MS Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo officials wanted BP Grant Money but were denied

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LONG BEACH, MS (WLOX) - Long Beach has welcomed the MS Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo with open arms. Alderman Gary Ponthieux says the city wants the big fishing event back. Last year BP served up an 85hundred dollar sponsorship for the rodeo.

Organizers hoped to get a share of BP money again this year, but that didn't happen.

Ponthieux said, " For this rodeo to be 64 years, it's unbelievable that BP was the main reason for the rodeo being moved and delayed because of the spill. And for this organization not to receive one penny in funds or grants or anything to help this event... I think it's pretty bad."

The 16 million dollars from BP to promote coast tourism is being managed by the Gulf Coast Regional Tourism Partnership. Organization and events must apply for a share of the BP funds.

Rodeo president Michael Casano requested 30 thousand dollars.

Casano stated, "We really didn't get an explanation about the rejection of the Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, the Gulf Coast Tourism Grant. They said we did not conform with the goals of the grant program established by BP and the Governor's Office."

According John McFarland Board Chair of the Gulf Coast Regional Tourism Partnership the rodeo did not meet the guidelines for an Event Grant.

"The BP Grant is specifically to bring in new tourists, put heads in beds, to get people to come into the coast," McFarland said. "So for Event Grants what we look at is what is the potential to bring new people into the area."

Ponthieux said, "This is the most important issue around... the water, fishermen, the tourist. We have a hotel here in Long Beach, it's full. Its been full for several days now, at least the past four days, completely full. That's a lot of heads in the beds."

The Tourism Partnerships looks at event advertising outside the coast... but the Rodeo's the application did not specify the money would be used for advertising... the paperwork marked operations and promotions.

McFarland said, "The money is not to be used for operating expenses or to pay the expenses that would normally be paid for by the organization... but to bring new people in."

Casano added, "This is the 64th MS Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. We certainly demonstrated long-term sustainability as a Gulf Coast tourism event. We're relevant enough to Gulf Coast tourism that we appear on the web site. However, we applied for the grant and we were denied."

According to McFarland the Gulf Coast Regional Tourism Partnership has received 61 requests for Event Grants, 26 have been granted and 8 are still pending.