Tourist Council Considers Sponsorship Requests

The Highlands County Tourist Development Council on Thursday recommended giving up to $8,000 in tourist tax money for two fishing tournaments, but tabled a request for more than $10,000 for the annual Run to the Heartland motorcycle event.

The council makes recommendations for spending money generated from the bed tax to the Highlands County Commission, which makes the final decision. The amount an event receives is based on the number of hotel rooms that are used, which must be verified.

The Florida Bass Federation asked for $4,500 to cover advertising for a bass fishing tournament on Lake Istokpoga on May 30-31.

The group also asked for $3,500 for the Florida Junior State Championship Bass Fishing Tournament at the lake on May 2-3.

The council commended James Fowler, the president of the federation, for doing well in verifying the number of rooms booked for other tournaments.

However, that proved to be a problem for the Heartland Riders Association, which organizes the Run to the Heartland. The association's Lora Todd attended the meeting and requested $10,360.

The TDC had recommended up to $15,500 for the event that is held in October. The association received only $5,140 because the room verification stipulation wasn't met.

Todd said 52,000 people attended the three-day event last year. She added that it has a "substantial economic impact" on the community.

Todd noted that sponsorships totaled more than $27,000 in 2007 but dropped to a little more than $8,000 in 2008.

Mark Stewart, who is a member of the council, said he would hate to see the Run to the Heartland end.

Council member John Griffin said it is a good event because participants visit Highlands County and then return to the county

But some members of the council expressed concern that there will not be enough money for sponsorships of other events. There is less than $18,000 in that account now and the fiscal year is not even halfway over.

John Scherlacher, the county's tourism director, said the bed tax revenue was down $5,000 in October 2008 compared to the previous year. The operating budget might have to be reviewed if that trend continues, he said.

The council voted to table the Run to the Heartland request until its next meeting.

The council also approved recommending up to $1,800 requested for the Rotary Club of Highlands County Bike Sebring 12-Hour Ultra Cycling "Race Across America" qualifier in February.

The council heard a detailed presentation about sports marketing from Mark Jackson, director of Central Florida's Tourism and Sports Marketing in Polk County.

Jackson said sports and tourism are "two powerful economic engines."

"Tourism is an export," he said. "People coming in with their dollars is new money flowing into a community."

He described youth sports as a "big, big business," noting that among those who travel to sports, 25 percent travel to watch a child's sporting event.

Sports is a business and not an entitlement program.

"It is a handshake and not a handout," he said.

Jackson noted that he would like to set up some partnerships with Highlands County.