There was a lot of discussion about establishing an Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce similar to the one we had for approximately 50 years which included the Welcome Center at the corner of SR29 / US41 in Carnestown.

As you know, after Hurricane Irma, our Welcome Center was closed and deemed uninhabitable by Big Cypress who owns the property and the building. The Chamber did not have the funds to repair the building; and eventually, the Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce was dissolved. To fill the void of welcoming visitors to our area, the Everglades Society for Historic Preservation (ESHP) opened a new Visitor Center in the Glades Building in 2021.

Since then ESHP has welcomed thousands of tourists from around the world. It is important to have a place in town for our visitors to come in and talk to locals who can provide them with the information they are seeking.

A Chamber doesn’t have to operate a Welcome Center (our historical society is doing that and will be even more visible once the Bank Building is renovated). So, why do we need a Chamber of Commerce here?

It is really up to the business owners, but I think (based on my experience as a Chamber Board member 20 years ago) that our area businesses would benefit from re-establishing an Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce. I believe there is a great opportunity to partner with the Immokalee Eastern Chamber of Commerce. There will be another meeting in July to discuss this further. If you are interested in coming, email me at snookcity@gmail.com and I will notify you of the date and time.

We will also pass out flyers around town and announce on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ESHP.org