Key West Botanical Garden In The News
Tourism projects include reef, arts
Tourism projects include reef, arts
August 05, 2006
TDC districts allocate capital funds
Citizen Staff
Thank tourists for $1.9 million in upcoming projects countywide, including a living reef exhibit, expanded tropical gardens and an artists' community.
It's tourism tax dollars that help fund the projects under the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the county's tourism agency. A bed-tax of four cents per dollar is collected at lodgings Keyswide, and the TDC oversees spending of three of those four cents. The fourth cent goes to county coffers.
This week, the TDC's five district committees allocated $1.9 million in capital funds, which represent 25 percent of the previous year's bed-tax revenues.
The Key West district dominated in allotted funds — as well as applicants for the projects — which in turn are meant to attract more visitors to the area. Harold Wheeler, director of the TDC, annually bemoans the lack of applicants in other districts.
"When resources aren't used, we go back out again [for applicants]," he said, noting no one applied for the Lower Keys district's $130,284 in capital money. "If we have a lot of resources, and they don't apply, you want to go back out again and give everybody the opportunity to participate."
The 25 percent portion of bed-tax revenues is divided among the five TDC districts proportionally according to how much tax revenue was generated in each. Applicants must be able to match the TDC monies.
Key West's portion this go-round was $1.79 million; all 12 applicants were approved for the amount they requested.
"[The Lower Keys district] has a hard time finding capital projects, with the growth issues there," Wheeler said. That district runs from the Cow Key Bridge up to Mile Marker 47.
Among the more expensive capital awards in Key West was $380,000 toward a 2.5 acre expansion at the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden on Stock Island. According to Carolann Sharkey, president of the nonprofit's board, the entire project will cost about $2.5 million.
"We're going to have two new freshwater ponds, 20 feet of elevated boardwalks, beautiful wildlife bird-viewing stations, and we're bringing in a rare collection of plants that once lived in freshwater habitats," Sharkey said. "Plus we're bringing back all the orchids and epiphytes [air plants] that used to live in the area."
Development has destroyed many of the rare native plants' habitats over the years, she said.
"We're so excited," Sharkey said. "Can you imagine going on elevated walkways over water? It's going to be spectacular."
Landscape architect Raymond Jungles is working on the project, Sharkey said. Jungles recently won his third Fred Stressau Award for best Florida landscape of the year from the state's chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He charges $30,000 for a conceptual plan and an hourly rate of $280, according to a May 7 article in The Miami Herald.
The Studios of Key West, a nonprofit set up to create an artists' community, was awarded $234,147 to outfit the city's Armory building at White and Southard streets as an auditorium/exhibition space, and $27,850 for similar work at Old City Hall, according to Lynn Smith, interim director. Ann Henderson, president of the Rodel Foundation-Florida, is also on the board of The Studios of Key West. Rodel is providing the major funding for the project, Smith said.
"It gives a lot of image to our marketing that we're a cultural community," Wheeler said of the planned artists' community.
Another big-money award, $200,000, went to Mote Marine Laboratory's Living Reef Project. Marine biologist David Vaughan said the live displays will be in the Dr. Nancy Foster Florida Keys Environmental Complex at Truman Annex.
"It's going to be everything related to the reef that Mote does in science research for the Keys that's used by resource managers," said Vaughan, who is executive director of the Keys' field offices, Mote Tropical Research Lab in Summerland Key and Key West. "We'll be doing work on culturing coral, ... sea urchins and conch."
The two-year project is expected to begin in September, Vaughan said.
The Marathon TDC district approved one $47,200 project out of its available $259,279 in capital funds. The Dolphin Research Center will use its allocation to repair hurricane damage to awnings, docks and a seawall.
Islamorada also had only one allocation: The Village was awarded $59,408 out of the district's available $620,229 for cleaning and trash removal at its beaches and beach park facilities. Monroe County applied for funds in the Key Largo district to revamp the Harry Harris Park tidal pool; $40,554 was awarded for the project out of the district's $629,777 in funding.
The initial approvals, which must be vetted by the TDC's main board and the County Commission, leave the following in unallocated capital funding: Key West, none; Lower Keys, $130,284; Marathon, $212,079; Islamorada, $560,821; Key Largo, $589,223. A new TDC rule developed last year allows districts to eventually transfer a portion of unspent capital funds into their advertising budgets if no more applicants can be found.
Fiscal year 2007 for the TDC begins Oct. 1 this year and ends Sept. 30, 2007.
Stacy W. Rodriguez is business editor for The Citizen. Contact her at