It's June In Florida

"You can get wood. You can get brick. You can get stucco. Boy, can you get stucco."

- Groucho Marx

In the Florida land boom of the '20s, promoter Carl G. Fisher hired a huge, lighted billboard in Times Square in New York. It advertised that "It's June in Miami," a claim that was fraudulent 11/12ths of the year. In June, it was just too bad.

South Florida is entering its fourth year of a property slump. Places sell for about half of what they brought three years ago. The retail building across the street is half empty. Signs are everywhere: "Office for rent." "Ocean front lot for sale." "Commercial space available." Here in Delray Beach, the sun is shining. The grass is growing. Waves caress the shore. But our hotel is nearly empty. Many restaurants on Atlantic Avenue are closed. The streets are so quiet the city seems like a ghost town. Then again, it's so hot and sweaty, even the ghosts wilt. (more)