SUNCOAST AQUATIC NATURE CENTER ASSOCIATES AT NATHAN BENDERSON PARK ANNUAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 THE WORLD KNOWS NATHAN BENDERSON PARK AS A WORLD-CLASS MULTISPORT FACILITY, A PREMIER COMMUNITY PARK, AND A TOUCHPOINT FOR THE WORLD TO MEET FLORIDA’S CULTURE COAST. MORE THAN 83 NATIONS HAVE COMPETED HERE SINCE 2014, AT A DOZEN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AS WELL AS MULTIPLE NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TRIALS. THE PARK ISN’T JUST A WELCOME SIGHT TO LOCALS COMING HOME DOWN INTERSTATE 75. IT’S AN INDICATOR THAT THE WORLD COMES TO SARASOTA-BRADENTON TO TRAIN AND COMPETE TO BE THE BEST — AND THAT WE ALL HAVE A PLACE TO RELAX, EXERCISE AND ENJOY. A PLACE GROWINGTHAT’S GROWING TOWARD THE FUTURE. TOWARD THE FUTURE INSIDE ANNUAL REPORT ..........5 BUSINESS PLAN ........... 28 AUDIT STATEMENT .....39 Nathan Benderson Park is a nature center as well as a place for sport, entertainment and events in support of our focus on community use. COVER PHOTO: Final day of the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. PREVIOUS PAGE: A view of the Benderson Family Finish Tower during the Dragons At Dusk event in January. PHOTOS BY DOUGLAS E. JESSMER/SANCA 4 WELCOME Nathan Benderson Park, the jewel of Florida’s BOARD OF DIRECTORS Suncoast, continues to grow in popularity as we operated organized programming, events and team RONALD trainings 362 days this past fiscal year. With more SHAPO, J.D. than $35 million of economic impact reported, CHAIRMAN SANCA continues to fulfill its mission to generate economic impact for our region. The park was host to 131 events, from celebrations and receptions in the Finish Tower, to world DR. JOANNE championship Rowing and Triathlon competitions. Team training J. FAVA is a tradition at NBP, now spanning from December through June. SECRETARY Team training and camps were held for more than 2,633 athletes last year, from institutions like Harvard, Syracuse, Michigan State and more, as well as many Olympic hopefuls. The most fulfilling DR. part of our mission is providing recreational opportunities and LAWRENCE facilities for people to enjoy and engage in activities that promote HASPEL health and enhance the quality of life and environment. Offering lessons, classes, camps and community teams, more than 2,400 residents took part in these programs throughout the year. As we CURTIS continue to expand our offerings and reach more residents and JORDAN visitors each year, we are laying the foundation for generations ahead to enjoy this community asset. We are growing toward the future! ALAN MAIO STEPHEN V. RODRIGUEZ PRESIDENT/CEO RANDY MALLITZ STAFF STEPHEN V. RODRIGUEZ PRESIDENT/CEO SARAH KUPIEC DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & EVENT SERVICES JERRY MICHAEL WASHINGTON DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & MARLAR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CPA ROBERT WHITFORD DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES & OPERATIONS BRENDA WARD DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MEGHAN FARRELL PROGRAM MANAGER RICK DOUGLAS E. JESSMER MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER PICCOLO MEGAN O’DONNELL EVENT COORDINATOR BOB STEM FACILITIES & OPERATIONS ASSISTANT BOB BERRY INSTRUCTOR/COACH/BOATMAN BOB BOUCHARD INSTRUCTOR/BOATMAN MICHAEL ANGELA LONG DRAGON BOAT COACH TAAFFE, J.D. ANNELY THORSTAD DRAGON BOAT COACH 5 Triathletes from around the globe come to NBP to compete. The Sarasota-Bradenton ITU Triathlon (pictured) in March drew 341 competitors, while the ITU World Cup Triathlon in October drew 489. DOUGLAS E. JESSMER/SANCA 6 BY THE NUMBERS FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 (2013–14) (2014–15) (2015–16) (2016–17) (2017–18) (2018–19) ECONOMIC IMPACT COMMUNITY VALUE $51,280,547 With World Rowing Championships $35,156,744 $32,574,316 $28,667,047 $26,044,990 $19,549,621 $12,689,021 EVENT ATTENDEES AND TRAINING PARTICIPANTS RECORD VISITATION 159,268 117,781 125,353 92,275 57,638 55,618 NUMBER OF EVENTS MORE TO COME 131 104 47 35 44 20 NUMBER OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS RESIDENTS SERVED 2,447 354 1,869 1,050 7 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS Improvements AUDIOVISUAL SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS: Added in 2019, at a cost of $99,455. to the park in PLAYGROUND & EVENT GARDEN: Sun shades and solar-powered park benches at the playground and event garden bring fiscal years improvements at that part of the park to $598,067, contributed by the Nathan Benderson Community Park Foundation since 2014-19 2016. FINISH TOWER SIGNAGE: The large banner frame on the north totaled side of the tower was installed before the World Rowing Masters Regatta in 2018. The Nathan Benderson Community $9,596,446 Park Foundation also funded this, for $28,242. WOODEN FENCE: The fence off Athletes Drive was funded — all at in 2017 by the State of Florida Department of Economic no cost to Opportunity (DEO) for $35,363. LIGHT POLES: Light poles around the park were funded in 2017 Sarasota by the DEO for $319,623. AUDIOVISUAL COMMUNICATIONS CABLING: Added in 2017, this County. was funded by the DEO for $332,173. ALIGNER’S HUT: The DEO funded this in 2017 for $27,750. PARA STARTING PLATFORM: The DEO funded this in 2017 at a cost of $229,882. STARTING STRUCTURE: Funded in 2017 by the DEO, this was $131,804. FINISH TOWER PARKING LOT: The DEO funded this in 2017 for $319,271. WAVE ATTENUATOR BRIDGE: The bridge from the floating concrete wave attenuator to the lake’s south shore was funded in 2017 by the DEO for $250,805. DOCKS: Added by the DEO in 2017 for $397,160. FINISH TOWER: The Nathan Benderson Community Park Foundation funded this structure, completed in 2017, for $6,177,212. LOOP FENCE: SANCA funded this in 2017 at a cost of $2,700. The Ronald A. Balducci SIGNAGE: Finish tower and restroom signage was funded in 2017 Playground and Event by the Foundation for $8,107. Garden, an ongoing TIMING SYSTEM: Funded by the DEO in 2017 for $415,995. contribution of the ELECTRONIC SIGNS: The Nathan Benderson Community Park Nathan Benderson Foundation contributed these LED entrance signs in 2016 for Community Park $222,837. Foundation, is a popular part of NBP. DOUGLAS E. JESSMER/SANCA 8 FINANCIALS EXPENSES: $3,870,833 SANCA event 11% ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION and program 4% MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT activities support park profitability 14% 51% and keep MAINTENANCE EVENTS AND PROGRAMS maintenance 20% operations PERSONNEL costs affordable for Sarasota County. REVENUES: $4,469,449 NBP provides 10% DONATIONS AND SPONSORS value and returns From 2014-19, NBP has delivered for 64% Sarasota County and EVENTS AND the region. PROGRAMS $28,327,259 Sarasota County investment in NBP $187,158,895 26% Economic impact and SARASOTA COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX capital improvements NO LOCAL TAXES USED 660% FIGURES ARE ROUNDED Return on investment 9 During the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, the Greek doubles entry of Ioannis Kalandaridis and Athanasios Palaiopanos makes its way to the start line. GREG WAGNER FOR SANCA 10 10 EVENTS Firsts and thirds came to NBP several times this year. It was the For the third consecutive year, the park played host to a World third straight Rowing event, and in this case, in its North American debut. For the first time ever, the first of three consecutive national rowing year of World championship regattas got underway. And also for the first time, a Thanksgiving community event launched a new holiday Rowing tradition. competition The World Rowing Under 23 Championships, in late July, marked the first time the Under 23s were held in North America. The at the park USRowing Youth National Championships in June was the first time ever a community has been awarded three consecutive and the first Youth Nationals, and it proves NBP — and the Sarasota-Bradenton of three youth area — continues to cement its place at the forefront of the sport’s American presence. national But rowing was only a part of the park’s events calendar. championship Three triathlons in one fiscal year is an achievement for NBP —the regattas. park was home to the ITU World Cup Triathlon and Paratriathlon, the HITS Triathlon Series and the Sarasota-Bradenton ITU Three in a row Triathlon Festival. The park, which is uniquely suited to triathlons, has become a regular stop on the sport’s circuit, in part because have never of the gift of a largely flat course and unlimited visibility from been awarded virtually anywhere in the park. to a venue It’s no secret NBP is also the home of many running events, including the Florida West Coast Half Marathon and multiple before NBP. 5Ks and community walks. A new tradition began — the Florida Turkey Trot, which drew about 2,300 participants for its inaugural Three run Thanksgiving morning. It became the anchor event of the NBP-Fit2Run Holiday Challenge, which included the Lucky triathlons and Leprechaun 5K on March 16 and the Fireworks 4-Miler On The Lake on July 3. an inaugural NBP Fireworks On The Lake, which continues to grow every year, Thanksgiving didn’t just have its first run, but three bands to entertain a crowd run event of as many as 25,000 people, which saw a fireworks show that started with three blasts, each one in the shapes of... N, B and P. also defined We’ll take the ones and threes all we can. It’s an honor to be FY 2019. entrusted with the premier — make that a unique — facility in all the world. The jewel of the Florida suncoast, we’re proud to say it’s Sarasota-Bradenton’s own. 11 NBP CONTRIBUTES TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY EVENTS ECONOMIC IMPACT FIGURES ARE ROUNDED State Hotel Total Sales Tax Economic Room Start Date End Date Event/Activity Attendees Generated Impact Tourist Tax Nights 10/6/18 10/6/18 Sarasota Laps for Life 308 $150 $3,934 $0 0 10/7/18 10/7/18 Team Tony Gran Fondo