Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/344348
With Commissioner Nora Patterson cast- ing the only "No" vote, as she did during the June 19 Tourist Development Council's action on the same issue, the Sarasota County Commission this week approved the reallo- cation of a portion of Tourist Development T a x ( T D T ) r e v e - n u e t o a f u n d f o r the development of new attractions. The change will redi- rect 3.5 percent of the total county TDT rev- enue that had been going to promotional efforts undertaken by Visit Sarasota County, the county's tour- ism office. Additionally, the board voted unanimously to redirect excess funds from an account for Ed Smith Stadium into the capital investment account for new vis- itor draws. Because of increases in TDT revenue over the past couple of years, the county has been accu- mulating more money in the stadium account County commissioners want to see new assets join the county's beaches as attractions for visitors. Photo by Rachel Hackney A MARKETING COMPROMISE THE COUNTY COMMISSION AGREES ON THE LOWEST PROPOSED PERCENTAGE IN SHIFTING TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUE FROM PROMOTING ATTRACTIONS TO INVESTING IN NEW ONES We need to have other assets. We rely on our beaches, obviously. We rely on our arts and culture [to draw visitors]. … A hurricane or a red tide can shut down those beaches relatively quickly, so we need those other assets. Joe Barbetta Commissioner Sarasota County By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor