CHAMBER CHOWDER© 510 Greene Street ~ 1st Floor, Key West www.keywestchamber.org Virgin Voyages Wows General Membership Message from by Scott Atwell President Greg Sullivan here do I start in this new world that we are getting accustomed to now? W The new paving looks great on Duval Street and just in time for the return of visitors. As we all know businesses were pushed to their limit during the shutdown and unfortunately some operations did not survive. Maybe they might come back as the economy improves or hopefully, we will have new businesses established to move Chamber CEO Scott Atwell (center) is flanked by Virgin Voyages’ Alex Zeitz (left) and into all of those empty store fronts on Duval Street CEO Tom McAlpin. and elsewhere. s a November, citizen- newest cruise line in the image of the At the Key West Chamber, we were busy led ballot referendum world’s coolest brand and its founder, gathering factual information in reference to the pursues safer, cleaner Sir Richard Branson. recent discussion on cruise ships. I would like to ships and higher-income passengers “This is one of the biggest start- share what we have learned through our gathering of information to educate ourselves, our members and Afor Key West’s cruise port, the chief up’s ever,” McAlpin said. “This is the citizens of Key West. The total impact of the cruise executive of the new Virgin Voyages a four billion-dollar investment ships on the Key West economy is approximately $90 represented a stark irony at June’s over time and to do that you need million. Passenger and crew spending alone produces General Membership Meeting: the a big brand. Virgin has proven to most ecological friendly ship in the more than 800 full time jobs for the residents. do that over time with airlines, City leaders have shared with us their plans world and its high income, adults- with hotels, with trains, where they only passengers would not be able to if cruise ship revenue is lost. Obviously, one way have come into industries that need make call in Key West because Virgin’s to replace lost revenue is to raise ad valorem taxes, revitalization, that need a new way, medium sized Scarlet Lady does not which would impact everyone on the island through and Virgin has that secret sauce for meet the narrowly-crafted limits of their businesses, homes, and workforce whose creating those experiences.” the referendum. landlord has to raise the rent to cover a higher tax 4 But irony did not dampen Tom Virgin’s differentiation is rooted continued on page 3 in nomenclature. Ships are not on McAlpin’s enthusiasm for Key West Table of Contents or the future of the cruise industry. a cruise, they are on a “voyage”. The Florida native was part of the Passengers are called “sailors” who Honor Roll 100/Toppino Scholarship Winner . 2 team that built Disney Cruise Line navigate (on-board and off) digitally Economic Impact of Cruise Referendum . .3 . from the ground up and eventually via an app and no-touch payment Extraordinary Educators . 4 rose to chief executive of the line, device called “The Band”. Tom Sawyer 5 Star Program Information . 8 which enjoyed the highest customer COVID-19 delayed Virgin’s Business Trends . 6-7 scheduled launch in March, timing satisfaction of any Disney operation. Welcome New Members! . 8 Now, McAlpin has used his unique that McAlpin called the “worst time Tiger in the Woods Golf Tournament Information . 9 experience to fashion the world’s in the history of mankind to launch continued on page 3 4 Chamber Calendar of Events . 10 Page 1 Chamber Chowder July 2020 VOL. 23, NO. 5 Harvard-Bound Senior Wins Honor Roll 100/Toppino Scholarship here are many band performance At Harvard, Navani will major in things Divya before evolving into data analytics, a cross between applied T Navani has an appreciation for math and computing. “I’ve done a lot of come to appreciate about the cultural influences research on where the music business is growing up in a close- of music. In her going and today you can make a digital knit community like Key scholarship application, experience that is incredibly personal,” West. But her experiences Navani referenced she explains. “You can listen to five with local music have the impact of taking songs and a program will know who been the most profound, part in the island’s and what you’re interested in.” That fueling a passion she Goombay Festival believes will carry her and Bahama Village kind of educational background will into a career as a music Crooks Second Line set the stage for law school and then attorney. The Key West program. Eventually, representing artists, whom Navani says 2020 Honor Roll 100/Charley P. and have been negatively impacted by major High School senior is off Orsolina Toppino Memoral Scholarship she experimented with to Harvard University, Winner Divya Navani. film scoring and even record labels. where the extraordinary studied abroad in The Chamber also awarded a pair of costs of attendance will be offset by a Argentina and Greece. scholarships to seniors with career plans $27,500 scholarship from the Greater Key After an internship at local radio that fall into the organization’s definition West Chamber of Commerce. The award is station Island 106.9, Navani is now a full- of vocational professions. Leela Sorbelli called the Honor Roll 100/Charley P. and fledged disc jockey, hosting her own live will attend the College of the Florida Orsolina Toppino Memorial Scholarship, show from 4-6 p.m. each weekday. “It’s an Keys and major in nursing, while Jose funded by the Toppino businesses and alternative rock program,” she says, “but I Pichardo will attend fire college in Ocala. Chamber members. focus on artists who are underrepresented Each will receive $2,000 from the Gerald Navani’s musical journey began in the alternative space, like women or “Moe” and Marina Mosher Vocational with the flute, piano and traditional Latinos or blacks.” Scholarship fund, named in honor of the late Moe Mosher, a founding partner of Historic Tours of America. In addition, the Chamber will award $1,000 scholarships to Leislany Garcia- Montero and Roosevelt Joseph, winners of the William Appelrouth Scholarship. Named in honor of the late, three-time president of the Key West Chamber of Commerce, the Appelrouth awards are made each year to one male and one Scholarship Winners pictured left to right: Leela Sorbelli, Jose Pichardo, Leislany female member of the Key West High Garcia-Montero, and Roosevelt Joseph. School senior class who display a record of outstanding community service. The Chamber Chowder Heartily Thanks These Businesses for Their Generous Support of this Issue of the Newsletter Ernest Hemingway La Concha Horan Law House Museum Crowne Plaza 608 Whitehead St 907 Whitehead St 430 Duval St Key West, FL 33040 Key West, FL 33040 Key West, FL 33040 305-294-4585 305-294-1136 305-296-2991 Porter Allen Old Town Key West Insurance Company Development 513 Southard St 201 Front St, Suite 301 Key West, FL 33040 Key West, FL 33040 305-294-2542 305-294-3225 Page 2 Chamber Chowder July 2020 VOL. 23, NO. 5 “Scott Atwell” cont. from page 1 4 a business.” But Virgin had already built into its plans many of are.” Virgin’s research showed customers wanted a more immersive, the virus-mitigation efforts others are now pursuing, including an authentic experience into the culture of their ports of call. In Key onboard air treatment system that eliminates 99.9% of viruses, West the company has secured exclusive early-entry tours of the and the purging of buffet dining. Hemingway Home and Museum and curated a fishing and dining With 20 sit-down restaurants, the absence of buffets and experience (Hook and Cook) where sailors catch their own lunch large-hall dining cuts down on food waste, part of Virgin’s vision and then participate in its preparation. to be 100% carbon neutral from day one. McAlpin said the line McAlpin’s colleague, Alex Zeitz, estimated that Virgin sailors has banned the use of plastics and its onboard water system turns would spend $3.1 million in tours annually in Key West, with an waste into drinkable discharge. Heat from exhaust is turned average spend of $94 per tour going directly to the operator. into renewable energy and at Branson’s insistence, only reef-safe “We want to be the ship that everyone wants to see come sunscreen will be sold onboard. into port,” McAlpin said. His 27-hundred passenger Scarlet Cruises, McAlpin said, have often appealed to a caricature of Lady is scheduled to make call in Key West 33 times between “the newly wed, the nearly dead and the over fed. We are trying to October 2020 and December 2021, pending the outcome of the do something very different and create a sense of who our sailors November referendum. E conomic Impact of Cruise Referendum: Jobs President’s Message cont. from page 1 4 bill. The second possibility is to reduce city our Chamber of Commerce In 2019, our data estimates the services, and the third would be through has invested in research to following economic impact on Key layoffs of city employees. Or, it could be a understand the economic West: combination of all three. Y To their credit, when the COVID-19 impact of the three referendums that 4 $63 million in passenger will appear on Key West’s November spending; came into our lives the city immediately froze hiring of vacant positions.