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Cocoa Beach powerboat race gets tourism grant, prepares for record-setting event

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Organizers of the Thunder on Cocoa Beach powerboat races have secured a key county tourism grant for the races, and expect to have record-setting attendance for their May 18-21 event.

The Brevard County Commission voted 4-1 to give the event a $49,996 major events grant. Funding for the grant comes from revenue generated by Brevard County's 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms and other short-term rentals.

Racing teams compete during the 2022 Thunder on Cocoa Beach offshore powerboat races.
Racing teams compete during the 2022 Thunder on Cocoa Beach offshore powerboat races.

Kerry Bartlett, executive director of Space Coast Super Boats LLC, promoter of Thunder on Cocoa Beach, said it was "tremendously important" for the event to get its grant to help put on the event and to help the charitable organization the event supports, I Am a Freedom Fighter, which works to eliminate human trafficking.

"We're very grateful for the grant," Bartlett said.

Tourist Development Council support:Tourism advisory board again recommends grant for Cocoa Beach powerboat races

Bartlett said he expects more than 60 powerboat race teams to compete in this years races, which are held in various classes, up from 54 teams competing in 11 classes in 2022.

The 2023 event will have 10 teams in the showcase Class 1 event, including teams from Australia, Norway and Sweden. The boats can reach speeds of up to 175 mph.

Races will be held May 20 and 21 offshore in Cocoa Beach, with the racing oval extending from Alan Shephard Park to the north and Coconuts on the Beach to the south. In advance of the races, on May 18 and 19, there will be parties, boat displays and a meet-the-racers event in the Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral areas.

Bartlett said, based on early reports from hotels of reservations for the race weekend, he expects the race events to draw record crowds.

Thunder on Cocoa Beach is considered one of the Space Coast's largest tourism-related events of the year, attracting 255,794 people and $53.10 million in visitor spending, according to the latest Space Coast Office of Tourism estimates.

Air show rejected for grant:Cocoa Beach Air Show funding nixed at contentious Brevard County Commission meeting

Thunder on Cocoa Beach is the only entity to receive a tourism major events grant for the current budget year. County commissioners twice rejected requests for a major events grant from organizers of the Cocoa Beach Air Show, first for $87,852.20 and later for $53,795.80. Commissioners felt the air show organizers did not provide enough information on the event's finances.

The air show is scheduled for April 15 and 16 along the beach in Cocoa Beach, with a rehearsal day on April 14. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are the headline act.

Contact Berman at  dberman@floridatoday.com, on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Thunder on Cocoa Beach powerboat races in Cocoa Beach gets tourism grant