Hilton Head ATAX committee hears funding pitches from museums, festivals and sports groups; members press for clearer "heads and beds" data

The Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee met Oct. 17 to hear presentations from more than a dozen local organizations seeking ATAX funding for 2025, including museums, festivals, environmental groups and sports promoters.

At the outset, Chair (speaker 1) confirmed a revised agenda and set the tone for the day: the committee would evaluate each applicant’s reach and how that reach translates into overnight stays, often referred to as “heads and beds.”

Several presenters highlighted audience and digital metrics. Luana Grama Sellers, founder of Lowcountry Gullah, said her website draws about 300,000 visits a year and her organization’s social channels reach more than 42,000 followers; she asked the committee to consider heritage and genealogy tourism as a growth market. Barbara Katnassy, executive director of the Heritage Library, said the library hosted about 19,000 participants last year and described how guest books, QR codes and zip‑code scans are used to estimate visitors.

Event organizers emphasized direct economic impact. Bob Lee, speaking for the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance, gave 2023 figures of roughly 20,000 attendees, $12.3 million in estimated economic impact, 17,550 room nights and $4.7 million in room revenue, and said ATAX grants are an essential part of the event’s marketing budget.

Environmental and outdoor groups framed their requests as investments in ecotourism and shoreline protection. Jean Frew of the Outside Foundation outlined oyster shell recycling, living‑shoreline work and a paddle race that drew national competitors; she requested funds to expand marketing and operations. Hilton Head Audubon reported that a people counter installed at Newhall Preserve in June 2023 helps extrapolate visitor origin: logbook comparisons showed roughly 90% of Newhall visitors are non‑local, the group said.

Two large cultural‑heritage grants drew extended questioning. Ahmad Ward, executive director of Historic Mitchellville Freedom Park, described Placer AI usage to measure visitation (he said the park recorded about 34,000 visits Oct.–Oct.), noted a $2.5 million Mellon Foundation award for an on‑site archaeology and research facility, and requested $190,000 to support marketing, branding and site maintenance. Committee members sought line‑item detail and asked staff to ensure capital requests fit ATAX reimbursement rules.

Golf and related tourism again surfaced as a major driver of off‑season lodging. Karen Kazemczak, presenting for the Lowcountry Golf Course Owners Association, cited survey work showing the majority of golf vacationers come from outside a 50‑mile radius, stay multiple nights and spend substantially on dining and lodging; the association requested higher marketing funding to target golfers and younger demographics.

Throughout the day committee members repeatedly raised a central theme: applicants must improve or better document how online reach, social impressions or event attendance translate into paid overnight stays. Members urged applicants to include ZIP‑code data, third‑party ticketing breakdowns, sample post‑event reconciliation with lodging partners and clearer expense breakdowns for capital requests.

No votes or formal allocations were made at the meeting; the presentations will inform the committee’s funding recommendations to town council. The committee recessed for lunch and reconvened later in the day before adjourning after public comments.

Committee chair and town staff asked applicants to deliver supplemental budget and visitor‑tracking details where they were missing, particularly for capital or reimbursement‑style requests. The committee’s next steps will likely include staff review of those supplemental materials before formal recommendation to council.