CRA outlines FY26 economic-development ad buy; board debates $60,000 cinema funding and asks for metrics
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Summary
The CRA communications team presented a $288,630 FY26 media plan focused on retail recruitment, the beach and downtown. The presentation included digital, broadcast and outdoor buys plus a data-driven geofencing and Placer.ai component. Board members argued over a $60,000 line item supporting Cinema Paradiso; a motion to reallocate that amount to
Joanne Hussey, the city’s director of communications, marketing and economic development, and her team presented the Community Redevelopment Agency’s fiscal year 2026 economic-development media advertising plan at the Oct. 9 CRA meeting.
Hussey said the proposed CRA ad buy totals roughly $288,630 with approximately $75,000 held for contingency and “flex” during the year. The buy focuses on retail recruitment and promotion of the beach and downtown as economic drivers. Digital placements include Meta (Facebook/Instagram) video, LinkedIn for business outreach, geofencing and Placer.ai location analytics to track foot traffic and origin markets; broadcast placements include WSFL/ Scripps email and TV-targeted deliveries and iHeartRadio streaming audio and podcast placements. Outdoor panels and targeted local boards were also part of the plan. Hussey said video creative was in production and vendors provide measurable KPIs such as impressions, click-through rates and lead generation.
Josh Martin, the CRA’s media coordinator, said the plan includes a Placer.ai/ geofencing component (to measure foot traffic and dwell times) and regionally targeted email and digital buys for potential investors and decision makers. The plan also contains a $35,000 geofencing/Placer.ai line and print/display/earned-media elements for amplification. Hussey and staff described coordination among three separate advertising budgets: CRA economic-development buy (this presentation), the city’s economic-development national buys, and the city destination/event buys.
A large portion of the discussion focused on a line item that would provide the Art and Culture Center’s Cinema Paradiso with advertising support that the CRA’s staff priced into the package. The plan as presented included a $60,000 allocation connected to Cinema Paradiso programming and a short on-screen promotional video to play for event audiences. Several board members objected, saying the theater’s audiences are local and asked whether $60,000 in CRA economic-development advertising funds was the best use of limited taxpayer dollars. Advocates on the board said Cinema Paradiso is newly operated by the Art and Culture Center and that a targeted campaign and promotional video could help link dinner-and-a-movie visits to nearby restaurants and drive downtown foot traffic.
Board member Hernandez moved to reallocate the $60,000 from the Cinema Paradiso element to additional digital “boosting” (Meta ad boosting) for a bigger local reach; that motion received a second. The motion was put to a voice/hand vote and the board recorded the result as 3 in favor and 4 opposed; the motion failed 4–3. Several board members asked staff to invite Cinema Paradiso leadership to the next CRA meeting so the theater’s new operators could outline how the funds will be used and how the effort would drive downtown economics; staff agreed to return with metrics in the next cycle.
Ending
CRA staff will proceed with the FY26 buy as presented while reserving contingency funds. Staff will invite Cinema Paradiso representatives to a future meeting and will provide geofencing/Placer.ai metrics and other tracking data so the board can assess the performance and relative value of the Cinema Paradiso line item.