Palmetto is first to approve 2018 Bradenton Area River Regatta

Approving the annual Bradenton Area River Regatta hasn’t always been quick and easy north of the Manatee River, but on Monday night the 2018 regatta approval achieved both.

Palmetto officials unanimously approved the fourth annual event with Bradenton expected to follow suit on Wednesday, marking the event’s quickest approval since the 2015 inaugural regatta.

“We are privileged to have the return partnership of Palmetto and look forward to the continued strong support of Bradenton, Manatee County, current and hopefully new sponsors for what has become a major signature event for the region,” said ISM USA president Mike Fetchko, the event’s organizer.

February’s third annual regatta was seen as the true litmus test for the event that opened as Manatee County’s single largest spectator event only to see numbers drop significantly in 2016 due to rain and cold. Activities in the first year were lacking in Palmetto and, “the second year the weather didn’t cooperate so this was really our first year,” said Allen Tusing, public works director.

Tusing said it’s always difficult to get a new event going, “but we have to get this one going and more and more people will continue to show up and that’s only going to benefit our businesses in the long run.”

In early March, an economic development study estimated 80,000 attendees spent $5.3 million in Bradenton and Palmetto. Commissioner Jonathan Davis said businesses did well and more importantly, “the event brought people into the city that normally wouldn’t come here and I met a lot of people who said how much they loved the area.”

Between the first two events, Palmetto had wavered on participating, but Police Chief Scott Tyler said it would have been a mistake.

“We should be full partners,” Tyler said. “There is a good template in place, and we put on a safe event and it looks to be even better next year.”

Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant said the city was fully reimbursed for its costs.

“It’s of a great benefit to the city,” he said. “The sooner we can do this approval, it allows them to market it longer. They did everything we asked them to do and all of the feedback has been positive.”

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Palmetto is first to approve 2018 Bradenton Area River Regatta."