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Council slashes festival funds
By JAMES THORNER, Times Staff Writer NEW PORT RICHEY -- Fifteen annual special events in Pasco County, including the Chasco, Flapjack and Rattlesnake festivals, might have a harder time boosting crowds next year. On Monday, citing a dip in hotel tax collections since Sept. 11, Pasco County's Tourist Development Council cut its cash contribution to all festivals by 12 percent. That means events such as Dade City's Little Everglades Steeplechase and the Odessa Rodeo, which both wanted $15,000 from the county, will have to make do with $13,200 apiece. Chasco, the 10-day March extravaganza in New Port Richey, saw its grant money slip from $20,000 this year to $17,600 next year. The Hudson Seafest will receive $8,800 instead of this year's $10,000. November's Land O'Lakes Flapjack Festival will collect $4,400 instead of this year's $5,000. Also due $4,400 is the Dade Battle of Brilliance bicycle race. Festival organizers had sought $153,456 in county grants to promote their events. The tourist council let them split $70,000 for the budget year that begins Oct. 1, a $10,000 cut from this year's $80,000. Among those taking it hardest were promoters of up-and-coming events such as Steeplechase, who estimated they drew more than 13,000 to their third annual event in March. Race director Karen Streaker said she needs the money to expand advertising into Orlando, Ocala and Miami. Her goal: yearly crowds of 50,000. "Anything helps," Streaker said, after the cuts left her shaking her head in disappointment. "But . . . " The grants come from Pasco's 2 percent tax on hotel stays, a source of money squeezed by the collapse of tourism after Sept. 11. The county budgeted a hotel tax intake of $800,000 for 2001-02, but expects to collect little more than $650,000. Before slashing its offered support across the board, the tourist council debated whether to debate grant requests individually, the position of council members Ken Tracey and Jay B. Starkey Jr. Simply doling out money according to a formula "breeds mediocrity," Tracey said. Starkey suggested favoring events that help fill hotel rooms, as opposed to events frequented by locals making day trips.
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From today's Pasco Times Letters |
