Okaloosa County BOCC — January 8, 2013 — TDD Amended OP Manual - redline 2-15 — reading text

including but not limited to: 1) TOURISM PROMOTION: Development and maintenance of quality advertising, sales, marketing and public relations initiatives for the sub- district which presents a consistent and positive brand for the area; production of informational/promotional materials and systems, including publications, that it shall determine to be necessary or appropriate for the promotion of the special taxing district, and for local notification of projects as deemed necessary; support for a variety of special events to further the development of year round business and bolster image and name recognition for the sub-district; and continual maintenance efforts to keep the beaches, waterways, accessways and other tourist destination facilities within the sub-district clean, attractive and safe for public usage. 2) EMERALD COAST FILM COMMISSION: Operation and function of the Emerald Coast Film Commission to supply staffing requirements, materials, information, photos and guides to potential members of the film, photography and television industry to enhance the sub-district by 28  increasing the economic impact by bringing in film and production companies, which will increase employment of our area’s citizens and establish our area as an entertainment ready community. 3) OFFICIAL VISITOR/WELCOME-INFORMATION CENTER: Operation and function of the Official Visitor/Welcome-Information Center to supply materials, information, and guidance to the visiting public to the sub- district to a) unify the taxing district’s local promotion of the tourism business, b) provide information to visitors and provide information and c) to maintain a record of number of visitors and their demographics. 4) EMERALD COAST CONVENTION CENTER: Operation and function of the Emerald Coast Convention Center, to supply staffing requirements, materials, information, supplies, meeting facilities, operations of the center to include water, sewer, electricity, landscaping, meeting requirements of the public to enhance the area taxing district by providing a venue for cultural, educational, sport and entertainment events which will be a positive draw for visitors and establish our area as a group/convention/motorcoach area. 5) PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT: Maintenance and improvement of the beaches and water of the Gulf of Mexico, the Choctawhatchee Bay and other tourist destination facilities , including the improvement of public access to and use of these assets, including recreational facilities within the sub-district are essential to the preservation and improvement of the very foundation of the economy that the County is promoting. 6) ADMINISTRATION: Administration of the tourism tax revenues shall be through local administration by the Director of the Tourist Development Department under the direction of the County Administrator. Administration of the revenue collection process shall be carried out under a subcontract with the Okaloosa County Clerk of Court pursuant to Okaloosa County Ordinance 92-08 as amended. 7) RESERVE/EMERGENCY OPERATIONS: Maintenance of a reserve fund for the purpose of supplementing standard promotional functions, product improvement areas, beach maintenance efforts and for restoration of the county’s beach improvements in the aftermath of a major disaster which impacts sub-district coastal areas. G.000 SPECIAL EVENT AND SPONSORSHIP FUNDING GF.100 PURPOSE The goal of the Tourist Development Department’s special event and sponsorship funding grant program is, generally, to increase tourism along the Emerald Coast, and specifically, to increase occupancy by out-of-town 29  visitors in lodging facilities within the tourist development tax sub-district, including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Mary Esther and Cinco Bayou. G F.200 AUTHORIZATION 1) The Tourist Development Department will set aside a portion of the overall annual budget as a budgeted line item (determined on a fiscal year during the County’s budget process) in a grantfunding program to supplement the efforts of individuals, groups, and organizations planning, coordinating, and managing special events, meetings and conventions (“events”) expected to directly benefit local tourism and help to increase the overall average lodging occupancy for the event’s particular time period. Funds in the program may also be used for: 1) business acquisition offer/support (including host fee requirements); and 2) pre-event “out of county” marketing, advertising and attendance stimulation activities. 2) When funding is provided, it will be to promote and attract increasedincremental tourism and not to support on-going programs or administrative costs unless a special event can show significant potential for or continued growth year after year or residual advertising value in the form of event generated souvenirs, awards and t-shirts. Grant funds. Funds are intended to increase incremental transient lodging occupancy in the special taxing district of Destin, Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther, and Cinco Bayou. The funding of sponsorships of community, civic, cultural or other organizations shall be authorized but only where such funding will be used to promote and attract increased tourism and/or enhance and develop convention center use. 3) GFunding of sponsorships for organizations shall not be used for administrative costs. F.300 PROCEDURE The Marketing Committee will review application forms on a quarterly basis and submit recommendations for funding to the Council for approval. The Marketing Committee will review applications and schedule presentations during their meetings held in the months of January, April, July and September and submit recommendations for funding to the Council during their meetings in the same months. Special eventSpecial event and sponsorship funding application forms are available at the Tourist Development Department administrative offices located in the Welcome Center buildings on Okaloosa Island, and also on the Tourist Development Department’s web sitewebsite. Funding will be determined by the Council 30 pursuant to the procedures contained in Section E.600. The number and extent of grantsawards will be dependent upon the availability of designated funds from year to year. The following procedures shall be used by an applicant to solicitrequest support of a special event or promotion: 1) Requests for funding shall be made to the Director or his designated agent on the approved application form. All applicants shall apply for funding and submit a completed application form to the Director of designated agent by the following dates each year: January 1, April 1, July 1, and September 1. The Director or designated agent will review the application forms and then forward a copy to each member of the Marketing Committee at least one week prior to the monthly Marketing Committee meeting dates in the months listed above. Applications will be reviewed and discussed during the Marketing Committee meetings in the months of January, April, and July of each year. The Marketing Committee will then submit its recommendations for funding to the Council for review and/or approval within the same month. Applicants will be notified at the Marketing Committee meeting or within three days after the Marketing Committee meetings listed above whether or not their special event is recommended to the Council for funding. The Marketing Committee and/or the Council reservewell in advance of the anticipated event date. The Director or designated agent will review the application forms to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements. The Director or designated agent reserves the right to request additional information from the applicant prior to making decisions on whether to grant funding. Applicants might be asked to make a formal presentation to either the Marketing Committee and/or the Council before the Council makes a final decision.award funding. 2) The history and experience of the applicant members and/or the organization is extremely important when considering the Council considers awarding grantsaward of any funds as well as the following; the soundness and potential of the proposed or existing special event to attract tourism - to which it is realistically conceived and capable of production within the proposed time frame, the extent to which the special event includes community support and coordination of resources among local, private, and public sector groups, and the extent to which other sources of funding for the special event are identifiable and are capable of providing funding. 3) Upon recommendation from the Marketing Committee and Council approval of an application, the Council shall establish the final dollar amount of the grantfunding will be determined pursuant to the procedures contained in Section E.600. 31  4) If an applicant is awarded a grantgranted an award, the applicant will work with the Director or their designated agent to comply with procedures for submission of invoices and distribution of allocated fundsshall acknowledge in writing the terms and conditions applicable to receiving such grant funding. GF.400 Special Event Grantand Sponsorship Funding Guidelines: 1) Location and accessibility of Special Event: The Special Event must take place within Okaloosa County and. 1)2) Application: Applicants must be accessible to the publicsubmit a Special Event and Sponsorship Funding Application, a copy of which is attached hereto as Appendix A. 2)3) Advertising Requirements: The Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council logo must appear prominently in all advertising and publicity (written and/or electronic) for the special event. Advertising and promotion must take place in areas outside of Okaloosa County to ensure that funds will be used to attract overnight visitors. Social media advertising is acceptable, but audience selection must be documented. 3) Required Match: Special Event Grant Funds awarded shall represent no more than 50% of the total cost of the event, as documented in the final event report. 4) Insurance requirement: a certificate of liability insurance, naming Okaloosa County as an additional insured, is required before any reimbursements can be made. 5)4) Authorized uses of Special Event grantand Sponsorship funds: a. Advertising and promotional expenses including, television, radio, newspaper, magazines, multi-media, billboards and signage