Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: FY 2024-25 Tourist Development Council (TDC) Reimbursable Capital Facilities Grant Recommendation for the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation (CCLF) Phase 2 project for additional cottages on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
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Fiscal Impact:
FY 2024-25: $775,000 from the TDC Capital Facilities Fund 1443-293200.
Dept/Office:
Tourism Development Office
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested the Board of County Commissioners approve a $775,000 reimbursable capital facilities grant to the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation for their project for two (2) additional lightkeeper’s cottages. One is a historic cottage, and one is an interactive, immersive experience cottage.
Further, it is requested that the Board make the legislative finding that Tourist Development Tax funds are authorized for each grant pursuant to Section 125.0104(5)(a), Florida Statutes, and Section 102-119(3)c of the Brevard County Code of Ordinances, because each grant supports a venue which has as one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists as evidenced by the promotion of the venue to tourists from outside Brevard County.
Additionally, it requested that the Tourism Development Office Department Director be authorized to negotiate and sign all necessary grant agreements and related documents upon County Attorney Office, Risk Management, Purchasing Services approval and authorize the County Manager to execute all necessary Budget Change requests.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
The TDC Capital Facilities Committee voted 5-2 at their August 15, 2024 meeting and the Tourist Development Council voted 5-3 at their August 28, 2024 meeting to recommend the Board approve the $775,000 FY 2024-25 TDC Capital Facilities Grant Application from the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation as well as make the necessary legislative findings.
Additionally, the TDC Capital Facilities Committee voted unanimously 7-0 at their August 15, 2024 meeting to not recommend funding for the two (2) other Capital Facilities Grant applications this cycle. The two (2) applications not recommended for funding were the Melbourne Swim Foundation’s Palm Shores pool request of $3 million and the Titusville Playhouse’s expansion request of $7.5 million. The Tourist Development Council, at their August 28, 2024 meeting, did not change the Committee’s recommendation for these two (2) applications.
The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse capital project phase 2 will complete the reconstruction of the keepers' cottages to fully restore the Light Station to its historic footprint, not seen since 1966 when the Air Force destroyed the cottages originally built in the 1880s. Phase 1 (with a prior $500K TDC Capital Facilities Grant and State funding assistance) reconstructed the Head Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage in 2019 and provided public restrooms. This 2nd (and final) phase will reconstruct the 1st and 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keepers' Cottages on their original locations on the 4.19-acre Light Station. The Space Force granted CCLF a license to use the property surrounding the lighthouse to reconstruct the historic buildings. The buildings are owned and operated by CCLF. The 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage (Replica Cottage) will be two stories with 2,761 square feet and will give visitors the opportunity to step back in time to see how the early keepers and other inhabitants of the Cape lived. The 2nd Assistant Keeper's Cottage will be one story with 1,421 square feet and used as an experiential and learning center, with interactive and immersive exhibits and displays, aligning with growing tourism and museum trends to increase visitor engagement. Displays will include a 360-surround vision view from the top of the lighthouse of the nearby launch pads, Port Canaveral and KSC, a view that is no longer accessible to the public. They will also be able to assemble and disassemble models of the lighthouse to see how it is designed to be taken apart and rebuilt. This cottage will provide a venue for artifacts thousands of years old that the Space Force Archaeologist has had no means to allow the public to see for decades.
This Cape Canaveral Lighthouse cottages project must break ground within three (3) years from the date of Board award. Project completion may not exceed six (6) years from the date of Board award. It is the sole discretion of the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners to grant an extension due to extenuating circumstances. All other provisions of the approved FY 2024-25 TDC Capital Facilities Guidelines apply to this request for contractual purposes.
Descriptions of the two applications that were not recommended for funding are listed below.
The Swim Melbourne Foundation is making a $4.25 million investment in the construction of a state-of-the-art aquatic center in Brevard County. Swim Melbourne Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting a safe and active swimming lifestyle in Brevard County children by expanding the opportunities to participate in the sport of swimming. Today, swimmers in Brevard are underserved-with below average school swim programs, without an all-inclusive USA Swimming swim team, and without a sustainable lessons program. The Palm Shores Aquatic Center will provide the county with a sustainable, competitive, and fun environment for swimmers of all ages. Located in Palm Shores, the facility will include a 10-lane (25 Yard x 25 Meter) competition pool and a 3-lane (60 ft x 20 ft) teaching pool. The building will include a bathhouse, a viewing deck for swim meets and yoga programs, a small conference room, and an area for heating and cooling equipment to keep the competition pool at 80-82 degrees and the teaching pool at 86-88 degrees year-round. The competition pool will act as the training facility for the Swim Melbourne age group, masters and water polo teams and out-of-state college swim and water polo teams, host swim meets and special events, and provide open swim hours to the community, including organizations such as lifeguards and underprivileged children. The teaching pool will attract young families for swim lessons, host adult fitness, water aerobics, and rehabilitation programs. We project this new aquatic center will attract swim families from all over Florida and out-of-state (attendance numbers detailed in independent 3rd party REVPAR International). With Florida drowning rates on the rise (28% higher in 2022 than pre-COVID) and shortages in swim lessons and lifeguards, the Palm Shores Aquatic Center is a perfect project for the Space Coast today.
The Titusville Playhouse’s expansion project is a 59,000 square foot state of the art performance venue which will be part of an arts and entertainment campus in historic downtown Titusville. The current Titusville Playhouse facility expansion and infrastructure improvement project includes business operations with projected overall box office sales of approximately 56,500 tickets in year one of the new facility operations in performance and rentable spaces include:
1. New proscenium theatrical venue (550-seats)
2. Emma Parrish (existing historic venue)
3. Second Stage (existing outdoor venue)
These funds are put in place each fiscal year for future capital facilities projects approved by the TDC Capital Facilities Committee, the Tourist Development Council, and the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners. These capital projects are verified by the County Attorney's Office to be viable projects to receive support with Tourist Development Tax dollars per State Statute and local ordinance. Reimbursable grant awards with a minimum amount of $250,000 are available to support capital projects that benefit tourism on the Florida’s Space Coast. These capital projects are approved and supported through the Tourism Capital Facilities Plan and will serve as safe world-class attractions and facilities that are open to both tourists, visitors, and the community.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please return a memo of the Board’s action to the Tourism Development Office and CAO.