Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: Tourist Development Council FY 2024-2025 Marketing Support Program recommendations.
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Fiscal Impact:
FY 2024-2025: $905,000 - $665,000 from Cultural Fund 1446, $240,000 from Marketing Fund 1441.
Dept/Office:
Tourism Development Office
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested the Board of County Commissioners consider the following options and provide staff direction on the allocation of the FY 2024-2025 Marketing Support Program:
First Motion Requested:
Approve the Tourist Development Council’s recommendation to approve funding for the FY 2024-2025 Marketing Support Program applications listed, including events that already occurred in this grant cycle, on Attachment A.
Second Motion Requested:
Options:
1. Approve distribution of an additional $20,000 per district commissioner with the individual Commissioner’s request as listed below:
2. Approve a prorated distribution of the final $100,000 to the organizations listed on Attachment B.
3. Approve the use of the previous year’s criteria and guidelines for distributing the $100,000 to the organizations that did not qualify and, therefore, did not apply under the Marketing Support Program as listed on Attachment C.
Third Motion Requested:
Staff is also seeking direction on fundings as:
1. Retain the current method as marketing support provided by the Tourism Development Office.
2. Allow applicants to choose between marketing support provided by the Tourism Development Office or direct reimbursements for allowable expenses.
Further, based on the facts specified for each grant, by approving this agenda item, the Board will make the legislative findings the Tourist Development Tax funds are authorized for marketing support pursuant to section 125.0104(5)(a)3, Florida Statutes, and Section 102-119(3)a,(5)(6), of the Brevard County Code of Ordinances. Each of the tourist oriented cultural and sports events have as one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists and the entity and the Space Coast Office of Tourism both intend to ensure marketing and promotion of these events.
Additionally, request authority for the Director, Tourism Development Office to negotiate and sign all necessary notice of awards, agreements, budget change request and related documents to support the grants upon County Attorney and Risk Management approval. It is also requested to authorize the County Manager to execute necessary budget change requests.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
At the January 16 Marketing Support Program Workshop, direction was given to staff bring back an agenda item with options addressing the different perspectives of the Tourism Support Marketing Program.
The Marketing Support Program is designed to provide marketing support to events and year-round programming for eligible Cultural and Sports organizations. For qualified events or year-round programming, the Marketing Support Program will provide out-of-county advertising and marketing by the Tourism Development Office and/or defray the cost of renting event venues or facilities operated by Brevard County, or in the case of a sports event that does not require out-of-county advertising and marketing, a sponsorship will be available in the amount of the eligible funding. The program is reviewed by the Tourist Development Council and administered by the Tourism Development Office. The program promotes events and year-round programming to tourists to attend high quality cultural and/or sports events in order to generate significant economic impact through participant spending.
The Tourist Development Council at their October 23, 2024 meeting unanimously recommended the Board approve funding for the listed FY 2024-2025 Marketing Support Program applications, as well as make the necessary legislative findings for each grant listed above.
The FY 2024-2025 Marketing Support Program requires each application to reach the minimum of 5,001 out-of-county attendees measured by the TDO or 200 verified room nights. Forty-four (44) applications have been recommended for approval by the TDC. All of them met the minimum out-of-county attendees or room nights to qualify for eligibility for support in the program.
The funding tiers of the FY 2024-2025 Criteria, Section 6.0 Available Funds are as follows: applications that attract 5,001-10,000 out-of- county attendees (200-1,000 room nights) are eligible for up to $15,000; 10,001-25,000 out-of-county attendees (1,001-1,500 room nights) are eligible for up to $20,000; 25,001-50,000 out-of-county attendees (1,501+ room nights) are eligible for up to $25,000; and 50,001+ out-of-county attendees are eligible for up to $50,000. Total support requests for all approved applications for the FY 2024-2025 Marketing Support Program amount to $805,000.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please return a memo of the Board’s action to the Director, Tourism Development Office and County Attorney’s Office.