The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Experience Florida's Sports Coast

Free scallop sorters available for Pasco scallop season

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Scallop seekers are being offered a tool to help them know when to keep scallops and when to toss them back into the water to let them grow for another year. Experience Florida’s Sports Coast is providing the sorters for free, in an effort to promote sustainable scalloping. (Courtesy of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast)

Experience Florida’s Sports Coast is offering free Scallop Sorters to scallopers, in an effort to encourage sustainable scalloping practices in Pasco County, according to a county news release.

The free Scallop Sorters are available at the Florida’s Sports Coast office, 1938 Duck Slough Blvd., in Trinity, during regular business hours.

There is a limit of two per family, while supplies last.

The Scallop Sorter tool, developed by the UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant, helps to keep smaller, underdeveloped scallops from being harvested.

Pasco County’s scallop season began on July 1 and runs through Aug. 6.

“Promoting sustainable tourism is important to our Florida’s Sports Coast team and to our destination offerings, such as scalloping,” Florida’s Sports Coast Director Adam Thomas, said in the release. “As we gear up for the launch of our 37-day scalloping season this summer, we’re encouraging first-time and returning scallopers to use ethical practices to help ensure the health and quality of our Bay Scallop population for years to come.”

The Scallop Sorter is easy to use. Simply place the tool above each scallop to check its size. If it’s too small, toss the scallop back so it can have a chance to grow for another scallop season, the release says.

For more information, visit FlSportsCoast.com/scalloping for tips on enjoying Pasco’s Bay Scallop Season.

Published July 12, 2023

Business Digest 04/22/2022

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Effective Facebook strategy
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce will host a lunch and learn on April 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the topic of creating an effective Facebook strategy. The session will focus on overall brand recognition, and establishing trust between your company and potential clients. Lunch is $15, provided by Outback. There is limited seating, so register by 10:30 a.m., on April 20, by emailing .

New MOSI president and CEO
John Graydon Smith has been named the new president and CEO of The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI).

The museum announced Smith’s appointment on April 13, following a national search. He is a veteran of the museum and nonprofit industries. Although he has joined MOSI’s staff, he will be splitting his time between Pennsylvania and Tampa Bay, until the conclusion of the school year. His contract with MOSI runs through 2025, according to a news release.

In the release, Bret Feldman, chair of the MOSI board of directors said: “We are thrilled to have a leader with the experience and museum knowledge John brings to MOSI. He has a grand vision, and the leadership skills to help us make it a reality.”

Smith replaces Julian Mackenzie, who retired from the CEO position last year, and his transition into the role will be supported by Brynne Anne Besio of Carter Global, a consultant who has served as interim director for the past several months.

Employment information sessions
CareerSource Tampa Bay is hosting in-person Amazon employment information sessions to help job seekers who are interested in being hired by Amazon.

Amazon is looking to hire more than 100 candidates for warehouse associates and warehouse team members. The jobs pay $15.50 to $16.50 per hour. Amazon also offers flexible schedules, and career planning & development. All job seekers must complete an Employ Florida Registration on EmployFlorida.com, before attending.

The sessions will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., as follows:

  • April 20: CareerSource Tampa Bay Brandon Center, 6302 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 120, in Tampa.
  • May 4: CareerSource Tampa Bay Ruskin Office, 201 14th Ave., S.E., in Ruskin

Let Pasco County help you land a job
Pasco County and CareerSource Pasco Hernando are working together to help job seekers find their next job.

Pasco County Libraries and the Pasco County Office of Economic Growth, in coordination with CareerSource Pasco Hernando, are offering re-employment assistance services on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to noon, now through May 31.

The help will be provided at Centennial Park Library, 5740 Moog Road, in Holiday.

The team will focus on employment searches, resume writing, applications and interview preparation.

The free services are being supported with funding obtained through the Penny for Pasco surtax referendum, according to a Pasco County news release.

Council has two openings
Pasco County’s Destination Management Organization — Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — is seeking to fill two openings on the Pasco County Tourist Development Council (TDC).

Applications are being accepted through April 29, at bit.ly/2gWcaXt.

The TDC is an advisory council to the Pasco County Commission. It is made up of elected officials and tourism industry professionals, who provide recommendations to the staff of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast on promotions and marketing opportunities. They also provide oversight of tourism tax expenditures.

  • One opening must be filled by an owner/operator of a motel, hotel, recreational vehicle park or other tourist accommodation in the county that is subject to the tourist development tax.
  • The other opening can be filled by a tourism industry professional committed to advocating Pasco as a destination.

The TDC members serve staggered, four-year terms. The positions are voluntary, with no financial compensation. The council typically meets every other month, alternating meetings between Dade City and New Port Richey.

Applicants must live and be registered to vote in Pasco County.

For more information about the Pasco County Tourist Development Council, including members and the 2022 meeting schedule, visit bit.ly/PascoTDC.

Building trades career fair
Hillsborough Community College will host a Building Trades Career Fair on April 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the college’s Dale Mabry Campus.

The event will be in the DTEC Courtyard, on the campus, at 4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd.

The career fair will include industry employers and representatives from Associated Builders and Contractors, Independent Electrical Contractors Florida West Coast Chapters, Plumbers and Pipefitters U.A. Local 123, Fire Protection Sprinkler Fitters U.A. Local 821, and many other employers affiliated with construction and building trades.

Representatives will be on hand to interview applicants for apprenticeships in commercial electrician, plumbing and pipefitting, and fire sprinkler protection. Attendees will have the ability to interact with employers, ask questions, and receive information on career training, job opportunities and hiring requirements.

For more information, email John Meeks at .

Understanding financial statements
A free webinar, presented by Jose Melgar, on behalf of Pasco-Hernando SCORE, will give participants the tools for extracting the essential points from financial statements. It also will teach the basics of business language. The seminar is set for April 21 at noon. Register at PascoHernando.score.org.

Get free business help
Pasco-Hernando SCORE offers free individual, confidential small business mentoring. Volunteer experts provide the assistance to help small business owners to solve their problems and grow their business. To find out more, visit PascoHernando.score.org.

Chicago’s Best Burgers ribbon-cutting
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce announced the ribbon-cutting for Chicago’s Best Burgers, which was April 14, at 19255 N. Dale Mabry Highway, in Lutz. There were giveaways, and a chance to sample food and refreshments.

New David Weekley Homes
David Weekley Homes, one of the largest privately held national homebuilders, soon will begin building in the Westbury section of the master-planned community of Chapel Crossings, in Wesley Chapel.

The builder recently broke ground on its model home, The Whaler.

Chapel Crossings will offer buyers professionally designed quick move-in homes from a selection of five open-concept, one- and two-story floor plans.

Pasco County raises tourist development tax

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Pasco County has increased its tourist development tax by 1%, making the new rate 5%.

The action came during the Pasco County Commission’s April 5 board meeting, on a 4-0 vote, with Commissioner Jack Mariano absent.

Adam Thomas, the director of tourism for Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, appeared before the commission to request the increase.

The tax is paid by visitors who stay in short-term lodging in the county, Thomas said.

Adam Thomas, director for Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (File)

The proceeds are used to support tourism outreach efforts, which are coordinated through Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, Pasco’s Destination Management Organization (DMO).

Thomas reminded commissioners: “In 2019, you invested and supported our rebrand of Florida’s Sports Coast, and since then we’ve taken our market share to new heights, new levels that we previously did not reach.

“Since 2019, we’ve seen our visitor economy grow, with the current resources that we already have in place,” he said.

The tourism marketing group now wants to take Pasco County’s story to international market places, Thomas said. It is particularly interested in marketing to Europe, he said, noting the county attracts some European visitors.

Commissioner Mike Moore, who is the chairman of the Pasco Tourist Development Council, said that the council unanimously supported the proposed increase.

He said there were no real issues or questions from the council.

“It’s not our citizens here in Pasco County that pay this, it’s actually people who come and visit,” Moore said. “We’re the lowest (tourist development tax rate) in the area.”

“As we all know, Adam and his team have done an excellent job with the funds they’ve received so far.

“I haven’t had one person reach out and say anything negative about this. And, the hoteliers are onboard. And they’re the one who are going to have concerns, if they’re going to have concerns about it,” Moore said.

Pasco County’s 10-day bay scallop season in July could help boost tourism efforts in 2022.

Kathy Lambert, who lives in Dade City, did have objections.

She told the county board that she was there when they initiated the tourist development tax and she had objections then.

She said she’d like to see a county board that isn’t “going to keep digging into the taxpayer’s wallet,” whether those taxpayers are from Dade City, or coming from Washington D.C., to enjoy Pasco County.

Board chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, however, spoke in favor of the increase. “I have not had opposition from anyone in that industry. We heard not a peep.”

Moore agreed: “They actually welcomed it.”

Starkey replied: “It gets them more business.”

The Tourist Development Tax initially was authorized by the county on Sept. 5, 1990, as a 2% tax imposed on each whole and major fraction of each dollar of the total rental charge for overnight accommodations for a term of six months or less within the unincorporated areas of Pasco County.

Since then, the county increased it to 4% on Aug. 15, 2017.

The majority of the funds resulting from that increase are earmarked for debt service of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus.

The tax applies to any living quarters or accommodations in any hotel, apartment hotel, motel, resort motel, apartment, apartment motel, rooming house, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, or condominium for a term of six months or less

The authorization for the tax increase also spells out the types of expenditures allowed with the tax funds.

Published April 13, 2022

Pasco attracts 1.3 million visitors

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The numbers are in — and they’re looking good for Pasco County tourism.

While much of the country is still rebounding from the impacts of COVID-19, Pasco County set new records in the number of visitors it attracted and tourism’s impact on the local economy, according to a 104-page report delivered by Adam Thomas, tourism director Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, the county’s tourism arm.

A look at Gerry Austin and her tandem instructor as they soared through the clouds at Skydive City. (File)

Thomas shared the findings from the 2021 Economic Impact & Visitor Tracking Report, completed by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants on the county’s tourism efforts.

Thomas delivered the good news to the Pasco County Commission at its Feb. 8 meeting.

Perhaps the biggest news is Pasco’s record-shattering number of visitors, which the study put at 1,358,200 — compared to the previous high mark of 1 million, set in 2019.

“From right off the heels of a pandemic, we welcomed over 300,000 additional visitors,” Thomas said.

Those guests generated about 1.4 million room nights, 16.6% growth over fiscal year 2019.

The tourism impact report was based on 2,499 interviews completed with Pasco County visitors online and in-person at local attractions, parks, hotels and events, between Oct. 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021.

The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills is altering its membership pricing model for the coming year. (File)

The total economic impact was calculated based on direct spending by visitors, and indirect and induced impacts, such as increased business and household spending generated by tourism dollars.

Downs & St. Germain Research uses economic modeling to calculate the multiplier based on direct expenditure data collected from visitors to Pasco County, according to the report.

The multiplier used for Pasco County is 1.41.

Based on those calculations, the overall economic impact from tourism in Pasco County last year was $721 million.

Visitors spent an estimated $511 million on restaurants, gas, lodging, attractions and entertainment, up 10.6% from fiscal year 2019.

Directly and indirectly, there are more than 9,200 jobs in Pasco that support the tourism industry, and those jobs generate more than $231 million, Thomas said. That’s up (about) 38%, year-over-year from 2019, he added.

The report also breaks down why people are visiting Pasco, where visitors are coming from, and offers demographic information on those traveling here.

Here are some specifics:

Why they came:

  • 29% to visit friends and family
  • 16% to attend a sporting event, throughout Pasco
  • 11% for a getaway

Who came:

  • Typical travel parties consisted of 2.7 people.
  • One in three travel parties included someone under age 20.

Where they came from:

  • 64% of visitors came from five states: 46% from Florida; 4%, Georgia; 4%, Illinois; 4%, New York; and 4%, Ohio.

How they arrived

  • 85% drove; of those who didn’t, the vast majority flew through Tampa International Airport.

The economic impacts from tourism go beyond the businesses that serve tourists, such as hotels, restaurants and gas stations, Thomas said.

For instance, the tourism industry saves every Pasco household more than $385 a year in state and federal taxes, the tourism director said.

It also draws attention to Pasco County, and that can prompt visitors who own businesses to decide to set up a venture here, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

Thomas also noted that the county gets a good return on investment for its tourism marketing efforts.

For every dollar spent on marketing Pasco County, visitors spend $70, Thomas said.

“Our strategy is really focused on hitting the right visitor, at the right time, in the right medium — to get the ultimate return,” he said.

Pasco County Tourism, by the numbers
Economic impact
2021 $721,719,800, up 10.6% from 2019

Visitor spend
2021: $511,857,800, up 10.6% from 2019

Visitors attracted
2021: 1,358,200, up 30.8% from 2019

Room nights generated
2021: 1,419,000, up 16.6% from 2019

Jobs supported
2021: 9,254, up 17.6% from 2019

Wages and salaries generated
2021: $231,648,800, up 37.8% from 2019

Source: Florida’s Sports Coast, FY 2021 Economic Impact & Visitor Tracking Report (Downs & St. Germain Research)

Published February 16, 2022

Pasco tourism agency wins prestigious award

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Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (FSC) — the tourism agency for Pasco County — recently won Florida Sports Foundation’s Small Market Venue of the Year award, for the contribution of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County to the state’s sports tourism industry.

Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex of Pasco County, in Wesley Chapel (Courtesy of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast)

This award was received at the 2021 Florida Sports Summit, held last month at the Hammock Beach Resort on the Palm Coast. The awards given by the Florida Sports Foundation recognize sports industry partners’ contributions to the state’s $57.4 billion sports industry.

The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus opened its doors in August 2020, at 3021 Sports Coast Way, in Wesley Chapel. It since has hosted amateur events sanctioned by several national governing bodies such as USA Volleyball, USA Gymnastics, Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball, AAU volleyball, Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Florida Senior Games, Special Olympics, and U.S. Club Soccer.

Through those events and others hosted at both the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus and various venues, the county welcomed over 50,000 visitors coming in for sports tourism-related events in the past year, according to a release from FSC. Additionally, those visitors generated over 26,500 room nights with an estimated $27 million in local economic impact for the Pasco community, the release reads.

The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus offers two 35,500-square-foot multi-purpose courts featuring eight drop-down basketball hoops and 16 volleyball nets; a 5,000-square-foot indoor cheer zone with springboard floor; and two full-size, outdoor multi-purpose fields.

The campus was developed as part of a private-public partnership between Pasco County Commission, the county’s tourism agency, and the Porter Family who donated the land.

Bicyclists have a new spot to relax, in Dade City

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A Dec. 15 ribbon-cutting ceremony officially christened the new bike hub/visitor’s information center in downtown Dade City. From left: Dade City Commissioners Normita Woodard, Knute Nathe and Scott Black; Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore; Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez; Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley; and, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast president/tourism director Adam Thomas. )Courtesy of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast)

East Pasco’s rolling hills and curving countryside attract avid bicyclists from far and wide.

And now, these cyclists will have a spot where they can rest, relax and refuel.

The Spoke —  designed to offer respite for cyclists and other exercise enthusiasts — also features a visitor’s center.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 15 celebrated the new amenity, at 37800 Church Ave., across from the Roy T. Hardy trailhead.

The Spoke features covered porches, restrooms, and places to refill water bottles and tune up bicycles.

Inside the 1,100-square-foot welcome center, guests can check out information about the county’s other tourism amenities through mobile exhibit space, which includes printed information and videos.

The space also is eventually expected to host a local retail shop and satellite food vendor on weekends and during the evening.

“We have some very special things that we’re working on,” Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez said, during the ribbon-cutting.

From the initial idea to its final build out, the project has been some six years in the making.

The Spoke is Dade City’s new bike hub/visitor’s information center in downtown Dade City, at 37800 Church Ave., across from the Roy T. Hardy trailhead. The Spoke is an 1,100-square-foot public space for cyclists, families and outdoor enthusiasts to stop, refill water bottles, grab a snack, tune up their bicycles, and learn more about what the city and county have to offer in terms of events, activities and entertainment.

Hernandez quipped: “I didn’t think that it was going to take that long to birth a baby, because I feel that this is like a baby to me.”

She went on: “This has been a project that I have cradled and that I have hugged, and that I have worked so closely with the TDC (Pasco County Tourist Development Council) and the BOCC (Pasco County Board of County Commissioners).”

The facility’s moniker represents a combination of the city’s rich railway history and its modern trail movement.

Melanie Romagnoli, Dade City’s community and economic development director, is credited with dreaming up the facility’s name.

The Spoke was funded with a $250,000 grant from the Pasco TDC and its official destination marketing organization, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, which promotes the county’s varied outdoor and recreational offerings.

The amber-colored visitor center reflects the architectural style of the surrounding Church Avenue neighborhood, which commonly features homes with wood siding, columns and brick embellishments.

“The Spoke is going to be something that brings tourism to Pasco County,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who also chairs the county’s TDC. “You know, (Dade City) is a bike hub, it really is. There’s people from all over the world that come to Dade City to ride here, and we want to continue to do what we can do to promote it. …We look forward to more great things to come from this beautiful city.”

Commissioner Ron Oakley, whose district represents East Pasco, underscored the importance of having designated outdoor exercise-friendly recreational features — amid the booming population growth, and increasing traffic.

“More people will need this kind of (amenity) where they can walk and ride their bikes, and make it safe,” Oakley said.

The Spoke represents the first phase of a larger 2.23-acre city park site that’s anticipated to include a splash pad, all-inclusive playground, nature trail, and possibly an amphitheater.

Its completion will otherwise complement the city’s nearby downtown restaurants and shops, while offering another recreational outlet for youth, residents and visitors alike.

“This whole vision, this beautiful piece of land, it’s just a huge asset to Dade City,” Hernandez said.

The city originally purchased the property for the park site in December 2019 from the family of local businessman Otto Weitzenkorn.

Officials have said the park fits with the city’s vision of fostering a healthy and age-friendly community.

The Spoke also represents Pasco County’s first official tourism welcome center.

Published December 22, 2021

Movie brings scares to Dade City

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Dade City may be best known for its antique shops, rolling hills and kumquats — but the charming, quaint town may soon be known as a consummate setting for scary movies, too.

For two-plus weeks in October, an independent, low-budget horror film production company — Cape Coral-based Bad Clown Films — ventured into some of the city’s remote locations to shoot a new feature-length film, “Bed of Nails.”

Michael Malott, holding his bullhorn, yells ‘action’ to start a scene while filming the feature-length horror film, ‘Bed of Nails.’ Malott is filming in various Dade City-area locations. (Fred Bellet)

The movie — set to be released around Halloween 2022 — has a plot as eerie as its title.

The film is about three gothic kids from Atlanta, who are camping in the rural countryside in middle Florida while on their way to the Florida Keys.

Instead of making their way to the Keys, the campers are stalked and murdered by a group of fanatic rednecks.

But the killers never planned on one of the kids — a self-proclaimed witch who is into the occult — coming back from the dead to wreak havoc and destroy the rednecks, one by one.

“Our motto is, ‘Never mess with a goth girl,’” Bed of Nails producer and director Michael Malott said in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “That’s the motto of the film.”

Between scenes, Erin Pearl, left, of Fort Myers, and Deanna Marine, of Orlando, talk about an upcoming scene with makeup artist Hannah Denney. A boom microphone with a furry wind filter is among the audio equipment used on the movie set.

The R-rated film features about a dozen cast members, including former Whitesnake and Alice Cooper guitarist Mike Francis.

The musician-turned-actor, starring as the film’s main bad guy, recently had finished filming scenes at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles for legendary Hollywood director Martin Scorcese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

That film also stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow and Brendan Frasier.

Malott has known Francis for years, having been a longtime Grammy award-winning creator, producer and music manager.

“He had some credibility and experience in film, so I wanted to utilize him,” Malott said of Francis.

Some local actors, extras and crew members were incorporated into “Bed of Nails,” too.

Carson Carollo, a recent Hernando High School graduate, is a cast member in the horror film, ‘Bed of Nails.’

Needing a rural, swampy environment as a setting for the flick, Malott keyed in on the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve West Tract, about five miles from downtown Dade City.

He had also considered filming in the Florida Everglades, but because it is owned and operated by the U.S. government, obtaining film permits was more challenging, he said.

Pasco County’s tourism department — Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — assisted the filmmaker with a referral to utilize some private property off State Road 575 in the Dade City area.

The property features a main house, secondary house and other accents, such as a footbridge needed to pull off eerie and gory scenes.

“It just had the right kind of imagery that I was looking for in the film,” Malott said. “We had two buildings to utilize, and we also had all of the swamp area, so everything that we needed, as far as a primary film location, was right there in our hands.

“What we ended up with was a private area of land that was out in the Green Swamp, and we were able to get all of the atmosphere that we needed for the motion picture, with far less complication (than the Florida Everglades),” he said.

Other scenes from the $41,000 budgeted movie were shot at Jim’s Tires & Wheels on Lock Street and Bill Ryan Auto Sales on U.S. 301, as well as some driving footage set out along Lacoochee Clay Sink Road.

Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers, plays ‘Lisa’ in the upcoming feature film, ‘Bed of Nails.’

Most filming took place from dusk to dawn.

“There were some long nights,” Malott said.

Some strange ones, too.

Malott encountered a Florida panther within 20 yards of him on the second day of filming.

The siren on his megaphone spooked the wild animal off, luckily.

“I was scared to death,” Malott said. “I thought I was panther food.”

The filmmaker recalled intermittent odd noises from the woods, as well as an inexplicable occurrence where an estimated 200-pound log attached to a tree limb mysteriously flew onto the film set.

Director Michael Malott, right, frames a view of a scene with actress Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers. Pearl plays the part of ‘Lisa’ in ‘Bed of Nails,’ being filmed at Dade City-area locations.

“We just had some weird, weird incidences out there,” Malott said. “We had people that were starting to think that maybe we had the Skunk Ape (Florida’s sasquatch), but I’m like, ‘Yeah, right.’

“We were joking all along about making a new horror film about us filming a horror film — a horror film documentary,” he said.

The moviemaker also presented an alternate theory to some of the oddities: “We were thinking maybe some of the locals were playing tricks on us, you know, some of the city folks come into our area to film a movie, let’s have some fun with them…”

Closer to Dade City, Director Michael Malott and a production crew member plan on several scenes at Bill Ryan Auto Sales, at 15838 U.S. 301.

Malott has taken some downtime from the “15 long, grueling nights” of filming, and next will assemble a movie trailer before diving into the lengthy editing process.

After that, he plans to pitch the project to film festivals, horror conventions and digital streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. There also are plans to manufacture the film on traditional DVD and Blu-ray discs, he said.

Meantime, the film crew may need to make another trip to Dade City or another location for some B-roll footage, Malott said, including scenes of alligators and snakes moving across swamp water.

Malott’s company has other horror film projects in the works, too.

One is called “The Grove,” about four teenagers who get lost in an orange grove, trapped all night with a psychopathic killer.

The other, “House of Stares,” is about someone being offered money to spend the night at a house where some infamous murders took place.

Malott has already scouted out a home in Dade City to film the latter project. “It’s very, very possible that we could be coming back to Dade City in the future to film another movie,” he said.

For information, visit BadClownFilms.com.

Published October 27, 2021

June opening anticipated for Dade City bike hub

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Bicyclists and fellow exercisers alike will soon have an idyllic spot in Dade City to relax and take a breather — thanks to a new visitor’s information welcome center and bike hub that’ll help anchor a forthcoming downtown park site.

The visitor’s information welcome center/bike hub concept — aptly referred to as “Spoke” or “Hub” — will be situated in the heart of downtown Dade City, across from the Roy T. Hardy trailhead, at the corner of Church Avenue and Eighth Street.

The visitor’s center/bike hub is just one aspect of a grander 2-acre-plus downtown park site in Dade City, to eventually include an inclusive/ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-accessible playground, amphitheater for outdoor venues and children’s splash pad, among other amenities. (Courtesy of City of Dade City)

Project construction officially kicked off following a March 10 groundbreaking ceremony. Since then, footers have since been set and concrete poured.

Dade City officials anticipate a June grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a presentation from the city’s community and economic development director Melanie Romagnoli, during a March 24 Pasco County Tourist Development Council meeting.

The tourist-friendly project is multi-faceted.

The roughly 1,500 square-foot welcome center takes on an open space interior concept that will house brochure kiosks for other countywide tourism partners to promote upcoming activities and attractions, museums, art exhibits and places of interest.

The city also is seeking sponsorships to incorporate digital displays, additional outlets and internet connectivity capabilities at the center.

Romagnoli explained of the concept: “We want to be able to have a mobile area for our partners in the tourism industry to be able to display what’s going on in their areas, so it can be anything from, let’s say, like the Dade City Heritage (and Cultural) Museum, or even the West Pasco (Historical Society) Museum, if they want to bring something over and put it in.”

The facility also will include two outdoor covered porch areas with seating options, as well as an exterior bike shelter, with parking stations and repair stands for traveling bicyclists. Two public restrooms also will be included.

The welcome center/bike hub is being funded with the help of a $250,000 grant from the Pasco County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and its official destination marketing organization, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, which promotes Pasco’s varied outdoor and recreational offerings.

Pasco County TDC chairman Mike Moore during the meeting said the welcome center/bike hub will be “a great addition to the community and county, as a whole.”

The facility is a corner part of the quaint East Pasco town’s multi-use downtown park concept —  to eventually feature an inclusive/ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-accessible playground, amphitheater for outdoor venues, and children’s splash pad and other amenities.

The city originally purchased a 2.23-acre property for the park site in December 2019 for $800,000 from the family of local businessman Otto Weitzenkorn.

From there, the bidding process, construction contracts and permitting on the visitor’s center/bike hub alone wrapped up in February.

Other elements of the planned park may not come to fruition for some time, as the city collects public input, and establishes specific design and engineered plans.

Total investment of the entire downtown park could exceed $3 million, officials previously have estimated.

The city is seeking grant opportunities and other funding sources to help pay for the multi-use park.

Dade City leaders have said the park project is designed to help revitalize the downtown business district, while also offering another recreational outlet for local youth, residents and visitors.

Officials also say that the park fits with the city’s vision of fostering a healthy and age-friendly community.

Published April 14, 2021

Pasco County tourism decreased in 2020

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Tourism in Pasco County came back to earth in 2020 — following a record year the year before,  which saw the area surpass the million-visitor mark for its first time.

An informational presentation from Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — the county’s branded tourism arm — reveals some sobering facts and figures in a fiscal year impacted largely by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Adam Thomas, director for Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (File)

Pasco attracted 959,700 visitors in fiscal year 2020, down 7.6% from fiscal year 2019 when it drew 1,038,700 visitors, according to an analysis by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants to the county.

Other tourism economic impact indicators registered noticeable reductions across the board for the county when compared to the previous year:

  • Room nights generated — 1,069,849 (12.1% decrease)
  • Direct expenditures — $391,642,500 (15.3% decrease)
  • Total economic impact — $552,216,200 (15.3% decrease)
  • Jobs supported by tourism — 6,790 (13.7% decrease)
  • Wages paid by tourism — $149,461,500 (11.1% decrease)
  • Tourist Development Tax (bed tax) — $2,639,427 (13.2% decrease)
  • Taxes supported — $51,789,400 (14.8% decrease)

County tourism manager Adam Thomas shared these annual findings and other details during a Pasco County Commission meeting last month.

The 113-page visitor report shows that about one in four visitors to Pasco came to visit friends and family, while one in 10 visitors traveled to attend or participate in a sporting event.

The areas within the county attracting the most visitors were New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Port Richey and Lutz, according to the report.

Perceptions of Pasco based on coded, open-ended tourist responses generally found the area as a friendly and pleasant place, with tropical Florida weather, and lots to do.

In the way of visitor satisfaction, Pasco earned an 8.3 rating, out of a possible 10, as a place to visit or vacation in 2020, with 95% of respondents saying they plan to return to the county.

Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, places an emphasis on its state-of-the-art athletics facilities and outdoor recreation opportunities. County visitation decreased 7.6% in 2020 from 2019, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 85% of all visitors drove to Pasco in 2020, while 11% flew in through Tampa International Airport.

Florida made up the bulk of the county’s visitation, with 51% of all visits, followed by the rest of the Southeast (16%), then Northeast (12%) and Midwest (12%) regions of the country. Six percent of visitors were international, while 3% came in from the West.

Relatedly, 60% of all the visitors to Pasco were from 10 states.

Besides a majority of Florida-based visitors, roughly 5% of tourists came in from Georgia and New York. Smaller subsets were from Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee; top origin markets were Tampa Bay (29%), Orlando (6%), Atlanta (4%) and New York City (4%).

Another notable data point is that length of stays were shorter during the past year, according to the report.

A typical visitors length of stay in Pasco measured an average of 4.8 nights in 2020, down from 5.7 nights in 2019. The reduction is believed to be a result of the pandemic.

Despite reversing course in fiscal year 2020, Pasco’s tourism efforts have spearheaded in recent years, following a shift in philosophy to emphasize youth and amateur sports and recreation opportunities.

The Experience Florida’s Sports Coast branding efforts highlight the county’s growing list of modern athletics venues, including AdventHealth Center Ice, the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center and the Wiregrass Sports Campus of Pasco County. Tourism efforts also showcase the county’s myriad outdoor activities that include golfing, saltwater fishing, skydiving and scalloping.

The county’s day-to-day tourism efforts are under the direction of Thomas, a former minor league baseball pitcher who led the Citrus County Visitor and Conventions Bureau before being hired to Pasco in September 2017.

Bullish on tourism future
Following the annual report presentation, county commissioners commended Thomas and his tourism staff for the work they’ve done of late, and expressed optimism of a rebound — figuring the depressed 2020 was a temporary setback and anomaly because of COVID-19.

Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the Pasco County Tourist Development Council, highlighted how the tourism agency achieved national recognition throughout the past year.

Pasco County’s 10-day bay scallop season in July could help boost tourism efforts in 2021.

Experience Florida’s Sports Coast won three Telly Awards, including gold, for its scalloping promotional video. The Telly Awards is recognized as the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. It received over 12,000 entries from all 50 states.

The tourism department also claimed two silver Flagler Awards in 2020 for its website design and meeting planner guide. The Flagler Awards serves to recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida.

Continuing on the positives, Moore pointed out bed tax collections actually increased in September 2020 compared to September 2019, despite the pandemic.

Moore gave Thomas kudos for “amazing, amazing work,” to lock in enough amateur and recreational sporting events to make that happen.

Others on the dais also voiced strong approval for Thomas and his tourism staff’s varied efforts.

“I don’t remember what it was like before, but since you’ve been here, it’s really been booming, even with COVID,” Commission Chairman Ron Oakley said of Thomas. “It’s a great team.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano noted Thomas was hired at an ideal time for the county almost four years ago, as projects like AdventHealth Center Ice and the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County were on the ramp-up.

Mariano also noted more tourism options on the county’s west side are taking shape, with seawall plans for Hudson Beach and improvements to SunWest Park — the latter of which could pave the way for some major sand volleyball and wakeboarding events in the future. “It’s going to be real exciting times coming forward,” Mariano said.

Commission Vice Chair Kathryn Starkey, too, acknowledged the staff of eight at Experience Florida’s Sports Coast has done a solid job.

As for what more can be done to make the county an attractive tourism destination, however,  Starkey turned to the county’s current slate of nature and parks offerings.

She referenced a point in the report’s visitor surveys that indicated those features generally fell below expectations. Moreover, about 43% of polled visitors desired more outdoor activities, despite the county boasting over 24 miles of coastline to the west, hilly terrain to the east, and more than 100,000 acres of wilderness to explore in between.

Upgrades in these arenas should be on the way, Starkey noted, thanks to a recently approved bond issue. “We haven’t had the money to make all of our parks as premier as we’d like them to be, but it’s coming,” she said.

Published February 17, 2021

Pasco’s branding effort wins big award

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Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — Pasco County’s brand for its tourism efforts — has received Sports ETA’s 2019 “Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign of the Year” for places with a population exceeding 500,000.

The award goes to the destination member “with the most outstanding comprehensive marketing campaign for its organization during the 2019 calendar year,” according to a news release from Sports ETA.

The effort can include “a variety of types of marketing: print ads, newsletters, email blasts, digital marketing, press releases, media coverage or any other promotional program. The campaign should promote the sports destination.”

To update its brand and increase awareness of itself as a destination, Pasco County rebranded itself as Experience Florida’s Sports Coast.

“The new name and campaign showcase not only sport tourism activities, but consumer experiences in the area. The campaign included a new innovative website, which gives viewers a look at the state-of-the-art facilities, winning attractions and experiences that can be enjoyed in Pasco County,” the release says.

Adam Thomas, tourism director at Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, reacted to the award this way: “We are extremely honored and grateful to even be included in the conversation for a branding and marketing award from Sports ETA.

“The Florida’s Sports Coast team has been working hard on promoting the destination and really creating that brand awareness in the marketplace for our visitors,” he said.

The 28th annual Sports ETA Symposium was cancelled earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2019 award winners also will be recognized at next year’s Symposium from April 26 through April 29 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Published November 11, 2020