Despite qualms, tourism panel recommends major events grants for air show, powerboat races

An advisory panel unanimously recommended approval of Brevard County tourism "major events grants" for the Cocoa Beach Air Show in April and the Thunder on Cocoa Beach powerboat races in May.

But panel members say they weren't happy with the applications submitted by the event organizers — and advised that the organizers need to do better if they want another grant in the following year.

"I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the applications," said Cultural Committee member David Schillhammer. "I kept thinking: 'Where's the beef?' It was just disappointing all around."

Criticisms from committee members included the brevity and lack of thoroughness and data in the written applications.

The Cocoa Beach Air Show — which will feature the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as the headline act — was recommended for a Space Coast Office of Tourism major events grant totaling $87,852.20. Thunder on Cocoa Beach was recommended for a grant totaling $53,795.80.

Under grant guidelines, the grant amounts represent 20% of the total operating expenses of each of those events.

The recommendations were unanimously approved Thursday by the Tourist Development Council's Cultural Committee. They still must be approved by the Tourist Development Council itself at its Nov. 16 meeting and by the Brevard County Commission in December.

Air show plan: Thunderbirds to headline Cocoa Beach Air Show, prompting ask for big tourism grant

Funding for the grants comes from Brevard County's 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms and other short-term rentals.

Although the Cultural Committee members were enthused about the events and their positive impacts on local tourism, they were less than thrilled about the quality of the applications and incompleteness of some answers.

Cultural Committee Chair Andrea Young said a one-sentence or two-sentence answer to a question doesn't cut it.

Other committee members said they thought many of the applicants for smaller tourism cultural grants — which were filled out by representatives of local arts and cultural organizations — did a better job in submitting their grant requests than the promoters of the air show and powerboat races did. The smaller cultural grants that previously were approved ranged from $10,000 to $20,000 apiece.

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"I felt the smaller organizations had to provide a lot more information and data," Cultural Committee member Aaron Collins said. "I feel we should expect a little more information and thoroughness in these (major events) grant applications in the future."

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds — one of the world's most famous air demonstration teams — will be the showcase performers for the Cocoa Beach Air Show.

The Thunderbirds will perform in their F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets over the ocean for the show, scheduled for April 14 and 15.

They were last in Brevard for 2021 Cocoa Beach Air Show, held April 17 and 18.

Bryan Lilley, chairman of the National Air, Sea and Space Foundation, promoter of the Cocoa Beach Air Show, said he expects additional performers for the show to be announced in December, in conjunction with the International Council of Air Shows Convention.

Representatives of the National Air, Sea & Space Foundation made an in-person presentation in September to the Cultural Committee, seeking a major events grant, along with submitting its written grant application.

So did the Space Coast Super Boats LLC, which is the promoter for the Thunder on Cocoa Beach powerboat races and related events, scheduled for May 18-21.

The powerboat races will be held Sunday, May 21. The course will run from the Cocoa Beach Pier to Minutemen Causeway.

This will be the 13th such event to be held in Cocoa Beach over the past 14 years. There was no race in 2020 because of COVID-19.

Additionally, there will be a kickoff party at Juice 'N Java in downtown Cocoa Beach on May 18; a block party in downtown Cocoa Beach and a VIP party at Coconuts on the Beach on May 19; and a racer village "meet, greet and mingle" reception with the racers at Port Canaveral on May 20. Plans for a concert during the race weekend also are being developed.

Lilley told the Cultural Committee members after their vote and after their criticism of his organization's application that "we hear you loud and clear" about beefing up his written submission in the future.

But Lilley added that he felt the committee members already were well aware of "more established" large events like his, in comparison with some of the smaller organizations applying for cultural grants.

That includes the air show's reputation, and its positive impact on generating hotel room rentals.

"You know us," Lilley said.

But Cultural Committee member Juliet Misconi responded that no grant applicant "should assume that we know enough about their show or their program, that we're just going to score them, based on their reputation and history alone."

Despite their criticism, eight of the nine committee members gave both the air show and the powerboat races scores of 80 or higher on their applications.

Young was the exception, giving the air show a 59 and the powerboat races a 17.

"I am being the wicked witch, and I don't mean to be that," Young said during the committee meeting.

"We can't judge on the experience" the events provide, Young said.

Although both promoters "put on fantastic shows," Young said. "We have to judge on what we have here" in the applications.

Young was absent from the Sept. 15 Cultural Committee meeting at which the applicants gave their in-person presentations.

Some other committee members said those presentations — as well as written answers by the air show and powerboat race promoters to follow-up questions committee members submitted — helped boost the applicants' scores.

"The presentations were great," Cultural Committee member Bonnie King said, adding that it's important to keep these events on the Space Coast.

"The hotels love it. The hotels endorse it," King said. "I am just thrilled that we have both of these."

Cultural Committee Vice Chair Jim Platman agreed, saying: "It would be a disservice to the county" if these events weren't here.

Collins noted that "both of these events are incredible events, but you've got to do better with the applications."

The committee must "maintain the integrity of this program," Cultural Committee member Kim Agee said.

Cultural Committee members plan to review the grant application process early next year, in preparation for the next major events grant cycle.

Thunder on Cocoa Beach received a $73,000 major events grant for its 2022 event, held in May.

There was no Cocoa Beach Air Show last year.

But the Space Coast International Air Show at Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville received a $73,000 major events grant for its 2022 show, held May 21 and 22. The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team headlined that show, which the National Air, Sea and Space Foundation partnered with the Titusville-based Valiant Air Command to produce.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bydaveberman.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Cocoa Beach Air Show, Thunder on Cocoa Beach win grant support