SeaWorld President Named Interim CEO Of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL -- SeaWorld Orlando President Jim Dean has been appointed interim president and CEO of Pinellas County's tourism bureau, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.

Dean will assume the duties of former CEO David Downing who announced his sudden departure earlier this month. Feb. 1 was his last day in the position.

Pinellas County Administrator Barry Burton said he's confident the tourism bureau is in good hands with Dean, who will assume his new duties on Feb. 4.

Dean, 61, has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality, travel and tourism industries.
From 2010-17, he served as president of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island before heading up SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica and Discovery Cove.

He has been an adviser and board member of several Tampa Bay area organizations, including the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, the USF Muma College of Business and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp.

“Jim’s extensive experience and collaborative approach will be an asset to the department during this transition,” said Burton.

Dean will be responsible for overseeing daily operations of the agency responsible for marketing Pinellas County across the world.

The county will begin a nationwide search in the coming weeks to fill the position permanently. Dean said he plans to apply for the permanent position. Downing was also an interim CEO before he was hired for the permanent post.

Downing, who headed the tourism bureau since 2014, announced his resignation this month to accept a hospitality position in the private sector. Downing, who was paid $215,000 a year, had recently come under scrutiny for inflated travel and entertainment expenses. As a result, Burton announced just before Downing's resignation that he planned to increase oversight of Downing's expenses.

The St. Pete/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, serving as Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater, is the official tourism department for Pinellas County government, responsible for enhancing the economy by luring tourists and attracting sports, entertainment, conventions and other events that bring in visitors.

The department is funded through the 6 percent tourist development tax, known as the bed tax, collected on hotels and other temporary lodgings. The revenue from the tax has steadily increased during the past five years. In 2018, the tax generated nearly $60 million, up 9 percent from 2017

Tourism is the St. Pete/Clearwater area's No. 1 industry, drawing 5.8 million visitors to the county each year. It's also the No. 1 employer, providing 94,000 jobs in Pinellas County.

Photo via Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp.

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