by David Ball
Staff Writer
The annual State Cheer and Dance Championships may be one of the biggest draws for visitors to Jacksonville outside of a major football game, but the Tourist Development Council decided on Wednesday that it’s time to wean the event off of bed-tax funding.
At the TDC’s quarterly meeting, the first chaired by City Council President Daniel Davis, the board approved a $10,000 award after organizers of the event requested $40,000. The board awarded funds to several other events for this year and 2008, including the Florida/Georgia game, the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and an HBO movie, at the requested levels.
New TDC member Fred Pozin, representing the lodging industry, was the first to question the cheer and dance championships funding request when it appeared the event, taking place in January, was well established in Jacksonville and even turning annual profits of more than $40,000.
“The TDC was always seen as seed money for events,” said Pozin. “My question is, why do you keep coming back?”
Rhett Lewis, vice president of the State Cheer and Dance Championship, said he feels the event’s funding should be viewed similar to ongoing events like the Georgia/Florida game.
“Because you guys want to keep good events here in Jacksonville,” said Lewis. “We’ve been told we put heads in beds during a difficult time of the year.”
According to information provided by event organizers, the event first applied for TDC money, which is collected from local bed taxes, in 1995 and received the requested $20,000. The event has been continuously funded since then, receiving as little as $9,000 in 1998 to between $20,000 and $30,000 the last seven years.
Lewis said the event brings in about 6,500 participating cheerleaders and dancers from elementary schools to colleges along with more than 10,000 spectators to fill up some 20 area hotels. Lewis said the event has contributed more than $63 million to the economy since 1995.
Still, the TDC board agreed with Pozin and unanimously approved the $10,000 grant, which is the maximum amount that can be reimbursed after the event at a rate of $5 per documented hotel room night. Event organizers stated the grant will be used for advertising and to offset costs of renting the Osborn Center.
The TDC approved grants for other events including:
• $75,000 for the Florida/Georgia Football Classic Weekend on Oct. 24-27. The money is slated for advertising and promotion.
• $21,000 for an HBO film “Recount” about the 2000 presidential election being filmed in various Jacksonville locations now until Dec. 30. The money is slated to offset location fees for using city facilities.
• $50,000 for the ACC Football Championship Fan-Fest on Dec. 1. The money is slated for fireworks and other activities surrounding the game.
• $40,000 for the 2007 Sea and Sky Spectacular air show at the beaches on Nov. 2-4. The money is slated for advertising and printing.
• $20,000 for the 121st Annual Session of the United Supreme Council, a Masonic organization, to be held Oct. 3-9. The money is slated for promotional materials.
The TDC also approved the 2007-08 budget for the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau at $4.7 million, up from $3.4 million in the current year.
CVB President and CEO John Reyes said the increase is for a planned boost in advertising and promotion as well as more market research to make sure the messages reach intended audiences. Reyes reported that Jacksonville’s advertising spending ranked 16th in the state, just behind Tallahassee.