Council allocates $3.5 million in budget for visitor center; committee pursues public-private funding for 50-foot Jackrabbit monument

City staff and community volunteers outlined plans to build a dedicated visitor center downtown and erect a 50-foot-plus jackrabbit as a community landmark, and the council confirmed $3.5 million in spending authority for the project in the proposed FY 2025'26 budget. Aaron, a city staff member, told the council the proposed budget includes $3.5 million toward a visitor center and associated jackrabbit monument; organizers estimated the full project could cost about $5 million. "Spending authority, quite a bit of it is there," Aaron said. A commenter identified in the meeting as Renee Earl discussed an economic-impact study by Dr. Perryman that the committee used to justify the project. Earl told the council the consultant estimated tourism-related annual expenditures at $55.4 billion and economic impacts including more than 300 jobs when scaled across comparable communities; Earl presented that analysis as context for why a visitor center can generate hotel, restaurant and retail spending. The council and presenters discussed funding strategies: the committee plans to pursue private donations, corporate sponsorships and grants alongside the city's hot-funds (hotel-motel tax) allocation. Aaron and the presenters said about $150,000 in unsolicited pledges toward the monument already exist. Committee members and volunteers attending the meeting stood to show community support. Council members asked clarifying questions about operations and funding restrictions. One council member confirmed the hot-funds allocation, noting, "That's So no nobody's property taxes. Nobody. This is all from people who have stayed in the middle community who spend their money here from outside of the area through hotel motel funding." The presenters said the center would be open seven days a week, overseen through the Discover Odessa tourism contract, and would use volunteers to staff visitor services. Council discussion also touched on tourism signage, synergy with a future sports complex, public art and plans to seek artists through a request for proposals after funding and design are formalized. No formal vote to expend funds beyond the budget authorization occurred at the meeting; council direction to staff was to pursue the project and partnerships contingent on final budget approval. Staff and the committee expect to seek further approvals and present detailed designs, fundraising plans and a request-for-artist process once the budget is adopted.