BRADENTON – The latest tourism statistics shatter the numbers from pre-COVID 2019, according to Anne Wittine, of Tampa-based Research Data Services, Manatee County’s tourism consultant.
Wittine presented her tourism update to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council on Nov. 4 with the latest available statistics related to the tourism industry from September. The number of visitors and room nights and the overall economic impact of tourism on the county’s economy are up from pre-pandemic levels, she said.
“Compared to our benchmark in 2019, pre-COVID, our visitors are up 38.3%, room nights are up 36.7% and economic impact is up 51.4%,” Wittine said. “That’s also considering that most properties lost three days that month due to (Hurricane) Ian.”
Room occupancy for September was down slightly at 57.7% compared to 59.3% in September of last year, however, it is higher than September 2019 when it stood at 54% pre-COVID. The average daily room rate is up at $174.82 per day this September compared to $168.04 in September 2021.
While the Island is used to seeing a large number of tourists from Florida, those numbers have actually dipped 15.7% from September of 2021, but are up 61% from 2019, showing the effect that COVID-19 travel restrictions had on people who didn’t leave Florida during the height of COVID. The largest number of visitors to the county from outside Florida are coming from the Midwest, followed closely by the Northeast. Tourists from Europe and Canada are down slightly from 2019; there is no data from 2020 or 2021 since travel from those regions was restricted.
“In terms of the fiscal year, this is a major benchmark. For the very first time, we’ve got visitors staying in commercial lodgings numbering over a million,” Wittine said. “This is up 11% from last year; an all-time record. We have not seen this before. I’ve been saying to Elliott (Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau) that this is a bubble; you guys aren’t going to be able to keep it up, yet you’ve kept it up.”
Wittine also discussed some occupancy barometers related to Hurricane Ian. She said October sold out with people looking for long-term rentals due to the storm. Many of the occupants were from insurance companies, recovery workers and people with damaged homes farther south.
ANNA MARIA – Manatee County tourist taxes are required to be used primarily to promote tourism and tourism-related projects, but some local officials, including Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, want to change how the money is spent.
When anyone rents accommodations for six months or less in the county, they must pay a 5% tourist tax, earmarked for a state-mandated list of uses, including tourism marketing efforts, tourist attractions and beach renourishment. Anna Maria Island is the largest contributor of tourist tax funds in the county.
Chappie addressed members of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) during public comments at an Aug. 15 meeting, suggesting that the law regarding how the tourist tax is spent be changed to include funding for infrastructure due to the recent tourism boom since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
“I just wanted to remind you that hopefully during this next state legislative session coming up, to really talk with legislators to try to change where the funds can be spent for our tourist tax dollars,” he said. “Back in the 70s when I got here, the lots on the Island were platted and there were three to six people on these lots. What’s happened over the last decade, through no action of our own for the most part, is we’re cramming in 12 to 22 people on the same 75×100 lots.”
Chappie says because of this large increase, the infrastructure of the Island is suffering. He noted that public safety, law enforcement, sewer lines, lifeguards and services that are being stressed by the large increase in visitors are in desperate need of additional funding. He believes the tourism tax should be the source of those much-needed funds.
Of the $2,838,590 collected in tourist taxes in June 2022 (the latest figures available) in Manatee County, $1,405,389 came from the three Anna Maria Island cities, accounting for almost half of the total for the county. At $890,927.24, Holmes Beach collected more tourist tax dollars than both Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria combined.
“We need to get on this and try to be able to use the TDC dollars for other things other than drawing more tourists in here,” Chappie said. “We love our tourists, I’m not jamming on the tourists at all, they’re a major part of our economy, but we can’t go on the way it is right now. We need other sources of funding for these important needs our communities have.”
Commissioner Carol Carter of Anna Maria also addressed the TDC, agreeing with the mayor’s plea. Carter said Anna Maria has more than 800 vacation rentals in a city that covers only one square mile. She said while permanent residents average 1.8 people per house, vacation rentals tend to average nine people per house.
“Just for your information, the state legislature did make some exceptions some years ago for TDC for the three counties in the panhandle, kind of focused on Panama City and all the tourist involvement that they have there for public safety reasons,” Carter said. “So, there is a precedent, and I just reinforced what Mayor Chappie said about the next legislative session.”
Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore also weighed in on the discussion, saying that despite Holmes Beach being the Island’s primary source of tourist tax dollars, it still has not had the funds to replace its pier.
Later in the TDC meeting, Research Data Services’Ann Wittine presented her state of tourism update featuring the latest available statistics related to the tourism industry in Manatee County from June of 2022.
“We got very used to those arrows pointing up,” she said. “What we saw in June was a slight rollback in numbers in June of 2022, but what I really want to emphasize is that, compared to our benchmark in 2019, pre-COVID, our visitors are up 25.8%, room nights are up 25% and economic impact is up 38.4%.”
Wittine said the reason for the recent dip in numbers is because, in 2021, the area was seeing a huge surge in visitation driven by the fact that people were getting vaccinated in record numbers in the first quarter of 2021 and therefore more apt to travel. Room occupancy is also slightly down in 2022 at 79.3% compared to 88.1% in June of last year. It is still higher than in June 2019 when it stood at 74.7% pre-COVID. The average daily room rate is up though, at $209.19 per day in June 2022 compared to $195.19 in June 2021.
While the Island is used to seeing a large number of tourists from Florida, those numbers have actually dipped 19.8% from June 2021, but are up 126% from 2019, showing the effect COVID travel restrictions had on people who didn’t leave Florida during the height of the pandemic. For the fiscal year to date, visitation is up 14.1% from June of 2021 and economic impact is up 27.2%, standing at $1,284,951,900. That number is 47.6% higher than in June 2019.
RDS’s traveler sentiment study showed that 78.8% of prospective travelers to Florida were optimistic about personal health, but only 54.4% were optimistic about personal finances, compared to 70% in June 2021. When asked how close things are to returning to normal, 46.5% of people said they were close, compared to 51% last year. The biggest concern for prospective travelers was gas prices. Wittine’s data shows an expected dip in tourism numbers until at least October.
ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria Island Historical Society is seeking tourism funds for improvements to its building and has asked the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) for its support.
Museum Vice President Barbara Murphy and former TDC member Doug Copeland addressed the council at The Center of Anna Maria Island on June 23. Murphy and Copeland – whose wife, Pat, was one of the original founders of the museum – gave an update on the museum and discussed its past, present and future.
“The Anna Maria Historical Museum offers a glimpse into the past of our little piece of paradise,” Murphy said. “You can literally take a step back in time as you walk through the museum filled with artifacts and photos from the past.”
The Historical Society was founded in 1991 by Pat Copeland after she bought the photos and archives from a newspaper that had been in operation since the 1950s and was closing. It was her mission to use that information to start a historical society and museum that would showcase the history of Anna Maria Island, its residents and its culture.
The permanent home of the Historical Society came after Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch had to give up its Turtle House on Pine Avenue after changes in state laws prevented them from hatching turtles there. The building had also served as an icehouse and a police station in years past.
“The Anna Maria City Commission gave the Historical Society use of the building in 1992,” Doug Copeland said. “With the help of the Anna Maria Island Privateers and other volunteers, the building was gutted and remains their current home.”
The property contains the old city jail, a popular tourist attraction in Anna Maria. The land also had an area that was cleaned up by volunteers and became the Anna Maria Historical Park, a native landscape that visitors can enjoy. Another museum project is the Pat Copeland scholarship, which gives $4,000 to an outstanding area high school senior every year.
The museum, 402 Pine Ave., is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visitors can learn about the history of the Island through artifacts dating back to its first inhabitants. The museum is run entirely by volunteers, as well as an 11-member board of directors, and sees between 600 and 800 visitors a month.
With projects such as the re-imagining of Pine Avenue and a possible water taxi at the City Pier, Historical Society members think the number of visitors will increase significantly in the near future.
The TDC will consider the request at a future meeting.
BRADENTON – It appears to be an especially busy tourist season on Anna Maria Island, and there is data to prove it, according to Research Data Services’ Anne Wittine, who addressed the Feb. 14 meeting of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council with her bi-monthly “state of tourism” update.
Wittine began by discussing throughput data, which is the number of travelers passing through airport TSA checkpoints. While 2022 data is not yet available, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) was up 156% in 2021 over 2020 and 61% over pre-COVID 2019. SRQ is one of only two Florida airports that posted a positive number over 2019, the other being Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) which was only up 1% compared to SRQ’s 61%. Many of the arrivals to SRQ are headed for Anna Maria Island.
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown asked Wittine if the addition of new airlines and destinations that have been added to SRQ have been the cause of the record-breaking throughput numbers. Wittine said RSW has had similar growth, but has not seen the results SRQ has because of the marketing efforts of Manatee County.
“I think the marketing that has supported the growth of these airlines has been a huge factor,” Wittine said. “Southwest Florida has also added new airlines, but has not seen the success you guys have enjoyed.”
The data for occupancy in the month of January 2022 has been tabulated, and it’s more good news for the Island and Manatee County as a whole, with 90% of properties reporting higher occupancy in January 2022 than 2021, as well as 2020 and 2019. When it comes to visitors in general, December 2021 data is the latest available at this time, and it shows a 33% increase from 2020. Room nights are up 29% and the economic impact for the county is up from $51,874,600 to $80,284,700, an impressive increase of 55%.
Visitor origins show the most visitors coming from Florida, which is typical. The Midwest is up 49% and is the #2 visitor origin, with the Northeast in third and the Southeast rounding out the top four. The data is not in for Canada and Europe yet, but Wittine expects those markets to be a big factor when the data is available. COVID-19 travel restrictions from Europe and Canada were only recently lifted.
The data also shows an increase in party size from December 2020 to 2021, up from 2.3 to 2.5 people. The length of stay for the same period is also up significantly from 5.9 nights to 6.2. These numbers may not seem like much, but according to Wittine, it is a huge increase. Lastly, the total number of visitors was up 42% from 683,300 in 2020 to 969,300 in 2021 and the economic impact jumped 44.8% from $908,996,700 in 2020 to $1,315,958,700 in 2021. Both of these are all-time record numbers.
BRADENTON – Local tourism is on the increase, according to Ann Wittine, of Tampa-based Research Data Services, who gave a report on Oct. 18 to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC).
The bi-monthly report outlines dozens of statistics that give county tourism officials an overview of visitor sentiment, length of stay, number of visitors, places likely to visit and more vital information.
Airline passenger data from the Transportation Security Administration from 2019 to present shows that patterns have nearly returned to pre-COVID levels, according to Wittine.
“Even with red tide, and even with (COVID-19) case numbers rising, we’re seeing a normal pattern. As case numbers drop, we see the number of people traveling through U.S. airports also going up,” she said.
The number of passengers passing through Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is higher than any other airport in Florida month over month, she said.
August visitation was up 12%, room nights were up 7% and the economic impact was up 17.1% from $43,613,000 to $51,051,700, according to Wittine. Those numbers are increases over 2019, which was prior to COVID-19.
The annual economic impact from 2020 to 2021 is up 38.5% from $867,630,800 to $1,201,878,400.
Wittine’s report shows that while August visitors from Florida were down 11.1% from last year, visitors from the northeast were up an impressive 113%. With Canada and much of Europe recently easing travel restrictions, it’s likely the flat numbers from those regions will rise significantly, she said.
Traveler sentiment
With each bi-monthly report, Research Data Services conducts a traveler sentiment survey that asks potential travelers from around the world questions about concerns related to travel to Anna Maria Island and other Manatee County destinations.
When asked what one word would best describe their feelings about travel right now, only 28% of respondents used a positive word. This number is the same as last month, so no change was recorded.
People surveyed were a little less confident about the economy, personal health and personal finances compared to September, but not by a significant amount. The number of green light travelers was at 48.9%, which is not a significant change from recent months. Green light travelers are those surveyed who are ready and willing to travel at this time. The red light travelers (people who are not willing to travel) are the same as last month at 25.1% and the number that has currently booked vacations stays virtually unchanged at 34.1%.
The survey also asked a question for the first time: “Are things back to normal?” The survey shows that 39% of people think conditions are back to normal.
ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria and Mote Marine Laboratory have entered into a 10-year lease agreement for the installation and operation of the Mote Educational Outreach Center on the City Pier.
The city commission approved the lease agreement by a 4-1 vote during a special commission meeting on Thursday, Sept. 30, with Commissioner Mark Short casting the only opposition vote.
The Mote facility will be located inside the larger of two city-owned buildings at the T-end of the City Pier; and next to the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop that operates in city-owned space leased to business partners Brian Seymour, Vic Mattay and Nick Graham.
The Mote Marine facility will be located inside this city-owned building on the Anna Maria City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Earlier this year, the Manatee County Commission supported the Tourist Development Council’s recommendation that the county contribute $500,000 toward the initial buildout and exhibit installation costs. With the lease agreement now signed, the city must still finalize the $500,000 funding agreement with a county commission-approved interlocal agreement. The city will reimburse Mote Marine for its initial buildout and installation costs and then be reimbursed by the county.
Lease negotiations
Thursday’s discussion began with Mayor Dan Murphy stating he and Mote Marine Vice President of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Kevin Cooper engaged in “lengthy and productive” discussions that led to the final lease agreement presented.
“This is something we have been working on since Feb. 10th – the first time we made a formal presentation of a proposal to put Mote Marine out on the City Pier. We’ve had an incredible amount of public input over this issue of what should be out on the pier. I believe this is in fact – for the city, the residents and the visitors – the very best choice to put on that pier,” Murphy told the commission.
Murphy noted each commissioner was previously provided an earlier version of a proposed lease agreement that was then modified based on that initial input received from the individual commissioners.
“Kevin and I worked diligently to put together the best product we could,” Murphy said.
Commission comments
Commission Chair Carol Carter said she spent many years working with large research universities and she noted lease agreements with large research institutions usually present additional challenges.
“I know the mayor and our attorney and our treasurer/clerk have worked really hard because this is a different animal to deal with. I would just like to acknowledge all the work they’ve done,” Carter said.
Short then shared his views on the proposed lease agreement.
“On behalf of the city, I want to thank the TDC and the Manatee County Commission for approving the $500,000 that will be used for the buildout of the education outreach center. A lot of energy and effort went into this and I wanted to thank the mayor and staff for everything they did. I want to thank Mote for their interest and willingness to operate this educational outreach center for the pier,” Short said.
This currently vacant space will be transformed into the Mote Educational Outreach Center. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I recognize – I think we all do – that this is not going to improve the bottom line of Mote. Based on the preliminary operating budget they provided us back in February, to operate this center is going to cost Mote somewhere between $200,000 and $400,000 a year. I don’t think having Mote on the pier is a bad thing. Although, to be honest, I’m not necessarily convinced it’s the best thing,” Short said.
“The $500,000 estimated cost has been funded. Any costs incurred above that will be paid by Mote unless the city decides there are certain things it wants done outside the scope of what Mote will do. The city will pay for all the utilities to operate the outreach center and the city will not receive any rent for the use of this facility for a period which could be up to 10 years based on the agreement,” Short said of the pier building originally offered for lease for the operation of a full-service restaurant.
“In spite of what we all believe is the educational benefit of operating this center on the pier, the fact remains that there will be no rent the city will receive,” Short reiterated.
He also expressed concerns about the potential 10-year agreement providing Mote Marine, and not the city, with the option to extend the lease for an additional five years.
With no more commission or public comment offered, Carter sought and received from Commissioner Jon Crane a motion to accept the lease agreement. Commissioners Deanie Sebring, Doug Copeland and Carter supported Crane’s motion.
“I very much appreciate the partnership growing between Mote and the city of Anna Maria,” Cooper told the commission.
This rendering illustrates the basic floor plans for the Mote Educational Outreach Center and the already-operational City Pier Grill. – City of Anna Maria | Submitted
Copeland asked Cooper when he expects the buildout and exhibit installation to begin and be completed.
“Because we deal with multiple campuses across the state of Florida, we do maintain an internal team for facilities, exhibit design (and) habitat maintenance. With labor shortages and supply chain shortages, we still maintain that we’ll do a six-month buildout. We expect to wrap up construction in March,” Cooper said.
Post-meeting comments
After the meeting, Murphy signed the approved lease agreement, which Cooper took to Mote Marine President and CEO Dr. Michael Crosby, who signed the agreement that afternoon.
When contacted Thursday afternoon, Cooper said, “We’re excited to grow the partnership with the city of Anna Maria. It aligns very well with our mission to educate the public on the importance of coastal conservation and marine habitat resource management; and I think it aligns with what Anna Maria wants to do with the pier.”
Cooper said Mote Marine will select any additional contractors or subcontractors needed to supplement the work done by Mote’s in-house staff.
“Mote is operating as the contractor. We’ll be doing the conceptual design elements and also some of the installation. When subcontractors are necessary, we will be sending them out. The first phase for us is concept and design, and that has to be approved by the city before we’re able to start construction. We’ll start on that almost immediately. We will open the facility in close proximity to the completion of construction, assuming there’s no other challenges or issues that arise. We can make a pretty quick turnaround from the completion of construction to the opening of the facility itself,” Cooper said.
Presented earlier this year, the rendering illustrates in a general sense what the Mote Educational Outreach Center will look like when completed in 2022. – City of Anna Maria | Submitted
According to Cooper, the current working title for the facility is the Mote Educational Outreach Center at the city of Anna Maria Pier, but that could change.
“That’s been the name in theory, but that’s a mouthful, so I don’t know if that’s going to be the name of the facility once it opens. As we begin to build out the design and go through the approvals with the city that may very well change,” Cooper said.
When contacted Thursday afternoon, Murphy said, “I’m very excited that we came to an agreement with Mote on the lease and can move forward with bringing this important addition to our city. The Mote outreach center will be both educational and entertaining for people of all ages and our pier provides the perfect backdrop for this facility. I thank our commission for having the foresight and good judgment to recognize the value of having this type of venue right here in our own backyard.”
BRADENTON – At the conclusion of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) meeting last Monday, Chiles Group owner Ed Chiles was honored by the Council for 25 years of service as a TDC member.
Several of his employees and friends quietly entered the meeting at the Manatee County Administration Building to be on hand as Chiles was presented with an inscribed compass by Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Executive Director Elliott Falcione.
“A leader is someone people want to follow. A leader is a great mentor. A leader is a great listener. A leader is someone who steps up in good times and bad. A leader is consistently unselfish, consistently humble, and consistently runs like a John Deer motor,” said Falcione, speaking of Chiles, whom he refers to as his mentor.
Chiles is owner of the Chiles Group, whose restaurants include The Sandbar in Anna Maria, Beach House in Bradenton Beach and Mar Vista in Longboat Key. Chiles is passionate about conservation, especially concerning the area’s water. He is involved with more than a dozen businesses, committees and organizations focused on the conservation of water, marine life and coastline as well as red tide prevention. Chiles Group restaurants use responsibly-sourced local fish and organic produce from their two organic farms, Gamble Creek Farm of Parrish and 3 Boys Farm of Ruskin.
“If I would have known you were doing this, I wouldn’t have worn shorts,” Chiles joked after being surprised by the TDC, before wiping back a few tears as he thanked his fellow TDC members for the honor.
ANNA MARIA – The Manatee County Commission supports the city of Anna Maria’s request to use $500,000 in tourist tax funds to create a Mote Marine Education Outreach Center on the City Pier.
On Tuesday, June 8, county commissioners voted 7-0 in favor of the city using up to $500,000 in tourist tax funds to pay for the interior buildout and installation of a Mote Marine facility inside a currently vacant city-owned pier building.
The outreach center will be located in the larger pier building originally intended for use as a full-service restaurant. In the smaller pier building and the surrounding tables and benches, the City Pier Grill already offers casual outdoor dining on the pier.
The Mote Marine facility will be located inside this city-owned pier building. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mote Marine will pay the additional $50,000 estimated to be needed to complete the interior buildout and install the exhibits. Mote will then spend approximately $440,000 per year to staff and operate the facility at minimal cost to the city, with free admission for the public.
County support
When addressing the county commission, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy first thanked the commission for the financial support previously provided for the pier replacement project.
“We look at it as a tremendous opportunity for us,” Murphy said of the Mote Marine facility and the latest city-county funding partnership.
County Commissioner Misty Servia chairs the Tourist Development Council that recommended approval of the funding request. Servia said she’s excited about the educational and tourist development opportunities the Mote Marine facility will provide, and she later made the motion to approve the request.
Mote Marine provided the city with this rendering of the proposed education outreach center. – City of Anna Maria/Mote Marine | Submitted
“I’m a huge supporter and proponent of this project,” Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “My family spent a lot of time out at the City Pier. It’s something everyone in the county can enjoy. There’s no admission and it’s really specific to that location. This is exactly what we should be using the bed tax dollars for.”
“This is tourist related, so I support it 100%,” Commissioner Carol Whitmore said, noting she used to hang out on the old pier with Van Ostenbridge’s relatives.
“Is there going to be any issues with parking?” she asked.
“There’s going to be issues with parking no matter what we do. But we are looking into consideration of a water taxi,” Murphy said in reference to a discussion that took place a few minutes earlier regarding a dock expansion project in Bradenton Beach.
“Is your commission supportive of a water taxi?” Whitmore asked.
Murphy said the city commission has not yet weighed in on that issue.
Van Ostenbridge asked if the city has a parking agreement with Roser Memorial Community Church. Murphy said the city does not, but Mote Marine might enter into an agreement with the church for a valet parking program.
“This is a great project, a very good use of space,” Commissioner George Kruse said.
Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh said she recently had coffee with Mote Marine President and CEO Michael Crosby.
“He is very excited about this project and so am I,” she said.
Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Elliott Falcione said the Mote Marine facility aligns well with the county’s recently launched “Love It Like a Local” campaign that encourages visitors to respect Anna Maria Island’s residents and natural resources. He also said restaurant owner Ed Chiles plans to partner with Mote Marine on seagrass restoration and clam restoration projects at the City Pier.
Falcione said County Administrator Scott Hopes recently tasked him and Public Works Director Chad Butzow to work on a water taxi program, which among other things would transport local students to the Island for field trips.
“To think a water taxi might happen soon is exciting,” Baugh said of that long-desired service.
City discussion
When addressing the Anna Maria Commission Thursday afternoon, Murphy said, “There are a few pieces that have to fall in place before we can actually start construction.”
Murphy said the city and county still need to enter into an interlocal agreement that formalizes the financial support. That agreement will require county commission approval when those commissioners return from their annual summer break on July 27.
In February, the city commission met inside the vacant pier building and agreed to pursue the Mote Marine proposal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Based upon a previous memorandum of understanding, Murphy said the city and Mote Marine still need to create a construction contract and a separate lease contract for the city building.
In response to a question from Commissioner Mark Short, Murphy said the city will not have to make a $500,000 lump sum payment to cover the buildout costs. As the work is completed incrementally, the city will pay the contractors and invoice the county for reimbursement.
Murphy said he could not yet provide an estimated start date.
Water taxi proponent
During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said he’s a proponent of a specific type of water taxi.
“I’m not a proponent of tour boats. I’m not a proponent of somebody charging $30 to take people down to Bradenton Beach on a sightseeing tour. That’s not solving a traffic problem. The water taxi I’m in favor of would bring service workers from downtown Bradenton or Palmetto to our pier, where they then can catch a trolley and go to wherever they work,” he said.
Mayor Dan Murphy would like to see a specific type of water taxi service at or near the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said the water taxi service he envisions would need to be subsidized by the county, similar to MCAT bus services. He said support from local businesses could provide additional revenues.
“It should be part of the public transit system. It has to be affordable. I think that would be a positive step for this Island, to start bringing service workers across by water taxi,” Murphy said.
Commission Chair Carol Carter questioned whether beachgoers from the mainland who bring tents, coolers and other beach supplies would use a water taxi.
“They’re not going to put that on a water taxi and then unload it and try to get to the beach,” she said.
After Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said, “Commissioners Whitmore and Van Ostenbridge have been huge supporters of our Mote Marine project and they opened doors for us in getting the project where it is today. Both are true friends to our city.”
MANATEE COUNTY – Holmes Beach city leaders weren’t very surprised but they were disappointed when Manatee County commissioners shot down a funding request recently.
During a June 8 county commission meeting, Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, submitted a request on behalf of all three Anna Maria Island cities for funding from the tourist development tax, also known as the bed tax, collected by hoteliers and vacation rental owners from renters.
The projects proposed by the cities of Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach were approved. One project from the city of Holmes Beach, $41,200 for improvements including boardwalks to be added to an extension of Grassy Point Preserve on land gifted to the city by the Hames family, was approved by county commissioners. However, $282,910 for reimbursement on construction done at a seawall on Marina Drive was not.
County commissioners did vote unanimously to consider a future funding request from Holmes Beach city leaders for bicycle paths and pedestrian walkways leading to a city park if one was presented to them.
Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said she didn’t support the seawall funding request despite it being approved unanimously for funding by the Manatee County Tourist Development Council because she doesn’t believe it’s tourism-related, which is what the tourist development tax dollars are required by state law to be spent on.
Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said it was disrespectful for Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth to not show up to the county meeting where funding was being requested and to not send a representative in her place.
Titsworth said prior to the meeting that she would be unable to attend due to a conflicting meeting. Holmes Beach Commissioner Jim Kihm was asked to step in for her but was unable to do so due to a conflicting medical appointment and no other suitable replacement could be found in time for the meeting.
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said city leaders should consider the consequences of their actions before asking for help from the county. Van Ostenbridge and Titsworth are currently embroiled in a disagreement over public parking for beachgoers in the Island city.
Falcione said the seawall project had been discussed at length with Holmes Beach city leaders and that the TDC had given the funding its full support, a statement echoed by Commissioner Misty Servia who serves on the TDC.
Holmes Beach leaders argue that the seawall is important to tourism because it’s an erosion control seawall that holds up a section of Marina Drive in the city’s commercial center and provides a pedestrian path and access to numerous tour boats and rentals in the adjacent marina. If the funds had been released, city leaders would have used the money to build additional sidewalks and bicycle paths, which also would be used by tourists. Whitmore suggested city leaders come back to the commission for funding of that idea, which was approved by county commissioners unanimously. However, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that project was previously shot down for funding by Falcione.
Another concern was that the seawall request to county commissioners didn’t explicitly say there was a city match to the funding. So far, Tokajer said the city is spending $1,581,433 on the city center project including the seawall, pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes, lights and landscaping.
During a June 8 Holmes Beach commission meeting, city commissioners discussed the refusal of their funding request, noting that rentals in Holmes Beach have contributed $30,187,388.29 of the total $42,170,953.57 collected in tourist development tax in Manatee County over the past 10 years. That equals about 70% of the total collected bed tax coming from Holmes Beach while the city has received $100,000 of those dollars in funding for Grassy Point Preserve in the past decade.
“They’ve made us into the largest tourist attraction in Manatee County,” Tokajer said. “They should have to pay for enforcement and infrastructure.”
The county gave $50,000 in the current fiscal year to the city for police patrol and response at the county-owned Manatee Beach. More than 30,000 cars a day come to Holmes Beach on weekends during the summer, Tokajer said.
While Titsworth said she felt “the writing was on the wall” with Van Ostenbridge and his lack of support for city funding due to the ongoing parking issues, Commissioner Carol Soustek said that with all the people coming to Holmes Beach the county should have been better prepared to help deal with the resulting issues after advertising the city as a vacation destination.
“There’s nothing being done by the state or county to address the growth they’re encouraging,” she said, adding that she’s tired of issues getting pushed down the line to the next elected official. Rather than worrying about parking, she suggested county and state leaders be concerned about whether the area’s infrastructure, including pipes, clean water supply and seawalls, can handle the extra strain put on it by inviting so many additional people to one place.
One thing Holmes Beach commissioners agreed on though is that they all support Titsworth as the city’s leader in discussions with the county.
“Thanks, you guys,” Titsworth said. “It’s been a hard week and I really appreciate your support.”
BRADENTON BEACH – The Manatee County Commission is providing up to $850,000 in matching funds for Bradenton Beach’s dock expansion project.
The county commission approved the city’s funding request on Tuesday, June 8. The county funds will be provided using county tourist tax revenues generated by the 5% tourist tax levied on hotel, motel and vacation rental stays in Manatee County. The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will pay the city’s share of the dock expansion project costs.
In anticipation of the county’s support, the CRA members recently selected Duncan Seawall, Dock and Boat Lift to install the fingers docks to be purchased from Golden Marine Systems.
The finger docks will extend perpendicular to the existing floating dock that will be extended to the east. – City of Bradenton Beach | Submitted
The finger docks will extend perpendicular to the floating dock installed in 2019, and the floating dock will be extended to the east to accommodate additional finger docks. Duncan will also construct the new dinghy dock that will replace the aging dinghy dock near the entrance to the Bridge Street Pier.
Duncan’s bid came in at approximately $616,000 to $624,000, depending on some additional piling options included in the proposal. Duncan’s bid does not include any additional work on the showers or restrooms.
The aging dinghy dock used by liveaboard and transient boaters will be replaced with a new dock. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When presenting the funding request to county commissioners, Mayor John Chappie said the finger docks would increase public dockage near the Bridge Street Pier from seven spaces to 26 or 27 spaces. The existing and soon-to-be-expanded docking facilities are free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis and overnight docking is not allowed.
Chappie said the matching funds would also be used to renovate the existing public shower facilities and increase the size of the public restrooms, and to create a terminal-like area at the entrance to the pier for the Old Town Tram parking shuttles that service the CRA district.
Chappie also mentioned the possibility of a water taxi service one day running from downtown Bradenton to Bradenton Beach.
“There’s been a lot of discussion over the years with regards to a water taxi. Bradenton Beach could be a stop for the water taxi. There will be a space available for that as well,” he said.
County support
“This project is exactly what the county needs because it’s beneficial to all residents of the county,” District 3 County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “You’re inviting day trippers to come by boat to dock at Bridge Street. They can patronize the businesses on Bridge Street, and the Island is thin there, so people will easily be able to access the beach from that point. It’s a great way to bring additional visitors into your city without having a major impact on your residents. I’m very pleased with the relationship we have with Bradenton Beach and their efforts to try and be as inclusive as they can, knowing they’re a destination city.”
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge emphatically supports the dock expansion project. – YouTube/Manatee County | Submitted
Commissioner George Kruse then said, “I love this. This is such a great idea and I’m 100% in support of this. This is needed and I appreciate it.”
Commissioner Carol Whitmore noted the county also provided matching funds for the installation of the floating dock.
“This all ties in, we’re just adding more capacity. This is what the tourist tax is about. If we do a water taxi and people are staying in Bradenton they can hop on the (water) taxi at Pier 22 and come on out,” Whitmore said.
“The water taxi would start in downtown Bradenton, utilizing the parking garage,” Chappie said, expressing hope that this might help reduce the number of cars coming to Anna Maria Island.
Regarding the long-desired water taxi service, Commission Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh said, “That should have been done years ago.”
Regarding the dock expansion project, Baugh said, “It’s a great project – and what makes it so great is that the county and the city are working together to make this happen.”
Commissioner Misty Servia chairs the TDC board that serves as a recommending body to the county commission. She noted the TDC board supports the project and the funding request, as does she.
Commissioner James Satcher liked the project so much that he proposed increasing the county funding.
“We should increase it by $282,000. He’s got other things he’s planning on doing, plus he’s got the water taxi,” Satcher said.
Satcher did not provide any documentation to support his proposed $282,000 funding increase.
“That’s not how this works,” Kruse emphatically said of Satcher’s suggestion.
County Attorney Bill Clague advised the commission to simply approve or reject each funding request cited in the proposed county ordinance that also included separate funding requests from the cities of Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.
“I have to advise you against trying to move dollars around. I would ask that you just vote each of these up or down,” Clague said.
Van Ostenbridge made a motion to approve the Bradenton Beach funding request as presented and he rejected Satcher’s efforts to amend the motion to increase it by $282,000. The commission unanimously supported Van Ostenbridge’s motion.
BRADENTON BEACH – The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) is supporting the city’s funding request for the expansion of the public dock near the Bridge Street Pier.
The request, from the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), received unanimous support on Monday, April 19, when TDC members recommended that the county commission approve up to $850,000 in matching tourist tax funds for the improvements. The money would go toward lengthening the floating dock, attaching more perpendicular finger docks and replacing the aging dinghy dock near the foot of the pier boardwalk.
No date has been set yet as to when the CRA’s request will be presented to county commissioners.
When addressing the TDC members, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said the CRA has already issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a contractor to take the lead on the project. The RFP does not address the restroom improvements to be pursued as a separate phase of the project.
Perry said the floating dock currently provides enough space for about seven vessels and the expanded dock and new fingers docks would provide temporary dockage for about 26 vessels.
Perry noted that in addition to recreational boaters, the existing floating dock is used by local tour boats, fishing charters and other commercial operators to pick up and drop off passengers. Perry said the hope is to someday have a water taxi service at the dock as well.
“We have stood ready, willing and able to support a water taxi if that would, in fact, come to fruition in Manatee County,” Perry told the TDC members.
As is the case with the floating dock, the additional finger docks would be available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis, with no overnight mooring allowed.
The finger docks were originally proposed by City Commissioner and CRA member Jake Spooner in 2016 to accommodate more boats and encourage alternative means of transportation to the pier and the nearby Bridge Street business district.
Perry said the additional dockage would help support the pier-based businesses that include the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, Paradise Boat Tours and the Tide & Moon Jewelry store, and would also benefit other businesses in the Bridge Street area.
Serving as a replacement to the existing dinghy dock, the new dinghy dock will provide temporary dinghy dockage for liveaboard and transient boaters who anchor in the waters south of the pier.
The existing dinghy dock near the Bridge Tender would be replaced with a new one. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
CRA and TDC member Ed Chiles said the dock expansion project falls right in line with the purpose of the Bradenton Beach CRA and the allowed use of the Tourist Development Tax revenues. Chiles also stressed the need to finally implement a water taxi program.
TDC member and Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown agreed and said, “It brings opportunity for the water taxi that we’ve been talking about for so long.”
TDC member and Island resort manager Eric Cairns said, “A few years ago, when I got on the TDC, I brought up a water taxi and it just wasn’t the right time. I totally feel it is the right time now. It would be a great opportunity for all the cities on the Island.”
TDC member Rahul Patel asked Perry about the anticipated service life of the new docks. Perry said the materials used for the dock expansion project are expected to last 30 to 50 years. She said this was also a concern with the existing floating dock that was installed in 2019 using matching Tourist Development Tax funds.
“This particular area of water has a lot of wake action. I believe it was designed to withstand category 3 hurricane wave action and we would require the same standards for the installation of the additional floating dock segments,” Perry said.
“With the last tropical storm that went through, we had a number of vessels that broke loose from their moorings and crashed into our floating dock and did damage to some of the pier and the dock. That is a hazard we anticipate,” Perry said.
She noted the Bradenton Beach Police Department conducts regular marine patrols of the waters south of the pier in an attempt to ensure those vessels comply with state boating regulations.
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said the city’s partnership with the county and the West Coast Inland Navigation District has resulted in 56 derelict, abandoned or non-compliant vessels being removed from those waters since 2012.
TDC Chair and County Commissioner Misty Servia expressed support for the funding request and also for a potential water taxi service that would originate in Bradenton.
“Any way that we can remove cars from the roadway going to the Island is such an exciting thing, and I look forward to the city of Bradenton developing a water taxi from their end,” Servia said.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy is one step closer to securing the $500,000 needed to design and install the Mote Marine Education Outreach Center on the Anna Maria City Pier.
Today, the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) unanimously supported the city of Anna Maria’s request to use $500,000 in county commission-controlled tourist development tax revenues to fund the city’s share of the anticipated $555,600 start-up costs.
Serving as a recommending body only, the TDC now recommends county commission approval of the city’s funding request.
Murphy told TDC members Mote Marine would cover the remaining $55,600 in initial design and installation costs, as well as any Mote-related cost overages. Murphy said Mote will then spend about $444,000 per year to staff and operate the marine-themed education outreach center.
If the funding is approved by county commissioners, Murphy estimates it will take five to seven months to transform the vacant 1,800 square foot, city-owned pier building into the proposed education outreach center.
Murphy said the center will consist of three primary elements: exhibits, educational components and community partnerships.
He said the live marine life exhibits will include an invertebrate touching pool containing horseshoe crabs, starfish, lobster and other species. There will also be live baitfish and live sport fish exhibits that reflect the area’s strong ties to fishing, and an interactive kiosk that will help people identify the fish they catch from the pier. There will also be a “sounds of the sea” component that allows visitors to hear the marine life living under and around the pier.
This rendering illustrates the vision for the Mote Marine Education Outreach Center. – Mote Marine | Submitted
The educational components will include seminars, storytelling events, fishing workshops, field trips, science tours, beach exploration and more.
TDC member Ed Chiles said he hopes the education components also address the vital importance of protecting the quality of the waters that surround Anna Maria Island and Manatee County.
When discussing potential partnerships, Murphy mentioned Anna Maria Elementary school, The Center of Anna Maria Island, the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization, The Anna Maria Island Historical Society and possibly the Manatee County School District.
This side of the pier building to be used by Mote Marine faces Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said admission to the education outreach center will be free. However, it was noted at previous city meetings that fees may be charged for some of the special programs and activities that take place outside the education outreach center, or inside the facility after normal business hours.
Water taxi connection?
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director and TDC staff liaison Elliott Falcione mentioned the possibility of a water taxi service potentially playing a role in transporting area students to the Mote Marine facility.
“There may be a way that the city of Bradenton and the city of Anna Maria can procure a water taxi company that we may be able to sponsor through wrapping it with brand elements that gets a pilot program going from downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria Pier. How cool would it be for the kids to get an educational exploration of the river, get to the pier and learn about Mote’s education endeavors? They can picnic up there. They can walk Pine Avenue and get back on the boat and go back,” Falcione said.
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown alluded to a possible water taxi service earlier in the meeting when discussing a TDC-supported funding request for up to $850,000 in matching funds made by the city of Bradenton Beach for the expansion of the public dockage next to the Bridge Street Pier and a new dinghy dock near the Bridge Tender Inn.
“We have the pier already and we have the parking in place. Now it’s just getting that vendor that wants to do it,” Brown said.
MANATEE COUNTY – Tourist Development Council members received some encouraging news just before Christmas.
During this morning’s meeting, held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, representatives from Visit Florida and Research Data Services gave TDC members updates, and the news was good – tourism numbers are going up despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Jen Carlisle with Visit Florida said that while the numbers they’re seeing are an overall 37% decrease in tourism from the same time last year and a 57% decrease in tourism from Canada, travel increased in the second and third quarters of the year by 71%. Carlisle attributed the increase in numbers to the Visit Florida-led marketing efforts.
Beginning in September, she said the organization targeted Florida residents, urging them through marketing to take a trip in their own state. In October, the target area of that effort increased to include drivable markets within a 700-mile radius, such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.
From these rebound advertising campaigns, Carlisle said that Visit Florida has had 300 million impressions and that 70% of people who saw the marketing spots were more likely to visit the state than they were beforehand. And while international travel is still largely on hold due to travel restrictions, she said that Visit Florida is still marketing in other countries to keep the destination at the forefront of potential visitors’ minds when restrictions are lifted. Elliott Falcione, director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that his organization also is making sure that they continue marketing in other countries, particularly in Europe and Canada, to make sure that the Bradenton area is on visitors’ minds when they’re ready to book future travel plans.
Speaking on behalf of the central European market from Germany via Zoom, Dorothea Hohn said that her research has found that people are ready to travel to the United States again, particularly to beach and outdoor destinations like the Bradenton and Gulf Islands area, however, she added that those visitors are pinning their plans on the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine and the lifting of international travel bans and restrictions.
Anne Wittine of Tampa-based Research Data Services, the county’s tourism consultant, gave a presentation on the current state of tourism in the area, noting that the number of visitors is down only 10.3% for the year so far from 2019. The economic impact of tourism, – the amount of money put into the local economy by tourists – is down 13.2% from the previous year. And while occupancy is down 14.3% from the previous year, Wittine said that may largely be due to a lack of reporting from privately-managed vacation rental properties. She said that the majority of the occupancy numbers received come from hotels, motels and professionally-managed vacation rental units, and that it’s hard to get numbers from individual vacation rental owners or those rented through services such as Airbnb.
Some of the challenges facing the local tourism industry, Wittine said, are that visitors are waiting until the last minute, often one to seven days out from their expected travel time, to book vacations and that visitation from Canada and Europe, where travel restrictions are in place, is too small to count at this time. Another issue is that cancellations of trips are going up as the number of locally-reported COVID-19 cases increases.
And while the number of people feeling more confident and safe about traveling is steadily increasing, Wittine said one key element for the local tourism businesses is to provide good information on what is open and what kind of experience travelers can expect when they arrive at their destination, information that is often difficult to come by online.
