Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings Reconvenes Tourist Development Tax Citizen Advisory Task Force

Funding Application now open for community projects seeking Tourist Development Tax funding

Orange County, FL – Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings will reconvene the Tourist Development Tax (TDT) Citizen Advisory Task Force to review and recommend future uses of unallocated TDT revenues. The task force will provide recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners and the Tourist Development Council in accordance with Estatuto de Florida 125.0104. Former Orange County Mayor Linda Chapin and Lift Orlando President Eddy Moratin will serve as co-chairs.

"Tourism in Orange County has remained strong over the last three years and TDT collections are at an all-time high," said Mayor Demings. "These funds support infrastructure investments that expand tourism through sports, arts, and entertainment while creating jobs for our residents."

Orange County is now accepting applications from community projects interested in TDT funding. The task force will use criteria established by the TDT Application Review Committee to evaluate potential projects and funding opportunities. Applications will be accepted from Tuesday, June 30, 2026, through Thursday, July 16, 2026.

All proposed projects must qualify as authorized uses of TDT funds in accordance with Estatuto de Florida 125.0104. Authorized uses include:

• To acquire, construct, extend, enlarge, remodel, repair, improve, maintain, operate, or promote one or more publicly owned and operated convention centers, sports stadiums, sports arenas, coliseums, or auditoriums
• To acquire, construct, extend, enlarge, remodel, repair, improve, maintain, operate, or promote one or more auditoriums that are publicly owned but are operated by organizations that are exempt from federal taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. s. 501(c)(3) and open to the public
• To acquire, construct, extend, enlarge, remodel, repair, improve, maintain, operate, or promote one or more aquariums or museums that are publicly owned and operated or owned and operated by not-for-profit organizations and open to the public
• To promote zoological parks that are publicly owned and operated or owned and operated by not-for-profit organizations and open to the public
• To promote and advertise tourism in this state and nationally and internationally; however, if tax revenues are expended for an activity, service, venue, or event, the activity, service, venue, or event must have as one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists as evidenced by the promotion of the activity, service, venue, or event to tourists
• To fund convention bureaus, tourist bureaus, tourist information centers, and news bureaus as county agencies or by contract with the chambers of commerce or similar associations in the county
• To finance beach park facilities, or beach, channel, estuary, or lagoon improvement, maintenance, renourishment, restoration, and erosion control, including construction of beach groins and shoreline protection, enhancement, cleanup, or restoration of inland lakes and rivers to which there is public accessas those uses relate to the physical preservation of the beach, shoreline, channel, estuary, lagoon, or inland lake or river

The task force will hold its first meeting on July 21, 2026, in the Board of County Commissioners Chambers at the Orange County Administration Building.  A second meeting will be held on July 28, 2026, followed by a third meeting on July 29, 2026, and a fourth meeting on August 5, 2026, at the Orange County Multicultural Center. The task force is expected to complete its work by August 2026 and will conclude with its recommendations to the Tourism Development Council and the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.

Orange TV will carry the TDT Citizen Advisory Task Force meetings live at www.ocfl.net/orangetv.

To apply for funding, view meeting dates, or learn more about the Tourist Development Tax Citizen Advisory Task Force, visit www.ocfl.net/TDT.