Escambia County TDC rejects $375,000 request for Foiling Week; vote 2-6

The Escambia County Tourist Development Council voted 2–6 on Sept. 9 to deny a $375,000 funding request from Foiling Events US Inc., the organizers of “Foiling Week” in Pensacola.

Council members split over the event’s tourism metrics and financial projections after a two-hour presentation and question-and-answer session. Organizers said they reduced their county funding request from an earlier $500,000 ask to $375,000; council members pressed them for clearer hotel-night estimates, sponsorship commitments and formal U.S. bank records.

Foiling Week organizers described the event as a multi-class hydrofoiling festival that brought international competitors, industry delegates and a variety of local activations to Pensacola’s waterfront. "We reduced our ask to 375,000," an organizer said during the meeting. Organizers provided two different attendance estimates: an internal figure equating to about 10,000 person-days (based on participants times days present) and a Visit Pensacola figure of roughly 2,900 room nights in the market’s post-event report.

Council members repeatedly returned to the room-night discrepancy. An organizer explained the difference in methodology: "The number of people for the number of nights... If a thousand people come for 10 days, that's equal to 10,000," while Visit Pensacola reported room nights using hotel-room-based metrics. Visit Pensacola staff described their usual approach as surveying event attendees and converting party size and length of stay into room-night estimates.

Members also questioned the event’s revenue diversification. The application listed sponsorship and private contributions at modest levels; council members asked why projected private income did not increase alongside the larger county request. An organizer said limited lead time and the event’s first-year status made some sponsorship targets difficult to meet and described the organization’s intent to grow private revenue in future years.

Financial transparency was raised as a formal concern. County staff told the council they had requested financial records from the applicant and had not yet received them. A county staff member recommended that any allocation be conditioned on delivery of basic financial documentation: "If counsel does make an allocation, I would still propose contingent upon providing financials," the staff member said. Organizers said they have been operating with European bank accounts to date and were in the process of establishing a U.S. checking account and a 501(c)(3) entity.

Other discussion touched on event timing and local coordination. Organizers and multiple council members said Foiling Week overlapped with Pensacola Mardi Gras, which complicated logistics and may have affected spectator counts. The event’s in-kind support from the city — described by the presenters as permitting assistance, marina access and use of meeting rooms — was presented as part of the local contribution to the event.

Community partners supported the application. Chris Pote, CEO of Florida West, told the council his organization had signed a memorandum of understanding with the foiling organization and described the event as a potential industrial and tourism draw: "We're bringing clients to us. It's basically bringing a smaller version of the Paris Air Show to Pensacola." Visit Pensacola staff and other supporters described visible international attendance at some event functions.

After discussion the council considered a motion to fund Foiling Events US Inc. for $375,000. The motion was seconded and the roll call vote was Matish Patel — No; James Reeves — No; Ashley Hoffberger — No; Shirley Kronley — Yes; David Baer — Yes; Charles Baer — No; Jennifer Baer — No; Jason Nicholson — No. The motion failed by a 2–6 vote.

With the motion defeated, council members and staff left open the standard administrative options: organizers may return with revised financials, clearer sponsorship commitments and reconciled room-night methodology at a future meeting. County staff also recommended any future allocation be conditioned on submission of financial documentation and a U.S. account to receive funds.

The council’s decision preserves current budget allocations; the organizers said they will continue to pursue other funding sources and industry partnerships to sustain Foiling Week’s local presence and to seek clearer metrics ahead of future funding requests.