Ocala officials tabled a vote on a renewal contract for $300,000 of drone services to celebrate the Fourth of July over the next two years after they were advised that the county has been asked to make a financial commitment to the event.
A decision on the contract with Sky Elements, LLC, was tabled during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Ocala City Council after City Manager Pete Lee informed the council that the city had put in a request for funding assistance from the county in the amount of $75,000.
Lee told the council that the city’s request would be discussed during the November 5 meeting of the Marion County Board of County Commissioners Meeting.
During his comments on the event, Lee indicated that, although the exact economic impact was “unclear,” an event impact summary from the Ocala/Marion County Visitors & Convention Bureau showed that the event on the local economy generated an economic impact of $180,846.
The economic impact statement indicates that approximately $65,454 was spent on food and beverages, $31,507 on lodging, and nearly $25,000 on retail products and services by visitors during the event.
According to city officials, approximately 12,000 individuals attended the event at Tuscawilla Park on July 4, 2024.
During that event, Ocala-News.com provided an exclusive live stream of the drone show, which cost approximately $71,415:
On Tuesday, before deciding to table their vote, several city council members shared their opinion on the drone show.
Ocala City Council President Barry Mansfield questioned the difference in cost between fireworks and drones, saying the former would be a less expensive alternative. Mansfield said he was fine keeping the event in downtown Ocala, but sought to clarify public perception that the city was spending $300,000 on a “drone show that’s ten minutes long.”
In response, Lee, who was first tasked by Ocala City Council to explore the idea of having a Fourth of July celebration this year, said the city did not have locations that would be suitable for the size of fireworks that the city would want to purchase.
Lee said the response from the public to the drone show was “overwhelmingly positive” and that it led to the city’s decision to pursue the event again for the coming year. The city manager suggested that there was plenty of lead-up time to next year’s event, saying it could lead to the possibility of sponsorships with local businesses in addition to county funding.
After additional comments by Lee, council members Jay Musleh and Ire Bethea said the city should wait to make a decision on the matter until after the county votes on whether or not to contribute.
As it became clear that the vote would be delayed, council member Kristen Dreyer apologized to city staff and said she was unsure why the matter was delayed at all.
Dreyer noted that the original agreement for this year’s event did not call for county funding and that the county was not included until after that event was planned. She said the council asked city staff to make the show “longer” and that they were “choking up” because the request equated to “double the price.”
Dreyer emphasized that the drone show was originally suggested as an alternative to fireworks because of the hazard they pose to the community.
“There is nowhere in the city of Ocala to do fireworks safely. So if the county wants to take the ball with that and run and do fireworks out on their complex, they can do that. I don’t think they want to,” said Dreyer.
After Dreyer wrapped her comments, Mayor Ben Marciano opined that the event was great because city staff did a great job and because people were “looking for something to do,” but downplayed the drone show.
He said he didn’t enjoy the drone show and believed fireworks were a “better option.”
“I think the community, overall, was looking for fireworks. I think the event was a huge success, because of how our staff ran it. Our community was looking for something to do,” said Marciano.
As he was speaking, Marciano was interrupted by Dreyer, who indicated that those in opposition to the drone show were few in number.
“Who [complained]? The 100 people on Ocala-News.com? Come on, Come on,” said Dreyer.
“Let me finish, I let you speak, okay?” said Marciano. “I think that, when you look at the cost and being a good steward for our community, I think we’re a hamburger, hot dog, and firework community. I think people love coming out, I think it’s a great setting. I think we owe it to look at it and see if there’s an option to be able to do fireworks there.”
Shortly after his comments, the council decided to table the matter.
On July 4, the city’s first Patriotic Skies Fourth of July Celebration ended with its inaugural drone show. During that show, approximately 300 drones were deployed for around 10 minutes.
According to city records, the new contract calls for enhancements to the original agreement, including an increase in the number of drones from 300 to 600, and the use of “different drones with extended battery life to ensure a show duration of no less than 15 minutes but not exceeding 18 minutes.”
The new two-year contract would extend the city’s relationship with Sky Elements, LLC through February 8, 2027.
In the days after the drone show, several readers wrote in to Ocala-News.com to share their opinions about the event. Many of the opinions reflected a desire to see improvements to the show.
Do you think the city should commit to the drone show for the next two years? Share your opinions in a comment or a letter to the editor.
The Ocala City Council regularly meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 4 p.m. at Ocala City Hall (110 SE Watula Avenue).
