Okaloosa County BOCC — January 22, 2015 — I.d. Local Event Funding Policy

TOURIST DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM DATE: January 22, 2015 TO: Tourist Development Council FROM: Ed Schroeder, Tourist Development Department Director Charlotte Dunworth, Finance, Administration, & Compliance Manager SUBJECT: Local Event Marketing Funding Background Section Three of the Tourist Development Department Operations and Procedures Manual provides for special event and sponsorship funding to increase awareness of the Emerald Coast and drive room occupancy, particularly during low or shoulder seasons. Discussion A draft policy revision has been prepared for TDC review and discussion. The purpose of the revision is to clarify authorized uses of funding and the payment process, integrate the application process into the budget cycle, and provide for an economic impact-based funding methodology. Events that applied for funding in FY14 or FY15 will be notified of the new policy via electronic and postal service mail so they may plan to attend the April educational session. The new policy will be effective for all events submitting an application after the policy is adopted by the Board. TDC Recommendation to BCC Approve the Local Event Marketing Funding policy as presented; effective for all events submitting an application after the policy is adopted by the Board.  SECTION THREE: LOCAL EVENT MARKETING FUNDING ANNUAL APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 1 F.100 PURPOSE The goal of the Tourist Development Department’s Local Event Marketing Funding program is to increase out-of-market awareness of the Emerald Coast as a tourist destination and to drive lodging room occupancy in the sub-county taxing district by funding the marketing and promotional efforts of local events, especially during the non-summer season. NLY As used for purposes of this Section: “Event” means festival, sports event, performance, concert, meeting, conference, or other happening. "Out-of-Market" means outside of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties. F.200 AUTHORIZATION O N The Tourist Development Department will set aside a portion of the overall annual budget as a annual budget process. IO budgeted line item to fund local event marketing applications approved as part of the County’s F.300 FUNDING GUIDELINES SS 1) Requirements for Local Event Funding a. The Event must be open to the public. U C b. The Event must have as one of its main purposes the attraction of overnight visitors to the IS sub-county taxing district. Tracking of lodging room nights is required (e.g. lodging report, registration roster, visitor surveys, ticket sales). D c. Advertising and marketing must occur out-of-market (i.e. outside of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties) to ensure the funds will be used to attract overnight visitors to the sub- R county taxing district. O d. The Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department’s “Emerald Coast” logo and/or web link, shown below and provided in electronic format at the time of funding status notification -F and also available upon request, must appear in Event marketing materials (printed, audio, broadcast, online) and may not be altered in any way. Radio advertisements may include the tag line “Sponsored in part by the E