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Orange County task force hears final requests from those wanting tourism tax dollars

Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community one of 55 businesses, organizations asking for funds

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A task force met Friday to hear a final round of presentations from groups hoping for a share of Orange County’s tourism tax revenue.

One of the groups presenting to the TDT Citizen Advisory Task Force was the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (P.E.C.).

The group laid out a plan to build the Zora Neale Hurston Campus for the Arts, Humanities, and the Sciences.

“What we can do with investment from Orange County is to deliver, deliver, deliver,” P.E.C. Executive Director N.Y. Nathiri said.

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The P.E.C. is asking for $87 million. The project aims to capitalize on the cultural heritage tourism market and would create an estimated economic impact of $110 million.

“We will bring Eatonville money that it has not seen and frankly, probably has not even envisioned,” Nathiri said.

The application is one of 55 from various organizations and businesses.

Each applicant has hoped to reap the benefits of Orange County’s record-breaking tax revenue following the pandemic.

Supporters of the museum said it would have a profound impact on an underserved community.

“For a long time, Eatonville has had to reach out for assistance,” Mayor Angie Gardner said. “However, with something like this, people will come to us. We will create jobs.”

The task force has two more meetings over the next month and is scheduled to present their findings to the Tourist Development Council on July 18.

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