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PGA lobbies Pinellas

Early edition

By BOB HARIG
Published January 10, 2007

CLEARWATER — PGA Tour marketing executives lobbied Pinellas County tourism officials Wednesday for $4-million, funding they say is necessary to help secure the future of the local professional golf tournament beyond this year.

A presentation to the Tourist Development Council sought $2-million for this year’s PGA event — formerly known as the Chrysler Championship — and another $2-million for 2008.

For now, the March 8-11 event at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor is being called the Tampa Bay Championship. Its status beyond this year is uncertain without additional sponsors, including a title sponsor.

“This is not meant as a threat of any kind, but if we don’t secure the long-term future of this tournament, then we won’t be playing here,” said Jon Podany, senior vice president of business development for the PGA Tour.

The tournament, played in October for the past few years, was moved to a more prestigious date during the tour’s early season swing through Florida. Chrysler, however, dropped out as the primary sponsor after last year, putting the tournament in its present predicament.

Podany said the cost of sponsoring a PGA Tour event averages nearly $7-million per year. The money pays for the $5.3 million in prize money, television production, advertising costs and tournament operations.

The tournament gives any proceeds to local charities.

Pinellas County, according to Podany, would get substantial exposure through advertising and media coverage of the event in return for the funding.

The tour’s pitch included an offer of 16 30-second advertising spots for the county on the Golf Channel and NBC-TV. The tour telecasts go to 140 countries, and Internet, magazine and newspaper stories also would bring attention to the area.

The Pinellas County Commission will ultimately decide if Suncoast Golf gets the money. Susan Latvala, a Pinellas County commissioner, said the information was presented to the Tourist Development Council so it could research the tour’s pitch and offer its professional opinion on whether the county should spend taxpayer dollars on a golf tournament.

Latvala acknowledged the need to promote tourism in Pinellas County and keep the golf tournament, but she said it could take a while before deciding whether to approve the funds.

“That’s the challenge. We don’t do anything fast,” she said. “We’re just starting conversations for next year’s budget. I don’t see how it could happen before this year’s tournament. But it’s very important to keep the tournament in the county and promote our tourism industry.”

While in town, tour officials were also meeting with a potential local title sponsor, although they would not disclose the name of the company. Latvala said the fact that a local company is being courted for title sponsorship “makes it more promising.”

Several members of the council, however, questioned whether the investment was worth it.

Bill Foster, a St. Petersburg city councilman, brought up a point that is a factor at every PGA Tour event: Will all the best known players, the ones that draw the biggest crowds and TV audiences, show up.

“If you could assure us that Tiger (Woods), Phil (Mickelson), Vijay (Singh) and Ernie (Els) will be here. . . .” he said.

[Last modified January 10, 2007, 22:00:03]