By Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore
This year, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners was challenged to determine how to spend additional tourism tax revenues.
While it is vital that the tourism economy is strong, it was challenging to determine an equitable way to spend new dollars. Plus, the Florida Legislature governs how the Tourism Development Tax (TDT) dollars can be allocated.
The tourism industry, our main industry in the region, advocates for sufficient multinational advertising and convention space. Non-profit organizations request more funding for the needy. And the county commissioners wanted more funding for transportation safety.
Well, after eight months of wrangling, the board agreed that the priority was to spend more on arts projects in outlying cities. Thus, the board added significant funding for TDT/ARC grants. I immediately called the mayors of Apopka and Ocoee and asked them to apply. I was already collaborating with Eatonville on a history museum.
Initially, three District 2 applications were submitted: one from the Orange Audubon for a birding “museum”, one for Eatonville’s History Museum, and one from the City of Apopka for the amphitheater expansion and baseball fields.
At first, I recommended Apopka only apply for an amphitheater expansion. I wanted to be sure all District 2 applicants received something. As fate would have it, Eatonville lost the competition for a museum to St. Augustine, and Orange Audubon made a disqualifying statement in their application. Apopka was in the clear to receive the entire amount requested for the amphitheater and new fields.
As you may have read from a city news release, Apopka received the highest score on their application for the amphitheater and sports fields expansion. The final decision will be up to the Board of County Commissioners. The board will consider how well applications meet grant criteria including: Tourist Attraction, Advertising Reach, Tourism Industry Collaboration, Quality, Longevity, Maintenance, Care & Stewardship, Design & Planning, Operational Readiness, Financial Readiness, Economic Benefit for Jobs & Wages, Attracting Employers, and Tax Revenues.
The funding matrix describes a perfect score for tourist attractions, such as hosting exceptional traveling visitor counts, having multi-hotel guaranteed room blocks, and lengthy stays. Generating extended periods of international coverage with a high positive impact is the top desire for increasing advertising reach. Long-term facilities must avoid “obsolescence and plans for care & maintenance.” For planning, the matrix discusses how a project may be shovel-ready. As for operational readiness, a top score needs to demonstrate strong, experienced leadership and guarantee project implementation. Financial readiness means a strong financial plan and budget. And finally, the host must drive sales tax growth.
The City of Apopka beat out the 4R Foundation, Orlando Science Center, Rollins Museum of Art, Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation, Orlando Family, Winter Garden Art Association, The Winter Park Playhouse, the Mennello Museum of American Art, and the Orlando Museum of Art in the preliminary round. This is a great accomplishment for the City of Apopka.
This victory is a good example of collaboration between Mayor Bryan Nelson, Parks Director Radley Williams, and me representing the county. All citizens and visitors will benefit from bigger and better acts at the amphitheater and the attraction of out-of-town sporting events.
Wish me luck advocating during the final round at the Board of County Commissioners.
