Gadsden County TDC approves several event sponsorships, reimbursable marketing grants and Visit Florida partnership

The Gadsden County Tourism Development Council approved several sponsorships and reimbursements for upcoming events on Oct. 1 and authorized a renewal payment for a statewide destination partnership.

Votes at a glance

- UF/IFAS Garden & Farm Fall Festival: approved at the "silver" sponsorship level, $450. - Crappie ("big fish") tournament: approved at the gold sponsorship level; application listed a $6,650 gold-level package and the council approved sponsorship at that level. - Visit Florida destination marketing partnership renewal: approved at the $750 membership/partnership level. - Shade Tobacco Museum / Havana History reimbursement: approved reimbursement for $10,000 (aligned with the budget line for reimbursable partnership grants). - Across the Track Hunting Club (Wild Game Cookout): approved a marketing-only reimbursement allocation of $650 with the condition funds be used for marketing/advertising. - ABC 27 / local broadcast sponsorship request: the council declined to approve the broadcast sponsorship proposal and voted to pass on it.

Several items were explicitly limited to marketing expenditures or required post-event documentation. The council repeatedly emphasized that bed-tax funds must be used for tourism advertising and marketing that demonstrably brings overnight visitors to Gadsden County. Attorney guidance and past practice were cited: some reimbursements are permitted only after invoices are submitted showing marketing expenditures that are likely to attract out-of-county visitors.

On the UF/IFAS festival, the council approved a silver-level sponsorship at $450 after staff described sponsor benefits that include logo placement on signage and paid advertisement mentions. A council member suggested collecting post-event data (for example a survey or QR-code check-in) so the council can track whether visitors came from outside the county.

The council approved a gold-level sponsorship for the crappie fishing event after members discussed the event's regional draw and the fact that some visiting fishermen historically stay in local lodging. While the event's main hub and some promotion are handled by neighboring Leon County, members said Gadsden County stands to benefit through host-lake accommodations and local vendors.

The council approved a $750 renewal payment to Visit Florida at the partnership level. The clerk and staff noted the payment was due and that the county's budget contains a line for the Visit Florida partnership.

On a request from the Across the Track Hunting Club for its annual wild game cookout, the council authorized $650 in funding to be used only for marketing and advertising; the motion required reimbursement with invoices showing marketing use. Attorney guidance during the meeting reiterated that sponsorships and reimbursements must meet statutory criteria for tourism-development spending.

Finally, the council approved a $10,000 reimbursement to the Shade Tobacco Museum / Havana History group under the packet's reimbursable partnership grants, consistent with a longstanding arrangement that certain local nonprofits receive recurring small grants for tourism-related programming.

Provenance: Each approval and the ABC 27 discussion were recorded during the agenda's "discussion and action" section; motions, seconds and voice votes appear on the record for each listed item.

Ending: Council staff were directed to (1) issue reimbursement forms and require invoices/proof of marketing expenditures where required, (2) add clearer sponsorship line items to the FY25-26 budget draft, and (3) include sponsorship-policy clarifications in the budget workshop packet.