Flagler TDC approves $4,000 overnight-stay grant for Palm Coast Songwriters Festival

The Flagler County Tourist Development Council voted Jan. 15 to approve a $4,000 overnight-stay special-event grant for the Palm Coast Music Festival’s Palm Coast Songwriters Festival, scheduled for May 2020.

The motion to approve the grant passed with board members announcing “aye” votes and the chair saying the motion “passes unanimously.” The council heard a presentation from the festival organizer before the vote.

Gary Luby, presenting as an organizer for Palm Coast Music Festival, described the event’s growth since it began in May 2018 and said the 2020 festival will expand to four days and invite roughly 27 hit songwriters. "For the 2020 event ... we're now looking to go to 27 hit songwriters with over a 100 number 1 hits they've written collectively," Luby said. He told the board that earlier editions produced out-of-state visitors—"we estimate probably 40 to 50 people that came in from out of state"—and that the event generates ancillary spending for local businesses and hotels.

Amy (tourism staff) explained the grant type: the overnight-stay grant pays after the organizer verifies room nights. She distinguished that advertising support is drawn from a separate advertising budget. "This is for the overnight stay grant. So this is where, then, once he has verified room nights then he qualifies for the grant," Amy said.

Board members praised the festival as a potential signature event for the destination and moved to approve funding. One board member said the festival “meets the nature of the office and what it should be investing in as well as the cultural arts aspect of it.”

The record also notes a prior conflict disclosure: at the Dec. 18, 2019 TDC meeting an item was recorded as a conflict of interest in accordance with Florida statute as cited in the meeting record, and Form 8B was completed and filed by Mark Richardson (identified in the meeting as general manager, Hilton Garden Inn). The transcript states Mark Richardson did not participate in that earlier vote.

The board discussed but did not set a precise advertising-dollar figure tied to this grant; Amy said the office has earmarked between $5,000 and $10,000 from its advertising budget for outreach tied to events such as this, and that the advertising budget is separate from the overnight-stay grant. The organizer also said the festival will use Oceanside Beach Bar and Grill as a host site for some activities.

The council’s approval authorizes the $4,000 overnight-stay grant; the organizer must verify room nights per the overnight-stay grant rules to receive the funds.

A community member, Joe Mullins, and other public commenters praised the event’s role in raising Flagler County’s profile; Mullins said larger music and touring acts have noticed the county following exposure from songwriter events.

The TDC meeting continued with other agenda items after the vote.