Amelia Island TDC OKs vendor contracts, event sponsorships and FY25–26 budget; StarMark media buy grows by $1.2 million

The Amelia Island Tourist Development Council on July 23 voted to recommend renewing a series of tourist development tax-funded contracts for destination marketing, approved sponsorship requests for two performing‑arts organizations and accepted the Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau (AICVB) fiscal year 2025–26 budget.

The actions, taken by voice vote during the council’s regular meeting, include renewed contracts with creative and media vendors, a $50,000 sponsorship for the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival and a $15,000 sponsorship for the Amelia Island Opera. Council members also approved the AICVB’s budget package and heard staff presentations on recent destination performance, an upcoming brand assessment and a strategic marketing plan for 2026.

Why it matters: The council allocates Nassau County tourist development tax (TDT) revenues to marketing, events and destination support; its recommendations go to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners for final appropriation. Council approval preserves the AICVB’s ability to continue advertising, public relations, content production and event partnerships that staff said drive hotel room nights and visitor spending.

Most important facts Paul Bierons, vice president of the Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, presented the vendor contracts and budgets. He described DEREMER (Deremer Studios) as “our photography and video resource” and said the renewal is essentially unchanged from last year at $42,900. The council approved the Deremer recommendation by voice vote.

StarMark International Incorporated remains the AICVB’s agency of record for branding, media buying and strategy. Bierons told the council the proposed StarMark engagement for fiscal year 2025–26 includes an incremental $1,200,000 in media spend; staff reported the StarMark line item at about $5,081,280 (presentations referenced $5,100,000 in round numbers). The TDC approved the recommendation to continue the StarMark contract.

Other approved vendor recommendations were: - Florida’s First Coast of Golf Inc., $102,000, for golf‑focused marketing that staff said leverages Jacksonville flight and media markets; the motion carried with one abstention noted in the discussion (the member who announced an abstention also identified as a current chair of the golf group but did not name themselves in the vote record). - Hayworth Creative Inc., $170,000, to provide public relations support. - Ellen W. Jenkins d/b/a Ellen’s Marketplace, $40,000, for creative design and website maintenance. - Savannah LLC (graphic design/creative support) — continued engagement approved; staff did not list a dollar amount in the record.

Event sponsorships approved by the council: - Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival Inc.: $50,000 for the 2025–26 season (festival runs Oct. 25–June 2026; staff said the request rose because the festival added a gala and a headline artist). - Amelia Island Opera Inc.: $15,000 for the 2025–26 season (staff said the company added shows and music camps and that the award is $5,000 greater than last year).

Budget and performance highlights At the meeting the council voted to accept AICVB fiscal updates and to recommend approval of the fiscal year 2025–26 AICVB budget. Staff said collections through May were roughly 2.5% ahead year‑over‑year and that recent booking pace and last‑minute group business pointed to strong performance through August. Joseph Saint Germain, president of Saint Germain Research, reported April–June visitation, occupancy and direct spending were up year‑over‑year and said the destination’s booking window has shortened: “the booking window this time was 17 days shorter than it was the previous year.” He also reported high satisfaction metrics, including that 82% of surveyed visitors were “very satisfied” and 90% would “definitely recommend” the destination.

Bierons and staff emphasized a brand assessment and a strategic marketing plan for 2026. He said StarMark is preparing a brand assessment and that the $1.2 million media “bump” is intended to give the destination a sharper message going into the next fiscal year. AICVB staff also noted accreditation under the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program as a recent achievement.

Legislative context and allowable uses of TDT Council members discussed recent changes at the state level. Staff reported that proposed statewide legislation to change how tourist development revenues are used largely failed during the last session, but that two uses gained traction in committee language: some counties could use TDT revenue for certified lifeguard services and fiscally constrained counties could use TDT for certain infrastructure projects. Staff clarified current local practice: “Currently, there are no tourist development taxes used to pay for lifeguards,” and said the county provides lifeguard services through an interlocal agreement that the county supports financially. The council asked staff to research whether Nassau County meets any definitions that would allow new infrastructure uses for TDT and to return with legal analysis.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting) - Tab B — DEREMER (Deremer Studios): approval to recommend continued engagement; amount $42,900; motion carried (mover: Hartman; second: Pointer). - Tab C — StarMark International Inc.: approval to recommend continued engagement; staff cited ~$5,081,280 total with a $1,200,000 incremental media buy; motion carried (second recorded as Miss West; mover not specified on record). - Tab D — Florida’s First Coast of Golf Inc.: approval to recommend continued engagement; amount $102,000; motion carried with one abstention (mover: Pointer; second: Summers). - Tab E — Hayworth Creative Inc.: approval to recommend continued engagement; amount $170,000; motion carried (mover: Hartman; second: Davis). - Tab F — Ellen’s Marketplace (Ellen W. Jenkins d/b/a Ellen’s Marketplace): approval to recommend continued engagement; amount $40,000; motion carried (mover: Pointer; second: Summers). - Tab G — Savannah LLC: approval to recommend continued engagement; amount not specified in the record; motion carried (mover: Pointer; second: Summers). - Tab H — Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival Inc.: approval to recommend sponsorship; amount $50,000; motion carried (mover: Pointer; second: Summers). - Tab I — Amelia Island Opera Inc.: approval to recommend sponsorship; amount $15,000; motion carried (mover: Miss Davis; second: Miss West). - Tab J — Fiscal updates and FY25–26 AICVB budget: motion to accept updates and approve the AICVB budget; motion carried (mover not specified; second: Summers on record).

Discussion and conditions Council members repeatedly stressed the need to be “razor sharp” with messaging in 2026 given industry headwinds and changes in airlift (staff noted Air Canada’s seasonal reduction of nonstop service into Jacksonville). Members asked staff to prepare an educational briefing for the public and commissioners on the statutory limits and lawful uses of tourist development tax dollars, noting misconceptions circulating on social media and in constituent questions. Staff agreed to return with legal analysis and a plain‑language summary of allowable uses.

What’s next The council scheduled an August 1 strategic marketing meeting (presentation of the brand assessment and 2026 strategic marketing plan) and set its next regular meeting for Aug. 25 at 3 p.m. The council’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners for final appropriation of TDT funds.

Notes on reporting This article summarizes council actions as recorded in the meeting minutes and voice votes. Where staff used rounded figures or multiple numbers in presentation (for example, StarMark totals), the story reports the specific figures staff placed on the record and notes rounding where the presenter did so.