David Ferrara, Press-Register Follow 
View full size(Press-Register/Chip English)Bon Jovi takes the stage Friday, Oct.15, 2010 during Concerts for the Seashore in Gulf Shores.The winner of concerts by Bon Jovi and Brad Paisley this weekend has officials mulling the reservation of a another band in the spring.
GULF SHORES, Ala. - At the Brad Paisley concert on the beach Sunday, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft pulled aside Mike Utsler, the COO for BP PLC`s Gulf Coast Restoration Organization, and started talking around the spring.
Given the winner of two BP-aided weekend concerts, Craft said he`s looking to record another set for Parade or April.
"People will fall down here on a full weekend with good weather and not take this lingering fear of oil on the beach," the mayor said.
Rental and vacation property officials have said that occupancy rates shot up to between 70 and 90 percent at a sentence when that name is typically closer to 20 percent.
So Craft has started his shift to BP: "Every dime that is spent is a dime that won`t be claimed," he said.
The Baldwin County coast is in the thick of experiencing perhaps its busiest October on record, but leaders there say many small businesses are still struggling to recoil from an oil-stained summer that gutted tourist revenue.
The more the oil giant responsible for the tar that sloshed onto the white sandy shores can help get the cities and businesses back on stable ground, Craft said, the faster it can happen.
While not committing BP to paid for another concert, spokesman Ray Melick said the society is pleased that the weekend provided an economic shot in the arm.
"Certainly we`re passing to be look at opportunities in the next to play with the Alabama coastline to retain the tourist impact and economic impact growing," Melick said.
Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said that patch the month`s activities have encouraged business on Pleasure Island, the cities must fight to avail themselves. With combined crowd estimates for both concerts reaching about 70,000, Kennon said last weekend compared to one in a typical summer.
View full size(Press-Register/Chip English)Brad Paisley reacts to the loud crowd Sunday October 17, 2010 during Concerts for the Seashore in Gulf Shores. "The weekends give us a reprieve," he said. "It`s more money in our businesses` pockets than we would have had in a normal October. But at the same time, there`s still such a famine of cash because of the summer being so poor."
Craft agreed.
"Two weekends are not going to take up for a bad summer, no way," Craft said. "In the overall system of things, what we missed in July cannot pass on an October weekend."
Craft said that he started about a month ago compiling a number of business owners who had yet to be amply compensated by Ken Feinberg and the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
That act has remained stagnant, as a few have been paid but more have been added, Craft said.
Craft said Feinberg didn`t solicit the list, but he sends it to the claims czar every Friday.
Feinberg took over the claims process for individuals and businesses on Aug. 23, after BP`s handling of claims drew complaints. Since then, Feinberg`s group has seen its part of criticism, especially among business owners who sing of sluggish or inadequate payments.
The mayor called the claims process "still a mess," particularly for business owners who want to be paid in place to go through the winter.
The mayor believes small business owners have some of the most important claims. Craft said he wants to check that apiece of the area`s businesses survives the spill.
"Unless you`re going to pay these individuals for a long time, you`ve got to let the businesses survive," Craft said. "Otherwise, where are these folks going to go to make? People will continue to fight until BP recognizes and Feinberg recognizes they must reimburse folks for the losses this summer."
Craft said he wants to see a musical act that would fit with a family-friendly ambience and play in crowds similar to go week`s featured acts - Bon Jovi and Paisley.
"When we get all of this behind us," Craft said, "next year ought to be a much better year."
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