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Those firework displays had big price tags. Where's that money now?

Fireworks aren't cheap. Those big displays you see can cost anywhere between $25,000- $40,000. So with firework shows canceled this year, where is the money going?

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — July 4th events across Tampa Bay have been scrapped. Including the massive firework shows cities were planning on paying for. But if the show is not going on, where is the money going? We reached out to the biggest groups to find out what their plans are:

  • City of Clearwater: Paid for by city funds. Had budgeted $50,000 for their show. The money is now back in the general fund.
  • Siesta Key: Paid for by the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. They had planned to raise $50,000. They canceled before fundraising began.
  • City of Tampa: The city typically raises money that's distributed by the Tampa Downtown Partnership. No taxpayer money is used. No money was raised this year because the fireworks were canceled before the fundraising began.
  • City of Sarasota: Paid for by donations. The city did not raise any funds.
  • City of St. Petersburg: Budgeted $30,000 for the show and $12,000 for the barge. All of it is going back to the general fund.
  • City of Tarpon Springs: Paid for by the city. $28,875 budgeted for the show. They said they have not decided what to do with the money.
  • City of Gulfport: Paid for by the city. $25,000 budgeted. The city plans to have a display on Sept. 5 for Labor Day.

Across the country firework sales are booming. One report from the Portland Press Herald said retailers are seeing 100 to 200 percent increases in sales.

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