[CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:10] ALL RIGHT. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR THE INDICATION. COUNCILMEMBER ANDERS COULD NOT JOIN US TODAY. SO I WILL DO OUR INVOCATION. HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND THE MANY BLESSINGS YOU BESTOW ON US EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND WE THANK YOU FOR CLAY COUNTY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE NEIGHBORS TO OUR LEFT AND RIGHT, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU PROVIDE TO OUR-- US EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND YOUR HEAVENLY NAME WE PRAY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE CLAY COUNTY TOURIST EVOLVEMENT COUNCIL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2026. WE WILL START WITH ENTERED ROCKTON-- INTRODUCTIONS. DOWN TO MY RIGHT, MR. PORTER. >> NEIL PORTER, ACCOMMODATIONS. >> DEBBIE REVEALS, CITIZEN TAX DIETZ-- KEYSTONE HEIGHT. >> KEVIN EVANS,ACCOMMODATIONS. >> JOHN SGROMOLO. DISTRICT COUNTY ONE. >> DAVID DIAZ, CITIZEN. >> STEPHANIE LAM, PROGRAM MANAGER. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU HAVE TWO OTHER STAFF. YOU CAN SAY THEIR NAMES. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO MR. FALCONER, WHO IS NEW TO-- NEWLY APPOINTED HERE, WE ARE HAPPY YOU ARE HERE WITH US HERE THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. ANGERS, YOU ARE RIGHT ON TIME, MY MAN. SO WE ARE HAPPY THAT YOU ARE HERE AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE TTC, WALK RIGHT UP TO THE PODIUM. [1. Tourism Development Council Meeting Minutes May 13, 2026] SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR MEETING MINUTES FROM MAY 13TH 2026. >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE [2. Advance Travel & Tourism Marketing Update (P. Vann) Marketing update from the contracted advertising agency] MINUTES FROM MAY 13TH SAY "AYE". ANY OPPOSED? PASSES UNANIMOUSLY ANGERS. STARTING OFF TODAY'S AGENDA, WE HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS. THE FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE OUR ADVANCED TRAVEL AND TOURISM MARKETING UPDATE BY MS. VAN. >> HELLO, I AM PAULA VAN. WITH ADVANCED TRAVEL AND TOURISM. I WAS HERE A FEW MONTHS AGO. I WAS A WEEK OR TWO IN, I HAD JOINED IN ADVANCE. SO I MIGHT KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE TODAY. AND I CAN SHARE MORE INFORMATION. BUT WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR SUMMER CAMPAIGNS, AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND SOME OF THE CAMPAIGNS AND SOME THINGS ON THE HORIZON, AS WELL. THE LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER, WE HAD SOME BILLBOARDS, THE AMERICA 250 PROMOTION. AND AGAIN, PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON. FIRST UP, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT "EXPLORED JACKSONVILLE PURE GLOW THAT IS A LOCAL INFLUENCER THAT WE PARTNERED WITH. AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. A DIFFERENT LENS THAT WE DID WITH THIS PARTNER. WE DID A GIRLS TRIP WITH CLAY COUNTY, FOCUSED ON A GIRL STRIP AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE. AND IT TURNED OUT AMAZING. THESE ARE A FEW OF THE POSTS THAT THEY SHARED, YOU CAN SEE HOW IT PERFORMED IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER. HOW MANY VIEWS HIS POST REC RECEIVED. IT WENT FROM MIDDLEBURG, THEY SPENT TIME IN KEYSTONE. AND ALSO THE TREE HOUSE. A GREAT EXPERIENCE. AND THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE CROWN JEWELS OF THIS OVERALL EXPERIENCE. AND THE CAMP CHOW POST HAD 1.6 MILLION VIEWS. SO IT WENT KIND OF VIRAL. WHICH IS COOL. SO IT HAD 28,000-- OVER 20,000 LIKES. SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE SAW INCREASED VISITATION AND RESERVATIONS THIS SUMMER, AND IF SO, I THINK THE EXPLORE JACKSONVILLE TEAM HELPED BRING THAT AND PAVED A BIT OF THAT SUCCESS IF THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR. SO JUST THE HIDDEN GEMS IN CLAY COUNTY. KNAK'S, SOME BILLBOARDS. AND THIS IS ONE BILLBOARD-- [00:05:04] NEXT, SOME BILLBOARDS. THESE ARE ROTATING CREATIVES. AND WHAT IT DID IS HIGHLIGHT AND REMIND THE LOCALS-- SOMETIMES PEOPLE FORGET WHAT IS IN THEIR BACKYARD, AND IT REMINDS PEOPLE TO CELEBRATE AMERICA 250, EVENTS GOING ON, KAYAKING, PADDLEBOARD AND, AND WHERE THEY CAN FIND INFORMATION ON THAT, AND THE VIEWS OF THAT BILLBOARD WERE ALMOST 7.5 MILLION. NEXT, THE AMERICA 250. WE DID THAT THROUGH THE SOCIAL PROGRAM. THIS WAS A REALLY SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN. SHARE HAD THE IDEA OF DOING A THROWBACK OF WHAT CLAY COUNTY LOOKED LIKE IN THE PAST, AND WHAT THOSE PLACES LOOK LIKE NOW. SO SHE CONNECTED WITH THE ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT, PULLED SOME PHOTOS AND WENT OUT AND TOOK PHOTOS OF WHAT THOSE PLACES LOOKED LIKE NOW. AND WE CAN SHARE SOME VIDEO AS WELL. IT WAS REALLY COOL. OUR CREATIVE TEAM TOOK IT. THEY BROUGHT THEM TO LIFE, THE PICTURES OF THE PAST. MAKING IT LOOK LIKE PEOPLE WERE KAYAKING, CANOEING. DOING DRONE FOOTAGE FROM THE PAST, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE NOW. AND IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, AS YOU CAN SEE. IT GOT A LOT OF VIEWS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE POST. AND IT GOT PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT CLAY COUNTY AND IT'S IMPACT. WHAT IS COMING UP? THESE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. ONE IS A SPORTS TOURISM VIDEO, AND ONE IS A'S FISHING VIDEO. TWO FUN TOPICS THERE. THE SPORTS TOURISM VIDEO WE ARE GOING TO TWO LOCATIONS AROUND THE COMMUNITY. IT'S GOING TO BE A SIZZLE REEL. SO IT'S GOING TO PUMP UP AND TALK ABOUT SPORTS AND ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN DO AND THE EVENTS YOU CAN HOSTING CLAY COUNTY, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLEMENTED WITH A ADDITIONAL COMPONENT OF WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER YOU GO TO THE SPORTS EVENTS. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO, AND YOU STAY A FEW DAYS EXTRA? AND THINGS LIKE THAT. NEXT, THE FISHING VIDEO. VERY SIMILAR. MORE OF A FISHING CAMPAIGN THAT WE ARE DOING. GOING TO BE CONNECTING WITH SOME LOCAL FISHING EXPERTS, AND DOING KIND OF A DOCUMENTARY STYLE/HEARTWARMING STORY/WHERE ALL THE HIDDEN GEMS ARE TO FISH AROUND TOWN. AND IT WILL BE COMING OUT LATER THIS YEAR AS WELL. ANY QUESTIONS? >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS VAN? >> THANK YOU. >> ONE SECOND, SORRY. ONE QUESTION THAT I HAD, THAT I WAS KIND OF THINKING ABOUT, IS FROM A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE BEST PRACTICES, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO, WASH, RINSE AND REPEAT. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR CLAY COUNTY IN TERMS OF EXPANDING WHAT WE ARE DOING? IT IS A VERY BIG QUESTION, BUT... >> WELL,, I THINK THAT WE ARE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW. REALLY DIVING IN AND CREATING SOME ASSETS THAT YOU CAN USE LONG-TERM. NOT JUST THE VIDEOS, BUT THE EXPLORE JACKSONVILLE TEAM. THEY PROVIDED A LOT OF CONTENT AND CREATIVE AND BE ROLE VIDEO THAT WE CAN USE FOR OTHER CAMPAIGNS. BUT TELLING THAT STORY OF WHO YOU ARE, AND OWN WHO YOU ARE. YOU ARE AND OUTDOOR RECREATION SPORTS DESTINATION. IN PROMOTING THAT IS MUCH AS YOU CAN. AND WE ARE WORKING MORE TO LOOK AT THAT DRIVE MARKET SO YOU CAN GET EASY DAYTRIPPERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT HOW DO YOU GET THEM TO STAY OVERNIGHT? WE DID TARGET JACKSONVILLE AND A FEW OTHER AREAS. JUST STARTING THERE AND EXPANDING OUT AS YOU GO. THAT IS OUR PLAN FOR THIS COMING YEAR, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE A GOOD START WITH IT ALREADY. BUT HAVING THE ASSETS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IS A BIG COMPONENT OF IT. >> AND FOR THE VISIBILITY OF THIS COUNCIL, AS THE COUNTY COMMISSION HAS GONE THROUGH THE BUDGETARY PROCESS, IRONICALLY ENOUGH, THAT VIDEO HAD SO MUCH TRACTION, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IRONICALLY ENOUGH, CAMP CHOW IS A LOSING PROPOSITION FOR THE COUNTY. IT COST THE CANTY $5000 ANNUALLY TO RUN. SO OUR STAFF IS CURRENTLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE IT FINANCIALLY PROFITABLE. AND THAT WOULD BE GOOD IF THAT WAS A EXTENSION OF-- HEY, HERE ARE ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN DO HERE. WHETHER THAT IS HOSTING WEDDINGS, OR ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY, GOOD JOB. I AM ONE OF THE ONES THAT CLICKED ON THE WATERFALL AD. I DID NOT KNOW THERE WERE WATERFALLS IN CLAY COUNTY. SO GREAT JOB. I AM INTERESTED. KEEP IT UP. >> THAT IS AWESOME. I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE THOSE MOMENTS WHERE IT'S LIKE OH, SOMETHING WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY OR TOWN. AND THAT MAKES IT FUN. >> I WOULD ADD, PAULA HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE ON THE COLLABORATION SIDE WITH STAFF. THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE COULD ALLUDE MORE TO IN NOVEMBER IS THAT CHRISTMAS IN CLAY IS A BIG [00:10:05] CAMPAIGN WE WILL RAMP UP THIS YEAR THAT IS GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER THAN WE HAD LAST YEAR. IT HAD SOME PIECES TO IT. SO THAT WOULD BE, FOR US, SOMETHING WE CAN CONTINUE TO KIND OF MAKE A STAPLE AROUND THAT TIME OF YEAR, WHICH IS IMPORTANT. >> THESE JACKSONVILLE IN FLOORS-- INFLUENCERS, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THEM COME BACK DURING CHRISTMAS. KEYSTONE, WE HAVE A FANTASTIC PARADE, AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS GOING AROUND TOWN FOR THAT TOO. SO THAT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE. NOT JUST SUMMER, BUT FALL, WINTER, SPRING ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ESPECIALLY GETTING THE HITS THAT WE ARE GETTING, IT WAS FANTASTIC. >> LASTLY, I WILL SAY, WHEN WE GET TO THE BUDGET I WILL REFERENCE SOMETHING WE ARE LOOKING TO ADD FROM IT NEXT YEAR THROUGH CROWD RIFT, WHICH WE USE NOW. THAT WILL SPEAK TO SOME OF THAT EXTRA CONTENT AND EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO WE CAN GET THEM ESSENTIALLY IN OUR ARCHIVES SO WE CAN DO DIFFERENT THINGS DOWN THE ROAD. I MENTIONED THAT IN THE BUDGET. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. [3. Airstream Ventures Sports Tourism Update (A. Verlander) Sports Tourism update from Airstream Ventures] WE ARE STILL GOOD. OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 3. ANOTHER PRESENTATION FROM AIRSTREAM VENTURES. MR. ALLEN VERLANDER. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON, WHICH IS COOL. WE HAD A LAW FOR A YEAR AND IT'S RAMPING UP AND GETTING VERY BUSY. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH STAFF ALL OF THE TIME AND TRYING TO GET AVAILABILITY ON FIELDS AND DATES. AND IT HAS BEEN NONSTOP. SO IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD. THESE ARE THE ASSOCIATION TRIPS THAT OUR STAFF HAS GONE ON. SPORTS ETA BACK IN APRIL. WE GOT BACK FROM THE FLORIDA SPORTS FOUNDATION. STEPHANIE WENT WITH BROOKE AND JR FROM OUR TEAM, AND I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT IN A SECOND. BUT IT WAS OVERALL A GOOD ONE. WE WILL BE GOING TO TEAMS. WE WENT TO CONNECT, WHICH WAS IN TAMPA. WE WENT IN AS UNDERCOVER AND MET WITH A BUNCH OF EVENTS PEOPLE. AND LEFT. BUT WE WILL BE GOING TO TEAMS AND SPORTS AND VIRGINIA BEACH AND ENDING INPUT TO GORDA. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THESE, YOU ARE SEEING ALL THE SAME PEOPLE. ALL THE SAME PEOPLE, IT IS JUST LIKE A DINNER. WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE DINNERS THAT YOU GO ON FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE. A PROGRESSIVE DINNER. IT'S LIKE A PROGRESSIVE CONFERENCE. ALL THE SAME PEOPLE. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE ARE BUILDING THAT CAMARADERIE AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM ABOUT CLAY COUNTY AND THE FACILITIES, AND THE SPORTS COMPLEX. SO, WE WILL HAVE GONE TO SIX CONFERENCES AFTER DECEMBER. SO JUST A HIGHLIGHT OF THE FLORIDA SPORTS FOUNDATION, THE FLORIDA SPORTS FOUNDATION FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW IS HOUSE IN TELA HOUSE-- TALLAHASSEE. IT'S A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. THEIR REVENUE IS MADE UP FROM ALL THE PRO SPORTS LICENCE PLATES THAT EVERYBODY BUYS. IF YOU BUY A JAGUARS LICENSE PLATE, A PORTION OF THOSE POOR-- PROCEEDS GO TO FUND THIS. THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE ORGANIZATION, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO POLL-- TO PULL OFF A SUMMIT. SO YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS. THEY KIND OF CREATE A MINI CONFERENCE AS WELL THAT STEPHANIE AND BROOKE AND JR WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH. SOME MAKE SENSE FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE THE FACILITY, SOME DO NOT. BUT IT WAS A GOOD ONE. AND ANOTHER GOOD WAY TO PREACH CLAY COUNTY TO EVERYBODY THERE. THE FLORIDA SPORTS FOUNDATION, THERE IS 28 SPORTS COMMISSIONS AROUND THE STATE. SO WE ARE ONE OF THOSE 28. A LOT OF TALKS AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE. A LOT OF BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE DISCUSSED THERE. AND IT WAS AWESOME AGAIN TO HAVE STEPHANIE THERE. I THINK SHE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF OUR WORLD, OF WHAT WE GO THROUGH. SO, ANYWAY. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THESE ARE SOME OF THE BOOKED EVENTS. YOU CAN SEE THE LINE UP IS GROWING. IT'S PICKING UP STEAM. SO FAR, AND I KNOW-- WE ARE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE CALENDAR YEAR, NOT NECESSARILY THE BUDGET YEAR. [00:15:03] I WILL KIND OF START FROM MARCH. WE HAD A U.S. SENIOR PICKLEBALL EVENT THAT WAS WELL DONE AT THE HUB. THE FREIBERGS FLAG FOOTBALL CLASSIC, MORE OF A LOCAL EVENT AT THE SPORTS COMPLEX, BUT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW WITH SEVEN ON SEVEN, AND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FOCUSES ON THE SPRING EVENTS AND SUMMER EVENTS IN PREPARATION FOR THE FALL SEASON. FIVE VERSUS FIVE SOCCER IS THE RELATIONSHIP THAT JR FROM OUR TEAM DID THAT IS A ONE DAY EVENT. LACROSSE IS A LACROSSE COMPANY BY THE SECOND-LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY OUT OF CALIFORNIA. THEY HAVE DONE AN EVENT IN PALM COAST OVER THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS. AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THEM AND CONVINCE THEM TO BRING IT TO CLAY COUNTY. SO THAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER. IT'S A HUGE LACROSSE EVENT. WELL OVER 1000 PARTICIPANTS, WHICH MEANS EVEN MORE PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND ALL OF THAT. THAT WAS A GREAT GET FOR US. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM HERE FOR A WHILE AND FINALLY GOT IT. RYDER LEE GOLF TOUR. YOU WILL ALL KNOW FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS WE HAD ONE EVENT. SCOTT TURNER HAS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH BEING A PEER. LOVES WORKING WITH THE STAFF AS WELL AS OUR TEAM. SO WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW, A SECOND EVENT ON NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER AT EAGLE LANDING. AND I TALKED TO HIM YESTERDAY. HE EXPECTS A FULL-FIELD FOR THAT. NOT A HUGE EVENT, BUT 90 GOLFERS WILL BE HERE FOR FIVE DAYS. SO THEY BOOK, AND THEY UNDERSTAND. THE GREAT THING ABOUT SCOTT IS HE UNDERSTANDS TOURISM AND WHERE THESE PEOPLE NEED TO STAY. SO HE IS MESSAGING THEM, SENDING THEM TO THE HOTELS, ALL THAT STUFF. INEVITABLY OF THOSE 90 YOU HAVE TEN THAT ARE LOCAL AND THAT LIVE AROUND THE AREA, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH GREAT GOLF AROUND HERE. THE AMERICAN CORNHOLE LEAGUE IS COMING BACK. WE GOT THEM BACK, AND I FOUND OUT A FEW DAYS AGO. WE TALKED ABOUT IT ON OUR STAFF CALL THE OTHER DAY. THEY SELECTED THIS EVENT AS NOW ONE OF THE WORLD QUALIFIERS FOR THE AMERICAN CORNHOLE LEAGUE. WHAT USED TO HAPPEN WITH THE AMERICAN CORNHOLE LEAGUE, WHERE YOU COULD WATCH IT OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER ESPN NUMBER YOU WATCH, BUT THEY HAVE ALL THESE-- SOME OF THESE EVENTS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST ARE UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION, BUT NOT REALLY. WHILE NOW, ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE ACL. SO YOU HAVE THE NATIONAL BRAND PACK AND THEY SAW THE SUCCESS OF THAT. THEY WANTED TO HAVE THE FIRST ONE IN FLORIDA OF THE WORLD CUP QUALIFIER THAT IS NEXT YEAR, SO THEY COLLECT-- SELECTED CLAY COUNTY AS THAT EVENT. WHICH MEANS IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT LARGER THAN THE ONE WE HAD SECURED LAST YEAR BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN. YOU WILL HAVE PROS COMING IN AROUND THAT TIME OF YEAR BECAUSE THEY WANT TO QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CUP, WHICH IS, IN CORNHOLE, IS OVERSEAS, NOT IN AMERICA. SO WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WE HEARD THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, BUT TO GET SELECTED WAS EXCITING. AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP THE MINOR-LEAGUE GOLF TOUR IN FEBRUARY. CLASH AT THE CREEK, WHICH IS A HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL EVENT THAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR THAT WE NEEDED TO GET OFF OF THE GROUND. AND WE JUST HAD A TEAM SIGN-UP FROM MIAMI TODAY, WHICH WAS GREAT. THE NEXT LEVEL, SEVEN V7, A GROUP THAT WE MET AT ONE OF THESE CONFERENCES, THEY ARE DOING A SEVEN VERSUS SEVEN IN MARCH. JV LACROSSE, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. THERE ARE SO MANY LACROSSE TEAMS THAT WE FINALLY HAVE DATES SOLIDIFIED WITH THE SPORTS COMPLEX. SO ALL THE JV TEAMS THAT PLAY AROUND THE STATE WILL COME HERE IN MARCH. YOU CAN SEE IT'S A BUSY MARCH. PEOPLE LIKE TO COME TO FLORIDA IN MARCH. I DON'T KNOW WHY. BUT U.S. SENIOR PICKLEBALL WANTS TO COME BACK, AND THE GAME ON RACE, WHICH IS A RACE THAT WILL BE HAPPENING AROUND GREEN COVE AND ALL OF THAT. IT'S A NATIONAL SOUTHEAST ORGANIZATION. TEDDY HAS WORKED WITH THEM IN THE PAST. AND THEY WILL BRING IN A BIG RUN. IT'S NOT A LOCAL RUN. THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT RUN IN THEIR RACES, IF YOU'VE HEARD OF THE ROCK AND ROLL OR OTHER NATIONAL BRANDS, THEY ARE SOUTHEASTERN BRANDS. SO WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN FROM ALL OVER. SO THOSE ARE THE BOOKED EVENTS. IT'S A GOOD LINEUP. WE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE OF [00:20:03] THAT NEXT PRESENTATION. WILL EAT-- WE WILL HAVE MORE BOOKED EVENTS. BUT YOU CAN SEE ADVANCED CONVERSATIONS THERE. THE NCAA JUST OPENED UP THEIR PORTAL ON MONDAY. SO ALL OF THE EVENTS, DIVISION I, TWO, THREE, THEY ARE FORBID. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH STAFF TO REALIZE WHICH ONES WE CAN DO. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FACILITIES FOR MEN'S BASKETBALL REGIONAL. A LOT OF THOSE WILL BE LOOKED AT IN JACKSONVILLE. BUT THE RUNNING EVENTS, THE RIFLE EVENTS, THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS ON THE D1, D2 ND THREE LEVEL, WE CAN MAKE A BID FOR. PREMIER LACROSSE LEAGUE, WHICH IS THE PRO LEAGUE FOR LACROSSE. JR HAS FORMED A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. THEY ARE MOVING FROM CAMPS TO AN ACTUAL SIXES EVENT. IN THE SPORT OF LACROSSE IT WILL BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT NEXT YEAR. BUT THEY JUST PLAY SIX ON SIX. SO IT'S NOT THE 11 ON 11 YOU ARE USED TO. A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE PARING IT DOWN TO SIX ON SIX. SO WE WILL HAVE AN EVENT. THEY ARE WORKING ON A DATE RIGHT NOW. PRO WATER CROSSES COMING BACK. I WAS TALKING WITH SEAN, WHO IS THE NEW OWNER OF THAT RACE SERIES. SO I HAVE TO GET WITH YOU ALL ON THAT. BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HOT OFF THE PRESS. BUT THEY WILL BE COMING IN FEBRUARY. WHICH WILL BE GOOD. WE DO ABOUT SIX EVENTS WITH THEM. AND I WILL SAY THE LAST TWO EVENTS WE HAVE DONE, NOW THAT SEAN HAS BEEN-- HE HAS INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF RACERS FROM ABOUT 50 TO OVER 150. SO THE TOUR HAS BLOWN UP. HE HAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH CVS-- CBS. THE KANSAS CITY BARBECUE SOCIETY, OUT OF KANSAS CITY, THEY WOULD LOVE TO DO AN EVENT IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA. WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. SO WE ARE TRYING TO MARRIOTT WITH MAYBE ANOTHER EVENT HERE IN THE COUNTY. THE UNITED FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE, WE DO A LOT OF EVENTS WITH THEM. WE ARE TRYING TO GET THEM TO COME TO CLAY TO OUR GREAT SPORTS COMPLEX. HE HAS VISITED THE COMPLEX, HE LOVES THE COMPLEX, BUT WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET HIM OVER THE TOP ON THAT. FREESTYLE TRAMPOLINE, DOCK DOGS. THOSE ARE COMBINED WITH ANOTHER EVENT. INSPIRED DANCE HAS BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. THEY WANT TO DO A SECOND EVENT NOW. SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIND SOME DATES FOR THEM. YOU WILL SEE PICKLEBALL A LOT HERE. SOUTHERN PICKLEBALL WANTS TO DO AN EVENT HERE. THE CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL WE'VE DONE. IT'S A HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENT. WE ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGE NOW. I WOULD SAY THAT IS BOOKED, BUT THAT WOULD BE FOR 27. AND YOU SEE THE FHS SEVEN VERSUS SEVEN GIRLS AND BOYS, TWO SEPARATE EVENTS. WE HAVE JUST COMBINED IT. BUT THAT WILL COME IN 2027. MULTIDRONE RACING, FOR THOSE THAT FOLLOW DRONE RACING, THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE FAIRGROUNDS. SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIND DATES TO FINALIZE THAT. AND THAT SHOULD GO OVER IN THE BOOKED CATEGORY. AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST WE TRIED TO CREATE ORGANIC EVENTS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO CLAY COUNTY. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH-- ONE OF MY FRIENDS IS THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY. OUT OF OKLAHOMA OBVIOUSLY. HE HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO DO A COLLEGE TEAM GOLF EVENT. WE WERE TOGETHER FOR THE NCAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS. TALKING ABOUT CLAY COUNTY, HOW WE CAN DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT EAGLE LANDING FOR THAT I 2027. IN FEBRUARY. WE GOT APPROVAL FROM THE GOLF COURSE TO DO THAT. HE'S IN THE PROCESS OF RECRUITING TEAMS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN HAS PRETTY MUCH BEEN ONE OF A TOP-FIVE DIVISION TO PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY FOR MEN'S GOLF. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE AN UPDATE NEXT WEEK ON THE NUMBER OF TEAMS AND ALL THAT. SO THAT WILL BE A UNIQUE EVENT TO OUR COUNTY, WHICH WILL BE A GOOD TIME OF THE YEAR. WHEN A LOT OF TEAMS FROM UP NORTH CANNOT GET OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE BECAUSE IT'S SO COLD. THEY WILL COME TO CLAY COUNTY TO PLAY. SEAN AND EAGLE LANDING HAVE BEEN AMAZING TO WORK WITH. SO I WANT TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT. AND THE NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S GOLF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, WE WILL BE BIDDING FOR THAT. [00:25:02] SO THAT WOULD START IN 28. OH, WE ARE GOING TO SUBMIT A BID. WE'VE HAD GOOD CALLS WITH THE NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC SO SICK-- ASSOCIATION. THEY WOULD LOVE TO COME TO FLORIDA. A LOT OF THE TIME THEIR TOURNAMENT'S ARE SPLIT MEN AND WOMEN. SO IT WOULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST TRUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WE'VE EVER HELD IN THE COUNTY, WHICH WOULD BE COOL. WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT. D1 NATION TACKLE FOOTBALL HAS SAID WE ARE COMING TO CLAY COUNTY PURCHASE GIVE US DATES AND APPROVE THE TACKLE FOOTBALL ON THE FIELD. BUT WE ARE COMING TO THAT FACILITY. A LOT OF EXCITING STUFF. AND THESE OTHERS, I DON'T HAVE TO READ THROUGH THEM. BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE IS A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON AND A LOT OF GOOD STUFF. NEXT SLIDE IS OBVIOUSLY THE WORK ON THE ANNUAL CONTRACT. IN THIS FISCAL YEAR SO FAR WE'VE BOOKED TWO. WE HAVE 11 BOOKED. BUT TWO HAVE HAPPENED. SO WE CAN ONLY LOOK AT IT FROM WHAT'S HAPPENED. THAT'S HOW WE GENERATE REPORTS. THE TWO THAT HAPPENED WERE SMALLER EVENTS. SO THE GOALS ARE UP TOP AND THE ACTUALS FROM THOSE. SO WE PUT THOSE IN DESTINATIONS, IN AN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT. AND IT GENERATES THE REPORTS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ADRENALINE LACROSSE, I KNOW, IN YEARS PAST IN PALM COAST THEY ARE WELL OVER ABOUT 1500 ROOM NIGHTS FOR A WEEKEND. SO, NOT ALONE WILL BE JUST ONE EVENT. SO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE OUR GOALS, WHERE WE WILL MEET OUR GOALS AND EXCEED OUR GOALS, AND LOOKS SLOW RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE YEAR JUST STARTED. WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ALLEN? >> I HAVE ONE. THIS LOOKS GREAT. IT'S FILLING IN-- I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS ACTUALLY. EVERYTHING IS ABOUT A YEAR OUT. JUST LIKE OUR CONVENTION WORLD? >> IN A LOT OF THESE, THEY ARE JUST PLANNING SO FAR OUT. WE KIND OF MISS THE WINDOW IN 20 BOARD TO SEE IT-- SO WE ARE GOING TO START SEEING IT GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT. WE ARE TRYING AND CALLING PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME. >> I DID NOT KNOW IF IT WAS THEIR SHORT-TERM, OR WERE GETTING ANOTHER RUN AGAIN. >> WE WILL GET SOME MORE AND WE ARE GAINING MOMENTUM. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT. BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE THAT ARE 28, 29 BECAUSE WE WANT TO FILL THE PIPELINE OF THAT. AND SOME OF THOSE BIDS, WILL TAKE WHAT YOU WILL GIVE US. >> AND OUT OF ALL THOSE, SINCE IT'S GAINING, ARE HALF OF THEM REPEAT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WE WE WILL FILL IT UP AND IT WILL ALL BE IN MARCH. >> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF RESIDUAL EVENTS THERE. WE HAVE SOME WE'VE WORKED ON IN THE PAST, LIKE PRO WATER CROSS THAT IS COMING BACK. AND THE ADRENALINE LACROSSE. THEY ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON-- IT'S NOT EVEN ON HERE BECAUSE WE SUBMITTED THIS REPORT A FEW WEEKS BACK. BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH A SECOND EVENT IN JUNE THAT WE JUST GOT THE DATES FOR. SO THAT WILL BE COMING. THAT'S ANOTHER BIG EVENT THEY DO. BUT THE GOAL IS CERTAINLY TO BUILD THESE RESIDUAL EVENTS THAT FROM HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW THAT THIS WEEKEND EVERY YEAR IS THIS. >> THANK YOU. >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION, ALLEN. PICKLEBALL. ARE THESE ALL OUT? >> THEY ARE. AS WE ARE LEARNING IN THE WORLD OF PICKLEBALL, THEY LOVE TO P PLAN-- UNBELIEVABLE FACILITIES ARE BEING BUILT EVERYWHERE. IT SEEMS LIKE ALL OVER THE WORLD. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE SPORT OF PICKLEBALL CAPTURE A COUNTRY. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL STARTING UP IN A DAY. OR MAYBE IT STARTED LAST WEEK, I GUESS, BUT PICKLEBALL IS IN NORMA'S. AND THESE FACILITIES ARE BEING BUILT AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. SO THEY WANT TO PLAY KIND OF IN THE BEST ONE THAT WE HAVE HERE. SO THAT IS WHY THEY ARE GOING THERE. >> YOU ARE DASSOCIATIONS I WANTO THE HUB, RIGHT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> AND I KNOW THE HUB COMES DIRECTLY TO US BASED ON FUNDING FOR SOME EVENTS. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. >> THAT HAS BEEN A TRICKY ONE. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT. WHAT HAPPENS IS-- THE HUB IS A PRETTY COSTLY FACILITY TO RENT OUT. [00:30:01] SO THEY WANT MONIES UP FRONT, AND A LOT OF THESE PICKLEBALL ASSOCIATIONS, THEIR CASH FLOW IS NOT THE BEST, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TIME PEOPLE WILL REGISTER FOR THESE EVENTS BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY UNTIL A MONTH OUT, THREE WEEKS OUT, TWO WEEKS OUT. SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE CASH TO PAY IT UP FRONT. SO WE ARE TRYING TO WORK ON THAT WITH THE HUB TO SAY THEY CAN PUT A DEPOSIT DOWN. AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS-- IT'S A PHENOMENAL FACILITY THEY HAVE THERE. WE CAN ATTRACT A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT WE LOST A PICKLEBALL EVENT THERE BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING AND HOW THE FUNDING WORKED, THEY COULD NOT AFFORD IT. AND EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE GOING TO ASK FOR THEY GRANT, IT'S ON THE BACK END. SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NEW WAYS TO DO THAT FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. BECAUSE THESE ARE-- THE PICKLEBALL PEOPLE WE WORK WITH, THEY ARE TOURISM DRIVEN. IF SOUTHERN PICKLEBALL THROWS AN EVENT, IT CAN FILL UP LOCALLY LIKE THAT. BUT WHAT THEY SAY IS OKAY, WE HAVE 200 SLOTS. 50 WILL BE LOCAL. 150 WILL BE OUT OF TOWN BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY RUN IT. BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE THE FINANCES WORK. >> THANK YOU. TWO QUESTIONS I HAVE. FIRST, AMERICAN CORNHOLE COMING BACK IS AWESOME. THE QUESTION I HAVE IS I WENT TO THE FIRST ONE AND IT WAS PACKED. LOGISTICALLY, HOW DO WE MAKE IT WORK WITH EVEN MORE? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AS OUR STAFF HAS-- WE TALKED ON MONDAY, WHATEVER IT WAS. THAT THIRD BAIT, THAT THIRD EXHIBIT HALL I GUESS IS FULL NOW. WE NEED THAT. THAT WOULD BE FULL WITH CORNHOLE OR WE NEED TO FIND ANOTHER FACILITY. >> CAN YOU USE THE CATTLEMEN'S ARENA? >> IT CAN'T BE OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT'S A CONDITIONAL THING. THE ELEMENTS CANNOT DICTATE BECAUSE OF THE TECHNICALITIES OF EVERYTHING. THEY NEED 20,000 SOMETHING SQUARE FEET, WHICH THE FAIRGROUNDS CAN HANDLE. BUT I'M JUST SAYING WHAT HE TOLD ME. HE SAID LISTEN, I WANT TO BE AN CLAY COUNTY, THEY BEEN GREAT TO ME. BUT IF WE CANNOT GET THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, I'M GOING TO MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. WE HAVE TO WORK ON THAT. HE DOES NOT CARE WHERE IT IS. HE WANTS TO BE IN THE COUNTY, BUT IT WILL BE A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN YOU SO. >> AND TO ALLEN'S POINT, I KNOW STAFF ARE LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS, MAYBE OUTSIDE THE BOX WITH WHERE IT COULD GO. WE HAVE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THOUGHT PROCESS ARE WHAT WE NEED TO GO FORWARD. MAYBE THERE IS SOME ABILITY FOR HIM TO USE THE SPACE A BIT BETTER. BUT, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT COULD BE A POSSIBILITY. JUST SOME OF THEM ARE PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNERS, OR TO ALLEN'S POINT, THEY ARE OPEN TO COMING HERE, THEY JUST NEED A FACILITY TO FIT THEM. THAT'S PART OF IT. AND SOME OF THAT SPEAKS TO THE GAME. THEY ARE DOING THAT HALF MARATHON. THAT WASN'T ON THE BINGO CARD WHEN WE STARTED THE CONVERSATION. SO THAT'S ABOUT CONTACTING THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND SEEING WHAT OTHER AVENUES ARE OUT THERE. SO... >> AND THE SECOND THING, ALLEN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THIS ABOUT THE REGIONAL SPORTS PARK. OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS HAVE RETIRED. YOU HAVE THE LACROSSE NETS UP. TALK ABOUT HOW THAT CHANGES OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COUNTY. >> JUST THE AMENITIES, THE NETTING IS HUGE BECAUSE LACROSSE BALLS GO EVERYWHERE. AND THEY CAN KILL SOMEBODY IF THEY ARE NOT LOOKING. HAVING THE NETTING UP, THE LIGHTING UP. IT'S A FIRST-CLASS COMPLEX. I WORKED A LOT ON THE PARKING STUFF, WHICH FOR AN EVENT LIKE THIS, WE WILL HAVE THE PLANS IN PLACE. BUT IT'S A FIRST-CLASS FACILITY. ONCE THE INFRASTRUCTURE BEGINS TO GROW CLOSER TO IT IT WILL RAMP UP. WE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. ONE OF THOSE ON THE LIST, HE IS JUST REALLY CONCERNED, A LOT OF PLACES HE GOES TO THEIR HOTELS RIGHT THERE WITHIN 2 MINUTES. AND THESE PEOPLE ARE SPOILED. SO THAT'S WHY HE'S NOT PULLED THE TRIGGER YET. BUT FROM A FACILITIES STANDPOINT, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND IS TALKED ABOUT BEING DONE IS A GAME CHANGER. AT NOT ONLY FOR THAT. BUT FOR SOCCER. ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS [00:35:04] WHERE THERE ARE BALLS THAT COULD BE GOING EVERYWHERE, IT'S A GAME CHANGER. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ALLEN? THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> I SEE EMILY IS HERE NOW. [4. Thrasher-Horne Center Presentation] EMILY YOU WILL GO RIGHT AFTER THRASHER HORN. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER 4. MR. BOB OLSON. FROM THE THRASHER HORN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME DOWN TO THE TTC AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE THRASHER HORN CENTER. I SENT OUT A PACKAGE AND I HAD A VIDEO. AND I HAD MY CANE, BUT TEDDY SAID I CAN'T HAVE THE VIDEO. BUT HOPEFULLY YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SEE IT. WE HAD THAT AT OUR 20TH YEAR CELEBRATION. ENDIVE WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT . IT TELLS A LOT ABOUT THE THRASHER HORNE, AND A LOT ABOUT THE... I NEVER KNEW HOW INFORMED. BASICALLY THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER CREATED THE TTC. WAY BACK WHEN. I ALWAYS GET THE QUESTION WHEN I'M OUT THERE. BY THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER, WISE AND NEED THE WAY IT IS, WHO THOUGHT ABOUT IT? IT WAS A GRASSROOTS EFFORT. IT WAS CLAY COUNTY COMMUNITY THAT WANTED THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER. IN THE LATE 90S, THEY WERE PUSHING THEIR COMMISSIONS. TWO COMMISSIONERS IN THAT VIDEO, DALE WILSON AND GARY MCINTYRE. WHO GAVE A GOOD OVERVIEW OF HOW IT HAPPENED. I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY. BECAUSE SOME OF THE THEMES WE FACED IN THERE, WE STILL FACE AS A CHALLENGE NOW. WHEN THE IDEA CAME TO THE COMMISSION THEY WERE ALL ON BOARD WITH IT. AND THEY WENT OUT IN TO THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO GET SPONSORSHIPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT THE DOLLARS WERE NOT THERE TO DO IT. THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT THE COLLEGE. AND THAT'S WHEN THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE COLLEGE ABOUT THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER FORMED WAY BACK WHEN. THE THIRD ELEMENT WAS OUR PRESIDENT AT THAT TIME, DR. MACLENNAN, A SMART GUY, VERY WELL CONNECTED. HE LOVED THE IDEA. AND THAT IS HOW WE JUMPED ON BOARD AS WELL. IT WAS REALLY A THREE ELEMENT-- THREE PARTNERS THAT REALLY FORMULATED THE THRASHER POINT CENTER. THAT WAS IN THAT VIDEO. IT WAS A REAL GOOD EDUCATION FOR ME, AND I BRING IT UP ALL THE TIME. I GET ASKED THE QUESTION ALL THE TIME. WISE IT NAME THE WAY IT WAS? IT WAS A GRASSROOTS EFFORT, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT-- IF WE DO NOT HAVE THAT STATE ELEMENT WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE CENTER. >> WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU MEAN APPROPRIATIONS. HOW MUCH WAS IT BACK THEN. >> IT WAS 26 MILLION TOTAL. 16 CAME FROM THE STATE AND 4.5 CAME FROM THE COLLEGE. 1.5 FROM THE COUNTY. IT WAS DEFINITELY A BIG PARTNERSHIP. GENERATED FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND I DIDN'T REALIZE DURING THAT PROCESS, WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A TDC BACK THERE. IT WAS THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER THAT CREATED THAT. AS WELL AS THE TAX THAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE CENTER. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD HISTORY. I LOVE THAT VIDEO. I SHOW IT A LOT. IT ANSWERS A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS ABOUT PROBLEMS THEY'VE HAD WITH HISTORY. AND I BELIEVE HAVING HISTORY AROUND ANY IDEA IS IMPORTANT. SO THIS IS MY FIRST SLIDE HERE. I NEVER ASSUMED THE ROOM KNOWS ABOUT THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER. I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE WHOLE RUNDOWN. BUT I CALL US THE TOTAL EVENT CENTER. I USE THE WORD PURPOSELY. WE ARE THE ONLY ONE LIKE US IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA. THERE IS NO OTHER VENUE IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA THAT HAS A MAIN STAGE AUDITORIUM, A 6600 SQUARE-FOOT CONFERENCE CENTER. A DANCE STUDIO. A STUDIO THEATER THAT FITS 200. AND AN ART GALLERY UNDER ONE ROOF. WE ARE THE ONLY ONES. I HAVEN'T VENTURED DOWN TO ORLANDO TO SEE IF I CAN EXPAND THAT. BUT NORTHEAST FLORIDA IS GOOD ENOUGH. SO WE AS A COUNTY SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD. ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, WE HAD CHANGE IN STRUCTURE. AND WE LOOKED AT THE CENTER. WHEN I USED TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND ASK ABOUT THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER, WHAT DO YOU THINK, THEY WOULD KIND OF SAY THE SAME THING. IT AUTOMATICALLY SHOWS. BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAT WE [00:40:05] HAVE THERE. AND WE FORMULATE ABOUT THREE BUSINESS SLIDES. WE HAVE THE PROGRAMMING, THE MAIN STAGE RENTALS AND THE CONFERENCE CENTER RENTALS. I'M HERE TODAY ON THE PROGRAMMING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY IS ON. WE TOOK A STRATEGIC FOCUS AND EMBRACING THE TOTALITY OF OUR CENTER. OF ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS. NOT LETTING ONE BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER. THAT'S QUITE THE BALANCING ACT. WE ARE WHO WE ARE. AT THAT POINT WE HAD DROPPED OUT OF BROADWAY AND STUFF LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON THE PROSPECTIVE. AND OUR GOAL OBVIOUSLY WAS TO BUILD A OPERATIONAL AND BUSINESS MODEL. AND I THINK WE ARE MAKING REALLY POSITIVE STRIDES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. LIKE I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, MY FOCUS TODAY IS ON THE PROGRAMMING PERFORMANCES. THAT'S WHAT OUR LOCAL AGREEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY IS ON. SO I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT. ONE OF THE BIG MISCONCEPTIONS THAT I'VE LEARNED OVER TIME ABOUT PERFORMANCE VENUES AND PROGRAMMING, IT MAKES LOTS OF MONEY. WE DO ALL WE CAN TO SURVIVE IN THAT WORLD. IT'S REALLY INTERESTING. WHEN YOU SEE THE CONTRACTS AND HOW THE CONTRACTS WORK. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING ROAD. BUT I FOUND THIS REALLY GIVING AN ILLUSTRATION TO THE CHALLENGE. IT'S ABOUT 24,000 CENTERS JUST LIKE WE ARE, ON PROGRAMMING. THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE REVENUE SOURCES. 49% COMES FROM A EARNED INCOME. TICKET SALES, CONCESSIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT. 40% COMES FROM PRIVATE DONORS AND MEMBERSHIPS. AND 11% COMES FROM GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. I HAD GONE OVER THE STRATEGY REPORT AND FOUND THIS, AND IT DOES SHOW YOU THAT THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY IS NEEDED. BECAUSE THAT BUDGET MODEL SHOWS YOU THAT YOU CANNOT EXIST ON JUST US GETTING OUT THERE WITH REVENUE. WE NEED SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A PROGRAMMING ELEMENT AT THE THRESHOLD CENTER. NEXT SLIDE. SO I TOOK THAT LITTLE COMP COMPARISON. OUR OVERALL OPERATION FROM A PROGRAMMING STANDPOINT IS ABOUT $2.1 MILLION. AND THIS SHOWS USE SOME OF THE MAKEUP. THAT BUDGET MODEL YOU SAW THE FIRST PAGE, THE EARNED REVENUE IS ABOUT 49%. WE ARE DOING PRETTY GOOD. ABOUT 67%. I ALWAYS SAY MODELS ARE A GRAND THING. BUT YOU LOCALIZE WHAT YOU CAN FIT IT TO AT YOUR LEVEL. SO WE ARE DOING FAIRLY GOOD WITH THE EARNED REVENUE. WE WATCH EVERY REVENUE STREAM. CONCESSIONS, MERGE. WE ADDED ON SOME NEAT THINGS WITH PEOPLE COMING IN AND NOT JUST BEING MEMBERS. IT MAY NOT BE A LOT, BUT WHEN YOU ADD IT ALL UP-- I'M PROUD OF WHERE WE ARE FROM AN EARNED REVENUE PERSPECTIVE. OUR DONOR MEMBERSHIPS, 27%. BUT THAT'S REALLY REFLECTIVE, IT IS HARD IN THIS ECONOMY TO GET THE SPONSORSHIPS. BECAUSE EVERYONE IS CHASING THAT SAME MONEY. I THINK ALL OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED IT. NONPROFITS WILL TELL YOU THAT LEFT AND RIGHT. 27 PERCENT, I WILL SHAKE THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT IN A MINUTE. AND WE DO GET THE SUPPORT HERE FROM THE COUNTY IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENT. THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF THAT SPONSORSHIP. AND GUESS WHAT? THE COLLEGE IS THE LARGEST SPONSOR WE HAVE. THE SLIDE BEFORE IS EARNED REVENUE. I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO DEEP INTO THE APPROPRIATION ELEMENTS. BUT THAT'S THE MONEY WE BRING IN OFF THE STREET. THE MONEY THE COLLEGE GIVES US IS FROM AN APPROPRIATE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. THEY ARE OUR BIGGEST SPONSOR DAY TO DAY. THEY PUT THEIR MONEY BEHIND THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER LIKE WE NEEDED THEM TO WAY BACK WHEN. 67% IS FROM OUR ENDOWMENT. WHEN WE FIRST BUILT THE THRASHER HORNE CENTER WE CREATED AN ENDOWMENT. WE WERE ABLE TO START PULLING THAT INTEREST TWO YEARS AGO. SO THAT HAS HELPED US IN OUR BUSINESS MODEL IN MAKING US MORE FUNCTIONAL. AND 8% ARE THE SPONSORSHIPS WE HAVE GOING ON. NEXT SLIDE. I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE HISTORY OF OUR PARTNERSHIP. YOU CAN SEE, THE FIRST AGREEMENT WAS IN 1999. IT WAS A-- THERE WAS MULTIPLE ASPECTS TO THE ELEMENTS. [00:45:01] ACTUAL MONIES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, AND THE OTHER ON WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE OPERATIONAL FUNDING, BECAUSE THEY REALIZED, JUST LIKE WHAT YOU SAW HERE WHERE I SHOWED YOU IN THE BUDGET MODEL, THEY EXIST TO PUT OUT PROGRAMMING AND GOOD PROGRAMMING. THEY NEED HELP. SO THAT HAS EXISTED AND WE ARE COMING UP ON A TENTH RENEWAL FOR THAT. NEXT SLIDE. WAY BACK WHEN, THEY HAD THEIR THOUGHTS OF WHERE WE WOULD BE AS A VENUE. AND ONE OF THEM WAS ECONOMIC IMPACT. WHEN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND ALL OF THEM PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND SAID THIS IDEA MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA FOR THE COUNTY, WITH THE ECONOMIC IMPACT. I PARTNERED UP WITH NORTHEAST FLORIDA REGIONAL COUNCIL, IN 2024. I HAD TO PROVIDE THEM ALL KINDS OF DATA. AND THIS IS WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH FOR US. OUR OVERALL IMPACT ECONOMICALLY IS 14.9 MILLION. I LIKE TO PUT THOSE TWO TREES-- I'D LIKE TO CALL THE LEFT ONE THE INDIRECT SPEND. THAT'S ALL THE ACTIVITY OF FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT, ATTENDING AN EVENT. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE DANCE COMPETITION-- A REVENUE REPORT SAID YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY INTERESTED IN THAT THERE. THEY HAD TO CREATE AN ALGORITHM TO WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TO GET THEIR ARMS AROUND THAT. THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE HAD TO DO THAT. NOW THEY HAVE IT IN THEIR BOOK OF TRICKS. BUT I CALL THAT INDIRECT SPEND. THAT'S WHAT'S BEING SPENT OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY. AT ABOUT 5.3-MIL. THE OTHER ONE IS MORE DIRECT SPENDING. AND THAT USES A TRIPLE MULTIPLIER. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE-- THEY DO THAT. BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO TO FIGURE OUT THE TOTAL. IT'S A TIERED LEVEL, THE IMPACT OF THAT MONEY SPENT HAS A TEARLESS TO IT. SO THAT'S HOW THEY CAME UP WITH 14.9. SO WE ARE HAVING A PRETTY GOOD ECONOMIC IMPACT. NEXT SLIDE. I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT THINGS ARE GOING REALLY WELL FOR US. LAST FOUR YEARS, ON ALL FRONTS YOU CAN SEE WOMEN GROW. WE HAD ABOUT A 100% INCREASE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. WE HAVE LEVELED IT OFF RIGHT NOW. THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN FILL IN THE BLANKS. BUT WE WILL TRY TO MAKE THAT NUMBER GO HIGHER IF WE CAN. YOU CAN SEE IN 2021, THAT WAS THE FIVE-YEAR POINT THAT WE SAT DOWN AND REFLECTED. WE FOUND WE NEED AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 33 SHOWS PER YEAR. ON THE PROGRAM SIDE. BETWEEN 25 TO 26 SHOWS FOR US TO MAKE THE MODEL SUCCESSFUL. AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE PIE CHART THAT SHOWS WHERE THESE FOLKS ARE COMING FROM. AND IT CHANGES. AT TIMES WE HAD IT WHERE THERE WAS MORE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY THAN INSIDE THE COUNTY. WE'VE HAD MORE FOCUS FROM INSIDE THE COUNTY IN MARKETING. BUT IT'S A REALLY GOOD SPLIT. NEXT? AND THE MONIES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. IT HAS ALLOWED US TO BRING IN SOME PRETTY BIG NAMES. I AM PROUD OF THE DIVERSITY OF TALENT AND THAT WE HAVE HAD. I LIKE TO SAY WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT LIST, IT IS ALL OVER THE CHART. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE. >> SORRY TO INTERRUPT. WE HAVE TO DO MY FAVORITE TRIVIA QUESTION TO THE COUNCIL. WHAT HAS BEEN THE SINGLE MOST ATTENDED EVENT IN THRASHER HISTORY? ANYONE CARE TO GUESS? ANY OTHER GUESSES? LET THEM HAVE IT? >> WEIRD AL. > WHEN THEY CAME AND BROUGHT ME Select to skip to this part of the video">>> "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC. >> WHEN THEY CAME AND BROUGHT ME TO THAT SHOW I WENT, HE IS STILL A THING? AND WOULD YOU KNOW-- YES. WEIRD WAS DEFINITELY-- SOME OF US ARE CALLED SELLOUTS DIFFERENTLY THAN I. TO ME, A SOLID IS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A SEAT IN THE HOUSE. AND WE YOU ARE STANDING. AND WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO THAT. THAT'S A GREAT TRIVIA QUESTION. >> IT'S NOT WHO YOU WOULD EXPECT. >> NEXT SLIDE? SHOWING SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS. OUR SURVEYS, OUR SURVEY RETURN RATE IS ABOUT 10%. YOU CAN WATCH ALL OF OUR TICKETED EVENTS AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS, SCALE OF ONE TO FIVE. I CANNOT REMEMBER WHEN WE WENT TO 4.6 AND I ASKED QUESTIONS OF MY TEAM. AND WHO WAS A 4.6 OUT OF 5. BUT ANYWAY, WE HAVE A FANTASTIC [00:50:05] TEAM. OUR VOLUNTEERS, GUEST SERVICES, RIGHT FROM THE MINUTE YOU HIT SECURITY, WE REALIZE THE EXPERIENCE HAPPENS WHEN YOU CLOSE THAT CAR DOOR TO THE TIME YOU COME BACK ON CLOSE THE CAR DOOR AGAIN. SO WE FOCUS ON THAT. AND YOU CAN SEE OUR MEMBERSHIPS, THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE HAD THE FIRST YEAR, THEY STAYED STEADY THE LAST FOUR. AND I LIKE TO TELL MY-- 19 THAT PEOPLE DON'T BUY MEMBERSHIPS TO SOMETHING THEY DON'T LIKE. SO WE ARE REAL PROUD OF THAT TOO. AND WE HAD MEMBERS FORCE US INTO CREATING A HIGHER TIER OF MEMBERSHIPS AND THEY PUSH THEMSELVES UP AND TO IT. SO IT WAS POSITIVE. AND OUR NEXT ONE. JUST WRAPPING IT UP. THIS WAS AT THE BEGINNING. I LOVE TO SHOW THIS OFF. OUR VISION IS TO BE A PREMIER EVENT CENTER. IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE A VISION OUT THERE, THAT WE ALL KIND OF STRIVE FOR. ONE DAY I TOOK MY TEAM ASIDE, AND I SAID HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN WE GET THERE? SO THEY CREATED NEW CRITERIA. THIS WAS OUR CRITERIA, OF HOW WE KNEW THAT WE WERE COMING UP WITH A PREMIER EVENT CENTER. AND YOU CAN SEE WE PUT SOME CHECKS IN TO SO MANY AREAS. WE ARE GETTING THERE. WE HAVE ROOM AND WE ARE GETTING TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE. THE TOTAL EVENTS CENTER, AS WELL AS THE PREMIER EVENTS CENTER. NEXT SLIDE. I THINK THAT IS ALL I HAVE. >> AWESOME. THANK YOU, BOB. QUESTIONS? SURE. MICHAEL? MAKE SURE TO HIT YOUR MICROPHONE. THERE YOU GO. >> SORRY ABOUT THAT. QUESTION I HAVE, I WAS WATCHING THE SLIDES AND RUNNING THROUGH THESE. IS THERE A SLIDE, OR DO WE HAVE DATA THAT SHOWS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE SHOWS TO OVERNIGHTS, MULTI-NIGHT STAYS? >> I HAVE SOME. THAT LEFT PART OF THE CHART, THEY HAD TO USE THAT. AND THEY REALLY DRILLED IT DOWN TO DO SOME OF THAT FOR ME. I DO HAVE THAT IN THE REPORT. BUT THAT LEFT SIDE OF THE PIE, PARTY MUCH MOST OF THAT IS OUT-OF-TOWNERS. SOME OF THEM ARE DAY VISITORS AND SOME OF THEM ARE OVERNIGHT STAYS. OBVIOUSLY EVERY ACT WE GET IN THEY ARE OVERNIGHT STAYING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I DIDN'T PRESENT ANY OF THE OTHER ELEMENTS TODAY BECAUSE IT'S THE BUSINESS LINE AND THE AGREEMENT IS WITH PROGRAMMING. BUT WHEN WE GET IN TO THE DANCE WORLD, DANCE COMPETITIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET IN TO REGIONALS AND NATIONALS, THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT. THEY ARE ALL COMING IN HERE FROM ALL KINDS OF AREAS. >> IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE SOME STATISTICS. ACTUALLY, I CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF WHAT THEY CORRELATED TO THE SHOWS. THE CONSTANT AND OTHER EVENTS, $1.4 MILLION FROM FOLKS COMING TO CONCERTS FROM OUT OF TOWN. THE DANCE AND CHEER EVENTS ARE ALSO A PRETTY GOOD NICHE FOR US. >> I WAS CURIOUS, ON THE MEMBERSHIPS, THERE WAS A REALLY SUBSTANTIAL JUMP FROM 2021 TO 2025. WHAT HAPPENED? HOW DID YOU GUYS. >> I THINK IT WHAT IS WHAT WE BROUGHT TO THE STAGE. WE INCREASED NUMBERS. IF YOU LOOK AT BACK IN 21 WE WERE AT 20-- MAYBE LOWER. I CANNOT REMEMBER THE NUMBERS. MAYBE ZERO? WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT, IT'S HARD TO SEE. THAT YEAR WE HAD 22 SHOWS. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING OUR WAY UP TO 33. AND IT IS WHO WE BROUGHT. WE DEFINITELY DID A MOMENT OF REFLECTION. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT CHANGE BRINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES. MY LEADERSHIP TEAM DID ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF REFLECTION. IN WHRE WE WANTED IT TO BE. THAT'S WHEN WE DECIDED FOR THOSE FIRST FOUR YEARS, WE HAD PROVEN IN HISTORY THAT CLAY COUNTY WAS NOT READY FOR BROADWAY. WE DID AN ANALYSIS OF OVER 30 SOME ODD SHOWS AND WE AVERAGED LOST ABOUT 30K ON EACH. SO WE ARE FOCUSED ON WHAT WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WHAT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. AND OUR MOVING A LITTLE BIT BACK IN TO BROADWAY TO SEE, CLAY COUNTY HAS CHANGED. AND HOPEFULLY, THE GROWTH WILL BRING IN FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE THAT INTEREST. LIKE YOU HAVE SEEN ON OUR VIDEO, THE BIG ADVANTAGE IS THAT WE HAVE, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL AND HOUR AWAY TO GET SOME GOOD ENTERTAINMENT. COMING IN AND OUT OF OUR VENUE [00:55:02] IS A PIECE OF CAKE. I LOVE IT WHEN I SEE SOMEONE SAY IT TOOK ME 57 MINUTES TO GET OUT. AND THEN IN JACKSONVILLE, 7 MINUTES IS OKAY. BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS. I THINK WE HAVE MARKET ADVANTAGES WITH WHO AND WHERE WE ARE AT. AND WE BROUGHT THE TALENT TO THE STAGE. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE CHAIR PRIVILEGE REAL QUICK. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM 12. OUR GOOD FRIEND EMILY HAS SOME SCHEDULING CONFLICT IN A FEW MINUTES. SO WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM 12 AND GO TO THE TDC SIGNATURE EVENT GRANT, AND THEN WE WILL GO BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN THE AGENDA. HOW ARE YOU DOING, MISS EMILY? >> I'M ALL RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THE ACCOMMODATIONS. >> NO PROBLEM. STEPHANIE DO YOU WANT TO START? >> SURE. AS HE MENTIONED THIS IS OUR SIGNATURE EVENT GRANT FOR THE NIGHT. IT'S THE 44TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL HAPPENING IN THE TOWN OF ORANGE TOWN HALL PARK. WE HAVE FAMILY HERE TO REPRESENT THE APPLICATION. SHE IS REQUESTING $15,000 BASED ON THE APPLICATION SCORE. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING 12,500. >> EMILY, DO YOU WANT TO TELL US A BIT? WE HAVE NEW MEMBERS. JUST LET PEOPLE IN CLAY COUNTY KNOW ABOUT THE ORANGE PARK FALL FESTIVAL. THIS IS YOUR 44. TELL US ABOUT WHAT IS IN-STORE? >> THIS IS THE 44TH YEAR. THAT WE HAD THE ORANGE PARK BALL FESTIVAL. IT'S BEEN AT TOWN HALL PARK THE ENTIRE TIME. I'M SORRY. MY BRAIN JUST STOPPED. IT'S THE OLDEST AND LARGEST ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL THAT THE COUNTY HAS. I NEVER COMPARED WITH THE FAIR, BECAUSE THERE IS 12 AND 14 DAYS OF THAT. BUT IT'S TWO DAYS, IT'S PACKED. WE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AROUND 40,000 PEOPLE. AND THOSE ARE PRETTY WELL A 50-50 MIX IN AND OUT OF COUNTY. WE HAVE VENDORS THAT COME FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST. I HAVE ONE FROM VERMONT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FESTIVAL. WE HAVE TWO STAGES AND ENTERTAINMENT. AND THIS YEAR WE ARE SET TO HAVE ABOUT 250 TO 120 VENDORS. INCLUDING FOOD TRUCKS. IT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING AND A BIG DEAL FOR THE TOWN. PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR. THE BIGGEST CHANGE THIS YEAR IS TOO LATE OUT OF THE EFFECT-- THE LAYOUT OF THE FESTIVAL. WE SHIFTED THE LAYOUTS OF ALL THE ROWS ARE IN A NORTH-SOUTH-- NORTH-SOUTH FASHION. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO ONE OF THE MAIN ENTRY POINTS, WHERE YOU CAN LOOK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PARK, ALL THE WAY A TO THE FOOD TRUCKS. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT LEO CHANGE. AND HOPING FOR THE GOOD WITH THAT. I'M TRYING TO THINK. THERE IS JUST SO MUCH I CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT. IF THERE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT IS, OR ANYTHING, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE. OUR ASK WAS 15,000. IT'S BEEN IN ASCOT 15,000 CONSISTENTLY THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE DO NOT OFTEN HIT THAT THRESHOLD. WE USUALLY COME IN NINE SAY BETWEEN 12 AND 14. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IF I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR IT I HAVE TO SPEND IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND I HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE BUDGET. THAT'S THE ASKED. DID I COVER IT? >> THAT IS RIGHT. THAT IS RIGHT. THIS WILL BE AN EXCITING WEEK IN CLAY COUNTY. RIGHT NORTH OF 295, THE BLUE ANGELS, AND I SAW THE THUNDERBIRDS, IT WILL ALL BE HAPPENING IN ONE WEEKEND. SO, HIGHWAY 17, PACK YOUR PATIENCE. BUT ON THE WAY OUT, OR ON THE WAY BACK YOU CAN STOP AT THE FESTIVAL. >> IT HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO. IT WAS THE SAME WEEKEND AS THE NAS AIRSHOW. AND WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS HAPPENING WAS THE AIRSHOW REACHES CAPACITY AT A POINT AND THEY WERE COMING TO US. SO WE ENDED UP WITH THE LATE AFTERNOON BOOST IN FOOT TRAFFIC BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY COULD NOT GET IN. BUT WE ARE IN THE FLIGHT PATH. WE REGULARLY GET THE OTHER FLYOVERS AND WE JOKE ABOUT THAT. >> QUESTIONS? >> I WOULD ASK, DID YOU PICK THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE OF THE NAS? >> IT'S BEEN THE THIRD WEEKEND OF OCTOBER AS LONG AS ANYONE CAN REMEMBER. >> WHAT ABOUT PARKING? >> WE SAVE AND HAS PARTNER FOR US FOR EVER. AND THEY LET US USE THEIR FIELD [01:00:06] TO PARK THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR VEHICLES AND WE HAVE A SHUTTLE SERVICE THAT BRINGS THEM FROM MOOSE HAVEN TO THE PARK AND BACK AND FORTH. IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP OVER THE YEARS. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION OF 125. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY GOT REIMBURSED FOR 12 LAST YEAR. MOTION TO APPROVE THE 125. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, SAY "AYE". ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENT. THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE ITEM NUMBER 5 WHICH IS OUR BID TAX COLLECTION AND ANALYSS. TEDDY? -- SORRY. YOU ARE RIGHT. DIFFERENT NOTES. YOU ARE RIGHT, THANK YOU, TEDDY. BEFORE WE DO THE BED TAX COLLECTION DATA, WE HAVE A GUEST. MR. MICHAEL BLISS, FROM NIGHTMARE HOAX, THAT HAS JOINED US TODAY. AN EXCITING POTENTIAL EVENT HERE IN CLAY COUNTY. AND I WANTED TO BRING HIM HERE UP TO TELL US ABOUT IT. >> WE WILL DO THE VIDEO FIRST TO SET THE STAGE? ALL RIGHT. >> COMING THIS OCTOBER. A NEW ATTRACTION... AGAIN. >> I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN. >> THE GROVE IS WAITING. NIGHTMARE OAKS. FOR TICKETS, SCHEDULING AND MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE WEBSITE. >> THAT'S A GOOD WAKE UP RATE THERE. THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR DOING THIS. THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE. MIKE BLISS, FROM NIGHTMARE OAKS. WHAT WE ARE IS THERE ARE FIVE PARTNERS THAT HAVE PUT THIS TOGETHER. AND FOUR OF US LIVE IN CLAY COUNTY. AND THREE OF US ARE VETERANS. SIX YEARS AGO WE MET A GUY NAMED JEFF UP IN MAINE. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW'S FAMILY LIVES THERE. WE MET HIM AND STARTED TALKING TO HIM ABOUT MOVING TO FLORIDA. TWO HARD WINTERS LATER, HE'S LIKE, HEY,, WE ARE STILL UP IN FLORIDA. IT'S OUR FIRST TIME PUTTING IT ON, BUT IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT OUR DESIGNER AND CRATOR HAS PUT ONE OF THESE ON, AND HE HAS LOADS OF EXPERIENCE. SO THAT IS WHO WE ARE. WE ARE PERFECTLY POSITIONED IN CLAY COUNTY TO POACH FROM PUTNAM COUNTY AND BRADFORD COUNTY. AND WE WILL COME UP IN TO MELROSE, ABOUT A 60-MILE RADIUS WOULD BE THE DRAW FOR THE HAUNT. THE HAUNT IS A HAUNTED TRAIL. NOT A HOUSE. SO YOU WILL WALK THROUGH THE WOODS. AND THAT'S KIND OF AT THE TRAIL IS BUILT AROUND. THE OLD SAWMILL. WITH THE PINES AND THAT KIND OF THING. SLOTS ALL PART OF THE STORY THERE. THE-- WE PLAN TO EMPLOY ABOUT 20 TO 25 PEOPLE. WE HAD A JOB FAIR IN JULY, WHICH IS A HARD SELL FOR OCTOBER EVENTS WHEN IT'S 102 DEGREES. BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THE 12T. WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSES FOR TO BRING PEOPLE IN. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO KEYSTONE HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA DEPARTMENT, AND TRINITY IN JACKSONVILLE BECAUSE WE HAVE CONNECTION WITH THEM, TRYING TO GET SOME OF THOSE GUYS INVOLVED AS WELL, OR GET A GOOD RESPONSE. WE HAVE TEN SCENES. THE WALK THROUGH THE WOODS WILL TAKE 20 TO 25 MINUTES. UNLESS YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT RUN THROUGH IT BECAUSE YOU ARE SCARED. OR, IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO STOP AND INVESTIGATE EVERYTHING AND LOOKED AT HOWEVER THINGS MADE. 20 TO 25 MINUTES IS WHAT THE QUARTER-MILE WALK WILL TAKE. IT'S ON ABOUT 2 ACRES. THE PROPERTY WILL BE ABOUT [01:05:05] 5 ACRES. WE HAVE PARKING OUT THERE. A FALL FESTIVAL AREA, IN CASE NOT EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY WANTS TO GO INTO THAT. WE WILL HAVE FOOD TRUCKS COMING IN. FREE FOOD TRUCKS. WE HAVE ADAM'S RIB COMING FROM GAINESVILLE BECAUSE HIS GRANDPARENTS WERE THE FIRST CARETAKERS OF THE LOCATION OF THE CAMP THAT WE ARE DOING AND RENTING THE PROPERTY FROM. THAT'S A NEAT CONNECTION STORY THERE. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. WE ARE HEADING MARKETING HARD THIS MONTH. WE'VE BEEN THROWING TEASERS OUT THERE. OUR GOAL IS A CAPACITY OF 750 PER NIGHT. WERE DOING IT ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS GOING THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS RIGHT NOW. A LITTLE BIT STRESSFUL. BUT WE WILL-- WHAT WE WANT TO DO WAS WE WANT PEOPLE TO BUY TICKETS ONLINE. SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP AND WAIT FOR TWO HOURS TO GET THROUGH. TO GO ONLINE AND BUY TICKETS, THERE ARE TIMESLOTS EVERY 3 MINUTES. AND WE SEND GROUPS OF 12 THROUGH EVERY 3 MINUTES. SO SOMEBODY CAN SAY, HEY, I WANT TO GO AT 830. SO YOU CAN SHOW UP A LITTLE BIT EARLY. GET A HOT DOG OR SOMETHING AND ROLL THROUGH. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN A BIG LINE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH. BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT, AND CHECKING IT OUT. AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE. BRINGING SOME LIFE TO THE CORNER OF CLAY COUNTY. WE ARE RIGHT AT THE EDGE. >> THAT IS AWESOME. WHAT ARE THE DATES? >> OCTOBER 2ND. EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY IN OCTOBER. TO INCLUDE HALLOWEEN NIGHT. >> ON WHAT IS THE FIRST WALK TIME AND WHAT WAS THE LAST. >> THE FIRST WALK TIME-- TICKET SALES, YOU HAVE A 7:00 TIME SLOT, AND THE LAST TIME SLOT IS TEN. WHICH WILL TAKE US A BIT TO GET THROUGH. >> HOW MANY TOTAL ACTORS ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED? >> TWELVE AT THE CORE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND WE WILL HAVE OTHER PEOPLE COMING IN TO ADD TO THE EXPERIENCE. >> TWELVE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT IF YOU HAD 40... >> IT WOULD BE GREAT. >> AWESOME. VERY GOOD. >> I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY OVERNIGHT STAYS. >> IS THERE AN AGE? >> ON THE WEBSITE WE RECOMMEND 16 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO GO THROUGH. THAT WE DO NOT I.D. CHECK ANYBODY. IF A PARENT WANTS TO BRING THEIR 10-YEAR-OLD THROUGH. WE HAVE ABOUT THREE CUTOUT EXITS IN THE TRAIL. >> THREE I QUIT PATHS. >> A QUICK EXIT PATH. >> WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? >> WE ARE ON COUNTY LINE ROAD. 100 GOING TOWARDS PUTNAM. THE LAST ROAD OUT OF THE COUNTY. >> YOU MENTIONED A MAXIMUM OF 750 PEOPLE? ARE YOU HOPING TO GET 750? WHAT ARE YOU FORECASTING? THROUGH ALL THOSE COUNTIES, THE NUMBERS YOU WILL GET. >> I ANTICIPATE IT WILL GROW BIGGER AS WE GET CLOSER TO HALLOWEEN. I ANTICIPATE THE FIRST WEEKEND BETWEEN THE TWO DAYS, THEN WORD-OF-MOUTH WILL GET OUT. AND IT WILL GET BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER AS WE GO. I ANTICIPATE AT THE END OF IT IF WE DID ALL THE MATH WE WOULD BE AT ABOUT 70%. FIRST WEEKEND TO THE LAST WEEKEND. 70% IS WHAT WE WOULD PUSH THROUGH IN THE SEASON. >> TICKETS ONLINE BECAUSE HOW MUCH? >> THIRTY DOLLARS. >> AND IT'S ALL 30? >> WE ARE ABOUT TO DO THAT. BECAUSE WHAT WE DO NOT WANT IS 70% OF THE TICKET SALES TO BE AT THE WINDOW. NOW YOU'RE WAITING FOR TWO HOURS TO GET IN. >> AND THERE IS NO GRANT? >> NO GRANT. IT'S JUST A GREAT EVENT FOR CLAY COUNTY. AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO MAKE IT A STAPLE IN THE HALLOWEEN SEASON. GREAT TO HAVE THE CROWN JEWEL HERE. >> JEFF HAD THE NUMBER 1 HAUNT IN MAIN. HE HAS SOME CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE. THIS COULD BE THE DESTINATION. YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO ORLANDO. JUST COME HERE. >> I KNOW THAT WHEN WE PUT ON THE EVENT ON THE BOULEVARD BEFORE HALLOWEEN, SE FIRST THING PEOPLE ASK. IS THERE A HAUNTED HOUSE AROUND HERE THAT WE CAN GET TO? [01:10:06] >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WHAT NIGHT IS BOO ON THE BOULEVARD? HALLOWEEN NIGHT? >> IT STARTED OCTOBER 2ND, WHEN DOES IT END. >> IT ENDS HALLOWEEN NIGHT. >> THAT'S A SATURDAY. >> THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD CHANGE THAT IS WE HAVE TO TALK TO PERMITTING. BUT THE LAST FOUR NIGHTS, IF WE ARE SOLD OUT EVERY NIGHT, WE WOULD SAY CAN WE DO IT ON A THURSDAY, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? MICHAEL THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEST OF LUCK. [5. Bed Tax Collection (T. Meyer) Most recent bed tax collections and hotel data] WE ARE GOING BACK IN TO THE AGENDA TO ITEM NUMBER 5. TEDDY? >> YOU GUYS HAVE THE MOST UP TO DATE BED TAX IN FRONT OF YOU. HOT OFF OF THE PRESSES. WE'VE HAD A GOOD FEW MONTHS YEAR-OVER-YEAR. JUST OVER 10%, LAST MONTH AT 8%. BUT WE HAVE HAD SOME DOUBLE DIGITS FOR THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE. SO CLAY IS DOING SOME THINGS. AN OBVIOUS CAVEAT THERE-- JUST FOR FRAME OF REFERENCE, DOWN PLACE OPENED AND THE EXTENDED STAY JUST OPEN. SO YOU'RE SEEING SPIKES. THERE ARE SOME REASONS FOR IT AND OTHER REASONS FOR OTHERS. BUT SHINING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF GOOD EVENTS GOING ON AND REALLY I THINK A LOT OF IT-- YES, IT IS A MARKETING EVENT, AND I HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE NUMBERS SHORTLY. BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY GOOD INTENTIONALITY WE ARE TRYING TO DO TO INCREASE THE TIMES AS BEST WE CAN. AND THE NEXT SLIDE GOES INTO SOME SPECIFICS. IT'S A LOT OF DATA. THE ONE THING FOR ME IS THE TOP LINE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENT CHANGE FROM JULY 25 AND LOOK AT THE ROOM AVAILABILITY, WHAT YOU HAVE HERE-- LET ME GET OUT THE LASER POINTER. LET'S SEE IF IT'S WORKING. THAT 15.7, THAT IS THE INCREASE FROM THE MIDDLEBROOK TOWNEPLACE SUITES. TO THE RIGHT OF IT IS THE ROOM SOLD AT 21%. AND THE REVENUE AT 19.5. THERE ARE THINGS A TREATING TO IT IF YOU WANT TO DIVE IN. AND DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE, ON THE YEAR TO DATE, THEY HAVE A 15.7. AND THEN YOU HAVE 16.7 AND 17.2. THAT GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW, AR, MARGINAL OCCUPANCY FOR BOTH OF THEM. THE ONE THING I WOULD LOOK AT, AND IT'S NOT EXACTLY APPLES AND APPLES WITH THE COMPARISON OF THE COUNTIES. SOME OF THEM TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A LARGER AMOUNT OF MOTELS. SOME OF THEM LESS. BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF POSITIVES THEN WE DO NEGATIVES. CONTINUAL IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO GO WE CAN. ON TOP OF THAT, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE. I REMEMBER-- IF YOU REMEMBER WE PREPARED A REGIONAL PARK FACILITY PLAN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS. PART OF IT TO ALAN'S PERSPECTIVE, PART OF IT WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REGIONAL. TWO RECENT ADJUSTMENTS, WE HAD A LIGHTING DETECTED-- DETECTION SYSTEM. IN JUNE, FOR OUR FIRST EVENT, WE USE THE THREE TIMES. SO EVEN BETTER, WE INSTALLED SOMETHING AND IT'S HELPING OUT FOR PARTICIPANT SAFETY. THE OTHER THING I MENTIONED IS WE HAVE THE SYSTEM FROM BURBANK ON THE FRONT FIVE FIELDS. AND ALL REPORTS ARE FROM THE INSTALL. THE FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE IS JUST PHENOMENAL. WE ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING MORE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE FACILITY AND PUTTING IT IN PLACE. I'LL GIVE YOU THE TWO STATISTICAL BREAKDOWNS OF THE LAST TWO EVENTS THAT WE HOSTED THERE. THE FIRST WAS THE LACROSSE TOURNAMENT IN JUNE. JUNE 13TH AND 14TH. WE HAD 10,500 VISITORS TOTAL. 6500 WERE OUTSIDE 50 MILES. AT ONE POINT THE DEVELOPED TIME WAS 22230 MINUTES. AND AT ONE POINT ON SATURDAY WE HAD OVER 4000 PEOPLE AT THE FACILITY FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. [01:15:06] HOTELS ON THE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ON AVERAGE WERE UP 107%. FRIDAY UP 100%, SATURDAY UP 13. SPORTING JACKS WAS JUST HERE, LOCAL RELATIONSHIP. THEY HAD 12,500 VISITORS FOR THE WEEKEND, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. 5500 FROM OUTSIDE 50 MILES. AND THE AVERAGE HOTEL WAS UP 47%. WE HAD 35, 37 UP ON FRIDAY, AND 52 OR 55 ON SATURDAY. SO IT JUST KIND-- KIND OF SPEAKS TO-- AND SOME OF THAT, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AIRSTREAM STUFF IN MARCH AND IN APRIL AND MAY, THESE GROUPS-- WE GET THE BED TAX, WE GET THE IMPACT. THE OTHER PIECES THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE BUSINESS OWNERS. RIGHT? WHEN THEY HAVE THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS, THEY WANT TO COME BACK. SO THAT'S WHAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH ON THE TOURISM SIDE. WE CAN USE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT LEVERAGE. THE LAST THING I WILL GIVE YOU, AND I WILL LET SHARE SPEAK TO THE DASHBOARD. SOME RECENT STATISTICS ON THE REGIONAL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, 24-25, YOU'RE TALKING OCTOBER OF 24 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 31ST OF 25, WE HAD 13-- 13,300 VISITORS TO THE REGIONAL PARK. WE HAD 8250 OF THOSE FROM OUTSIDE. SO THERE'S AN INTERESTING CORRELATION THERE BETWEEN VISITORS. AND YOU STILL HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF INSIDE OF 15 MILES OR COUNTY PEOPLE USING THAT FACILITY. THIS FISCAL YEAR, AUGUST 24, AFTER THAT SOCCER EVENT, WE HAD 88,400 VISITORS ADDED TO THE FACILITY, AND 27,100 OUTSIDE OF 50 MILES. SO YOU ADD AN INCREASE OF 564% IN TOTAL VISITORS, AND 228 ON THE OUTSIDE OF 50 MILES. SO THAT THE IDEA. WE USE IT RELIGIOUSLY AT THIS POINT. SO I BRING IT UP SO YOU HAVE A FRAME OF REFERENCE OF WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE ARE, AND WHERE WE ARE GOING. BECAUSE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IT WILL PROBABLY END UP BEING 90,000 BY THE TIME WE END UP AT THE END OF THE MONTH. BUT THAT WILL BE OUR NEW BASE. AND I WOULD SAY OUR GOAL IS SOMEWHERE IN THE 150 PLUS, 175. THAT IS WHAT WE WILL SHOOT FOR. AND A LOT OF THESE EVENTS, THROUGH AIRSTREAM AND OTHER RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH. NOW REMEMBER, THAT IS JUST THE REGIONAL. WE HAVE OTHER THINGS GOING ON IT THE FAIRGROUNDS. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS GOING ON TO KIND OF STRESS HOW WE ARE USING THAT FACILITY AND GROW INTO IT THE RIGHT WAY. AND GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO MAKE AN IMPACT. >> I WANT TO COMMEND YOU, TEDDY, AND ALLEN, FOR GETTING AIRSTREAM BACK ONLINE. I WANT TO REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID. THAT IS A VERY LARGE NUMBER. SOMETIMES RESIDENTS BELIEVE THAT THE REGIONAL SPORTS BAR IS NOT USED, THE DATA IS QUITE THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. BUTTON 24 AND 25 THERE ARE 13,330 VISITORS. AND THIS YEAR THERE ARE 88,000-- 88,400 VISITORS TO THE REGIONAL SPORTS PARK. JUST REITERATING TO THE PUBLIC WHAT TOURISM DOES FOR CLAY COUNTY. THESE PEOPLE BY GASSING CLAY COUNTY, THEY GO TO RESTAURANTS AND CLAY COUNTY, AND OUR BIGGEST HOPE IS THAT THEY STAY OVERNIGHT. BUT THAT IS GREAT. THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TOURISM TEAM. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING. I WAS LOOKING AT THE BED TAX COLLECTION, DOING SOME SCRATCH MATH HERE. IN 2024, THE FINAL MONTHS FROM SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER WAS 589,000, AND DON 2025 IT WAS 555. SO IF WE GO OFF OF-- OR BELOW 555, THAT WOULD PUT US AT A TOTAL INCOME OF 1.9. SO WE ARE SO CLOSE TO HITTING THAT TWO BILLION-DOLLAR TOURISM MARKET. >> OBVIOUSLY INDIRECT, DIRECT AS A STAFF, THAT'S A GREAT NUMBER. BUT YOU WANT TO SEE THAT, RIGHT. WHILE WE WILL GET IT EVENTUALLY, WE WILL JUST KEEP DOING WHAT WERE DOING. >> ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BED TAX OF STUFF? >> SHARE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE Q2 DASHBOARD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I FIRST WANT TO WISH YOU AND EARLY HAPPY 904 DAY. NINE OH FOUR-- 904 DAY IS THIS [01:20:01] FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH. IT IS A REGIONAL OBSERVANCE AND VISIT JACKSONVILLE LEADS THE WAY WITH IT. BUT IT'S A REGIONAL COLLABORATION. SO THAT WAS IN OUR MARKETING UPDATE EARLIER. BUT WE DO HAVE A BIT OF A CAMPAIGN GOING ON. WE PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, SO YOU WILL FIND DEALS ON 904 DAY, A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES ARE DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL. THRASHER HORNE DAY IS DOING TEN OFF OF THERE. -- OF THEIR SHOWS. THEY ARE OFFERING 10% OFF, AND THE RODEO THIS FRIDAY IS 10% OFF WITH CODE 904 DAY. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF SPECIAL THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT TO GET IN TO THE TOURISM DASHBOARD, THE GOAL AND THE INTENT FOR THE TOURISM DASHBOARD IS FOR THIS TO BE AN ADVOCACY TOOL FOR YOURSELF. IF YOU ARE TALKING OUT THERE WITH ANY LOCAL BUSINESSES OR RESIDENTS, OR ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY ASKING ABOUT TOURISM, WE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE THIS IN YOUR BACK POCKET, SO THAT YOU CAN REFER TO THE GREAT THINGS THAT YOU ARE DOING. IN THAT FIRST RIGHT-HAND CORNER YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THOSE BED TAX COLLECTIONS THAT TEDDY WENT OVER, THAT SHOWS THE OCCUPANCY RATE, AND ADR FOR THE QUARTER. SO WE ARE REPORTING ON QUARTER TWO RIGHT NOW. AND IF YOU COULD LOOK OVER TO THE LEFT, THAT IS A LITTLE SUMMARY AND A TOURISM FAST FACT. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LOVE TRIVIA, SO WE UPDATE THAT EVERY SINGLE QUARTER. WE KEEP OUR EARS TO THE GROUND ON ANY NEW BUSINESSES THAT COME IN TO THE COUNTY THAT WE HEAR OF. SO WE LIKE TO POINT THESE OUT, IF YOU HAVE WELCOMING TO THE COMMUNITY, A CHANCE TO WELCOME THEM, WE LIKE TO HAVE THAT THERE. AND THEN OUR CAMPAIGNS, I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT MARKETING CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE DOING WELL. TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF-- I KNOW YOU SAW THE INFLUENCER REELS, BUT THERE ARE A LOT MORE ORGANIC RESIDUAL ANALYTICS THAT CAME WITH THAT TOO. THAT PUSHED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS TO-- NEW FOLLOWERS AND NEW ENGAGEMENT TO OUR SOCIALS. SO ORGANICALLY WE ARE DOING REALLY WELL BECAUSE OF THOSE THREE, FOUR INFLUENCER REELS THAT WE DID. THAT IS COOL TO SEE. AND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THAT YOU WILL SEE SOMEPLACE OR REPORT ANALYTICS. AND THOSE ARE FOR THE YEAR AND THE QUARTER. SO IF WE LOOK DEEPER INTO THAT WE WILL SEE THOSE NUMBERS AS WELL. AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS DASHBOARD, YOU WILL SEE OUR UPCOMING EVENTS. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT IS OUR UPCOMING SPORTS EVENTS. AND WE PUT AN TRICKS NEXT TO THE ONES THAT ARE AT THE REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX SPECIFICALLY SO YOU CAN SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THE EVENTS COMING TO THE REGIONAL. AND OF COURSE, A QR CODE THAT SCANS TO OUR CALENDARS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE AN UPDATED LIVE VERSION OF THE EVENTS CALENDAR. SO THIS IS A TOOL THAT IS IN YOUR TOOLBOX. AND IT'S REALLY FOR YOU. SO IF THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS OR CHANGES, IF YOU THINK THERE IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE MORE BENEFICIAL, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. AND VIABLE UPDATE. ANY QUESTIONS? >> WHAT'S THE FIRST PART-- FIRST MOTTO OF THE BIT-- FIRST BUSINESS? >> THAT'S HOLY MOLY BAGELS. THEY ARE A COFFEE AND BAGEL SHOP. THEY ARE REALLY GOOD. WE POSTED A WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY ON OUR SOCIALS ENDICOTT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMMENTING ON HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THEM. SO, I HAVE NOT TRIED THEM YET, BUT I HEAR THAT THEY ARE REALLY GOOD. [6. FY26-27 Tourism Budget Overview] >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SHARE? GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX, WHICH IS OUR UPCOMING-- THIS IS FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE ARE NOW SUN SETTING THE 25-26 FISCAL TOURISM BUDGET AND TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S UPCOMING BUDGET. TEDDY, GO AHEAD. >> JUST GOING OVER THE SLIDES. ALL HIT THE HIGH POINT FOR YOU. WE HAVE TWO CALL CENTERS. THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD. AND FOUR AND SIX. PROPOSED PERSONNEL, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE LIVE A BIT HIGHER. OPERATING, CAPITAL. [01:25:04] LIKE THE REGIONAL. OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, LIGHTS, MARINA, THAT YOU APPROVED. FACILITY, FAIRGROUNDS WATER PROJECT. AND SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE TO REGIONAL AS WELL. THAT IS OUR PROJECT BELLMAN GRANT. WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR. YOU CAN SEE WE ARE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THIS LAST YEAR. SOME OF THAT IS MORE INTENTIONALITY WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING. AND TRYING TO DO THINGS MORE PURPOSEFUL AND DRIVEN. AND SOME OF THAT IS THE FACT THAT ON OUR CAPITAL LINE WE HAVE DONE SOME PROJECTS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST PART ON THE BOTTOM THERE, IT'S TRACKING TOURISM DATA. OUR ANALYTICS, OUR BED TAX, OUR AIRSTREAM IS IN THERE. AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE YOU WILL SEE CONTRACTS AND EXTERNAL SERVICES. THRASHERS ON THERE, AIRSTREAM AND THERE. THESE ARE THE MAIN THINGS OUT OF COME OUT OF THERE. THE ONE THING I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT DEBBIE ALLUDED TO WAS THE CROWD WORKPIECE. WE USE A CURRENTLY, AND IT SCRAPES THE INTERNET FOR PICTURES AND THE THINGS. WE ARE GOING TO CROWD RIFT, THEY HAVE A PROGRAM FOR CONTENT CREATORS. NOT INFLUENCERS. THEY ARE CAN'T-- CONTENT CREATORS THAT WILL COME, AND YOU PAY FOR THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO CREATE CONTENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY BASED ON TOPICS OR CHRISTMAS EVENTS ARE HOLIDAY EVENTS. SOME OF THAT WILL BE THINGS L LIKE... THIS INCREASE WILL HELP US USE IT FOR OUR ORGANIC STUFF ON SOCIALS AND YOUTUBE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS AMOUNT IS AN INCREASE ON TOP OF WHAT WE PAID, AND THIS WILL GET US SOMEWHERE IN THE 20 TO 22 CATEGORIES FOR CONTENT CREATORS TO COME AND-- COME TO PLAY AND FILM FOR US, AND WE CAN USE THAT CONTENT WITH FUTURE ADVERTISING MARKETS. JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY IN THE WORKS AND WE ARE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THAT. OUR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, ALL THE STUFF YOU SEE, THE BLOGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THOSE ARE TRULY IN PORTON FOR US. FIDGET WIDGET, WE WILL ENACT A LOT MORE HAVE THAT WITH CHRISTMAS IN CLAY. ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT MEETING. WE WILL RAMP THAT APPEARED COSTARS, OR HOTEL TRACKING DATA. AND NIMBLE, AS SAM USES IT, PRETTY MUCH EXCLUSIVELY IN ALL THE BUSINESSES IN CLAY TO STAY CONNECTED AND CONNECT THEM TO EACH OTHER. THE OTHER THING IS JUST PROJECTS, AND MAJOR COST, NEXT SLIDE. YOU WILL SEE THERE IS A FAIRGROUNDS WATER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH. THAT IS MORE LIKE A PUBLIC WORKS TYPE THING. IT'S IN THE TOURISM BUDGET. IT COMES FROM FAIRGROUNDS. THAT IS IN PROCESS OF SOME SORT RIGHT NOW. BUT IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A WILD. AND A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE REGIONAL. WE ARE IN YEAR FOUR OF GRADE FOUR FROM WHEN THEY BUILT THE COMPLEX. KNOWING WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS GOING FORWARD. NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE 200,000, ONE IN A CAP AND A NONCAPITAL LINE TO MAKE ADDITIONS TO THE REGIONAL. THAT'S THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS. AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS... >> EXPLAIN WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE-- >> THE REGIONAL. >> THE 200,000. >> SO WHEN THEY BUILD A PARK, AND THIS IS WHY I SAY THIS, THEY FACTORED IN $1 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS. 500,000 IN A NONCAPITAL DAY CAP LINE PICKED THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE BARRIER NETTING DONE. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE GOT THE LIGHTING DETECTION. THE PARKING. THIS POT OF MONEY GIVES US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY. IT ALSO HELPED IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS AND HAD A LOT OF EQUIPMENT TO MAINTAIN. IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF YOU BUILD THE FACILITY NOW YOU HEAR MORE OF THE REPLACEMENT RULES ON THIS SIDE. THAT'S WHAT THEY DID ON THE FRONT END. BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T NEED A REPLACEMENT CATCHES MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. IT WAS ADDED ON THE BUDGET ON THE BACK END. SO THEY KNEW THEY WOULD NEED MORE THINGS, SO WE SAID WE WOULD PUT IT ASIDE AND THEY WILL BRING IT IN EVERY YEAR. SO EVERY YEAR THEY GET 100,000 IN TWO LINES. 200 GRAND. SO THE NETTING WAS 332. SO WE CARRIED OVER A FEW YEARS. WE USED ABOUT 8% OF THAT FOR LAST YEAR. SOME OF THE THINGS ARE IF WE GET THE PARKING IN THE BACK SET UP, THEN WE WILL ADD SOME ADULT-- THAT WILL ADD SOME ADDITIONAL SHADE STRUCTURES. THERE'S NOT MUCH SHADE OUT THERE. AND POSSIBLE LIGHTING ON FOUR, MAYBE LIGHTING ON ONE. AND ON SIX THROUGH EIGHT. [01:30:01] A LOT OF THINGS ARE CONTINGENT ON THE PARKING. AND AS SOON AS WE GET THAT SET UP WE CAN FACTOR IN THE REST OF IT. THAT'S WHERE THAT LINE CAME FROM. IT'S JUST GREAT FORESIGHT. >> THE LAST COST CENTER IS THE FOURTH AND SIXTH. THOSE ARE PENNIES. THIS WILL BE YOUR ADVANCED MEDIA CONTRACT IN YEAR FOUR OR FIVE. AND OUR GRANT PROGRAM, THAT'S ALMOST 90%. YOU WILL SEE THE ADVANCE, THE REIMBURSEMENT GRATZ. THIS IS THE MARKETING THAT WE PUT IN THE WELCOME CENTERS. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, ACTUALLY. THIS IS THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS EXCISE TAX. SO UNTIL WE GET THE JAGS TO MOVE HERE WE WON'T HAVE FIFTH SENSE. BUT WE HAVE THE OTHER ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR AND SIX. I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> GO-AHEAD TO. >> WHAT DO WE HAVE IN RESERVES? >> GOOD QUESTION. SO IN THE FIRST AND THIRD, WE HAVE 3 MILLION RESERVES. AND IN THE FOURTH AND SIXTH-- THIS IS CURRENTLY-- THERE IS CASH CARRYING FORWARD AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE BUDGET IS STILL IN THE PROCESS. >> HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED ANY PROJECTS FOR THAT? >> THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE. >> PICKLEBALL COURT... >> CORNEL? >> THERE IS NOTHING FLUID. THERE IS A LOT OF IDEAS AND THOUGHTS, BUT NOTHING INTENTIONAL YET. I WOULD THINK REALISTICALLY FOR US IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE MONTHS, YOU COULD NARROW IT DOWN. SOME OF IT IS THE CONVERSATION OF WHAT IS A COMFORTABLE AND HEALTHY RESERVE FIRST. ANSWER THAT QUESTION. AND TARGETING FROM THE TOURISM PIECE WHAT IS THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK, OR ART THERE A COUPLE THINGS WE CAN DO RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE WE ARE GOING. BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET. AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE BEING ADDED AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS. >> WHEN DOES THE THRASHER HORNE COME UP FOR RENEWAL? >> LATER THIS MONTH. A TWO YEAR RENEWAL. IT ENDS THE 31ST, AND GOES THROUGH 2028. IT WILL BE THE TENTH TWO YEAR RENEWAL. >> IS THIS BOARD VOTING ON NOT? YOU VOTED ON IT LAST YEAR. DID THAT COME BEFORE US? >> NOT TRADITIONALLY. IT'S A BUDGETED ITEM. IT'S A PRESENTATION FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES. SO IT WOULDN'T BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD IF YOU DECIDED TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, A LOT OF THAT WAS INFORMATIONAL BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP AND WHAT THEY HAD TO OFFER. IN TRUTH BE TOLD, IT GETS MORE FUNNY ON THE VR SIDE. >> LAST YEAR WE VOTED ON IT. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON IT AND VOTED ON IT. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS COMING UP AGAIN AND IF THAT WAS REASON FOR THE PRESENTATION. ON THE COMMISSION SIDE, I KNOW WE DO OUR MAIN BUDGET. EVERYTHING THAT COMES THROUGH THIS BOARD HAS TO GO TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND WE VOTE ON THAT. THAT IS PROBABLY IN THE TOTAL TOURISM BUDGET ALTOGETHER. DO YOU HAVE FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT? >> I WILL GIVE MY FEEDBACK ON WHAT HAPPENED. BOB DID A GREAT JOB ON THE PRESENTATION. I LIKE THRASHER HORNE. DON'T GET ME WRONG. I HAVE BEEN THERE MANY TIMES FOR MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS. AND I ENJOYED ALL OF THEM. I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY THAT GOES TO THRASHER HORNE IS COMING OUT OF THIS BOARD? OUT OF THIS COUNCIL. ALL OF THE HOTELS ARE CONTRAVENING. AIR BMB IS CONTRIBUTING. SO WE ARE GIVING THEM THIS MONEY AND THE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS THAT HAVE EVENTS THEY ARE, THE DANCE GROUPS, WHICH ARE PROBABLY THE ONLY EVENTS THAT WE BENEFIT FROM IN THE HOTEL AND TOURISM BUSINESS, IS THE DANCE GROUPS. BUT THEY THEN COME TO US, ASKING FOR MORE MONEY. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE HOTEL SPONSORSHIPS THAT GET PREFERRED SELECTION ON WHERE TO [01:35:03] STAY. BUT IT'S THE ENTIRE COUNTY ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE A TRIPPING TO THAT. THAT'S THE CONFLICT. AND THAT'S MY THOUGHT ON IT. AND UNDERSTAND THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER A LONG TIME AGO. AND THE THINGS CHANGE. THE OPERATING MODEL HAS CHANGED. I THINK THERE GOING AFTER MORE THE ONE NIGHT EVENTS THAT NO LONGER BENEFIT TOURISM. I THINK IT BELONGS IN CLAY COUNTY. I LOVE IT BEING HERE. I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS FUNDING THAT SHOULD BE COMING FROM ELSEWHERE. COUNCILMAN? THEN THE TOURISM BOARD. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LOT. I LISTENED TO ALL THE PRESENTATIONS AND WATCHED ALL THE PRESENTATIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE REDUCED. I WOULD ONLY LIKE TO SEE THE MONEY SPENT SOMEWHERE WHERE WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BRING IN THE TOURISM DOLLARS. AT ANOTHER SALESPERSON. CREATE ANOTHER SPACE THAT WILL DRAW PEOPLE IN. SOMETHING TO THAT AFFECT. I WAS REALLY HOPING THAT THEY WOULD SAY THAT THEY WERE ACTIVELY LOOKING TO BRING IN MORE DANCE GROUPS, AND THE THINGS THAT CAN USE THAT KIND OF SPACE, OR THAT BROUGHT THAT REVENUE TO US. TO THE TOURISM. >> MAKES SENSE? >> TO ADD TO, WHAT THE ORIGINAL DEAL WHEN IT FIRST-- THIS WAS THE 20TH YEAR WHEN THAT MONEY WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN TO THE THEATER. HOW LONG WAS AT AGREEMENT FOR? WAS A JUST SEEING MONEY FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS? THIS IS NOW 20 YEARS. AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH HIM. IF IT WAS USING THAT MONEY TO DRAW IN OTHER BUSINESS, OR OTHER GROUPS THAT WOULD USE THE THRASHER HORNE PACK WOULD THEY BENEFIT MORE WITH ADDITIONAL BUSINESS, OR JUST THE GRANT? I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO BRING MORE BUSINESS TO CLAY COUNTY. AND I BELIEVE IT WAS 135,000. THAT'S ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT WE COULD USE TO BRING OTHER GROUPS. I DON'T KNOW. >> I THINK IT'S 125. >> THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY AS MAYBE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS THAT ARE USING THE THRASHER HORNE COME TO US, AND WE PUT THEM THROUGH STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND IF THEY QUALIFIED, THEN WE GIVE THEM WHAT THEY QUALIFIED FOR. >> SO WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THAT INSTEAD OF GIVING THRASHER 125 TO RUN THE OPERATION, YOU HAVE THE CURRENT GRANT POT, BUT ONE POT OF 125 THAT SAYS THIS IS FOR THRASHER HORNE EVENTS ONLY, IS THAT WE ARE SAYING? IS NOT AN OPTION? THAT COULD BE AN OPTION? THAT'S ANOTHER THING, BOB HAD TO GO. THAT WOULD BE IT. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THAT'S A VALID QUESTION. BUT WHAT DOES CLAY COUNTY TOURISM GET FOR THIS $125,000. I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ILLUSTRATE WITHOUT PRESENTATION. THERE IS A LOT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT. AND THAT BOARD HAS TO DECIDE IS IT ABOUT ROOM NIGHTS OR ABOUT ECONOMIC IMPACT? I THINK DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR GOAL IS, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET THERE. >> I THINK FROM THE THRASHER SIDE, TO BOB'S POINT, IT IS THE ONLY VENUE OF IT'S KIND IN CLAY. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY, UNDERSTAND WHERE IT STARTED. I BELIEVE IT WAS ZERO TWO WHEN IT BEGAN FOR THE AGREEMENT, 20 YEARS. AND THERE WAS A SMALLER AMOUNT AT THE TIME. BUT AS THE TDC INCREASED, IT'S BEEN 125. AND I WOULD SAY AT LEAST TEN TO 12 OF THE 20 YEARS. DON'T COPE-- DON'T QUOTE ME. BUT IT'S PROBABLY IN THE 24-- YOU'RE PROBABLY IN THE 2.5, $2.7 MILLION RANGE. BUT OBVIOUSLY, FROM THE THC'S DISCRETION IT WOULD BE AT YOUR DISCRETION HOW YOU CHOOSE TO LOWER IT OR KEEP IT THE SAME. THAT WOULD BE AT YOUR DISCRETION. [01:40:03] >> I WOULD THINK THE NUMBER SHOULD BE LOWERED, BECAUSE WHAT I PERCEIVED TO BE DOUBLE-DIPPING WITH THE GROUPS, THE DANCE GROUP SUCCUMBED TO US. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK WE GIVE THE DANCE GROUPS CLOSE TO 20,000. IF THE NUMBER WAS TUESDAY AT 125, I WOULD SAY THAT THE THRASHER SHOULD GIVE US A CREDIT AND SAY IF THESE TWO EVENTS UP TO P40000 THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVING THEM, IN ADDITION TO, WE DON'T CHARGE THE FACILITY FEE, CORRECT? >> THE OTHER PART THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT IS THE COUNTY GET-- GIVES X AMOUNT OF EVENTS AT THE THRASHER PER YEAR. I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER. >> WHAT ARE THOSE USED FOR? >> BUDGET WORKSHOPS, PROCUREMENT WORKSHOP. I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S PROFESSIONAL COURTESY, BUT IS BUILT INTO THE CONTRACT AT 125. AND WE'VE HAD A BUNCH OF WORKSHOPS THERE RECENTLY. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER. I DON'T WANT TO THROW IT OUT THERE. BUT THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS THAT BENEFIT WITHIN THE CONTRACT. BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT'S COMING OUT OF TOURISM. SO THAT WOULD BE TO THE BOARDS DECISION. >> WHEN IS THE NEXT MEETING? >> NOVEMBER 4TH. >> DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING BOB BACK AND DISCUSS-- ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT? >> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS-- THE THOUGHT PROCESS WOULD BE THE CONTRACT-- ONCE HE CONTRACT RUNS IT'S COURSE, HE COMES BACK IN NOVEMBER AND THERE'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS DECIDE, THEN THE CONTRACT WILL RESTART. HE WOULD POSTAPPROVAL, AND THEN I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY WORK. >> THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS TO ASK, POINTED TOWARDS THE PERFORMANCE SIDE OF THE THRASHER. I DID MENTION THE RENTALS. I'D WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN IN RENTALS. BECAUSE ECHOES IN TO OUR CRAZE END. -- GOES INTO OUR EQUATION. WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO EVERY ANGLE. IS THERE ANOTHER COMMENT THAT YOU WOULD LOOK AT. >> TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU SAID THERE, AND WHAT YOU GUYS WERE SAYING, WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION EARLIER, WE ARE EVALUATING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CROSS. BUT WE SHOULD BE EVALUATING THAT IN THE SAME WAY AND LOOKING WHAT OUR NUMBERS COMING IN, AND WHAT ISN'T? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF PERFORMANCES ON THERE, I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE SOME REFLECTION ON WHAT ARE WE GAINING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. WE ARE NO LONGER SEEING A CHEER OR DANCE OR WHATEVER IT'S GOING TO BE. WHY OR WHY NOT. AND BREAK THAT DOWN. I THINK WE SHOULD BE EVALUATING THEM ALL THE SAME. >> WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS WHAT IS THE ROI FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE PUT IN. WHAT DO WE GET BACK IN TAX. >> AND TO THE POINT OF BRINGING IT BACK, WE CAN WORK THROUGH SOME PLACER DATA ON IMPACT OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, A YEAR, TWO YEARS. AT YOUR DISCRETION, I WOULD THINK. I WOULD SAY SOME OF IT IS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHO IS THERE, BUT I THINK WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A BETTER TREND ON THE IMPACT OF LOCAL AND OUTSIDE 50 MILES, WHICH MAY HELP SOME OF YOUR DISCUSSION. WE CAN HAVE THAT FOR YOU BEFORE THE NOVEMBER MEETING. >> WHEN YOU SEE THE NUMBERS OF INDIRECT AND DIRECT, AT A HIGH LEVEL, IT'S NOT GIVING US THOSE DETAILS. >> WITH US COMING TO THE FISCAL YEAR WITH THE BUDGET, THIS DOES NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL NEXT FISCAL YEAR? >> THIS WOULD BE IN THE BUDGET FOR OCTOBER 1. >> SO YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REDUCE IT AT A HEATING PRIOR TO THE BUDGET BEING APPROVED? >> COURTNEY, THAT'S AN ATTORNEY QUESTION. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION. THE CONSENT AGENDA. WHAT WOULD THAT BE. THE LAST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER? THE 22ND? [01:45:05] THAT AGREEMENT? OKAY. I CAN TELL THIS GROUP, ONE THING I CAN DO IS I HAVE TO HAVE THREE VOTES, BUT I CAN PULL THE ITEM AND DISCUSS THIS COUNCIL'S CONCERNS WITH THE AGENDA ITEM. AND ASK FOR A CONTINUANCE. UNTIL WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS. AND KEVIN, YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE RETURN THAT WE WOULD ALL HOPE FOR FROM THE CONTRACT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. TEDDY, WERE YOU PURCHASING QUESTIONS? -- WERE YOU INTERESTED IN QUESTIONS? >> WE ARE GOOD. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER BUDGET QUESTIONS. THIS IS FOR PUBLIC VISIBILITY OF CLAY COUNTY TOURISM. OF THIS BUDGET, WHICH WE ARE LOOKING AT, THE TOTAL PROPOSED WAS 2.1 MILLION. OF THIS, HOW MUCH OF THESE DOLLARS COME FROM AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX. >> ZERO. >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHERE THE 2.1 IS SOURCED? >> THE TOURISM INTAKE WE HAVE IS BROKEN UP IN TO FIVE PENNIES. AND IT'S 5%. AND THAT REVENUE, THE RESERVES HAVE BEEN BUILT UP OVER TIME. BUT ALL OF OUR REVENUE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE USE THAT YOU ARE SEEING ON THE SLIDES IS A BED TAX. >> WHEN PEOPLE STAY IN CLAY COUNTY AND BUY A HOTEL ROOM-- >> IT'S ALL BED TAX FUNDING. SPECIAL REVENUE-- BID TAX FUNDING. >> SO THERE'S A 7.5% LOCAL TAX? >> AND THAT IS STATE-MANDATED. RIGHT? 5%. >> THE MAXIMUM IS SIX, AND THE SIXES IF YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FRANCHISE OR SOME TYPE OF ORGANIZATION, PGA WITHIN YOUR COUNTY. >> WITHIN THE REVENUE, ONE OF THE PARAMETERS THAT THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT HAS TO ADHERE TO REGARDING SPINNING AT? >> THE TDC STATUTE, THE MAIN ONE IS THAT 40% OF THE OVERALL PER YEAR HAS TO BE USED ON MARKET-- MARKETING OF THE DESTINATION. IT'S VARIABLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THE ADVANCE CONTRACT, THE RENT PROGRAM MARKETING THROUGH THE EVENTS. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY YOU HAVE TO PUT BILLBOARDS UP, IT'S VERY BROAD. BUT 40% AS A STATE HAS TO BE FROM MARKETING. THAT'S OR IF YOU LOOK AT FOUR AND SIX... >> I'VE HEARD MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAY YOU MAKE 2.1 MILLION IN TOURISM, YOU SPEND THAT AND PAY THE FIREFIGHTERS AND PAY THE POLICE OFFICERS. AND THAT'S NOT LEGAL. >> THE OTHER THING THAT COMES IN, OVER THE YEARS, THE STATUTE HAS ADDED AND TAKEN AWAY THINGS. IF YOU GO TO-- I GREW UP IN TAMPA. IF YOU GO THERE YOU WILL SEE AN EXHIBIT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE TDC. AND THE PURE SITUATION, THAT COMES BECAUSE THINGS ARE GROWING-- YOU HAD THINGS GROWING IN THE WATERWAYS. THERE'S CAVEATS TO IT. LAKE RESTORATION, BEACH RENOURISHMENT. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE YOU CAN USE IT. SOME APPLY TO US AND SOME DON'T. AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR BUDGET IS FOR STAFF AND YOU WOULD OVERSEE IN SOME THEORY. >> AND THOSE FOLLOWING ALONG AT HOME, THAT'S THE FLORIDA VOTER IMPROVEMENT. ANYMORE QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET FOR TEDDY? ALL RIGHT. [7. TDC Accommodations Seat Applicant (T. Meyer) Reappointment of Member 6 Kevin Robeŕt] GOOD STUFF. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION PORTION OF THE AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 7. WHICH IS OUR TDC ACCOMMODATIONS SEAT. IT'S UP FOR REDEPLOYMENT-- REAPPOINTMENT. MR. ROBERT HAS DONE ALL HIS CORRECT PAPERWORK TO BE REAPPOINTED. WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS. SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR HIS REAPPOINTMENT. >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT HIS APPLICATION BE ACCEPTED FOR ANOTHER TERM. >> ALL RIGHT. A MOTION AND A SECOND. I DID TELL TEDDY IN MY BRIEFING [01:50:01] THAT IT WOULD BE OPERATIVE... THEY DID NOT. THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE TDC. ALL IN FAVOR SAY "AYE". ANY OPPOSED? CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [8. Event Marketing Grant Update (S. Lamb) TDC grant summary as of August 26, 2026] YOU CAN HEAD BACK TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. WE LOVE HAVING YOU. ITEM NUMBER 8 WILL BE OUR GRANT UPDATE. FROM STEPHANIE. REAL QUICK, ARE YOU GOING TO THE SPECIAL EVENTS IN THIS? >> WE WILL DO THE SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. >> BEFORE YOU YOU HAVE FISCAL YEAR 2526 EVENT GRANTS. IT SPLIT UP BY SIGNATURE EVENT GRANTS, SPECIAL EVENT MARKETING GRANTS AND THE 25-26 SPORTS GRANTS. WE ARE ENDING-- GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WE HAVE ONE EVENT AND A SPECIAL EVENT GRANT THAT YOU WILL HERE TONIGHT. THE CHILLY CHALLENGE AND FLEAMARKET. THAT IS GOING TO BE THE LAST EVENT GRANTED FROM THE 25-26 BUDGET. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE DID 60,000 IN THE SIGNATURE EVENTS. 14,000 IN SPECIAL EVENT, AND 235,900 IN THE SPORTS EVENTS. THAT IS WHAT WAS AWARDED. THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WAS WHAT WAS DISPERSE. AS YOU KNOW, THE GRAIN AMOUNTS ARE REWARDED-- THE GRANT AMOUNTS ARE AWARDED BASED ON THE MATERIALS THAT WAS PROVIDED AND GONE THROUGH THE GRANTS DEPARTMENT AND IS PAID OUT AFTER THE EVENT. SO YOU CAN SEE WE DO HAVE SOME VARIANCES IN THE SPORTING EVENTS. WE HAVE A GOOD HEALTHY AMOUNT THERE. OUT OF THE $325,000, IN FISCAL YEAR 25-26, $309,500 WAS AWARDED WITH A REMAINDER $15,100. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE VARIANCE FROM THE OTHER EVENTS. THAT AMOUNT WILL GO BACK IN TO RESERVES. AND NEXT YEAR, 26-27 WE WILL START WITH 325,000. THERE IS A PARAGRAPH THERE THAT BREAKS DOWN THE THREE CATEGORIES. THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE SPORTS EVENTS. I ANTICIPATE THAT NEXT YEAR. AND I WANT TO NOTE THE SPECIAL EVENT MARKETING GRANT WILL-- IS AT 14,000 LAST YEAR. ONE OF OUR GOALS THAT WE HAD LAST MEETING WAS TO HELP OUT THE SPECIAL EVENT GRANTS A LITTLE BIT MORE. IN OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM YOU WILL SEE THAT WE DID JUST THAT. SO JUST REMEMBER, THAT $14,000 THERE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THE >> TWO THINGS. NUMBER 1, THE SCOTTISH GAINS, DO THEY NOT TURN IN ANY RECEIPTS? >> TOASTY SCOTTISH GAMES. >> THEY FILED AN EXTENSION THAT WAS GRANTED. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE REIMBURSED MATERIAL NOW. CENSUS WAS PRINTED WE'VE GOT GOTTEN-- SINCE THIS WAS PRINTED WE'VE GONE THE REIMBURSED MATERIAL. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THESE OTHER ONES, AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME ANSWERS BACK. TEDDY, I KNOW THAT YOU SPOKE WITH THIS. >> THE SOCCER WAS WITH SOME CHANGES. WE ARE TRYING TO SEE IF THEY COULD COME IN. BUT THEY HAVE NOW MOVED ON. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE GOING TO COME AND GET THAT MONEY. THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE DATA BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM. THAT MAYBE ONE THAT GOES. >> I WANT TO HEAR EVERYONE'S OPINION. BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO SHORTCHANGE SOMEONE WHEN THEY ARE USING THE RESOURCES FOR GOOD. I'M-- I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP PEOPLE TO HOLD GREAT EVENTS THAT KEEP PEOPLE OVERNIGHT IN CLAY COUNTY. HEAR EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS. >> 100%. ARE WE GIVING THEM RESOURCES TO PROPERLY TRACK THIS? >> YES, THERE IS A POSTEVENT REPORT THAT THEY GET AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL. FULL ACCESS IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS WITH ANYTHING. WE GET CLOSE WITH THE EVENT ORGANIZERS AND THE SPORTING EVENT BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A LIFT. FIRST-NAME BASIS WITH THEM. WE OFFER THEM HOTEL BLOCKS. WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH A [01:55:01] SPREADSHEET WHERE THEY CAN LIST THEIR ITEMS. IF IT'S PAID BY CHECK CASH. ALL OF THAT GOES TO OUR GRANDSON COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TO REVIEW IT, AND IT GOES TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENT. AND THEY REALLY DIG THROUGH IT. THEY ARE MORE DETAIL-ORIENTED BUT THE GRANT HAS BEEN GREAT. IF THEY HAVE PROBLEMS THEY REACH OUT AND SAY DO YOU HAVE THIS, DO YOU HAVE A BETTER VERSION OF THIS? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS MATERIAL IN. AND WE BEEN TWEAKING IT SINCE TEDDY STARTED, HOW WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER. HOW WE CAN MAKE IT EASIER ON THE EVENT ORGANIZER AND MAKE IT A SMOOTHER PROCESS. BECAUSE WE HAVE STATE STATUTE THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR THESE GRANTS. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO PROVIDE THE REIMBURSEMENT MATERIAL. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO LINE UP WITH THOSE STATUTES. WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GET IT IN. AND IF THEY EXTEND, THE DEADLINE FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT MATERIAL IS AFTER THE EVENT. 60 DAYS, NOT JUST BUSINESS DAYS. BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND IF THEY NEED TO. THEY JUST REACHED OUT TO US ON THE AGREEMENT. THAT'S WHEN LEGAL COMES INTO EXTEND THE AGREEMENT. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE SCOTTISH GAMES. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST THOUGHT OF, WE THOUGHT ABOUT THE THRASHER, RIGHT? THE THRASHER IS THE AMOUNT-- THE AMOUNT WE GIVE THE THRASHER IS LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE LEFT OVER FROM A FULL YEAR OF GRANTS. THAT IS WHERE IT IS TOUGH WITH THIS BOARD. BECAUSE OF THE STATE STATUTE, BECAUSE OF THE RULES THAT WE HAVE, THE MONEY WE HAVE, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE DO WITH ANOTHER 125,000? DO YOU PUT IT IN RESERVES? PUT IT TOWARDS A CAPITAL PROJECT? THAT IS THE OTHER QUESTION. >> YOU PUT IT INTO FACILITIES THAT WILL BRING PEOPLE IN. >> AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING. TEDDY, I'M SURE WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT WHERE WE WANT OUR RESERVES TO BE. WHAT THAT BARE MINIMUM IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE. AND THEN THE REALITY OF IF RIGHT NOW THEY RESERVE A SET 5.5 MILLION, YOU ARE NOT BUILDING A VERY BIG, BIG-- A VERY BIG BUILDING FOR 5.5 MILLION. AND THAT IS THE TOUGH PART FROM A FACILITY PERSPECTIVE. >> I THINK IT'S THE INTERNAL CONVERSATION FIRST OF WHAT IMPACT FULL TOURISM'S FUNDING IS RELATED THERE. AND THINKING ABOUT HOW THE MONEY COULD BE USED, WHAT IS THE MOST FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY TO USE IT, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS WITH THE COUNTY. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FINE-TUNING WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE. THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER CAVEATS. WE DO HAVE FUNDING IN THE REGIONAL PARK. SO MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT THERE'S OTHER PROJECTS, OR OTHER FACILITIES THAT COULD USE SOMETHING AS WELL. SOME OF IT IS IDENTIFYING AND BEING A BIT MORE INTENTIONAL AND DIRECT ON HOW THAT WILL BENEFIT TOURISM. REALLY TRYING TO SEE COMPARISONS TO OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE DONE THIS. THOSE ARE THINGS TO LOOK THR THROUGH. THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT PLACES THAT HAVE DONE THESE THINGS WITH BIGGER RESERVES AND IMPACTORS. WHETHER IT'S FLORIDA OR CENTRAL FLORIDA. WE WOULD JUST LOOK AT THAT AND SEE WITH THE TRENDS ARE. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK, STEPHANIE, TO YOU, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THESE VARIANCES, DO WE DO ANY TYPE OF SURVEY OR ANYTHING TO SEE WHAT THE CHALLENGES OR BARRIERS ARE THAT THEY ARE HITTING? THAT'S PREVENTING THEM FROM GETTING IT SUBMITTED? >> NORMALLY IF THE SPORTING EVENTS. AND WE GET VERY CLOSE WITH THEM. NORMALLY WE KNOW BEFORE THE EVENT HAPPENS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE. THE FREE BIRD CLASSIC, FOR INSTANCE, LAST MINUTE THEY HAD IT DOWN TO A ONE-DAY EVENT. SO WE KNOW-- WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEIR REIMBURSEMENT MATERIAL YET, BUT WE KNOW THEY WILL NOT GET THE FULL 17,000. BECAUSE IT WAS A MULTI-DAY EVENT. IT WAS OUTSIDE THEIR CONTROL. NOTHING THEY COULD DO. BUT WE KNOW THAT. IF WE GET THE REIMBURSEMENT MATERIAL BACK AND WE SEE THERE IS SOMETHING MISSING, NORMALLY WE CALL THEM OR TEXT OR SAY WHAT IS GOING ON. AND IT'S LIKE WE FORGOT TO SUBMIT A RECEIPT, AND WE TELL THEM, IT'S OKAY. AT THE RECEIPT IN. BUT NORMALLY WE KNOW AHEAD OF TIME. >> THE OTHER CAVEAT TO THIS IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALLEN'S [02:00:01] PRESENTATION ABOUT THE EVENTS COMING, THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS COMING AS WELL. SO THE OTHER THOUGHT ON US IS AS WE LOOK AT THESE VARIANCES AND HOW EVENTS DO YOU, WE CAN ALSO THEN DECIDE NOT TO REPLACE IT, BUT THERE-- TO HAVE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND HAVE A FACILITY THAT PEOPLE WANT MORE OF IS NOT A BAD THING. A LOT OF THIS PROGRAM BECOMES A CARROT FOR THE HOTEL BED TAX. THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR. SO WE HAS A STAFF, WITH THE EVENT GROUP, THERE'S TIMES WE TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT WAIT UNTIL YOUR TWO, YEAR THREE. SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE DATA THAT WOULD SUPPORT WHAT YOU ASK THEM. AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART ON OUR END. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND ALSO RAISE THE LEVEL OF THE EVENTS COMING TO THE COUNTY. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 9. BUT BEFORE WE DO SO-- GO AHEAD. >> WHAT WE NORMALLY DO IS WE GO OVER THE EVENTS THAT WE AWARDED AND WHAT THE EVENTS ARE HERE TONIGHT. BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO TWO FISCAL YEARS. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS COVER [12. TDC Signature Event Grant – 44th Annual Fall Festival (S. Lamb) Town of Orange Park | 44th Annual Fall FestivalOctober 17-18, 2026 at OP Town Hall ParkRequesting $15,000] THE EVENTS THAT WILL BE HERE TONIGHT. YOU HEARD TOWN OF ORANGE PARK. THAT WILL BE A SIGNATURE EVENT. HE HAS COUNTED 125, THAT WILL CHANGE. WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO THE SPREADSHEET BASED ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND EXTERNAL CONVERSATIONS, WE HAVE ADDED THE ORGANIZATION ON HERE. THE EVENT DATE. BUT WHAT WE DID IS WE PUT IN THEIR CURRENT REQUEST. IF THEY CAME HERE BEFORE, WE PUT THE GRANT RECEIVED AND WHAT WAS DISPERSED AFTER. WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THE MATERIAL. THIS WILL HELP YOU GUYS GAGE WHAT YOU REALLY THINK IS AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT. AND WE ADDED THE LOCATION. SO YOU WILL GET TO SEE WHERE IN THE COUNTY THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE EVENTS WE HAVE GOING ON. I COVERED THE SIGNATURE EVENT. WE HAVE THE SPECIAL EVENTS GRANTS. WE WILL GO OVER THAT NEXT. ONE OF THEM IS IN FISCAL YEAR 25-26. I DID HOLD THAT FOR YOUR REFERENCE. THE TOTAL AMOUNT ASKED FOR THE SPECIAL EVENT IS 24,000. BY COMING OUT OF THE 26-27 FISCAL YEAR WILL BE $22,000. THEY DID HAVE TWO SPORTS EVENTS COMING UP. I THINK ALAN TOUCHED ON THOSE. $43,000. OUT OF THE $325,000 WE HAVE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, THE AMOUNT ASKED TONIGHT IS $80,000. IF WE CAN GRANT PEOPLE AMOUNT WILL BE REST WITH TWO-- LEFT WITH $245,000. ANY QUESTIONS? >> I WANTED TO EXPLAIN. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY UP THERE-- OUR LAST TDC MEETING. WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO MOVING FORWARD FOR THE SPECIAL EVENT GRANTS, THESE ARE GRANTS THAT ARE $3500 IN BELOW. WE ARE GOING TO PUT THEM ON THE AGENDA AS SPECIAL EVENT GRANTS. INSTEAD OF GOING EVERY SINGLE EVENT, WE ARE GOING TO APPROVE THEM IN A BATCH. AS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, I'M JUST TELLING YOU NOW, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PULL AN EVENT OFF OF THAT LIST. IF YOU DO WANT TO DISCUSS, WHEN YOU ARE READING YOUR BACKUP AT THE MEETING, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, OR IF YOU WANT TO PULL IT AND TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT THE EVENT, YOU HAVE THAT FULL DISCRETION. IF THERE IS EVER AN EVENT THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS BEFORE WE APPROVE THE SPECIAL EVENTS GRANT AGENDA, YOU CAN SAY MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THIS ITEM AND WE WILL APPROVE IT AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE ITEM YOU PULLED. IF THAT MAKES SENSE. >> THERE IS ONE I WOULD LIKE TO PULL. I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THE RIVERS HOUSE PORCH BEST. REASON BEING, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM VOTING ON THAT, BECAUSE I AM INVOLVED IN IT. SO IF WE CAN DO THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. >> WE CAN PUT THIS TO ACTION. WE ARE GOING TO PULL-- GO AHEAD. >> COUPLE QUESTIONS. THESE ARE ALL NEW EVENTS? ARE SOME OF THEM OLD EVENTS? >> THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE REOCCURRING EVENTS. BUT BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A LENGTHY PROCESS TO APPLY FOR THIS SMALL EVENT GRANT, AND WE DISCUSSED THIS IN THE LAST MEETING, GOING BACK TO WHAT I SAID BEFORE, WE ONLY GAVE $14,000 LAST YEAR. 14 INCLUDING THESE TWO FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIRST HALF [02:05:05] OF THE YEAR, WE ARE SEEING FACES, AND WE ARE ALREADY OVER THAT AMOUNT. WE ARE LOOKING AT 24,000. SO IT'S A NICE WAY TO HELP THE SMALLER EVENTS. SOME OF THEM THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING OVER YEARS, AND SOME OF THEM ARE NOT NEW. TRYING TO HELP THEM A LITTLE BIT WITH GETTING THEIR EVENT OFF THE GROUND. >> IS THIS REIMBURSABLE? >> IT IS REIMBURSABLE. >> TO BE PUT A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS? >> WE DID NOT PUT A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS. >> YOU MEAN A CAP? LIKE HOW MANY TIMES THEY CAN COME BACK? >> HOW MANY YEARS UNTIL WE DECIDE IT'S A DEAD EVENT. WE DISCUSSED-- I DON'T KNOW IF IT MADE THE FINAL CUT. >> THERE WAS A FEW THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED BUT NEVER CAME UP WITH A SOLID ANSWER. BUT WE CAN MAKE CHANGES TO THIS AND EVOLVE AS WE GO. >> THESE NUMBERS HERE, THIS IS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION? >> THIS IS WHAT THEY QUALIFIED FOR. AND THIS WAS OPENED, THERE ARE THE THREE QUALIFIERS. YOU QUALIFY I'LL-- YOU QUALIFY FOR THEM OR YOU DO NOT. AND YOU GET WHAT YOU QUALIFY FOR. LIKE I SAID, THIS IS DONE AND TWO PHASES OVER THE YEAR. [9. TDC Special Event Grants (S. Lamb) No Man’s Land Chili Challenge & Flea Market – $2,000Whistling Death 5k & 10k – $1,500Soul Food Festival – $1,500Dig N Dirt – $3,000Boo on the Boulevard – $1,500Rivers House Porch Fest – $2,00016th Annual Chili Cook-Off & Car Show – $2,000Christmas in the Village – $3,000Christmas Market – $1,500Reindeer Trot – $1,500Kiwanis Club: Christmas Parade – $1,500Hometown Holiday – $3,000] WE DID WAS WE OPENED THIS GRANT, THE SPECIAL EVENT GRANT. WE DID THAT IN OCTOBER. WE DID THAT TWO MONTHS AGO AND CLOSED IT HALF A MONTH BEFORE THIS EVENT STARTED. THIS IS ALL HAPPENING OCTOBER 12026 THROUGH MARCH 1ST 2022ND. -- 2022. THE CHILLY CHALLENGE HAPPENING IN SEPTEMBER. THEY HAVE A NEW SHIFT. THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD APPLY FOR A GRANT. ALL OF THESE ARE HAPPENING IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WE WILL OPEN FACED TWO-- DAYS TWO WILL BE APRIL 1ST, OR SEPTEMBER 30TH. IT WILL OPEN IN NOVEMBER AND CLOSE IN DECEMBER. AND WE WILL HAVE THE VOTE AGAIN IN JANUARY. >> IF SOMEONE COMES AND APPLIES, THEY CAN STILL APPLY. IT'S NOT CLOSED? >> YOU DID MAKE THAT NOTE BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW WAY OF DOING IT, BECAUSE WE OPENED IN PHASES. >> A ROLLING ADMISSION. WHICH IS IMPORTANT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? >> I HAVE A COMMENT. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I DON'T THINK I WAS ON YOURS, I WAS ON A DIFFERENT BOARD. THIS HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS. I SAID YEARS AGO, I LOVE MY TOWNS, I LOVE BEING HERE. BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO STAY, I TRY TO STAY FAIR. WE TALK ABOUT HOTELS, ACCOMMODATIONS, WHAT DOES IT BRING, AND I SAY LET'S BE WARY OF THAT. NO OFFENDS TO PEOPLE. ON PART OF SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND WANT TO BE. BUT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. SO WHERE DO WE STOP THAT? DO WE PUT PARAMETERS ON IT? DO WE PUT A NUMBER ON THE AMOUNT OF YEARS. WE MIGHT BE DOING AS MUCH OUT HERE AS WE ARE WORRYING ABOUT THRASHER OR THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I WANT TO BE CONSISTENT ALSO, I SEE CLAY EVENTS, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, DOUBLE-DIPPING AND STUFF, IS THAT THE FAIRGROUNDS, IS AT A DIFFERENT LINE ITEM? BECAUSE WERE GIVEN MONEY? HOW DOES THAT WORK? >> CLAY EVENTS AS A SEPARATE ORGANIZATION FROM THE CLAY COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION. THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAIR AND THEY SHARE AN OFFICE AREA. BUT THEY ARE SEPARATE. >> OKAY. I HAD A QUESTION ON THAT. MAYBE WE NEEDED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT WAY. BECAUSE THEY ARE GROWING. IN WHAT IS THE GOAL AND WHERE DO WE WANT THAT MONEY TO GO. WHAT IS OUR PLAN, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT AS THE BIGGER SPORTING EVENTS-- WE WILL HAVE TO BUY THAT STUFF TO KEEP COMING. IF WE WANT TO GET TO SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT HE WANTS TO GET TO, WHICH WE NEED TO GET TO. SO WE JUST PUT IT TOGETHER, WITH HOW WE WANT TO MAKE IT WORK. >> THE BIGGEST THING TO ME IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REIMBURSABLE'S FOR THE GRANTS, WE HAD $139,000 LEFT OVER, AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE LARGER SPORTING EVENTS, AND WE SEE OUR GRANT NUMBER RISE, WE COULD DO SOME [02:10:05] KIND OF CASH FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. I DON'T THINK WE ARE THERE YET. BUT I LIKE YOUR FORESIGHT. I LIKE THE PICTURE. >> IN THE COMMITTEE WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING SOME OF THEM OUT FOR A COUPLE YEARS. WE LOOKED AT THESE AS THEY WEREN'T EVENTS THAT BROUGHT ROOM NIGHTS, BUT THEY MADE US WHO WE ARE AND CREATED SOME EXPOSURE TO CLAY COUNTY. THERE IS MARKETING INVOLVED. AND THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT. >> ON FROM THESE EVENTS IT'S TAKE THE TWO BATCHES AND CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH. ONE PER PHASE. ONE GROUP CAN APPLY FOR ONE PER PHASE. TWO PURVEYS. AND THERE IS A COUPLE THOUGHTS, SCALE IT BACK AFTER YOUR TWO, ARE YOUR THREE, LOOK INTO THAT AS WE GROW. TO YOUR POINT, AS A SPORT-- AS SPORTS OF ESCROW THERE IS PROBABLY A SCALING OF THIS ON THE OTHER SIDE. PHASE ONE GETS X AMOUNT, FACED TWO IT'S X AMOUNT AND YOU WORK THROUGH THERE. ALL THAT CAN BE WORKED THROUGH AS WE BUILD THIS. >> THESE ARE GREAT EVENTS, BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THESE EVENTS HERE, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE LOOK ON THE CALENDAR, I'M GOING TO BE AN ORANGE PARK. WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY. ALARM GOING TO BE IN KEYSTONE HEIGHTS. THEY ARE DOING THIS. MAYBE WE WILL JUST STAY TONIGHT AND DO THE NEXT WHATEVER. SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THESE. I GET IT. WE NEED TO STOP AT SOME POINT. BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THESE THINGS GOING ON SOMEWHERE IN CLAY COUNTY. AND IT MIGHT PRODUCE SOMEONE STAYING THE NIGHT. >> THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS IS IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MAYBE SOME OF THESE COULD BECOME SIGNATURE EVENTS. THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE. I DON'T KNOW. ONLY TIME WILL TELL. BUT WITH SOME OF THIS BACKING, THEY COULD GO TO A SECOND DAY. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MAYBE EVEN A CONVERSATION COULD BE WEARS OUR PEAK AND NONPEAK TIMES. DO THEY MOVE TO THAT TIME IN FEBRUARY? THOSE ARE ALL KIND OF THINGS THAT WE CAN FLEX THROUGH THIS SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAM. -THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THAT. >> I LIKE KEVIN'S IDEA OF WHAT HE SAID. YOU WILL KNOW IF THEY GROW AND THEY GET THERE. BECAUSE THEY COULD. BUT IF THEY DON'T, THEN RIGHT. SO THERE ARE PARAMETERS. >> IS THE FEEDBACK REGARDING THIS? >> I WANTED TO CLARIFY ON THE REQUEST TO ABSTAIN. GENERALLY THE RULE IS THAT ONLY IF YOUR PERSONALLY GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THE EVENT OR PROJECT. IF YOU'RE A PARTICIPANT OR VOLUNTEERING THAT DOES NOT QUALIFY TO BE ABLE TO ABSTAIN. SO IT'S RELATED TO A PERSONAL DERIVED BENEFIT. SO I WANT YOU TO TAKE THAT IN TO CONSIDERATION. >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR TRANSPARENCY. SO OUR ATTORNEY CLARIFIED YOU DON'T HAVE TO. THAT'S GREAT. YOU WANT TO RESEND YOUR MOTION? >> I WILL TAKE AWAY MY MOTION TO NOT VOTE ON THE PORCH-FEST AND I WILL VOTE ON EVERYTHING. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPECIAL EVENT GRANTS? GREAT DISCUSSION AND COULD DIRECTION TOO. THIS WILL HELP US KIND OF MOVE FORWARD. WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL EVENT GRANT BLOCK. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MO MOTION. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL EVENT GRANT BLOCK. ALL IN FAVOR SAY "AYE". [10. TDC Sport Event Grant – 2026 Clay County Classic (S. Lamb)   Minor League Golf Tour | 2026 Clay County Classic November 30 – December 2 at Eagle Landing Golf Club Requesting $18,000] ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10. OUR TDC SPORT GRANT. THE 2026 MINOR-LEAGUE GOLF CLAY COUNTY CLASSIC. >> YOU HAVE HEARD THE NAME. TECHNICALLY THIS IS A NEW EVENT. ALLEN MENTIONED THIS. WE HAD SCOTT TURNER HERE IN THE COUNTY FOR FIVE YEARS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM TO GET A SECOND EVENT THE PASS TWO YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS PUSHING FOR A SECOND EVENT SINCE WE GOT IT. WHICH IS GREAT. THIS IS THE CLAY COUNTY CLASSIC. NOT THE CLAY COUNTY OPEN. WHICH YOU WILL HEAR NEXT MONTH. [02:15:04] SO AGAIN, THIS IS A NEW EVENT, BUT HE IS EXPECTING 133 ROOM NIGHTS. A FOUR DAY TOURNAMENT OF THREE NIGHTS. SO LOOKING AT ABOUT 79, ALMOST $8000 THERE. $7980. IT IS A MULTI-DAY EVENT. IT IS OCCURRING DURING A NEED. SO HE QUALIFIES FOR $22,980. HE IS ONLY ASKING FOR 18,000. AND THAT IS KIND OF BASED ON IT BEING A NEW EVENT. HE WANTS TO GIVE HIMSELF SOME WIGGLE ROOM IN CASE HE DOESN'T GET ROOM NIGHTS. HIS PAST EVENTS HAVE BEEN VERY GREAT FOR THE COUNTY. HE HAS GREAT NUMBERS, GOOD TURNOUT. THIS IS A NEW EVENT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BASE THIS ON HIS LAST EVENT. WE HAVE ALAN VERLANDER HERE TO SPEAK ON IT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS? I CAN TELL YOU THE OTHER EVENT THAT MINOR-LEAGUE GOLF DOES MADE SO MANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS-- ALLEN SAID THIS, 90% OF THEM ARE NOT FROM CLAY COUNTY. AND MOST OF THE TIMES THEY ARE NOT FROM FLORIDA. SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. CORRECT. IT IS REGIONALLY DIFFERENT, WHICH IS GREAT. DIFFERENT PART OF THE COUNTY. >> ALSO A DIFFERENT TIME OF THE YEAR. THIS IS IN NOVEMBER. THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE THE BEGINNING OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS NICE. SO IT'S GOING TO BE OUR FIRST SPORT EVENT, SECOND SPORT EVENT. AND IT'S UNDER A DIFFERENT GOLF COURSE. >> IT'S A ONE-DAY EVENT? >> THIS IS A THREE-DAY TOURNAMENT WITH A ONE-DAY PRACTICE ROUND. SO HE'S LOOKING AT THREE WORK NIGHT. >> FOUR TOTAL DAYS. >> I'M LOOKING AT THE DATES AT THE TOP, IT SAYS NOVEMBER 30TH THROUGH DECEMBER 1ST. >> I BELIEVE IT STARTS ON THE 27TH. >> I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I WILL MOTION TO APPROVE THE TDC'S RECOMMENDATION OF 18,000. >> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? [11. TDC Sport Event Grant – Veterans Day Salute (S. Lamb) Adrenaline Lacrosse | Veterans Day Salute Lacrosse TournamentNovember 14-15, 2026 at the Clay County Regional Sports ComplexRequesting $25,000] >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY "AYE". ANY OPPOSED? THAT IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM NUMBER 11 IS THE TDC SPORT GRANT FOR THE VETERANS DAY SALUTE. STEPHANIE? >> THIS YOU HEARD A LOT OF TONIGHT. THIS IS THE ADRENALINE LACROSSE EVENT. THE VETERANS DAY SALUTE. IT'S NOVEMBER 14TH AND 15TH AT THE REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX. THEY ARE EXPECTING 400 ROOM NIGHTS OVER TWO DAYS. THE KING AT $1600 EXCEEDING THE 10,000-DOLLAR MAXIMUM. THEIR VENUE RENTAL SHOULD BE AROUND THE $10,000. IT'S A REGIONAL SPORTS LEX OVER MULTIPLE DAYS. I DON'T HAVE A FINAL INVOICE ON THAT YET. IT'S A MULTI-DAY PERIOD. THEY ARE REQUESTING THE FULL AMOUNT FOR TONY $5000, WHICH THEY DO QUALIFY FOR. AND THAT IS BASED ON REIMBURSEMENT. AND ALAN IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> SAME QUESTION. HOW MANY DAYS IS THIS EVENT? I'M SEEING ON THE SCORESHEET'S SAYS THE 14 THROUGH THE 15TH. ON THE AGENDA THEME 14 THROUGH THE 15TH? [INDISCERNIBLE] >> IT IS A TWO DAY EVENT. STARTING AT 8:00 A.M. SO IT'S NICE THEY ARE COMING IN ON FRIDAY. AND I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE. THEY ARE A LACROSSE COMPANY OUT OF CALIFORNIA. SO WE HAVE A SECOND EVENT THAT WILL BE COMING TO YOU ALL SOON. WE ARE TRYING TO GET THREE, FOUR OR FIVE OVER THE COURSE OF EACH YEAR. SO WE ARE TRYING TO GROW THIS RELATIONSHIP. >> HOW MANY TOTAL TEAMS IS IT? >> IN PALM COAST THEY HAVE GENERALLY ABOUT 120 TO 130 TEAMS, WHICH IS-- >> ELEVEN GUYS OR GIRLS ON THE FIELD. >> GENERALLY ABOUT 20 PEOPLE PER TEAM. PLAYERS PER TEAM. IT'S A BIG, BIG EVENT. I KNOW IT SOLD OUT PALM COAST. STINKS IF YOU ARE A HOTEL IN PALM COAST, BUT GREAT FOR CLAY COUNTY. >> NOVEMBER 14TH AND 15TH, I'M LOVING IT. AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY-- I HOPE THEY GET EVERY PENNY OUT OF THAT 25,000. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. [02:20:02] >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADRENALINE LACROSSE FOR THE FOLLOWING AMOUNT OF 25,000. >> I SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY "AYE". ANY OPPOSED? WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THAT ONE. THE SEE FIRST EVENT THERE? RIGHT? FIRST LACROSSE EVENT? >> FIRST LACROSSE EVENT. SO WE ARE SAVING A LOT OF LIVES. >> THAT'S A GOOD THING TOO. [13. Bartram Trail/Sailforth Product Development Grant Project Update] AND WE'VE DONE ITEM NUMBER 12 EARLIER. EMILY CAME. WE APPRECIATE HER. OUR FINAL TWO ITEMS. OUR FIRST ONE IS OLD BUSINESS. AN UPDATE ON THE PART FROM TRAIL PRODUCT DEVELOP GRANT. >> HELLO, EVERYBODY. I'M GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE TRAIL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER STEPHANIE FROM SOUTH FOREST-- SOUTH FOURTH CAME PREVIOUSLY. TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BARTRAM TRAIL AND WIDE SIGNIFICANT IN CLAY COUNTY. I'M JUST PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT AS IT WINDS DOWN TO A CLOSE THROUGHOUT THAT YEAR. AS A REMINDER, THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE PROJECT. IT CAME WITH WEBSITE OF ELEMENT. THAT MEANS RESEARCH, ALL ABOUT BARTRAM'S IN CLAY COUNTY. WE DELVE INTO THE MAP DESIGN, WHICH YOU WILL SEE IN THE UPCOMING SLIDE. WE ARE WORKING ON THE GROCERY CREATION, AND FINALLY, THE SIGNS AND KIOSK INSTALLATION IS THE LAST PART OF THE PROJECT. ON THE CLAY COUNTY BARTRAM TRAIL COMMITTEE IT HAS BEEN A TEAM EFFORT. THAT IS NOT AN UNDERSTATEMENT. I HAVE LISTED ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS. IT'S BEEN MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND NONPROFITS THAT HAVE HELPED US COME TO LIFE. NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE WEBSITE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHECK OUT THE CLAY COUNTY BERTRAM TRAIL PROGRESS SO FAR, YOU CAN SEE THIS MAP ON THE WEBSIT LISTED ABOVE. THERE ARE EIGHT SITES ON THE COUNTY BARRED FROM TRAIL, AND THE UNIQUE FEATURES THAT IT'S A WATERWAY TRAIL. YOU CAN KAYAK THE BARTRAM TRAIL AND VISIT THE SITE, AND YOU CAN DO IT BY BOAT. THAT MAKES IT UNIQUE. NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AT WITH BARTRAM TRAIL. TEDDY AND I SAT DOWN WITH SELF-WORTH IN THE COMMITTEE, JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. AND THEY PRESENTED THE FIRST DRAFT OF THIS MAP. IT IS GOING TO BE A TWO CITED MAP. A PHYSICAL MAP. EVEN THOUGH YOU SEE IT DIGITALLY, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP AND WE WILL PUT IN WELCOME BACKS FOR VISITORS OF CLAY COUNTY. I INCLUDE HERE A DRAFT. WE ARE NOT READY FOR IT TO BE REPRODUCED YET. BUT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THE ICONS ON THE MAP, THE LITTLE ORANGE SQUARES THAT YOU SEE. SO VISITORS TO CLAY COUNTY WILL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE CAN THEY RENT A BOAT. WHERE CAN THEY GO OUT TO EAT. WHERE CAN THEY CAMP. JUST THOSE THINGS THAT HELP SOMEBODY NOT FROM CLAY REALLY EXPERIENCE THAT OUTDOOR ADVENTURE THAT MAKES THE GRAND CLAY COUNTY. SO WE ARE HOPING TO WRAP THIS PROJECT UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AS I MENTIONED, THE NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE SIGNS AND KIOSKS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT AT EACH OF THE EIGHT SITES THERE'S GOING TO BE A METAL SIGN WITH A QR CODE. SO WHEN YOU VISIT YOU CAN SCAN YOUR PHONE FROM A PADDLEBOARD OR KAYAK OR BOAT, AND IT WILL LAUNCH TO THE SITE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY, AND SEE ALL THE OTHER SITES. SOMEBODY CAN LITERALLY COME TO CLAY COUNTY UNFOLLOW THE BARTRAM TRAIL. WHAT MAKES US A TOURISM IMPACT IS THAT IT'S A REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE INITIATIVE. AND SO PUTNAM COUNTY, JUST SOUTH OF US, WAS THE FIRST BARRED FROM TRAIL COMPLETED IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA. THEY HAVE 30 STOPS ON BERTRAM TRAIL. SO DOVAL IS FOLLOWING, AND SO IS ST JOHNS COUNTY. AND SOON IT IS GOING TO BE A REGIONAL TRAIL, AND WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS IN THAT SENSE. FINISHING OUR SECOND. YES, MORE TO COME ON THAT, I AM SURE. AT ONE OF THE LAST MEETINGS, IN NOVEMBER OR JANUARY, WE WILL HAVE MORE UPDATES ON THE BARTRAM TRAIL. I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE YOU GUYS SOME VISUALS ON THAT PROJECT SO FAR. IF YOU HAVE ANY ANSWERS-- I HAVE ANSWERS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. >> ARE THERE SIGNS AND PROCESS OF BEING PUT UP. >> THE BIGGEST THING WITH THE SIGNS WAS THE METAL SIGNS I MENTIONED ARE GOING TO HAVE THE QR CODE. BUT WE WILL HAVE KIOSKS AS WELL WITH INFORMATION. YOU WALK IN IT WILL TALK ABOUT WHO IS BARTRAM. WHERE DID HE GO. WHAT DID HE DISCOVER. WE NEED THAT RESEARCH AND HISTORY. SO NOW THAT WE HAVE ALL THAT WE CAN PRODUCE THOSE SIGNS AND KIOSKS, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AND SO FORTH. THEY WILL DO THE ORDERINGS OF THE SIGNS AND WE WILL WORK WITH THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE WHERE THE SIGNS WILL BE INSTALLED AND THAT WILL COME THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. >> SO IT'S NOT UP YET. IS EIGHT THE LIMIT? OR WILL WE BE EXPANDING NOT? >> IT IS DESIGNED BASED ON WHERE WILLIAM AND JOHN BARTRAM TRAVELED. HISTORICALLY WE BELIEVE THEY [02:25:04] VISITED THESE SITES BASED ON THE BOOKS THAT THEY HAD WRITTEN. SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT BASED ON HISTORY. SO WE CAN'T REALLY MAKE UP STOPS. BUT WE CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHECK OUT OTHER PLACES AROUND-- >> IS THIS THE BEGINNING? >> WE UNFORTUNATELY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE STOPS. >> YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME SOMEWHERE ELSE FIRST. DO YOU KNOW-- I'M CURIOUS, HOW MANY STOPS THEY MADE IN DOVAL? >> I DO NOT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BARTRAM TRAIL SOCIETY OF FLORIDA-- IT'S A STATEWIDE NONPROFIT, IS TRYING TO DO, IS FOR THE COMMITTEE IN DOVAL. ONCE THEY HAVE A COMMITTEE THERE THEY WILL WORK WITH THE LOCAL HISTORIANS TO IDENTIFY WHAT STOPS WERE MENTIONED IN THE TRAVEL'S BOOK. >> EXCUSE MY HISTORICAL IGNORANCE, IS THIS PRE- OR POST PONCE DE LEON. >> THE BARTRAM TRAIL CAME AT THE END OF THE 1700S. >> SLIGHTLY AFTER. >> JUST CURIOUS. >> THE OTHER PART OF THIS, AND SAM HAS BEEN PRETTY INTEGRAL, THIS BROCHURE, WHEN IT IS DONE, AND THE PLAN IS TO HAVE IT COME IN JANUARY, IS PLAY SPECIFIC. THE PUTNAM SITUATION, THE 30 SITES, WHILE WE LET THEM HAVE THEIR HISTORICAL THING, AND PLACES LIKE THAT, WE HAVE BEEN MORE INVOLVED WITH IT BEING DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER ONES THEY HAVE DONE. BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE DIFFERENT. THINGS THAT GET YOU ON THE FRONT SIDE OR THE BACK SIDE OF THINGS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN OTHER PUBLICATIONS. SO WE WANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THAT RESPECT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS GRANT. WE WANT TO HAVE IT DISTINGUISHED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. THAT IS ONE CAVEAT AND YOU WILL SEE THAT WHEN YOU COME BACK IN JANUARY. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND Q, SAM. >> I WILL STAY UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT EVENTS UNLESS STEPHANIE [14. Upcoming Events Update (S. Lamb) Upcoming tourism events in Clay CountySeptmeber 2, 2026 – November 4, 2026] WOULD LIKE TO. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS THAT WE HAVE. SHARE TALKED ABOUT 904 DAY. THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING GOING OUT TO THE ORANGE PARK MALL. THEY ARE HAVING THEIR COMMUNITY CELEBRATION FROM 11 TO TWO. YOU CAN CHECK OUT AREA NONPROFITS. THERE WILL BE A ROLLER-SKATING GROUP FOR ENTERTAINMENT THAT THE ORANGE PARK MALL, CELEBRATING ALL THINGS 904. TO HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER COUPLE THINGS, THE QUILTS WILL BE AT CAMP CHAVAN LAW IN IN OCTOBER. A COOL ART INSTALLATION WHERE THEY HAVE QUILTS ON DISPLAY FROM LOCAL ARTISTS. AND BARK FEST IS HAPPENING IN OCTOBER. THAT IS GOING TO BE AT THE CLAY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. AND YOU CAN STAND FOR ALL UPCOMING EVENTS-- STAND FOR ALL UPCOMING EVENTS. YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR EVENT CALENDAR, AND THE EXPLORER CLAY APP HAS A LIST OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS. TEDDY ALSO MENTIONED WE ARE GEARING UP FOR CHRISTMAS IN CLAY. OUR CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN THAT KICKS OFF THANKSGIVING. GOES THROUGH THE NEW YEAR. THAT WILL BE A CURATED LIST OF EVERY CHRISTMAS PARADE IN CLAY COUNTY, AND EVERY CHRISTMAS SHOW. AND EVERYPLACE TO GET CHRISTMAS TREATS. WE WILL BE SHARING MORE INFORMATION ON CHRISTMAS EVENTS, BUT THIS JUST GOES THROUGH HALLOWEEN. >> AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST OUR FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING. IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANT TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, YOU CAN COME UP TO THE PODIUM. SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION. THIS WEEKEND, REAL BIG AT THE CATTLEMEN'S ARENA, WE HAVE THE JC PROFESSIONAL RODEO. I WENT LAST YEAR AND I'M GOING TO GO SATURDAY NIGHT. AND IT IS LEGIT. IT IS A BIG-TIME RODEO. AND IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A RODEO, I ENCOURAGE IT. IT IS A LOT OF FUN. A LOT OF MUSIC, A LOT OF ENERGY. SOME AWESOME ANIMALS AND SOME BRAVE COWBOYS. IT IS A REALLY GOOD EVENT. ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU TO STAFF, YOU GUYS WORKED SO HARD. WE ONLY HAVE FIVE OF THESE YEAR, AND YOU DO SO MANY WORK-- YOU DO SO MUCH WORK TO MAKE WE MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUC * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.