Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: FY 2021-2022 New Sports Event Development Grant Program, Application and Committee Score Sheet.
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Fiscal Impact:
FY2021-2022: $50,000 for the grants to be awarded from this program is budgeted in the 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 2021-2022 New Sports Event Development Grant Program Guidelines, Application and Committee Score Sheet, as well as make the necessary legislative findings. By approving this action, the Board is making the legislative finding that tourist development tax funds are authorized for this grant program under section 125.0104(5)(a)(3), Florida statutes and section 102-119 (3)(a), and (5)(a) of the Brevard County Code.
Further, grant the Director, Tourism Development Office (TDO) authority to negotiate and sign all necessary grant agreements and related documents, upon County Attorney’s Office and Risk Management approval, to support grants for applications that receive future approval as the grant cycle commences for FY21-22.End
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Summary Explanation and Background:
The purpose of the New Sports Event Development Grant Program is to attract brand new sporting events to Brevard County or events which have not occurred in Brevard County within the last five (5) years. The program aims to attract and support sports-related organizations to enhance athletic events seeking financial assistance to be 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 in order to generate significant economic impact through participant spending. Reimbursement grants up to $50,000 are available to support events or bids that benefit Florida’s Space Coast.
The Board previously approved funding on April 7, 2021, for the New Sports Event Development Program for the FY 2021-2022 and upon receipt, applications shall come before the Board for final award funding approval as the grant application cycle commences, as well made the necessary legislative findings (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).
The Sports Committee at their August 4, 2021 meeting, and the Tourist Development Council at their August 25, 2021 meeting, recommended unanimously the Board approve the recommended FY 2021-2022 New Sports Event Development Grant Program Guidelines, Application and Score Sheet. The guidelines remain in alignment with the regular Sports Event Grant Program with minor exceptions due to the nature of the New Event Sports Development Grant Program requirements. A quick summary of those differences includes:
• Devoting $50,000 to secure brand new or returning events which have not been held in Brevard County within the past five (5) years;
• Forty percent (40%) of awarded funding must be spent on directly marketing the awarded event outside of Brevard County;
• The minimum number of room nights which must be produced by the event to qualify for this program shall be 1000 nights and/or have equivalent economic impact through attendance of athletes and/or spectators from outside of Brevard County.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please return a memo of the Board’s action to Tourism Development Office and CAO.