Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/227385
Sarasota News Leader December 13, 2013 The County Commission, faced with voting to accept the $5 million with the clawback language to keep the money flowing, wrestled with the issue Wednesday, Dec. 11. Pretty much everyone agreed with Visit Sarasota County Director of Sports Nicole Rissler when she said that proving the facility generated $25 million in state money would be a "challenge." Page 30 and spectators won't capture the project's full impact. What about people who come to watch a tournament, fall in love with the area and buy a house? he asked. How can the county quantify that? Barbetta also pointed out that most of the current board members will be long gone by the time that 2018 deadline hits. Future commissioners will need "something to stand on "We have to make sure that we're filling that says, 'These are the measurements we that facility with national, international and utilized,'" he pointed out. "Don't leave any regional events," she told the commission, stone unturned." describing a detailed methodology Visit Sarasota County has developed for tracking While Commissioner Nora Patterson said the often diffuse economic impact of visitors. she didn't agree that the clawback provision According to her math, for example, this year's should have been included in the deal, Vice USRowing Masters National Championships Chairman Charles Hines said he was OK with generated almost $100,000 in sales tax for the it: "This is the state saying, 'We have faith in state. you, but you need to show you performed.'" "Be very aggressive in measurement," warned Patterson responded that the county will Commissioner Joe Barbetta. He argued that "clearly" be asking the state for more money even just tracking visiting rowing teams in the 2014 legislative session, and it needs to Tents for participants and vendors dot Benderson Park in August during the USRowing Masters National Championships. File photo