The Linx Comes To Normandy Island, Dog Bar to Host Seminar, White Party 2002 Meets Its Goal, Porto Vita Hosts Benefit for Humane Society, Roney Palace Wins Top Advertising Awards

New Business:

*Marco Giancola, a realtor with Majestic Properties, announced that the Lofts at Linx will be developed on Normandy Island.  “All of the units have two bedrooms and two baths and are overlooking the fairway at the Normandy Shores Golf Course,” said a press statement from Majestic Properties.  “Each unit is two stories high with 18 foot ceilings and entire walls of glass.”

Giancola said that the timing is right for this kind of low-density project within walking distance to the beach and the ‘village center’ of Normandy Island.  Linx will feature a rooftop spa with gardens and all units include garage parking, Italian model kitchens and baths.  Pre-construction prices start at $240,000 and ground breaking is scheduled for mid-January 2003.

Business News: 

*The Larkspur, Colorado-based Tallgrass Animal Energy Work is offering a two-day Small Animal Acupressure Clinic on Saturday and Sunday, February 22 and 23 at the Dog Bar at 723 Lincoln Lane, Miami Beach.  “Acupressure offers your animals optimal health and can help resolve physical and psychological canine and feline issues,” states a Dog Bar release.

Participants will learn the “basic protocol” for acupressure treatment.  The cost for the two day course is $275 with proceeds donated to the Broward County Humane Society.  For more information call 305-681-3033.

The Music, Miami, White Party 2002 week of fundraising events raised an estimated $1 million dollars (gross) for Care Resource, South Florida’s main source for HIV/AIDS services.  The not-for-profit organization says revenue goals were only slightly short of projections due to the weakened economy.

Care Resource’s extended 2002 national and international advertising presence not only proved beneficial for this years record breaking numbers, but will certainly carry over to the 2003 week of festivities, currently in its planning stages.

Early estimates on ticket sales reveal that 11,000 guests attended White Party 2002 events, approximately 2,000 revelers attended the 18^th annual White Party at Vizcaya, Muscle Beach drew over 4,000 participants and White Dreams at the Miami Seaquarium attracted more than 3,000 partygoers - who despite the frigid temperature danced under the stars to the sensational sounds of DJ Tracy Young & DJ Brett Henrichsen.

This year's White Party events included the highest number of parties (28 in all) in its 18- year history.  Through the support of the community and volunteers, Care Resource is able to use 86% of each dollar raised for prevention, education, care and treatment programs, research and support for the community affected by HIV/AIDS.

* Don Soffer and Family, along with Ted and Jeanette Fine, have been successful once more in raising funds for the Humane Society of Greater Miami via a unique holiday shopping event at Porto Vita Villa Grande Club in Aventura. Over 300 animal lovers and shopping buffs attended to “shop for a cause,” raising $20,000 to support the Society’s lifesaving mission on behalf of the community’s pets.

The Fines enlisted the help of Jason Barr, Marco Mariano and Floyd Raglin of Drama Sports Marketing who orchestrated a guest appearance by Ricky Williams, star running back for the Miami Dolphins and avid animal lover. Williams, considered one of the best running backs in the National Football League, attended the event from 6 p.m. and spent nearly two hours signing autographs and posing for photos. He was pleased to support the cause and even did some holiday shopping.

Friends of the Human Society and Porto Vita enjoyed a special 10% discount on all holiday gift items for sale and 10% of all vendor sales went to the Society. Participating vendors included Anika, Caroline’s Designs, Biscuits and Bones Boutique, Chopard, Kron Chocolatier, Lakeview Drive Baby, Marc Tetro, Only Gifts and Wrap, Pratesi, Southern Book Services, Roses by Karla and These Foolish Things.

The event was hosted at the spectacular Porto Vita Grande Club. Brooke Soffer, Humane Society board member, initiated the event and family members Carol Soffer, Don Soffer and Jeff Soffer attended.

The Humane Society of Greater Miami is dedicated to creating a humane community in which all cats and dogs have homes with responsible, committed and loving caregivers. The Society is focused on ending the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets by providing the public with quality adoption services, low-cost spay/neuter services and extensive human education programming for citizens of all ages. The Humane Society of Greater Miami is a non-profit organization, funded solely by private donations, bequests and fundraising activities. For more information call 305-696-0800 ext. 121 or visit www.humanesocietymiami.org.

Congrats:

*The Roney Palace Beach Resort figures prominently this month in the national advertising spotlight with three top creative awards and an upcoming “cameo” appearance in Priceline.com’s newest television commercial.

 New York City-based Gotham Advertising will film a series of commercials at the Roney for the well-known “name your price” travel service’s new national television campaign, set to begin airing in January. Since its founding in 1998, Priceline.com has sold many millions of hotel room nights through its Internet site.

 The Roney Palace Beach Resort was selected as a backdrop for the television commercial after one of Priceline.com’s executives fell in love with the hotel while on business in Miami Beach.  Florida is one of the Internet travel site’s most requested destinations.

In other advertising-related news, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International announced that it has awarded three 2002 Adrian Awards for the Roney Palace Beach Resort’s “The Legend Lives On” print and television advertising campaign. The competition attracted more than 1,500 entries from 40 countries.

 Orlando-based advertising agency Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, which created the campaign, will join the Roney Palace next month in New York City to receive the award, which is considered the “Oscars” of the travel advertising business. The agency received a Silver Award for its Roney Palace Advertising Series; a Bronze Award for the hotel’s television commercial; and a Bronze Award for the complete campaign.

 “We couldn’t be more pleased by this recognition,” said Tim Paulus, Director of Sales and Marketing for Roney Palace Beach Resort. “Our goal with this campaign was to drive in-state business during the summer months, and as a result of its wonderful creative approach, we had record bookings.”

 Following a $25 million-plus makeover, the Roney Palace Beach Resort now takes its place among the finest resorts in South Florida. Its guest rooms and suites are among the most spacious on Miami Beach – ranging in size from 660 to 1,660-square-feet – and feature top-of-the-line European furnishings and walk-in closets.

Occupying 600 feet of oceanfront at Collins Avenue at 23^rd street, the 17-story Roney Palace Beach Resort has recently completed a $25 million makeover. 

For more information call 305-604-1000, or, visit the website at www.roney-palace.com.

To submit information to Business Briefs, email tony@miamisunpost.com or fax to 305-538-6077.

  Business Focus

Tae Kwon Do Master Builds Character in North Beach

“The structure and discipline children receive here will allow them to be whoever or whatever they want to be.” --Sang Koo Kang

By Mitchell Pellecchia
Contributing Writer

Walking into Master Sang Koo Kang’s Tae Kwon Do School at 7128 Collins Avenue in North Beach, your gaze is drawn to the left where silver and gold trophies six inches to three feet in height are massed from floor to ceiling. They belong to Master Sang, a seven-time champion in the Sunshine State Tae Kwon Do Competition.

Apart from some chairs scattered about the entrance, the rest of the spacious studio is a sprawling matted space enclosed on one side by ten-foot high mirrors. On the opposite wall a giant, somewhat surreal mural depicting a mountainscape creates a tranquil, meditative mood.

Master Sang Koo Kang, 35, hails from Seoul, Korea. He came to the United States in 1983 at age 16. After graduating from Miami Beach High, he went on to become a field goal kicker for the Florida State University Seminoles. Since 1990, Master Sang Koo Kang has been teaching the art of Tae Kwon Do at his Collins Avenue location. He has been featured on the cover of Black Belt Magazine and has mentored a countless number of local children, adults, politicians, athletes and movie stars in the practice of this ancient martial art. At one time, Sang had a Saudi Prince, his Princess and their bodyguards all training at his studio.

“My students come from all over. They come to study Tae Kwon Do to help them achieve whatever they want to in life. In life, just like in Tae Kwon Do, if you work hard and consistently and follow through you will succeed,” says Sang sitting in his office chair, a look of stoic determination on his face, his steely arms and the disciplined movements of his hands complimenting his discourse. 

Sang had a few minutes to talk before getting back to the business of shooting more demo footage for Hollywood movie producers searching for fighters with his high caliber skill set. Expert fighters and stuntmen like Sang are in big demand amidst the rapidly growing popularity of American made martial arts films in the States and abroad. His most recent stunt work was with Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 2.

Sang commented on the westernization of martial arts movies in America: “Entertaining is totally different from martial arts. When I was growing up in Korea it wasn’t about fun or playing or about joking or being funny. It was serious. I grew up watching Bruce Lee,” says Sang.

One need only watch a few minutes of any fight sequence in Enter the Dragon to realize there was nothing funny about Lee’s relentless ass-kicking technique, humorous maybe only in the ease with which he was virtually invincible. 

“Americans want to feel comfortable watching martial arts movies. American movie audiences like to laugh,” said Sang, crediting the popularity of Jackie Chan. “The laughs help Americans feel better about watching the fight.”

Sang allowed that the cool robes, colored belts, comfortable surroundings, mats and mirrors are big factors in attracting Americans to martial arts training. “It’s all about comfort for Americans,” he said.

“Most Americans cannot easily deal with the strict rule of the art, so we change some things to accommodate people’s feelings. Where I come from I did not study in nice classrooms and in neat clothes. It was about discipline and respect. You had a teacher, you did what the teacher said and you worked hard at it. It really didn’t matter where you were or what you wore. It’s a lot like Chinese food. It’s not prepared the same way in America as it is in China. It’s different,” said Sang.

According to Sang, the true essence of Tae Kwon Do cannot be smelled, tasted, touched or heard. Tae Kwon Do is an experience. The English translation of Tae Kwon Do is the art of kicking and punching. “Tae” means to kick, “Kwon” means to punch and “Do” means art. To Sang these definitions are superficial. He sees Tae Kwon Do, more as a means of attaining self-knowledge.

“Tae Kwon Do isn’t something you just pick up for a couple of years. It’s a way of life. It changes people’s lives. Anyone after just one class with me will not only feel the physical exhilaration of the experience, but will walk out that door looking at all things differently… better. Just one class and you will see how it will change your mental attitude,” Sang said pointing dynamically towards his eyes, then resting his fingertips on his temples. He glanced down contemplatively toward the desktop and one sensed the serenity of his aura.

Master Sang is a strong believer in Tae Kwon Do as promoting discipline in youth. “The structure and discipline children receive here will allow them to be whoever or whatever they want to be,” said Sang. He also believes it is a great way for kids to defend themselves in threatening situations. “Young kids can avoid a lot of trouble by knowing Tae Kwon Do,” he said.

Recently, Sang did a segment for WSVN 7 called “Tiny and Tough” exhibiting how Tae Kwon Do is effective for children in defending themselves against a possible abduction.

“Ninety-nine percent of the kids that start with me stay with me. I teach a lot of their parents too,” said Sang.

Sang has many young adult students who have with him for over ten years now. Many make what Sang refers to as the STORM Team, short for Student of Role Model Team. After fulfilling Storm Team requirements, many go on to become instructors for Sang.

Asked if he has many students whose goal in mastering Tae Kwon Do is to become better street fighters, Sang answered softly, “Oh, yes.”

Master Sang’s Tae Kwon Do School is located at 7128 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach. For information, call 305-861-7166.