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Consultants pitch “Need for Speed” tourism brand for Tooele County, estimate up to $50M over five years
Summary
A Victus consulting team presented a market feasibility study proposing a speed-themed tourism marketing campaign built around assets such as Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah Motorsports Campus and Ford Performance Racing School, recommending a five‑year commitment and estimating tens of millions in new visitor spending if the county adopts the plan.
Brian Connolly, founder and managing principal of Victus, presented a feasibility study to the Tooele County Commission on June 3 proposing a “need for speed” tourism brand built around the county’s motorsports, air and land‑speed assets.
Connolly said the firm surveyed past visitors and venue operators, collected about 300 visitor responses and compared Tooele County to peer destinations. “Tooele County already has multiple venues that host speed events,” he said, citing Wendover Airport, Utah Motorsports Campus, the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Ford Performance Racing School.
The study’s nut graf: Victus recommended a focused marketing and event strategy tied to the county’s unique cluster of speed‑related venues rather than a generic outdoor‑recreation campaign. Connolly said that approach could differentiate Tooele County from other Utah destinations that market more broadly.
Key findings presented by Connolly included a shortfall in lodging and retail capacity — the study identified about 12 hotel properties and roughly 780 rooms countywide, with 11 properties clustered near I‑80 — and transportation access limitations. Connolly said the Salt Lake City market, with more than 1.1 million people, presents a significant nearby audience.
On marketing, Victus recommended a five‑year commitment with measurable goals. Connolly said the firm would track website traffic, ad click‑through rates and hotel occupancy, and suggested targets such as 15% year‑over‑year website traffic growth and a 10% increase in hotel occupancy after the initial campaign buildup.
Victus offered an economic scenario that assumes the campaign takes hold by year three. The firm estimated roughly $50 million in incremental direct visitor spending and about 70,000 additional hotel nights over five years; another slide referenced a “net new tourism impact of about $46,000,000 of visitor direct spending and almost $800,000 in cumulative county taxes” over a multiyear window.
Commission members asked questions about data sources and measurement. Councilman Hoffman asked about the hotel count and proximity to I‑80; Connolly said the project used a 15‑minute drive‑time definition for “nearby” lodging. Councilman Thomas noted Ford Performance Racing School’s long history; Connolly said his team’s local interviews showed the school has drawn nearly 50,000 automotive‑enthusiast visits over the last 20 years (dataset dated through October 2024).
The presentation outlined specific branding elements — sample primary message lines (“discover Tooele County: where adventure meets speed”) and suggested digital ad channels (Google, Facebook, YouTube) and content marketing (photos, video, participant‑generated social posts). Connolly emphasized partnership opportunities with national motorsports organizations and the Utah Office of Tourism.
No formal county action was taken at the meeting. Commissioners thanked the presenter and discussed next steps internally; Victus’ materials will be available to staff for follow‑up review.
The presentation and Q&A closed without a vote; commissioners did not commit county funds during the June 3 meeting.
Ending: Commissioners indicated interest in reviewing Victus’ full report and in coordinating with county staff to assess budget implications and implementation steps before returning the item for possible future action.
