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Our annual year end poll is now available. Stop by and cast your vote: What’s the top Buffett News story from 2007?

The BuffettNews.com homepage has been updated with photos from the past year.

Every once in a while we do miss a story or two. Here’s an interesting story that Casey posted in her blog on PursueGoodStuff back in September of this year. Jimmy Buffett performed a show at the Sunset Saloon back on Sept 15th for the Surfers Healing organization (after helping out autistic kids surf that day in Montauk).

Later that evening, the volunteers, supporters and some families gathered at the local surfer hangout Sunset Saloon. And, as a special treat, a regular surfer at Ditch Plains Beach offered to sing a few tunes to thank the group for the day. This is where Jimmy Buffett comes in…yes, "the" Jimmy Buffett sat on a stool with a guitar, and a buddy played the bongos and congas, and he sang for the group. When he started to sing, my daughter put down her third fish taco and weaved her way through the small "crowd" and sat down on the floor in front of him. I crawled my way up to join her. She was mesmerized. After a few songs, Jimmy reached down for his drink and my daughter asked me (loudly), "Mama, what is that man drinking?" Jimmy laughed and good heartedly responded, "it’s not apple juice." Then we all laughed.

We sat there for a few more songs and then crawled back out to let someone else have the floor seats. We found our away around a deck that put us directly behind Jimmy and the drum player. On the way around, my daughter asked me if "that man would sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat for me." I thought it was so cute I shared the story with "Aunt Claire" while we stood on the deck listening and humming to our favorite Buffett songs.

As he got near the end of his "show" he talked a bit and asked if anyone had any requests. Claire, with my daughter in her arms, simply said, "she wants to hear Row, Row, Row Your Boat." So, with a few words about how "he never does this" and a promise from the group to join in the round…"that man" Jimmy Buffett sang to my daughter.

Casey posted the complete story in her blog on September 27th along with some pictures of her.

MAGGIE ESTES SPECIAL ON THE TIME AFTER ISLAND TIME SHOW
Produced by Paul Leslie & Jeff Pike

On this 105th episode of Time After Island Time we are proud to welcome fiddler Maggie Estes. Her love is the fiddle and she’s been playing since she was four years old (now seventeen). Her first musical passion was the violin, her shows also feature the mandolin and Irish step dancing. Maggie is a champion fiddler, writes songs, already has two albums and has recently been touring and recording with Coral Reefer Peter Mayer!

We are very honored to welcome the youngest guest in the history of our show, and a full hour of music featuring the violin, from the music of Louisiana, to gospel, and plenty of Maggie Estes fine fiddlin’ work. Bring in the New Year with Time After Island Time, tune in from anywhere in the world via Radio JimmyDreamz at http://www.radio.jimmydreamz.com

Monday 1 PM - December 31, 2007
Wednesday 9 AM - January 2, 2008
Thursday 4 PM - January 3, 2008
Saturday 8 PM - January 5, 2008
**All broadcasts are Eastern Time*

The Tallahassee Democrat reports: "Buffett ready to learn more about Seminole gambling deal"

Jimmy Buffett, the Florida troubadour, environmental activist, Parrothead-In-Chief and soon-to-be casino mogul, wants to know more about Gov. Charlie Crist’s gambling compact with the Florida Seminoles.

A lobbyist for the singer’s estimated $100 million a year restaurant, food and clothing empire recently requested a meeting with the governor’s chief of staff to discuss "the gaming issue," according to e-mails obtained in a public records request.

Jimmy Buffett’s Bama Breeze tour came in at number 17 on the list of the Top 20 Grossing Tours of 2007 with sales of $35.6 million according to Pollstar.

The scheduled opening date of the new Margaritaville Cafe in Panama City Beach, FL is February 15th. Read more about it and the Pier Park retail project at NARREIA.com. "Margaritaville will be a huge draw and will have a dining deck on the second floor terrace. Just imagine watching the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico."

There’s a CGI video of the Margaritaville in Panama City Beach, FL that gives you a look at the feel of the complex.

Updated: From the Walton Sun: "Pier Park management casts wide net for retailers"

In the same area, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, one of the anchors of the center, will provide great food and bar service, retail shopping and live entertainment “usually with no cover charge, unless it’s Jimmy,” general manager Mike Whitmer said. “This is the seventh domestic location for Margaritaville,” he said. He hopes to open in early March.

We heard from a source that Jimmy’s boat the Continental Drifter III was seen anchored in St. Barts on Christmas day. Jimmy celebrated the past two New Years Eves with a couple of small shows in St. Barts (articles from New Year’s eve 2006 and 2007 shows).

(Photo: Continental Drifter III in St Barts 12/25/07)

The Orlando Business Journal reports that Buffett plans to relocate his Margaritaville Enterprises LLC headquarters to Orlando: "Parrothead empire to roost in Orlando"

Jimmy Buffett may croon about wasting away in Margaritaville, but the reality is quite different. Buffett’s Margaritaville Enterprises LLC — which earns an estimated $100 million annually through music, restaurants, casinos, beer, tequila and clothing — recently signed a 10-year lease for 62,502 square feet of industrial space at Crownpointe Commerce Park.

Tom McFadden of Southern Commercial Real Estate Advisors, who represented the landlord, says the Buffett-owned company plans to use the space as its corporate headquarters. The company will build 12,000 to 15,000 square feet of office space and use the remaining space to store merchandise for Buffett’s Parrotthead empire.

If you crunch the numbers: 62,500 sq ft that Margaritaville is renting it comes out like this at 6.85 sq/ft/yr. = $428,125 year, $35,677 month rent!!! x 10 years: $4,281,250 deal.

From The Gainesville Sun: "New manatee license plate on sale" Florida’s new Save the Manatee license plate design was unveiled Thursday morning and residents should soon be able to buy one of the specialty tags online or at their local tax collector’s office.

The new plate design was done by Nancy Blauers, a Margaritaville Merchandising Senior Artist who designs "Margaritaville lifestyle" products for Margaritaville stores.

Dan Fogelberg, legendary songwriter and performer of classic songs like "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne" has recently passed away after battling prostate cancer. Fogelberg co-wrote Domino College with Buffett and the two were very good friends and fellow sailors. For more information check out http://www.danfogelberg.com

Dan Fogelberg, the singer and songwriter whose hits "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne" helped define the soft-rock era, died Sunday at his home in Maine after battling prostate cancer. He was 56. His death was announced Sunday in a statement by Anna Loynes of the Solters & Digney public relations agency, and was also posted on the singer’s Web site.

"One of my dearest friends is Jimmy Buffett. From his music, people have this perception that he’s up all the time, and, of course, he’s not. Jimmy has a serious side, too."

Jimmy Buffett and Mac McAnally did a special show at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC this past Sunday December 9th. There’s a video from part of the show at youtube (thanks to atom2385 for passing that along to us).

It was a special show for all the marines. He went to the hospital and visited the marines there too. He played all the favorites, Son of a Sailor, Volcano, Margaritaville, It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere, and many others. (thanks to FunkHouse9)[u:ad88f08688][/u:ad88f08688]