La. Admin. Code tit. 25 § V-709

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section V-709 - [Effective until 9/24/2024] Application for Major Event Incentive Funding

A. The department shall provide a standard application form for eligible applicants to apply for MEIP funding.

B. The applicant shall include in its application all information, documentation, and certifications relevant to the eligibility requirements, the purposes and objectives of the MEIP, economic impact data and other information that supports a determination that the event will have a significant positive impact in the state, and information that will be included in the grant agreement if a grant is awarded.

C. At a minimum, the applicant shall provide the department with a completed application, signed by an authorized official, which shall include but is not limited to, the following:

1. event information, including but not limited to:

a. event name;

b. date or date range of the event;

c. description of the event and any activities related to or associated with the event;

d. location of the event; and

e. documentation indicating the event meets all minimum eligibility requirements, including but not limited to:

i. written endorsement from the endorsing municipality or endorsing parish signed by a person authorized to bind the municipality or parish; and

ii. signed event support contract or letter, from the site selection organization or the event producer or host that has selected the site in Louisiana, which includes all the information necessary to establish that:

(a). the site was selected after holding a bidding or invitation selection process; or

(b). that the site is a sole site for the event.

2. economic impact information, including but not limited to:

a. identification of the designated area that will be impacted by the occurrence of the event;

b. an economic impact study, report or other data sufficient to reasonably estimate the total incremental increase in sales and use receipts and excise tax receipts in the designated area that will be directly attributable to the event;

c. attendance and spending data for the event and all activities related to or associated with the event, including:

i. projected attendance figures;

ii. a description of the methodology that will be used for determining the total actual attendance;

iii. projected average spending per attendee;

iv. other projected direct spending related to the event; and

v. how the event will have a significant positive impact in the state.

d. a certification from the person(s) who prepared the economic, attendance, and spending studies, reports and data for the application, attesting to the accuracy of the information provided.

3. budget, revenue, and expenditure information, including but not limited to:

a. the most current budget for the attracting and hosting of the event, which shall include:

i. the amount of the requested funding from the MEIP;

ii. line items for all projected expenses, noting those expenses that are eligible expenses under the MEIP and those the applicant proposes funding with the requested MEIP grant;

iii. line items for revenue, noting all revenue sources that are public entities;

iv. in-kind goods and services.

4. public value and positive impact;

a. In compliance Article VII, Section 14 of the Louisiana Constitution, the applicant shall include in its application a detailed proposal describing how the MEIP award for the event will support the statewide development and implementation of cultural, recreation, and/or tourism programs in Louisiana, specifically, the marketing of Louisiana as a tourism destination. This information will be included in the language of the grant agreement.

b. The applicant shall include proposed activities and budget for marketing Louisiana as a tourism destination, and the proposed activities must reflect a minimum value of the lesser of $750,000 or 10 percent of the grant award.

c. The department explicitly recognizes the following non-exhaustive forms of marketing as acceptable, if provided by the grant recipient upon notification of the grant award and continued throughout the term of the grant agreement:

i. a 30-second commercial spot leading up to and during the event, if broadcast;

ii. an advertisement printed in all associated publicity of the event;

iii. a recognition during broadcast interviews for the event;

iv. a placement for the Louisiana Office of Tourism logo with click-through link to https://www.ExploreLouisiana.com, in materials or media promoting the event, such as:

(a). home page of the applicant's website;

(b). home pages of the official event website;

(c). print, tv, or social media ad(s) marketing the event;

(d). email correspondence to target audiences for the event; and

(e). billboards promoting the event;

vi. a set of passes to the event.

5. Information and documentation necessary to draft the grant agreement, including but not limited to:

a. name and title of the official authorized to execute the grant agreement;

b. federal and state tax identification numbers; and

c. documentation the applicant is in good standing with the office of the secretary of state and has authority to enter into contracts with the state.

D. The department is not required to review or act on an application that does not contain all information and documentation contained in this Section.

E. The department may issue guidance to establish, interpret, or clarify requirements for participation in the MEIP, and compliance with any such guidance shall be required. Any such guidance shall be consistent with all applicable statutes and this Chapter.

F. If the department requires additional information from an applicant in order to review/approve the application, the applicant will be notified via email and must respond within 10 business days.

La. Admin. Code tit. 25, § V-709

Promulgated by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Office of Tourism, LR 49, 10/1/2023, exp. 3/29/2024 (Emergency), Amended LR 50, exp. 9/24/2024 (Emergency).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 51:1260.