Beach fireworks to need spark from community
Financial assistance will be needed to celebrate two important American holidays on Fort Myers Beach in 2015 and beyond.
Town of Fort Myers Beach officials have announced that after New Years Eve, the financial burden of setting off traditional fireworks on the Beach Pier will no longer fall solely on taxpayer money. Instead, they are beginning a sponsorship program to offset costs that totals close to $120,000 for fireworks, insurance and other related costs on Independence Day and New Year’s Eve collectively. The 2013 Fourth of July cost breakdown ($57,906) included $30,000 for fireworks and its producer and $15,240 for police services alone.
Garden State Fireworks has been the producer of spectacular man-built and electronically produced fireworks for years. The New Jersey team is made up of federally licensed pyrotechnic experts who manufacture their own fireworks and are protected by a $5 million liability insurance policy.
On Nov. 13, Town Parks and Recreation Director Norton notified the Greater Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce members of the situation during a luncheon at Charley’s Boat House Grill. The Town-assigned project manager spoke about the sponsorship program.
“One thing that is going to change is the Town is no longer going to fund the fireworks after this New Year’s Eve,” he said. “We’ve put together a sponsorship program and are seeking out donations.”
Norton informed the sponsorship program involves levels and benefits ranging from a “friend” sponsorship amount of $500 to a “title” sponsorship at $30,000. He can be reached at 765-4222 for more information.
“There are all types of benefits that come with it, including marketing and advertising opportunities all the way up to plaque display in the Times Square area,” he said. “We will be pushing this pretty heavily after New Year’s Eve. If we don’t get the sponsorships and donations, we unfortunately won’t be able to do the fireworks events anymore.”
In October 2013, the FMB Council approved the sponsorship package. Afterwards, Parks staff met with more than 60 companies to pitch it but had “limited success” even though the two fireworks events bring an additional 10,000 people to the Beach.
“It is beneficial to the community. It’s something that benefits everyone here,” Norton said.
On Nov. 17, Times Square Alliance members recognized the truism and made a check presentation to the Council for $2,500 for the fireworks fund. Pete’s Time Out owner John Lallo, vice president of the alliance, and Plaka Restaurant owner Steve Nelakakis, president of the alliance, said the donation came from the 2013-14 reserves of the alliance’s revenue.
Beach Mayor Anita Cereceda would like to see more businesses step up to the plate, possibly either teaming up for the financial cause or a larger business becoming a corporate sponsor.
“This community primarily recognizes the value in that event,” she said. “For hoteliers, short-term rentals, restauranteurs and retailers, I think everyone recognizes the value in the celebration. I sincerely hope that they will come together somehow and come to the table with money.
“Becoming a corporate sponsor would be a great Good Neighbor thing to do, besides the fact that it would be a tremendous public relations and business decision.”
Cereceda believes the Town can still be involved, but not to the degree it has been the past couple of years.
“I don’t think the Town necessarily needs to be totally out, but I think there needs to be a far greater balance right now,” she said. “I was really proud that John and Steve put that money in before we even asked. I hope others will follow.”
Cereceda recalled the beginning of Beach fireworks on New Year’s Eve. It was for the 2000 millennium celebration.
“Those were the first fireworks for New Year’s that we ever did, and we did them for the millennium,” Cereceda said. “People loved it so much that the following year everyone said we have to do fireworks. That’s when the (Beach) Chamber got involved and became the administrator of the fireworks.”
Prior to their announced retirement, the Semmer Team was the coordinating management of public fireworks displays on Estero Island each year. In fact, three Semmer family members and former islander Brenda Herod began the fireworks coordination for Fourth of July in 1988.
To financially afford it, organizers and family officials created a fireworks fund committee to organize fundraising benefits at specific establishments on a weekly basis to help in differing costs. The result was good business for the restaurants/bars that held the events, a great party on a weekly basis for the community and the charged camaraderie in raising money for a positive cause.
“The fundraisers were community building,” Cereceda said. “Maybe we can have a booth at the shrimp festival and do fireworks donations.”
On the flip side, if fireworks are not financially sustainable on the Beach, then two major holidays could be a bit quieter on the island.
“It would be a huge letdown,” said Cereceda. “It has really become dramatic for Fort Myers Beach. How upset were people in Bonita Springs when they stopped doing it?”
For now, there will be fireworks on the Beach Pier at the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31. Beyond that, only time -and money- will tell.
“It needs to be a group effort. The Town tried to do it individually. The Chamber tried to do it individually. It’s just too hard,” Cereceda said. “There needs to be a lot of people at the table. I think it would be exciting for everyone to take ownership of this.”