alabama

Vacation Rental Prices Cut By Half Along Alabama's Shore

As the oil washes ashore in the Gulf region more and more vacation rentals are getting some deep discounts. The Mobile Press-Register reports that some property managers are offering as much as 30 percent to 50 percent cuts at condominium units and beach houses. Cancellations have been rising and there has been a struggle to fill the properties. The article quotes David Bodenhamer, a partner in Young's Suncoast Vacation Rentals in Gulf Shores, who says he received $220,000 in cancellations in just three days and that they are running at less than a 50 percent occupancy. Even with new lower rates they still aren't getting enough takers as more and more people are opting to stay away from beachfront rentals.

As the picture above shows, Gulf Shore, Alabama is full of tall buildings positioned on the white sand beaches. Recent updates have waters closed at the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The beaches are open and visitors can walk on the beach but that isn't being recommended. The Alabama Department of Public Health has expanded the swimming advisory to gulf waters off Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, as well as bay waters immediately adjacent to Fort Morgan, in Bayou St. John, Terry Cove, Cotton Bayou or Old River. Beach raking machines are scouring the beaches. Small tarballs have also started to wash up on nearby Dauphin Island, another popular spot for beach rentals.

Can condo owners find relief from BP? Alabama's WAFF has a report on a woman who rents out her Gulf Shores condo. She filed a claim with BP for her losses and received a check. As the situation continues to worsen more condo owners who rely on vacation rentals in order to pay their mortgages may have to take similar action.

Tags: alabama, dauphin island, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, gulf oil spill, gulf shores

Gulf Resorts Offer Clean Beaches Guarantee

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

As the oil spill in the Gulf continues past day 40, the effects for the industries in Florida, Louisiana and other states are starting to mount up. Vacation resorts in Florida are getting proactive to reassure potential vacationers that they won't be seeing any oil slicks on the local beaches. As CNN reports many hotels are changing their cancellation policies and promising refunds in guests see oil on the beaches. The six properties operated by The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach has an oil-free beach guarantee and the company's Facebook page has an ad with the slogan "The only oil on our beach is suntan oil!"

In Alabama, oil-free beach guarantees have also slowed down the rate of cancellation. Royal Shell Vacations, the largest vacation rental company serving Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Florida, with more than 400 luxury homes and condominiums, has announced a provisional refund policy, the Royal Shell "Clean Beaches" Guarantee. Royal Shell Vacations will provide a proportionate refund to any rental clients should the City of Sanibel or Lee County authorities officially close either Sanibel or Captiva Islands beaches. Royal Shell Vacations will be providing daily or as-needed "Clean Beaches" updates on both its website and Facebook page.

In Louisiana the tourism outlook isn't so bright. The lure of traveling to Louisiana isn't relaxing on the beach, it's often activities like sportfishing. With oil washing ashore into Louisiana's marshes recreational fishing is at a standstill. Sadly, hotels are full, but with workers, journalists and others who are there because of the spill.

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Tags: alabama, BP oil disaster, bp oil spill, clean beaches guarantee, florida, gulf oil spill, Louisiana, oil spill louisiana, oil spills

7 Montagel, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

I can't believe I hadn't seen this one before, but luckily a reader pointed out this expensive Frenchified chateau in the Shoal Creek community in Birmingham, Alabama. This one is just huge, the main structure alone has around 40,000 square feet of space that includes twin master suites on the main level, separate independent apartments on the second level and a total of 15 bedrooms. This is the sort of home where whole wings are given over to certain pursuits. There is an office wing, a large theater, wine cellar, and a library with a mural ceiling. The home opens with a grand foyer topped with a mural set in the dome.

The 27-acre property also has two pool cabana suites, servant/guest quarters, a six-stall barn with apartment, indoor/outdoor riding arenas, and four pastures. The view from above on this one is just amazing. It is listed at $17.9 million.

[Thanks, Billy!]

Gallery: 7 Montagel

Tags: alabama, birmingham, estate of the day, shoal creek

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Richard Scrushy's Home Sold On Courthouse Steps

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Crimes and Misdemeanors

Back in October I wrote about the sell-off of the belongings of former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy and now his Vestavia, Alabama home has been auctioned off for the appraised value of $4.25 million. Scrushy has been ordered to pay nearly $2.9 billion to shareholders and his belongings are being divvied up in order to begin to help satisfy that ruling. Just how much money Scrushy has isn't clear but lawyers have been rounding up his many belongings and fighting Scrushy's legal team every step of the way.

HealthSouth shareholders had filed a lawsuit claiming Scrushy was involved in years of overstating the company's earnings and assets so that it looked like the company was meeting the Wall Street forecasts. He was acquitted in a federal criminal case over related charges and testified in the state civil case that he knew nothing about any fraud but is currently serving a sentence for a 2006 conviction in a separate state government bribery case. Scrushy's many belongings included a yacht, several homes and 19 cars which were sold at auction for a total of $850,000.

According to CBS 42, Scrushy's home was bought on behalf of HealthSouth shareholders by Wade Tucker, the original plaintiff from a 2002 lawsuit against Scrushy. There were no other bids on the home. The plan is to eventually sell the house to the public. It will get a makeover by being used as the Decorator's ShowHouse fundraiser for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. First they have to remove the remaining disputed belongings still claimed by Leslie Scrushy. The 18,000 square foot house, if it went up for sale on the open market, would be one of the most expensive homes in the area.

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Tags: alabama, healthsouth, richard scrushy, RichardScrushy

Mercedes-Benz Prepares to Move More Production to United States

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The lines distinguishing between foreign and domestic cars continue to blur, especially among luxury cars. Mercedes-Benz, for example, already assembles its M-Class, GL-Class and R-Class crossovers right here in the United States. And starting in 2014, a portion of assembly for the upcoming next-generation C-Class will move as well to MBUSI, the company's assembly plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Only one-fifth of overall C-Class production will shift to the United States, will the remaining portion will switch places with the SL-Class roadster between the company's domestic plants in Sindelfingen and Bremen. The move is expected to help Mercedes combat the effects of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, and also help it meet local demand in North America, where the C-Class is its most popular and hottest-selling product. The question remains, is a Benz made in America still a foreign car or are Mercedes becoming domestic products?

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Tags: 2014 mercedes c-class, 2014 mercedes-benz c-class, 2014Mercedes-benzC-class, 2014MercedesC-class, alabama, mbusi, mercedes, mercedes c-class, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c-class, Mercedes-benzC-class, MercedesC-class, tuscaloosa

Dolce Group Closes Ketchup Restaurant In Alabama

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Dolce Group, the restaurant group which boasts celebrity investors like Ashton Kutcher and Jamie Kennedy, has had many successes with its brands including Dolce, Geisha House and Bella. But the group has decided to close one of their many outlets, the Ketchup Restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama. Dolce Group continues to run Ketchup Restaurants in Los Angeles and Washington DC and its Dolce restaurant in Huntsville will stay open. Lonnie Moore, who is, along with former reality TV star, Mike "Boogie" Malin, one of the two main partners in the Dolce Group, said the competition for American dining on the Huntsville dining scene is "very fierce" and so the group decided to focus on their Italian restaurant Dolce, instead. Ketchup, which boasts a red-and-white retro-inspired design scheme serves pepped-up American fare.

Gallery: Restaurant Woes

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Tags: alabama, dolce group, DolceGroup, huntsville, huntsville alabama, HuntsvilleAlabama, ketchup, ketchup restaurant, KetchupRestaurant, lonnie moore, LonnieMoore

Gulf Shores Condo Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Auction company Sheldon Good is at it again, this time in Alabama selling off 35 condos in the San Carlos condominium project on the Gulf Coast. The condos are two and three bedroom units, 15 of which were priced to sell at nearly $850,000 and will have suggested opening bids of $200,000. The area is also in the GO Zone, which means the units are eligible for certain tax incentives designed to spur growth in the hurricane-devastated region. The building is a 20-story, high-rise building fronting the beach. It was built in 2006 and there are nine units per floor. The building includes a beachfront outdoor pool, fitness room with sauna and a banquet room.

The auction will take place Aug. 17 at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, Alabama at noon. Open houses are currently available Wednesday through Sunday in the afternoons.

[via Birmingham Business Journal]

Gallery: San Carlos Condo Auction

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Tags: alabama, auction, condo, condominium, gulf shores

Porsche Driving Experience For Women Only

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

If you ever have ever wanted to try out the Porsche Driving Experience but were perhaps intimidated by the thought of getting muscled out by the male participants in the driving school, you might want to clear out September 18 and 19 on your calendar. That's when the driving school is holding their Women Only event at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. The weekend includes classroom instruction as well as on-track sessions and off-road courses. And just because you like to drive fast doesn't mean you are not a girly girl. The weekend will also include a fashion show at the Ross Bridge Resort hotel and women drivers can also enjoy spa treatments, golf lessons and yoga and pilates classes.

[via Automobile Magazine]

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Tags: alabama, driving, porsche, racetrack, travel, vacation, women

Huntsville, Alabama, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

This unique art-filled contemporary estate isn't the latest Beverly HIlls creation, it's in Huntsville, Alabama. The home has an open floor plan with plenty of Honduran mahogany, African pear wood and glass. Offering privacy as well as luxury, the home sits top of a mountain and has plenty of large windows to capitalize on the views. There is an edgeless pool overlooking the mountain. The home has six bedrooms, a wine cellar, gym and a movie theater that is complete with a ticket window. Like the decor? Furnishing and some of the art are also available. It is listed at $14.4 million. After the jump, it gets artsy.

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Tags: alabama, esate of the day, huntsville, luxury real estate

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