Subject:
Title
Tourism Promotion Agreement with Good Sweat Foundation Inc, for a Fiscal Year 2026 Elite Event.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the Tourism Promotion Agreement with Good Sweat Foundation Inc (Foundation) for the St. Pete Run Fest, a Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Elite Event.
• Agreement with the Foundation for $65,000.00 supports the St. Pete Run Fest.
• Funding is allocated between sponsorship benefits, and marketing and advertising expenditures and is paid post event:
o $32,500.00 for sponsorship benefits.
o Up to the sum of $32,500.00 for pre-event marketing and advertising expenditures.
• FY26 Elite Event funding was recommended by the Tourist Development Council on June 25, 2025, and approved by the Board of County Commissioners (Board) on July 22, 2025.
• As determined, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) will leverage the use of available data sources to substantiate attendance and estimate economic impact and total room nights for Elite Events.
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Strategic Priorities:
Prosperity and Opportunity
3.2 Provide and promote tourism opportunities
Summary:
The Tourism Promotion Agreement is for St. Pete Run Fest, which is scheduled to be held November 14-16, 2025, in St. Petersburg. Funding is paid on a post event basis upon receipt of a report and other supporting documentation.
Background/Explanation:
On July 22, 2025, the Board approved 49 events for the FY26 Elite Event Funding Program (Elite Program) for a maximum (or “up to”) total funding amount of $2,685,000.00.
This is the fourth year St. Pete Run Fest has received Elite Program funding. According the CVB’s research firm, the ROI analysis from the FY24 event resulted in a direct economic impact of over $1.8 million to the County. This year, the CVB will leverage the use of Street Level One LLC and Placer.ai market intelligence data, Destinations International’s Event Impact Calculator, zip codes and ticket data to substantiate the applicants attendance and to estimate economic impact and total room nights, which play an important role in the evaluation of this event for future funding purposes.
Funding for the FY26 St. Pete Run Fest is allocated between sponsorship benefits, and pre-event marketing and advertising expenditures which are detailed in Exhibits A and B of the agreement. Funding is paid on a post event basis upon receipt of a report and other supporting documentation.
Fiscal Impact:
$65,000.00 Total Cost
Funding to support the Elite Event Funding Program is included in the CVB’s Annual Operating Budget. The source of funding is the Tourist Development Tax Fund.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this Tourism Promotion Agreement is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Brian Lowack, Director, Convention and Visitors Bureau
Partners:
Tourist Development Council
Attachments:
Tourism Promotion Agreement