Subject:
Title
Fiscal Year 2025 Elite Event funding recommendations from the Tourist Development Council.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the Tourist Development Council’s (TDC) recommendation to fund 21 Elite Events through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Elite Event (Funding Program).
• Convention and Visitors Bureau staff evaluated, scored, and recommended to the TDC 21 Elite Events totaling up to funding in the amount of $1,600,000.00.
• TDC approved a combined total of up to $135,000.00 in additional funding to be allocated among the following 3 Elite Events, contingent upon the applicant meeting marketing requirements to receive the increased funding.
o St. Petersburg Powerboat Grand Prix - increase funding from $100,000.00 to $150,000.00.
o XInsurance Clearwater Offshore Nationals - increase funding from $75,000.00 to $135,000.00.
o St. Pete Bike Fest - increase funding from $50,000.00 to $75,000.00.
• Consistent with the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approval and Board Delegated Authority, the County Administrator or the Director of Administrative Services will execute Elite Event agreements, and they will appear as delegated items on the Board meeting agenda once final terms and marketing deliverables are agreed upon.
• In addition to the Elite Events, staff will administratively award Destination Enhancement funding to 18 Destination Enhancement Events totaling $265,000.00 in funding.
• Funding for these Elite Events and Destination Enhancement funding is included in the FY25 Proposed Budget in the Tourist Development Tax Fund. This item does not obligate the County before the adoption of the FY25 Budget.
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Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.6 Support a vibrant community with recreation, arts, and culture to attract residents and visitors
Deliver First-Class Services to the Public and our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
Summary
With Board approval, CVB staff will administer the FY25 Funding Program, which provides funding to qualified, high-profile and community events that meet the minimum criteria as set out in the Elite Event and Destination Enhancement Funding Program Guidelines (Guidelines). In addition to the funding, the CVB also provides events with value in-kind contributions that may include economic impact and visitor profile studies, an on-site truss, and more.
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Background Information:
Tourist Development Tax funds may be legally expended for an activity / event if that event has as one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists as evidenced by the promotion of the event to tourists, per Fla. Stat. 125.0104(5)(a)3. In enacting this authorization, Pinellas County’s Tourist Development Plan, Section 118-32 of the Pinellas County Code, authorizes the use of up to $2,000,000.00 annually for the marketing of special events and programs, which funding is governed by the Guidelines adopted by the Board on April 9, 2024. Those Guidelines include the following criteria:
Category 1: Elite Event that generates at least 50,000 unique attendees or over 15,000 room nights and is nationally broadcast.
Category 2: Elite Event that generates at least 15,000 attendees or over 4,500 room nights.
Category 3: Elite Event or Destination Enhancement Event that generates at least 10,000 attendees or over 3,000 room nights.
Category 4: Destination Enhancement Event that generates at least 7,500 attendees.
Category 5: New event to Pinellas County (considered Destination Enhancement Event).
On July 17, 2024, during the full regular TDC meeting, CVB staff presented their recommendation to fund 39 events in FY25 for a total of $1,865,000.00 in funding. Of the 51 applications received, 12 were deemed ineligible as they did not meet the minimum criteria for funding, and they were not new events.
TDC members discussed staff’s recommendations and unanimously approved 18 Elite Events totaling $1,375,000 and 18 Destination Enhancement Events totaling $265,000.00 in funding.
In a separate motion, that resulted in a 7 to 5 vote, the TDC approved for the following three Elite Events to receive a combined total of $135,000.00 in additional funding increasing the total funding for these events to $360,000.00. The additional funding was made contingent upon the applicant providing evidence that the event meets the required criteria to receive such funding under the Guidelines. The additional funding recommendations were:
1. St. Petersburg Powerboat Grand Prix - increase funding from $100,000.00 to $150,000.00.
2. XInsurance Clearwater Offshore Nationals - increase funding from $75,000.00 to $135,000.00.
3. St. Pete BikeFest - increase funding from $50,000.00 to $75,000.00.
Total Category 1 Elite Events: $735,000.00
Valspar Championship - $150,000.00
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding - $150,000.00
The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican - $150,000.00
St. Petersburg Powerboat Grand Prix - $150,000.00
XInsurance Clearwater Offshore Nationals - $135,000.00
Total Category 2 Elite Events: $975,000.00
St. Pete Pride - $75,000.00
16th Annual Sanding Ovations - $75,000.00
Reggae Rise Up Florida - $75,000.00
Dunedin Highland Games & Festival - $75,000.00
Reliaquest Bowl Clearwater Beach Day - $75,000.00
Clearwater Jazz Holiday - $75,000.00
The Pier 60 Sugar Sand festival - $75,000.00
Rise Up Concert Series - $75,000.00
St. Pete BikeFest - $75,000.00
32nd Annual Spring King of the Beach - $50,000.00
St. Pete Run Fest - $50,000.00
2025 John’s Pass Seafood Festival - $50,000.00
Festivals of Speed - $50,000.00
Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival - $50,000.00
2024 MLK Dream Big Parade - $50,000.00
Total Category 3 Elite Event: $25,000.00
31st Annual Fall King of the Beach
Total Category 3 Destination Enhancement Events: $175,000.00 ($25,000.00 per applicant)
Holiday Lights in the Gardens
St. Pete Tacos & Tequila Festival
SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival
St. Pete Bacon & BBQ Festival
OCC Invitational Bike Show
Tampa Bay Blues Festival
St. Pete Pier Bundle (includes 3 events)
Total Category 4 Destination Enhancement Events: $60,000.00 ($20,000.00 per applicant)
American Stage “Hair” the Musical in the Park 2025
Localtopia, “A Community Celebration of All Things Local”
NYE at the Pier
Total Category 5 New Events: $30,000.00 ($15,000.00 per applicant)
Rays Music Festival
St. Pete Pier Bundle (includes 5 events)
Fiscal Impact:
$1,735,000.00 Elite Events
$ 265,000.00 Destination Enhancement Events
$2,000,000.00 Total FY25 Program Funding
Funding to support the Elite Event and Destination Enhancement Funding Program is provided through the CVB’s Annual Operating Budget. The source of funding is the Tourist Development Tax Fund.
Staff Member Responsible:
Brian Lowack, Director, Convention and Visitors Bureau
Partners:
Tourist Development Council
Attachments:
Elite Event and Destination Enhancement Funding Program Guidelines