[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6386227,"mediaKeyId","2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646","parentId",2118416,"title","TDC approves overhaul of Elite Event funding guidelines; program caps and criteria increased","audioSeconds",1382,"startMs",3758000,"endMs",5140000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646&start=3758&end=5140","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646/thumbnail_3758000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6386227/Pinellas-County/Florida/TDC-approves-overhaul-of-Elite-Event-funding-guidelines-program-caps-and-criteria-increased","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386227-3ab6b865a48abe75bf74b8c628924739/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174778&Signature=Tm7uD1qgZzt-x5h1~RBlH~~q6eFtyn-Sz352YkR8p6y7PszLnZ6PJZQsMfFBZF9m~c4XodXMJ~AQYkzjwENwENDD00UQQ4rJCIOtJcoKDoj339lpj6eQkWc7Y3jES149O-RllgiyiChcx~NuM~69Q8xTaPprUzHhd9T0ASUa76gHNxwSRpLbfTv2Nrwk3hh1MxoET5Lxgqj9SE8X73jzcBRAZFbNcjfaG56DM7nO-6tLAGJF4j7Ysj8w277yGDWGfid6hL7bltkjBXd1S8bXDJAf~dqrGpmJryNpQ3RNThqEmFBpaH7M3DWvFFPQmjIJ5U4ikDrMpNUgtul6cy7ivQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pinellas County, FL","date","2025-01-16T03:34:17Z","article","The Tourist Development Council voted to forward a revised Elite Events funding program to the Board of County Commissioners after hearing a detailed proposal from Visit St. Pete Clearwater staff.

Craig Campbell, director of community and brand engagement for Visit St. Pete Clearwater, said the proposal responds to an earlier increase in available event funding in the TDT plan and reworks eligibility, funding ranges, PR/media criteria and sustainability considerations. \"The first big domino to fall, was the change to the tourist, development tax plan, the TDT plan, of funding for events. The cap was increased from 2,000,000 to $3,000,000 so that really opened up a lot of opportunity for us to make these proposed changes,\" Campbell said.

Key proposed changes that Craig outlined include:
- Raising the overall program cap and increasing category funding maximums (Category 1 max raised from $150,000 to $250,000).
- Introducing a new PR/media coverage criterion and asking applicants to submit sustainability plans for eco-friendly practices.
- Reworking category thresholds: Category 1 requires meeting a set of criteria such as attendance of 50,000+, at least 15,000 room nights and 500,000 broadcast views (funding ranges scale down through Category 5).
- Eliminating the second funding cycle and allowing year-round application submissions subject to available funds.

Craig said the changes are intended to return to prior higher funding levels for top-tier events, create clearer funding ranges to set applicant expectations and provide flexibility to support new events judged by impact. He noted that if the current crop of 33 events were applied to the new criteria, the program would have required approximately $2.6 million in funding, leaving some breathing room beneath the new $3 million cap.

TDC members asked how PR would be measured (Craig said specifics will be developed and that high-impact placements such as national TV appearances would be considered), how staff would recommend funding within wide ranges and whether the program would proactively recruit events. Craig and Brian Scott said the program is intended to be proactive and that leftover funds could be used to pursue new events or other marketing opportunities.

A motion to recommend the revised Elite Events guidelines was moved by Copley and seconded by Russ; the TDC unanimously approved the recommendation and the item will be presented to the BCC for final action. \"All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Motion carries unanimously,\" Chair Scott said after the vote.

Ending: The TDC advanced the revised Elite Events funding guidelines with a unanimous recommendation and set a staff timeline to present the changes to the Board of County Commissioners and open the fiscal-year timeline and application process in March with a submission deadline in April.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tourist Development Council Meeting 1-15-25","oneSentenceSummary","The Tourist Development Council voted to recommend a substantive change to the Elite Events funding guidelines, increasing the program cap (TDT allocation) and raising funding maximums and eligibility thresholds; the change will go to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval.","taxTitle","Pinellas County, Florida","taxId",2867,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6386229,"Visit St. Pete Clearwater rolls out \"and\" campaign to broaden message beyond beaches; red‑tide contingency remains in place",736,2494000,3230000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646&start=2494&end=3230","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646/thumbnail_2494000.jpg","/articles/6386229/Pinellas-County/Florida/Visit-St-Pete-Clearwater-rolls-out-and-campaign-to-broaden-message-beyond-beaches-redtide-contingency-remains-in-place","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386229-8ae545a25a1fad74a4164d6a100b8fed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174778&Signature=IoMjDQxr8OPKmT4txSmrrrgtMJVHbedBfl5oydGfayKSKW2FHgGgZIMSflbgLiJCpEkCDVFoiaX2IyYtfiwnw1XbaSuu~hkJDCDY5JrunPtURzugnKCjxUYeMbiXr00wLGFmNQyj80RFZDRr2E3Ede7gQGNWXKx8KJcDW8ZsJSeHuYhOqmAxXF90P0DYW52v~LJvdvtoqRV5nid5h1V7IuCIwEkkfEsjXBn4gWPRC8K8YZeih0wLsRHHfM3YIcDYUFb5w-WcQ11xGDj-pmNxlpdZkl6zlM3tdAWoUFouw~q9eq2TxnesAURPDLA8yzXkMelyqu6SQdYEMUBdtWN6Uw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Visit St. Pete Clearwater marketing lead Steve presented a new 2025 advertising campaign that frames the destination as \"beaches and more,\" using an ampersand motif to pair beach experiences with arts, dining, events and nightlife.

Steve said the creative was shaped by visitor data showing strong interest in beach travel and rising interest in museums, outdoor recreation and events. \"As home to America's favorite beaches…St. Pete Clearwater is not most destinations. It's local fish shacks and world class restaurants,\" Steve said while describing the creative statement.

The campaign places more budget into connected television (streaming) than broadcast for the first time and includes large out‑of‑market buys: a multi-surface takeover at a high-traffic New York subway station, Philadelphia placements, expanded print and city-magazine editorial, dynamic digital banners, mobile retargeting tied to billboards, and activations. Steve said the team repurposed existing footage this winter but plans to shoot new creative as events and new hotels (for example, the Opel Soul) come online.

On risk planning, TDC members asked about red tide and other water-quality events. Steve said VSPC maintains communication plans and website sections that can be reactivated to give real-time beach status and advisories. He also noted the campaign's broader focus (arts, museums, dining) makes it easier to adjust messaging rather than fully rewinding an entire campaign in response to a water-quality event: \"Our hope would be that this campaign would maybe just be tweaked slightly,\" he said.

Members asked about international and sports/event marketing, and Steve said the creative is adaptable and will be translated or adapted for markets such as the U.K.; the campaign will be deployed for sports, meetings, and other verticals with tailored creative. He also said the team is exploring tying major events (IndyCar, Sugar Sand Festival, music events) more tightly into the destination marketing plan.

Ending: The new campaign seeks to broaden reach and reduce single-message vulnerability; staff will monitor water-quality developments and adapt placements as needed.","VSPC unveiled a new creative advertising campaign emphasizing beaches plus other experiences (arts, dining, events). Staff said the campaign is flexible for red tide or other local water‑quality events and will run broadly — including major New York subway takeovers and digital buys — with ongoing adaptations for international markets and events.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6386237,"TDT collections show mixed recovery: inland gains offset beach rental shortfalls",600,1571000,2171000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646&start=1571&end=2171","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646/thumbnail_1571000.jpg","/articles/6386237/Pinellas-County/Florida/TDT-collections-show-mixed-recovery-inland-gains-offset-beach-rental-shortfalls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386237-db262446ce1c1e63c6c66b0db38f716e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174778&Signature=NMUDbQRE~H-F2USPqkzW0-sHEaXMmggYLtHnLS71AObSzHHnohKp2SRQSa3sK1DENPQRxxmldsrRP5FdZAOzX1TJv2kpToA3P1W-e1sElqLkVofa22vtS8nxsWsS3E-iRL4t6NorTBcPG0Rfc2AVYxmsSANfg7Q0gX8GYW5rowixv74626E0G~Nv9ape9nUkyqqGoEyhwIzoFimTPRkLzz3iWPMXoIOf8~AtL~MAko7Qn0wO39Sw9PdmS8~Bgjiz1S7OM8YUfM6tgZ67xgml-wQhqSk6RAT2ICIQDqcAuis-akSiYjmkT-NGyZo1w8TgwqECZCjr6l~R4S3NsW4K8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Visit St. Pete Clearwater analyst Eddie presented November tax and occupancy data showing a nuanced recovery across Pinellas County.

Eddie told council members November TDT revenue was down less than 1% year over year, a marked improvement from October when collections fell about 28% (roughly $1.7 million). \"Jumping ahead now to the month of November, we were down less than a percentage point,\" Eddie said.

Eddie said inland properties led gains: St. Petersburg inland TDT collections passed $1,000,000 in November for the first time in the dataset and inland revenue grew by more than $15,000,000 year over year in the sample presented. By contrast, beach-area TDT revenue fell about $2.4 million, and vacation-rental sample revenues were down roughly 39% for 2024 compared with prior years. He cautioned that vacation rentals remain slower to recover because supply and permitting, not just demand, are constraining returns.

On supply, STR data cited by Eddie put the county’s room inventory around 21,262 rooms during the reporting period, representing roughly a 6% supply shortfall compared with typical pre-storm supply (about 22,000–23,000 rooms) — a gap of approximately 1,000 rooms concentrated in beach areas such as St. Pete Beach and Madeira Beach. Eddie said the supply gap was slow to shrink between October and November and that December STR snapshots showed continued strong hotel demand despite reduced vacation-rental supply.

Board members asked about FEMA-paid room nights and the timing of displaced properties returning to service. Eddie said he had not received a final count of FEMA room-night usage for the period and that further detail would be provided in the next month’s report. Other TDC members noted new hotel openings (the Opel Soul was cited as adding about 250 rooms within 30–60 days) that would help inventory; Eddie agreed new properties would change the supply picture but stressed recovery will be gradual.

Ending: The presentation framed recovery as uneven — robust hotel demand led by inland areas, ongoing vacation-rental supply constraints and a slow return to full pre-storm inventory.","Visit St. Pete Clearwater staff reported November TDT (tourist development tax) collections nearly matched 2023 but highlighted a split between inland growth and beach-area losses; vacation-rental supply remained constrained after hurricanes.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6386240,"St. Pete–Clearwater Airport reports near‑record year, December rebound narrows annual passenger shortfall",960,506000,1466000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646&start=506&end=1466","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118416-5cc52f7272cce9d39199d0245fe5a646/thumbnail_506000.jpg","/articles/6386240/Pinellas-County/Florida/St-PeteClearwater-Airport-reports-nearrecord-year-December-rebound-narrows-annual-passenger-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386240-77f5c6b994f3ab0dfdfc7aa13839079a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174778&Signature=A8r~A6x-7pmb6RY6zdRO-A4SZ-5BIBMRBErH5-ueMbQ3q~MjwU3mADC4n6tApTNFeYIYCnWNzjyQqrPYPlQFGIHKY-QgW0OGPyhsvkWHKaMSx4WbLiQhsR8iWWtrwQlxjSrgcyZRjbVRGKaQsHjEWGQHebW2UWRKPnEB4VZG6Lk735y68NRYRfG0iasZHOElxvimEc9mKaWEY~vODlO48S-u4IUVp3Hhn-8TjTJiZ9TpA-XSTZBVXpgXbYDXgUrVe62Y4nc-uxCnXiw11yrEfBgStupJdIqMxocYGuNeIwCuwyUYLW8ksmaRz0q5vaLirRoJPsAKOUBEg1lreGbZ5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport reported to the Pinellas County Tourist Development Council on a stronger-than-expected December and overall revenue gains for fiscal 2024 despite hurricane impacts earlier in the year.

Airport representative Jeff said the year finished about 1% below 2023 passenger levels but that December alone rose about 15%, helping limit the annual shortfall. \"We ended the year down 1%, but it could have been much worse had those December numbers not come in at the levels that they did,\" Jeff said.

The airport highlighted network and revenue details that matter to local tourism. PIE recorded about 2,494,952 passengers in 2023 and saw multiple record months in 2024, added four new Allegiant nonstop destinations (Bismarck, N.D.; Evansville, Ind.; McAllen, Texas; Savannah, Ga.) and has announced Colorado Springs service starting Feb. 14, 2025. Jeff said Allegiant had kept capacity into the market during recovery and was a “fantastic partner.”

Concessions and ground-transportation revenues grew strongly: paid parking rose nearly 20%, food and beverage about 10%, news and gifts 2.5%, and ground transportation 42%. Overall airport operating revenues were reported as up about 9.5% fiscal 2024 versus 2023. Rental-car revenue dipped about 0.1%, which Jeff attributed to travelers choosing alternatives such as ride-hail services.

Board members asked about parking capacity and terminal gates. Jeff said design for a parking garage is underway and terminal expansion planning is active to add gates once design is completed; no construction start date was given. In response to a question about long-term parking overflow during peak months, Jeff said there are ongoing plans to build a garage and expand gates because the terminal was approaching its original design capacity around a 2.5 million-passenger horizon.

Jeff also described fleet and product changes at Allegiant: the carrier has 50 firm orders (with 50 options) for a newer 737 MAX product; PIE will base at least two of those aircraft in February with a third arriving in March, which he said should add capacity and reflect Allegiant’s growth plans.

Questions from TDC members covered route performance (Orlando Sanford remains a top Allegiant destination), the status of Punta Gorda’s Allegiant resort market, and whether airport partners were coordinating marketing to support weaker markets. Jeff said PIE, Visit St. Pete Clearwater and Allegiant coordinate quarterly on market support and advertising targets.

The airport presentation closed with an offer of small promotional items and an invitation to upcoming PIE marketing events; Jeff said the airport will continue to watch hurricane and other operational risks that could affect service levels.

Ending: The airport staff left committee members with plans for near‑term design work on parking and terminal expansion and an expectation that Allegiant’s fleet changes and route launches will support continued growth in 2025.","St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) told the TDC it finished 2024 down about 1% in passengers but saw a 15% December surge that limited the annual decline; revenues rose and Allegiant expanded routes and will introduce new 737 MAX aircraft.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

TDC approves overhaul of Elite Event funding guidelines; program caps and criteria increased

Visit St. Pete Clearwater rolls out "and" campaign to broaden message beyond beaches; red‑tide contingency remains in place

TDT collections show mixed recovery: inland gains offset beach rental shortfalls

St. Pete–Clearwater Airport reports near‑record year, December rebound narrows annual passenger shortfall