Commissioners split remaining hotel‑tax funds across three local events

The Lebanon County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 18 allocated the county’s remaining unencumbered hotel‑tax funds among three applicants and approved the disbursements by voice vote. Background and approvals: county staff reported approximately $14,200 currently unencumbered in the hotel‑tax fund. Commissioners approved $5,000 to Future Stars Tournament Baseball LLC for its 2026 tournaments, $5,000 to Northern Lebanon Youth Wrestling for an invitational event they expect to draw teams from multiple states, and the remainder — $4,715 — to the Pennsylvania Chautauqua and Mount Gretna Borough to support visitor‑center staffing and promotion. Applicants’ claims: Future Stars provided data from 2025 showing 17 tournament dates in Lebanon County, about 1,100 teams and an estimated $19,000 in Lebanon County hotel bookings tied to its events; Northern Lebanon Youth Wrestling projected 300 athletes and more than 1,000 spectators from about 21 schools across six states. Mount Gretna’s visitor center requested support for an ambassador/staffing and advertising to promote local tourism. Why it matters: hotel‑tax grants are intended to encourage events and visitor spending that produce overnight stays. Commissioners discussed prioritizing “heads and beds” when awarding limited funds and considered geographic spillover when events draw teams from other counties. Formal action: motions for each award were made, seconded and approved by voice vote; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript. Ending: staff said additional hotel‑tax revenue is expected soon and that commissioners sought to leave a small seed balance for future applicants.