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River District Alliance reports 28 annual downtown events, says City will assume event funding
Summary
River District Alliance President Lisa Sweetani told the Fort Myers CRA advisory board that the nonprofit produces 28 downtown events annually, operates with a two-person staff and reported a $542,000 budget. Sweetani said the prior interlocal funding arrangement with Lee County will end and the City of Fort Myers will fund events going forward.
Lisa Sweetani, president and CEO of the River District Alliance, told the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency advisory board that the organization produces 28 downtown events a year and operates with a two-person staff.
“We do 28 events a year. We do 12 art walks the first Friday of the month, 12 music walks the third Friday of the month,” Sweetani said, adding that the group also stages New Year’s Eve, July 4 and a family-focused St. Patrick’s block party.
Sweetani said the River District Alliance reported a $542,000 total budget for the year and that the CRA provided $288,500 in funding. She said the Alliance spent about $287,500 on events and raised roughly $253,500 from sponsors, grants and event revenue. Sweetani estimated attendance at about 200,000 and said the organization’s events drove roughly $8,000,000 in attendee spending across Lee County.
“We had to raise $253,500 through sponsors and grants and donations and event revenue,” Sweetani said. She also highlighted the group’s digital reach, saying its channels generated about 1,400,000 impressions and that its Facebook pages together have about 32,500 followers.
Sweetani credited a long-running partnership with the CRA, thanked staff and commissioners for support, and highlighted recent projects funded with CRA support, including the Pocket Park. She also said the River District Alliance serves on local initiatives such as the culinary district steering committee and the state’s Sun Trail planning.
Sweetani told the board the River District previously operated under an interlocal agreement with Lee County to allow CRA funds to be used for events. She said the board recently concluded the arrangement was no longer worth continuing and that the City of Fort Myers will now fund the events the Alliance produces.
The presentation concluded with an invitation to the public to attend upcoming family-focused events, including a student art/performance component planned for April’s Music Walk.
The CRA did not take formal action on the presentation. Board members thanked Sweetani for the work and for the overview of event scale and finances.
