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TDC approves grants totaling $9,250 for local events; horseshoe club award passes with abstentions
Summary
The Tourist Development Council approved three event grants this month, including two awards to the Florida Agricultural Museum and a $4,000 award to the Flagler County Horseshoe Pitching Club. One vote recorded two abstentions on the horseshoe club award; the museum awards proceed to the County Commission for final approval.
The Tourist Development Council voted on Jan. 16 to approve three event grant requests supporting local tourism programming. The council approved two awards to the Florida Agricultural Museum — $1,250 for a family farm event and $4,000 for the Pellicer Creek Raid reenactment — and a $4,000 grant to the Flagler County Horseshoe Pitching Club to support an upcoming tournament.
The approvals came after brief presentations from applicants. “My name is Sandy Rafett. I’m the director of development at Florida Agricultural Museum. We have 2 upcoming events that we have applied for grants with,” Sandy Rafett said during her presentation on the museum’s applications. The council asked routine clarifying questions about attendance, event format and whether the events would generate overnight stays.
The Flagler County Horseshoe Pitching Club described its event as a recurring tournament with historically consistent entrants and an expectation of hotel room nights; club president Joe Norton said the application estimated 250 room nights based on five years of entrant data. “We collected data from the last 5 years,” Norton said.
Motions to approve each application were called and carried. The motion to approve the Horseshoe Pitching Club’s $4,000 request was recorded as passing with six yes votes and two abstentions; the museum awards were approved unanimously in roll call. The council noted administrative follow-up: the museum awards will be forwarded to the County Commission for its approval, and if the County Commission concurs the regional drive-market grant program for this fiscal year will be closed out. Council staff also noted that paperwork for awarded grants will be completed and distributed to recipients.
Council members did not stipulate conditions or amendments to the grants during the votes. Presenters and council members emphasized that applicants should continue to coordinate with lodging partners and the chamber to track the events’ overnight-stay impacts.
The council’s approvals come as part of its regular discretionary and overnight-stay event funding processes and will be included in the minutes and grant files for standard post-approval procedures.
