News / Business
Eat My Wake II
It’s Super Boat to the Rescue During a Potential Tourism Crisis
The Clearwater Super Boat National Championship and Festival will return to Clearwater Beach for its second year October 1st – 3rd. The sporting event, which is the longest running offshore power boat racing in the United States, again hopes to bring in tourists and pump up a local economy during a crucial time for the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Tourism on the Gulf Coast of Florida has been harmed by the misconception that Florida is covered in oil. Tourism brings in an approximate $60 billion to Florida annually, and is the state’s number one industry. However, since the April 20th Deepwater Horizon oil spill, hotel bookings have been down.
BP has managed to taint the entire Gulf Coast of Florida without a drop of oil hitting it. “It (the spill) hits a Florida beach anywhere, it’s like when we have a hurricane or wild fire,” said D.T. Minich, the executive director of Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater. “A lot of people don’t understand how big Florida is.” Last year, when speaking out against offshore drilling, Minich correctly predicted an oil spill in one area of Florida would affect the entire state’s tourism.
Additionally, October is traditionally a dry season for tourism, despite the area’s mild and pleasant weather. When added to the decline in tourism from false perceptions caused by the oil spill, this could mean potential disaster for those who stake their livelihoods on a constant influx of visitors.
Fortunately, it’s Super Boat to the rescue. Last year, Super Boat picked up the dry season by attracting over 60,000 people to the event without spending a penny of tax payer money. This year, the races are expected to do the same, and add a strong boost to Clearwater right when she needs it most. As the boats speed through the Gulf at 200 mph, they leave badly needed tourism dollars in their wake again.
Super Boat will show off the destination of Clearwater Beach, allowing out-of- towners to see for themselves the pristine white sands on our clean and inviting beaches, as well as the unparalleled vista of Beach Walk.
Activities during the four day event will take place both on Clearwater Beach and in Downtown Clearwater, helping out the economies of both districts.
The St. Petersburg Times said that last year’s Super Boat showed “Creative ideas from the business community can help beat back the impacts of a slow economy on Clearwater's tourism industry.”
The “creative idea” to bring in Super Boat was led by Frank Chivas of the Bay Star Restaurant Group, and Former Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst of Bright House Networks. Understanding the private sector has the responsibility to play a key role in the community, Chivas and Aungst took the initiative to make Super Boat happen.
About Clearwater’s 2nd Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival:
When Super Boat International (SBI) founder and 30-year veteran, John Carbonell, wanted to produce Clearwater’s 1st Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival two local area businessmen made it happen: Restaurateur Frank Chivas and Former Mayor of Clearwater Brian Aungst Sr.
Clearwater’s 2nd Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival will be produced by Super Boat International and presented by Brighthouse Networks. To see the full list of sponsors, partners and sponsor hotels, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com
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