Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show Brings In Millions In Revenue For City
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – More than 1,500 boats line floating docks along the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale. Organizers of the 56th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show said that's $5 billion worth of boating inventory that contains something for everyone.
"Anything that you desire concerning marine is here for you to consume," said Danielle Butler, President of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.
Butler says the Boat Show – with representatives from more than 20 countries – is the largest in the world and is like a Super Bowl for Fort Lauderdale each year, bringing in millions in tourism dollars in terms of busy restaurants, stores and packed hotel rooms.
"There's a very prestigious local wine shop that has sold out of Dom Perignon so the impact is felt not only within our industry but outside our industry," Butler said.
Butler said the Boat Show is a large part of the annual $8 billion boating industry for South Florida and is also boon for boating companies who depend on the show for sales.
"We have manufacturers that have sell 30 percent of their sales at this show alone," she said.
Lance Ballew and his brother, Vance, visited the Boat Show for the first time this year.
"This is boating heaven here, actually," Lance said.
The brothers said they're pleased to spend their money in the U.S .and believe there's no better boat show than the one in Fort Lauderdale.
"You can't beat an environment like this," he said. "You don't get this boat show anywhere. This is like they say, the largest boat show on the planet."
Everywhere you look there is another massive, luxurious mega yacht.
CBS4 toured one called "Allegria" which is up for sale. Asking price? North of $19 million for the 152 foot, five cabin yacht.
Broker Kevin Callahan is confident it will sell and is confident this will be another successful year for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
"Fort Lauderdale attracts the clientele that we're looking for," Callahan said. "It's a really good economic impact into the Fort Lauderdale area."
