Commissioner Smith raises issue after board’s receipt of city letter requesting discussion of facility’s financing
No, the Sarasota County commissioners said, unanimously, on Nov. 5. They will not agree to allocating any county money to the Sarasota Performing Arts Center (SPAC) that has been proposed within the downtown Sarasota Bay Park.
As The Sarasota News Leader has reported, during the Oct. 20 Sarasota City Commission meeting, interim City Manager Dave Bullock won full approval of that board regarding his suggestion that the city send the County Commission a letter — over the signature of Mayor Liz Alpert — seeking its stance on helping to pay for the SPAC.
Under the terms of an interlocal agreement that the City and County commissions approved in November 2020, a special tax-increment financing (TIF) district was created to encompass the 53 acres of bayfront city property that make up The Bay Park, plus surrounding parcels. As the value of property increases in that district, the lower of the two commissions’ annual millage rate is applied to the new value, with the resulting funds dedicated to a trust fund to pay for park amenities.
The city’s Oct. 22 letter to the county commissioners said, “The City is collaborating with the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation to fund a performing arts facility using both private and public funds. The City is now examining all available public funding sources. As you are aware, a performing arts facility has been a longstanding component of The Bay Park Master Plan and is specifically identified as eligible for TIF funding in the interlocal agreements. Our analysis indicates that the TIF has sufficient capacity to fund all phases of The Bay Park and contribute to a new performing arts facility.”
The letter added, “The City would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with the County Commission and staff to better understand the County’s position on potential co-funding of the proposed facility using available TIF funds. We are ready to meet at your earliest convenience.”
As the County Commission was conducting its regular meeting on Nov. 5, in Venice, Commissioner Mark Smith brought up the correspondence. He proposed that he and his colleagues discuss the request during an upcoming meeting.
County Administrator Jonathan Lewis told the board members that, since he did not see any need for administrative or legal staff review in advance of scheduling the discussion, he likely could put the item on the agenda for the board’s next regular meeting on Nov. 18, or on the Dec. 16 agenda.
When Chair Joe Neunder then asked whether he had his colleagues’ consensus for that discussion, Commissioner Tom Knight responded, “That TIF money is specifically for The Bay [Park].” He added that he had read through the interlocal agreement regarding the TIF funds.
Then Knight told his fellow commissioners, “I will never support any of that money being used for anything other than the [park].”
He reminded them that, during their prior meeting — on Oct. 21 — they had voted unanimously to hold off on support for the planning for another city bond issue to pay for the $20-million amenities proposed for Phase 3 of the park. The county would have to provide its share of the debt service payments each year for the life of those bonds, Deputy County Administrator and Chief Financial Management Officer Steve Botelho pointed out during that Oct. 21 discussion.
County staff has been putting the county’s share of the TIF revenue in its General Fund reserve, except for the county’s portion of the debt service funding on the bonds the city issued for Phase 2 of The Bay, Botelho pointed out.
The commissioners that day stressed their worries about state government steps that could lead to a significant loss of county property tax revenue. Such action, they pointed out, most likely would necessitate their having to reduce county services. Thus, Commissioner Ron Cutsinger included in his Oct. 21 motion a plan for the County Commission to revisit the Phase 3 funding proposal in April 2026, after the Florida Legislature is expected to conclude its next session.
“They’re doing just a wonderful job with [the park],” Knight added on Nov. 5, referring to the nonprofit Bay Park Conservancy, which manages The Bay Park and raises private funding for it.
“I’m in the same boat there,” Chair Neunder told Knight, in regard to refusing to allow any county TIF funds to go to the SPAC.
Knight further pointed out, “Once we start deviating [from the interlocal agreement], we start deviating on other things, too.”
With two commissioners already expressing opposition to the idea, Neunder asked whether a later discussion would be necessary.
However, Commissioner Smith pointed out that the interlocal agreement does call for consideration of use of the TIF funding for the SPAC, as well as construction of pedestrian accesses from other TIF district properties to the park.
The TIF district ordinance that the City Commission approved on Nov. 2, 2020 included this statement: “Tax Increment Revenue may only be used for the design and construction of capital improvements within the Bay Park, including, but not necessarily limited to a new performing arts center.”
No future discussion needed
Smith then explained to his colleagues, “The reason I thought we should bring this back up, perhaps, as a discussion item … is that my approach has always been to save the Van Wezel [Performing Arts Hall on the city’s bayfront].” The interlocal agreement did not include any language about that structure, he added.
City staff is spending $10 million to floodproof the Van Wezel and to renovate portions of it, Smith pointed out.
The SPAC has been proposed as the successor to the Van Wezel.
Given the discussion that had ensued that day, Smith continued, he saw no reason to ask County Administrator Lewis to schedule another round.
“I’ve been clear that I’m not going to support that [funding for the SPAC] at all,” Commissioner Ron Cutsinger said. “We’ve been very clear with the city, as well, on that.”
Cutsinger and Smith are the two county commissioners serving on what is called the Bay Park Improvement Board, which has to approve all funding requests for The Bay Park before either the City Commission or the County Commission is asked to agree to the expenditures.
Two city commissioners and an at-large member also are on that board.
Commissioner Teresa Mast also said she was opposed to spending county TIF money on the SPAC. “Although I appreciate the letter,” she continued, “I’m not supportive of the intent of that letter.”
Then Chair Neunder summed up the discussion: “I think we’re crystal [clear] on that [issue].”