Florida Agenda

FORT?LAUDERDALE, FL – Sterling Tax, in a joint venture with Multimedia Platforms, LLC, officially announced this week that they would be bringing a Hopper back to Wilton Manors. They will be approaching local areas business to create branded vehicles over the next two to six weeks.

“The Hopper will be a safe and free transportation service that runs throughout Oakland Park and Wilton Manors and will support all our local businesses”, Bobby Blair, CEO of Multimedia Platforms, said on Tuesday. He continued, “the idea is for us, as a business, to create ways for our local community and international tourists to find a safe and economical way to enjoy the area and the great businesses we have to offer.”

The Hopper replaces the recently sold Green Hopper, which used to offer free transportation between the bars.

Bobby Blair also said that the Hopper will further promote “our online and print publications in a way to ensure that we continue to offer the very best circulation and reach in the market today. It brings us great pleasure to know tourists and locals will be reading our publications as they are transported around Wilton Manors and the Fort Lauderdale area.”

The rollout of the venture starts with two cars that will run in the evenings. By June 1st, they will add a day car, with the intention to add cars as demand grows to service the areas.
As it stands now, the Hopper will shuttle people between the bars on the drive and outer bars, such as Boardwalk and Monkey Business on Andrews Ave, Mona’s on Flagler, all the way to Cosmo’s on East Oakland Park Blvd.

In the future, the Hopper will also service all the Gay Guesthouses in the area.

Jeff Stirling, President of Stirling Tax, said Tuesday, “I am so excited to be working with Multimedia Platforms on the venture. When the Green Hopper closed, it left a void for a free shuttle service in the area. We are very excited to help local small businesses flourish.

Most businesses here in Fort Lauderdale are small and we need to attract locals and visitors to all we have to offer and help the area thrive.”
Kevin Hopper, Publisher of Mark Magazine and the Florida Agenda (and no relation to the machine!), said, “As the Drive continues to grow, so does a need for convenient transportation. I’m excited the Hopper is filling that void.”

Mark Haines, founder of Mark’s List, said Tuesday, “This is an innovative way to reach locals and travellers while they are out in Wilton Manors. Mark’s List is working on an initiative that will allow Droid and iPhone users to access the site for instant updates and specials using QR Codes that will be made available to Hopper riders. This new feature of the site will make use of the information on Mark’s List in a dynamic way and build business along Wilton Drive.”

We Love a Parade (And a Good Alphabet Soup, Too!)

By Cliff Dunn

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) is gearing up for “Unleashed,” this year’s theme for the group’s 2011 annual convention being held in Fort Lauderdale May 10 – 15. Organizers of the event are expecting over 800 delegates from 84 countries in attendance. In honor of the happenings, the Rainbow Business Coalition (RBC) of Greater Fort Lauderdale is hosting The March of Nations parade on Friday, May 13, to be held on Wilton Drive. The cavalcade will include convention delegates and their national flags, and culminate in a concert with headliner entertainment at Hagen Park (next to the gayborhood’s city hall). IGLTA’s convention – its 28th annual – will focus on internet marketing, particularly social media (have you heard about Facebook?), and new travel technologies. RBC chair Reece Darham said at a recent meeting of the business and community association that the convention and March will “further cement Greater Fort Lauderdale’s place as the second most popular gay travel destination – clearly.”

Re/Max (Redux)
Pity the building maintenance people at Keller Williams Realty in Fort Lauderdale: no sooner had the paint with Rick Gibson’s name dried on the front door that the local real estate magnate announced he was heading back to his old digs (sort of). Gibson, who recently received The Bestie community award as the area’s “Best Realtor,” worked for six years at Re/Max Partners, which closed its doors earlier this year. The new Re/Max franchise, Re/Max Preferred, has also recruited local realty mavens Henri Vezie and Frank Vigliotti (known professionally as the Henri Frank Team), who reportedly represented over 60% of the listings for their previous home, the venerable Castelli Real Estate Services. The new Re/Max amalgam is planning a dedicated office on Wilton Drive.

It Isn’t Easy Being Green (Ribbet)
The Green Hopper, the local shuttle service which ferried locals and tourists to (some) Wilton Manors venues, ended operations last month after just over two years of mostly – in the words of Blanche DuBois – “relying on the kindness of strangers.” [Because of local ordinances governing the regulation of taxis, the business couldn’t charge standard cab fares, relying instead on tips and voluntary remittances from its patrons.] While owner Alan Carter attempted to sell the business locally, ultimately it was purchased by a couple from Sarasota, where it will make its new home. Enter “The Hopper,” a new joint venture between Wilton Manors-based Sterling Accounting Services and Multimedia Platforms, LLC (publishers of The Florida Agenda and Mark Magazine, and an operating partner in JumpOnMarksList.com). The new operation will provide service to the cities of Wilton Manors and Oakland Park initially. The former Green Hopper, while a convenience to many area residents and tourists for both shopping and nightlife travel, was known to be selectively curmudgeonly, often opting to not service bars and venues that didn’t partner for advertising opportunities. (And in the interest of full disclosure, there is no indication or evidence to suggest that either entity bears any but the most superficial relationship to Agenda and Mark publisher Kevin Hopper.)

Credit Union; Where Credit Is Due
In a follow up to the December 20, 2010, benefit held in his honor at Johnny’s Club, Bar & Lounge, Father Bill Collins has a new ride, and he has City County Credit Union (CCCU) to thank in large measure.

The founder of the Poverello Center Food Bank had been without wheels since an accident last year resulted in the loss of his vehicle. Enter Sean David and A.J. Cross of Johnny’s, who hosted the fundraiser late last year. Still, the money netted from the event wasn’t enough to cover the sticker price. Gary Yamnitz, branch manager of CCCU’s Wilton Manors office, contacted Cross and a plan was set in motion, which resulted in the credit union ponying up to pay for the difference. CCCU VP Jennifer Burns and CEO Lloyd Gill also did their parts as angels-in-waiting, with the result being the good padre no longer needs to cab it: he is the proud new owner of a 2009 Toyota Camry. Open for Business loves a happy ending.

If you’re “Open for Business”, you can contact Business Writer and Director of Sales, Cliff Dunn, with your story or press release at Business@FloridaAgenda.com

FORT LAUDERDALE – Part of the charm and uniqueness of Wilton Drive has packed up and moved to Sarasota, Florida. The Green Hopper, which has been a fixture on Wilton Drive for the last two years, has officially closed their doors, sold, packed up and hopped over to the west coast.

Since its beginning in February 2009, the Green Hopper would regularly be seen at Earth Days, the city’s canoe races, AIDS fundraisers, pride parades and festivals, and many other events. During many large-scale events on Wilton Drive, the Green Hopper donated their services, supplying a shuttle service between outlying parking facilities and The Drive. They were credited with helping to ease some of the parking congestion along Wilton Drive.

The Green Hopper was created by Alan Carter who purchased four, six passenger GEM electric vehicles manufactured by Chrysler at a cost of $22,000 each. “I’m so very happy to have had the experience of doing it,” said Carter. “I wouldn’t have missed if for anything.

I may have lost a little money but I gained so much more.”

The large concrete frog and 1950′s glider- bench has been donated to the Wilton Manors Historical Society and will be placed in one of the city’s public parks.