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CBIRS Request 258
 
Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #258
Panama City Beach--Chamber of Commerce Building
 
Requester: Debi Knight Organization: Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce
 
Project Title: Panama City Beach--Chamber of Commerce Building Date Submitted 1/15/2003 9:42:14 AM
 
Sponsors: Clary
 
Statewide Interest:
Economic Development. This project will permit maintaining tourism levels and services, increasing tourism related activities, attracting additional tourists, and assist in planning, attracting and developing a greater and more diverse tourism and tourism supportive economic base for Northwest Florida. With a visitor center/reception area, meeting room and adequate space for Chamber personnel it will also provide for additional development activities to bring other industry and development to this region of the State.
 
Recipient: Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce   Contact: Debi Knight  
  415 Beckrich Road Suite 200   Contact Phone: (850) 235-1159  
  Panama City 32407
 
Counties: Bay
 
Gov't Entity:   Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): Yes
 
Project Description:
with the growth and anticipated growth of this area, situation that presently exist in the touris industry, and the iniadequacy of present facilities (small second floor location with little tourism, industry, and community. The chamber and its members are seeking to build a reception area/chamber office work space for the many functions and activities that it performs for the communityand business environment. Since its inception in 1987 the panama city beaches chamber of commerce has not had a permanent home and has been located in shared space and a rental location. The building will house a reception/welcome area for prospective businessmen, residents, and visitors;meeting rooms for local business, civic, and other organizations; the staff; and serve as a storage and dispensing facility for tourism guides, information/relocation packets, and tourism and tourism supportive economic development arm of this chamber and the Beaches.
 
Is this a water project as described in Chapter 2002-291, Laws of Florida? No
 
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Generally, the Chamber will be able to better serve the community and business through its many services. Specifically, outcomes will include bring about and measuring an owners/operators, increase in numbers requesting relocation packets and following through with relocation, and increase in economic impact. The number of walk-in traffic will increase, and public visibility and use of facility will icrease. The number of tourism and tourism related/supportive facilities/businesses in Northwest Florida will increase. For a quantifiable measure, the Chamber Board will compare present numbers (data collected for the above somewhat limited services and use and revenues) with those of expanded services and use and revenues (data generated each month after the building is built). An adequate system for recording contacts, referrals, use of building, economic activities, and other services is in place and will be continued. The chamber board regularly holds meetings with Panama City Beach City Council, Bay County Commisssion, TDC and interested citizens to develop plans and assess and evaluate the direction of the area. This will continue and prvide measurable outcomes.
 
Amount requested from the State for this project this year: $850,000
 
Total cost of the project: $1,000,000
 
Request has been made to fund: Construction
 
What type of match exists for this project? Local
  Cash Amount $   In-kind Amount $250,000
 
Was this project previously funded by the state?   No
 
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?   No
 
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?   No
 
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? No
 
Is there a documented need for this project? Yes
  Documentation: Chamber Board Meetings, planning and visioning meetings , Chamber annual report 2000
 
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?   Unknown