IMPORTANT TOWN OF BELLEAIR COMMISSION MEETING

APRIL 5, 2011, STARTING AT 5:00 P.M., Town Hall, Belleair, FL

Topics on the Agenda include a proposal to widen Belleview Boulevard at the Ft. Harrison intersection that will add an additional traffic lane, which could impact our Town's character and charm and increase traffic through our Town.

Also on the Agenda is a presentation regarding the Belleview Biltmore Hotel by Senior Care Group President, Kevin McGuinness. I urge you to attend to discover how this drastic change would irreversibly change the Belleview Biltmore Resort and the Town of Belleair forever.

You will have an opportunity to make comments at the meeting. If you are unable to attend, please consider voicing your opinion in an e-mail to the Town of Belleair Commissioners at:

* Gary H. Katica, Mayor      * Stephen R. Fowler, Deputy Mayor * Tom Shelly, Commissioner * Michael Wilkinson, Commissioner
* Kevin Piccarreto, Commissioner

Contact Information:
Town of Belleair Commission; 901 Ponce de Leon Blvd; Belleair, FL 33756
Phone: (727) 588-3769 ext. 214 or ext. 216   Fax: (727) 588-3778
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information, check out a related article in the Belleair Bee newspaper:

http://www.TBNWeekly.com/Pubs/Belleair_Bee/Content_Articles/033011_bee-01.txt

1898 Belleview Hotel

 BELLEVIEW BILTMORE RESORT - CURRENT STATUS, QUESTIONABLE

Like most people, I knew Latitude Management Real Estate Investors (LMREI) was in serious trouble. LMREI had promised a glorious renovation of the Belleview Biltmore Resort when they closed the hotel in 2009, but unfortunately, they lost their investors when legal issues held up the project for two years and then the real estate market tanked. They were unable to interest new investors in the project, or secure alternate financing. Still, my heart sank when I heard they defaulted on their mortgage payments to the Urdang Investment Group. 

Rumors about potential buyers were running rampant towards the end of 2010 and in January, it became official. Urdang sold the mortgage for the Belleview Biltmore Resort property to KAWA Capital Management, a small company based in Miami, and owned by brothers Daniel and Raphael Ades (purchase details below.)

2011 Belleview Biltmore Resort

While sales negotiations were underway, I spoke with Daniel Ades and was saddened by his bleak assessment of the property.  He told me he was mostly interested in the property because of the development opportunities for the golf course and the beach property. He had never heard of the Belleview Biltmore and knew nothing of its history. When he walked through the hotel, he was, of course, amazed by its beauty. He said, “There’s no way I want to be the guy who tears down the historic Belleview Biltmore. I mean, who wants that on his resume?”

Still, Mr. Ades said KAWA has no intention of seeking investors to take over LMREI’s renovation plans for the resort.  He told me his company doesn’t have the kind of money necessary to pay for the required renovation, nor is his company interested in operating the hotel.  He told me he didn’t think any real estate investors would be willing to take a chance on such a huge project in the current economic climate.

Mr. Ades explained he views the property as three distinct and separate pieces: the hotel; the golf course and the beach property. In his ideal scenario, KAWA would keep and operate the golf course, develop the beach property, and find a partner to take on a scaled back version of the renovation and either run the Belleview Biltmore as a hotel or change it into an assisted living facility.

As you might imagine, I’ve been quite upset since KAWA became the new owner of this precious and fragile piece of our local history.  In fact, I couldn’t even motivate myself to share the depressing news with my followers, and wound up skipping the last few issues of my newsletter altogether. But hiding from distasteful truths won’t make them go away, so I’ve decided to keep writing, keep thinking of ways to help preserve this treasure, and hoping someone will rise to the occasion and invest in a solution that doesn’t involve subdividing the Belleview Biltmore property; shrinking it to the point it would be almost impossible for it to compete in the resort industry.

Don’t forget, there is some good news - both frivolous law suits were resolved in favor of the Belleview Biltmore owners, so the path is clear for renovation and improvements to be made. This will be important to investors. Also, I’m proud of the Town of Belleair for holding its ground and refusing to rezone the property from its current hotel status, or limiting liability for the continued deterioration of the resort’s roof. The Town is continuing to fight for the hotel; to keep it from suffering the shameful fate of ‘demolition by neglect’, even if that means taking KAWA to court.

Meanwhile, those familiar with the resort industry in Florida understand a successful resort (or even condo-hotel) requires more than just a beautiful building with a grand history.  In today’s market, the Belleview Biltmore Resort must offer several amenities; a few of which are a challenge for the resort to provide. For instance: the resort is ‘off the beaten path’, it doesn’t have direct beach access, guests don’t have access to the golf courses that surround the hotel, and there’s no direct access to shopping or other Florida attractions. Also, the resort requires major renovations and the current lay-out doesn’t contain enough hotel rooms or meeting rooms to support large conventions. Despite these challenges, solutions exist, as long as the property isn’t sub-divided.

Overcoming Obstacles:

1. Isolated Location. Because the resort is tucked-away in the heart of Belleair, there is concern that tourists and conventions will opt for more central locations. However, the setting is ideal for private events and conventions wishing to limit distractions. Guests can relax and enjoy the hotel’s old-world charm without having to contend with congestion, beach traffic and noise.

2. Direct Beach Access. The hotel owns beach-front property just across Clearwater Harbor. A boutique hotel and restaurant were planned as a part of the LMREI renovation and would allow Belleview Biltmore Resort guests who want to stay on the beach to do so. Reinstating the resort’s skiff/ferry operations to the beach property, in addition to providing courtesy vans, resolves transportation issues for resort guests staying in the primary hotel or attending conventions/functions there. 
     a. The beach property/skiff could also create an additional revenue stream for the hotel, in that people staying elsewhere on the beach could ride the ferry to the hotel to take a historic tour and have lunch or dinner before returning to the beach.  

3.  Golf. In Florida, a top-end resort must be able to provide hotel guests with golf. Currently, the resort does own and operate the Belleview Biltmore Golf course about a mile down Indian Rocks Road.  Unfortunately, that course isn’t close enough to count towards premium resort status. The Belleview Biltmore must reinstate its relationship with the Belleair Country Club (BCC), whose golf courses were once part of the hotel and still surround the majority of the property.
     a. The split: In 1987, long-time owner of the Belleview Biltmore Resort, Bernie Powell decided to subdivide the resort property, selling the golf courses and much of the waterfront acreage to US Steel. He understood how important it was for hotel guests to be able to continue playing on the courses, and thought he had protected their right to do in the sales contract. US Steel agreed to hold 10 tee times per day for hotel guests (alternating days between the East and West courses.) It was a beneficial arrangement for both the hotel and the newly formed Belleair Country Club (BCC). The hotel guests had access to golf just outside their door and the BCC generated additional revenue to benefit its members.
     b. The tee-time deal disintegrated when the hotel was purchased later that same year, by the Japanese Mido hotel chain. The new hotel owner inadvertently offended the community with some of its decisions and modifications (e.g.: Flew the Japanese flag higher than the American flag and fashioned a new, pagoda-style hotel entrance.) The BCC was able to break the contract and cut all ties with the hotel. The Mido Corporation purchased the Pelican golf course for the use of its guests and renamed it the Belleview Biltmore Country Club. Today, although guests can play golf at the Resort, they must board a courtesy van and drive past the courses of the Belleair Country Club to get there.
     c. Sources at the Belleair Country Club have indicated the membership would consider renewing the Bernie Powell agreement, if the Belleview Biltmore was purchased and renovated to a high enough standard to ensure the behavior and attire of guests staying at the hotel would ‘fit in’ with the private golf club.
     d. Perhaps, the Belleview Biltmore owners could offer reciprocity by reserving tee times at their course for BCC members. They could also offer BCC members free ferry rides to its beach property.  Maybe they could make a deal to provide overflow parking for one another. Obviously, there is a lot of room to make deals that would benefit all parties involved.

4. Shopping – At one time, the resort had shops along either side of the entrance bridge. It might not be possible to recreate that shopping experience, but the resort could open a number of unique shops on-site. Perhaps it could even offer a costume shop, to encourage unique events and theme-weddings at the resort. The Resort could also offer a shuttle to downtown Clearwater and shopping excursion buses to the International Mall in Tampa and/or the Outlet Malls in Orlando.

5. Florida Attractions – Excursion buses could take guests to Orlando several times per week. Also, the skiffs/ferry/courtesy vans could take guests to the Clearwater Aquarium, which is expected to become a primary attraction after the major motion picture, “A Dolphin’s Tale”, which was filmed on location, is released later this year.

6. Renovation/Expansion - Although it would have been nice, the renovation and redesign of the Belleview Biltmore Resort doesn’t have to occur all at once, as LMREI had envisioned. The most important thing is to save and preserve the hotel and reopen the resort. The expansion and additional renovations could then take place over time, mostly while the hotel remains open and generating revenue. One idea would be to open the resort during the winter and then work on the renovation/expansion during the summer months (remember the Belleview Biltmore Resort didn’t open year-round until 1985.) 

Now that the economy is beginning to recover, it’s time to renew our search for an owner who possesses both a love of the past and a vision for the future. Someone who can help restore the Belleview Biltmore Resort to its former glory before the property is subdivided and neglected out of existence. Please join me in the search by sending information about this opportunity to any individual or group that is interested in a historic investment opportunity.

To request additional information about the Belleview Biltmore Resort, provide contact information for potential investors, or offer fund-raising ideas, please contact me at www.SpiritsOfBelleviewBiltmore.com or Diane Hein at www.SaveTheBiltmore.com

BILTMORE PRESERVATIONIST ED JAMESON REMEMBERED

Edward Lee Jameson   5/31/45 - 12/8/10

Article by Renee Burrell, Clearwater Gazette, 1/20/11 www.ClearwaterGazette.com

Ed Jameson (65), a Clearwater resident who tirelessly promoted preservation of the Belleview Biltmore Resort in Belleair, passed away on December 8, 2010.  Jameson suffered from complications following surgery to remove a benign brain tumor for several months before his death. His wife and partner of 34 years, Diane Hein, with whom he co-founded “Save the Biltmore Preservationists”, announced his death. Said Hein, “Ed was a fascinating, articulate, analytical, and loving man who contributed so much to historic preservation in Pinellas County.”

Jameson was known locally as the Vice President of “Save the Biltmore Preservationists” and was a familiar sight at Belleair town meetings where, for six years, he followed the actions taken concerning the historic landmark and spoke on behalf of so many other members of the community concerned that the Victorian age property would be developed into yet another colony of condominiums. In particular, Jameson and his group advocated to ensure that all four wings of the hotel be preserved for future generations. Jameson’s efforts met with success and were instrumental in helping to pass an amendment to the town of Belleair’s preservation ordinance, in which the interior of the hotel would, after all, be preserved historically.

Hein said Jameson felt strongly that the Biltmore was the most important historical structure within Pinellas County and indeed contributed much to the county’s very development. “He always had faith that the people of Pinellas County, Belleair and their elected officials would acknowledge this heritage, embrace the hotel and staunchly preserve it.”

A military veteran, Jameson served proudly in the United States Air Force in Great Britain as a weather researcher. Once discharged, he attained a Bachelor of Science in Business from Eckerd College and went on to form a career in information technology, retiring as a systems analyst from Pinellas County Government.

A memorial service was held at Bay Pines Veterans Cemetery for Jameson, who is survived by his wife Diane, brother George (Faith), and two nephews.

BELLEVIEW BILTMORE PURCHASE DETAILS

Note: The following data was excerpted from an article written by Tom Shelly, Belleair Commissioner, and published in the Belleair Area Neighborhood Newsletter, February 2011. www.BeachNewsletters.com

The sale occurred on December 20, 2010, in lieu of foreclosure. The properties had previously been valued at $26.8 million, but were reduced to $8 million at the time of the sale. KAWA Capital Management structured the sale into three separate holding companies; all of which are owned by KAS BB Holdings LLC.

                                    The three main assets are valued as follows:

1. The Beach Cabana Club, which closed in 2008 and is located at 1590 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater – $3,200,000
     a. Ownership is listed as BB Beach LLC
     b. This property is composed of 1.38 acres, under a 186-year lease that is both beachfront and with intracoastal access, including several boat slips.
     c. The restaurant was closed in 2008 and is not in operation.
2. The Belleview Biltmore Hotel, which closed in 2009 and is located at 25 Belleview Blvd. in Belleair - $3,120,000.
     a. Ownership is listed as BB Hotel LLC
     b. Just over 20 acres all inclusive, including the entire hotel, cottages, an attached house and water tower property, with easements and access to the       intracoastal waters.
     c. The hotel closed for renovation in June, 2009 and is not in operation.
3. The Belleview Biltmore Golf Club, which is still in operation and is located at 1501 Indian Rocks Road, Belleair - $1,680,000.
     a. Ownership is listed as BB Golf LLC
     b. Roughly 135 acres, including an 18-hole, Donald  Ross golf course, a club house, pro-shop, and related entities.
     c. All portions of the golf course are currently in operation.

Belleview Biltmore Hotel, Circa 1924    Photo owned by Craig Shireman

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL MEMORY OF THE BELLEVIEW BILTMORE RESORT?

Hundreds of thousands of people have formed a unique bond with the Belleview Biltmore Resort since she first opened her doors in 1897. The Resort once encompassed hundreds of acres of land and was the heart of the community. The Town of Belleair grew in her shadow and she had a huge impact on the successful development of Clearwater.

Since the beginning, The Belleview Biltmore Resort has hosted countless weddings and other memorable events. For some she was a special workplace. For others, she was the destination for fun-filled summer vacations or a welcome retreat from the cold northern winters. She has witnessed performances by the most well-known musicians in our nation’s history, and she has welcomed business meetings and conventions on equal footing with celebrities and world leaders. 

If you have a special antidote involving the Belleview Biltmore Resort, I would like to hear about it. I plan to reprint selected items in future editions of this newsletter to remind everyone about the impact the Resort has on those who visit. Hopefully, the Queen of the Gulf will be restored one day, so people can continue making special memories there for generations to come.

Please submit memories/antidotes/photos to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mail them to: P.O. Box 951, Clearwater, FL 33757.

WHAT ABOUT THE DARN BOOK?

 I know several of you have been patiently waiting for me to publish my first novel, “Pearls and the Spirits of Belleview”. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

 Well, it’s not ready yet. You see, several months ago, two agents in New York gave me some helpful critiques and an offer to submit “Pearls and the Spirits of Belleview” for their review. Unfortunately, the critiques were seemingly at odds with one another. One agent wanted me to add better descriptions and deepen the plot, while the other requested I cut the book from 139,000 words to 100,000.

 Hmmm… add descriptive information and interesting plot twists while deleting 39,000 words. To accomplish both objectives would require me to rewrite the entire book! This was quite a challenge, but one I finally decided to accept.

 So now I’m in the process of rewriting my book. It will take longer to publish, but hopefully, the final version will be worth the wait.  The first Eleven Chapters of the re-write are complete (out of Twenty Four Chapters) and the word count is down to 117,900, so I’m headed in the right direction.

 I’ve also begun offering my services for speaking engagements, wherein I discuss
 the history of the Belleview Biltmore Resort; how I incorporate historical facts into fictional writing; and offer updates on the current status of the Resort, following LMREI’s failed attempt at total renovation and the subsequent sale to KAWA Capital Management. If interested in having me to speak to your group, please send an e-mail to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

                                                Thank you to everyone for your continued interest me and the Belleview Biltmore Resort. 

  BELLEVIEW BILTMORE RESORT - IMPORTANT MEETING TONIGHT!
October 19, 2010

Although not on the agenda, the future of the Belleview Biltmore Resort will be discussed at the Town Commission Meeting in Belleair tonight.

As we all know, the wonderful renovation proposed by the current owners, Latitude Management Real Estate Investors (LMREI) stalled when they were sued by three local property owners in Belleair and then when a separate law suit was filed by residents adjacent to the resort property located on Sand Key Beach (The Cabana Club). These legal delays occurred just when the economy went into recession, causing land values to drop and making real estate investment loans nearly impossible to attain.

All of this proved to be a lethal combination of bad luck for LMREI. They lost their investors and have been trying unsuccessfully to find new investors for their renovation project since that time. Now it appears the search is almost over, but not in the way Belleview Biltmore supporters hoped.

The property is nearing sale to new investors, which would mean the planned renovation would probably not take place, at least without significant changes to the original plans. Rumors are flying as to what types of changes would take place, including suggestions that the golf course property and beach property might be sold, and that the Resort might be converted into condos, with additional condos being built nearby on the property.

If you are local, please try to attend the Commission Meeting to show your support for this historic property. The meeting is held at Town Hall, beginning at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, October 19, 2010. Here’s the link to the Town of Belleair’s website:
http://www.townofbelleair-fl.gov/

Hope to see you there! If you can’t attend, please send e-mail messages to the Town of Belleair, voicing your support for the grand hotel. Thanks!

BELLEVIEW BILTMORE RESORT - AUGUST/SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

My daughter, Tina

On a personal note – My daughter’s wedding (which was wonderful), along with the influx of out of town company that always accompanies such an event, was more time consuming than anticipated. Therefore, I apologize for the lateness of this bi-monthly newsletter.

BonSue's Speaking Engagement

On an additional personal note – I will be the featured author at the Safety Harbor Library at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 28th. My topic will be the fascinating history of the Belleview Biltmore and how it’s intertwined throughout my paranormal romance novels. I will also read a bit from my first novel, Pearls & The Spirits of Belleview, yet to be published (but getting closer.) There’s no charge for the presentation, but copies of my children’s book, “Where Do You Live, Exactly?” will be available for purchase (cash or check.) If you’re in the area, please attend -- I don’t want to be there all by myself! The library is located at: 101 2nd Street N. in Safety Harbor, FL. The Library is located located near the intersection of Main Street and Philippe Parkway in the heart of Downtown Safety Harbor. (We are across the street from the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.) For more information, contact: Lisa Koth This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The fenced Belleview Biltmore appears neglected	The 'pagoda' lobby will be removed as part of the renovation

BELLEVIEW BILTMORE – A LACK-OF-PROGRESS REPORT
Most people who care about the Belleview Biltmore Resort are disappointed; many are angry.  Some believe as I do, that the Resort should have remained in operation until the renovation was ready to get underway. At least people could still be enjoying the White Queen of the Gulf and hotel management could stay on top of issues like roof leaks. The hotel would still be producing income. Still have life. Instead, an aura of desolation and neglect permeates the property, emphasized by the chain link fence put up to designate the construction site. Security personnel watch over the hotel to protect it from those who would do it harm, but they can do nothing to stop the effects of general neglect. 

Residents of Belleair and many thousands of fans world-wide, feel helpless to change the situation. Government officials in Belleair are frustrated by the owners’, Latitude Management Real Estate Investors (LMREI), failure to make repairs to the roof, despite the accumulation of approximately $70,000 in unpaid fines.

With a heavy sigh, I wonder how far along the renovation of the Belleview Biltmore Resort would be, had things stayed on track. According to the schedule initially proposed by LMREI, the demolition of the Pagoda and spa would surely have been completed. The white aluminum siding (over 1,800 large squares plus 4.8 miles of window trim) would probably have been removed, as would the damaged green shingles from the roof. Most likely, the engineers would be assessing damage to the load-bearing walls and foundation, determining if the heart of pine wood lived up to its reputation and petrified during the last century; thereby protecting the hotel from wood-boring insects and water damage. They might be starting construction on the new spa and annex hotel. Another crew would probably be working on the Sand Key Beach property, preparing the site for the new restaurant and boutique hotel. Neighbors would be getting used to the construction and enjoying watching the project take shape. I would be publishing pictures of the progress for you in these newsletters.

But none of these things have happened.

How did LMREI lose its investors, causing the renovation go off-track? Mostly, it was just bad timing. While LMREI was in the midst of settling two lawsuits, the economy tanked, the banking industry nearly collapsed - largely due to its real estate investment practices, and the largest oil spill the world has ever known threatened Gulf Beaches.

With the lack of new construction, the recent resignation of Joe Penner (former acting manager of LMREI), and the release of Martin Smith (former managing director for the Resort), it may be hard to hold onto our optimism, but if we are to restore the Belleview Biltmore, we must do exactly that. All is not lost. Remember, the lawsuits were settled in favor of the Resort, the oil didn’t affect local beaches and even though the economy is still sluggish, the recession is over.

The new manager of the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Golf Club, Chuck Eade, has shown the property to several potential investors during the last few weeks. Gun shy real estate investors may be going over every detail of potential investments with a fine tooth comb these days, but they are beginning to invest. We must make sure everyone knows the Belleview Biltmore Resort has the support and loyalty of many thousands of fans, and therefore, its renovation would be a sound investment.

How can you show your support? Let everyone know you want the Belleview Biltmore to survive because she provides such a wonderful and rare glimpse into America’s past. If you live near Belleair, show up for meetings. No matter where you live, write to the editor of local newspapers. Leave comments on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Google/Bing the Belleview Biltmore Resort on a regular basis. Forward these newsletters to everyone you know. All of these actions keep the Resort in the public eye and make it is more difficult for those who care only about lining their own pockets to act. If you’re interested in another potential avenue to demonstrate your support, please keep reading.

WOULD YOU INVEST IN HISTORY? RETHINKING OWNERSHIP
Since I write fiction, you may have already guessed that I tend to think outside the box. In doing so, I’ve come up with an idea for a grassroots movement to help finance the restoration of the Belleview Biltmore Resort. I’m hoping that each of you will agree with the basic concepts of the plan and want to be a part of it. If I hear from enough of you, I will pursue the idea through legal channels. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

A historic castle repurposed as hotel

The idea began to form while I was casually watching a TV program on the history channel. A guide on the show pointed to a large castle, originally built in 1603, which had been preserved and carefully converted into a luxurious hotel, thereby allowing all to continue enjoying the historic property. I became curious about the historic structures in the United States of America, so I did a bit of research. Other than a few homes built by the Pueblo Indians, I found no historic structures still in existence in the USA from before the mid to late 1600s.  Between the mid-1600s through the 1700s, only a handful of homes, log cabins and buildings still exist - most of which are preserved as museums. In fact, very few buildings exist even from the 1800s. The research confirmed what I already suspected - the vast majority of historic properties (over 100 years old) in the United States have simply disappeared, destroyed by neglect or plowed under in the name of progress.  The knowledge steeled my resolve to do everything in my power to make sure the Belleview Biltmore Resort remains a viable property that people can enjoy for decades to come.  But like many of you, I felt helpless, watching LMREI’s renovation plans stall, due to a lack of investors.

Green Bay Packers are a nonprofit org.

Then I remembered the Green Bay Packers football team. My husband is from Wisconsin and a huge Green Bay Packers fan, so I was aware the team is the third oldest franchise in the National Football League.  I also knew the team is owned by the community, rather than any particular individual or entity, despite the fact Green Bay is a small town - about 44 square miles, with a population of about 100k. That’s right. The Green Bay Packers is the only non-profit, community-owned professional sports team in the US, and yet they’ve won more league championships than any other team in the NFL and have a larger fan base than most teams in the league.  I was intrigued by the idea of a community owning its’ most prized treasure and dug into the details of how this was accomplished and why this ownership structure continues to succeed.

I discovered semi-professional football began in Green Bay the same year the Belleview Biltmore was built – 1896 (an interesting coincidence.) When Earl “Curly” Lambeau bought the team in 1919, he named it for the Green Bay Indian Meat Packing Company, who had invested $500 in the team to pay for uniforms and equipment. A year later, when the team was in danger of folding, a group of five Green Bay businessmen assumed ownership and formed the basis for the current ownership structure. Over the years, the stock has split several times, but since 1921, no stockholder has ever received a dividend. After expenses are paid, all profits from the football team go into the Green Bay Packers Foundation, which supports a wide variety of programs and activities that benefit education, civic affairs, health services, veteran services, human services and youth-related programs. In other words, an investment in Green Bay Packers stock is an investment in the community. Of the Foundation’s 45 member Board of Directors, 44 are volunteers. The stock is $200 per share and no one can own more than 200,000 shares. Currently a little more than 100k people own just under five million shares of stock.

But if Green Bay is small, then Belleair is tiny – less than three square miles, with a population a little over 4,000. It’s not feasible to think its citizens could raise $100 million for the renovation and operate the Belleview Biltmore as a nonprofit. But a hybrid system might be doable. If enough fans of the Belleview Biltmore Resort were willing to come together to form a nonprofit foundation by buying shares of stock ($200/each), then the foundation could become one of the hotel’s primary investors. Rather than paying dividends to the shareholders, the foundation could spend its share of annual profits to improve the surrounding community and fund additional historic preservation efforts. 

If you could, would you invest in the Belleview Biltmore?

I believe residents of Belleair, together with world-wide fans of the Belleview Biltmore and history buffs, would be willing to invest and consolidate into a single group of non-dividend earning investors. But before I look into the legal aspects of forming such a foundation, I need to know if I’m right. That’s where you come in. I need your help. Please take a moment to do the following:
1. Send me an e-mail ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and let me know if you would be willing to purchase stock in a nonprofit foundation to benefit historic preservation. If you know how much you would be willing to invest, that would be even better.
2. Whether or not you can afford to purchase stock, please forward this newsletter to your friends, relatives and other acquaintances.
3. Please respond right now, as procrastination is the enemy in this endeavor. 
Thanks in advance for your help!

Many claims of ghostly encounters

GHOSTS OF THE BELLEVIEW BILTMORE RESORT
Halloween is coming, so what better time to talk about ghosts at the Belleview Biltmore? In past newsletters, I’ve shared many stories of ghostly encounters reported by guests, hotel staff, and paranormal investigators. While it’s easy to attribute many ghostly sounds to wind, the building foundation settling and overactive imaginations, it’s more difficult to discount reports from several unrelated sources reporting eerily similar events. Many people have reported hearing voices crackling nearby, when there are no people around. Similarly, numerous guests have reported the sound of children playing in the hallways, who seem to always disappear as soon as someone opens a door to investigate. Several guests claim they woke to find an apparition of a woman standing by their bed or saw a bearded man dressed in white. Countless hotel workers claim they felt a sudden and eerie chill in the basement, or experienced sudden, unexplainable feelings of doom in the old servants’ quarters on the fifth floor. A number of guests claim they felt an invisible presence sit or lie down on their beds. Others experienced the sensation they were being watched when they were alone in their rooms. Likewise, there are dozens of reports about ceiling tiles lifting; doors, windows and drawers opening/closing; door knobs falling off; towels being thrown to the floor; items being swept from dresser tops; lights turning themselves on/off; the smell of cigar smoke filling the elevator or wafting by in the hallway, as if someone walked by while smoking; some report the ghost of a small boy claims he drown and is waiting for his parents to find him… the list goes on and on. It’s difficult for even the most skeptical to explain away so many unusual occurrences.

Does a bride haunt the BBR?

Like most people who are familiar with the Belleview Biltmore, I believe spirits of the past linger, crossing paths with the living on an infrequent basis. However, I don’t believe all the ghost stories. For instance, I don’t believe the story about the bride who committed suicide at the Belleview Biltmore on her wedding day. For those not familiar with the story, it’s claimed that a bride once leaped to her death from the fourth floor balcony of the Belleview Biltmore Resort when she learned that her fiancé – a doctor completing his rounds in the community – was killed in a car accident on the way to join her at the resort, where their nuptials were scheduled to take place.

Maybe this story comes to mind because my daughter just got married, but I’ve noticed a suicidal bride seems to haunt every old hotel I’ve ever visited. Perhaps I doubt the story because I’m not convinced a bride would die if she jumped from the fourth floor balcony in a wedding gown, where she was sure to land on soft shrubbery and grass. Of course, I wouldn’t want to test this theory, but it seems more likely that a woman would just break a leg from that height. Secondly, I’m not sure a bride in a gown could manage to climb over the rail. Anyone who’s ever worn one of those knows it’s difficult to even walk in one! And why did everyone leave the bride alone to do herself in? I know my family and girlfriends would stick to me like glue after breaking such awful news.

And even if the bride did off herself, why would she stay at the Belleview Biltmore? Wouldn’t she go someplace with happier memories once her spirit was released from her body? I mean, why would she stay at the location of the worst day of her life? If you believe a ghost has to stay at the location of its death, that would mean her doctor fiancé would have to haunt the middle of the road where he met his end, so they wouldn’t be together even in death. Now, if you buy into my theory that spirits can move about, then an argument could be made that the bride’s spirit chose to stay at the Belleview Biltmore hoping the ghost of the groom would come to where he thought she would be waiting for him to get married. Maybe. But how would he know she had taken her life and would still be there? Hmm.   So, like I said, I’m skeptical about the whole suicidal bride haunting story. However, if it did really did happen and the bride and groom found each other at the Belleview Biltmore, then maybe they are the Victorian couple that has been seen dancing together in the ballroom. Wait… did Victorian doctors use cars to make their rounds? Man, this stuff can hurt your brain after a while! Oh well… Happy Halloween everyone!

PEARLS AND THE SPIRITS OF BELLEVIEW:

It’s been said the publishing world moves with all the speed of molasses in the wintertime. I’m finding this is a true statement. My work is currently in the hands of four very busy literary agents, and waiting for them to read my manuscript and determine if they’re interested is difficult. But as ‘they’ say, no news is good news. I understand that literary agents reject 98% of the submissions they receive from unpublished authors, but by the end of October, I should know if I am in the remaining 2% (which would mean the agents are interested in moving forward with me as a client.)  Hopefully, I will have good news to report in my next newsletter.