The Escambia County Commission voted, 5-0, last night to move the supervision of tourism marketing with its $5.5 million budget out of the Greater Pensacola Chamber and into the newly-formed Visit Pensacola, Inc. They instructed staff to work with Visit Pensacola’s lawyers and the ethics commission to resolve possible ethical issues regarding the composition of the board. They asked that the new bylaws be brought back to the commissioners on or before its December 5 regular meeting. Until then, tourism will remain with the chamber.
Simple.
However, nothing is really that simple. Last night’s meeting was, at times, a well-scripted play with all the parties playing out roles that they had committed to play and had rehearsed hours before the cameras were rolling.
Jay Patel, representing the hotel owners, asked for approval of the structure and for the turnover of control to happen in 30 days. Innisfree, which owns hotels on the beach and at the airport, paraded a rainbow of employees before the commission –all in support of Patel’s request. Chamber representatives spoke in favor of the switch but asked for time to work out the details. Pensacola Beach representative, African-American leaders and environmental activists asked for representation on the board.
The impression from the audience was that everyone had agreed to slowing down the process. More representation would be added to the Visit Pensacola board and the bylaws would be adjusted. Exactly what concessions were made is confusing and over the next few weeks we will learn more.
As always, the devil will be in the details.