| November 11, 2005 - At a meeting in Tallahassee on November 8, 2005
the Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association, the Greater Ft.
Lauderdale Lodging & Hospitality Association, the Palm Beach County
Hotel & Lodging Association and the Hotel Motel Association of Volusia
County, representing over 500 hotels & lodging establishments with
100,000 rooms, upwards of 125,000 employees, and 750 allied members� companies,
came together and set up the Florida Hotel & Lodging Legislative Coalition,
Inc. to afford their members concerted legislative action in matters concerning
the interests of lodging businesses in the State of Florida.
Directors and officers of the new organization are:
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President Stuart Blumberg, President/CEO, Greater Miami & The Beaches
Hotel Association
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Vice President Kathleen Southards, Executive Director, Grtr. Ft. Lauderdale
Lodging & Hospitality Association
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Treasurer: Bob Davis, President, Hotel Motel Association of Volusia County
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Secretary: David Semadeni, Secretary, Palm Beach County Hotel & Lodging
Association
With the approval of their individual Associations, Florida Consultants
Incorporated with its President, Barry Horenbein, was retained as a lobbyist
to represent the organization in Tallahassee.
After meeting with a number of key legislators of the Florida House
and Senate, the following were identified as key objectives of the Coalition
for the upcoming legislative session:
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Protect the present bed tax collections and structure and ensure the continued
funding of Visit Florida, Tourist Development Councils and Convention &
Visitors Bureaus throughout the State of Florida.
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Support legislation that requires Florida�s schools to open after Labor
Day, thus moving the summer vacation period to July and August rather than
June and July, each year.
-
Review Florida Statutes and support legislation to end abusive lawsuits
filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act that does not allow a period
to �cure� or correct violations.
The Coalition looks forward to working with other organizations representing
other member of Florida�s tourism industry, while at the same time ensuring
that the clearly defined concerns of lodging properties are presented on
their behalf.
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