[Rainger99]

Does anyone know how the nightly entertainment at the Squares is funded?

I read that the businesses in the squares pay for all of it.

I have also read that the Villages Entertainment/Developer pays about 50% with most of the money coming from beverage sales so that portion is self funded.
I saw that Sumter County pays about 30-50% of the cost with its tourism taxes.
The remaining cost is the merchants but they do not pay directly for the shows. It is built into the rents based on higher foot traffic.

The only thing that I know for certain is that it does not come out of our amenity fees.

Does anyone know the real answer? Thanks.

[ROCKETMAN]

Strictly merchants. It’s just part of their rent. Several years ago there was a tourism tax that paid a portion but that ended. They are currently trying to revive it.

[Bogie Shooter]

From districtgov.org

The contractual amenity fees provide funding for The Villages Public Safety, Community Watch, recreation centers, pools and services, gate and postal station facility maintenance, water retention areas, Village Center Community Development common areas, Sumter Landing Community Development common areas and the executive golf course operations and maintenance.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

From districtgov.org

The contractual amenity fees provide funding for The Villages Public Safety, Community Watch, recreation centers, pools and services, gate and postal station facility maintenance, water retention areas, Village Center Community Development common areas, Sumter Landing Community Development common areas and the executive golf course operations and maintenance.

But that doesn't mention who pays for the entertainment in the squares.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

But that doesn't mention who pays for the entertainment in the squares.

Not amenity fees.

Not maintenance fees.

Not tourism tax (no longer exists)

Most likely District Gov through beer huts and rents
EDIT: NOT District Gov. but still funded with proceeds from beer huts and businesses in the squares.

[tophcfa]

They should start charging an apartment dweller entertainment fee so the entertainment in SS can keep going.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Not amenity fees.

Not maintenance fees.

Not tourism tax (no longer exists)

Most likely District Gov through beer huts and rents

"Most likely" is still not an answer to the OP's question. He already knows what people THINK is the case. He wants to know if anyone knows what is ACTUALLY the case.

[Goldwingnut]

The town square merchants pay for the entertainment as a way to bring additional business to the respective shopping and dinning district. It is run and organized by the Villages Entertainment division. No amenity fees are used, no resident maintenance assessments are used, no county funds are used (the TDT was canceled during the pandemic).

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

"Most likely" is still not an answer to the OP's question. He already knows what people THINK is the case. He wants to know if anyone knows what is ACTUALLY the case.

“Most likely” is the best I can do since I don’t write the checks myself. If the OP wants an exact, definitive, authoritative answer then ToTV is not the place to ask the question.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

The town square merchants pay for the entertainment as a way to bring additional business to the respective shopping and dining district.

Do you know if that Is a specific charge for entertainment (such as $1000 a month) or are their rents higher to pay for the entertainment?

And is it every business in Lake Sumter or Brownwood, that pays it (or has it reflected in the rent) or just the businesses on the Square? At Lake Sumter, I assume Starbucks and Johnny Rockets would have to pay since they are on the square but would Aldi and Fidelity have to pay for it? Aldi is open during the music but is a long way from the square and Fidelity closes at 5. As are the banks and the medical offices.

[Holpat39]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Do you know if that Is a specific charge for entertainment (such as $1000 a month) or are their rents higher to pay for the entertainment?

And is it every business in Lake Sumter or Brownwood, that pays it (or has it reflected in the rent) or just the businesses on the Square? At Lake Sumter, I assume Starbucks and Johnny Rockets would have to pay since they are on the square but would Aldi and Fidelity have to pay for it? Aldi is open during the music but is a long way from the square and Fidelity closes at 5. As are the banks and the medical offices.

Does it really matter as long as it isn't the amenities fees.

[Nell57]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

“Most likely” is the best I can do since I don’t write the checks myself. If the OP wants an exact, definitive, authoritative answer then ToTV is not the place to ask the question.

If Don Wiley says it…..that’s about as definitive as it gets.

[DrHitch]

First, The Villages Entertainment LLC does not publish their own budget, so this is a bit of a gray area.

The majority of the funding for the bands every night does indeed come from the bar Hut revenue.

Yes, the counties at one point in time did contribute to the developer because the squares are open to the public. It is not clear that that is in the budget today.

The Villages Entertainment LLC also runs the major theater operations, but it is not clear that any profits from those operations feed back to the bands.

There is no proof that there is connection between the retailer's rent and funding for the bands...

[RoseyRed]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

The town square merchants pay for the entertainment as a way to bring additional business to the respective shopping and dinning district. It is run and organized by the Villages Entertainment division. No amenity fees are used, no resident maintenance assessments are used, no county funds are used (the TDT was canceled during the pandemic).

Thank you for the clear direct explanation Don!

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

But that doesn't mention who pays for the entertainment in the squares.

Asked and answered.