ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – On Tuesday, Orange County played host to spirited pitches as local groups sought slices of the lucrative Tourist Development Tax pie. This annual funding deliberation sets the stage for decisive debates about how to best allocate the millions of dollars that pour in from visitors exploring the county’s popular attractions.
At the heart of this fiscal decision-making lies a dedicated citizens advisory task force. They hold the crucial role of shaping recommendations for county commissioners, outlining how tourism revenue should be strategically invested.
The task force’s latest meeting attracted a bustling crowd eager to witness the funding requests unfold. Six organizations made compelling cases for their share of the Tourist Development Tax funds. These proposals varied significantly, with some requesting as much as $5 million annually, while others suggested creating a revolving $25 million fund to draw high-profile events to the county.
Among the passionate voices was Vicki Landon, who leads Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs. She passionately advocated for significant funding towards arts capital projects, emphasizing their potential impact.
Landon proposed a substantial investment ranging from $75 million to $100 million, earmarked for the county’s grant program review committee. This allocation, she explained, could generate $15 million to $20 million annually in arts capital projects over the next five years, fostering cultural growth and enhancing the community’s artistic landscape.
Alan Marshal, an environmental policy coordinator with the county’s Planning, Environmental and Development Services Department, asked the task force to support $5 million a year for his department’s request.
“Our request for the task force is for $5 million per year,” Marshal said.
The Tourist Development Tax — the county’s 6% “bed tax” on hotels and short-term rentals — can only be used for purposes tied to tourism. But some residents and task force members said the biggest shares often flow to the same destinations.
Task force member Doug Gomber said return on investment often drives the discussion, particularly which projects can deliver “heads in beds.”
“Those cultural people like the Philharmonic, Orlando Shakes, Wonderland of Ballet — those should be funded. Definitely,” Gomber said. “But are they putting as much heads in beds? No, that’s what the Civic Center, Camping World Stadium and all of them do.”
In recent years, the largest shares of Tourist Development Tax money have consistently gone to the Orange County Convention Center, Visit Orlando, and arts and sports grant programs.
Some task force members said state law limits what the county can do with the money and argued the rules should be changed in Tallahassee.
“I think we’d be having a whole different conversation if the law would allow us to do that,” Gomber said.
About 20 applicants are expected to go before the task force.
Brent Nelson, with the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, told the panel the region is competing for bigger events that come with higher costs.
“Orlando is leveling up. We’ve been recognized as the No. 1 city in America for sports events, and those new opportunities come with higher price tags,” Nelson said.
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