Manatee County Tourist Development Council Agenda Results 10/21/2013

BRADENTON -- At Monday's Tourist Development Council Meeting, members agreed to a partnership with the City of Bradenton Beach to rebuild the Bridge Street Pier on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to $1 million each. In other business, the TDC agreed to fund a National Digital Campaign for advertising to the amount of $125,000, in an effort to lure European vacationers to the area.   

Pledge of Allegiance

1.   Approval of August 19, 2013 Meeting Minutes -- Approved, Unanimous

2.   Presentation of Plaque to Tom Jung, former TDC Member

Presented by Carol Whitmore, Chairman, TDC 

3.   Public Comment 

4.    Bradenton Downtown Development Authority – Presentation  

Presented by Dave Gustafson, Bradenton DDA -- Gustafson said he was extremely pleased with the partnerships and other Bradenton businesses that have succeeded. "We now have a skate shop, and are celebrating our one year anniversary of the Riverwalk ... We have three breweries: Little Giant; Darling; and Motor Works, all in the vicinity of downtown and the Village of the Arts."

      * November 19th is the date of opening for the "Pink Palace" (Downtown Hampton Inn). 

5.   Introduction to Mark Stuckey, Sarasota Bradenton Int’l. Airport (SRQ)

Presented by Elliott Falcione, Bradenton CVB -- Stucky said, "Hopefully by next year, we will have more non-stop flights." Stucky added, "The airport did lose 30 percent of its traffic last year." On the upside, Stucky said, "United goes to Chicago every day, Delta flights have grown by three percent and Air Canada is redesigning 120-passenger planes to carry 142, and that will bring more to the traffic to the area."

Stucky said that the highest number of foreign visitors to the area are from Canada, next is the U. K. and then Germany is third. Elliot Falcione suggested redefining a request for an additional $125,000 from the TDC for EDC incentives, to be defined as "funds for a National Digital Campaign for advertising, to lure European vacationers to the area."

6.   IMG Partnership

Presented by Chris Ciaccio, Gary Pluchino and Scott Dean of IMG Academy

Recommendation Needed -- Ciaccio said, "We need some tweaks to accommodate the opportunity before us." adding, "We have six Major League Soccer teams already on board and a global opportunity. Ciaccio added,"We are committing 25 percent of our proceeds to the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation (EDC)."

TDC chairwoman Carol Whitmore suggested the motion and vote should come after Ciaccio's presentation. Motion to recommend redefining the request -- Approved, Unanimous.

7.    Pier Renovation

Presented by Elliott Falcione, Bradenton CVB

Recommendation Needed -- A matching dollar for dollar partnership between the City of Bradenton Beach and the TDC, that will not exceed $1 million each, to rebuild the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach -- Recommended for Approval, Unanimous (Story to follow).

8.    State of Tourism

Presented by Walter Klages, Data Research Services -- All numbers are slightly up said Klages and, "There are many Germans that own houses or condos in Manatee County, and Germans stay longer and spend more dollars then tourist from anywhere else."

9.  Marketing, Sales & Public Relations - Update

  Presented by Debbie Meihls, CVB

    10.   New / Old Business

    11.   Public Comment