Monroe County TDC Announces Major Tourism Infrastructure Investment Benefiting Visitors and Residents in the Florida Keys

Key West, FL (Oct. 1, 2025) – The Monroe County Tourism Development Council (TDC) is proud to announce a significant investment in tourism-related capital projects designed to enhance the visitor experience, strengthen local infrastructure, and support long-term economic growth throughout the Florida Keys. Funded through the TDC’s Capital Grant Program, these projects represent a strategic investment of bed tax revenue collected from overnight visitors and will deliver lasting benefits for both travelers and residents alike. 

The TDC is projected to spend over $11 million on capital projects in Fiscal Year 2026, providing grants to government entities and nonprofit organizations for infrastructure improvements—including repairs, renovations, and upgrades—that enhance the Florida Keys as a premier destination for both domestic and international tourism. By improving everything from beaches to parks to cultural landmarks, these projects help ensure Monroe County remains both a world-class destination and a vibrant place to live. 

These improvements would generally be funded through property taxes, but thanks to the Tourist Development Tax, visitors—not residents—pay for these community benefits. Tourism spending in Monroe County has a significant economic impact, generating approximately $173 million in local taxes from visitors each year.  

“These projects directly support our mission to strengthen tourism infrastructure, while also delivering meaningful benefits to our local community,” said Kara Franker, Monroe County TDC President and CEO. “This approach is part of a broader concept known as Destination Stewardship, and these investments by the TDC reinforce our long-term commitment to that vision. Each project adds new value for visitors and gives them even more reasons to experience everything there is to love about the Florida Keys all year long.” 

For FY 2026, the Monroe County Tourism Development Council accepted applications for the fund beginning in February 2025 until April 2025. The process for securing TDC funding begins with submitting a Request for Applications (RFA) to the TDC, which then forwards it to the District Advisory Committees (DACs) for initial review. In June, the DACs held funding meetings to evaluate proposals and voted on recommended funding amounts. These recommendations were then reviewed and approved by the TDC board, followed by final approval from the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). Final approval by BOCC is still ongoing with contracts being approved during the first quarter of the new fiscal year. 

To be eligible, projects must primarily promote tourism and fall into one of the following categories: Convention Centers, Sports Stadiums, Sports Arenas, Coliseums, Auditoriums, Aquariums, Museums, Zoological Parks, Nature Centers, Fishing Piers, Beach or Beach Park Facilities, Channels, Estuaries, Lagoons or other Public Facilities in Accordance with Conditions set forth in the Florida Statutes. 

Major projects for FY 2026 include:  

• City Of Key West: Mallory Square Wharf Improvements, more than $2.6 million for repairs to the Mallory Square seawall
• Coral Restoration Foundation, Inc., more than $475,000 million for coral restoration
• Friends of the Pool, Inc., $130,000 for continued preservation of Alligator Reef Light Station
• Islamorada, Village of the Islands, more than $435,000 for Founders Park Pool Resurfacing Project
• Monroe County BOCC, more than $900,000 for Higgs Beach Pavilion Repairs, the Big Pine Community Park - Skate Park and Jacobs Aquatic Center Pool Renovations
• Monroe School Board Leasing Corp., $500,000 for School Board Eleven Time Conch Cafe and Baseball Museum
• Reef Environmental Education Foundation Center, Inc., more than $57,000 for outdoor attractions, a new roof and restoration to campus
• Reef Renewal USA, Inc., more than $360,000 for coral restoration 

Projects funded by the TDC and enjoyed by both visitors and residents include restroom upgrades at Higgs Beach and Smathers Beach Parks in Key West, annual beach cleanings at those locations, as well as at Sombrero Beach in Marathon, Founders Park in Islamorada, and Harry Harris Park in Key Largo. 

Additional organizations/entities that were awarded funding for projects include: 

• City of Key Colony Beach
• City of Marathon
• Dolphin Research Center, Inc.
• Dolphins Plus Oceanside Marine Mammal Responder, Inc.
• Florida Keys Land & Sea Trust, Inc.
• Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
• Hidden Harbor Marine Environmental Project, Inc.
• I. Care Corporation
• Institute Patriotico y Docente San Carlos, Inc.
• Island Dolphin Care, Inc.
• Key West Botanical Garden Society, Inc.
• Marine Resources Development Foundation, Inc.
• Miami Dade Historical Maritime Museum
• Old Island Restoration Foundation
• Pigeon Key Foundation, Inc.
• The Florida Keys History of Diving Museum, Inc.
• The Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, Inc. 

For media images, click here. 

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