Tourist council agrees to expo but not film

LECANTO -- The Citrus County Tourist Development Council agreed Wednesday to spend $2,861 to partner with Nature Coast Visitor's Guide Inc. to organize a one-day Tourism 2003 Expo on April 26 at the Crystal River Armory.

The event would be geared to Earth Day and Tourism Month. Council members thought the expo, and its timing, worked well with the county's focus on nature-based tourism.

Local tourism businesses will be able to purchase booth space at the event, which will be advertised inside and outside the county. Organizers also will make sure businesses outside Citrus that might bring tourists to the community know about the expo.

Later in their meeting Wednesday, council members soundly rejected spending money for another project.

Representatives from the Florida Museum of Natural History were seeking $25,000 from the council in exchange for the council being a sponsor for a film about tarpon fishing, manatees, whooping cranes and other features of Citrus.

A big chunk of the county's contribution would have gone to tag tarpon for a research study, an expenditure county tourism manager Mary Craven said was not an allowable expense.

"There is no doubt from the images that you do beautiful work, but frankly, I don't think we have the money for it," council member Sam Lyons said.

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