Miami Herald - February 21, 2005
Steve Rothaus, srothaus@herald.com

That's how much South Florida tourism officials expect will be raked in during the 12th annual Winter Party Festival, a March 2 to 7 convergence of high-spending gays and lesbians from all over the world.

"Thousand of folks will come in and spend money," said William Talbert III, president of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. "At the end of the day, [Winter Party] is about supporting jobs in our community."

Winter Party organizers expect 10,000 gay visitors and locals will spend big bucks at a Margaret Cho comedy concert, Art Deco walking tours, art exhibits in South Beach and Miami's Design District, an outdoor "Movie Under the Stars" and the festival's signature beach party near 14th Street and Ocean Drive.

Gay tourism has become a big business: American gay men and lesbians represent a $54.1 billion travel market, or an estimated 10 percent of the U.S. travel industry, according to Community Marketing, a San Francisco company that tracks gay travel.

And tourist-hungry South Florida is eager for a big piece of that pie.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, for example, hosts a gay-oriented Web page called the Rainbow Carpet: "Welcome to America's top gay resort area," the site says.

"Enjoy out and out fun in the sun in Greater Fort Lauderdale with a choice of more than 30 gay-owned guesthouses and gay-friendly properties, plus bars, clubs, restaurants, shops and gyms."

David Whitaker, the Miami convention bureau's senior vice president for marketing, says that "gay and lesbian events help define the destination."

That's why Winter Party is so important. The Miami convention bureau estimates the economic impact will be about $1,100 per person, or $11 million during the five-day period.

Events such as Winter Party help quantify the contribution of the gay and lesbian market to the overall South Florida tourism picture, but it's impossible to count just how many gay visitors this area attracts.

"Am I able to tell you it's 5 percent, 10 percent or 20 percent? There's no way I can say that," Whitaker said.

But he adds: "This market is important to us because so many of our partners say it's important to them."

With Winter Party, "we look forward to a large contribution to our resort tax by the people attending from all over the world," said Michael Aller, Miami Beach's protocol chief.

Said Whitaker: "That brand value transcends and exceeds the literal head count on these events. They make us a relevant destination.

"These are giant familiarization events. Any partygoer who has a great experience is apt to return and bring a friend, go back and tell other people, 'Hey, I was in Miami Beach and they have really cool things!'

"Word of mouth is the best advertising."

March's Winter Party is one of several annual gay-tourist magnets in South Florida. Among the best known annual events are the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in late April; and White Party, the Thanksgiving weekend fundraiser that in 2004 netted about $615,000 for Care Resource, Florida's largest HIV/AIDS service agency.

'EVENT-DRIVEN TOWN'

"We're an event-driven town," said Talbert.

"When we're in season and these things are going on, people have more money and they go out more and spend more money," said Alison Burgos a co-owner of Ultra and Pandora Events, which specializes in producing women's events.

Winter Party began in 1994 as a $30-per-person local fundraiser for SAVE Dade, the gay-rights group. It quickly evolved into an internationally known event attracting thousands of wealthy gay men from the cold Northeast and other parts of the world.

"I know people from Europe who've come, as far as Australia" said Miami clothing designer Richard Shon, who co-owns Whittall & Shon, a South Beach retailer where Winter Party tickets are sold.

TICKET INFO

Individual ticket prices now start at $75. Cabana sponsorships are being sold for $5,000.

Traditionally straight clubs and venues also are involved. Winter Party's opening night welcome party will be at Nikki Beach Club on Ocean Drive.

"You can't look at the history of South Beach without noting the contributions of the gays on South Beach," said Pequy Homicil, marketing director for Nikki Beach and Pearl restaurant and champagne lounge. "You can't be part of the community and not do anything for the community."

Nikki Beach will also host an opening night "Movie Under the Stars" presented by the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

This year's festival is off to an excellent start -- no more rooms are available at the event's host hotel, according to Charles Robbins, development director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which owns Winter Party and donates two-thirds of the profits back to gay groups in Miami-Dade County.

'GOOD INDICATION'

"The Surfcomber has sold out, so we are sending people to other hotels," he said. "It's a very good indication that our event is going to sell out."

The Task Force is making sure this year's event is more than just one big beach party.

"A lot of people come here with one idea in mind: to dance, dance, dance," said Steve Adkins, president of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. "We are encouraging people not just to go dance their rear ends off all night, but to go to the restaurants, go to the theater, go to a dance festival."

Another Task Force initiative: to make Winter Party more appealing to lesbians.

"It's great that women are being included. It's more a sense of community -- everyone works together," said Julie Garrity, a longtime promoter who also co-owns Ultra and Pandora Events.

This year, Winter Party week will include at least six events that appeal to women, Burgos said.

"The big dance event on Sunday is still being marketed to men, but they've changed the way they've designed it to make it more appealing to women," Burgos said. 'They've reached out to our demographics . . . to say, 'Hey women, you are welcome, you are invited and we want to share this special day.' They've changed the way they've marketed it, where you have the half-naked guy and the whole nine yards."

'ISN'T SELFLESS'

Burgos said all the hard work by local business people like herself "isn't selfless."

"When we're in season and these things are going on, people have more money and they go out more and spend more money," she said.

Everyone benefits and the economic impact of Winter Party ripples through the community, said David Sexton, owner of South Beach Ironworks, an Alton Road gym where Winter Party tickets are sold.

5,000 FREE PASSES

Sexton will give away 5,000 day passes to his gym -- one $15 pass to everyone who attends the big beach event.

"Even if they come in for free, they buy a drink, they buy water," Sexton said, adding that many come back on subsequent days and pay to use the gym.

"We get people who come here for the Winter Party and they come back other times of the year -- and they come back to us because we're the gym of the Winter Party," Sexton said.

About 70 percent of his 2,200 gym members are gay, he said.

TRICKLING DOWN

"The way any of these tourist-driven events trickle down -- the waiters, the hotels -- it really has an impact," he said.

Winter Party also helps Sexton's regular clientele, the service people who live here.

"They can pay their bills. They've got tips and have a good weekend and some of that finds its way in to the gym, too" he said. "We have members who have outstanding balances on their accounts or they'll be holding off on renewing their memberships. Suddenly people are bringing in $100 bills and paying their balances."

In fact, Talbert said it would be great if the "Winter Party could be in the summer" to help perk up the slower summer season.

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