8/26: FL hospitality industry hires three legal firms

Press-Register: Florida's hospitality industry hires three legal firms to go after BP

The hospitality industry in Florida has hired three legal firms as it works to get compensation from BP PLC for revenue lost due to the Gulf oil spill. Industry officials say the claims process is too complicated for individual businesses to go through alone.

"As the BP claims process denied requests for emergency payments and/or paid merely pennies on the dollar in interim payments to our members, we realized we had to seek legal counsel now to protect our membership and the future of Florida’s tourism," Carol Dover, the association's president and CEO, said in a statement.

Also in the South:

GULF OIL SPILL: Investigator says BP isn't learning from disasters

ALABAMA: Mercedes-Benz factory helps 2,800 employees get fit

ARKANSAS: Home sales in state rise slightly

GEORGIA: Solar energy adoption lags in state

KENTUCKY: Jobless rates go down in 111 Kentucky counties

LOUISIANA: State to get $1.8 billion for schools lost during Hurricane Katrina

MISSISSIPPI: Experts say Mississippi oysters are safe to eat

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue to pay $30,000 fine for unreported private flights

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's real estate market is down 16% in July

TENNESSEE: State launches program to help businesses improve energy efficiency

VIRGINIA: Lobbyists spent $15 million on Virginia legislature this year

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