ORLANDO, Fla. — Visit Orlando, Central Florida’s Chief Marketing Agency, which has received hundreds of millions of dollars collected from tourists on hotel stays, is facing an audit.
Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond is speeding up that audit, coming on the heels of last month, when County Commissioners voted to cut funding for the organization to the tune of $15 million.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
Commissioners had debated using some of that tourism tax revenue to help fund other issues facing the community.
“What we do is focus on the data and go where the data takes us,” Diamond said. “We do want to make sure if they are spending millions of dollars with advertising agencies that they really are getting those television spots.”
Diamond told WFTV the audit could include looking at how Visit Orlando spends money on things like entertainment, travel, and meals, with a special focus on how millions in tourist development tax funds are used.
Read: Orange-Osceola State Attorney launches violent crimes unit
Some County Commissioners requested the audit last month, after debating how those tax dollars should be used.
Diamond said the Visit Orlando has not been audited since 2019, so this would have happened anyway.
Visit Orlando has historically received 30% of total tax dollars collected from hotel stays.
In 2023, that was more than $100 million.
Commissioner Mayra Uribe told Eyewitness News that this audit is even more pressing amid revelations that a lobbyist who was supposed to represent the county’s interest in Tallahassee, was also representing The Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association.
That lobbyist, Chris Carmody wrote a Senate Bill which would have made it harder for County Commissioners to reduce Visit Orlando’s funding.
“There are consequences for any of the County’s paid lobbyists to knowingly work in conflict with the best interests of the County,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. “To do so could sever the County’s business relationship with the lobby firm and could trigger a potential Florida Bar complaint for a lawyer. I will look to our county attorney to advise me and the Board of County Commissioners in this regard.”
The county told Channel 9 News they are looking at potentially cutting ties with that lobbyist and even filing a Florida Var complaint.
The lobbyist has not returned calls or emails from WFTV.
State Senator Linda Stewart has introduced the bill that was drafted by Carmody. While the bill is not moving forward, the senator said in a statement, “I proposed this bill specifically for messaging purposes as I believe that reductions to Visit Orlando could negatively impact our community. Many know the organization’s involvement in promoting Central Florida as a tourism destination, but the organization also serves the community in other ways through their volunteer actions such as park cleanups and hurricane relief efforts. I was the one requesting assistance with drafting this legislation as my office was against a bill filing deadline and I knew this subject area was one the lobbying group was familiar with and could speak to.”
Read: Members of Orange Co. Indian community say homes being targeted in a string of burglaries
Visit Orlando told Channel 9 that that it’s a transparent organization and its reports are already posted publicly on the Comptroller’s website,
Visit Orlando president and CEO sent Eyewitness News a statement that read:
“Visit Orlando will comply with the Orange County agreement, which gives the Comptroller authority to audit Visit Orlando at any time. Visit Orlando is a transparent organization, with every TDT dollar spent posted publicly on the Comptroller’s website and more than a dozen reports that range from financial statements to marketing plans provided to Orange County on an ongoing basis. Visit Orlando was not involved in the creation of the proposed legislation. We look forward to our continued partnership with Orange County to achieve our mission to inspire, promote and grow global travel to Orange County for economic and community benefit.”
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2024 Cox Media Group
