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