Visit Stillwater presents annual report, highlights $120,000 in grants and event marketing

Corey Williams, executive director of Visit Stillwater, presented the organization's annual report to the Stillwater Economic Development Authority on Aug. 4, 2025, saying Visit Stillwater spent $120,000 in grants last year to help host events and execute a broad marketing and communications program.

Williams said the report also serves the group's accrediting agency and includes metrics and analytics: "Business Stillwater is accredited through the Destinations International," he said, and he warned that the visitor metrics exclude long-term residents and students: "if your phone has been in Stillwater for more than 2 weeks, you're no longer considered a visitor."

The report, Williams said, includes a community events calendar and multiple digital properties. He said the grants program is primarily catalytic and not a strict match program: "We spent a $120,000 last year in grants... I don't have an actual metric in front of me for that 120,000, but I know it's at least a 5 to 1." He also said Visit Stillwater would like to partner on marketing for Block 34 and can support airport or other campaigns.

A trustee congratulated Visit Stillwater on recent partnerships and events, citing the organization's role in communicating community needs during the OG&E agreement for a data center and the Stillwater Animal Welfare Building: "Just a great partnership for them to message and communicate ... and help get the word out to the community," the trustee said. Williams also noted a recent campaign accolade: "the Orange Glow actually won a Red Bud award for a statewide, DMO award as, the best marketing campaign in the state of Oklahoma."

No formal action or direction was taken on the report during the meeting; Williams closed by inviting follow-up: "As you review this, if there's something that we've left off that you're curious about, please don't hesitate to reach out."