concerned About Naugle Effect
Hotel owners and other business in Fort Lauderdale that court gay travelers are concerned about the effect Mayor Jim Naugle's recent statements about gay people could have should the controversy be picked up by national news outlets.
The Miami Herald reports: "So far, the media coverage appears confined to Florida outlets, gay news sites and bloggers of all stripes. But as the controversy escalated, tourism officials braced for bigger fallout. Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, said staff contacted paid media watchers in New York and Europe to see how far the story had spread. She also consulted with the bureau's New York public relations firm, which advised against drawing extra attention. 'Some are urging responses,' Grossman said of local tourism-dependent businesses. 'Right now we don't think an overreaction to what's happening is necessary.' The bureau has fought hard for the increasingly competitive gay travel market, which last year accounted for about 11 percent of Broward's $8.5 billion tourism industry. Fort Lauderdale ranked No. 6 among gay travelers last year, beating out Miami, Orlando and Chicago."
Remarks by Naugle at a news conference yesterday linking the city's AIDS rate with its attraction to gay tourists only served to fuel the anger of hundreds of protestors at a demonstration later in the day:
"Answering a question at Tuesday's press conference, Naugle questioned why Broward's health department was working to reduce the county's high AIDS rate while the Visitors Bureau tried to attract more gay vacationers. Naugle sits on the Tourist Development Council, which supervises the Visitors Bureau. In a telephone interview Tuesday, he questioned whether Broward's success with gay vacationers might discourage others from visiting. 'It could be that if we had a different marketing strategy, we might have 12 million people rather than 10 million people because we [would] have more families,' he said. 'Who really knows the outcomes of decisions like that?'"
Hotels hope Naugle doesn't deter gay tourism [miami herald]
You may have missed...
Hundreds Rally Against Anti-Gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Naugle [tr]
Posted 5:30 PM EST by Andy in Florida, Fort Lauderdale, News, Travel | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Here's Fort Lauderdale's reality, families visiting Florida are not going there, period. There's nothing in Lauderdale for families other than beach. And it's not even that great a beach. Families visiting Florida go to Orlando, home of Disney World. By the time they get finished doing all the family things they want in Orlando, they're broke and exhausted and heading home. If they want nice beaches and a peaceful, quiet family vacation they go to Sanibel Island, NOT Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale sent away the "spring breakers", because they wanted the "American family" to vacation there. Didn't happen. They don't want the "hip hop, rapper crowd, college students or now, apparently the gays. Maybe they can pick up Miami Beach's old crowd and I mean OLD crowd and become the new "God's waiting room" of south Florida. Then the business people can change the local theme to the "early bird special".
Fort Lauderdale deserves Naugle, that's why he always wins re-election. So what does that tell you about Lauderdale?
Posted by: Tom | Jul 26, 2007 6:14:08 PM
I SENT THIS TO SOME AUSSIE FRIENDS AND OTHERS IN EUROPE. PALM SPRINGS IS MORE FUN ANY HOW. EASY CHOICE.,,,ERR, MMMM, ORLANDO HAS DISNEY LAND FOR FAMILIES. ONE GAY DAY A YEAR. NO MOLESTATIONS REPORTED. ,, GET A GRIP, MAYOR.
Posted by: DELBERT | Jul 26, 2007 6:17:54 PM
They should go back to wooing the Spring Break crowd. It's Atlanta with a beach, without the controversy, I couldn't imagine ever going there.
Posted by: Rich | Jul 26, 2007 6:32:51 PM
I really do hope the story gets picked up by the global media, it well deserves the attention. The truth is Fort Lauderdale is experiencing over development and has many forces working against it (hurricanes for example) The real state market is frozen and they desperately need people to fill in the gap. Too bad the Mayor is so delusional to think his attack on gays would appeal to the "American family".
Posted by: Rafael | Jul 26, 2007 8:34:59 PM
tourists go to fort lauderdale? why?
Posted by: dan | Jul 26, 2007 8:58:16 PM
I would NEVER go on vacation to Fort Lauderdale because I would NEVER want anyone to know I am a big HOMO (except you guys of course).
Posted by: TONY THE TIGER | Jul 26, 2007 10:09:14 PM
Naugle is another dumb Demokkkrat (wink).
Posted by: Joe T. | Jul 27, 2007 1:55:22 AM
Wasn't it in Fort Lauderdale that the gay couple waiting for their luggage in the airport baggage claim had to listen to some moron on the public address system rant about how homosexuals should be put to death?
Posted by: peterparker | Jul 27, 2007 9:54:39 AM
Ft. Lauderdale will have to take some hits over this one, especially if they want to get tourists from Europe to visit. Having the mayor of your city issue public statements filled with such ignorance, hatred and vitrol will do that.
If the people of Ft. Lauderdale want to see more tourist dollars coming into their community then they should create a community where people feel welcome. There isn't a gay person in the USA who will feel welcome now in Naugle's city. If that hatefilled attitude is at the top, just imagine how much it trickles down to the police force and other city employees.
Naugle is free to believe that gay men are having non-stop sex orgies in every public restroom in the entire state of Florida if he wants to, but that doesn't make it true. He can also believe in the Purple People Eater or even the Easter Bunny... who's stopping him? But he cannot, as a public official, make outrageous remarks and not be called on them.
We should all contact the Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and tell them that we're not coming because of their stupid mayor:
Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.sunny.org
100 E Broward Blvd # 200
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 765-4466
Posted by: Jonathon | Jul 27, 2007 10:03:36 AM
Ft. Lauderdale is such a hole. If it weren't for a few of the decent Florida communities, I'd say we cut it free and let it float down to become hateful Jamaica's neighbor.
They deserve one another. Of course, when nobody's looking, they'll just dry-hump each other while wrestling drunk and then beat each other up afterwards.
Posted by: Rey | Jul 27, 2007 10:05:30 AM
Typical.
They're more concerned about losing gay money than they are that they have a homobigot for a mayor.
The Ft. Lauderdale "Tourism Board" should stop worrying about losing gay tourist and start OPENLY challenging and shaming their nutty mayor.
This is like all the states that pass laws making gay people second class citizens at the same time that they make promotions intended to draw in gay tourist. How about using those promotional dollars to fight legalized bigotry and the gays will come anyway.
It's time that we become more thoughtful about how and where we spend our vacation money. I am a Florida resident and I would discourage any GLBT person from spending their money in my state until it wakes up and treats its gay citizens with some respect.
How did this jerk get elected in Ft. Lauderdale in the first place?
Posted by: Zeke | Jul 27, 2007 11:04:49 AM
Withholding your money from Fort Liquordale is just going to hurt the many innocent people, many of them gay, who run the hotels, restaurants, and shops. It's shooting the slave to punish the master. The only responsible way to deal with this is to target the bigoted politician.
I would bet that a significant portion of tourists who go to Fort Liquordale are there for a matter of hours, either getting on or off a cruise ship.
Posted by: PJ | Jul 27, 2007 11:59:17 AM
He needs to wake up and smell the coffee. 935 million is a lot of dough. They are lucky that the gay population moved Lauderdale and started cleaning up the dump. Straights are so ungrateful! They don't realize what a blessing we gays are to society....or maybe their just jealous.
Posted by: JE | Jul 27, 2007 1:33:25 PM
In his vitriolic press conference on Tuesday, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle declared that he would be putting the kibosh to his fair city being listed as a public sex spot by website Cruising For Sex. CFS has now called for a boycott of Lauderdale, citing previous abuse by Naugle.
Hot Desert Knights, producers and purveyors of edgy porn, have since taken up the call. On the HDK site there is a comments option, to which I have contributed and included in the attachment (you’ll excuse the poor grammar that comes without having access to spell checker). So far I’m the only contributor.
Boycotts rarely work. The Baptist Church ran a long campaign against Disney because of the theme park operator’s same-sex benefits and openness to hosting LGBT events. After nearly a decade the Baptists withdrew the boycott; obviously there was no way they were going to keep parishioners from taking their kids to family movies or from visiting The Mouse.
In the case of CFS vs. Naugle, the only one’s who’ll be hurt by a boycott of FLL by horny homo boys will be the gay establishments – bars, baths and resorts. That’s no way to overcome an enemy.
For greater impact, I suggest that CFS and HDK unite to produce “Fort Lauderdale Horny Homo Boys”, with all proceeds going to the Unite Fort Lauderdale endeavour. The irony would be truly delicious. Sign me up!
Posted by: Rick Hurlbut | Jul 27, 2007 6:15:17 PM
Hello,
I’m writing from The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
I wish to reassure you and your readers that Greater Fort Lauderdale is a warmly welcoming destination to ALL travelers. We stand united and proud that our destination has long been enjoyed by gay visitors and supported by the local gay community.
It is important for you to know that the long-standing and positive reputation in the hospitality industry, and the actions of our community, speak far louder than the words of any one individual. Our tourism industry long ago rolled out the Rainbow Carpet and we are committed to providing SUNsational Service to all visitors---straight and gay. Our community is very proud of the diversity of our residents and our visitors.
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau has aggressively promoted the destination to the gay travel market for more than ten years and will continue to do so. As home to the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, and with more than 100 gay-owned establishments including 30 gay guesthouses, plus restaurants and bars and the second largest Metropolitan Community Church, we invite your readers to personally come and experience our diversity.
We look forward to welcoming readers of this blog to our sunny beaches and appreciate your continued support of Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Thank you.
Nicki E. Grossman
President
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Posted by: Nicki E. Grossman | Jul 27, 2007 7:29:28 PM
Well isn't that precious. It's only one man you say Nicki? Really? Was this one man not elected by the majority of Ft. Lauderdale residents?
You wrote a nice love note explaining why gays should spend our time and MONEY in your city. You failed to address the reason why gays might not want to patronize your city. Therein lies the problem. As I stated above, you should be publicly condemning the hateful statement by your mayor not just telling us that we should support your city anyway.
I'll consider supporting your city when I see your residents express their unhappiness with their homophobic mayor's shameful and offensive comments by throwing his ass out of office. Until then you won't see a dime of my hard earned "unhappy homosexual" money.
Thank you.
Zeke
Posted by: Zeke | Jul 28, 2007 7:14:39 PM
Yeah really, like this is all just about one man, one random citizen of Fort Lauderdale. Except for the little part about him being the MAYOR elected by a majority of the citizens. What sort of retarded gay resort elects a flaming radical-right homophobe as mayor? You made your bed, and now you're going to sleep in it. Too bad, so sad.
Posted by: Johnny | Jul 29, 2007 8:35:12 AM
Hey Nicki, read the comments under this little gem of an article about how gays will continue to spend their money in Lauderdale no matter how offensively they're treated.
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/south-florida-com/TMSR9OPMUGUSTHRJF
Kind of throws your theory about this being the opinion of an individual right out the window it seems. MOST of the comments on this article are vile and full of homophobic hate.
Posted by: Zeke | Jul 30, 2007 6:11:55 PM