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DCVB says transportation grants have brought thousands of room nights; six grants approved so far
Summary
Beth Marchetti updated the DuPage County Economic Development Committee in May 2025 on six approved transportation grants intended to attract group business; she said grants approved to date total $26,253 and that a $50,000 county allocation remains partially available.
Beth Marchetti delivered an update to the DuPage County Economic Development Committee on the county’s ground-transportation grant program and reported that six transportation grants have been approved so far, totalling $26,253 in awarded assistance and an estimated addition of several thousand room nights.
Marchetti said the program is intended to help DuPage hotels win business by underwriting transportation from Chicago-area airports and that the county allocation of $50,000 has been partially used, leaving $23,747 available as of her report. “Six grants approved for transportation, totaling $26,253,” Marchetti told the committee.
She described several approved awards by example: a religious conference booked by a Downers Grove hotel that requested $4,393 for transportation tied to roughly 750 room nights; an educational sales-training group requesting $7,500 tied to 703 room nights that Marchetti said produced about $111,000 in room revenue and $202,000 in food-and-beverage revenue; and a youth conference that she said was distributed across Naperville, Lisle and Lombard and cited an award amount of $4,370 for that effort. Marchetti also described an international sports tournament that required airport transfers from O’Hare and produced longer stays—about 10 days for participants—and that 18 international group tour operators attended a familiarization (FAM) tour.
Marchetti said the county’s approach is conservative: the bureau issues a letter of intent and prorates awards if actual room pickup is lower; awards are not paid until the group actualizes. She also described an “estimated economic impact” formula used industry-wide to quantify per-person spending when visiting.
Committee members asked clarifying questions. Member Rutledge asked whether the $7,500 award was a not-to-exceed figure; Marchetti answered that it was. Member Galassi asked whether hotels would have won the business without the transportation grant; Marchetti said the bureau’s lost-business report shows some events were not won in the absence of transportation assistance. “If we didn't, we have had a couple, grants applicants that we didn't win because we weren't able to offer that,” she said.
Marchetti invited members to county tourism events including an upcoming National Women’s Golf Day event and noted that transportation grants are targeted at small- and mid-size group business rather than large convention center-scale room blocks.
