MILTON — Tough Mudder is not returning to Santa Rosa County in 2017.
Officials for the 10- to 12-mile, British military-designed mud run cited an interest in bringing the event to new areas.
Judi Kovacs, marketing communications associate at Tough Mudder Inc., said, “As a company we are committed to bringing our events to new regions and communities whenever possible, and we will be exploring new venues to bring the event in 2017.
“We look forward to bringing the events to new regions, and welcoming thousands of new and returning (participants, called Mudders) wherever we go.”
Santa Rosa County Commissioner and Tourist Development Council member Rob Williamson said negative press kept Tough Mudder away.
The competition was held April 9-10 at the Ates Ranch. April 14, a discussion forum at Tough Mudder’s website (http://bit.ly/2aQ17BV) shows a member saying he received an email announcing the New Orleans location for 2017, well before the July 6 release of the Haas Center’s economic impact report for Santa Rosa’s event.
During the Aug. 4 Tourist Development Council meeting, TDC Director Julie Morgan said, “It’s really disheartening, though, the last several conversations I’ve had to have with Tough Mudder as a representative of this county when they tell me, ‘I’m sorry, but we do not want to come back to your county and one of the main reasons is we do not feel welcome and all the negative press.’”
A Tough Mudder official did not immediately return calls about this statement.
“We've lost the biggest single, special event in 20 years,” said Kyle Holley, a TDC board member who acted as liaison between Tough Mudder and the venue, the Ates Family Ranch.
He also said Tough Mudder was complimentary of the way the venue worked with the company during the event.
The negative press, according to Williamson, came primarily from the Navarre Press.
Publisher Sandy Kemp shared 10 articles and an editorial with the Press Gazette, which show criticism of the extreme sports company as well as Williamson’s pursuit of its return.
Tough Mudder criticism included:
●Noting three other locales did not have to pay Tough Mudder to come
●Asking commissions on hotel rooms advertised as well as discounted rooms
●Asking for a $120,000 grant to return in 2016
●Changing the deal on a pre-party for the 2016 event
●Failing to bump bed tax revenue in April, the month of the 2016 event
●Missing the contract deadline of providing an economic impact report while asking for the promised $80,000 contingent upon receiving it
●Creating disappointing economic results for the 2016 event
On the first point, Kovacs said, “In similar markets to Gulf Coast, community investment levels have been consistent with Santa Rosa County's investment, and include a combination of monetary and in-kind support.”
The paper questioned Williamson for:
●Ignoring the TDC’s recommendation to cap Tough Mudder spending at $20,000 and instead boosting it to $80,000.
●Suggesting the TDC pay for the pre-party rather than pressing Tough Mudder to do so
Williamson said the $141,655.0 reported taxes and fees collected in Santa Rosa County, according to the Haas Center report, made the $80,000 investment worth it.
Among these articles, author Rob Johnson noted that Williamson balked at Tough Mudder’s discount negotiations with Navarre hotels (“Commissioner raises concerns with Tough Mudder” by Rob Johnson, Dec. 17, 2015).
Kemp said all information reported by the Navarre Press has been accurate, and Tough Mudder has never contacted her to correct anything.
While the Haas Center report showed $4.5 million less in revenue coming into Santa Rosa County than the previous year, Williamson said it was an overall success.
At the meeting and afterward, Williamson pointed to data like Tough Mudder bringing in 6,000 visitors to the county, 2,000 of whom came from out of state.
Tough Mudder may return to Santa Rosa County, just not next year. Holley said the Ates Family Ranch agreed to leave the five-year agreement with the company in place.
“We have enjoyed hosting Tough Mudder in Santa Rosa County and are exploring options to return to this community in the future,” Kovacs said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Tough Mudder not returning to Santa Rosa County in '17