Apr 20, 2026 Tourist Development Council

[Items 1 - 3]

[00:00:03]

DO WE KNOW THE MAYOR IS COMING? WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. I LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ROLL CALL.

>> COMMISSIONER SARAH ARNOLD. >> PRESENT.

>> TROY BLEVINS. >> PRESENT.

>> CHARLES CUTS. >> HERE.

>> MICHAEL GORDON. >> HERE.

>> IRVING CATS. MAYOR SWEETIE.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]

>> DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA?

IF NOT, WE CAN TAKE A MOTION. >> SECOND.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

>> SPEAKER-01: A MOTION AT A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? ANY CHANGES OR DELETIONS TO THE MINUTES. HEARING NONE, DO WE HAVE A

MOTION? >> SECOND.

>> SPEAKER-01: ALL IN FAVOR. >> AYE.

>> SPEAKER-01: IF YOU WANT, SHOW THAT THE MAYOR IS HERE ON THE ROLL CALL. AT THIS TIME WE WILL DO A PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT RELATED TO ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA.

WE HAVE ANYONE FROM PUBLIC COMMENT.

I WON'T MAKE YOU READ IT UNTIL SOMEONE SAYS YES.

[LAUGHTER] RIGHT.

[7. REPORT ON BED TAX COLLECTION PROCESSES AND AVAILABLE REPORTING]

JENNIFER RAVAN OUR DATE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JENNIFER RAVAN ST. JOHNS COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR. I HAVE WITH ME THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT. HER FLORIDA STATUTE 125.0104 AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY ORDINANCE 88 DASH 17 THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE COLLECTS AND DISTRIBUTES MONEY COLLECTED FROM INSURANCE DEVELOPMENT TAXES. WHEN A PERSON REGISTERS FOR AN ACCOUNT THEY MUST APPLY FOR A BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT.

AT THIS TIME THEY'RE GETTING AN APPLICATION AT INSTRUCTIONS ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REMITTING THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX.

IT MUST BE REMITTED MONTHLY AND YOU MUST FILE A RETURN EVEN IF YOU HAVE NO RENTALS. IF IT'S LOCATED WITHIN CITY LIMITS, THEY MUST ALSO APPLY FOR A CITY BUSINESS LICENSE, MUST OPEN A TANGIBLE TAX ACCOUNT WITH THE OFFICE AND ANYTHING EAST OF INTERCOASTAL MUST ALSO BE REGISTERED WITH COUNTY ENFORCEMENT. THE TAX OFFICE REMAINS REPORTING BY COLLECTIONS IN EACH ZIP CODE...

BY TYPE OF RENTAL. WE KEEP TRACK OF EACH SPECIFIC AREA SO WE CREATED A NEW CITY TYPE OF CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE A UPDATED THE SYSTEM TO SPECIFY THE SPECIFIC AREA EVEN IF IT HAS A SHARED ZIP CODE. FOR EXAMPLE WE KNOW THE CITY AND ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH SHARE ZIP CODE.

HAVING THAT IN OUR SYSTEM WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR NUMBERS JUST OF THE CITY AND WE HAVE REPORTING ON THAT.

WHEN AN ACCOUNT IS DELINQUENT WE REACH OUT TO THE OWNER.

IF THEY DO NOT RESPOND, WE REACH OUT A SECOND AND EVEN THIRD TIME. WHEN NECESSARY.

WE TURN IT OVER TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR AN AUDIT.

THEY WILL COMPLETE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AUDIT.

WHEN THE AUDIT IS COMPLETE THEY SEND IT BACK TO US TO COLLECT BASED ON THE FINDINGS. POST COMPLIANCE IS AN ONLINE VENDOR WE USED TO DOCUMENT STAYS OR OWNERSHIP CHANGES.

WHEN WE FIND A NEW WERE RECENTLY POSTED LISTING WE VERIFY THE PERSON HAS A DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT.

IF THEY DO NOT, WE CONTACT THEM TO LET THEM KNOW THEY NEED TO OPEN ACCOUNT. WE NOTIFY THEM IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO REMIT THE OFFICE EVEN IF AN AIRBNB COLLECTS IT. WE'RE LOOKING INTO A DIFFERENT VENDOR THAT MAY PROVIDE MORE ROBUST INFORMATION SUCH AS ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL WEBSITES AND CALCULATING WHAT TAXES MAY BE OWED. AND FULL TRANSPARENCY DUE TO THE EXPENSES OF THE VENDORS WE ARE CAUTIOUSLY LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE METHODS SUCH AS SIGNING AN AGREEMENT WITH AIRBNB

[00:05:02]

HOWEVER WE KNOW FROM AN EXAMPLE THAT IN THE AIRBNB AGREEMENT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE ANY IDENTIFYING TAXPAYER INFORMATION OR RECORD OF THE RENTAL TRANSACTIONS.

THERE'S NO ITEMIZED LIST SENT WITH THE COLLECTIONS THEREFORE WE HAVE NO WAY TO IDENTIFY WHO COLLECTED AND HOW MUCH THEY COLLECTED. WHICH IS -- ESSENTIALLY WAIVES OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE NONPAYMENT OR TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX. WE HAVE VERY LIMITED INFORMATION TO WORK WITH. THEY WOULD NO LONGER HAVE A TOURIST DEVELOP AND ACCOUNT OF REGISTERED WITH AIRBNB OR VRBO BUT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT.

WE CAN NO LONGER GENERATE REPORTS AND SEGREGATE THE REPORTS LIKE WE DO NOW FOR EXAMPLE BY ZIP CODE AND TYPE OF RENTAL. IF THEY HAD AN AIRBNB ACCOUNT BUT THEN DID NOT -- DID AN UNDOCUMENTED STAY WITH A STILL REMIT THE MONEY FOR THE STAKE WEEK IN ADDITION TO HOST COMPLIANCE, WE ALSO GOT A LIST FROM DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.

IF THEY'VE APPLIED FOR A SALES TAX NUMBER TO OPERATE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE AN ACCOUNT WITH US FOR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL. WE RECEIVE A CONFIDENTIAL LISTING FROM DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE WHICH IS AN INFORMATION EXCHANGE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REGARDING BUSINESS LOCATION AND TAX REGISTRATION DETAILS.

WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE AN ACCOUNT AND THEN WE OBTAIN A LIST FROM THE DIVISION OF CORPORATIONS WHERE WE LOOK FOR OWNERS APPLYING FOR LLCS OR FICTITIOUS NAMES AND IF THEIR BUSINESSES ARE LISTED AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE AN ACCOUNT. WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY

QUESTIONS? >> I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION AT THE CITY LEVEL. I THINK MOVING FORWARD IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO HAVE THAT KIND OF DATA SO WE KNOW HOW TO IN TURN EXPAND PDC GOERS.

>> THANK YOU. >> DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA ON THE AMOUNT OF UNITS FOR EACH TYPE OF CATEGORY ON WHAT THE UNIVERSES

AVAILABLE ROOMS IN THE MARKET? >> UNIVERSAL OF AVAILABLE ROOMS, NO BUT WE DO HAVE A REPORT THAT BREAKS OUT UNITS BY TYPE.

SO CONDOS, HOUSES, CAMPGROUNDS, B&BS, HOTELS.

WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS BUT AVAILABILITY AND WHATNOT, WE

DON'T HAVE THAT. >> SO IF WE ADDED ALL OF THOSE UP IT WOULD BE HOW MANY AVAILABLE ROOMS OR IN THE MARKET? I WOULD THINK.

>> THAT WOULD BE MORE ON YOUR NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS.

EACH SHORT-TERM RENTAL HAS TO HAVE AN ACCOUNT.

>> RIGHT. FOR EXAMPLE AND I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT MYSELF, I SUBMIT ONE TAX RECEIPT EACH MONTH BUT IT SAYS ON MY REPORT 35 ROOMS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU INTERPRET

ME AS 35 UNITS OR ONE ACCOUNT. >> ONE ACCOUNT.

YES. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT NUMBER. >> YOU WOULDN'T KNOW.

>> WHEN THEY OPEN THEIR BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT, WE DON'T ASK HOW MANY ROOMS THEY HAVE BECAUSE WE REGISTERING THEM AS A UNIT.

NOT AS HOW MANY UNITS THEY HAVE. >> OKAY.

>> JENNIFER WITH THE VRBO AND AIRBNB THE WAY YOU DO IT IS THE INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS HAVE TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO YOU.

THEY DON'T GO TO AIRBNB AND VRBO.

WHAT DOES HAVE ANY OTHER COUNTIES DO IT THAT WAY.

>> I HAVE THAT. THERE IS 67 COUNTIES IN FLORIDA.

NOT EVERY COUNTY COLLECTS TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX.

62 COUNTIES COLLECT TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX AND 23 HAVE A

CONTRACT WITH AIRBNB. >> SO ABOUT HALF.

>> APPROXIMATELY. A LITTLE LESS.

>> BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU AS A FORMER AIRBNB VRBO, THEY MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE COLLECTING FOR YOU AND PAYING FOR YOU AND I WENT ALMOST THREE MONTHS IN ARREARS OUT OF IGNORANCE BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

IF WE DECIDE NOT TO GO WITH THE CONTRACT, WITH VRBO OR AIRBNB, DO WE HAVE A MECHANISM IN WHICH WE CAN AT LEAST EDUCATE THAT YOU

[00:10:06]

>> ABSOLUTELY. >> BUT LIKE I SAID SOME OF THE RECORDING -- IT'S MORE ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE COLLECTING ALL THE MONEY. BUT I THINK IF WE DECIDE NOT TO GO THE CONTRACT, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME TYPE OF EDUCATION COMPONENT TO THESE -- I DON'T THINK THEY'RE DOING IT ON PURPOSE.

>> I DON'T EITHER. >> I THINK -- I KNOW MINE WAS 100% OUT OF IGNORANCE AND I SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN DO THAT, IF IT GETS VERY HELPFUL TO THOSE

BUSINESS OWNERS AT THAT POINT. >> IT'S VERY CONFUSING AND WE'VE STARTED ADDING TO OUR REGISTRATION PACKET, A CHECKLIST AND WE MAKE SURE IT'S NOW PRINTED ON THERE.

IF YOU ARE WITH AIRBNB, THEY WILL COLLECT IT FOR YOU BUT YOU HAVE TO STILL REMIT IT TO THE COUNTY.

>> YOU HAVE TO REQUEST IT. >> YES.

AND WE TALKED TO A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT THAT.

BUT I AGREE, WILL LOOK AT BETTER WAYS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO EDUCATE

THE PUBLIC ON THAT. >> YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK OUT THE CITY AND THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH?

>> WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS NOW. REMEMBER ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL SO WE CAN ONLY BREAK IT DOWN SO MUCH.

WE CAN'T GIVE NAME, ADDRESS. THAT KIND OF DETAIL BUT WE CAN GIVE YOU RAW NUMBERS. WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION NOW AND I BELIEVE WE SENT IT TO DENA AND IT'S BEEN SHARED.

>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? >> I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE EVALUATING AND YOUR OFFICE WILL BE EVALUATING ENTERING INTO THIS CONTRACT OR NOT?

>> WE HAVE DECIDED TO LOOK INTO IT, YES.

>> HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK? IS IT SOMETHING MADE AT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LEVEL IN TERMS OF WHETHER YOU WOULD ENTER INTO THAT CONTRACT? IS IT SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO

THE OFFICE LEVEL? >> WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE THAT AGREEMENT. WE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND MAKE SURE IT WORKS FOR OUR COUNTY. OBVIOUSLY WILL WORK WITH OUR ATTORNEY. THEY HAVE A PRETTY STANDARD AGREEMENT, BUT I BELIEVE IT CAN BE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT IF NEED BE. I DON'T KNOW THAT YET.

WE JUST GOT SOME OTHER AGREEMENTS FROM SOME OTHER COUNTIES AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENFORCE AND STAY ON TOP OF IT. ONCE WE DECIDE IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, WOULD BE ABLE TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT.

>> FOR INSTANCE ARE SOME OF THE LARGER COUNTIES -- HOW DO YOU SEE THE LANDSCAPE WORKING. FOR INSTANCE ORANGE COUNTY.

DOES IT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH VRBO?

>> I'M NOT SURE ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY.

I KNOW PALM BEACH DOES. ALACHUA IS CLOSER TO OUR SIZE BUT THEY ARE IN AGREEMENT AND THE BIGGER COUNTIES LIKE MIAMI AND PALM BEACH COUNTY HAVE AGREEMENTS.

>> ONE MORE FOLLOW-UP. ON THE SAME TOPIC.

VRBO AND AIRBNB AND BOOKING.COM HAVE THREE SEPARATE CONTRACTS OR WERE THEY ALL HAVE TO MATCH YOUR CONTRACT?

WHO SETS THE CONTRACT? >> THEY ALL HAVE A STANDARD CONTRACT, BUT, YES, WE WOULD HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CONTRACTS IF WE DECIDED TO GO INTO A CONTRACT WITH THEM BUT WE WOULD

MAKE IT MATCH EACH OTHER. >> IT HAS TO WORK FOR YOUR --

>> FOR THIS COUNTY. >> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?

GO AHEAD. >> I ASSUME YOU'VE TALKED TO

SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES? >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN THE

PROCESS OF DOING. >> DO YOU FIND THAT IN YOUR QUESTIONS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED MORE TAX AFTER THE SIGN -- AFTER SIGNING AGREEMENTS WITH THEM OR THE SAME?

IF YOU HAVE ANY FILL FOR THAT? >> WE HAVEN'T ASKED THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION. I THE GETS MORE ADMINISTRATIVE FOR THEM. THEY WENT INTO THE CONTRACT BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF WORK. IT'S A COUPLE OF FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT GO INTO USING THOSE COMPLIANT AND LOOKING UP

[00:15:01]

BECAUSE WE REALLY DO WANT TO EXPLORE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO STILL IN FORCE THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAXES AND MAKE SURE COLLECTING. WE HAVE NOT BEEN LOOKING INTO IT

THAT, MAYBE A COUPLE OF WEEKS. >> THINK.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION.

WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO STAY WITH THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. CAN YOU COME BACK TO GIVE US A VIEW OF HERE'S WHAT WE DID IN THE ANALYSIS WE DID AND THESE

ARE THE REASONS -- >> IT BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

>> IF I WAY, MORE FROM A CONTRACT STANDPOINT AND IT MAY NOT EVEN BE IN FLORIDA. MAY BE OTHER STATES.

IS THERE ANY EXPOSURE FOR AIRBNB OR VRBO THAT OTHER STATES MIGHT HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT COULD INCREASE OUR LEVERAGE WHEN WE NEGOTIATE? I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING.

I KNOW NEW YORK CITY HAVE A REFERENDUM BACK TWO YEARS AGO AND AIRBNB SPENT LIKE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FIGHTING AT A LOSS. IN AN ELECTION.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE SOME LEVERAGE POINTS THAT THEY SORT OF SNEAK UNDER THAT IF WE CAN FIND OUT THAT MAY INCREASE OUR LEVERAGE AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER NEGOTIATING POSITION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD BE.

>> I AGREE. I WAS LOOKING THROUGH FOLDER BEFORE I CAME OVER TODAY, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH SOME DIFFERENT LAWSUITS THAT WERE MENTIONED. THAT'S A VERY VALID POINT.

I'M GOING TO LOOK THROUGH THOSE AGAIN ADIEU DUE DILIGENCE AND I WILL DEFINITELY ADDRESS THAT WHEN I COME BACK AS WELL.

>> I THINK SOME OF THE DECISION HAS STAYED WHERE WERE AT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THOSE LAWSUITS WHEN I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT

THIS BEFORE. >> THE LAWSUITS WERE A BIG DEAL BUT ALSO THE FACT THE ENFORCEMENT ISSUE IS BIG FOR US BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT.

I KNOW I'VE GONE TO AN AIRBNB BEFORE THE OWNERS REACHED OUT, NEXT TIME YOU WANT TO STAY WITH ME JUST LET ME KNOW PERSONALLY AND WILL AVOID ALL THE FEES THROUGH AIRBNB.

DID THEY DOCUMENT THE STAY AND PAY THE TAXES ON THE STAKE WE SO WE WANT TO BE SURE WERE ABLE TO ENFORCE ALL THE STAYS AND COLLECT THE MONEY THAT SHOULD BE COMING TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

>> THANK YOU. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE.

THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.

HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. >> THAT BRINGS US TO REPORT ON

[8. VISITOR/ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY REPORT]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU TODAY.

I WANTED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU DR. JOSEPH ST. GERMAIN WHO WILL BE GIVING A PRESENTATION IN JUST A MOMENT.

IT'S OUR ANNUAL VISITATIONS STUDY ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FOR 2025 AND ALL SORT 2025 AND 2026 NIGHTS OF LIGHTS ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY AND VISITATION STUDY. TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, ABOUT PROBABLY 18 MONTHS OR 20 MONTHS AGO WE WERE REACHED OUT TO BUY THE COASTAL MANAGEMENT TEAM IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. WE TALKED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO POOL OUR RESOURCES TO SAVE MONEY AND DO THIS ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY TOGETHER FOR ANNUAL VISITATION.

THE COASTAL MANAGEMENT FOLKS HAD A NEED FOR THIS INFORMATION SO WE PARTNERED AND SPLIT THE COST WITH THEM.

IN ADDITION ONCE WE GOT INTO LAST YEAR I TALKED TO JOSEPH ABOUT ADDING ON A NIGHTS OF LIGHTS ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY SINCE WE WERE THE MARKETPLACE DOING THIS ON IT SAVE THE COUNTY AND ALL OF US A LOT OF MONEY. WITH THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO

DR. ST. GERMAIN. >> THANK YOU, SUSAN.

GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE AGAIN. I'M PRESIDENT OF DOWNS RESEARCH.

I WILL GIVE A BROAD OVERVIEW OF THE DATA STARTING WITH THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND GETTING INTO A VISITOR -- GIVING YOU A SENSE OF THINGS, OVERALL DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM JANUARY 1ST TO

[00:20:03]

SURVEYS WERE COLLECTED THROUGH THE COUNTY AND HOTELS, ATTRACTIONS, EVENTS, PUBLIC SPACES, BEACHES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THAT'S WHERE THE DATA IS COMING FROM. YOU COULD IMAGINE WITH OVER 3000 SURVEYS OF THE REPORT ABOUT THAT THICK I'M GOING TO GIVE A BROAD OVERVIEW. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO EVERY SINGLE DATA POINT TODAY BUT I WILL -- PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL START WITH THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM. THIS IS TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

SPECIFICALLY ON THE COUNTY. OVERALL OUR ESTIMATE PER VISITATION IN 2025 WAS NEARLY 2.8 MILLION VISITORS.

THESE ARE PEOPLE STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS, IT HOPES, WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF YOUR VISITORS OVERALL WERE THOSE IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS.

WE TAKE THAT AND WE UTILIZE A MYRIAD OF DATA POINTS WHERE WE HAVE SURVEY DATA FROM THE VISITORS AND ALSO AS TR REPORTS, DATA REPORTS. WE LOOK AT BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATIONS TO GET A SENSE OF VACATION UNITS.

OUR ESTIMATE FOR OVERALL DIRECT SPEND WITHIN THE COUNTY FROM VISITORS WITH FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY ARE $1.593 BILLION.

FOR 2025. ABOUT 31% OF THAT IS WITH ACCOMMODATIONS. IS ABOUT 490 MILLION.

THAT EQUATES ROUGHLY WITH WHAT WE EXPECT FROM REVENUE ON -- WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT 24% OF YOUR SPENT AT RESTAURANTS, 17% ENTERTAINMENT. 12% SHOPPING, 7% TRANSPORTATION, 6% GROCERIES AND 3% OTHER AREAS. WE USE THAT WHEN WE RUN INTO AN ECONOMIC IMPACT MODEL TO RESULT IN THE OVERALL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY -- WHEN WE SHIFT WE LOOK AT ROOM NIGHTS, THIS IS TO .37 MILLION ROOM NIGHTS.

THAT'S IN HOTELS BUT ALSO VACATIONS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THAT'S YOUR TOTAL ROOM NIGHTS FOR 2025. THE RESULTING TOURISM TAX OF AROUND $24.6 MILLION. SO THOSE ARE A LOT OF YOUR BIG NUMBERS. LET'S START THERE.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I GAVE A PRESENTATION LIKE THIS AND GET THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A VARIETY OF DESTINATIONS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE QUESTION I GET A LOT IS OKAY WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT MEANS TAXES.

TAXES SUPPORTED BY VISITORS IN GENERAL AS WE LOOK AT SALES TAXES AND PROPERTY TAXES SUPPORTED BY VISITORS OF OVER $81.6 MILLION IN TAXES THAT COME TO THE COUNTY SUPPORTED BY THIS VISITORS -- BUT IT ALSO MEANS JOBS.

IT ALSO MEANS WAGES. SUPPORTING OVER 14,600 JOBS AND $575 MILLION IN WAGES. THESE ARE JOBS AND WAGES SUPPORTED BY THE SPEND FROM VISITORS.

VISITORS ARE NOT NICE ENOUGH TO STAY IN GROUPS OF 190 PEOPLE BUT IF THEY WERE FOR EVERYONE 90 VISITORS IT WILL EQUATE TO ABOUT ONE JOB WITHIN THE COUNTY. AND FINALLY A QUESTION WE GET A LOT IS I DON'T DO ANYTHING IN TOURISM A -- WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME. THESE VISITORS OFFSET ABOUT $620 PER HOUSEHOLD AND LOCAL TAXES. SO AGAIN THIS IS ONE OF THOSE IMPORTANT DATA POINTS WERE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM -- BECAUSE THIS ISN'T ANYTHING THAT SHOWS UP ON A BILL.

YOU DON'T HAVE A PROPERTY TAX BILL IS SAID VISITORS SAVE -- WHAT WE DO THERE IS LOOK AT TAXES SUPPORTED, DIVIDED BY NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS IN THE COUNTY TO GET A SENSE OF THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF TAXES SUPPORTED BY VISITORS PER HOUSEHOLD TO MAINTAIN LEVEL SERVICES THAT A TYPICAL RESIDENT RECEIVES IN A YEAR. OVERALL THESE ARE A LOT OF YOUR LARGE ECONOMIC IMPACT METRICS OVERALL.

SO LET'S GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT.

I'M GOING TO GIVE A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT A VISITOR DOES WHEN THEY ARE HERE AND WALK YOU THROUGH BASED ON WHAT THEY DO BEFORE THEY GET HERE, THE PROFILE, WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR HERE AND FRANKLY AT THE END HOW WAS YOUR TRIP.

WILL HAVE SOME DATA ON THAT AS WELL.

THE OVERALL VISITOR ABOUT 80% ARE DRIVING TO THE MARKET.

FOR THOSE THAT FLY, JACKSONVILLE YOU CAN IMAGINE IS THE MOST POPULAR. NEARLY 40% TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN.

[00:25:02]

THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY ACROSS ALL YOUR VISITORS IS ABOUT FOUR NIGHTS. THAT WILL INCLUDE THOSE STATE WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES -- I MENTION THIS BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS TEND TO HAVE A LONGER TRIP. THE NOTES SPENDING -- ARE NOT IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS BUT THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMY AND ALL THOSE OTHER CATEGORIES I MENTIONED AND THEY TEND TO STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER OVERALL. I TOUCHED ON THIS EARLIER AS WE BREAK DOWN INTO VISITOR TYPE. ALMOST TWO-THIRDS ARE STATED PAID ACCOMMODATIONS. 50% NONPAID MEANS ARE STAYING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN A SECOND HOME IN ABOUT 20% ARE JUST COMING FOR THE DAY. AS WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY DO THINGS BEFORE THEY GOT INTO THE MARKET, NOT -- ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED IN 2025 NOT JUST HERE BUT IN A LOT OF PLACES, NOT A REALLY LONG TRIP PLANNING CYCLE. ABOUT HALF HOUR -- ARE BOOKING WITHIN A MONTH AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT MOST ABOUT 85% OF ALL YOUR VISITORS ARE BOOKING WITHIN THREE MONTHS AND ARRIVING HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. THAT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE SEASON. WE HAVE THAT DATA IN THE FULL REPORT AND IF YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR AN ENTIRE WEEKEND, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE FULL REPORT AND GO THROUGH EVERY DATA POINT. IT'S BEEN A SHORTER TRIP PLANNING CYCLE OVERALL. AS WE LOOKED AT WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR TRIP, ABOUT 70 -- 71% ONLY PLANNED ON COMING HERE BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU WILL SEE A MYRIAD OF OTHER MARKETS THAT ARE CONSIDERED BEFORE THEY CAME HERE.

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? IT SHOWS YOU WHERE TO LOOK AND YOU'RE COMPETING WITH A LOT OF OTHER BEACH AREAS.

ALSO ORLANDO ON THE THEME PARKS THERE IN.

THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT -- THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THIS DESTINATION BUT THEY CONSIDERED THESE OTHER PLACES BEFORE ULTIMATELY DECIDING ON ST. JOHNS COUNTY AREA.

HOW DO THEY PLAN THEIR TRIP? THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY TRIP PLANNING SOURCES. THESE ARE THE TOP TRIP PLANNING SOURCES. FRIENDS AND RELATIVES UTILIZING GOOGLE MAPS GOING UP A PREVIOUS VISIT, THE WEBSITE.

THOSE WERE USED BY OVER WANTED THREE OF YOUR VISITORS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO NOTE AS WE LOOK AT THE FULL DATA SET, THERE ARE SIX ONLINE PLACES PEOPLE -- AT LEAST 20% OF YOUR VISITORS WHO CAME USED ONE OF THOSE DIGITAL SOURCES.

THERE'S AT LEAST TEN SOURCES WERE 10% OF YOUR VISITORS USE ONE OF THE DIGITAL SOURCES. TE POINT OF ALL OF THIS IS THERE'S NOT ONE SILVER BULLET ON WHERE TO PUT YOUR MARKETING.

PEOPLE ARE LOCATED IN DISPARATE PLACES GEOGRAPHICALLY BUT ALSO THEIR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT IS DIFFERENT OTHER THAN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES. THERE IS NOT ONE PLACE AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A WILL TO ETERNAL, A MARKETING PLAN IN ORDER TO GET TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO COME TO YOUR DESTINATION.

WHY ARE THEY COMING? BEACHES NUMBER 1.

NEARLY HALF OF THE VISITORS THE BEACH WAS THE REASON THEY CLICKED BOOK. WANTED FIVE ARE VISITING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. ANOTHER WANTED FIVE ARE VISITING HISTORIC SITES. IT'S NOT JUST THAT.

ABOUT ONE IN TEN ARE COMING FOR SHOPPING OR CULINARY.

7% FOR ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS. 6% FOR A FESTIVAL OR GIRLS OR GUYS TRIP.

AND A LOT OF OTHER REASONS BEYOND THAT.

IT'S NOT JUST THESE BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT BRING THE MOST PEOPLE HERE. AND IN A LITTLE WHILE I WILL TALK ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES ARE THINGS THEY DO WHEN THEY'RE HERE BUT THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY THEY CAME.

WHAT OF THE THINGS WE ASSESSED IN THE OVERALL STUDY WAS DID YOU NOTICE ADVERTISING AND DID IT INFLUENCE YOUR COMING TO THE DESTINATION. NEARLY TWO IN FIVE VISITORS RECALL ADS HAD INFLUENCE OVER 31% OF THE VISITORS TO VISIT.

I WILL SLOW DOWN HERE BEEN INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE GENERALLY IN A LOT OF THE STUDIES ON WHAT I SEE NATIONALLY THE AVERAGES AROUND 18 TO 19% -- IN TERMS OF INFLUENCE.

ARE KIND OF ABOUT WHAT WE SEE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

THOSE VARY BY QUARTER AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ECONOMY BUT I DID WANT TO NOTE WHEN IT COMES TO VISITORS WE TALKED TO, THEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO INFLUENCE BY MARKETING OR A STORY THEY READ OR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT THEY SAW.

WHERE DID THEY SEE THESE THINGS? VIDEO STREAMING, THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, SOCIAL MEDIA, I VISITOR GUIDE FOR SURE WHETHER IT BE ONLINE OR A TANGIBLE COPY. ONLINE REVIEWS AND THEN SOCIAL MEDIA. THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT ONLINE ARTICLES, INFLUENCERS, ONLINE ADS, PODCASTS, MAGAZINES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THERE IS NOT A ONE-STOP SHOP.

VIDEO STREAMING BEING NUMBER 1 KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH THE TREND WE'RE SEEING THAT TENDS TO BE THE THING THAT MOVES THE

[00:30:01]

I WANT TO NOTE YOU HAVE ABOUT TWO IN FIVE OF VISITORS NOTICE ADVERTISING AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SOCIAL MEDIA. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE ABOUT WANTED FIVE OF YOUR VISITORS OVERALL COMING TO SEE A FRIEND AND FAMILY.

WHERE THEY COMING FROM? AS I MENTIONED 80% OF YOUR VISITORS STROVE. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE SOUTHEAST THERE. ABOUT 40% ARE FROM FLORIDA.

GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE AND I WAS TALKING WITH SUSAN BEFORE, NEW YORK IS ALSO ABOUT 5%.

BUT THE BREAKDOWN OF THE TOP STATES OF ORIGIN AND LOOKING AT MARKETS A LOT OF FOREIGN MARKETS.

JACKSONVILLE, ORLANDO AT THE TOP.

THESE ARE NOT JUST PEOPLE STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS.

YOU'RE SEEING JACKSONVILLE AT THE TOP.

NEW YORK CITY, MIAMI, TAMPA, ATLANTA, GAINESVILLE AND DOWN THE LIST. THESE ARE YOUR TOP MARKETS OF WHAT WE SAW IN 2025. AS WE TALK ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL PARTY OVERALL, NEARLY HALF OF YOUR VISITORS ARE COMING AS FAMILIES. THAT IS SOME OF THAT IS PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN BUT ALSO SOME OF IT OUR GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN AND A MYRIAD OF THINGS OVERALL.

BUT YOU ALSO HAVE ABOUT WANTED THREE OF YOUR VISITORS TRAVELING AS A GROUP -- AS A COUPLE. BUT AGAIN, YOU TEND TO INDEX MORE HIGHLY ON FAMILIES COMING TO THE AREA THAN WE SEE IN OTHER PLACES ACROSS THE STATE. AS WE LOOK AT NEW AND RETURNING VISITORS ABOUT TWO AND FIVE ARE VISITING FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WE SAW THAT HIGHEST IN OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER.

WHERE WE SAW A LOT OF GREATER THAN 40 PERCENT, I CAN'T RUN FOR THE NUMBER. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF FORESHADOWING FOR WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS REPORT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT BUT I WILL FOCUS ON 20,251ST.

YOU DO STILL HAVE SO VISITORS -- LOYAL VISITORS WITH WANTED SEVEN HERE ABOUT TEN TIMES OVERALL. BUT YOU HAD A LOT OF NEW VISITORS THIS TIME AROUND WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE TO BECOME A LOYAL VISITOR YOU FIRST HAVE TO BE A FIRST-TIME VISITOR.

WHAT DO THEY DO WHEN THEY'RE HERE? THESE ARE THE TOP VISITOR ACTIVITIES.

IT'S NOT REALLY THINGS THEY DO BUT DINING OUT, GOING DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE, GOING TO THE BEACH FOR OVER 70% OF YOUR VISITORS. HISTORICAL SITES, SHOPPING, TOURS, SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY.

THAT KIND OF THING. ALSO ARTS, ART GALLERY AND MUSEUMS ROUND OUT THE TOP NINE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DID WITH HER HERE. I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION WHEN I TALKED ABOUT REASON FOR VISITING.

THE REASON FOR VISITING IS WHY THEY BOOKED THE TRIP OVERALL.

THEN FINALLY IN THIS TOUR THROUGH 2025 THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW DID YOU DO. WHAT DID THEY THINK ABOUT THEIR TRIP. YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE 60% WERE COMPLETELY SATISFIED. THAT WAS THE TOP POSSIBLE LEVEL OF OF SATISFACTION WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT NUMBER.

FOR THIS I ALWAYS TRY TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS THE TOP BOX, THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SATISFACTION RECOMMENDATION AND RETURN BECAUSE THAT'S MORE LIKELY TO INTERN BECOME A FEATURED BEHAVIOR BUT ALSO THESE ARE THE PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO GO HOME AND TELL THE STORY ABOUT THEIR GREAT TRIP TO THE AREA.

THAT'S WHY I FOCUS ON IT. AT THE SAME TIME 97% OF YOUR VISITORS WERE COMPLETELY OR VERY SATISFIED.

81% WERE VERY LIKELY TO RECOMMEND THE AREA.

99% WERE LIKELY -- VERY LIKELY OR SOMEWHAT LIKELY TO RECOMMEND.

73% WERE VERY LIKELY TO RETURN. 97 WERE VERY OR SOMEWHAT LIKELY TO RETURN. IN A VACATION DESTINATION THESE ARE -- WE SEE A HOT A LOT OF HIGH SCORES OR NUMBERS OF THIS CASE THESE ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WERE USED TO SEEING. I THINK ANY TIME I TRY TO PUT DOTS TOGETHER, THE SATISFACTION SCORES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF FIRST-TIME VISITORS.

FIRST-TIME VISITORS GENERALLY WILL SCORE A LITTLE LOWER OVERALL BECAUSE THE SOMETIMES THEY GO TO A PLACE AND FIND OUT IT'S NOT REALLY FOR ME. SO THESE PERCENTAGES HAVING ABOUT TWO FIFTHS OF YOUR VISITORS COMING FOR THE FIRST TIME ARE REALLY HIGH SCORES OVERALL.

WE DO THIS WORK HERE BUT IN FLORIDA -- SOME ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I HAVE A SENSE OF THIS OVERALL.

THE REST OF WHAT'S IN THIS REPORT IS NUMBERS OF ALREADY SHOWN YOU BUT JUST KIND OF A DIFFERENT BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE STORY OVERALL. THEN THE FULL REPORT IS A MUCH DEEPER DIVE INTO ALL THIS TO WRITE DOWN EVERY DATA POINT.

AT THE SAME TIME, THAT'S THE TOUR THROUGH ALL 2025 DATA WITH

[00:35:03]

AT THE SAME TIME BEFORE I SHIFT TO ANYTHING RELATED TO NIGHTS LIGHTS I WANT TO PAUSE AND TAKE A BREATH AND SEE IF ANYONE HAD QUESTIONS ON ECONOMIC IMPACT DATA.

YES? >> DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF NEARLY 3 MILLION VISITORS. HOW MANY OF THEM WERE KIND OF ST. AUGUSTINE, ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH VERSUS

PONTEVEDRA. >> I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. I CAN LOOK AT THAT.

I WILL HOVER PUT IT ON THE LIST OF THE BREAKDOWN BECAUSE IT DEPENDS WHAT DATA POINTS WE HALF BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE A DATA POINT WHAT AREAS THEY VISITED AND IF WE DO I CAN SEND

YOU THE BREAKDOWN. >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

CONCERT VISITORS, TO ACCOUNT OF HIS DAYTRIPPERS? I'M NOT SEEING WHERE THAT'S COMING INTO PLAY.

IF WE HAVE A VENUE THAT BRINGS IN A LOT OF PEOPLE, I KNOW 35% OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO TO THE CONCERTS ARE FROM DO ALL COUNTY.

SOMEWHAT DURING OUR THOSE IN THOSE NUMBERS AS DAYTRIPPERS.

>> IF THEY WERE JUST COMING IN FROM JACKSONVILLE OR DO ALL COUNTY AND CAME IN FOR THE DAY AND WE INTERVIEWED THEM, YES, THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED A DAYTRIPPERS.

SON CAME TO A CONCERT AND STAYED OVERNIGHT THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THOSE STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS BUT THEY ARE IN THERE AND THE FULL REPORT HAS A LARGER BREAKDOWN OF WHY THEY CAME AND WHAT THEY DID WHILE THEY WERE HERE.

>> I THINK OUR DAYTRIPPERS NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I'VE SEEN THE PAST. SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST. I THINK THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME WITH US DESIGN SOME WONDERING MORE OF THE SECOND ONE.

BUT THE DAYTRIPPERS NUMBERS WERE LOW FROM WHAT I WAS SEEING.

>> YOU KEEP MENTIONING THE FULL REPORT.

WILL WE GET ACCESS TO THAT? >> I BELIEVE SO.

>> OKAY. >> AGAIN, IF I WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING IT WOULD BE LIKE A SIX-HOUR MEETING SO I TRY TO KEEP IT AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL FOR THIS BUT THAT HAS FULL DETAIL, IT GIVES A GRAPH FOR EVERY SINGLE DATA POINT AND SOME BREAKDOWNS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

>> I THINK WERE READY TO MOVE ON.

>> OKAY I WILL GO OVER NOW THE -- JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS ECONOMIC IMPACT.

THIS DATA WAS COLLECTED KIND OF IN CONCERT WITH THE OVERALL VISITOR STUDY THAT WE DISCUSSED. SO WE'RE COLLECTING DATA FROM NOVEMBER 15 THROUGH JANUARY 11TH OF 2026.

JUST A BREAKDOWN OF HOW WE DID THIS, DATA WAS COLLECTED IN A SIMILAR BASIS. WE WERE COLLECTING SURVEYS IN PERSON BUT WE DID SOME SURVEYS ONLINE BY EMAIL OUTREACH OR QR CODES ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE DATA IN HERE IS BASED UPON 662 OVERALL SURVEYS COLLECTED SPECIFICALLY FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. I'M GOING TO GIVE KIND OF A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT LOOKS LIKE AND SOME OF THE VISITOR BEHAVIOR DATA.

OVERALL YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THE BIG NUMBERS HERE IN A MOMENT.

OUR ESTIMATE WAS IN TOTAL 300,000 -- 371,900 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. NEARLY 280,000 OF THOSE WERE FROM OUT OF THE COUNTY. THAT SPANNED AND THE SPEND HERE IS ONLY BASED UPON VISITORS. THE SPEND WAS NEARLY 94 MILLION IN DIRECT SPENDING FOR A TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OVER $120 MILLION SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

I WILL GIVE YOU OTHER DATA POINTS.

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THIS IS IF PEOPLE COME FOR AN EVENT LIKE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND SAY THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON I VISITED, THEY GET CREDIT FOR THEIR WHOLE TRIP.

IF THEY CAME TO THE AREA IN WHICH NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BUT THAT WASN'T THE REASON FOR THE VISIT, TO GET PARTIAL CREDIT.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE AS WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

OVERALL ATTENDANCE NEARLY 372,000 ABOUT 5% OF THOSE OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS ABOUT 25% LOCALS.

THAT WAS A SPOILER FOR THIS YEAR.

THAT BREAK DOWN HERE VISITORS VERSUS LOCALS OVERALL AND BASED UPON THE PEOPLE WE INTERCEPTED WHILE IN THE MARKET.

THE AVERAGE OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS SPENT ABOUT 2.2 NIGHTS -- 2.2 NIGHTS IN THE AREA WHICH IS A SHORTER STAY OVERALL COMPARED TO THE ANNUALS. THE ANNUAL DATA.

BUT THE TRAVEL PARTY SIZES ABOUT 3.5 PEOPLE.

A LITTLE HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU SAW WHICH IS HIGHER THAN WE SEE IN MOST OF THE STATE. THIS TENDS TO MAKE ME BELIEVE IT'S MORE OF A FAMILIAL OR FRIENDS AND FAMILY VISIT.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER DIRECTS BUT HE WAS NEARLY $94 MILLION

[00:40:05]

ROOM NIGHTS RELATED TO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS WAS NEARLY 166,000.

THESE ARE FOLKS, VISITORS STAYING OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY IN HOTELS, VACATION RENTALS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND THE BREAKDOWN IS HERE OF OTHER VISITORS WHO WERE FROM OUT OF TOWN.

MOST OF THEM STAYED THE NIGHT. 89% STAYED THE NIGHT.

43% IN A HOTEL, MOTEL OR RESORT AND 29% IN A CONDO.

SOME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. OVEALL FOLKS COMING FROM NIGHTS OF LIGHTS WERE LITTLE MORE LIKELY TO STAY IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS IN YOUR VISITOR ACROSS THE COURSE OF 2025 AS A WHOLE. WHERE DID THEY STAY? THIS WAS A KUESTER THAT'S ALSO THE FULL SURVEY BUT MOST OF IT FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS SPECIFIC WERE A LITTLE HIGHER, MORE LIKELY TO BE OF THE HISTORIC ST. AUGUSTINE AREA OVERALL WHEREAS DURING THE YEAR THERE'S A LITTLE MORE LIKELY TO A BEACHFRONT LOCATION. EVERYTHING WITH NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, IT'S FAIRLY SURPRISING DATA POINT BUT IMPORTANT NONETHELESS. THAT IT WILL GET INTO SOME DATA POINTS HERE BECAUSE THE FONT ISSUE HERE'S COVERING SOME OF MY DATA SO I WILL GET THROUGH SOME OF THIS.

WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS COMING FROM NEW YORK CITY FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BUT ALSO ORLANDO, JACKSON, MIAMI, TEMPO. THE TOP MARKETS MATCH VERY CLOSELY TO YOUR TOP MARKETS OVERALL ACROSS ALL OFYOUR VISITORS. WHY THEY CAME, THIS IS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SURPRISING BUT IT WAS A LARGE -- THE MAIN REASON FOR NEARLY 3 OUT OF 4 OUT-OF-TOWNERS TO COME TO THE AREA SPECIFICALLY FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

EVEN FOR FOLKS WHERE IT WASN'T THEIR MAIN REASON, IT WAS STILL A MAJOR DRAW FOR A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO VISITED.

IT'S NOT JUST AN EVENT THAT PEOPLE TAKE PART OF AS PART OF A VACATION, IT'S THE MAIN DRAW FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND POTENTIALLY THE DIFFERENTIATOR OF WHY THEY CHOSE ST. JOHNS COUNTY VERSUS ANOTHER AREA ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

OTHER MAIN REASONS FOR VISITING LIKE I SAID, 69% WAS ONLY NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BUT FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BEACH VACATION, HISTORICAL SITES. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SENSE THAT WHILE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS WAS THE MAJOR DRAW, IT WASN'T THE ELITE DRAW OF WHAT THEY VISITED. FINALLY I WANT TO KIND OF LOOK AT YOUR FIRST-TIME ATTENDEE AND REPEAT ATTENDEES OVERALL, IT'S JUST A NARRATIVE BREAKDOWN WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A COPY AND PASTE. NEARLY 80% OF YOUR VISITORS WHO WE TALKED TO FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME VISITING THE AREA SO A REALLY BIG POLE TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE AREA OVERALL. WHEN PEOPLE -- WE ASK THEM HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, THE BIGGEST SOURCE IS FRIENDS AND FAMILY. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME TO THE AREA TO HEAR ABOUT NIGHTS OF LIGHT SPECIFICALLY FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY BUT ARE ALSO TO SOCIAL MEDIA, ONLINE TRAVEL REVIEWS HAD THIS ORGANIZATION SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES AND ALL THE WAY DOWN. I WILL MAKE THE SAME POINT HERE IS SITED WITH KIND OF TRIP PLANNING SOURCES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE RELATED TO ALL OF YOUR VISITORS.

IN THIS CASE FRIENDS AND FAMILY DO A LOT OF THE POLE HERE BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE ISN'T ONE SILVER BULLET.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE PEOPLE HEARD ABOUT THIS EVENT OVERALL. ANOTHER BROAD OVERVIEW ON THAT EVENT AGAIN ALL OF THE DATA YOU SAW WAS SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS DIRECT SPEND AT ECONOMIC IMPACT RELATED SPECIFICALLY FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. BUT AGAIN I DO WANT TO OPEN UP

TO ANY QUESTIONS FOLKS MAY HAVE. >> DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION YOU MENTIONED THERE WAS LAST YEAR A LITTLE OVER 24 MILLION GENERATED BY OUR VISITORS.

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT IS GENERATED DURING THE NIGHTS OF

LIGHTS. >> I WOULD NEED TO CHECK THOSE THINGS AGAINST EACH OTHER. I DON'T HAVE -- IT'S NOT PERFECT SINCE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS DOESN'T FALL DIRECTLY BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK THROUGH THE ESTIMATE.

>> THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?

>> I KNOW HOW YOU GET TO THE NUMBER, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOTEL STAYS BUT HOW DID YOU GET TO THE TOTAL NUMBER FROM THE

DAYTRIPPERS? >> I TALKING FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS? FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS HOW WE CALCULATED THAT NUMBER IS WE HAD FROM THE OVERALL STUDY THE ANNUAL STUDY WE HAD A SENSE OF CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF TOTAL VISITORS WE CATE -- WHO CAME TO THE AREA OVERALL DURING THAT.

OF TIME AND IT DID NOT MATCH UP PERFECTLY WITH THE CORNER BUT

[00:45:02]

THEY WERE ABLE TO USE THE ESTIMATE TO LOOK AT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS ESTIMATE SO BASICALLY TAKING A LARGER NUMBER FOR THE OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER ORDER AND SOME OF THE EARLY 2026 AND WE HAVE SURVEY DATA OF ALL OF YOUR VISITORS TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME TO THE AREA OR PARTICIPATED IN NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TO COME UP WITH THAT OVERALL ESTIMATE OF VISITATION RELATED TO NIGHTS LIGHTS.

>> SO YOU'RE GETTING NUMBERS FROM -- I'M STILL NOT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR. FROM BUSINESSES THAT THEY VISITED? THAT NUMBER OR FROM PEOPLE WHO JUST COME AND HANG OUT IN THE STREET AND HOW ARE WE COUNTED

THOSE PEOPLE? >> OVERALL WE TRY TO DO THE BROAD OVERVIEW OF THIS. WE -- WE'RE GOING TO GET TO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IN A MOMENT. FOR SEVERAL ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE VISITING THE AREA IN A QUARTER FOR EXAMPLE.

WE'VE ESTIMATES FOR THE NUMBER OF UNITS AND FOR YOUR OCCUPANCY RATE. WITH ESTIMATES FOR THE TRAVEL PARTY SIZE. WE UTILIZE ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO COME UP WITH AN ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS WHO CAME TO THE AREA.

>> THE PAID ACCOMMODATIONS BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT STAYING, THE DAYTRIPPERS. HOW ARE WE GETTING THOSE

NUMBERS? >> ONCE WE HAVE THE PAID VISITOR NUMBER WE HAVE SURVEY DATA WE UTILIZE ACROSS ALL OF OUR SURVEYS TO UNDERSTAND THE PERCENTAGE STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE PERCENTAGE STAYING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS A PERCENTAGE OR DAYTRIPPERS. THOSE COME FROM THE PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS FROM OUR SURVEYS WHO ARE DAYTRIPPERS.

SO ONCE WE KNOW THE PAID VISITOR NUMBER WE CAN UTILIZE THE RATIOS TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF VISITORS STAY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND THEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING THE AREA CORE DAYTRIPPERS AND FROM THAT BIGGER NUMBER, WE HAVE THE SURVEY QUESTION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CAME TO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND THAT'S HOW WE GET OUR ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN WHO VISITED -- WHO CAME TO

THE AREA FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. YOU HAD VISITOR RIDINGS FOR THE YEAR-ROUND VISITORS BUT NOT FOR THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS VISITORS.

IS THAT JUST -- DID YOU HAVE IT BUT NOT INCLUDED HERE?

>> I THINK SO. I HAVE TO CHECK THE FULL REPORT.

I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE HOW MUCH TIME WE HAD SO I WILL HAVE OUR

TEAM CHECK ON THAT. >> AT THE GOOD WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW. I LIKE THE SURPRISES BECAUSE I SEE THAT WE'RE LEAVING ON PAR WITH THE BEACH FOR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO BESIDES EATING OUT. WHICH IS REALLY NICE TO HEAR.

AND THAT THEY ARE STAYING DOWNTOWN AND THAT THEY ARE COMING BECAUSE OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND IT'S THEIR INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY. SO MANY NEW FACES ARE COMING FRO -- FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IT REALLY SHOWS HOW IMPACTFUL IT IS TO OUR ECONOMY WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.

BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, I'D LOVE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS AND THEN SPEND, THE VISITORS SPEND TOO.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE, MAYBE THAT SOMETHING WE COULD ASK TO LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD. BUT FOR NOW VERY SATISFIED WITH THE DATA YOU'VE PROVIDED. THIS IS MORE THAN WE'VE EVER HAD AND IT'S GREAT NEWS AND I THINK YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD SAMPLE SIZE. AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE VERY

KNOWLEDGEABLE, SO THANK YOU. >> THE OVERALL SPECK PER PARTY IS THAT A FULL REPORT BUT IN NIGHTS OF LIGHTS YOU NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK WE HAVE THE SATISFACTION QUESTIONS.

>> YOU DO HAVE TO SPEND INDIVIDUALLY.

>> ALL THE SPENT DATA IN THE FULL REPORT AND NIGHTS OF LIGHTS COMES FROM DATA WE RECEIVE SPECIFICALLY FROM PEOPLE IN THE MARKET BUT THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER CHECKS WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT OVERESTIMATING.

>> THAT'S GREAT NEWS. THANK YOU.

>> I'M SORRY. FORGIVE ME IF I'M ASKING THE SAME THING IN A DIFFERENT WAY BUT IN THE -- THE NUMBERS OF THE SPEND FOR CATEGORY, THE SPECIFIC SPEND FOR LODGING AND FOR

DINING. >> I HAVE THOSE DATA POINTS HERE. JUST AGAIN IT WOULD BE A REALLY LONG PRESENTATION IF I WENT THROUGH ALL OF THEM.

>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, DR. .

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S

[9. MONTHLY REPORTS]

[00:50:05]

TIME. >> THAT BRINGS US TO MONTHLY

REPORTS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN.

I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY SHOW YOU ALL OF VIDEO AND IT IS A ROUGHLY 16 MINUTE VIDEO. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE WHAT OUR ADVERTISING AGENCY HAS BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST YEAR. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE HIRE THEM ON APRIL 1ST OF LAST YEAR THEY COMPLETED A FULL CYCLE WITH US. WITH THAT I'M GOING TO SHOW THIS VIDEO AND I THINK YOU WILL FIND IT ENTERTAINING AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THEY STARTED WORKING WITH THIS AND WHERE THEY ARE TODAY. WE KNOW IT'S HERE.

♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO TODAY'S PRESENTATION OF HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ADVERTISING PROGRAM FOR FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST. A YEAR AGO THE BOARD CONDUCTED A NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR NEW ADVERTISING AGENTS.

WE'RE JUST THRILLED THAT THEY PICKED US.

TINSLEY ADVERTISING OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

TINSLEY HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1974.

WE'RE BEST KNOWN FOR OUR ICONIC CAMPAIGNS.

FOR TRAVEL AND DESTINATION ADVERTISING.

ESPECIALLY OUR AWARD-WINNING WORK FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS OF KEY WEST. ♪ ♪ THERE WAS MUCH TO BE DONE IN NO TIME TO DOUBT SO WE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. WE HAD BIG PLANS TO LAUNCH A NEW CAMPAIGN BUT WE KNEW WE COULD NOT AFFORD TO GO SILENT WHILE WE CREATED IT. THERE WAS A YEAR OF EVENTS AHEAD OF US AND FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST NEEDED SUPPORT IMMEDIATELY. SO WE MADE SURE THAT WE HAD A SEARCH, SOCIAL AND YOUTUBE CAMPAIGN UP AND RUNNING WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS. WE KNEW THAT SUMMER 2025 IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING, DUE TO A DIP IN DEMAND AND LACK OF TAVELERS FROM EUROPE AND CANADA.

SO WE IMMEDIATELY HIT THE DRIVE MARKET WITH NEW OUT OF HOME LIKE THIS. MAKE BIGGER PLANS THIS SUMMER AND A SURPRISE AT EVERY TURN. WE FOLLOWED WITH DIGITAL BANNERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA. WE REACHED OUR TARGET WITH TERRESTRIAL AND STREAMING RADIO. WE CREATED NEW VIDEO WITH EXISTING FOOTAGE TO ATTRACT THE SUMMER TRAVELER.

DON'T YOU WISH SUMMER COULD GO ON FOREVER? WHERE EVERY DAY IS AN ENDLESS SPEECH DAY WITH A NEW ADVENTURE OF EVERY TIED. LIMITLESS FEASTS FOR THE SENSES.

AND LONG NIGHTS FILLED WITH MAGIC.

AND MYSTERY. ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AT THE BEACHES. EXPLORE FLORIDA'S HISTORIC

COAST.COM. >> MUSIC IS AT THE CORE OF WHAT MAKES A JONES COUNTY SPECIAL. WE SUPPORTED SAYING OUT LOUD WITH CONTESTS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL BANNERS INTO IT WITH NATURE. AS WELL AS DIGITAL -- AND STREAMING RADIO. ON OTT AND BROADCAST TELEVISION WE RAN THIS VIDEO. NOTHING SOOTHES THE SOUL LIKE THE MUSIC, MAKE -- NATURE AND FRIENDS.

SINGLE LOUD AS A WHOLE MONTH OF MUSICAL PERFORMANCES IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS AND LOCALS TO DISCOVER HOW BEAUTIFUL SEPTEMBER CAN BE IN ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. EXPLORE FLORIDA'S HISTORIC

COAST. >> NO PLACES AS MAGICAL AT SAINT -- AS A JONES COUNTY DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

OUR CAMPAIGN FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS FEATURED DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA THAT ENCOURAGED OUR GUESTS TO EMBRACE THE MAGIC OF

THE HOLIDAYS. >> YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD TO GET LOST IN THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS.

ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES TRANSFORM INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND WITH LIGHTS, SITES AND MUSIC.

[00:55:04]

LIGHTS.COM. >> TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE DAY IN TALLAHASSEE, WE CREATED DIGITAL BILLBOARDS, STATION PRODUCED RADIO AS WELL AS TAGGED BRANDING SPOT. WE HIRED BRAND AMBASSADORS TO ENGAGE GUESTS AND DISTRIBUTE MATERIALS AT THE EVENT.

OUR MEDIA DEPARTMENT HAS DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH TO MAKE SURE WE ARE REACHING THE RIGHT TARGET AUDIENCE.

IN DRIVE MARKETS LIKE MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE, WEST PALM BEACH ORLANDO, TAMPA ST. PETER, GAINESVILLE, JACKSONVILLE, ATLANTA, SAVANNAH, CHARLESTON, GREENVILLE, CHARLOTTE AND RALEIGH, DURHAM. WE ALSO REACHED MARKETS LIKE NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, CHICAGO, BOSTON, PHILLY, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND DALLAS. OUR NEGOTIATIONS WERE ABLE TO SECURE A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN ADDED VALUE COMPRISED OF FREE SPOTS, PREMIUM PLACEMENTS AND MAGAZINES, SWEEPSTAKES AND CONTESTS AND OVER DELIVERY OF DIGITAL IMPRESSIONS.

INCLUDING PLACEMENT IN THE MILAN CORTINA WINTER.

>> BROUGHT TO YOU BY ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST.

>> LIVE INTERVIEW SEGMENTS FEATURING OUR OWN SUSAN

PHILLIPS. >> LIKE WE WANT YOU TO FALL THAT WITH ST. JOHNS COUNTY, ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. LET'S WELCOME BACK.

EXCITED TO SEE YOU AGAIN SUSAN PHILLIPS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH -- >> ALL OF OUR EFFORTS ARE TRACKED IN REALTIME WITH OUR CUSTOM DASHBOARD.

SO WE CAN SEE WHAT'S WORKING AND WHERE WE NEED -- TO CREATE A NEW VOICE AND ICONIC IMAGERY FOR ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTEVEDRA OF THE BEACHES WE FIRST HAD TO IMMERSE OURSELVES IN THE DESTINATION.

TO UNDERSTAND OUR HISTORY. TO CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF OUR PEOPLE. AND TO IDENTIFY THE UNIQUE PROPOSITION THAT SEPARATES US NOT ONLY FOR THE REST OF FLORIDA BUT FROM ANY DESTINATION ON EARTH.

TOGETHER. TINSLEY AND ST. JOHN COUNTY EMBRACED -- WHICH SPEAKS TO OUR HISTORY AS WELL AS OUR FUTURE.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD. THIS CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO WELCOME BACK VISITORS AS WELL AS TO ATTRACT NEW TRAVELERS WHO HAD NO IDEA HOW ST. JOHNS COUNTY -- THE CAMPAIGNS ALL ABOUT OPTIMISM AND ADVENTURE WHILE ENCOURAGING LONGER STAYS SHOWCASING A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

EVERY 30 SECONDS SOMEONE IS TAKING A PHOTO OF LANDMARKS AROUND THE COUNTY. OUR CHALLENGE WAS TO CREATE A UNIQUE TAKE ON THIS CLASSIC DESTINATION USING ALL THE MODERN TOOLS AVAILABLE. WE CAPTURED STILLS.

VIDEO. VERTICAL VIDEO.

AND DRONE FOOTAGE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE IMAGERY TO FIT EVERY SCREEN AND PLATFORM. AND DESPITE TWO HURRICANES AT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT STUFF. OUR MEDIA ROLLOUT BEGAN WITH DIGITAL BILLBOARDS LIKE THESE. WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.

WE LAUNCH NEW PRINT ADS THAT SHOW OFF THE BREADTH OF ENTICEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

AND OF COURSE THESE ADS WERE AVAILABLE FOR CO-OP PARTICIPATION. WE BROUGHT WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD INTO THE DIGITAL SPACE WITH BANNERS.

AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. THE NEW VIDEOS ARE DESIGNED TO DRAW THE VIEWER IN WITH AN ELEMENT OF INTRIGUE AND EXCITEMENT IN A WORLD OF CANNED TRACKS WE COLLABORATED WITH A TEAM OF REAL COMPOSERS AND MUSICIANS TO CREATE ICONIC MUSIC TRACKS THAT SO NOTHING LIKE OUR COMPETITION.

WE KICKED OFF THE CAMPAIGN WITH THIS NEW VIDEO FEATURING ADVENTURE. THE AGE OF DISCOVERY.

[01:00:03]

>> THE AGE OF DISCOVERY DIDN'T AND 500 YEARS AGO.

IT'S ALIVE AND WELL TODAY. FROM ANCIENT OAKS, WHILE BEACHES THE CULTURAL TREASURES AND SANCTUARIES FOR THE SOLE.

ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD. >> TO PROMOTE HISTORY OF THE ARTS WE CREATED THIS VIDEO. A CELEBRATION OF ART.

>> THERE'S A BEACH IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA THAT STRETCHES MORE THAN 42 MILES AND OVER 450 YEARS WHERE THE PAST AND PRESENT TOGETHER IN A CELEBRATION OF ART, CULTURE, NATURE AND COMMUNITY. ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.

>> WE COMBINED HISTORY, ATTRACTION SAID CUISINE OF THIS NEXT VIDEO. QUIET PLACES.

♪ ♪ >> YOU CAN STILL FIND QUIET PLACES I TELL INCREDIBLE STORIES.

WHERE NATURE IS ABUNDANT. AND ALL THE FLAVORS AND INGREDIENTS COME TOGETHER IN HARMONY.

ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD. >> WE ALSO CREATED A VIDEO CO-OP TEMPLATE THAT CAN BE USED TO PROMOTE LODGING, EVENTS OR ATTRACTIONS. ♪ ♪

>> YOU CAN STILL FIND QUIET PLACES THAT TELL INCREDIBLE STORIES. WHERE NATURE IS ABUNDANT AND ALL THE FLAVORS AND INGREDIENTS COME TOGETHER IN HARMONY.

DISCOVER OVER 450 YEARS OF BLACK HISTORY IN A CENTURY-OLD VALUE.

VISIT THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER.

ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA IN THE BEACHES.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD. >> TODAY WE CAN FOCUS OUR MESSAGING NOT JUST DEMOGRAPHICALLY, BUT PSYCHO GRAPHICALLY AS WELL. SO WE CREATED A SERIES OF NICHE VIDEOS BASED ON INTERESTS. IN THIS VIDEO WE ATTRACT FOODIES WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL CUISINE. ♪ ♪

>> THE INGREDIENTS COME FROM LOCAL FARMS AND STRAIGHT FROM THE SEA. BUT THE FLAVOR, THAT COMES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. FROM WINE TASTINGS TO FOOD TOURS, DISCOVER WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ADD A LITTLE HEAT TO AMERICA'S ORIGINAL MELTING POT. ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.

>> MEETINGS AND GROUP TRAVEL WILL HELP US FILL ROOMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE REACH MEETING PLANNERS WITH

THIS VIDEO. >> WHEN YOU SHARE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES WITH YOUR TEAM, YOU'RE -- YOU GROW STRONGER, FASTER, WISER. YOU GET IN SYNC.

AND YOU SEE EVERYTHING IN A BRAND-NEW LIGHT.

PLAN YOUR NEXT MEETING IN ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.

>> FAMILIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TARGET AUDIENCE.

SOME FAMILY VACATION DESTINATIONS HAVE MORE DEPTH THAN OTHERS. WE ATTRACT FAMILIES WITH THIS

VIDEO. >> WHAT BRINGS FAMILIES CLOSER? LONG WALKS ON AT THE SPEECHES. LEARNING HISTORY TOGETHER.

OR JUST SPENDING SOME QUIET TIME IN NATURE.

GET MORE OUT OF YOUR NEXT FAMILY VACATION IN ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.

>> GOLFERS HAVE THE MEANS TO TRAVEL AND WE'VE GOT THE GREENS TO SATISFY THEM. WE GO AFTER GOLFERS WITH THIS VIDEO. ♪ ♪

>> THE ONLY THING BETTER THAN WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF LEGENDS IS BASKING IN THE GLORY OF A DAY LIKE NO OTHER.

[01:05:02]

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD. >> WIDOWER CLIENTS USE MULTIPLE VIDEO PLATFORMS, SO ALL OF OUR VIDEOS HAVE 152ND VERTICAL VERSIONS. LIKE THIS.

>> THE AGE OF DISCOVERY DIDN'T AND 500 YEARS AGO.

IT'S ALIVE AND WELL TODAY. ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AT THE BEACHES. WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.

♪ ♪ >> THOUGH OUR NEW CAMPAIGN HAS JUST BEGUN, OUR EFFORTS SO FAR HAVE YIELDED AN INCREASE IN BED TAX COLLECTION 5.3%. AND A RISE IN AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE OF 2% YEAR OVER YEAR. AS OUR CAMPAIGN GAINS MOMENTUM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE NICHE MARKETS LIKE MUSIC AND MUSIC FESTIVALS. FOR EXAMPLE THE BOOK -- JAZZ AND BLUES SERIES. WE HAVE PLANS TO EXPAND OUR SHARE OF THE WEDDING THROUGH HONEYMOON MARKET AND ATTRACT NEW TRAVELERS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE ART AND ARCHITECTURE TO ALL TARGET AUDIENCES.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE ECOLOGY AND SOFT ADVENTURE ON LAND AND ON WATER. FARM TO TABLE CUISINE IS EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU CHECK OUT THE FARMS. FROM MUSEUMS TO HERITAGE TRAILS. ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS AN AUTHENTIC STORY TO TELL. FROM THE AGE OF EXPLORATION TO THE FIRST MASS IN THE NEW WORLD THOSE SEEKING A CONNECTION TO HISTORY WILL FIND IT HERE. WE HOPE YOU SHARE OUR EXCITEMENT AS WE SEE IN THE NEW CAMPAIGN OUT THERE IN ALL MEDIA THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN TINSLEY ADVERTISING IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY MADE IT POSSIBLE TO CREATE AN INSPIRING NEW CAMPAIGN THAT WILL WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF PROSPECTIVE TRAVELERS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS NO PLACE QUITE LIKE ST. AUGUSTINE PONTEVEDRA AND THE BEACHES. THANK YOU AND WELCOME TO THE NEW

WORLD. >> SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK OUR AGENCY HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND HAVING WORKED WITH A LOT OF AGENCIES OVER THE YEARS, IT'S NICE TO SEE THIS COMPILATION OF ALL THE WORK. SOME OF THESE VIDEOS I'VE SHOWN YOU ALL SEPARATELY BUT IT CERTAINLY DID NOT DO IT JUSTICE LIKE IT DID TODAY TO HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER.

MAYOR, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO SEE A FAMILY VIDEO SO WE MADE SURE THAT WAS ADDED IN AS WELL. THE NEW NUMBERS INCLUDED IN THIS THROUGH DECEMBER -- THE MOST RECENT DATA WE HAD AS OF WHEN THE VIDEO WAS PUT TOGETHER. WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THAT BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT THING INSTEAD OF ME TALKING A LOT TO BE ABLE TO VISUALLY SHOW THAT TO YOU AND LET YOU SIT BACK AND ENJOY IT. BECAUSE IT REALLY IS SOME LOVELY WORK AND I THINK THEY SHOWCASE OUR DESTINATION QUITE WELL.

FOR COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO EVERYONE --

>> DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VIDEO WE SAW?

>> I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION. I WANTED TO TELL YOUR THOUGHT IT WAS SPECTACULAR. I THINK WE ALL KNOW WE KNOW WE LIVE IN THE MOST FANTASTIC PLACE IN THE WORLD AND THEY DID A

FANTASTIC JOB CAPTURING THAT. >> ANYONE ELSE?

>> I WILL THROW IN, IT WAS A LONG PROCESS TO GET THE ADVERTISING AGENCY AND I THINK THIS WHOLE TEAM SHOULD BE CONGRATULATED FOR GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS ON FINDING THE RIGHT PLAYER. SO WELL DONE.

AND GREAT JOB MANAGING IT. >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> I THINK WE'VE LANDED WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LAND.

>> MY PHONE KEEPS GOING OFF WITH MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING THE MEETING RIGHT NOW GOING THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO AFTER THE MEETING.

A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO GO THROUGH FITS OKAY WITH YOU ALL, INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE REPORT YOU GUYS CAN READ THAT, THE BED TAX NUMBERS AND OCCUPANCY NUMBERS AND EVERYTHING ARE THROUGH FEBRUARY BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF OUTLOOK ON WHAT I'M SEEING FOR MARCH AND APRIL.

WE DID RECEIVE THE MONTHLY REPORT FROM SMITH TRAVEL AND MARCH LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE BED TAX NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE, IS NOT IN YET BUT THE NUMBERS LOOK VERY GOOD AND MARCHES HER BUSY MONTH.

WILL THAT BE OF THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP.

YOU WONDER HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO EVEN BETTER BUT WERE SEEING A STRONG DEMAND NOT ONLY FOR THE PLAYERS THIS YEAR BUT ALSO FOR PONTEVEDRA BEACH. THE NUMBERS I THINK WILL BODE WELL WHEN WE SEE THE FINAL NUMBERS.

FOR APRIL THE 1ST 2 WEEKS OF APRIL WHEN I LOOK AT THE WEEKLY REPORT, THEY TURNED OUT VERY GOOD AS WELL.

DEMAND IS THERE LOOKS LIKE REVENUES THERE.

AS I MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE JUST A SUPPRESSION OF RATES AND OCCUPANCY THERE IS BRINGING DOWN THE MARKET BUT OTHER THAN THAT,

[01:10:02]

DOUBLE DIGIT ON THE BEACH IS HOLDING ITS OWN TOO.

IT DOES NOT HURT WE HAVE SOME GOOD WEATHER AS WELL.

FORTUNATELY WERE FINALLY OUT OF THE COLD SEASON SO WE ANTICIPATE AND HOPE AND PRAY THE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO PERFORM.

I CAN TELL YOU ARE ADVERTISING IS PERFORMING ON ALL CHANNELS AND ALL LEVELS. I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU SOMETHING REALLY FUN THAT I'M HOPING IF ANY OF YOU HAVE FREE TIME THIS WEEK, WE WILL BE ON "WHEEL OF FORTUNE".

I MENTIONED THAT TO YOU, IT WILL BE THIS WEEK.

DON'T KNOW WHICH DAY IT IS. IT DID NOT REALLY CROSS -- COST US ANYBODY. WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT FLORIDA AND YES, WE ARE GIVING AWAY SOME GRAND PRIZE PACKAGES THAT I AGREED TO BY THE COST IS NOMINAL.

WE WILL RECEIVE ALL OF THE EMAIL OPT-INS FOR THEIR CAMPAIGN.

THEY HAVE SOME PROMOTIONAL THINGS THEY DO BUT ONE DAY THIS WEEK WE WILL BE FEATURED ON THIS IS PART OF THE AMERICAS 250TH STORY THAT FLORIDA BOUGHT INTO WITH WHEELED OUT FOR -- "WHEEL OF FORTUNE". IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE IT THIS WEEK, I WILL GET A COPY OF IT AND HOPEFULLY WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT NEXT MONTH. SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

NEXT MONTH IF IT'S POSSIBLE MR. CHAIR, I THINK I'D LIKE TO HAVE A COUPLE OF MY FOLKS COME IN AND DO A DATA DASHBOARD REVIEW. WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS ON A DATA WAREHOUSE AND DATA DASHBOARD THAT INCORPORATES NOT ONLY THE TRAVEL REPORTS ON REPORTS WE SEND TO YOU ALL, BUT ALSO ARE ADVERTISING AGENCY METRICS.

IT'S DEFINITELY A DEEP DIVE BUT IT WILL BE A WAY ANYONE COULD HAVE ACCESS TO IT. IT A BE BEST -- PASSWORD-PROTECTED BUT I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT SHOWN TO YOU AND THE PRESENTATION WILL PROBABLY TAKE ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

>> DOES ANYBODY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?

I THINK YOU'RE GOOD. >> PERFECT.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST I WANT TO END ON A WONDERFUL NOTE AND I'M KIND OF DOING A LITTLE BIT OF A SPOILER ALERT.

WILL SEE WHO'S IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW.

SO EVERY YEAR THE BCB HAS WHAT WE CALL THE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AND WE HAVE FIVE CATEGORIES FOR THIS AND ACCOMMODATIONS AND RETAIL. WE HAVE ATTRACTIONS AND I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL OF THE BUT WE ALSO HAVE GOVERNMENT.

I'M SUPER PROUD TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT AT THE LAST CITY COMMISSION MEETING WE WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR OUR OWN MELISSA WHISTLE WHO SEATED AT THE BACK OF THE ROOM.

I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE SHE HAD NOT LEFT.

WE HONORED HER AS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AND WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF GIVING OUT THESE AWARDS.

A PRESS RELEASE WILL GO OUT AND I THINK IT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT FOR ME TO SAY MELISSA WAS SHOCKED.

SHE ABSOLUTELY DID NOT ANTICIPATE THIS BUT WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT. TO KEEP THIS A SURPRISE AND TO CELEBRATE WHAT MELISSA DOES NOT ONLY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS WITH HELPING TOURISM TO THE AREA BUT ALSO WITH NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN PUT IN PLACE FOR KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS TO EDUCATE AND TALK TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MELISSA WORKED SO HARD ON THAT AND DID A LOT OF WORK WITH US ON THE APP DEVELOPMENT. SO WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP THERE AND I WAS JUST ECSTATIC WHEN SHE WAS NOMINATED. I ONLY HAVE ONE VOTE, METIS BEACH GETS ABOUT. I WAS VERY GRATEFUL WITH THE FINAL RESULTS CAME IN SO I WANT TO SAY GOOD -- KUDOS TO HER AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

>> DO YOU KNOW FOR THIS YEAR I IT LOOKING LIKE THE TRENDS ARE SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR WHEN LOOKING AT IN-STATE VERSUS

OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS? >> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT WE SEE IS A CONTRACTION. I WAS TALKING TO JESSE ABOUT IT EARLIER BEFORE THE MEETING. WERE SEEING THAT PEOPLE JUST ARE DRIVING, GAS PRICES ARE UP BUT IT WILL BE A LOT OF THE IN THE STATE AND SURROUNDING STATES. WE HAVE SURPRISINGLY THE NEW YORK MARKET DOES VERY WELL FOR US.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE DRIVING OR FLYING.

YOU SEE A LOT OF AIRLINES STOPPING SERVICE AND I SAW AIRLINE -- AIR CANADA WILL STOP THEIR SERVICE HERE LAST -- INTO SOME OF THE NORTHEAST WORK IS BECAUSE OF THE JET FUEL PRICE BUT WE'E WILL FOCUS FOR A WHILE OF THE DRIVE MARKET.

THAT WILL BE KEY FOR US. AS YOU SAW FROM THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THAT'S THE WAY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO US.

UNTIL WE SEE SOMETHING MAJOR AND HOPEFULLY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AND THE ECONOMY AND PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORS AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND TRENDS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THIS FOR A WHILE.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JEFF. >> HELLO EVERYBODY.

[01:15:03]

A CALENDAR UPDATE, THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S WORKING WITH A FEW PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY. FIVE LOCALS HAVE TIME WERE BRINGING BACK A JAMES BEARD DINNER MAY 31ST.

TICKETS ARE GOING TO GO ON SALE AT ABOUT THREE WEEKS SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, I'D SUGGEST TO YOU TO PULL STRINGS WITH THE COUNCIL. A QUICK UPDATE ON HER BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL PRODUCT. I'M SUPER PROUD THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WE'VE GOT A TEAM THAT WORKED ON THAT GOING TO STA REWARD FROM THE FLORIDA TRUCK -- HISTORIC PRESERVATION AS AN EXAMPLE OF BEING ALSO. COMMISSIONER PHILLIPS, THINK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THAT AND HELPING REPRESENT US.

A COUPLE QUICK UPDATES. WE'RE WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR GRANT PARTNERS. NOT ONLY ARE WE HAVE THE MIDST OF THESE GREAT EVENTS WE FUNDED IN FISCAL 26, BUT THIS MONTH STARTS GRANT WORKSHOPS FOR FISCAL 27 SO COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND A WEAVER -- APPROVE THE GUIDELINES SET OF LOOKING TO ANOTHER GREAT ROUND OF EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS WE WILL FUND THROUGH THE ANNUAL GRANT POOL AND PUT THOSE IN FRONT OF YOU IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THE WORKSHOPS ARE ONGOING THIS WEEK.

IF ANYBODY WANTS TO APPLY FOR THE POOL OF FUNDS, YOU'VE GOT TO ATTEND ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS. FOLLOWING UP ON TO OTHER THINGS.

SEPTEMBER THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FRIENDS AT SJ CCE CULTURAL EVENTS DIVISION.

A COUPLE OF THINGS RELATED OUT LOUD.

WE ANNOUNCED A SONG WRITER CONTEST THROUGHOUT SO WE'RE PUTTING OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TOGETHER AND WE'VE ASKED CREATIVE SAYS ST. JOHNS COUNTY TO WRITE A SONG ABOUT SINGLE OUT ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE HERE AND VISIT HERE, ANYTHING.

WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT -- WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WINNER AND HELP THE RECORD THE SOLD IN A PROFESSIONAL STUDIO WITH A MUSIC VIDEO AND GET A SHOWCASE PERFORMANCE IN SEPTEMBER.

BE AWARE THE PARTNERSHIPS GOING ON AND I'M ALSO WORKING WITH THOSE FOLKS TO HELP EQUIP VENUES.

LAST YEAR THEY DID A TEST CASE TO PUT A NEW PROFESSIONAL SOUND AND THE IDEA IS REALLY SIMPLE. TO CONTINUE BEING A MUSIC DESTINATION WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR VENUES SO THE AMAZING SO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND SJ CCE ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY TEN VENUES THIS YEAR THAT WILL HELP UPGRADE THEIR SOUNDED TIME FOR THE SEPTEMBER ROUND OF SAYING OUT LOUD AND AGAIN IN TIME FOR NEXT MAY WHEN EVERYTHING SORT OF GETS REINVENTED.

JUST WATCH FOR UPDATES ON THAT BUT THIS IS A REALLY GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL HELP VENUES AND HELP SOME OF OUR PROFESSIONAL SOUND ENGINEERS AS WELL BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY -- ALL GOING TO GET TRAINED ON THESE SYSTEMS IF IT SHOULD BE PRETTY COOL. I WILL KEEP YOU UP TO SPEED ON THAT. IN SEPTEMBER WE ARE WORKING WITH SOME LOCAL FOLKS TO BRING BACK A CONCEPT OF A RESTAURANT MONTH FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO THE IDEAS PRETTY SIMPLE.

THIS SEPTEMBER WERE GOING TO KEEP IT SIMPLE LIKE I SAID WITH A PREFIXED MENU AND HOPEFULLY GET A LOT OF PLACES TO PARTICIPATE BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE WE CAN COMPLEMENT SAYING OUT LOUD WITH SOMETHING TENTATIVELY CALLED DINE OUT LOUD WHICH WOULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE TRAFFIC TO SOME OF OUR KEY COMPONENTS DURING THE MONTH WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO DATA.

ONE LAST UPDATE IS, A GROUP ASSEMBLED LAST FRIDAY TO TALK ABOUT CONTINUING THIS IDEA OF PARK BENCH HISTORY.

WE ALSO HAVE THE -- DOUGLAS BENCH GO UP BY THE STATE A FEW WEEKS BACK IT DID WAS IN THIS ROOM LAST MONTH WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT IF UNDER THE PRETENSE OF THE 250TH WE COULD CONTINUE THE TRADITION. LAST FIGHT -- FRIDAY THERE WAS A GROUP OF ABOUT EIGHT OF US THERE.

THE CHAMBER WAS THERE AND MYSELF COMMISSIONER BLEVINS WAS THERE.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY, HISTORIC TOURISM.

APOLOGIES FOR ANYONE ELSE I FORGOT BUT WE IDENTIFIED THE FIRST AID IN THE PROJECT SO I WILL SHARE THE LIST WITH YOU FOLKS TODAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. IT'S STILL TENTATIVE BECAUSE EVERYTHING NEEDS TO GET FUNDED BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS A COMMITTEE THE FIRST EIGHT WOULD BE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR, A PARK BENCH RELATED TO HERITAGE. ONE RELATED TO THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH. A PRETTY COOL DUAL CONCEPT FEATURING MARJORIE KEENAN RAWLINGS AND KIRSTEN...

A BENCH RELATED TO RAY CHARLES. ANOTHER POOR THE ST. AUGUSTINE FOUR. ONE FOR FRANKLIN SMITH WHO WAS THE INVENTOR OF KU KINA AND OF COURSE...

[01:20:05]

BUT EXPLORE COMMUNITY AND ALL THE RICH HISTORY WE HAVE.

THAT'S THE ARTS CULTURE AND HERITAGE REPORT FOR THIS MONTH.

I'M HAPPY TO HAVE -- ANSWER QUESTIONS PICK ANY OF THOSE TOPICS OR ANYTHING ELSE THE CULTURAL COUNCIL IS INVOLVED IN.

>> QUESTIONS. >> I DID NOT HEAR THE LAST STATUE. I COULD NOT DISCERN WHAT YOU

SAID. >> PRINCESS MENENDEZ.

>> PEDRO MENENDEZ -- >> FRANCESCO.

>> BUT NOTHING NATIVE AMERICAN? >> THE ALTERNATE WAS -- A CHIEFTAIN FROM... TRIBE.

OTHERS WERE DISCUSSED BUT IT WAS NOT -- THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO CONTINUE THIS. THERE WAS PROBABLY 20 QUALIFIED PEOPLE AND WE JUST HAD TO GET IT DOWN TO EIGHT.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT. >> I'M SAD ABOUT THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THAT PROJECT ON.

I WANT TO SAY I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE SOUND SYSTEMS AND THE VENUES. IT HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE PLACES AND I LOVE WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE QUALITIES OF SOME OF THE SHOWS. IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER VENUES POPPING UP AROUND TOWN, THEY ARE MORE THAN DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS.

THEY ARE SOCIAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND SOCIALIZE AND DRINK COFFEE. DRINKING IS NOT EMPHASIZED.

IT'S A SOCIALIZATION EMPHASIZED. IT'S REALLY COOL TO HEAR OU'RE WORKING WITH THOSE NATIONS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE COMING WAVE. FOR THE FUTURE.

IT'S AN AWFUL LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT THOSE PLACES. IT'S GOOD TO SEE.

IT'S HEALTHY. IT'S A HEALTHY THING.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU COMPLIMENTS ON THAT.

I LOVE YOUR NEW IDEAS AND PLEASE KEEP GOING.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> I JUST HAD A COMMENT ABOUT THE BENCHES. WAS THAT A MEETING THAT WAS

ANNOUNCED? >> IT WAS A GROUP OF INTERESTED PEOPLE. UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T EVEN REPRESENT US. IT'S A PRIVATE GROUP.

BUT I TRIED TO DRAW SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY, SOMEONE FROM FLAGLER, SOMEONE FROM ARTS, BCB, CHAMBER.

I PROBABLY SENT OUT ABOUT 12 DIFFERENT INVITES.

>> WAS THERE ANYBODY FROM THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY

PRESENT? >> MR. THOMAS JACKSON WHO'S BEEN A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HISTORIC SOCIETY.

I WORKED WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES. AND HOW WE STARTED FORT MOSLEY

TOGETHER. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> ISABELLE, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT TODAY? OR IS SHE GONE? ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT TAKES US TO MEMBER

[Additional Item]

>> MR. CHAIR? I HAVE A QUICK UPDATE TO UPDATE YOU ON BEFORE MEMBER COMMENTS. I WANTED TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE THAT THE TERM WILL BE EXPIRING ON THE T DECEIT -- TDC IN MAY.

>> WE CAN'T GO ANYWHERE. >> AND APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING ACCEPTED UNTIL MAY 1ST.

AND THE VACANCIES FOR AN ACCOMMODATION MEMBER SO IT MUST BE FILLED WHATEVER NIGHT ACCOMMODATION AND -- HE'S ABLE TO SERVE UNTIL HE'S FORMALLY APPOINTED UNTIL SOMEONE ELSE'S FORMALLY APPOINTED. SO IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY INTERESTED IN APPLYING, THERE'S AN ONLINE APPLICATION OR I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND THEM THE LINK TO APPLY ONLINE.

>> THIS HAS TO BE -- >> IT HAS TO BE AN

ACCOMMODATION. >> THANK YOU.

[10. MEMBER COMMENTS]

[01:25:06]

>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY HEAR, HEAR, THANK YOU TO SUSAN PHILLIPS FOR NOMINATING THROUGH THE MELISSA WHISTLES AWARD.

I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MELISSA FOR YEARS NOW AND I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW ABOVE AND BEYOND -- SHE ALWAYS GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND. SHE'S REALLY OUTSTANDING.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOGNITION.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE MEETING. THAT'S IT.

>> JUST A QUICK NOTE SINCE WE BROUGHT UP MEMBERSHIP.

I NOTICED THE OTHER DAY THAT THE MEMBERSHIP ON THE WEBSITE IS OUT OF DATE. IT THAT COULD BE UPDATED PLEASE.

THANK YOU. >> NOTHING TO REPORT.

>> JUST THAT WE DO HAVE A NEW FACILITY WITH A NEW SOUND SYSTEM THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE SAYING OUT LOUD PRODUCTION AS WELL. THANK YOU.

>> I JUST GOT TO SAY MIKE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO ANYWHERE. WE WILL JUST KEEP YOU HERE.

I WILL SAY THANK YOU AND I THINK OUR ME

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.