OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Downtown Development Board Meeting Summary – May 18, 2026

Clearwater Municipal Meetings — Monday, May 18, 2026
BodyClearwater, Florida
SessionClearwater Municipal Meetings
DateMonday, May 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:48:37

Transcript — Verbatim
0:23

We'll move to item 2.1 on the agenda.

0:26

Approve the minutes for the April 2026 downtown development board meeting.

0:32

So approvement 2.1.

0:36

Second.

0:36

All those in favor?

0:37

Aye.

0:38

Opposed.

0:40

Unanimous.

0:41

Move to agenda item 2.2, approve the minutes of the May 4, 2026.

0:46

So move.

0:47

Second.

0:48

All those in favor?

0:50

Aye.

0:50

Opposed.

0:51

Unanimous.

0:52

Move to item three on the agenda.

0:53

Are there any citizens here today who desire to be heard on a downtown development board?

0:59

Uh issue that is not on today's agenda.

1:06

Approve a high impact grant funding request for Clearwater Jazz Holiday in an amount not to exceed $30,000 for the Clearwater Jazz Holiday event October 15th to the 18th, 2026 in Coach Moon Park.

1:19

Good afternoon, Ann Lopez, CRA Assistant Director.

1:22

Today I'm presenting a funding request from Clearwater Jazz Holiday for the 26th event season.

1:28

The 26th Clearwater Jazz Holiday is scheduled for October 15th through the 18th at Coachman Park.

1:35

The event will continue utilizing the green space with the designated general admission, reserved seating, and VIP areas.

1:44

Ticket prices ranging from approximately 44 for general admission and up to 224 dollars for VIP.

1:53

Portions of this festival will remain free and open to the public, which will be side viewing areas and the bluff overlooking the green.

2:02

At the board's March 3rd, 2025 meeting, there was consensus that was reached to explore the possibility of a multi-year funding agreement with Clearwater Jazz Holiday.

2:14

Since that time, staff from Parks and Recreation and CRA have met with event organizers to review operational needs, funding structure, and potential partnership opportunities.

2:41

While the board does have discretion to approve a different amount or consider a high a multi-year commitment, future funding would remain subject to annual budget approval.

2:54

The applicant has submitted a total request of 148,000.

2:59

Of that, 140,000 is for the October Clearwater Jazz event and 8,000 is for the CJH presents holiday experience event in December.

3:12

Staff has reviewed both requests and has determined that the holiday experience does not meet the threshold requirement for high impact grant funding.

3:20

Staff's recommendation is that the applicant submit a special a separate DDB funding application for that event.

3:48

Clearwater Jazz Holiday received a 125,000 grant from the DDB to support their four-day event in 2025 and also received a 75,000 dollar grant from Visit St.

4:02

Pete Clearwater for marketing tourism sponsorship and other related event expenses.

4:08

Clearwater Jazz Holiday does anticipate applying for that funding again.

4:48

After reviewing the application and the current policy framework, staff is recommending approval of a funding not to exceed $30,000 for the October 26th Clearwater Jazz Holiday event.

5:01

This recommendation is consistent with the DDB's existing high impact co-sponsorship policy and would support eligible expenses such as entertainment, production, marketing, security, insurance, and other related event operations.

5:16

And with that, I would like to invite Steve Weinberger from Clearwater Jazz Holiday to present and answer any questions.

5:33

Thank you, Ann.

5:35

And good afternoon, everybody.

5:36

Appreciate the opportunity to be here.

5:39

We truly appreciate the partnership we've had with the city and with the DDB, and we're here today to build on that partnership in a way that is mutually beneficial to both the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and the City of Clearwater.

5:52

As we've done the last few years, we've worked closely with both Parks and Recreation and the DDB staff with the goal to align our request for support.

6:02

At the same time, Clearwater Jazz Holiday is not a typical event.

6:05

Now entering its 47th year, the festival is one of the city's most enduring and celebrated cultural traditions, reflecting the long-standing partnership and generating significant community connection, cultural value, and economic impact.

6:22

At last year's DDB meeting, there was discussion about the value of exploring a multi-year agreement as we look ahead not only to the 47th Clearwater Jazz Holiday this year, but to the 50th Clearwater Jazz Holiday in 2029.

6:36

We believe the opportunity for a multi-year agreement is mutually beneficial.

6:40

For an event of this scale, planning begins many months in advance.

6:45

As we sit here today, for instance, in late May, our annual budget and strategic planning process were completed earlier in the year.

6:53

Sponsorship cultivation is already well underway.

6:56

Membership support has been on sale, and our artist lineup is almost done with a public announcement in just a couple of weeks.

7:05

Having greater long-term certainty regarding partnership support would provide meaningful stability as we develop future strategies and budgets while also assisting the city and the DDB with their own planning and coordination efforts.

7:18

That's important because an event of this scale tremendously benefits from long-term planning coordination.

7:25

It also reflects what we believe is a shared goal to position Clearwater Jazz Holiday for renewed growth as we continue rebuilding momentum following our return to Coachman Park.

7:36

In response to those conversations following last year's festival, we work with city staff to prepare draft multi-year agreement concepts to discuss relating to both the city's in-kind support as well as the DDB's funding partnership.

7:52

And as Ann mentioned, it's also important to note that the proposed multi-year framework before you today also includes support for the CJH Presents holiday experience that occurs every year in December.

8:06

That event reflects our broader ongoing activation efforts within downtown, and we've traditionally been encouraged to apply for that support at the same time as we're asking for the funding for Clearwater Jazz Holiday, which is why it's in the request.

8:20

We believe there are three key reasons for the DDB to exercise the discretion and flexibility that's built into the guidelines in support of Jazz Holiday at the requested funding levels.

8:33

First, through the years, Jazz Holiday has consistently delivered economic impact, tourism, and visibility for downtown.

8:42

It markets the destination throughout the entire year, brings attendees over multiple days, and drives activity not only within the park but throughout downtown.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Tourism Development█████████████████████████████████████████████49%
Budget Equity Analysis██████████████████20%
Arts And Culture████████████████17%
Community Engagement█████████10%
Procedural███3%
Public Engagement█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Downtown Development Board Meeting Summary – May 18, 2026

The Downtown Development Board (DDB) of Clearwater met on May 18, 2026, at 1:00 PM in the Main Library Council Chambers. The board approved two sets of minutes, a financial statement, and a high-impact grant for Clearwater Jazz Holiday. A major branding presentation for downtown was also discussed, with a straw poll indicating a preference for the "Mosaic" logo concept.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes of the April 20, 2026 DDB meeting (ID#26-05632.1) unanimously.
  • Approved the minutes of the May 4, 2026 DDB meeting (ID#26-05642.2) unanimously.
  • Approved the March 2026 Financial Statement for filing (ID#26-0565). Total expenditures and transfers to date were approximately $834,467; March expenditures totaled $39,548. The unallocated fund balance for future initiatives was $592,915, with an overall balance of $1,238,229. Vote was unanimous.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Thomas Nurse, a Clearwater resident since 1959 and a volunteer for Clearwater Jazz Holiday, expressed strong support for the festival, calling it "one of the absolute best things Clearwater has contributed to this community." He noted the free access areas and the partnership with the city.

Discussion Items

Clearwater Jazz Holiday High-Impact Grant Request

  • Staff Recommendation (Ann Lopez, CRA Assistant Director): Staff recommended approval of a grant not to exceed $30,000 for the October 15–18, 2026 Clearwater Jazz Holiday event at Coachman Park. The total request was $148,000 ($140,000 for the October event and $8,000 for a December holiday experience). Staff determined the December event did not meet the threshold for high-impact grant funding and recommended a separate application. The 2025 grant was $125,000.
  • Applicant Presentation (Steve Weinberger, Clearwater Jazz Holiday): Weinberger requested a multi-year funding agreement (four years proposed: $140,000 for years 1–3, $150,000 for year 4) to provide planning stability. He highlighted the festival's 47-year history, expanded free-access areas (side stages, bluff viewing), new costs from absorbing city in-kind services, and reduced ticket revenue from free components. He argued that the event generates significant economic impact and tourism for downtown.
  • Board Discussion:
    • Councilmember Cotton noted attendance data (Placer AI): 2025 saw about 10,500 visitors over four days, compared to pre-COVID numbers of 16,000–21,000. He opposed a multi-year deal until attendance recovers, favoring a one-year approach.
    • Councilmember Alberton supported a two-year agreement to provide stability while allowing monitoring. He made a motion for $130,000 in 2026 and $120,000 in 2027, with a two-year contract.
    • Councilmember Shape expressed concern that the requested $148,000 would represent approximately 40% of the DDB's net annual ad valorem revenue, leaving insufficient funds for other downtown initiatives. She could not support the ask at that level.
    • Mayor emphasized the city's goal to reduce subsidies over time and noted that the request was higher than the previous $125,000. He questioned the timing (May) and urged collaboration with other venues (e.g., The Sound) and corporate sponsors. He was open to compromise but not a multi-year agreement at flat or increasing levels.
    • Councilmember Tashier (based on context) supported some funding but not a multi-year commitment at the requested amount.
    • Councilmember Marino expressed support for the festival but noted concerns about budget allocation and wanted to see progress toward self-sufficiency.
  • Vote: The motion by Councilmember Alberton ($130,000 for 2026, $120,000 for 2027, two-year contract) was seconded. The vote count was reported as 4 in favor and 3 opposed (though the chair's vote was ambiguous; the motion was declared approved). The board directed staff to work with the applicant on the two-year agreement.

RB Oppenheim Associates Downtown Branding Presentation

  • Presenter: Michael Wynn, President and CEO of RB Oppenheim Associates, presented the "Find It in Downtown Clearwater" branding campaign. The project involved over 40 hours of interviews with board members, merchants, the Chamber of Commerce, Visit St. Pete Clearwater, Ruth Eckerd Hall, and city staff. Two logo concepts were shown:
    • Horizon: An elegant, simple logo with a swoosh representing the bay and music notes.
    • Mosaic: A more literal, colorful logo depicting music, food, shopping, and the waterfront.
  • Board Feedback:
    • Councilmember Alberton favored the Mosaic logo for its descriptiveness and ability to show downtown's offerings.
    • Councilmember Cotton preferred the Horizon logo for its cleanliness and simplicity, noting it allows the ad content to stand out.
    • Councilmember Shape liked both but leaned toward Mosaic because it more clearly communicates music and destination.
    • Councilmember Tashier (inferred) emphasized the need for specific messaging, not just "find something."
    • Mayor supported the "Find It" tagline and noted the versatility of the messaging.
  • Straw Poll: On the question of which logo looks more like a destination, 4 board members raised hands for Mosaic. The board directed staff to provide final feedback by June 1, after which the selected logo will be refined into a final brand guide with implementation workshops.

Director's Report

  • Susanino (CRA Executive Director) reported on the use of Placer AI data to measure event attendance, noting the board is beginning to see more accurate visitor numbers. He also announced the Grad Chalk Walk event for the class of 2026, celebrating graduations at Clearwater High School and Countryside High School. A 3D vinyl piece (a rocket ship) will be installed, and chalk art will be placed along the downtown streets.

Key Outcomes

  • High-Impact Grant for Clearwater Jazz Holiday: Approved $130,000 for the October 2026 event and $120,000 for the October 2027 event, under a two-year agreement. The December holiday experience funding request was not approved and must be submitted separately.
  • Downtown Branding: The board expressed a preference for the "Mosaic" logo concept and the "Find It in Downtown Clearwater" tagline. Final selection and brand guide development to proceed after feedback by June 1, 2026.
  • Grad Chalk Walk: Staff will proceed with the installation of vinyl and chalk art to celebrate 2026 graduations.
  • Financial Statement: Approved for filing.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 3:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

We'll move to item 2.1 on the agenda. Approve the minutes for the April 2026 downtown development board meeting. So approvement 2.1. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed. Unanimous. Move to agenda item 2.2, approve the minutes of the May 4, 2026. So move. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed. Unanimous. Move to item three on the agenda. Are there any citizens here today who desire to be heard on a downtown development board? Uh issue that is not on today's agenda. Approve a high impact grant funding request for Clearwater Jazz Holiday in an amount not to exceed $30,000 for the Clearwater Jazz Holiday event October 15th to the 18th, 2026 in Coach Moon Park. Good afternoon, Ann Lopez, CRA Assistant Director. Today I'm presenting a funding request from Clearwater Jazz Holiday for the 26th event season. The 26th Clearwater Jazz Holiday is scheduled for October 15th through the 18th at Coachman Park. The event will continue utilizing the green space with the designated general admission, reserved seating, and VIP areas. Ticket prices ranging from approximately 44 for general admission and up to 224 dollars for VIP. Portions of this festival will remain free and open to the public, which will be side viewing areas and the bluff overlooking the green. At the board's March 3rd, 2025 meeting, there was consensus that was reached to explore the possibility of a multi-year funding agreement with Clearwater Jazz Holiday. Since that time, staff from Parks and Recreation and CRA have met with event organizers to review operational needs, funding structure, and potential partnership opportunities. While the board does have discretion to approve a different amount or consider a high a multi-year commitment, future funding would remain subject to annual budget approval. The applicant has submitted a total request of 148,000. Of that, 140,000 is for the October Clearwater Jazz event and 8,000 is for the CJH presents holiday experience event in December. Staff has reviewed both requests and has determined that the holiday experience does not meet the threshold requirement for high impact grant funding. Staff's recommendation is that the applicant submit a special a separate DDB funding application for that event. Clearwater Jazz Holiday received a 125,000 grant from the DDB to support their four-day event in 2025 and also received a 75,000 dollar grant from Visit St. Pete Clearwater for marketing tourism sponsorship and other related event expenses. Clearwater Jazz Holiday does anticipate applying for that funding again. After reviewing the application and the current policy framework, staff is recommending approval of a funding not to exceed $30,000 for the October 26th Clearwater Jazz Holiday event. This recommendation is consistent with the DDB's existing high impact co-sponsorship policy and would support eligible expenses such as entertainment, production, marketing, security, insurance, and other related event operations. And with that, I would like to invite Steve Weinberger from Clearwater Jazz Holiday to present and answer any questions. Thank you, Ann. And good afternoon, everybody. Appreciate the opportunity to be here. We truly appreciate the partnership we've had with the city and with the DDB, and we're here today to build on that partnership in a way that is mutually beneficial to both the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and the City of Clearwater. As we've done the last few years, we've worked closely with both Parks and Recreation and the DDB staff with the goal to align our request for support. At the same time, Clearwater Jazz Holiday is not a typical event. Now entering its 47th year, the festival is one of the city's most enduring and celebrated cultural traditions, reflecting the long-standing partnership and generating significant community connection, cultural value, and economic impact. At last year's DDB meeting, there was discussion about the value of exploring a multi-year agreement as we look ahead not only to the 47th Clearwater Jazz Holiday this year, but to the 50th Clearwater Jazz Holiday in 2029. We believe the opportunity for a multi-year agreement is mutually beneficial. For an event of this scale, planning begins many months in advance. As we sit here today, for instance, in late May, our annual budget and strategic planning process were completed earlier in the year. Sponsorship cultivation is already well underway.

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