[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6214967,"mediaKeyId","3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac","parentId",3663122,"title","Cottage Grove CVB previews summer and fall events; limits food-truck festival to 35 vendors","audioSeconds",421,"startMs",1611000,"endMs",2032000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac&start=1611&end=2032","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac/thumbnail_1611000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6214967/Cottage-Grove/Washington-County/Minnesota/Cottage-Grove-CVB-previews-summer-and-fall-events-limits-food-truck-festival-to-35-vendors","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214967-e4a3e21906935a3ea1ec0b91fc237429/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178754&Signature=RJB3M5cnSPxNDKwfHRBaIlhqk18Bmy3l9BbXmkId1a2sAKYn8FL0yVCdRaKuoKrmsoZZax8tTRgdO-JB6WGUc5zFpdkDe7ROuKdeWNBED8m3-qz-9AKMr7CHjCfYAbsofC2DG4M7YCIfCK9nIKGqVumPsOLEbf~wH7rX1cQhRTRKMEseuF9OmeFF-uR1gAgGJSiSZxLgxR90pzDVAORbAX8kB11zm8w0Pt~~WQMiBpKe4RxWHUynbDhKPHCxfA-v1ziT7UE8dK9Jjs57cAG9ag0R-TnhurrTw4WrQT0JTkH6UX9t9qk-fNjsgyKfoAezDvio-Lks9FHBctZoDDI~rg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Cottage Grove, MN","date","2025-06-04T01:10:30Z","article","Alexa, a CVB staff member who manages events and social media, told the board on June 3 that Strawberry Fest runs June 19–22 and previewed the CVB’s “bring a friend” campaign, a coloring-contest display at the CVB booth and appearances by puzzle artist Eric Dowdle.

Alexa said the CVB will hold its third annual food-truck festival on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and that additional logistical details (vendor lineups, marketplace vendors and bands) will be presented at the August board meeting. She also described a July 13–19 “patio week” that will feature one restaurant patio each day to highlight local dining offerings.

Board members asked about vendor counts and logistics for the food-truck festival. A CVB committee member reported the committee capped food trucks at 35 this year after receiving about 47 applications; the committee has chosen 35 trucks and maintains a waiting list in case of dropouts. “We did reduce our food truck count this year. So we're gonna cap it at 35 food trucks,” the committee member said.

Alexa provided other dates: Cottage Grove Lions fireworks on July 6 at Kingston Park, the One Family Labor Day weekend event, Hometown Holiday on Dec. 4, and a holiday train date to be announced. The board discussed cross-promotion opportunities with other community events and suggested partnering with local committees to maximize visits while events run.

The presentation concluded with a reminder that more details about the food-truck festival’s vendor list and marketplace availability will be provided at the August meeting and that staff will continue coordination with partner committees and vendors.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cottage Grove Convention and Visitors Bureau Board Meeting 6-3-25","oneSentenceSummary","CVB staff outlined 2025 event plans including Strawberry Fest (June 19–22), patio week (July 13–19), a third annual food-truck festival on Sept. 13 and a cap of 35 food trucks for the festival; arrangements for vendors and marketplace spaces were discussed.","taxTitle","Cottage Grove, Washington County, Minnesota","taxId",52786,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214972,"Cottage Grove CVB approves $2,000 Explore Minnesota grant with 1:1 city match",226,1330000,1556000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac&start=1330&end=1556","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac/thumbnail_1330000.jpg","/articles/6214972/Cottage-Grove/Washington-County/Minnesota/Cottage-Grove-CVB-approves-2000-Explore-Minnesota-grant-with-11-city-match","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214972-42403b5c5edf3d39bbdd84e9819ae308/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178754&Signature=c9gB8UFT0rZy0BLpSMZfTXvSpNxCMaZYSW0g9FaltHg3aXo3htdIwq5Z2MbQPUlBIlI9~DvGa5rXPJRO~YEMwCcmaQwh0lJSa8IG5P7yHBgYwj1418NR9ot2HmZQKrfqMoVpZMH3XTBGPiBFsToiDYK9rrjSJJunriKxI53oBkr1qU3dpowELWMhnNv1VXHFp-VUMcXp9CAAknIWAgSDSGZBGdgCeQ2Q1s94GTzjj~P2sjlLvDPtLQKEO3BXzZulDG9R8mWE4EYjSkCG1Cdbqf17rAE13yQVKG3vqbFKSduHMxbg-H-LdXE6FV-Xxkgy4ewL4IxCrpLZKFAcsXbTaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cottage Grove Convention and Visitors Bureau on June 3 voted to authorize execution of a $2,000 Explore Minnesota tourism grant agreement, a competitive first-come, first-served program the CVB said was reopened for municipal destination-marketing organizations.

Phil, the CVB communications manager, told the board the city applied to the grant because funding was limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; the CVB was awarded the full $2,000 and plans to use those dollars to amplify late-summer campaigns, including the food truck festival and the One Family festival.

“This grant has a 1 to 1 cash match,” Phil said, explaining the CVB intends to leverage budgeted marketing dollars as the city’s match to double marketing reach. He added the grant targets audiences such as “foodies” in the Twin Cities metro area for events like the food truck festival.

Director Kambata moved to authorize the CVB to execute the grant agreement with Explore Minnesota; Director Olsen seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote. Chairman Justin Olson called for those in favor to say “aye,” and the board answered in the affirmative; the board recorded no opposition during the vote.

Board discussion noted the tight timeline for application and staff’s rationale for applying quickly to secure funds. Staff said they will proceed with matched marketing spend and report outcomes to the board.","The board approved a motion to allow the Cottage Grove CVB to execute a $2,000 Explore Minnesota tourism grant, which requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match from the city and will be used to boost late-summer marketing.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214977,"Cottage Grove CVB reviews 2024 annual report: visitor guide print run, website traffic and social-media results",244,666000,910000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac&start=666&end=910","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac/thumbnail_666000.jpg","/articles/6214977/Cottage-Grove/Washington-County/Minnesota/Cottage-Grove-CVB-reviews-2024-annual-report-visitor-guide-print-run-website-traffic-and-social-media-results","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214977-e301ecbff82679a7ebbc5073271c5642/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178754&Signature=bKffraTLwtxO02qct1Kh2EzCUMZpv6AT0RY1JSWo72gOWPWZ23vYDe7a8roHzf1lVWn8a1NF4niaFZ-ueoe1hUshIPCjZQkVXHK6YzmhweEcoHbIqMxtC6qw5nIManxTCiVkURPBnZofdFv~cmN10chXSn53m2tKpRpRqrvvrhEeLzxTKHZowxX8T2~OJrkVH7s2wBmzaIG2MvbxmaNElct63NBwJmQ47-A2b3pfNapYcEof1jXdMtLgqTU9uNp5q9a1rQ9zMpbfV6tVSdhaixqNSw4NbuxaPrq615KQHikGc5c9SdmAH2qFRceybxU6nECt~SB9osf65vai8hWxhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Courtney, a CVB staff member, presented the Cottage Grove Convention and Visitors Bureau’s 2024 annual report at the June 3 board meeting, reporting circulation and revenue figures for the visitor guide and summarizing website and social-media performance.

Courtney told the board the CVB printed 7,000 copies of the 2024 visitor guide for about $10,000 and collected $4,450 in advertising revenue from six paid advertisers. She said the 2025 visitor guide was produced in a smaller, streamlined format, saving $4,346.

On website and audience metrics, Courtney said the site recorded about 32,000 users in 2024, that the CVB’s monthly newsletter has about 2,900 subscribers and that the team produced 15 videos with TrueLens Community Media. She described social-media performance as “volatile” and gave examples: one top video had about 2,500 organic impressions, while the boosted food-truck festival content earned roughly 62,000 impressions when paid advertising was used.

Director Reese asked whether the CVB tracks reengagement or repeat visitors through social metrics; Courtney said staff could look into where those numbers are coming from and whether they represent returning users. “We may be able to dig into that a little bit more. Offhand, I'm not quite sure where those numbers are pulling from or if they're revisiting,” Courtney said.

Courtney also noted that more than half the site’s traffic comes from search-engine optimization. “We get over 50% of our audience from SEO, and so it definitely could be better,” she said, and indicated website enhancements to improve performance are planned and will be discussed at a workshop following the meeting.

The report included outreach and events metrics: the CVB estimated 8,000–9,000 attendees at the 2024 food-truck festival, supported four sponsored events and reported partnerships with organizations including the Saint Paul Saints, Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest and Explore Minnesota. For 2025 initiatives, the CVB previewed a “bring a friend” campaign for Strawberry Fest, a July “patio week,” and continued local-spotlight social content.

Board members offered suggestions for content strategies, including short-form social videos aimed at younger audiences and targeted ad boosts to reach defined geographic radii and demographic segments.","The CVB presented its 2024 annual report showing a 7,000-copy visitor guide print run, about 32,000 website users, 2,900 newsletter subscribers and variable social media metrics; staff outlined planned website enhancements and marketing campaigns for 2025.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214983,"Cottage Grove to shift lodging-tax collections to Minnesota Department of Revenue; plans software to detect unpermitted short-term rentals",167,418000,585000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac&start=418&end=585","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3663122-53c860cf6547b9837f668d5a37d79dac/thumbnail_418000.jpg","/articles/6214983/Cottage-Grove/Washington-County/Minnesota/Cottage-Grove-to-shift-lodging-tax-collections-to-Minnesota-Department-of-Revenue-plans-software-to-detect-unpermitted-short-term-rentals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214983-61e4e20c83d53062b9f3fa1a7ddc89b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178754&Signature=bYi2GOcsAEGZDUmS96rfZM8lfnUeEtP05vUfBlwrDDVAgpaplx1p1j1ytkOqWSu2DSD-yRRt1Vj8iD0ruZy0Dr97QoPhHK7I6k8F~bwgtQ4Yoy6omUvOg~mRCJ05olPApdW7djRtn552SclFGcWd2gmWcVvNKSazhKCbcI8dM0FEeQ30g9ogVfULjdU-c2mU9YdJncKyFIhdga6RAfvQ90~jmkqRHp1bTrX0GfE2f1HSrh4PphOvHEy3NhCXkKhmtRxDBWnbgQrNETZSASS9pMRxWC3dkwBwAcFrFpf5O-e3T7jfTRjQ7-LxvwYxq0FGv4gg75MRX0599pxwwhVUjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cottage Grove Convention and Visitors Bureau heard on June 3 that the city will hand over lodging-tax collections to the Minnesota Department of Revenue beginning July 1, 2025, and plans to use third-party software to identify unpermitted short-term rentals.

Phil, the CVB communications manager, told the board the city collected $17,449 in fourth quarter 2024 and $16,469 in first quarter 2025 lodging-tax revenue and that fourth-quarter collections were “13.5 over the 2024 total budgeted revenue,” boosted in part by the food truck festival. He said the city is shifting collections to the state to increase enforcement authority and free local staff time.

“The weight and authority that a letter or enforcement actions from the Minnesota Department of Revenue has…is far greater with all due respect to the city of Cottage Grove,” Phil said, adding the change will “save staff a ton of capacity and [increase] efficiency.”

Phil also described Rentalscape, a product from Deckard Technologies, as a tool the city plans to use to scan listing platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO to identify short-term rental (STR) properties that are not permitted or not remitting lodging tax. “This software scans through websites like Airbnb, VRBO…to get us insight into those properties that exist out there in our city,” he said.

Board members did not take a formal vote on either item during the presentation. The change in collection administration and the planned use of Rentalscape were presented as staff initiatives; the board was given an opportunity to ask questions but did not direct specific further action during the meeting.

Background and next steps: Phil said the city council previously authorized the transfer of lodging-tax administration to the Minnesota Department of Revenue and that implementation is scheduled to begin July 1, 2025. The board was told other Minnesota communities, including Woodbury, have used the department’s service and provided positive feedback. Staff said they will continue to report back to the board as implementation proceeds.","City staff told the Cottage Grove Convention and Visitors Bureau the city will transfer lodging-tax administration to the Minnesota Department of Revenue effective July 1, 2025, and will trial Rentalscape software to identify short-term rentals not remitting tax.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cottage Grove CVB previews summer and fall events; limits food-truck festival to 35 vendors

Cottage Grove CVB approves $2,000 Explore Minnesota grant with 1:1 city match

Cottage Grove CVB reviews 2024 annual report: visitor guide print run, website traffic and social-media results

Cottage Grove to shift lodging-tax collections to Minnesota Department of Revenue; plans software to detect unpermitted short-term rentals