Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/112475
Sarasota News Leader March 1, 2013 In response to a question on Feb. 27 from Commissioner Christine Robinson, Haley said both the bid fees and the event fees will be split evenly by Sarasota and Manatee counties. During the January TDC meeting, she said the overall expense would be $1.178 million for each of the counties, with the funds to be paid over five years if SANCA wins the bid. Blackketter also pointed out to the TDC and the County Commission the importance of having local government officials make trips overseas to FISA events in the effort to win the bid. Page 73 stuff that���s happening in north county, but not with this,��� she added. ���They are as excited in North Port as they are in Sarasota about the possibilities of this ������ ���The return on investment is pretty incredible,��� Barbetta added. ���We���ve seen it over the past several years with the regattas we���ve had so far��� at the park. During the Feb. 12 County Commission meeting, Blackketter pointed to a $4.5 million economic impact from just the first regattas held in 2009. The county owns the park, but Benderson DeBlackketter has said SANCA will learn in Sepvelopment Co. has been overseeing the contember whether it has won the bid. struction of facilities for the rowing venue. When Robinson asked whether the Manatee Commissioner Nora Patterson noted that the County Commission was committed to sendultimate purpose of collecting Tourist Develing its members on some of the trips, Haley opment Tax revenue ���is to promote tourism. said, ���Yes, absolutely.��� There���s just no two ways about it.��� Haley added, ���We���re trying to alternate [trips She conceded that in some of the early discusby representatives of the two county governsions about the economic potential of rowing ments] to lower some of the travel costs.��� events at Benderson Park, some TDC memCommissioner Charles Hines said it had been bers showed resistance to committing county made clear in public meetings why the trav- funds to the park���s development. (She chairs el was necessary. If it were not, he noted, the TDC.) ���I don���t think you���d find a voice on commissioners would not have any desire to that board now that doesn���t believe [the row���hop on a plane and travel halfway around the ing facility is] an enormous magnet to bring world and turn around the next day and come people to this area.��� back.��� The county has invested about $20 million in Robinson made the motion to authorize the the infrastructure. transfer of funds, with Commissioner Joe BarHaley told The Sarasota News Leader that betta seconding it. the names of the other bidders for the World ���What���s amazing about this is ��� the region- Championships would become public in late al support that this has garnered,��� Robinson February. That information was not availsaid of the bid initiative. ���Frequently in south able before the News Leader���s deadline for county, you get folks who are skeptical of this issue. %