Monitor Editor
GREEN COVE SPRINGS— The director of tourism for Clay County said the county spent over $100,000 on two Lake Region events in the last eight months.
Kimberly Morgan said the county spent $75,000 on last year’s Nitro Rallycross at the Keystone Airport and an additional $40,000 for an April MotoSurf competition at Keystone Beach through reimbursable grants.
Morgan disclosed the grant amounts to the Tourist Development Board while advocating for a $35,000 cap on future grants awarded by the council.
She said the television exposure gained by the two events was worth the cost.
“Both of those included huge TV marketing opportunities,” she said of the events. “With Nitro Rallycross it was Peacock, and with MotoSurf it was CBS Sports. There was no way we could purchase advertising on those networks for what we gave in the grants.”
In other news from the Aug. 8 meeting of the Clay County Tourist Development Council:
Tourism dept. talking with kayak fishing promoter
Morgan said the agreement with Chad and Kristie Hoover’s Kayak Bass Fishing organization would bring anglers to Clay County from June through November 2023, 2024 and 2025.
She said the anglers would compete for weekly and monthly prizes and qualify for a weekend championship tournament in November. To qualify for the championship tournament, anglers must catch one fish and stay overnight in Clay County during the June through November qualifying period.
Morgan said the event could bring more than 4,000 overnight stays to the county. She added that kayak bass fishing is ideal for the area because of Clay County’s limited boat ramp inventory, and the fact that kayaks do not require boat ramps.
Nitro Rallycross in talks to return to KH airport
The 2021 event featured Travis Pastrana and Chase Elliott at the FIRM within the Keystone Heights Airport.
Kenedy Grayson of Airstream Ventures told the Tourist Development Council that there is more than a 50% chance that the event will return in 2022.
Added Morgan: “We will know in September whether they will come on Dec. 11 through 13. It will be a quick turnaround.”
