Key West's Billion-Dollar Tourist Empire Is Emptying Out — And Nobody Can Save It

Key West's Billion-Dollar Tourist Empire Is Emptying Out — And Nobody Can Save It Key West's tourism economy generates billions of dollars a year, yet its own workforce can no longer afford to live there — and the island's cruise ship arrivals are now falling every single month. This video breaks down how a 1992 state law capping new home construction for hurricane evacuation collided with a housing market flooded by short-term rentals and investors, why restaurants are closing not from lack of customers but from lack of staff, and how Florida's legislature overturned Key West's own voter-approved cruise ship restrictions after major campaign donations. We also cover the catastrophic 2023 marine heat wave that functionally wiped out the reef protecting the island, and the billion-dollar sea level rise bill threatening the single road, pipeline, and power line the entire island chain depends on. If you're into economics, climate risk, and untold stories behind America's most famous tourist destinations, this one is worth watching.