[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6517465,"mediaKeyId","5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85","parentId",5418250,"title","TDC approves three event grants, tables feasibility funding request; minutes approved","audioSeconds",5079,"startMs",74000,"endMs",5153000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85&start=74&end=5153","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85/thumbnail_74000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6517465/Clay-County/Florida/TDC-approves-three-event-grants-tables-feasibility-funding-request-minutes-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6517465-377059b27db3b8240022a365604fa198/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583811&Signature=HUj1V55~veEEsCFi1-M6-Zdw6QsUHtokFKjbAV~oMUPiEsraGf1suqsDIjkFntXDIKZ66brkK1vWkeac9d6GqMc0bJGdJk0iB-6xYQge029Dp2C2xw6QM6yvMSNdtb7IMxL~yDQz3pa4PcaDS7AcWgFa~Ip475ivY9Riu0F1mB3-FqGxsaarX2OAtDRVxjImOy6jSu7y0jbBF-Y~Dbly75XdP4-2v-sdl~GMOhMexVYbpWH14oMnlJfQKXTV-wx2tk83fAW8bKSR48cc2L0MqqIBIS-rZyHuHLSPaLzNz5K-GfPTFiPzNv6Eamf3tZDOxfB5BUT12d14jyt2cPpIXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clay County","date","2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","article","The Tourist Development Council took several formal actions on July 16, 2025:

- Orange Park Fall Festival — Approved a $15,000 event marketing grant to the Town of Orange Park for the 43rd annual fall festival. The application scored 90% on the staff scoring sheet. Staff said this award, if granted, will be charged to the FY2025–26 TDC grant budget. Motion to approve carried unanimously.

- Clay County Pro Rodeo — Approved a $25,000 sports/event grant for the Clay County Pro Rodeo scheduled for September at the fairgrounds. Staff reported prior-year attendance in Placer reporting of about 8,500 visitors and said organizers reported 600 presale out‑of‑county ticket buyers. The board voted to approve the full $25,000; this award comes from the current fiscal year grant balance.

- Hub Pickleball (Hub at Orange Park Country Club) — Approved the staff recommendation to award $16,200 for a multi‑day pickleball tournament at the new Hub facility. Staff reported the club has 24 courts (16 covered) and that an earlier opening weekend drew more than 300 participants from 23 states in May. The award was approved as recommended and charged to the current fiscal year grant fund.

- Funding agreement with Clay County Economic Development Corporation (hotel feasibility study, Phase 2) — The council received a briefing that Phase 1 of a hotel feasibility study produced a positive outcome and that the Board of County Commissioners had authorized phase 2 to proceed. The TDC was asked to authorize a reimbursement of up to $130,000 from TDC funds to the county for the Phase 2 study. After questions from several members seeking direct briefings from the EDC and noting the size and sensitivity of the request, a motion to table the funding request passed. Staff noted tabling will preserve funds in reserves and that the county can return to the TDC after EDC briefings.

- Approval of minutes from May 7, 2025 — The council approved the May 7 meeting minutes by motion and second at the opening of the July 16 meeting.

Staff confirmed the grant fund balance before the meeting was $85,005; after the awards approved at this meeting staff reported a projected remaining balance of approximately $43,805 for the current fiscal year. Staff also noted the tentative grant budget for 2025–26 is $250,000 and suggested the board meet in August to finalize grant parameters in time for county budget timelines.

Vote tallies were conducted by voice and were recorded in the meeting as motions carried (unanimous where indicated) or tabled; detailed roll‑call tallies were not read into the public record for each action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Clay County - Tourist Development Council Jul 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Clay County Tourist Development Council approved three event grants totaling $56,200 and tabled a request to transfer up to $130,000 for a hotel feasibility study, while also approving May 7 meeting minutes.","taxTitle","Clay County, Florida","taxId",12757,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6517469,"Clay County TDC to tighten event-grant criteria and use Placer AI to measure return as staff prepare revamped guidelines",452,2901000,3353000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85&start=2901&end=3353","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85/thumbnail_2901000.jpg","/articles/6517469/Clay-County/Florida/Clay-County-TDC-to-tighten-event-grant-criteria-and-use-Placer-AI-to-measure-return-as-staff-prepare-revamped-guidelines","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6517469-bbe02aede718d5e88bd9b5f1214911ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583811&Signature=F-H-0MeBtvS4LttNuLUxqP97YAqL8mTMWfEljRXLGlVY6W8avr8DhAdXxTW4~AK8Co5RU8y8RyPzYXceUzLiqIsncm2jePjqZizRdmEQFvIo79K3iikvviH5gsOG4-u3MkHtP6Q-~RRRXv3xygpajzVhf--ExuNE3zGHxMb5K4LXJwTvaG4Wwx7Fty5qwFsxfQOpl-Yt39KzTlS9XGq3FsvX7HloWzUideWVcoViow6dFg2RGoaX-J7mPyspmdDkDDCv2cRzRId0UtRTd7OETbvmQSB6kOEfWDBIRsckG3nubMVykdnNwfoBmjGg2hOvWhv5W102eAWpylqgt2ut4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Teddy Meyer, Clay County director of tourism, told the Tourist Development Council on July 16 that staff will bring a reworked set of event‑grant parameters, categories and deliverables to the board in September (staff offered to move the discussion to late August to align with county budget timelines).

Meyer said the goal is to increase transparency and fiscal accountability by clarifying which events belong in each grant category (sports grants, signature events, product development and sponsorships) and by tightening post‑event deliverables for recipients. \"We've gotta just do a better job of tightening this thing up, and more so on the fiscal responsibility,\" Meyer said.

Staff outlined several analytic and policy tools they plan to use. They will expand use of Placer AI foot‑traffic reports combined with hotel room‑night data to estimate event impacts (origin ZIP codes, dwell time, demographic profiles). Staff demonstrated sample outputs: Orange Park Fall Festival registered roughly 32,000 visits with an average dwell time of about 74 minutes in prior reporting; the county reported the Rodeo at the Ranch sold roughly 2,000 tickets (event max capacity 3,000) and that the Pro Rodeo event reported roughly 8,500 visitors and an average dwell time of about 148 minutes in prior year Placer reporting.

Teddy and staff emphasized that not all events should be evaluated the same way — signature, community and sport events have different goals — but said the board should be able to compare applications against clear buckets of expected outcomes and required deliverables. Staff said previous product development grants (for example, work funded for the Bartram Trail Society) would continue but be subject to clearer milestones and reporting.

Several commissioners and board members suggested building in incentives or tiered payments tied to outcomes (for example, additional grant dollars if documented room nights or external ZIP‑code attendees exceed thresholds). Staff also said they will present strategies for a possible increase to the grant budget and timing to match the county's budget adoption cycle; staff noted the TDC budget for grants in 2025–26 is currently set at $250,000.

Meyer asked the board to expect a structured discussion in August or September and invited members to review sample Placer reports prior to the meeting.","Director of Tourism Teddy Meyer said staff will return in August/September with revised grant parameters and reporting requirements intended to increase transparency, prioritize events that produce room nights and use analytics (Placer AI and hotel data) to measure impact.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6517473,"Clay County re-engages Airstream Ventures to expand sports events; staff cite airport and parking as key hurdles",303,1250000,1553000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85&start=1250&end=1553","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85/thumbnail_1250000.jpg","/articles/6517473/Clay-County/Florida/Clay-County-re-engages-Airstream-Ventures-to-expand-sports-events-staff-cite-airport-and-parking-as-key-hurdles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6517473-29f3a8cd6b86ffca6f6fcfb9a2ce8084/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583811&Signature=RSsXNuOctQll2tYvLb7y5rINz86bO2UIbgqcYWd~gQShdKf1embPSUm3U1fOrD2rvMzuQCuuMr9Q6Ulkfq9fO8ke1ETN8BZgqcUxffeKVzTS7x1Du0si9oYsOKFfDwSPTfcmB1kQ1vv6YEWWVDW-3bpALjeh7TFbw~aIXbZA9LMkbVjsUpWI0rRr6I6OvBscMFYETixz0AhdfcM6rmQGUyl7v4NtfgLcCb58W6npJ4f~maoD4vH4MXTQCozRqmZqR9Fmx9tyKY~Ae2CzPEPyVfZB85fmD~UH-iFXKNpbDu8SqXNvsl~gJS8mYsyGKKEhFXXy4-KA-eIo-Gxl5DvCQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alan Verlander, principal with Airstream Ventures, told the Tourist Development Council on July 16 that his firm has resumed work under a new contract to market sporting events to Clay County and that his team will add personnel in Tampa, Orlando and Colorado Springs to pursue events, including Olympic-governing-body events.

\"The airport is really our biggest, hurdle,\" Verlander said, explaining that some event rights holders prefer locations with closer commercial air service. He told the council the firm is also focusing on driving events that are within a few hours'drive of Clay County.

Council members and staff discussed facility readiness and operational constraints. Verlander and county staff said the regional sports complex now has field inventory that it lacked previously; Justin (director of parks and recreation) described a \"crawl, walk, run\" approach to opening fields and said seasonal limitations have been relaxed as the grass establishment progressed. County staff and the consultant said existing grant programs and a competitive incentives package make Clay County more attractive to rights holders than in prior years.

Tedd y Meyer, director of tourism, and Verlander both emphasized the need for creativity when staging niche competitions (for example triathlons or waterfront events) and for working directly with rights holders on visioning for how events would operate within existing parking and staging constraints. Verlander said the county's grant program is a strength: \"We have a very robust grant program here, that is one of the better ones in the state, if not in the South,\" he said.

Staff said they already have several events interested in relocating to Clay County and expect a ramp-up in sports bookings; the county's event grant budget was discussed as part of that planning, with staff noting a proposed sports/grant budget for 2025–26 of $250,000 and that current-year grant funds remain available for events under this fiscal year.

The council and staff discussed operational needs that could improve marketability, including additional parking for large tournaments and coordination with airport and transportation partners to address access for larger, non-drivable events. Verlander and staff said they will pursue targeted trade shows and sports-industry conferences to reconnect relationships and re-establish event pipelines that waned when the contract lapsed previously.

Council members asked about lost events during the contract gap; Verlander said relationship-driven cancellations can be reversed quickly by outreach, and staff described tactical steps to re-engage event owners and rights holders at upcoming industry conferences.","County and new Airstream Ventures representatives discussed a renewed contract to bring more sporting events to Clay County, pointing to the county's sports complex, an active grants program and the need to address airport access and parking to attract larger national events.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6517477,"Explore Clay reports 6.2 million ad impressions, 70,000 website visits in April–June campaign",676,113000,789000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85&start=113&end=789","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5418250-164853a94832dd6b937a94eaafb53b85/thumbnail_113000.jpg","/articles/6517477/Clay-County/Florida/Explore-Clay-reports-62-million-ad-impressions-70000-website-visits-in-AprilJune-campaign","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6517477-6c149cd4934d894c6782b245b4f37995/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583811&Signature=IbZDS4hmzzHg3CdcEQPWRnx7ipzrQJ759mW~2V-EYv6wvbwmNEoUjX4M1IqFWaSM8qVIK7kWG-2Ze~TlW~wmdxZgfynm3LDMSOwZ9mXckhIxlJgLu5JevMER7uA3jlj2t4tZ5I5zbmaQZwvhzXrr6-1GAGaaiDLovPumQ8Onjb8lIWD2FNN5cXJOxM8ItJLCm~WVwnqGfCsYn96cUxbZAy9nvPo8qJkL-azCor6AXJagMK~30DR3E4nM0rvDtb6tMo7do0~O1ZEcBC19zxgYZ771s9tdmLIYJupajlT7DL~TbjU-kIXXquAPwen-b7~CIZsxxIW-kV5HrePaRDQpgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kyle Stichtenot, senior director for Advanced Travel and Tourism and account manager for the Explore Clay/Clay County tourism account, told the Tourist Development Council on July 16 that the agency’s April–June campaign delivered 6,200,000 impressions and brought roughly 70,000 people to ExploreClay.com.

\"All of that website traffic was quality engaged traffic,\" Stichtenot said, summarizing the quarter’s results. He and campaign manager Brooke Epps credited a mix of video, audio, social and targeted email for the gains.

Campaign specialists reported several specific performance metrics. Brooke Epps said video ads performed strongly: \"Over a 117,000 of our video ads were watched in full, whether that was 1 minute, 30 seconds, or 15 seconds.\" Social posts generated heavy engagement — the team reported about 151,000 post engagements across platforms — and audio ads delivered very high completion rates on Spotify.

The team highlighted a targeted email effort aimed at the Orlando market. Stichtenot said the campaign sent two emails to the same 35,000 addresses and achieved a 48% open rate; he contrasted that with an industry open-rate benchmark he cited as roughly 20%.

Marketing staff also previewed partnerships and creative assets. Stichtenot said angler and television host Misty Wells filmed in Clay County and that the program is in editing; \"we expect that it's going to air on Sunday, September 7, but sometimes things can get caught up in editing,\" he said. The agency said it will receive B-roll from the Misty Wells shoot for future marketing use.

On website performance, Brooke Epps reported outbound partner referral clicks of more than 1,000 in the quarter and a year‑over‑year increase in new users of 84% (about 47,649 additional new users). Page views were up roughly 223% year over year — an additional ~214,000 page views — which Epps attributed in part to frequent content updates by the Clay County tourism team.

The presentation urged continued collaboration between county staff and the contractor on creative sourcing, asset use and future targeted flights. Council members asked about how the email audience was obtained and whether the Misty Wells placement was paid; staff said the email list comes from a vendor and that the Misty Wells collaboration was a paid partnership that was vetted for relevance and authenticity.

The contractor closed by recommending further use of the new creative assets and additional targeted placements to convert interest into visits and bookings.","Marketing contractor Advanced Travel and Tourism told the Clay County Tourist Development Council that a spring campaign generated 6.2 million impressions, about 70,000 visits to ExploreClay.com and large gains in new users and page views; staff and contractors highlighted paid influencer content and new creative assets.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

TDC approves three event grants, tables feasibility funding request; minutes approved

Clay County TDC to tighten event-grant criteria and use Placer AI to measure return as staff prepare revamped guidelines

Clay County re-engages Airstream Ventures to expand sports events; staff cite airport and parking as key hurdles

Explore Clay reports 6.2 million ad impressions, 70,000 website visits in April–June campaign