Subject:
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Recommendation from the Tourist Development Council to fund renovations to the Florida Holocaust Museum through the Capital Project Funding Program.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the recommendation from the Tourist Development Council to fund up-to $350,000.00 from the Capital Project Funding Program (CPFP) for renovations to the Florida Holocaust Museum (Holocaust Museum).
It is further recommended that staff be authorized to negotiate the terms and final funding amount for increased return on investment.
• The Holocaust Museum is one of three accredited museums of its kind in the U.S.
• This application was received on October 24, 2019, outside the established Fiscal Year 2019 CPFP application period and requires a waiver of the Guidelines as to the attendance and room night requirements.
• Improvements include a new lobby entrance to address security concerns and ADA access, as well as a separate entrance for school groups.
• CPFP reimbursements are paid after project completion.
• Next step: Board considers the negotiated funding agreement supported by marketing deliverables to ensure a 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:
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners’ (Board) review and approval is required to waive the Guidelines in order to move forward with funding the Florida Holocaust Museum project. With Board approval, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) will proceed to negotiate funding and marketing deliverables to ensure a return on investment for the County. The final negotiated agreement will be brought before the Board for consideration.
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Background Information:
This is one of the programs administered by the CVB on behalf of the County. On August 7, 2018, the Board approved revisions to the Guidelines for implementation during the FY19 funding cycle. The revisions included removal of a required feasibility study, revision of reimbursement to be at project completion, and additional details regarding the economic impact study.
On December 18, 2019, during a regular TDC meeting, the members reviewed the Museum’s application and the County consultant’s report. The TDC also received a presentation from the Holocaust Museum. Following discussion, the TDC approved a waiver of the CPFP Guidelines for room nights and attendance, and recommended the application move forward for Board approval.
The total estimated cost for this project is $1.8M. The project includes a new lobby entrance to address security concerns and ADA access, as well as a new entrance for school groups. To date, the Museum has received a $500K award from the State of Florida and the City of St. Petersburg passed a resolution to match the $350K being requested from the County. Additional project funding is anticipated to come from private donations.
Fiscal Impact:
Total not-to-exceed expenditure: $350,000.00
Funding to support the Capital Project Funding Program is provided through the Tourist Development Tax. Appropriation to support this expenditure was requested and supported by the Board as a decision package during budget development and is included in the FY20 Adopted Budget.
Staff Member Responsible:
Steve Hayes, Director, Convention and Visitors Bureau
Partners:
Tourist Development Council
City of St. Petersburg
Attachments:
2019-2020 Capital Projects Funding Application
Consultant’s Evaluation Report
CPFP Guidelines