There was an article today in the Charlotte Sun titled Good News, DeSoto about Terra Sol Nudist Resort.  Apparently, the author, editor Laura Schmid says “For the many residents who were opposed to the proposed Terra Sol nudist resort, they have the good news that this controversial idea has died and in its place will be the Orange Blossom RV Park.”

The major part of the rest of her story is about the bad economics of the area and how things are being done to try to mitigate losses.  I find it amazing that she equates losing a multi-million dollar resort with replacement by a common RV park.  Nudists would spend much more in the area than RVers.

Just look at the revenues from Haulover Beach in Dade County. This is simply a county park with a small section of beach and no other facilities, yet they have 1.4 million visitors a year, each paying to park, stay in local hotels, eat and shop.  It is estimated that the Economic impact to the area is $400-800 Million per year.  62% of these visitors were from outside the immediate Broward-Dade area, with 27.4% from outside of Florida and 17.9% from outside the USA.

Nudist travel is big business and no typical RV park will attract the quantity and quality of nudist visitors.  The American Associantion for Nude Recreation list their member demographics as:

57% Family income of over $60,000
93% Caucasian
80% No children under 18 at home
53% College or Grad School

AANR also says “According to a 2006 independent survey, the number of Xers and echoboomers who consider nude recreation experiences an extremely desirable travel attribute is on the rise. In fact, 23 percent of echoboomers and 18 percent of Xers are looking for a nude recreation experience, proving that times are changing—nude recreation is no longer just something that aging hippies are interested in!”

For a town in the middle of a tourist-depressed area with no major highways, it seems a given.  The addition of a resort capable of bringing this much money into the area would be a gold mine for all local businesses, the county tax base, and make it into a tourist destination, rather than a place to retire.

Your statement seems like parents saying “Good news kids, we’re not going to the Water Park for vacation.  Even better news kids… We’re going to buy a wading pool instead.”

My sympathies to Arcadia and DeSoto County for the loss of something that could have made the local recession disappear.

We hear a lot about winter swims and home get-togethers. Buckeye Naturists are interested in the arts.  They went to a play.

Artcetera: Watching Sketch without a stitch on

Published: Thursday, January 22, 2009 4:58 PM EST

If you’re nervous about giving a speech, the advice goes, just imagine your audience naked. But what do you do if the audience is already naked?

That’s the predicament the cast of the new MadLab show Sketch You Can Believe In faced at last night’s final rehearsal.

MadLab Managing Director Andy Batt said a nudist group called Buckeye Naturists contacted him about the possibility of sending members to see the show in their preferred, unclothed state. (more…)

Fun Facts About Presidents

In celebration of this week’s inauguration of the 44th president of the United States, here are 20 facts you may (or may not) know about past presidents. In warm weather, which  president customarily went skinny-dipping in the Potomac River before dawn? Click here to find out and read more.

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The nudist family in S.E. Louisiana and Misssissippi have lost a nudist pioneer.
They have strugled with low membership since  huricane Katrina in 2005, due to so many members having to focus on their own needs, and others moving to other areas of the country.

Mr. Nudist Park Owner Bill Schmidt Dies faught hard to keep his property open to nudist as an “AANR” family camp ground for 56 years. He passed away yesterday at 89 years. Many members and guests have spent time in the sun and under the shade in the nude at La Pines,
Lacombe, La.

Horizon Production Inc.

The Lingerie Bowl, in which scantily clad women play football, found a home at the Pasco County nudist resort after a plan to play on a vacant lot in Tampa fell through.

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One of the most well-known of all nudist resorts, Lake Como, near Tampa, is the heart of the Pasco County nudist Mecca, Lake Como was the first nudist resort in the area, established in 1941 in an orange grove on the side of Big Moss Lake.

Other clubs in the area owe much of their existence to Lake Como. Before building Paradise Lakes, the founder, Fred Bischoff, lived at Lake Como. Even the property Paradise Lakes is built on was once owned by Lake Como. Some of founders of Caliente Resort were members at Lake Como, and I’m sure did some of their planning in the Butt Hutt. Tampa Area Naturists held their organizational meeting in the Como Rec Hall.

Having been my home for over four years, Lake Como holds many memories for me, and this video presents an excellent view of the amenities. The only thing missing is the friendship and camaraderie of the members. I have found few other clubs that compare in making visitors feel welcome.

If you haven’t visited Lake Como, you are missing a part of being a nudist. Enjoy this video until you can actually put yourself in the picture

The Pinellas County Commission was petetioned by several hundred people in the beginning of this decade to create a clothing optional beach in Pinellas County, on the pattern of Haulover Beach.  In a meeting with the County Park Board, over 40 people showed up supporting this plan, with only a small number of opponents.  No oation was taken on this matter, even though support was overwhelming.  Tampa Area Naturists presented a plan the showed the significant income thay could be derived from the beach.

Now, after a few complaints about thongs and G-strings, the Commission is all ready to slap a ban on such swimwear and expend a lot of money to enforce what is the allowed number of square inches to be exposed under this new plan.

It would seem to make more sense to leave the Victorian era behind and spend the same amount of money for signs saying “clothing optional beach” and “Parking $5.00″.  They could then add the money earned (in the $Millions) from the thousands of new visitors to the county to the General Fund and possibly do something about the planned closures of several schools being discussed.

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