Okaloosa County BOCC — August 11, 2015 — Agenda Packet

Fiscal Year 2015-16 Budget Workshop Agenda Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, August 11, 2015– 1:00 PM Water & Sewer Administration Building I. Update from Previous Workshop II. Tourist Development – Page 2 III. Convention Center – Page 8 IV. Water & Sewer – Page 41 V. Airports – Page 70 VI. Tax Collector – Page 87 VII. Public Comments Okaloosa County adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act and will make reasonable accommodations for access to this meeting upon request. Please call the County Administrator’s Office at (850) 651-7515 to make a request. For Hearing Impaired, Dial 1-800-955-8771 (TDD), and 1-800-955-8770 (Voice). Requests must be received at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting in order for Okaloosa County to provide the requested service. Revised: 8/7/2015 3:18 PM Page 1 of 1  BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: August 11, 2015 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: John Hofstad, County Administrator SUBJECT: Tourist Development Department The attached documents provide the Program Based Budget for the Tourist Development Department. Packet Pg. 2  BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA SERVICE AREA: CULTURE/RECREATION DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Okaloosa Tourist Development is responsible for a unified marketing strategy and visitor service program that promotes awareness of the Emerald Coast as a tourist destination to increase overall visitation and lodging facility occupancy in the southern Okaloosa County areas of Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Mary Esther, and Cinco Bayou. REVENUE: Tourist Development is funded by the Tourist Development Trust Fund, specifically the 2nd and 5th cents of the Tourist Development Tax on short term rentals. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR: Ø Hosted Familiarization Tour with a focus on destination fishing. Ø Reintroduced the Annual Tourism Summit with nearly 150 community stakeholders in attendance. Ø Updated the Emerald Coast leisure website (www.emeraldcoastfl.com) with a new global navigation header and full screen layout Ø Produced a new destination sales profile collateral piece. Ø Produced the 2014 Annual Report Ø Generated a community buy-in piece; #emeraldcoasting window cling. Ø Launched a destination road show to Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama. Two cities; three days; six events. Ø Hosted Mom Blogger Familiarization Tour Ø Revamped the Emerald Coast Convention Center social media platforms with monthly content production. Ø Produced quarterly consumer e-newsletter Ø Building visitor retention through community partnerships – Florida Public Relations Association, Destin Chamber of Commerce, Greater FWB Chamber of Commerce, Emerald Coast Chapter of the America Advertising Federation Ø Received several advertising awards: • Reader’s Choice Award for Best Meeting Place in the South, Emerald Coast Convention Center • Trip Advisor named the Emerald Coast one of the “Top Ten Destinations on the Rise" • Shorty Award entrant for Tourism Ø Attended 21 trade shows across the Southeast as well as emerging markets including New York and Memphis. These efforts reached meeting planners, tour group operators, travel industry professionals and consumer attendees through direct contact, collateral distributio