“Once Left For Dead, This Century-Old Florida Hotel Is Now One Of The South's Grandest Stays” By Susan B. Barnes for Southern Living

Inspired by what he saw happening in South Florida in the early-1900s, Pennsylvania businessman Aymer Vinoy Laughner, who wintered in St. Petersburg, had a vision of developing the area into a top tourist destination. He took a gamble in February 1925 when he sent invitations to his distinguished friends and colleagues, inviting them to celebrate the grand opening of his hotel on New Year’s Eve: ground had not yet broken on its construction.

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