[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6457771,"mediaKeyId","5836973-4e4fa19176f53537fcca60bc40edb067","parentId",5836973,"title","Spokane Valley TPA commissioners back $250,000 Opportunity Fund, set criteria for event grants","audioSeconds",4487,"startMs",1292000,"endMs",5779000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5836973-4e4fa19176f53537fcca60bc40edb067&start=1292&end=5779","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5836973-4e4fa19176f53537fcca60bc40edb067/thumbnail_1292000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6457771/Spokane-Valley/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-Valley-TPA-commissioners-back-250000-Opportunity-Fund-set-criteria-for-event-grants","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6457771-bc16230ebbaf09216f132293cefea769/orig.mp4?Expires=1775172098&Signature=QgYd~-26pzwwerfVPUGjTV6M8eGAi0DJONx9moCZeF5QtFRvREk-EhYzHYGjEWiBpxhZtOnw6qrLr3ktytXsmowLNgNh1tqbFyx3NwmcHtyBUYO~OmWVgUlJyJqEtkdkNf5K14CyIa5iqmNtVtM08wgjWV1DVduNGEAsB~2ILhWNdgdctkCm-1mH0Remrcob8xgZDfuSDYBtfw9YlyxSxk6c2gGfwM7Vq00ZT0EkhF662PmXhp3bz5yCau7uRtMVdi8Jlumeuj-NgdUCaaTwLsR7q~fcmPl6EEyyyO5obUlz9ZL2110Jxk7UNwFKFhClpYp7kaRQLavHe5qRbModlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane Valley","date","2025-09-25T00:00:00Z","article","Spokane Valley’s Tourism Promotion Area Commission on Thursday recommended creating a $250,000 Opportunity Fund to help attract and secure out-of-region conventions, conferences, trade shows and sports events.

The commission reached consensus at its Sept. 25 meeting to ask staff to present a formal Opportunity Fund proposal on Oct. 16, including program criteria and any municipal code changes needed to allow the commission to administer the fund directly.

The fund is intended to support event venue operators and event organizers that will draw attendees from outside the Spokane Valley region and help generate overnight stays in Spokane Valley hotels. Commissioners agreed on a set of application principles at the meeting: applications may come from venues or event organizations; both for-profit and nonprofit entities are eligible; private gatherings such as weddings, memorials and family reunions will be excluded; and event proposals should be sufficiently developed (not concept/research-phase) and scheduled to occur within five years of award.

Commissioners chose not to impose a fixed minimum number of projected hotel room stays as a threshold in the first year, saying projections and supporting hotel-block commitments submitted with applications will be used to assess impact. The commission also decided not to set a preset cap on individual awards, noting needs for event guarantees and large delivery costs vary widely by event type.

Leslie (TPA staff) told commissioners the fund would require a municipal code amendment to allow the TPA commission to administer and approve awards directly rather than routing every decision through city council. Staff said that approach would speed decisions for time-sensitive bids that require rapid funding commitments. Staff will prepare the draft application, criteria and proposed code text for the commission to review on Oct. 16 before forwarding recommendations to city council.

Spokane Sports chief executive Ashley Blake, who advised the commission on event-delivery needs, recommended a contingency fund in the low six figures to respond to short-term opportunities. “I think you can really deploy funding to be able to secure events on a short term basis,” Blake said, explaining that delivery costs for regional and national championship events can be substantial and recurring.

Commission discussion also covered program administration and accountability. Several commissioners urged a requirement that applicants include documentation of hotel engagement — for example, a letter of support or evidence of blocked room nights at Spokane Valley hotels — so the commission can reasonably verify local lodging impact before awarding funds.

Staff additionally asked for guidance about how to allocate consultant funding for 2026. Commissioners noted the 2025 baseline allocations: Spokane Sports received $400,000 and destination-marketing contractor 116 and West received $875,000. Commissioners did not approve a fixed percentage split for 2026; instead they asked staff to return with specific proposals from each consultant showing what additional services they would provide if allocated extra funding from the 2026 budget carryover.

The commission also agreed to budget up to $30,000 in 2026 for a place-based/retail-revenue technology subscription to help measure event conversions and hotel impacts; staff said vendors being considered include Placer.ai and Advan Research. Staff and contractors will refine the subscription model so consultants and staff can use the resulting data to screen applications and measure outcomes.

Next steps: staff will draft the Opportunity Fund program, an application, and the municipal code change required to allow commission administration, and return to the commission Oct. 16 with a formal proposal for recommendation to city council.

Ending: Commissioners said the discussion was among the most productive TPA meetings in recent memory and asked staff to prepare materials for the Oct. 16 packet so the commission can take final action and forward a recommendation to council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Spokane Valley - TPA Commission -Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Sept. 25 meeting the Spokane Valley Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) commission agreed by consensus to recommend a $250,000 Opportunity Fund for 2026, set application criteria and a five-year event timeline, and asked staff to return with a formal proposal Oct. 16 for council approval.","taxTitle","Spokane Valley, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2645,"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},6457762,"Spokane Valley TPA: $739,000 revenue through July; July hotel occupancy 77% — state sales‑tax change coming Oct. 1",367,89000,456000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5836973-4e4fa19176f53537fcca60bc40edb067&start=89&end=456","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5836973-4e4fa19176f53537fcca60bc40edb067/thumbnail_89000.jpg","/articles/6457762/Spokane-Valley/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-Valley-TPA-739000-revenue-through-July-July-hotel-occupancy-77-state-salestax-change-coming-Oct-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6457762-ae0e6605116402193ab9436c696fabe7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775172098&Signature=MiI3BzjDErkR4AQFo-kUvafubKktoVwcuHr2RJ0HLNGsFGI7XAFtS1pn7eApzprAPnDuDiiJ8hPgsBBsyfai428vXVIazn1xOLfHBiEzMo2LgG3UxTUsUmsbytVQTXk3lqR1yuygBqV3Uvue7kVvM2PPjkwzk~gMBq36A5H45PUlFmmp0MlQMBelfxwDrH7-nPKCa25iSMk-NWcLom9g0~Hi8hX~N-RfTMPDdco7SVwEc8rXvQyGxW~bXbAIl9Y7bd7XI-N8EhNhWMLBVgFOW1IH6ZTeSx2K05FTOz0vRZ-4hsBsPi1DJmWYDP85qTJ4K6J2o7fkENeSYiFkbaTtGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","TPA staff reported at the Sept. 25 meeting that the city has collected about $739,000 in TPA revenue through July, approximately $2,000 less than the same period last year.

“We are at about $739,000 in revenue collected so far in the first 7 months of this year. That reflects we are about $2,000 under where we were at this time last year,” staff said during the financial report.

Staff also reviewed marketing analytics and hotel performance. August website and social analytics showed a seasonal decline in site traffic but higher engagement on Instagram and Facebook; staff noted two destination campaigns performed well: the Valley Venture Family Campaign and a series of posts featuring the department’s summer intern (referred to as “Bella the intern”). Staff reported 40 click‑throughs to city hotels in August.

Using CoStar data for July, staff reported city hotels’ occupancy at 77%, compared with 73% for Spokane hotels overall, and indicated generated revenue in July was up about 1% year‑over‑year. Staff said they would share further details on request.

Staff also advised commissioners of an upcoming change in retail sales‑tax collection implemented by the Washington State Department of Revenue beginning Oct. 1, attributing the change to the passage of a state law (identified in the meeting as “Senate Bill 5014”). Staff said the law expands retail sales tax to include certain creative services and development of custom software; the change will slightly increase retail sales tax charges and result in a small increase in fees charged to consultants and, consequently, a modest TPA program cost increase.

Ending: Staff said they will continue monthly financial updates and will provide more detail on occupancy and revenue trends when available.","TPA staff reported $739,000 in revenue collected through July (about $2,000 below last year), CoStar hotel data showed 77% occupancy for city hotels in July, and staff flagged a state sales‑tax expansion (referred to in the meeting as \"Senate Bill 5014\") taking effect Oct. 1 that will modestly affect consultant fees and retail-tax collections.",{"_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},6457767,"Coors Spokane Valley course schedules two championship events this fall; field house estimate $3.5 million",173,751000,924000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5836973-4e4fa19176f53537fcca60bc40edb067&start=751&end=924","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5836973-4e4fa19176f53537fcca60bc40edb067/thumbnail_751000.jpg","/articles/6457767/Spokane-Valley/Spokane-County/Washington/Coors-Spokane-Valley-course-schedules-two-championship-events-this-fall-field-house-estimate-35-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6457767-b93ba7ef878299e766853a2a6467a51d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775172098&Signature=lc4Cp-ikM-yq91HOT4OJzty1l-V4NZe043Yn185SElpmJc4Yd-63KtHGMpL3dK6EEKzNnAm4wpAXxtEq8dLlVEVnOubmgaCZSRtrch6WRCHrXtxM5W8LJ8LUsUedbWLZcbChEJaqy~5wmkq09Cbni0KVAvadP~yokV5~tRVRIe-ya6eluPk6MHf8amwqisubN8WO8DRCSXpL2OFI82eNZxR-2x05Vhp3zMHeT8cvZvH2ZA8AlbPeWB6WEHS33M0UGZdcRMKOAX~4PnuNpeVIJkYggQQagjKqhJgDD2d6BKLAwUwGONH5TeRI1y3k5fQlQfqFEK4YebtddfRAdz7I1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the Spokane Valley TPA commission on Sept. 25 that the new Coors Spokane Valley cross‑country course is largely complete and will host two small fall events as a soft opening.

The city and Spokane Sports have approved the West Coast Conference men’s and women’s cross‑country championships on Saturday, Nov. 1, and the NWAC championships on Monday, Nov. 10. Staff described those as “soft opening” events to test course operations, shuttle parking, food and beverage logistics, and other event infrastructure.

“Parking area, which holds about 140 parking stalls, is fully paved,” staff said in a project update. Staff added that the grass turf is established under full irrigation and construction crews are finishing lane asphalt on the roadway.

On the question of additional facilities, Mike Basinger, community and economic development director for the city, said there is currently no funding available for a planned field house. “For the field house, it’s, 3,500,000.0 is the estimated cost,” Basinger said. He said the city and Spokane Sports continue to pursue grant opportunities to fund additional elements such as a field house, permanent restrooms and other site amenities.

Staff said maintenance planning for the course is underway. The city applied for lodging‑tax funding to help maintain the course in 2026 and is working with Sports Facilities Associates and Spokane Sports to finalize long‑term maintenance and fee structures once usage patterns are established.

The city anticipates a larger public grand‑opening celebration and a fuller slate of events in 2026; staff said a small ceremony marking the end of construction might occur in late October with elected officials invited. Staff noted that Spokane Sports will continue to finalize bids and usage fees so event organizers can include realistic costs in their proposals.

Ending: The commission asked staff to continue pursuing grants and partnerships for additional facilities and to bring maintenance and funding details to the commission as they are developed.","City staff reported the course is established and irrigation is complete, with two championship events set for Nov. 1 and Nov. 10; a proposed field house is estimated at $3.5 million and no funding is committed yet.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Spokane Valley TPA commissioners back $250,000 Opportunity Fund, set criteria for event grants

Spokane Valley TPA: $739,000 revenue through July; July hotel occupancy 77% — state sales‑tax change coming Oct. 1

Coors Spokane Valley course schedules two championship events this fall; field house estimate $3.5 million