Venue district submits 2025–26 budget showing $4.59M revenue, commissioners asked about projects and bond payments
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Summary
Representatives of Emerald Park Events presented a proposed 2025–26 venue district budget showing $4,586,000 in revenue — including $2.742 million in hotel-occupancy tax and $1.277 million in vehicle rental taxes — and projected a Sept. 30, 2026 available fund balance of $5.313 million after planned debt-service and facility improvements.
Representatives of Emerald Park Events presented the venue district's proposed 2025–26 budget to the Potter County commissioners and explained the major revenue and expenditure items, reminding the court that venue-district funds are self‑generated and not part of the county general fund.
Budget highlights: the presenter said total proposed revenue is $4,586,000, including vehicle rental taxes of $1,277,000 and hotel occupancy taxes of $2,742,000. Major expenditures noted included roughly $785,000 for debt service and two management contracts: about $700,000 tied to the Amarillo National Center (ANC) and about $398,000 for the Amarillo Civic Center. Facility improvement projects were listed at $1,243,000 for the ANC and $908,000 for the Civic Center.
Projected fund balance: the presenter said the anticipated available fund balance at Sept. 30, 2026, would be $5,313,000, which includes $500,000 in targeted reserves, $3.8 million set aside for the ANC portion of projects and $978,000 for Civic Center projects. The presenter reminded the court the venue-district funding structure was approved by voters and that the district's money is self-generated.
Planned projects: the presenter outlined planned capital work at the Tri-State Fairgrounds/ANC (fence replacement, grounds improvements, internet upgrades, foyer remodel, parking improvements, HVAC/AC unit replacements) and at the Civic Center (fire alarm and cooling-tower replacements, IT and fiber upgrades, audio system improvements).
Court consideration: the presenter asked whether the commissioners had questions and said the venue district would next take the budget to the city council for its first meeting in September. A commissioner later moved to approve Emerald Park Events projects; the transcript records a motion and a second on that item.
Why it matters: the venue district budget affects operations and improvements at two major public facilities in the county; funds are generated by taxes approved by voters and are legally earmarked for the venue district rather than the county general fund.