Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

A. MOTION TO APPROVE Tourist Development Tax Capital Challenge Grant Program request from the City of Miramar, Florida, in the amount of $300,000, for the construction of the back of house expansion project for the Miramar Amphitheater at Regional Park; authorizing the County Administrator to approve and execute an agreement using the standard contract form for the Cultural Incentive (Grant) and subsequent amendment(s) which do not increase the approved funding amount after approval as to form by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorizing the County Administrator to approve and execute an agreement substantially in the contract form approved for the Cultural Incentive (Grant) for the previously approved $200,000 general appropriation funds and amendment(s) which do not increase the approved funding amount after approval as to form by the Office of the County Attorney and take any necessary administrative and budgetary actions. (Commission District 8)

ACTION:  (T-10:26 AM)  Approved.  (See the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated Tuesday, June 5, 2018, submitted at the request of Commissioner Holness.)
 
VOTE: 6-0.  Commissioners Geller, Holness and Sharief were not present.

B. MOTION TO APPROVE Tourist Development Tax Capital Challenge Grant Program request from the Performing Arts Center Authority, in the amount of $500,000, for the renovation, restoration and expansion of the iconic Parker Playhouse (the Parker) in Fort Lauderdale; authorizing the County Administrator to approve and execute an agreement using the standard contract for the Cultural Incentive (Grant) and amendment(s) which do not increase the approved funding amount after approval as to form by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorizing the County Administrator to take any necessary administrative and budgetary actions. (Commission District 7)

ACTION:  (T-10:26 AM)  Approved.  (See the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated Tuesday, June 5, 2018, submitted at the request of Commissioner Holness.)
 
VOTE: 6-0.  Commissioners Geller, Holness and Sharief were not present.

Motions A and B: The Broward County Board of County Commissioners’ (Board) approval is required to allocate funding under the Tourist Development Tax Capital Challenge Grant Program (TDTCCGP).

Motions A and B: Allocates funding in the TDTCCGP for two projects.

Motion A:
The Board at its November 3, 2015 meeting (Item No. 7. B.) approved a TDTCCGP funding request from the City of Miramar in the amount of $377,016 for the initial construction of the Miramar Regional Park Cultural Amphitheater.

The Board at its August 22, 2017 (Item No. 128), directed the funding request for the back of the house expansion project for the Miramar Amphitheater at Regional Park in the amount of $500,000, for review by the Tourist Development Council (TDC).

The Board at its December 12, 2017 meeting (Item No. 64), adopted supplemental budget Resolution No. 2017-655 within the General Fund appropriating $200,000 for the construction of the back of house expansion project for the Miramar Amphitheater at Regional Park.

The Board at its February 27, 2018 meeting (Item No. 60), adopted Resolution 2018-057 which provides for a waiver of the Administrative Code. The Board approved the waiver of four provisions of Section 29.16. j. of Chapter 29 - Operational Policy, Councils, Boards, and Committees, Part II - Broward Cultural Council Incentive Program Guidelines of the Administrative Code (as delineated below), to allow the City of Miramar to apply for unused reserve (from previous grant cycles) TDTCCGP funds, under the terms and conditions as established by the program and these waivers, to provide $300,000 of funding for the construction of the back of house expansion project for the Miramar Amphitheater at Regional Park. The approved waivers were:

Section 29.16, j. 1(a)(2)(B), relating to applicants committing to have available a two-to-one cash match;
Section 29.16, j.1(a)(3), relating to applicants not having received TDTCCG funding from Broward County in the current or five previous County fiscal years;
Section 29.16, j.1(a)(5), relating to an applicant not applying for or being eligible to receive additional TDTCCG funding for the same project; and
Section 29.16, j.2(c), relating to the maximum award amount of $500,000 per applicant in a five-year period.

The Pre-Board Meeting Inquiries from the February 27, 2018 commission meeting include a request for the amount of remaining funds and a breakdown of what was previously funded. The County awarded $2,890,007 from Fiscal Years 2014-2017. For these fiscal years, the remaining balance is $1,109,993. The City of Miramar received funding in the amount of $377,016 on November 3, 2015 (Item No. 7.B.) from the TDTCCGP. The City of Miramar also received approval for a funding appropriation of $200,000 from the General Fund in the supplemental budget on December 12, 2017 (Item No. 64).

Motion B:
None.

CULTURAL DIVISION AND GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU (GFLCVB) RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

This item supports the Board's value of "Cultivating community culture, arts, recreation and life-long learning" and goals relating to providing diverse artistic, cultural, educational and historical amenities and programs that contribute to a vibrant, multi-cultural and economically-viable community.

Periodically, Broward County receives requests for financial assistance from its municipalities or non-profit organizations to support capital projects using proceeds from the Tourist Development Tax (TDT), which may be used for tourism-related purposes, including tourist-related projects.

The Board, at its August 20, 2013 budget workshop, directed staff to create the TDTCCGP. At the November 12, 2013 Public Hearing (Item No. 11), the Board adopted Resolution No. 2013-880 amending the Broward Cultural Council's Incentive (Grant) programs in the Administrative Code to create the TDTCCGP to provide capital funding to eligible organizations, which was added as Section 29.16. j. of Part II of Chapter 29. The Board subsequently amended that section to include additional involvement of the GFLCVB, including the tourism impact review report by the GFLCVB of the “bed nights” that are projected by the applicants.

Applicants must provide matching funds via cash contributions in a minimum ratio of 2:1. The cash match may include an applicant’s available cash on hand earmarked for the project; irrevocable contributions of cash that will be received and obligated by the end of the project period; and the cost of site acquisition (for the applicant-owned property) if acquired within three years prior to the date of application. In-kind match must be identified and may not exceed 30% of the total projected cost. The maximum amount for each award may not exceed $500,000.

The Board at its February 27, 2018 meeting (Item No. 60), adopted Resolution No. 2018-057 which approved for some waivers of the guidelines requirements in the Administrative Code. The Board approved waivers of four provisions of Section 29.16.j. of Chapter 29 - Operational Policy, Councils, Boards, and Committees, Part II - Broward Cultural Council Incentive Program Guidelines of the Administrative Code (as detailed on the Previous Action Taken section). Upon Board’s approval of Motion A, the City of Miramar will be allowed to receive $300,000 in additional funding, and will not be required to contribute a cash match due to the waivers.

The grant review panel for the FY2018 grant application cycle was held on April 19, 2018. The project applications (Exhibit 1) were reviewed and ranked on a High-Medium-Low-Non-Responsive/Ineligible basis by the panel (Exhibit 2). The review sheet used by the grant review panel included the tourism impact review report by GFLCVB of the "bed nights" that were projected by the applicants (Exhibit 3).

The review panel for the program consists of five members: one member who has served on the Broward Cultural Council (Council) for at least five consecutive years; one member who is the TDC liaison to the Council; and three members who are hoteliers identified by the TDC.

At the April 19, 2018 grants panel meeting, three panelists were present (a TDC liaison and a Council member, who served as the Chair at the meeting; a Council member who has served on the Council for at least five consecutive years; and a hotelier).

A complete summary of TDTCCGP awards (Exhibit 4) is included for reference.

Authorization is also being sought for the County Administrator to approve and execute the standard Cultural Incentives (Grants) form for both applicants for the TDTCCGP fund, and an additional agreement substantially in the contract form of the Cultural Incentive (Grants) with the City of Miramar for the $200,000 previously approved amount from the December 12, 2017 (Item No. 64) commission meeting.

Project Summaries:
MOTION A - City of Miramar, Florida
The project will consist of dressing rooms, restrooms, and offices for the general management staffing. Upon approval of funding and subsequent execution of the agreement(s) by the County Administrator, the City of Miramar will commence finalizing the specifications by procuring the services of an architectural/engineering firm to finalize plans.

MOTION B - Performing Arts Center Authority
This project will be the first restoration for the 51-year-old, heavily-used theater. The funding will support the renovation, restoration and expansion of the iconic Parker Playhouse, a 1,167-seat theater in Fort Lauderdale that has been a venerable and beloved venue for concerts, theater, comedy, and dance since 1967.

The capital project will restore the Parker to state-of-the-art and include extensive renovation or replacement of the existing building shell, mechanical and electrical systems, theatrical equipment, audio-visual systems and seating as well as the addition of approximately 15,000 square feet of new space, all of which will help ensure the venue can continue to attract artists and audiences and remain viable in the competitive arts and entertainment industry for years to come.

Jim Shermer, Grants Administrator, Cultural Division, (954) 357-7502