Fort Myers Beach business owners contend against SWFL waters

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. – It was a busy Fourth of July for some businesses on the beach while the owners of other businesses complained that the murky waters were ruining their profits.

Lee County is under a state of emergency for water conditions as releases from Lake Okeechobee drain dark water into the Gulf of Mexico. Some people say on top of the brownish color, the water has a bad odor.

But the water is safe to enter, according to the state health department, and some business owners say the are doing as well as ever.

“Yes, it was a great weekend. We did just as good as last year,” Jason Unger, the co-owner of the Doghouse, said.

Others are threatening to take action against the state government.

“They’re ruining my business and I wont stand for it,” Andrea Carriere, of the Silver Sands Resort, said. “People don’t show up and people start canceling because of this situation. It directly impacts me. It’s awful.”

Carriere said she wants to see a lawsuit filed against the state and companies she believes have a huge say in the direction of water flow from Lake Okeechobee.

The responses among vacation home realtors and hotel owners were similarly mixed.