As Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings prepares to reconvene a task force this month to recommend how to spend future tourist-tax revenues, collections in May shattered another record, according to figures released Tuesday by the comptroller’s office.
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The haul of $32.7 million — $2.8 million better than May 2025 — is the 14th straight, monthly record collection but the last before the mayor’s TDT panel starts weighing spending priorities and applications for uncommitted tax revenues.
Candidates for funding could include another expansion of the county’s convention center, additional facilities for the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and a Major League Baseball stadium.
But some county leaders are suggesting the task force should delay any decisions until after the state’s voters render their judgment in November on a proposed property tax cut, which could slash tax revenues.
Enormous sums are at stake.
TDT collections topped $291 million through the first eight months of fiscal year 2025-26, a monthly average of $36.4 million.
If the volatile revenue stream continues at this pace, TDT would soar over $400 million for a fiscal year for the first time ever.
The record for a fiscal year was set last year at $384.6 million. The current fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
“I think Epic is still a huge factor,” Comptroller Phil Diamond said, attributing the surge in part to the Universal theme park which opened in May 2025.
Although Universal Destinations & Experiences does not reveal attendance figures, its parent company, Comcast Corporation, “has been pretty clear in earnings calls about the strength of their Orlando theme parks” since Epic Universe opened, Diamond said.
Room rates and occupancy rates are also key factors in the growth of the Tourist Development Tax, also known as TDT, a 6% surcharge on hotel rooms and other short-term lodging options.
The average daily room rate in Orlando in May was $222.42, about $25 more than in May 2025.
The region’s occupancy rate for May was 73.4%, up about 3.4% from May 2024, the TDT-funded tourism marketing agency Visit Orlando reported.
Asked about increased TDT spending, Diamond said his office has always advocated for fiscal responsibility. The Comptroller’s report shows $433.6 million in TDT reserve, about $133.6 million over its recommended minimum.
Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando, said the tourism outlook for July and August shows room bookings pacing slightly ahead of 2025. “Interest in our destination for summer travel remains strong,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Demings set Friday as the deadline for commissioners to name their designees for his TDT panel.
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Each commissioner can appoint two.
Demings will choose the majority of the roster, which will include representatives from theme park titans Disney, Universal and SeaWorld; hoteliers and various chambers of commerce. Cities also were each invited to appoint a representative to speak for them.
The mayor tabbed former Orange County Mayor Linda Chapin and Lift Orlando President Eddy Moratin to serve as co-chairs.
The task force’s first public meetings is July 21 and the group’s work is expected to wrap up in early August.
Ahead of that session, commissioners Mayra Uribe, Kelly Martinez Semrad and Michael Scott met Monday under open-meeting rules to air concerns ranging from the task force’s “industry-heavy” composition to Uribe’s appeal to delay TDT spending talks until next year.
Uribe said she thinks any new TDT spending recommendations now would be “premature.”
A delay would give the board greater clarity on the county’s financial outlook, she said.
Her primary concern is the looming potential impact of Florida Amendment 3, which, if it wins at least 60% of the ballots cast, would create a $150,000 exemption for primary homes in 2027 and a $250,000 exemption in 2028, greatly reducing the funding pool local governments use to pay for core services.
Kurt Petersen, Orange County budget director, has estimated the funding loss at $165 million for the county in the first year. [cq State law restricts the county’s ability to use tourist tax revenues to pay for core services, however.
“Why would we commit ourselves financially before knowing the financial impact we could be facing in six months,” Uribe asked.
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Also by then, she reasoned, voters will have chosen a new mayor — she is a candidate this year to succeed Demings who is term-limited — and a new board which is expanding from six commissioners to eight. (County voters approved a charter amendment in 2024 to add two commission seats.)
Demings brushed aside Uribe’s push for a delay, saying the suggestion was politically motivated.
“What I’m trying to do here is create a conversation about the use of the people’s money. The time is now,” he said. “She’s trying to become the next mayor.”
The task force will be limited to consider funding requests only for uses allowed under current Florida law and which exceed $20 million, according to information posted on the county’s website. “Funding Interest” applications must be submitted by 5 pm, July 16.
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