In recent weeks, tourism businesses got long-awaited relief: money from the agency administering BP's $20 billion
compensation fund to cover financial losses caused by the spill.
More than 68,000 Florida individuals and businesses have received $992 million so far, says the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
Nearly 20,000 businesses alone were paid $592 million.
At least half of 15 large hotels from Clearwater Beach to St. Pete Beach were paid compensation from the BP fund, says Keith Overton,
chief financial officer at the 800-room TradeWinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach. The company received $1.3 million, some of which
went to owners of condo hotel units managed by the TradeWinds.
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By Steve Huettel, Times Staff Writer