Subject:
Title
Approval. Re: FY 2023-24 Sports Event Grant Guidelines, Application and Committee Score Sheet for Cycle 2 (April - September, 2024).
End
Fiscal Impact:
FY 2023-24: up to $118,375 for Cycle 2 Sports Grants, Marketing Fund #1441/293050.
Dept/Office:
Tourism Development Office
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested the Board of County Commissioners approve the Tourist Development Council FY 2023-24 Sport Events Grant Program Guidelines, Application and Committee Score Sheet for Cycle 2.
Further, request that the Board make the legislative finding that Tourist Development Tax funds are authorized for each grant pursuant to Section 125.0104(5)(a)3., Florida Statutes, and Section 102-119(3)a, (5)a, and (6)a. of the Brevard County Code of Ordinances, because each grant supports an activity or event which has as one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists as evidenced by the promotion of the activity, service, venue, or event to tourists from outside Brevard County.
Additionally, it requested that the Tourism Development Office Director be authorized to negotiate and sign all necessary grant agreements and related documents upon County Attorney Office, Risk Management and Purchasing Services approval.
End
Summary Explanation and Background:
The Sport Events Grant Program provides grants to sports-related organizations to support and enhance athletic events seeking financial assistance for events held on Florida’s Space Coast. The grants are administered by the Sports Committee of the Tourist Development Council. The goal of the grant program is to assist the County in attracting and growing high quality sporting events that generate significant economic impact through the attraction of out-of-county participants, related room nights and spending in the local economy. Reimbursement grants up to $20,000 are available to support events that benefit sports tourism on the Florida’s Space Coast. Qualifying grants are also subject to partial reimbursement to the TDO from the Florida Sports Foundation.
The Sports Committee at their March 28, 2023 meeting, and the Tourist Development Council at their April 26, 2023 meeting, voted unanimously to recommended the Board approve the FY 2023-24 Sports & Events Grant Guidelines, Application and Committee Score Sheet as well as make the necessary legislative findings. A summary of the revisions to the Guidelines are:
- Replacing the term “athletic” with “competitive and Esports” in Section 1.0;
- Replacing the term “sporting projects” with “competitive and Esports” and the term “positive” with “significant economic” in Section 6.0.
- Changing Funding Award amounts to $15 per room night up to a maximum award of $25,000 and changing the funding level increments in Section 6.0.
- Adding the phrase “Failure to comply with requirements set forth may result in forfeiture of funds” as a stipulation in Section 12.0.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please return a memo of the Board’s action to the Tourism Development Office and CAO.