Council approves tourism reimbursements for USTA championships and Flying E Ranch events

The Surprise City Council on May 20 approved two tourism fund budget amendments to support event hosting that city staff says will drive overnight stays and local spending.

Council approved a not-to-exceed $15,000 portion of tourism funds for the U.S. Tennis Association’s League National Championships. The agreement would be reimbursement-based (for example $2,500 per 100 verified hotel room nights) and staff said the USTA expects to bring four championships to Surprise in the fall, generating an estimated 600 hotel room nights, 1,600 players and roughly 3,200 attendees across events. The proposed arrangement is a three-year structure so Surprise could host the championships in 2025–2027 with a maximum annual tourism subsidy of $15,000 tied to verified room nights and eligible costs.

Council also approved a not-to-exceed $50,000 reimbursement allocation to partner with Flying E Ranch and Desert Entertainment for events that included the La Fenecra Fest and a stadium concert in May; staff said the funds would reimburse eligible facility use fees and event marketing and would also be tied to measurable metrics such as overnight stays and attendance. Staff said both awards are drawn from the transient lodging (hotel) tax tourism fund and are consistent with the city’s tourism funding guidelines that prioritize off-season events, room-night generation and measurable economic impact.

Council members said they support public–private event partnerships that leverage tourism funds to attract multi-day events and increase hotel occupancy. Both actions passed unanimously; reimbursements are contingent on verified room-night data and other qualifying expenditures.