LaSalle County tourism committee approves half-season Cubs ad buy, adds $20,000 to unlock Comcast "hometown hub"

The LaSalle County Tourism Committee on Jan. 17 approved a half-season Chicago Cubs advertising buy and an additional $20,000 in advertising spend intended to expand geographic reach and unlock a Comcast set-top “hometown hub.” The motion to purchase the half-season package and add funds passed on a roll-call vote; committee members instructed staff to return next month with specific zone recommendations before the network renewal deadline.

Committee members said the buy is designed to drive overnight stays and hotel-motel tax receipts by reaching “flourishing families,” a demographic the county’s marketing vendor identified as most likely to book multi-night visits. The half-season option runs roughly $40,000; a full season was quoted at about $81,000. Committee members and the vendor emphasized that the additional $20,000 of targeted buys — whether by adding zones or shifting media — would push total buys over the vendor threshold that unlocks a complimentary Comcast “hometown hub,” a set-top landing page where LaSalle County could host longer-form videos and other visitor content.

Why it matters: the committee funds advertising from hotel-motel tax revenue and other tourism funds with the explicit goal of…