Subject:
Title
Tourism Promotion Agreements with Advantage Village Academy, Inc. and Keep Saint Petersburg Local Corporation, for Fiscal Year 2020 Elite Events.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the Director of Purchasing of the Tourism Promotion Agreements with Advantage Village Academy, Inc. (AVA) and Keep Saint Petersburg Local Corporation (KSPL), for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Elite Events.
• Agreement with AVA for $25,000.00 is for the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Family Fun Day and Parade Celebration scheduled for January 20, 2020.
• Agreement with KSPL for $25,000.00 supports Localtopia scheduled for February 22, 2020.
• The Board approved a one-time emergency waiver to the Elite Event Funding Program Guidelines (Guidelines) for the MLK events.
• Each sponsorship requires tourism promotional benefits, as outlined in Exhibit A of each agreement.
• CVB’s research firm will provide consistent analysis across all Elite Events to validate the County’s return on investment.
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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
Summary:
The Tourism Promotion Agreements are sponsorships for the MLK Family Fun Day and Parade Celebration, and Localtopia scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg on January 20, 2020, and February 22, 2020, respectively.
Background/Explanation:
On August 20, 2019, the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approved the recommendations of the Tourist Development Council (TDC) to fund FY20 Elite Events for a maximum (or “up to”) total funding level of $750,000.00 and to allow staff to negotiate the terms and final funding amount of each agreement for increased tourism promotional benefits. In order to receive funding, these high-profile events must meet minimum criteria for room night generation, and/or attendance, as well as media and/or marketing exposure for the County.
On October 22, 2019, the Board approved a one-time emergency waiver to section IV, A and F of the Guidelines for the MLK events. The waiver allows Elite Event funds to be used for operational expenses and to be paid on a pre-event basis instead of a reimbursement.
At the request of the TDC, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) contracted with a research firm to obtain consistent and comparative research analysis on the impact of Elite Events to the County. Research findings from this study will provide important data including visitor volume, room nights, economic impact, and which FY20 Elite Event yielded the highest return on investment.
In exchange for this monetary support, the CVB will receive the tourism promotional benefits detailed in Exhibit A of each Agreement.
Fiscal Impact:
$25,000.00 MLK Family Fun Day and Parade Celebration
$25,000.00 Localtopia, “A community Celebration of All Things Local”
$50,000.00 Total Expenditure
Funding to support Elite Events is provided through the CVB’s Annual Operating Budget. The source of funding is the Tourist Development Tax.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Director of Purchasing to sign the Tourism Promotion Agreements is granted under Code Section 2-179 (a).
Staff Member Responsible:
Paul Sacco, Interim Director, Convention and Visitors Bureau
Partners:
Tourist Development Council
Attachments:
Tourism Promotion Agreements
MLK Family Fun Day and Parade Celebration
Localtopia, “A Community Celebration of All Things Local”