MEMBER MICRONEWS

LEADERSHIP FPRA LAUNCHED; PLEASANT TAPPED FOR FIRST CLASS
     Rachel Pleasant, director of communications at Polk State College in Winter Haven, has been accepted as a charter member of LeadershipFPRA, a newly-launched initiative of the Florida Public Relations Association designed to provide FPRA members with the tools they need to assume leadership roles in their respective organizations, communities and FPRA.
    A member of the Dick Pope/Polk County FPRA chapter, Pleasant received her LeadershipFPRA orientation along with 19 other public relations professionals, at FPRA’s 2016 annual conference at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor. The initial class was restricted to 20 FPRA members.
    Over the next year, class members will participate in six seminar-style leadership training classes led by a faculty with expertise in a wide range of fields. They also will participate in a joint meeting with FPRA’s Counselors’ Network and a special forum coinciding with the annual session of the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee. Graduation ceremonies will be conducted at next year’s FPRA annual conference.
    Members of LeadershipFPRA’s first class were chosen by a select committee that evaluated applications submitted by members of all FPRA chapters. Criteria used in selecting candidates included public relations proficiency and geography, and to achieve diversity — age, race, gender and ethnicity.
    According to the state FPRA website at <http: www.fpra.org>, LeadershipFPRA is described as “a brand new program developed as an exclusive premium benefit for FPRA members who wish to take their leadership skills to a new level.” The program is patterned after community leadership programs such as Leadership Lakeland, Leadership Tampa, Leadership Orlando and the statewide Leadership Florida.
    In her public relations position at Polk State College, Pleasant handles media relations and writes content for the school’s website, as well as a variety of print products. Prior to joining PSC in 2011, Pleasant served for many years as a reporter, business writer and editor at The Ledger, Polk County’s largest daily newspaper.
    A resident of Lakeland, Pleasant earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida in 2003. In addition to The Ledger, she also acquired media experience as a reporter for the Charleston Regional Business Journal in Charleston, SC and the former Tampa Tribune. Her background also includes freelance writing for business journals and magazines in Central Florida.

WATSON CLINIC ANNOUNCES OCTOBER LECTURES & SPECIAL EVENTS
Watson Clinic is pleased to announce the following upcoming informative lectures and special events. These events are free of charge, but seating is limited. Light refreshments will be provided. Please reserve your spot in advance by using the RSVP as noted below or by visiting www.WatsonClinic.com/Events.

Date: Tuesday, October 4 at 6 PM
Speakers: Johnny M. Gibbs, MD
Topic: Living without Shoulder Pain. Board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Dr. Johnny Gibbs will review the possible causes of shoulder pain, and the range of treatments available for this common condition, including rotator cuff surgery, shoulder replacement and reverse shoulder replacement.
Location: Watson Clinic Main – 1^st Floor Library – 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd. in Lakeland
RSVP: 863-680-7479 or online at www.WatsonClinic.com/Events

Date: Saturday, October 15 at 10 AM
Speaker: Raam S. Lakhani, MD
Topic: ‘Looking a Bit Ghoulish or Ghastly This Halloween Season?’ Join us as board-certified and fellowship-trained facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Raam Lakhani explores the most popular facial rejuvenation options – from nonsurgical cosmetic enhancements such as fillers, BOTOX® and laser resurfacing to more permanent facial plastic procedures, including eyelifts, nose reshaping and the in-office mini facelift.
Location: Watson Clinic Bella Vista Building – 1^st Floor Lobby – 1755 N. Florida Ave. in Lakeland
RSVP: 863-904-6218 or online at www.WatsonClinic.com/Events

Date: Friday, October 28 from 3 to 5 PM
Topic: ‘Quit Smoking Now - No ifs, ands or butts!’
Take the next step to a healthier lifestyle and join us for a special class designed to provide an overview of available options for smokers who want to quit. The class includes information on various types of nicotine replacements, product samples and much more. Endorsed by the American Lung Association, this class is taught by a certified tobacco education specialist and is sponsored by the Watson Clinic Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community wellness through education, research and service.
Location: Watson Clinic Cancer & Research Center - Boardroom - 1730 Lakeland Hills Blvd. in Lakeland
RSVP: 863-802-6220 or online at www.WatsonClinic.com/Events

RECORD OCCUPANCY DRIVING DEVELOPMENT
By Jack Cormier, Central Florida's Polk County Sports Marketing
With demand and revenues up, more hotels will soon call Polk County home
The casual observer may not notice it, but Polk County is in the midst of a hotel boom with three Lakeland-area facilities slated to open in a 12-month period. Thanks to soaring occupancy rates, these facilities will be just the first in a wave of new development, spurred by Polk County’s growing tourism industry.

The newest addition to the Polk County hotel roster is the Holiday Inn Express and Suites on 3405 South Florida Ave. in Lakeland, which celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 1. Not only does the facility bring 80 more beds to the marketplace, it brings jobs, too.

“At full capacity, we’ll employ up to 40 people,” said Jose Rivera, the general manager of the Holiday Inn Express. “I’m especially proud of the growth and impact on the area.”

According to the latest figures from hotel industry supply-and-demand tracker STR, formerly known as Smith Travel Research, growth is the key word when it comes to Polk County’s tourism industry. For example, hotel occupancy is up 7.6 percent over last year, with revenue per room up 17.1 percent. With 16 more facilities planned in the coming years, these figures more than support the construction on the not-too-distant horizon, a fact not lost on county officials.

“An unwavering commitment to producing the highest return-on-investment, coupled with a supply-side development philosophy and balanced demand, have created a bright future for Polk County’s tourism industry,” said Mark Jackson, director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing.

Other hotels slated to come to Lakeland this year include a TownPlace Suites by Marriott on US 98 North at the Interstate 4 junction, and a Home2 Suites by Hilton that call the Lakeside Village area home. These two, along with the aforementioned Holiday Inn and Suites, will bring nearly 300 additional beds and untold jobs to the area. A fourth – an Extended Stay Hilton Garden at Lakeland-Linder Airport – is slated to break ground within the next year.

“We’ve put our money where our mouth is when it comes to Lakeland,” said Jackson. “We think two of the best investments we could have made with tourism dollars were The Lakeland Center and Tigertown. Having two state-of-the-art facilities in this town will bring more visitors, which in turn, brings more jobs.”

But the demand for hotels isn’t confined to Lakeland. In Winter Haven, up to six possible projects are in the works, including Legoland’s Beach Retreat property slated to open in mid-2017. Consisting of 83 single-story duplex units – offering 166 separate accommodations – the accommodations will be the first item Legoland has built outside of its original footprint. Three other projects have closed on their respective properties and will consist of approximately 295 additional rooms when completed. Three additional projects are in the planning stages.

Hotel projects are proposed for both Haines City and Lake Wales, as well. Additionally, in Auburndale – a nontraditional center of tourism – there are currently three different hotel projects in various phases. Perhaps not coincidentally, the USA Water Ski Foundation Hall of Fame and Museum is slated to move to the Lake Myrtle Sports Park, where a training center and a cable water ski/wakeboard park will also be built.

ECONOMIC IMPACT
While the new hotels immediate economic impact may seem to be job creation, there are other factors that are often forgotten.

According to Florida Southern Barney Barnett School of Business & Free Enterprise professor Dr. Larry Ross, the indirect economic impact of new hotel beds in a community, while an imprecise science, has a definite positive impact.

“We call it a multiplier effect,” said Ross. “It is what happens when the employee of that hotel spends his money on a hamburger at McDonald’s or a pair of pants at Kohl’s, as well as the impact of other businesses that do business with that hotel.”

According to Ross, the hospitality industry in general and hotels in particular have one of the highest multiplier rates of any industry. Part of the reason behind this greater impact is that the industry tends to be labor intensive. More allusive, he said, is determining the impact the hotel has on the businesses around them, such as restaurants and drug stores.
“It makes sense, but you can’t make a direct tie,” he said. “It is worth noting that it exists, but it isn’t quantifiable.”

What is quantifiable, Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing officials say, is the impact the re-investment of the bed tax into the community is having. The fee, a 5 percent tax on hotel and vacation rentals lasting less than six months, is administered by the Polk County Tourist Development Council. The council includes not only elected officials but also representatives of the tourism industry. Some re-investments made by the TDC into Polk County include not just marketing and recruiting special events, but also physical investments, such as the $7 million invested by PCTSM in the repurposing of the Lakeland Center and $14.6 million invested toward the redevelopment of Tigertown.


MEMBER MICRONEWS LEADERSHIP FPRA LAUNCHED; PLEASANT TAPPED FOR FIRST CLASS Rachel Pleasant, director of communications at Polk State College in Winter Haven, has been accepted as a charter member of LeadershipFPRA, a newly-launched initiative of the Florida Public Relations Association designed to provide FPRA members with the tools they need to assume leadership roles in their respective organizations, communities and FPRA. A member of the Dick Pope/Polk County FPRA chapter, Pleasant received her LeadershipFPRA orientation along with 19 other public relations professionals, at FPRA’s 2016 annual conference at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor. The initial class was restricted to 20 FPRA members. Over the next year, class members will participate in six seminar-style leadership training classes led by a faculty with expertise in a wide range of fields. They also will participate in a joint meeting with FPRA’s Counselors’ Network and a special forum coinciding with the annual session of the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee. Graduation ceremonies will be conducted at next year’s FPRA annual conference. Members of LeadershipFPRA’s first class were chosen by a select committee that evaluated applications submitted by members of all FPRA chapters. Criteria used in selecting candidates included public relations proficiency and geography, and to achieve diversity — age, race, gender and ethnicity. According to the state FPRA website at <http: www.fpra.org>, LeadershipFPRA is described as “a brand new program developed as an exclusive premium benefit for FPRA members who wish to take their leadership skills to a new level.” The program is patterned after community leadership programs such as Leadership Lakeland, Leadership Tampa, Leadership Orlando and the statewide Leadership Florida. In her public relations position at Polk State College, Pleasant handles media relations and writes content for the school’s website, as well as a variety of print products. Prior to joining PSC in 2011, Pleasant served for many years as a reporter, business writer and editor at The Ledger, Polk County’s largest daily newspaper. A resident of Lakeland, Pleasant earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida in 2003. In addition to The Ledger, she also acquired media experience as a reporter for the Charleston Regional Business Journal in Charleston, SC and the former Tampa Tribune. Her background also includes freelance writing for business journals and magazines in Central Florida. WATSON CLINIC ANNOUNCES OCTOBER LECTURES & SPECIAL EVENTS Watson Clinic is pleased to announce the following upcoming informative lectures and special events. These events are free of charge, but seating is limited. Light refreshments will be provided. Please reserve your spot in advance by using the RSVP as noted below or by visiting www.WatsonClinic.com/Events. Date: Tuesday, October 4 at 6 PM Speakers: Johnny M. Gibbs, MD Topic: Living without Shoulder Pain. Board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Dr. Johnny Gibbs will review the possible causes of shoulder pain, and the range of treatments available for this common condition, including rotator cuff surgery, shoulder replacement and reverse shoulder replacement. Location: Watson Clinic Main – 1^st Floor Library – 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd. in Lakeland RSVP: 863-680-7479 or online at www.WatsonClinic.com/Events Date: Saturday, October 15 at 10 AM Speaker: Raam S. Lakhani, MD Topic: ‘Looking a Bit Ghoulish or Ghastly This Halloween Season?’ Join us as board-certified and fellowship-trained facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Raam Lakhani explores the most popular facial rejuvenation options – from nonsurgical cosmetic enhancements such as fillers, BOTOX® and laser resurfacing to more permanent facial plastic procedures, including eyelifts, nose reshaping and the in-office mini facelift. Location: Watson Clinic Bella Vista Building – 1^st Floor Lobby – 1755 N. Florida Ave. in Lakeland RSVP: 863-904-6218 or online at www.WatsonClinic.com/Events Date: Friday, October 28 from 3 to 5 PM Topic: ‘Quit Smoking Now - No ifs, ands or butts!’ Take the next step to a healthier lifestyle and join us for a special class designed to provide an overview of available options for smokers who want to quit. The class includes information on various types of nicotine replacements, product samples and much more. Endorsed by the American Lung Association, this class is taught by a certified tobacco education specialist and is sponsored by the Watson Clinic Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community wellness through education, research and service. Location: Watson Clinic Cancer & Research Center - Boardroom - 1730 Lakeland Hills Blvd. in Lakeland RSVP: 863-802-6220 or online at www.WatsonClinic.com/Events RECORD OCCUPANCY DRIVING DEVELOPMENT By Jack Cormier, Central Florida's Polk County Sports Marketing With demand and revenues up, more hotels will soon call Polk County home The casual observer may not notice it, but Polk County is in the midst of a hotel boom with three Lakeland-area facilities slated to open in a 12-month period. Thanks to soaring occupancy rates, these facilities will be just the first in a wave of new development, spurred by Polk County’s growing tourism industry. The newest addition to the Polk County hotel roster is the Holiday Inn Express and Suites on 3405 South Florida Ave. in Lakeland, which celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 1. Not only does the facility bring 80 more beds to the marketplace, it brings jobs, too. “At full capacity, we’ll employ up to 40 people,” said Jose Rivera, the general manager of the Holiday Inn Express. “I’m especially proud of the growth and impact on the area.” According to the latest figures from hotel industry supply-and-demand tracker STR, formerly known as Smith Travel Research, growth is the key word when it comes to Polk County’s tourism industry. For example, hotel occupancy is up 7.6 percent over last year, with revenue per room up 17.1 percent. With 16 more facilities planned in the coming years, these figures more than support the construction on the not-too-distant horizon, a fact not lost on county officials. “An unwavering commitment to producing the highest return-on-investment, coupled with a supply-side development philosophy and balanced demand, have created a bright future for Polk County’s tourism industry,” said Mark Jackson, director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing. Other hotels slated to come to Lakeland this year include a TownPlace Suites by Marriott on US 98 North at the Interstate 4 junction, and a Home2 Suites by Hilton that call the Lakeside Village area home. These two, along with the aforementioned Holiday Inn and Suites, will bring nearly 300 additional beds and untold jobs to the area. A fourth – an Extended Stay Hilton Garden at Lakeland-Linder Airport – is slated to break ground within the next year. “We’ve put our money where our mouth is when it comes to Lakeland,” said Jackson. “We think two of the best investments we could have made with tourism dollars were The Lakeland Center and Tigertown. Having two state-of-the-art facilities in this town will bring more visitors, which in turn, brings more jobs.” But the demand for hotels isn’t confined to Lakeland. In Winter Haven, up to six possible projects are in the works, including Legoland’s Beach Retreat property slated to open in mid-2017. Consisting of 83 single-story duplex units – offering 166 separate accommodations – the accommodations will be the first item Legoland has built outside of its original footprint. Three other projects have closed on their respective properties and will consist of approximately 295 additional rooms when completed. Three additional projects are in the planning stages. Hotel projects are proposed for both Haines City and Lake Wales, as well. Additionally, in Auburndale – a nontraditional center of tourism – there are currently three different hotel projects in various phases. Perhaps not coincidentally, the USA Water Ski Foundation Hall of Fame and Museum is slated to move to the Lake Myrtle Sports Park, where a training center and a cable water ski/wakeboard park will also be built. ECONOMIC IMPACT While the new hotels immediate economic impact may seem to be job creation, there are other factors that are often forgotten. According to Florida Southern Barney Barnett School of Business & Free Enterprise professor Dr. Larry Ross, the indirect economic impact of new hotel beds in a community, while an imprecise science, has a definite positive impact. “We call it a multiplier effect,” said Ross. “It is what happens when the employee of that hotel spends his money on a hamburger at McDonald’s or a pair of pants at Kohl’s, as well as the impact of other businesses that do business with that hotel.” According to Ross, the hospitality industry in general and hotels in particular have one of the highest multiplier rates of any industry. Part of the reason behind this greater impact is that the industry tends to be labor intensive. More allusive, he said, is determining the impact the hotel has on the businesses around them, such as restaurants and drug stores. “It makes sense, but you can’t make a direct tie,” he said. “It is worth noting that it exists, but it isn’t quantifiable.” What is quantifiable, Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing officials say, is the impact the re-investment of the bed tax into the community is having. The fee, a 5 percent tax on hotel and vacation rentals lasting less than six months, is administered by the Polk County Tourist Development Council. The council includes not only elected officials but also representatives of the tourism industry. Some re-investments made by the TDC into Polk County include not just marketing and recruiting special events, but also physical investments, such as the $7 million invested by PCTSM in the repurposing of the Lakeland Center and $14.6 million invested toward the redevelopment of Tigertown.
Newsletter1 - September 27, 2016