Subject:
Title
Tourism Promotion Agreement with the City of Treasure Island 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 the City of Treasure Island for a Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Elite Event.
• Agreement with the City of Treasure Island for $75,000.00 supports Sanding Ovations, The Gallery of Sand.
• Funding is allocated between sponsorship benefits, and marketing and advertising expenditures and is paid post event:
o $22,500.00 for sponsorship benefits.
o Up to the sum of $52,500.00 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 Sanding Ovations, The Gallery of Sand, which is scheduled to be held on November 20-23, 2025, on Treasure Island Beach. Funding will be 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.
The County has supported Sanding Ovations through the Elite Program since FY19. In the past, the CVB used the services of its research firm to provide event data such as room nights, attendance, economic impact, etc. New this year, as determined, the CVB will leverage the use of Street Level One LLC and Placer.ai market intelligence data and other sources to substantiate Elite Event attendance and to estimate economic impact and total room nights, which play a role in the evaluation of an event for future funding.
Funding for Sanding Ovations is allocated between sponsorship benefits, and pre-event marketing and advertising expenditures which are detailed in Exhibits A and B. Funding is paid on a post event basis upon receipt of a report and other supporting documentation.
Fiscal Impact:
$75,000.00 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
City of Treasure Island
Attachments:
Tourism Promotion Agreement