Casa Grande Chamber and newly designated DMO outline tourism grants, events and sponsorship program

Renee Luzann Ben, executive director of the Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce, and Eric Snyder, the chamber’s marketing and tourism manager, briefed the City Council in a study-session presentation on the Chamber’s membership activity and the tourism office’s work since the city designated the Chamber as the community’s destination marketing organization (DMO).

Ben said the Chamber was founded in 1920 (incorporated in 1935) and reported 484 members as of December, with most members small businesses: she said 79% of members have fewer than 900 employees and 55% have 20 or fewer employees. “Our mission statement is building a greater Casa Grande,” she said, and she described the Chamber’s regular networking events, business showcases, an annual dinner and sector committees such as Government Affairs.

Snyder described tourism office activities since the DMO agreement with the city. He said the office applied to the Arizona Office of Tourism’s cooperative program and secured outside consulting and marketing support as it launched. The presentation listed multiple cooperative marketing awards and campaigns: a roughly $66,000 consulting/grant application in 2022 that helped plan a tourism strategy; a $28,000 award used to purchase $56,000 in advertising and platform services in 2023; and a matching award of $47,590 in July 2024 to purchase about $95,000 in advertising, digital promotion and platform services.

Snyder highlighted visitor-facing initiatives: a passport-style Casa Grande Southwest Taco Trail (more than 200 sign-ups), rack-card distribution to airport and visitor centers, a new digital monument sign at the Chamber office, and a tourism sponsorship program that provides modest awards to events that demonstrate out-of-town draw. He said the sponsorship program distributed $11,750 to support local festivals and events in the first three months of the current tracking year.

Ben and Snyder reviewed the Southwest Taco Fest (inaugural event): they said the first Taco Fest drew about 2,600 attendees (despite high winds), had 19 sponsors and generated $43,500 in cash and $4,000 in in-kind support. For the second annual Taco Fest, they reported 26 sponsors and $64,000 in cash commitments and $6,500 in in-kind support to date.

When Councilmember Matt Herman and others praised the efforts, city staff member Larry provided a financial context: he explained that increased bed‑tax revenue is governed by state statutes and that revenue from that tax must be used for tourism promotion and related activities. Larry said the city’s agreement with the Chamber sets out the DMO role and that some program funding comes from the city’s bed‑tax budget while other Chamber activities continue to be supported through general‑fund allocations and member services.

Ben said the Chamber’s tourism sponsorship budget for the Chamber’s fiscal year was set at $15,000, with remaining funds carried forward to support applications; she described an open application process and said nonprofits generally receive larger awards than for‑profit applicants. Snyder outlined future plans including billboard campaigns, an expanded Taco Trail passport, a Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) program to train local frontline hospitality staff, and coordination with local events such as the Electric Parade and Terminus Days.

No formal council votes or budget approvals were recorded during the presentation; council members asked questions about open application windows and the Chamber’s approach to communicating event listings to the public.