Below is some very interesting content from a blog post back in September 2013, following an article in The Palm Beach Post that appeared the day prior written by reporter Emily Roach. . .
There was a heady intellectual discussion at last night’s [Sept. 3rd, 2013] City Commission meeting from Commissioner Chris McVoy [now a former commissioner] about the potential, or lack thereof, of a hotel opening, operating and being successful in downtown Lake Worth. He was taking a defeatist attitude that since there isn’t one operating now, how could there ever be one.
Mentioned too was made about occupancy rates but he really had no data to go on, making assumptions out of thin air.
McVoy pleaded for someone to show him the numbers showing that occupancy in Palm Beach County hotels is up, even in the off-season and is predicted to reach record levels. Usually, this sort of increase in demand leads to increases in supply (number of rooms). From the article:
Meanwhile, hoteliers are feeling some ease in their finances, as rates and occupancy levels slowly rebound.
“I think a lot of it relates to the economy in general,” said Murray, who also is general manager of the Best Western Palm Beach Lakes and Hawthorn Suites. “South Florida is kind of getting back on its feet.”
Nearly 5.5 million people visited Palm Beach County last year, despite an economy recovering in slow speed. Visit Florida is predicting another record year for the state, and the Palm Beaches likely will ride that wave.
Commissioner McVoy, explain, why wouldn’t downtown Lake Worth be a good place for a new hotel? The very existence of our city started with and depended upon tourism for most of its history. The fact we don't have a working operational hotel now might make the point: the current obsolescence of the Gulfstream Hotel in the contemporary tourism marketplace.
Meanwhile, hoteliers are feeling some ease in their finances, as rates and occupancy levels slowly rebound.
“I think a lot of it relates to the economy in general,” said Murray, who also is general manager of the Best Western Palm Beach Lakes and Hawthorn Suites. “South Florida is kind of getting back on its feet.”
Nearly 5.5 million people visited Palm Beach County last year, despite an economy recovering in slow speed. Visit Florida is predicting another record year for the state, and the Palm Beaches likely will ride that wave.
Commissioner McVoy, explain, why wouldn’t downtown Lake Worth be a good place for a new hotel? The very existence of our city started with and depended upon tourism for most of its history. The fact we don't have a working operational hotel now might make the point: the current obsolescence of the Gulfstream Hotel in the contemporary tourism marketplace.
That might actually be based on empirical evidence, like the historical record for example.
![Dr. W. H. Cotton’s ode: “Oh, My Lake Worth, Florida!” [circa 1920].](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL75cv6zJQFjX15ojOIIz9AjnbqH4asHJTYSDhnGnYr7rJZRha1NcNTirj2xPcId158vkz5Hw-wXgOfrlztj8Zr8jLFFCfuEN6PyV44ZlpMRmJ68xbtFL9vzxNiG7xDs_HJvm/s1600/LakeWorthPioneers.JPG)
