Friday, January 28, 2011

Alternative Lifestyle Resort Coming To Clewiston?


"Gay Sex Camp" For Clewiston?

CLEWISTON, FL. -- Rumors have started in Clewiston regarding the purchase of the former Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc. land southeast of Clewiston. Some say the 269 acre parcel is to be used, as one anonymous email described it, as a "remote gay sex camp."

Hendry records indicate Bazu LLC, a Fort Lauderdale company, purchased the property by special warranty deed December 1st, 2010. Eckerd financed the purchase taking back a mortgage for $1,202,227.96 which includes and assignment of rents according to the 20-page document. Steven McCloud signed the mortgage on behalf of Bazu. The sale price is a reported $1,600,000.

(Photo: Headquarters Building At Camp)

The Hendry property appraiser says the property is worth $1,552,030 and zoned listed as A-2 for homes on 5 acres or more and recreational use. If so, and the purchase price was $1.6 million, it would appear this might not be such a financially stable business plan for Bazu LLC using the remote land as camping grounds.

Eckerd owned the out-of-the-way, rural 269 acre tract at 28280 Etumakee Way, off of County Road 835, 20 miles south of Clewiston since 1985, using it as a county approved non-profit home and residential treatment center for youthful offenders and behaviorally impaired youth with a capacity of 54. It closed several years ago.

According to the building officials many of the structures were built by the residents and it is yet unclear if permits were applied for or issued in the 80s and early 90s when many of the buildings were assessed by the Hendry Property Appraiser.

There are approximately 22 outbuildings including a store, a main office building with a commercial kitchen and dining room, a dormitory, a shop building with an attached duplex, a library an RO water system, and 6 campsites among other amenities.

Reports received by the Sunday Morning News says work has begun at the property, although building permits apparently have not been applied for or issued

Vitambi Springs Resort is a fictitious name owned by VSR Development Corp., formed on May 13, 2010 in Fort Lauderdale. VSR Development was set up the same day with Steven W. McCloud as president, Martin C. Ruddock, vice president/treasurer, and Antonio P. Barone, vice-president. The three also own Bazu LLC, the property owner of the site.

The three-man owners group set up websites for the Vitambi Springs Development Corporation advertising the "Vitambi Springs Resort" at http://www.vsrdc.com/
and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vitambi-Springs-Resort/107160142686223

A pre-building permit application meeting was held with Hendry building officials in November 2009 concerning using this 269 acre site for 250 RV hookups with campground and cabins. On February 26, 2010, real estate broker Sherri Denning, real estate agent Julie Wilkins, and building permit applicants met with Hendry staff to discuss a variation of the use from the November meeting.

In October 2010 the group and Engineer Scott Morrisson met with zoning officials to propose 50 RV sites, and 30-40 cabins along with the existing primitive camp sites. The county gave them requirements for submitting paperwork but nothing has been received as of this date.

At this time, the property and nine main buildings located there, can be used for campers and RV use at the existing sites. Because the new owners have not applied for a use change to increase the camping spaces to 50 (or 250), they are currently allowed to only use the currently existing spaces which appear to be only six spaces for campers.

47 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:14 PM

    is the zoning correct? is this the land use we are encouraging?

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  2. Anonymous11:34 PM

    so how many rv units is it zoned for now? 6, 50 or 250?

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  3. At this time, the property and nine main buildings located there, can be used for campers and RV use at the existing sites. Because the new owners have not applied for a use change to increase the camping spaces to 50 (or 250), they are currently allowed to only use the currently existing spaces which appear to be only six spaces for campers.
    -Editor

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  4. Anonymous9:01 AM

    Rather than hype it as a "GAY Sex Camp", how about "Camping for the GLBT Community". Might actually bring Clewiston some much needed tourism and $$$.


    Muse, FL

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  5. Anonymous9:39 AM

    Firstly, I know many gay people and none of them are looking to run to the woods to have sex, at least no more than any straight folks.

    Secondly, gays have some of the highest disposable income and education of any "group" of people on this planet.

    Thirdly, Clewiston, like most towns in Florida can certainly use the economic boost this facility would bring.

    So, as opposed to reacting with a "homophobic fear" response, why not welcome new business with open arms.

    Of course now that the media has hyped this the way they have, it will likely never happen.

    Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is the rejection of an idea or concept based upon nothing more than prejudice and lack of knowledge.

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  6. Anonymous11:21 PM

    9,39 am anonymous, i guess as a probable owner of the property you will feel correct in your comments. and there will be minimal economic impact for clewistown, these people will be coming up from miami and lauderdale and will never step foot in town. we are 10-15 miles away. they will come up from the south and head home the same way

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  7. Anonymous3:18 AM

    Wow! NIMBYs in the wide open spaces of Hendry County and this place is not even anywhere near their backyards. Go crack open another 6 pack and go back to sleep. Or if you want to go visit then just go and quit whining on here.

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  8. Anonymous6:52 AM

    Holy cow. Another newspaper trying to drum up business and or readers.. Well you asked for it, you got it.. I am sure this will go viral.
    Sad that you have to take a path like this at an expense or a group of people that are just trying to live their lives without harming anyone etc. Bigotry does not have to be part of Clewiston or your newspaper.
    Look, the bottom line is this, there are all kinds of people and groups in this world. And they all have good and bad in them, but to single out a group of people and call it gay sex camp is not only untrue, but a shameful act of this newspaper.
    Do you really want to be on the Today Show and touted as a newspaper full of bigotry? If you do, just let me know and I will arrange it.
    Yeap, I happen to be a gay man, who is a professional engineer, ride a motorcycle, a spiritual person, a very loving person, and in a 19 year relationship that probably beats most of my straight counterparts that happens to love camping. Does this mean I am going to go to this campground to have sex? First it is non of anyone’s business, but I can assure you that my purpose to come to a campground is to be around others I know, or to meet other interesting people etc. The same things you would do when you go fishing or bowling or camping or whatever you do in your own personal life.
    I can’t even believe I have to characterize this for you, you should be ashamed of yourself!
    My advice? Stop listening to those terribly misguided religious stations and find it in your heart to do what God would say to you, Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

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  9. Anonymous10:14 AM

    As far as I am aware, Vitambi Springs is going to simply be a campground catering to the Gay/Lesbian community. Gays like to camp as much as heterosexuals do. If a gay couple was holding hands or kissing in a heterosexual campgound, you would most likely find fault with that public display of affection in front of YOUR families and children. So here is a campground, away from heterosexuals and children, where the homosexuals need not camoflage their feelings, and you still find fault. Live and let live. No one is forcing you to camp there. It is no where near suburban Clewistan. Vitambi is out in the middle of nowhere. To be offended by this campground you would have to go looking for it. It's a shame that it seems you ahve already done so. Plenty of other non-gay campgrounds for you. Give us this one, please,

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  10. Anonymous11:16 AM

    Actually a gay sex camp sounds like a lot of fun! Where is it?

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  11. Anonymous2:35 PM

    So, having checked out their website and their facebook page, I'm appalled that I didn't find any "gay sex". What sort of moronic homophobic attitude do you have to have to attack a gay owned property that isn't even up and running yet, and will probably be quite "vanilla" compared to some of those wild wife swapping KOA's out there! My recommendation is that the author go to any of the other campgrounds in the area and stay away from Vitambi Springs. They aren't hurting you, so leave them alone.

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  12. Anonymous10:58 PM

    A biker and a camper hope this happens and looking foward to it.

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  13. Anonymous11:49 PM

    Although your financial information as petaining to price, leins, loans and such all seem acurate and without bias, your tag line for this story is inflammatory, and was meant to sensationalize the story and shows that you have a personal agenda. Gay "sex" camp, is like saying the Clewiston Inn is a Straight Sex Hotel! I do not mean to disparage the Clewiston Inn in anyway, it is a fine establishment, and I have enjoyed a Sunday luncheon there after church many times. I am just trying to show how ludicrous and bigoted your tag line is. Just as in any "straight" campsite I am sure some singles will meet up and couples will retire to their campers for some "personal recreation". Nothing that doesn't go on at bars, hotels, and homes all through your town, county,and state....
    As was noted earlier, I would think the residents of your county would welcome a new tax paying business to the area. Last time I checked US sugar and other companies in the area have been steadily shrinking, and employing fewer folks. With this and the fact that many main street mom and pop style businesses have all but disappeared since the large discount store on the west end of town opened, that you would welcome a new business into your county.
    Also the 6 campsites you refer to is actually the number of groupings of individual sites grouped in a ring formation. If you checked out the website as claimed it is abundantly clear that there are 6 camping AREAS. From my years working as a carpenter and concrete finisher, from what I see in the photographs the buildings appear to be built to fairly good building standards and practices, which leads one to think that they have been permitted and inspected. I am sure that any real structure found to be faulty will be brought up to code or torn down. Any insurance company insuring the business would demand it.
    Also just because there is work going on, does not mean a permit is needed. I do not believe a permit is needed to clean, tidy up, sort and remove debris, to mow, weed, rake, water and in general to tend to existing plants. No where in your article or later response do you describe or state the "work" was such that would require a permit? You infer that the owners are doing work that requires a permit, but yet you don't know what the "work being done" is. You stated this only to make the reader think that the owners are somehow cheating and are trying to circumvent the system. There is that personal agenda again.
    The comment made at 11:21 pm, that this campground would have no economic impact for Clewiston if false. There will be county taxes and business fees coming into Hendry county, what ever helps Hendry Co. will help the 3 cities in Hendry Co., Clewiston, Harlem and Labelle. Your assumption that all of the campers would be coming from the Ft. Lauderdale Miami area is false. Campers would be coming from all over Florida. Many coming from points due east (West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie), west (Ft. Myers, Tampa) and from cities and towns to the north would be coming through your town, perhaps stopping for last minute supplies as your city would be the last chance. Having visited other campgrounds straight and gay, people do leave the campground and make the 10 or 15 mile drive to the nearest friendly town, for supplies, lunch at a nice restaurant, for a change of scenery or even to check to see what else the town has to offer. As has been well documented gay men and women have a much higher level of discretionary income to spend and from my own personal experience, we tend to support the small mom and pop shops and stores more. The owners have succeeded in finding perhaps one of the most remote locations in Florida, so as not to "upset the locals". Give this group a chance and I think you will find them to be a good addition to your county.

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  14. Anonymous11:59 PM

    As a ham radio operator, I am appauled at how you can be so stupid. You are a shame and embaressment to ham radio Mr. Browne. You should be ashamed of yourself. Why don't you grow up!
    And don't call me Leslie!
    Les,
    K4LES

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  15. Anonymous12:05 AM

    "The Hendry property appraiser says the property is worth $1,552,030 and zoned listed as A-2 for homes on 5 acres or more and recreational use. If so, and the purchase price was $1.6 million, it would appear this might not be such a financially stable business plan for Bazu LLC using the remote land as camping grounds." What was the date of the property appraisers appraisel as to the date of the purchase of the property, could it be the property was valued at a greater price when it was purchased. Home and property values have decreased everywhere in the last 3 or 4 years. This does not show an unstable business decision but could just reflect the changes in the real estate market.

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  16. Anonymous12:11 AM

    Vitambi Springs Resort is not a fictitous name, it may not be the name of the company purchasing or running it, but it is the name of the resort/campground.

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  17. Anonymous1:17 AM

    So if I understand you correctly you oppose this camp because you think there is a "gay sex camp" From what we understand of gay haters, they are usually closeted homosexuals are are too self hating to actually come out of the closet. Are you afraid they will reject you when you attempt to register? From the websites you mention, the camp is not even open yet. Is there a timeline(you have setup) that they have to meet to be open? If they applied for permits does that not show intent to comply with county regulations. I hope they people of Clewiston are smarter than the "writer" of this article.

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  18. Anonymous1:35 AM

    wow, every gay person in hendry county must be posting here or an organized response from the owners friends. as posted previously, i'm sure the county will ensure that all zoning, building and health laws will be properly followed and enforced

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  19. Anonymous6:18 AM

    Hi there, this is Mrs Norm speaking. I live in Clewiston and have two children. My neighbor Frank is a ham radio operator and told me about this terrible thing happening in my community. I think these homos need to find another place to go. I can't find it in my bible, but I remember my church talking about homos and how bad they are. I think we need to go over to this place and tell them to go away. We don't need their kind around here picking up my children and bringing them to a sex camp. I am going to call the Sherrif and talk to him today about this.
    No more homos!

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  20. Anonymous7:54 AM

    Can't find it in your bible huh? You must be very dedicated to your church then, don't even know what's in the bible. How sad. Mrs. Norm, you are a total hatemonger. Since when are gay people pedophiles? I suggest you crack open the bible and read about caring for your fellow man. Forget about calling the Sherrif, call the local press and vent with them so the whole world can see how ignorant you truly are.

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  21. Anonymous1:23 PM

    Uhhh...Is there still a hot tub out there? Also, a pool table that has "DIBS" written in duct tape...and a Black Hyundai Station wagon? If so I would need it back, well, maybe not the station wagon.

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  22. Anonymous9:23 PM

    Mrs. Norm have you ever met a Homo? (I can almost guarantee you have, you just didn't know it (many of us are as naturally masculine as any man can be, no insult intended to those more efeminate or our breathren). I personally like a man with more than a few grey hairs and a nice fuzzy face!
    By far the majority of pedofiles in this world are heterosexual! Many pedophiles are not concerned with the sex of the child but only that the child is powerless to stop them, it is a power issue!
    I lived in Clewiston for many years, have had gay friends who live in Clewiston and have seen more than a few local "straight men", many upstanding pillars of the community cruising the gay bars in Lauderdale!
    You ma'm are the worst kind of a hate monger, an idiot who relies solely on what her pastor tells her, and doesn't take the time and energy to read and understand for herself what the bible says. I too am a Christian, I have felt God work through me, I have seen his miracles, and I know I will find a better life after I leave this earth, and yes I am a Gay Man, who has had a lover for over 25 years! The first thing I learned as a Christian is a Christian loves all people. Just get over it, we are here, have always been here, and always will be here!

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  23. Anonymous2:20 PM

    As a gay couple who will be camping at Vitambi Springs I would like you to know we have already spent $5,000 dollars at a Clewiston furniture store,$4,000 dollars at a paint store in Clewiston, hundreds of dollars at Ace hardware and meals at the Clewiston Inn, the Florida Cafe and many dollars at Wallmart.....and we are only one couple. The retailers of Clewiston will be very glad that Vitambi Springs is a new and very wonderful part of their community.By the way , we travel from Lauderdale but always make a trip to the lovely and very friendly city of Clewiston every weekend as do many of our fellow volunteers and friends.

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  24. Anonymous8:17 PM

    from the above comment it sounds like it's already open for business? how do we get there to see it?

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  25. Anonymous3:38 PM

    Vitambi Spings is not open for business as yet. Details about an opening date will be posted on the website in the future.

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  26. Anonymous3:25 AM

    I recently took an extensive tour of Vitambi Springs Resort and listened to a detailed presentation by the principal owners. They never said anything about a "sex camp." It's just a place to get away and enjoy peace, quiet, and the great outdoors in congenial and like-minded company. I don't doubt that adults may retire to the privacy of their guest rooms, tents, or RVs at night and do whatever they do together, but that could also happen at home or elsewhere. I don't think they need to schlep all their camping gear to the countryside just to have sex.

    There are a number of fine buildings left behind by the previous owner. They all look solidly built and are mostly in good to excellent condition. One building, a dormitory, has serious moisture damage from when the property was vacant. It obviously needs major work, but I didn't see any being done on it. I expect they'll get a permit because it's going to take some professional help to make it serviceable.

    The work I did see on the property was to clear overgrowth. In addition, a couple of investors (minority owners) were doing cleanup and light repairs on their mobile homes. Since when does that require a permit?

    As for economic impact on Clewiston, I can only cite my own experience as a regular visitor over the years to another campground in the area, northwest of Moore Haven. I never bring any food, beverages, or supplies from Miami, where I live. I always, always, ALWAYS stop in Clewiston to stock up. And I sometimes stop there again to eat on my way home.

    This is America, and God bless it! In our free country, people have a right to their own beliefs about personal morality and to advocate for them in the public square. It stops at the private property line, however, behind which the owners and their guests have an equal right to associate and to pursue happiness as they see fit and without interference, provided no laws or regulations are being broken.

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  27. Anonymous5:55 PM

    You all suck! Clewiston is not tourism material. There is nothing about Clewiston worth seeing. The main attraction there is Walmart. Talk about a moral issue, this place was a safe haven for troubles youth and now it is a place for people to hide in the woods to perform their dirty deeds. This is soooo not cool. God help these people and all of you who are in favor and defend what is morally wrong.

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  28. Anonymous5:57 PM

    A gay people hide away because they are ashamed of their lifestyle in public. What a joke!

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  29. Anonymous7:06 PM

    For all of the opposed, this gay sex camp may be a good thing. Jails house criminals, mental hospitals the crazies, zoos the animals and this camp, the fags. This place is so out of the way that it might be good that they all concentrate in one area allowing us not to see their sinful actions taking place around us and our children. We should all work together to round them up in a specific area so that when God's hand falls upon them for their sinful ways, we will not be close enough to them where something can happen to the rest of us. Think about it.

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  30. Anonymous4:24 PM

    I always was aware of stupidaty around us, but ,in todays day and age to still have too. Is a sad testament. U so called god loving people will meet your maker one day and if there is a Hell you will definately endup there! What ever happened to the 10 comandments, honor they neibor, or he without sin cast the stone. u guys are not without sin .. We are all gods children so get a fucking life!!!!!!and leave us alone!!

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  31. Anonymous9:57 AM

    these blogs always seem to bring out the crazies. This future camp ground is going to bring money to the area and people of like minded issue together. Somehow it seems that morons that have their own issues do not want other to have their opinions. My take on it is if it does not hurt anyone and is beneficial, MYOB (Mind you own business!)

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  32. Anonymous10:30 PM

    i still don't understand, how is agricultural property being rezoned for a hotel, restaurant and entertainment?

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  33. Anonymous1:58 AM

    i hear its also going to be nude at all times if you want? is that legal?

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  34. Anonymous8:33 AM

    You CAN'T fix stupid.

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  35. Anonymous7:07 PM

    Before you make an ass of yourself (of coures you are the only one that will know you are an ass) do some real research. Who started this "sex camp" BS?

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  36. Anonymous7:42 PM

    Vitambi Springs advertises itself as a clothing optional Gay Campground. If you can not figure out what that means, you should have finished 5th grade.
    If you have a problem with that, don't go. If you don't have a problem with that, I hope to see you there.
    I've been to the property more than once. It is beautiful. An abudance of wildlife living on one of the few remaining (with the exception of two man-made ponds)natural habitats in the area. The property is bordered by citrus orchards and sugarcane fields.

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  37. Anonymous9:01 PM

    Last I new when the gay community moved into an area, property values increased... Wilton Manors, South Beach, Provincetown, MA (MA stands for Massachusetts) to explain to the ignorant gay haters on here, since I realize they have not explored any part of our wonderful country, and have instead gotten splinters in their asses from sitting in your church pew to long).

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  38. Anonymous5:07 AM

    As a Christian and a Republican, I am against this not just morally, but financially. Taxpayers will end up subsidizing this place because of all the new AIDS cases that will have to new treated in Hendrie county, Miami Dade where the disease came from. Therefore we should pass a law that forces homosexuals to pay their own medical costs.

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  39. Anonymous11:46 PM

    First if you live in HENDRY county, learn to spell it correctly.
    We do pay our own medical costs, we pay for insurance just like you, we pay for doctors just like you and you know what, because we tend to make more money and can only file as single not married on our tax forms, we pay MORE taxes than you. Go have more kids, your kids cost the government to school them, the state pays to take care of them if you die, having kids means you are more likely going to use ambulances, doctors, hospitals, police officers as well as other government workers, but yet I pay more taxes than you. Go figure. I love kids (no not that way, get your mind out of the gutter) and am very willing to pay my taxes to see that they are fed when the parents won't or can't feed them, that they get a good education, to ensure they have access to health care, have a warm place to sleep at night and to prosecute anybody who would harm them. That is what being a caring, civilized, God lOving citizen of this country is about.
    So if you want to go out and race your airboat, car, dirt bike, go hunting, jump out of planes, handle poisoness snakes, smoke, or eat an extra helping of gravy on your biscuits, sausage and eggs breakfast, then you should have to pay for all of your medical costs for participating in such high risk behavior.
    The disease came from Miami/Dade??? Wasn't Belle Glade the Aids capital for many years? At one time there were more instances of Aids by population in Belle Glade than most anywhere else in the world. Wasn't it almost entirely heterosexuals who contracted it there? Isn't it in fact almost entirely heterosexual people living in third world countries who have the highest incidence of the disease? Get your facts straight.

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  40. Anonymous3:00 PM

    Oh, Florida.

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  41. Yesterday , after a weekend long stay at Camp Mars. It was wonderful time. I stopped at Subway restaurant in Clewiston for a lunch. A sandwich helped boost economy in Clewiston by a gay male. How Simple Is It.

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  42. Anonymous7:37 PM

    Can't wait to visit Vitambi Springs!

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  43. Anonymous10:18 PM

    I am ashamed for Clewiston. The conservative straights in this town are embarrassing ALL of us. I welcome Vitambi! I will probably NEVER go there because it doesn't cater to my sexual orientation. But there are also plenty of heterosexual-majority places that aren't to my liking and I don't frequent them either. So people, get a hold of yourselves!
    Have you looked around our town lately? Poverty! Crime! Domestic violence is off the charts! More children born out of wedlock by straights than I can shake a stick at.
    Now I'm no world traveller. But I've been to Cape Cod and really liked Provincetown. I've been to NYC and really liked Greenwich Village. If I can dare to stereotype for a moment, it would be to say the Gays do a fabulous job of maintaining their properties. My wife and I would rather live on a street with Gays who tend to their flower beds and maintain their homes than the lazy, filthy, pathetic neighbors I do have who keep one vehicle on cylander blocks, let their yard become a dusty vacant lot with broken toys and assorted clutter everywhere.
    The hate in this town is very sad. I jeopardize my business if I defend Vitambi and vacationing Gays too vocally. So please go about improving your own homes and own businesses and try to get off food stamps and social services and don't worry about trying to destroy the other guy.
    Vitambi will do well despite you. Or it won't. I truly wish them all well. I ask Vitambi and all of my townspeople to be good neighbors. Let's support one another and cheer each other on!

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  44. "The Hendry property appraiser says the property is worth $1,552,030 and zoned listed as A-2 for homes on 5 acres or more and recreational use. If so, and the purchase price was $1.6 million, it would appear this might not be such a financially stable business plan for Bazu LLC using the remote land as camping grounds."

    The above statement illustrates the ignorance of the author.

    The tax assessor's office (not "property appraiser") sets a value for a property for TAX PURPOSES only. While such assessments may be tied to the value of the property, they are rarely accurate appraisals of property sale value.

    In fact, even in Counties with "full market value" assessments, the assessed values usually trail actual market values.

    Again, the County tax assessor is only setting a relative value of the land to determine the tax bill, which is based on the assessed value and the millage rate. The assessor is not an "appraiser" who is determining sales prices. Banks hire appraisers for this purpose - and they are not government employees.

    So, paying 1.6 million for a property ASSESSED at 1.5 million is actually a pretty good bargain, not some bad business decision.

    However, given the tone and inflammatory nature of the article, I am not certain that the author really is smart enough to understand the difference between assessment and appraisal.

    Which calls the rest of the article into question.....

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    Replies
    1. FYI: The Hendry County Property Appraiser's office is officially called just that (see http://hendryprop.com ) and tries to determine the actual market values determined from area recent sales so the the tax collector can collect a property tax consistent with actual market values. Our statement that Bazu might not have a viable business plan was based on using the $1.6 million land as a campground. The income from camping fees or memberships may or may not give a very good return on investment at that price.
      -Editor

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  45. Anonymous9:37 PM

    I was a youth offender at this camp. I built the back campground and cleared area to put a fenced garden in. There also was no dormitory. Most likely describing our chuckwagon, or dining room. We slept every night in our tents we made from pine trees, string and tarps. But im not homophobic in the least . I do think it is a little odd for Hendry county being the chosen place for this resort, seeing as im originally from Moore Haven these small towns dont know how to socially accept gays. Speaking for a majority of the towns population. Not everyone. Which is why they stay in them, they dont like cities. Most townsfolk there are simple living country raised. As for their parents and so on. It wasnt publicly accepted in the time they are stuck in for gays. It is widely accepted worldwide now yet still hasn't made its way to small rural areas around lake Okeechobee. Vitambi will most likely experience this first hand. As they are in the title of this article as well as above comments. Im looking at this as a twenty year resident of rural towns on lake Okeechobee, an my family there for generations. I see the towns never change no matter how many years pass. They only get worse and more judgmental. An to the future visitors of Vitambi that will be camping nude. I highly discourage it. Not because of the nudity itself but because there are millions of mosquitos there an can hatch out of even a capfull of water. Candles nor spray will help with that. They are close to immune i promise you. There are also multiple Florida Panthers that love to visit the camp all times day or night. I woke with one in my tent one night. They arent very nice. 3 families of black bear have been spotted over my stay. Many times broke into our footlockers an kitchen rummaging for food. Not to mention the black widow spiders. A very very large amount of diamond back an pygmy rattle snakes too. If Vitambi has old puctures of our chuckwagon there was a near 15 ft diamond back hide hanging on the wall that we killed there. Multiple campers bite by pygmys. They hide under your mattress as you sleep. So not to try an discourage this company in its future business , just wanting to give my personal experience on the town and the camp both. It wasnt a fun place to camp. An i am a person who is country as they come and loves to camp. No matter how you dress it up an make it look nice. Its still south Florida woods. Not Fort Lauderdale nor palm beach or any other large city. Its not going to change. Happy camping...

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