March 20th , 2013 - Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce

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Weekly Update Newsletter
March 20th , 2013
Dear Jessica,
At the very height of season, Tourism Day in Tallahassee was on my 'must go' list,
but finding the time to get away was difficult. We have been so extremely busy at
the office, but my reliable staff gave me the confidence I needed to commit to this
trip. I am so happy I did, it was attended by all the tourism related industries
throughout Florida and I was proud to represent Clearwater Beach. I did not go
alone. Jason Gibertoni with Florida Free Rides came and we were cling-on's with
Rhonda Sanborn, Visit St. Pete Clearwater. Rhonda has many connections in the
State and it was exciting to be included with her and have many introductions. We
even met with and spoke to the Governor. What was especially surprising to me was
how many people I knew in the industry from my previous life as a publisher. It was
wonderful seeing so many old friends and re-connecting with them.
This trip is a must going forward and I would like to see more industry people from
our Beach involved. Visit Florida did an outstanding job during the conference and
we were privileged to hear from many of the industry leaders in Film Florida,
Florida Sports, Florida Attraction Associate, Florida Association of RV Parks and
Camping, Florida Association of Museums, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association
and the Florida Association of Destination Marketing (this group is made up of all the
people like DT with the CVB who market their destinations). Will Seccombe,
President/CEO of Visit Florida and Carol Dover, President/CEO of FRLA conducted a
very inspirational meeting.
We then traveled to the Capital to visit with our State Representatives and even
met with Senator Jack Latvala after sitting in on a Senate Committee Meeting. It
was most interesting walking through our State Capital and watching government
work. I look forward to a return visit. Jason Gibertoni, however, was picking out his
next office. Yes, this young man will be going places and there will come a day that
we will all say "I knew him when". Which sounds better to you Senator Gibertoni or
Governor Gibertoni?
From the #1 Beach,
Darlene Kole
Jennifer Parramore, Film Commissioner for Pinellas County.
"Tourism Day in Tallahassee was a very nice event. Film Florida is forming strong
alliances with a few other organizations to build our profile around the
state. Visit FL, Economic Development organizations, the Hispanic Chambers, etc.
are now friends. "
Our beautiful new billboard!
Important City Council Meeting
Tomorrow Thursday March 21st
Important City Council Meeting
Development Process
Please attend the City Council meeting this
Thursday at 6:00 p.m. to support one of the
Business Task Force's most important recommendations
to make Clearwater more business friendly.
SAVE THESE DATES!
March 28:Lobster Pot Bistro
Many business owners have been concerned about the
City's expensive development agreement approval
Mingle
April 19-28: Frenchy's Sugar
Sand Festival
April 14:Iron Girl
April 25: Holiday Inn and Suites
Clearwater Beach Mingle
May 10: Restaurant Week Kick off
Event
May 12-18: Restaurant Week
Social Media Links
process which recently resulted in an applicant being
denied even though his project had the support of the
Community Development Board and the City staff.
The Business Task Force has proposed a solution to this
problem that would allow the City Council to weigh in
on the project prior to the applicant incurring the
expensive costs of full engineering and site plans.
Please attend the City Council meeting and let the
Council know that you support "Option 1" to make
Clearwater more business friendly.
If you cannot attend the meeting please e-mail your
Council members and let them know that you support
Option 1.
If you have any questions, please call:
Brian J. Aungst, Jr. at (727) 686-1510
or email him at bja@macfar.com
Click here to download and read more
SPORTS LINKS
Congratulations to:
Erin Kellough
at Crabby's Bar and Grill!
For the best guest of how many
people came to the Visitor Center in
February! Her guess was 982 and the
actual number was 1180. Wow Clearwater Beach is the
place to be!
This week's guess for a prize is: How many people do
you think are going to come into the Chamber for the
month of March?
E-mail us your guess!!
If it's the best guess you could win!
Look what Frenchy's is doing duringFrenchy's Sugar
Sand Festival.
How about you, what specials will you run during this
event?
Arts & Entertainment
Capitol Theater
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Straz Center
Sunset Cinema
Dunedin Fine Arts
Center
The Beach Chamber is
proud to have formed an
Elite partnership with
Clearwater Gas
System. They are a
Sponsor to all of our 2013
events.
Visit Clearwater Gas
website
for details on
environmentally-friendly
natural gas energy for
appliances, water
heating, cooking, and
pool/spa heating.
CHAMBER INFORMATION
Mingle at The Lobster Pot Bistro
Tourism Video
Contact Us:
Darlene Kole, Pres./CEO
Liz LaJoy, Office Manager
Jessica Howe, Admin.
Assistant
Peter Vandernoot, Customer
Service
Office Volunteers:
John Cagle
Maria
Beach Chamber Mascot
2013
Executive
Officers
Eric Waltz - Chairman of the
Board
Louie Stavropoulos - Vice
Chairman
Carol Mears - Secretary
Jason Gibertoni - Treasurer
Paul Andrews - Past
Chairman
Frank Dame - Chamber
Liaison
Darlene Kole President/CEO
MEMBER HAPPENINGS!!
Thursday March 28th
5:00pm-7:00pm
Members:
Donate a gift
basket or gift
certificate and
get into the
mingle for free!
R.S.V.P. here for the March Mingle!
Don't Forget to bring a business card!
There will be hors d'oeuvres and refreshments
The Lobster Pot Bistro is located at 478
Mandalay Ave
$10 pre-pay and $12 at the door for members
$15 pre-pay and $18 at the door for nonmembers
If any of our members have
something interesting that
is happening or coming up
and they want it
mentioned in the
newsletter, please e-mail it
to:
Jessica
SURF STYLE VISITOR CENTER
We need gift basket items for our
kick-off event raffle
The sooner the better!
Our Visitor Center at
Surf Style
Donna Dennis, Manager
Kathy Murray, Concierge
Donna also does "House Calls"
to businesses that have
groups of people wanting to
learn more about our
beautiful piece of paradise.
She puts together welcome
bags filled with all kinds of
useful information for our
visitors.
Visitor Center Volunteers:
Nancy Gardinier
Ed Patch
Helen Curwen
Christie Hanna
Amanda Hanna
Chuck Kilbride
We need your BIG baskets or funky containers!
Please call us if you have anything to
donate to put in the baskets as well!
Visit Website
For more information call: 727.447.7600
Lynne Dagg
or email the Chamber
Tell Your Guests:
Our Visitor Centers Sell
JOLLEY TROLLEY
All Day Passes
and
All Day
PARKING PASSES!
The Beach Chamber
sells discounted
Busch Gardens tickets
(half day tickets too)
F.Y.I.
Spring Break Dates
Click here to watch
safety video for spring
break
Spring Break Dates:
2013
March 23-31: Pinellas
County,
Polk County, Pasco
County,
Hernando County
Presented by
The Armed Forces History
Museum
April 19-28, 2013
South of Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach, 1,000 tons of its
world famous sugar sands will be in the Sugar Sand Walk
Exhibition, an artistic walk-through display in a 14,000
square foot tent accessible for a
small admission cost.
Additional no-cost highlights of the event include Frenchy's
Master Sand Sculpting Competition, sand sculpting clinics,
speed sand demonstrations and a children's play area
called the Sandbox.
For more information please contact:
Lisa Chandler, Sunsets at Pier 60
727.430.5200
Email
Jennifer Mulligan, City of Clearwater Parks & Recreation
727.562.4802 ext. 2904
Email
THIS FRIDAY
March 22
Are you one
of the
fabulous
restaurants
that are signed up for
restaurant week?
If not, do so NOW!
Restaurant Week Kick Off
Event brings out thousands of
locals to our beautiful beach.
This is your
chance to
show off the
wonderful
food your
business
makes and
bring in some
new regulars!
Stars And Strips U.S.A.
Spirit of America Show
Enjoy dancing to the 10
O'Clock Swing Band
Orchestra, singing sensation
impersonators, show
hostesses, re-enactors,
paparazzi, a red carpet
welcome and more!
Click here to purchase
tickets!!
Click here to sign up for Restaurant Week KickOff Event
It's the count down of the
year!
Watch Shephard's in action as they remodel and
become a beautiful brand new 144 roomed
resort!
Get all the latest
updates,photos, and blue
prints to see what the new
Shephard's will look like!
Click here to go to the website
Lisa Chandler's daughter
did an amazing video on
why there should be
better protection from
guns in schools. She won
third place! Check out
here video here!
The Fair Is Coming To Tropicana Feild!
Summer camp at Big Cat
Rescue is one WILD time!
Children 8 to 15 years old are
invited to explore the great
outdoors with 100+ big cats of
every size, color and
purrsonality.
Click here for more info!
New boating trip offered by
Tropics Boat Tours!!
Schedule:
March 20-24, 2013
Hours:
Wednesday the 20th &
A Day On Caladesi Island
This day at the island
excursion begins with a one
hour trip to Caladesi Island.
Adventurers can kayak
stand-up paddle board
through the mangroves and
bay and for everyone,
shelling is a great way to
walk away with an island
treasure.
Click here for more
information!
Have Easter brunch
at Watercolour!
Thursday the 21st: 5-11pm
Friday the 22nd: 3pm - midnight
Saturday the 23rd: noon to midnight
Sunday the 24th: noon to 10pm
Be Sure To Come Out and Play!
For more Information please visit :
Pinellas County Fair Website
Or Call 813-714-0274
The Beach Chamber is an Eagle
Sponsor for the Caladesi Discovery
Center!
They need your support too!
Come in and enjoy
Easter Brunch
March 31, 2013 from
11am until 2pm.
Click here for all their
offerings!
Sunset Cinema Movies!
Sunset Cinema Website
March Movies
Friday 15th: Cat in the Hat
Saturday 16th: Anchorman
Friday 22nd: How to Eat
Fried Worms
Saturday 23rd: The Lord of
the Rings: Return of the King
Friday 29th: Hoot
Saturday 30th: Skyfall
Edited
The President's Plate
The Caladesi Discovery Center will be an open air,
ADA compliant, interpretive facility rising from the old
observation tower site at Caladesi Island State Park.
An observation deck at a height of approximately 25 feet
above ground level will provide visitors a panoramic view
of this undeveloped barrier island.
(Eggplant Parmigiana at
Gratzzi Italian Grille in
downtown St. Pete)
In addition to offering a magnificent bird's eye view of the
topography and plant communities of one of the last
Ann Farrell from Pink A
undeveloped barrier islands on Florida's Gulf Coast, the
Marketing, Inc. has added CDC will provide hands-on exhibits where park guests
a "President's Plate"
will be able to investigate aspects of Caladesi's history,
Album to the Chamber's habitat and wildlife.
Facebook Page. Check
out what Darlene is
At the Caladesi Discovery Center every person will have
enjoying for lunch or
an opportunity to experience the nature of "Real Florida."
dinner!
Member Spotlight
But in order to make this wonderful tower happen we
need support for our wonderful members! Please click
here to download the sponsorship level form.
For more information
Symanski & McKnight, Please Contact: Friends of the Island Parks
P.A. Phone:(727) 738-2903
John McKnight Email
727-725-8272
E-mail
Discovering
Website
New Places
Vote for
Florida's Best
Beach Bar
Please help vote for this
year's Florida's Best Beach
Bar. For the last two years
our
very own Shephard's Beach
resort
has placed in the Top 10!
Click here to start
From Donna's corner of
the beach....
I've been on the road the
last ten days, and the word
is out: Clearwater Beach is
being recognized
NATIONWIDE as THE
Florida beach to visit! I
chatted with locals in
voting!
Please join us for the
ribbon cutting for
The new Core Fitness
Solution location on
Clearwater Beach!
Where: Pelican Plaza
2nd Floor in front of the
elevator
When: Thursday April
11th
What time: 5:00pm7:00pm
F.Y.I.
Water restrictions
modifications effective
today for water shortages
Modifications to the phase
III water shortage
restrictions in
Clearwater,FL. Please click
on the link below to read
who and when water can be
used.
Water Shortage
Announcement
Please Join Us For
Earth Hour
Phoenix, AZ, friends from Michigan and Illinois as well as
acquaintances from other parts of FL, and they loved hearing
about our beach and all that's going on here.
Then at the Safety Harbor Seafood Festival, I got to
talking with a couple from PA who winter in Clearwater and
never come down to the beach. I invited them to park in the lot
above Surf Style, come to the Visitor Center, and discover
their own beach.
Who have you invited to the beach lately? And if not
this very month, how about next month for the Frenchy's Sugar
Sand Festival or May for Restaurant Week? After all, we ARE
the Number One Beach in Florida!
If you have any comments or suggestions, just call 4477600 or email me
With sand between my toes, Donna
We
Nee
dA
Ne
w
Frid
ge!
We
nee
da
new
frid
ge!
Unf
ortunately, our little fridge is having some mechanical
issues and we are in need of a new one! If anyone could
donate a new or used mini fridge that anyone would
like to donate would be wonderful!
Call us 727.447.7600
or
e-mail
The Clearwater Beach Recreation Center
will be hosting it's Annual Easter Egg Hunt
At 8:30 PM on Saturday,
March 23, 2013, hundreds
of millions of people
across the globe will
switch off the lights of
homes and businesses for
one hour - Earth Hour.
This hour of light's out is
in support of climate
change, to make a
difference. To read more
about Earth Hour click
here
The Hilton Clearwater
Beach Joins In on Earth
Hour!
The Hilton will be doing
all sorts of fun glow-inthe-dark and candle light
activities in support of
Earth Hour this Saturday
When: Friday,March 29th
6:00pm
Where: Mandalay Park
(near the fire station)
Several age appropriate hunts.
Bring a basket.
For info. call 462-6138.
We have heard from many folks that this book
is the perfect gift after closing a sale or
encouraging a large group to choose
Clearwater Beach as there destination. It has
been signed by the staff at the Hyatt Regency
recently as a going away gift to one of their
own that was leaving. What ideas do you
have?
The Clearwater Beach Art Book is perfect for
so many reasons.
night.
Click here to learn more!
Travel Brings
Families Together
United States Travel
Association did a great
job with a study recently
published about families
and the impact that
travel can have on the
family unit.
click here to download
and read the study.
Click here to view the
whole Easter Day Buffet
Join Our Mailing List
This beautiful and artistic book is the most talked about
book on the beach, the number #1 beach is the State of
Florida. Each picture is creatively done through a
special process that only Dan and Ryan Friese do at
Waterfront Gallery. You can see many of the prints
hanging in the lobby of the Hilton Clearwater Beach!
The Books are $75 per book with
special pricing for members.
Come by the Beach Chamber office and purchase yours
today while they last:
333C S. Gulfview Blvd.
Clearwater Beach
(727) 447-7600
Adventure Island Is
Now Open!
It's getting hotter here in
the sunshine state and what
better way to cool off than
at Adventure Island Water
Park in Tampa! Don't forget that we sell discount
tickets at the chamber to the park!
*Discounts not valid on holidays*
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Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce | 333C So. Gulfview Blvd | P.O. Box 3573 | Clearwater Beach | FL | 33767