Pensacola: Where New Energy is More Than Rhetoric

Spend enough time doing community tours for an economic development publication, and you will have a tendency to become a bit jaded. You will hear every marketing slogan under the sun. You will see every form of “brand building,” logo designing and advertising jargon imaginable. Every state claims, for example, that it offers “the perfect climate for business.” Every city boasts that it provides “the best quality of life.” And every rural area brags that it has “the best work ethic you’ll find anywhere in America." Of course not all of this is true. In fact, most of it isn’t. It’s just sloganeering, and after a while every ... [Read More]

Cruising Into Another World

Scenes like this are quite common at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Somewhere between the $14.3-million Hargrave custom yacht and the 200-foot Diamonds are Forever, it hit me: this must be how the one-tenth of one-tenth of one percent live. If you’ve never attended the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in South Florida, then you might not appreciate the parade of wealth on display at the Las Olas Marina. Within a mile-long strip of dock frontage on the southeast coast of Florida, about $3 billion worth of exotic boats, cars and other merchandise converge in late October to attract more than 130,000 visitors from around the world. From Oct. 25 to 28, I had the privilege to attend the 53rd ... [Read More]

The Beach I Overlooked for Almost Five Decades

Have you ever waited too long to visit someplace for the first time? After spending three days at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in the Florida Panhandle, that is exactly how I feel about the sands and surf of this stretch of seaside in the Sunshine State. Tucked in between the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay in the Destin area of Northwest Florida, Sandestin is an award-winning luxury resort community that passes every eyeball test. But its greatest allure is its chief natural amenity – the sugary white sand and crystal clear water of the Gulf Coast. Having lived in Florida for most of my 48 ... [Read More]

From Bedford to Goode, 60 Minutes of Terror!

  One of the prettiest drives you’ll ever take across American roadways is the scenic route from Bedford to Goode in south central Virginia. State Road 460 undulates across rolling hills against a breathtaking backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, highlighted most notably by the majestic Peaks of Otter. On a recent Sunday night in February, there was nothing majestic about a 15-mile stretch of highway that turned into 60 minutes of sheer terror. On our way home from a lovely event at the Bedford Social Club in quaint, downtown Bedford, my wife, father-in-law, sister-in-law and her husband received a whole new education in the meaning of the ... [Read More]

Cumberland: The Island That Time Forgot

The first sign that we were traveling someplace unusual came when we spotted the 40-foot Lucy R. Ferguson. Docked at the marina of Fernandina Beach on the northern tip of Amelia Island, Fla., the ferry looked like a cross between a shrimp boat and one of those vessels they use to transport you around Disney World. It was neither, but it was quite effective. Its open-air seats gave us a spectacular view of the Intracoastal Waterway as my wife Mary and I made the 40-minute trip to Cumberland Island. Passing by unspoiled salt marshes and driftwood-covered beaches, we landed on a remote dock that signaled our arrival at ... [Read More]

Double the Customer Service at the Doubletree Hotel

Downtown Philadelphia sparkles at night.Downtown Philadelphia is definitely the place to be, if you are into history and excellent cuisine. It's also the place to be, if you are into excellent customer service. My recent stay at the Doubletree Hotel only reinforced that notion. A guest there while in town to speak to a gathering of IAMC members and leaders of the local economic development community, I had the pleasure of being treated to the doubly delicious Doubletree chocolate-chip cookie upon my arrival at the hotel front desk check-in counter. A little while later, I was calling the front desk to report what was truly only a ... [Read More]

Gun Control Takes On New Meaning in Virginia Mountains

When I received my first invitation to shoot skeet – courtesy of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development – I wasn’t sure how to react. Not having fired a gun since I was a kid (no, I was not a wayward youth), my first thought was, “Maybe I should pass on this one.” I am so glad I didn’t. The skeet shooting outing at The Homestead Gun Club in Hot Springs, Va., turned out to be one of the best times I have ever had. My wife Mary said the same thing – and you will soon learn why. Along with about 15 other IAMC Professional Forum ... [Read More]

Discovering a Slice of Heaven in Madison, Ga.

Whether we admit it or not, we all spend a good portion of our lives searching for that physical and spiritual place called Heaven. Some of us go to church to search for it. Others travel around the world to find it. Many will even spend their life’s savings on the quest to discover it. For a lot less than that, I found it over Labor Day Weekend in Madison, Ga. For four days, my wife Mary and I enjoyed the experience of a lifetime at a place called Southern Cross Guest Ranch and Valhalla Farms. Located off Bethany Church Road along a rural stretch just a few miles ... [Read More]

Restoring a National Treasure

In the "National Treasure" action movies, Hollywood star Nicholas Cage plays a hero bent on saving rare artifacts from falling into the hands of evil men. After saving the Declaration of Independence and the hidden treasure of the Knights Templar in the first film, he sets out to find and preserve the Lost City of Gold – conveniently buried under Mount Rushmore – in the sequel. Both movies have happy endings, to be sure, but they are both admittedly a little far-fetched. So, in keeping with the spirit of these patriotic motion pictures, I would like to offer a suggestion for installment No. 3 in this ... [Read More]

Memory Card Full, But Memories Will Last a Lifetime

Memo to self: the next time you plan to visit a world-famous attraction with your wife, as part of your plan to celebrate your 23rd anniversary, you might want to check the status of the memory card in your digital camera. Why? Well, because it just might not be a good idea to tour the world's largest aquarium -- the Georgia Aquarium -- without the ability to capture new pictures. Not even that mishap, however, could interrupt the fun times that Mary and I had visiting the water wonderland last week in downtown Atlanta. Shortly after walking through the jellyfish creature exhibit, about 5 minutes ... [Read More]