Here's some rare and sorely needed good economic news. RV parks in coastal areas can expect flocks of snowbirds to stay longer, according to a freshly released survey.

Meanwhile, more Winter Texans are hanging out along the Gulf Coast, which is good news for grocers, restaurants and other businesses that benefit from such tourism.

If you're a snowbird reading this, where in Texas do you prefer to stay and why?

And here's an excerpt of the press release by Texas Campgrounds.com:

CROWLEY, Texas, Feb. 9, 2010 — An online survey by Texas Campgrounds.com has confirmed what many park operators are reporting: There are more snowbirds or ‘Winter Texans’ this winter than last winter, and they’re staying longer.

The survey found that 52 percent of Winter Texans plan to spend as much time wintering in Texas as they did last winter, while 35 percent plan to stay even longer. Only 13 percent of respondents were planning shorter stays, according to the online survey, which drew 1,250 responses in December and January.

“I was impressed with the fact that 87 percent of Winter Texans plan to spend as much time or longer wintering in Texas than last year,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of the Texas Association of Campground Owners, which markets campgrounds, RV parks and resorts through TexasCampgrounds.com and TexasCabinRentals.net.

“I think you can attribute a lot of those longer stays to some bounceback in the economy,” he said, adding that colder than normal weather in Texas and other areas across the Sunbelt hasn’t deterred retirees from coming to the Lone Star State because it’s a lot colder up north. “All temperatures being equal,” Schaeffer said, “50 is 50 and 5 is 5.”

But the survey also revealed that many Winter Texans are cutting back other expenses in an effort to spend the winter in Texas. In fact, 37 percent of respondents said they were cutting expenses because their income had been reduced, while 52 percent said their income was the same as it was last winter. Eleven percent of respondents said their income had increased.

The survey also produced some unexpected findings, namely, that only a fraction of Winter Texans spend the season in the Rio Grande Valley. According to the survey, 38 percent of Winter Texans spend the season in the Hill County, with another 38 percent staying in parks along the Gulf Coast. Only 24 percent of respondents said they spend the winter in the Rio Grande Valley.

“This survey pretty much shatters the stereotype of where people spend the winter in Texas,” Schaeffer said. “It also suggests that younger winter visitors are coming into Texas and they’re exploring other areas of the state.”

In fact, the survey found that only 26 percent of respondents planned to stay at one park for the whole season, with 74 percent of winter visitors planning to travel from one park to another throughout the winter season.

“This survey shows that ‘Winter Texans’ are much more mobile than they were in the past,” Schaeffer said. “This is a group that often travels and is increasingly spontaneous about where they go and how long they stay at each park.”

And while 47 percent of Winter Texans spend all of their time in Texas, 53 percent also visit other states at some point during the winter. Here’s a closer look at those numbers:

• 27 percent spend most of their time in Texas, but also travel to surrounding states.

• 26 percent spend some of their time in Texas and also travel to surrounding states.

With regard to the length of their winter stay in Texas, the survey produced the following statistics:

• 15 percent planned to stay three to four weeks;
• 40 percent planned to stay one to two months;
• 13 percent planned to stay three to four months;
• 25 percent planned to stay six months or longer.

Would you belly up to a bar called Ike’s?

A few weeks ago, I wrote in Biz Buzz that island resident John Turner had bought the former Bayview Marina, 21706 Burnet Drive in Sea Isle, out of foreclosure.

Now he's ready to start improvements on the 50 boat slips and amenities. He’s also mulling opening a bar at the marina and naming it "Ike’s."

Most people he’s spoken to are fine with the idea, he said. But others think the name evokes too many dark memories of a storm that sent surge through thousands of businesses and homes.

Turner said he figures naming his bar Ike’s is a way of thumbing his nose at the miserable storm.

“It’s not that I’m making little of the storm’s damage to people, because my house had to be completely gutted and redone too,” Turner said.

I told him I would pose the question to Buzz Blog readers. So, what do you think? Would a bar or other business named Ike's offend you?

Is there any meat to the talk that Ryan’s Grill, Buffet and Bakery, which operates a popular restaurant in Texas City, is planning to move into the island site left vacant in October by Luby’s Cafeteria? Or is it just a case of wishful rumoring?

An employee at the Texas City eatery said she’d heard the rumors, but couldn't confirm them and referred calls to corporate HQ. I put a call into Ryan’s corporate offices late Wednesday afternoon. Maybe we'll hear something before Tuesday's Biz Buzz.

Whether the rumor is true or not, I couldn’t help but think about what a prime spot — 61st Street and Central City Boulevard — the old Luby’s space is for a restaurant. I’m no real estate expert, but it has visibility, accessibility and lots of parking.

Would you like to see a Ryan’s in that spot? Or, if you could have your pick of any restaurant to fill the space, what would it be?

Before Ike the Terrible, one of my favorite north county restaurants was Portofino Ristorante Italiano in Clear Lake Shores. Alas, Ike did it in. But this month, Opus Bistro has opened in its place and to rave reviews by readers.

Those readers say the upscale eatery, 1002 Aspen Road, makes a mean red fish dish and an excellent steak and drinks are reasonably priced. I haven't been successful in reaching the owner. And I hear the eatery, which offers continental cuisine, is working on a Web site, but I couldn't find it to provide a link in this blog.

But I didn't want to leave for the weekend without letting everyone know it finally opened.

Ronnie Richards, project coordinator for Clear Lake Shores' Economic Development Corp., has this to say about the eatery: "In my opinion, Opus will be the most elegant and upscale eatery on this side of the lake."

I'll try to have more about in Biz Buzz next week. If you've been, please tell us about it.

The sign comes down at Fuddrucker's on Tuesday. Photo by Gerald Vimont.

Is no sign a bad sign for Fuddruckers? Downtown dweller Gerald Vimont sent this photo of the crews taking down the restaurant sign. He shot the photo at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The Fuddruckers franchise is the only eatery on the island owned by Landrys' Restaurant Inc. that has not returned after Hurricane Ike. Officials with Landry's corporate office did not respond to inquiries I made late Monday.

Stay tuned.

I still get a lot of questions about restaurants that haven’t returned since Hurricane Ike, and today there's buzz about two on the island.

Waterman Seafood Grill, a once popular West End eatery, is for sale.

An investment group that in August 2008 bought the restaurant at 14302 Stewart Road to complement a marina and condominium project has put it on the market. Here’s a Web site devoted to Waterman’s status.

I’ll have more details in tomorrow’s Biz Buzz.

Meanwhile, is a comeback in store for Fuddruckers in the island’s downtown? Readers report “light construction” activity at the restaurant, 111 23rd St.

A spokeswoman for Mitchell Historic Properties, which owns the building, referred calls to Landry’s Restaurants Inc., which owns the island Fuddruckers franchise.

Anyone following Biz Buzz and this blog knows I've been inquiring about Fuddruckers for months, to no avail.

Still, I put another call in late Monday to Landry's corporate offices.

Do you miss either or both of the restaurants?

NASA is all about outer space. But lately, it’s showing some love to Planet Earth.

NASA officials gathered Thursday for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on the first office building erected at Johnson Space Center in 17 years.

The three-story, 83,000-square-foot building is part of NASA’s efforts to make its campus more energy-efficient, officials say.

Satterfield & Pontikes Construction built the $25 million building that officials expect to meet Platinum LEED certification.

Some NASA employees will be moved to the building while crews upgrade and make energy-efficient improvements to other buildings on campus.

I’d love to tell you right now what energy-efficient amenities are part of “Office Building 20.” But we’ll have to wait until next week’s Biz Buzz.

Because of prior commitments, I couldn't make today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. And phone interviews weren't working. Satterfield & Pontikes must get approval from their client before releasing information, which, I'm learning, is a slow orbiting process.

Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, if anyone works out there and has seen the building, tell us what you think.