TDC Minutes 04/16/2024May 1 ,2024 rev.
Aprrl 16,2024
MINUTES OFTHE COLLIER COUNTY
TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEETING
Naples, Florida, April 16.2024
LET IT BE REMEMBERED the Collier County Tourist Development Council, in and for the
County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:00 a.m. in REGULAR
SESSION a|3299 Tamiami Trail East, 3rd Floor, Naples, Florida, with the following members
present:
Commissioner Rick LoCastro, Chairman
Clark Hill, Vice Chairman
Jared Grifoni, Councilor
Susan Becker
Nancy Kems
Edward (Ski) Otesky
Michael McComas
Bill Kramer (arrived approx. 9:20 a.m.)
AI,SO PRESENT:
Jay Tusa, Tourism Director
Sandra fuos, CVB PR & Communications Manager
Colleen Greene, Attomey, Collier County
Buzzy Ford, Tourism
Carol Obermeier, Director of Air Service, RSW
Andy Miller, Manager, Coastal Zone Management
Joseph St. Germain, President, Downs & St. Germain Research
Cyndy Munieta, Vice President of Media, Paradise Advertising
Mackenzie Comerer, Vice President, Lou Hammond Group
Enriqueta Balandra, Senior Project Manager, Miles Partnership
Amanda Townsend, Director, Collier County Museums
Anyone wlto needs a verbatim record of the meeting mq) request o video recordingfrom the
Collier Counly Communicotions & Customer Relations Department or view it online.
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1. Call to Order: The meeting was called 1o order at 9:00 a.m
Pledge of Allcgiance: Led by Jay Tusa.
Roll Call
Agenda and Minutes:
a. Changes and Approval ofToday's Agenda
Move item 6,4l and 6A2 to New Business.
Jared Grifoni made a motion to approve the changes to the agenda. The motion
was seconded by Clark Hill.
The motion passed unanimously 7-0.
b. Approval of the March 19,2024, TDC Meeting Minutes
Michael McComas made a motion to approve the minutes. The motion was seconded
by Nancy Kerns.
The motion passed unanimously 7-0.
Presentations
a. Executive Director Update: Jay Tusa gave a welcoming statement and the
opportunity to serve as the Tourism Director lor Collier County.
b. RSW April2024 Presentation: Carol Obermeier, Director of Air Service at RSW;
PowerPoint Presentation. Delta is the number one carrier; Southwest second; and
close behind those is United Airlines. Added another Canadian carrier, Porter
Airlines. We serve non-stop 68 destinations with l5 cariers. Breeze Airlines flies
non-stop twice a week to Las Vegas. Arthrex global traveler numbers influenced
United Airlines to fly to San Francisco and Los Angeles. At RSW, we are in Phase
One ofconsolidating checkpoints for three concourses; bumping out the terminal to
make room for more concessions; Phase Two - concourse E will have 14 gates.
Aircraft noise complaints - yes, we get complaints. There are a lot of communities
building around the airport. Ms. Obermeier will send Commissioner LoCastro an air
service update by city and by airline. Commissioner LoCastro compliments the
cleanliness of the airport.
Bill Kramer arrived; is the newest member of the Board and gave a brief introduction
6. Consent Agenda
7.New Business:
Recommendation to approve a work order with APTIM Environmental and
Infrastructure Inc. to provide professional engineering services for the 2024-
2025 Park Shore Renourishment Project under Contract No. 18-7432-C Z
for time and material not to exceed 5102,117.70, authorize the Chairman to
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April 16,2024
execute the work order, and make a finding that this item promotes tourism
(Fund 1105, Project No. 90067). Andy Miller, Manager, Coastal Zone
Management. PowerPoint Presentation. Nancy Kems made a motion to approve
the work order. The motion was seconded by Clark Hill.
The motion passed unanimously 8-0.
b. Recommendation to approve the First Amendment to the Tourist Development
Council Grant Agreement based on updated requests from the City of Naples
for FY20-2024 in the amount of $2,500,000, budget these expenditures,
approve any required budget amendments and make a finding that these
expenditures promote tourism. Chad Menitt, Director of Parks, Recreation and
Facilities, City of Naples. We have three Category A grant applications today.
The first one is Loudermilk Park. Currently we are getting ready to do parking lot
maintenance ofabout $200,000. The second one is the Naples beach maintenance
which is typically $200,000 but we have requested an increase to $500,000. This
is daily maintenance on the beach - we have 40 public beach accesses, and we are
having to rebuild all ofthose, and the operational costs came in at about
$2,000,000, and these funds would help ollset some ofour costs. Our operational
costs are $1.3 million per year. The third one is the Naples Pier. We have paid
$ I .4 million for the design, which is now done. We estimate the project to be
between $20-23 million. We are estimating FEMA to be around $10 million; we
are looking at $5 million out of the beach fund balance, $5 million from the State.
We are coming to you as another partner in this project.
Clark Hill: I need some clarification on the requests and the increased numbers.
These are one-year requests except for the advance on the pier.
Chad Merritt: Correct. We ask that it be increased over the next five years and those
funds to be advanced. For the next five years, we won't be asking lor funding for the
Naples Pier. Yes, this would be reimbursable.
Nancy Kerns: Could you be a little more specific about Lowdermilk Park?
Chad Merritt: It will be repaved, restriped and renumbered.
Commissioner LoCastro: What concept did you settle on for the design?
Chad Merritt: The pier will still be 1,000 feet long. We added some bump-outs all
the way down; I believe there will be 16, so when you are walking to and from it
won't be as narrow. We kept the pier at the same level; the shelter at the end will
be larger but we raised it so that we will have ADA ramps that go up to it. It will
only be about 36-42 inches higher.
Susan Becker: The pier is the number one attraction for tourists.
Susan Becker made a motion to approve. The motion was seconded by Jared
Grifoni.
The motion passed unanimously 8-0.
Tourist Development Council (TDC) to review and make a recommendation
on the application of Nancy Hopkins Kerns for appointment to an additional
term on the Tourist Development Council. Clark Hill made a motion to
approve. Michael McCornas seconded the motion.
The motion possed unanimously 8-0.
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d. Tourist Development Council (TDC) to review and make a recommendation
on the application of Laura Radler for appointment to a new term on the
Tourist Development Council. The current term of Amanda Cox, (JW
Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort), expires on April2l,2024. Clark Hill
made a motion to approve. Nancy Kerns seconded the motion.
The motion passed unanimously 8-0.
c. Old Business: None
f. Marketing Partner Reports:
a. Joseph St. Germain, President, Downs & St. Germain Research
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
b. Cyndy Murrieta, Vice President olMedia, Paradise Advertising
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
Mackenzie Comerer, Vice President, Lou Hammond Group
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
e. Amanda Townsend, Director, Collier County Museums
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
g. Tourism Staff Reports:
Included in your packet. Jay Tusa - a quick update on the tax revenue for February
2024, we collected $6,538,444; year to date we are at $16,790,644. There are staff
reports for you to read at your leisure.
h. Council Member Discussion:
Michael McComas - it was fascinating to see that the two tribes; they are cousins but
very different. The Seminoles and the Miccosukees are well related and intermanied
in a lot ofinstances, but they are separale and distinct units. The Seminoles are the
biggest gambling operation in the state of Florida and are also the largest cattle
ranchers in the State of Florida.
Susan Becker: Commissioner, earlier you talked about the signage for the Paradise
Sports Complex. Do you have a progress report on that? Marissa Baker, Regional
Manager, Paradise Coast - construction is scheduled to begin in June with completion
in August.
Rick Locastro, closing remarks: I don't care what you wear to this meeting, just
come to it. Look at how much important information was given to us. There are
exciting things on the horizon. And spread the good news. Interact with Jay. Ifyou
have someone you think we would want to hear from that is not on the agenda, drop a
line to the stafl even if it isjust an idea - for instance a restaurant or hotel industry.
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d. Enriqueta Balandra, Senior Project Manager, Miles Partnership
PowerPoint Presentalion presented.
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Next Scheduled Meeting: May 21,2024
Adjournment: Meeting adior"rrned at 1l:00 a.m.
There being no further business for the good ofthe County, the meeting was adjoumed by order ofthe
chairman at I I :00 a.m.
COI,I,IF],R COI]NTY'to Ti NT COUNCIL
Comm issio k LoCastro, Chairman
These minutep were approved by the Chairman on
Dresented. -F- or as arnended
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