While Cocoa Beach Misses out on $90k, the Show Will Go On

Brevard County commissioners rejected a proposal to grant Florida's upcoming Cocoa Beach Air Show $87,852. 

The grant was authorized by the Brevard County Tourist Development Council and the council's Cultural Committee, under the auspices that the show will bolster income throughout the local hospitality industry. While the 9-member council recommended the grant, which would have come from the county's 5% tourist development tax on local overnight accommodations, county commissioners decided not to dispense the grant. 

The move comes amid a series of disagreements in the same vein, where the Council's recommendations were ignored or refused by the commissioners, but not all were negative. One grant saw the disbursement of double the Council's recommended amount when Valiant Air Command received $750,000 for the expansion of their warbird museum.

Vice Chair Kristine Zonka was a notable voice in opposition to the air show grant, saying the event was already plenty mature and didn't need government funding to follow through on the show.

"These events are great for the county, and I'll just say that these are well-established events that don't need a government subsidy to operate," Zonka said. "And I just don't think it's a wise use of our tourism tax dollars. I think we need to focus more on events that bring new, major things to the city or to the county. I don't want to increase someone's profit margin because the TDC has the money available. I never liked these large event monies, because I think that they don't help enough people."

FMI: www.cocoabeachairshow.com