TDC to fund fishing, festival, and more

The Tourist Development Council received approval from Jackson County Commissioners this week to help fund some local events and one other project.
TDC money is earned via a “bed tax” that local motel owners collect from their customers on the order of the county’s taxing authority.
TDC administrator Art Kimbrough and the council committee hope the events will bring overnight visitors to the area, thereby increasing the bed tax total.
The city of Graceville will get $2,000 to advertise and otherwise promote the Graceville Harvest Festival scheduled for October 18 this year.
A $1,000 contribution will go to the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce to help print 10,000 copies of a new official Jackson County map. The maps are being produced by the same entity that creates state maps for Visit Florida. Kimbrough, who is also the chamber CEO,  said correspondence concerning the maps will be going out soon to local businesses on chamber or TDC letter heads. Kimbrough or chamber staff member Mary Pettis may also be contacting them by phone.
The Florida Bass Federation, Inc., will get $3,500 to help promote a Florida Bass Federation Minn Cota Trail amateur tournament in March of next year at Lake Seminole. The event has been funded by the TDC for several years running. Kimbrough said it not only draws fishermen to Jackson County for the event itself, it also brings them here ahead of the tournament as the anglers do practice runs on the water to prepare. “It’s one of the most measurable profitable use of TDC funds that I know of,” Kimbrough said. “They stay in our hotels, they spend money a local businesses and clearly impact the local economy.”
The county also agreed to let TDC fund promotion of a bass tournament next weekend which is being put on by the similarly-named but separate Florida BASS Federation Nation.
The money, $3,500, was initially earmarked in error for the organization itself, but the funding agreement will be modified to actually give the money to the East Jackson County Development Council. The development council will use it to serve a dinner to the tournament hosts and take care of other tournament-related expenses, Kimbrough said.