appsyscons
06-12-2014, 12:17 PM
Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix organizers received most of the money they requested from the county Wednesday to support the speed boat race on July 6.
The Sarasota County commissioners decided to spend $81,302.60 in tourist development taxes to fund the event, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
The commission decided to forgo their warning last year that their future financial support would be limited to covering sanctioning fees. Technically, the sanctioning fees for this year’s event are only $25,000.
Last year, the Grand Prix organizers asked the county commission for $100,000. Commissioners initially offered them $28,500 but later decided to cover $79,200, after festival director Lucy Nicandri warned they may cancel the event. However, the commission added a stipulation that in the future they could not ask for money beyond sanction fees, up to $94,200.
But the definition of sanction fees has not been clear. Commissioners learned Wednesday that event organizers had been including expenses like travel and hotel rooms as “sanctioning fees,” because they must provide them for Super Boat International Productions Inc., the organization that enforces regulations for such super boat events.
“I think it’s a matter of semantics now,” Commissioner Joe Barbetta said, and suggested that they pay almost the full amount requested.
Super boat event organizers were asking for $94,600.
Some of the funding they requested would be used for operations rather than promotions. Operational expenses are not an eligible use of tourist development taxes, according to county staff. Staff recommended that the county pay for what could be funded from those taxes, which came out to $81,302.60.
Commissioners unanimously supported the recommendation.
Participation in the event is growing after the Great Recession and the cost of putting it on is increasing, Nicandri said. The group needs more equipment to accommodate boaters.
“Would it have been nice to have that covered, being a charity? Yes,” said Nicandri, who also is vice president of Suncoast Charities for Children, a nonprofit that the race helps support. But she said the group will look at other avenues for funding.
Commissioner Nora Patterson said it was a “heart-wrenching thing” not being able to help the event further. The commissioners stressed that they support Suncoast Charities for Children and that they are thankful for the races’ impact on the region.
Last year, the event had a reported $17 million economic impact on the community, according to tourism agency Visit Sarasota County.
The Sarasota County commissioners decided to spend $81,302.60 in tourist development taxes to fund the event, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
The commission decided to forgo their warning last year that their future financial support would be limited to covering sanctioning fees. Technically, the sanctioning fees for this year’s event are only $25,000.
Last year, the Grand Prix organizers asked the county commission for $100,000. Commissioners initially offered them $28,500 but later decided to cover $79,200, after festival director Lucy Nicandri warned they may cancel the event. However, the commission added a stipulation that in the future they could not ask for money beyond sanction fees, up to $94,200.
But the definition of sanction fees has not been clear. Commissioners learned Wednesday that event organizers had been including expenses like travel and hotel rooms as “sanctioning fees,” because they must provide them for Super Boat International Productions Inc., the organization that enforces regulations for such super boat events.
“I think it’s a matter of semantics now,” Commissioner Joe Barbetta said, and suggested that they pay almost the full amount requested.
Super boat event organizers were asking for $94,600.
Some of the funding they requested would be used for operations rather than promotions. Operational expenses are not an eligible use of tourist development taxes, according to county staff. Staff recommended that the county pay for what could be funded from those taxes, which came out to $81,302.60.
Commissioners unanimously supported the recommendation.
Participation in the event is growing after the Great Recession and the cost of putting it on is increasing, Nicandri said. The group needs more equipment to accommodate boaters.
“Would it have been nice to have that covered, being a charity? Yes,” said Nicandri, who also is vice president of Suncoast Charities for Children, a nonprofit that the race helps support. But she said the group will look at other avenues for funding.
Commissioner Nora Patterson said it was a “heart-wrenching thing” not being able to help the event further. The commissioners stressed that they support Suncoast Charities for Children and that they are thankful for the races’ impact on the region.
Last year, the event had a reported $17 million economic impact on the community, according to tourism agency Visit Sarasota County.