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Travel Lane County presents annual report, urges county help for winter demand and multiuse facility planning
Summary
Travel Lane County delivered its semiannual report to the Lane County Board of Commissioners, highlighting $1 billion visitor spending in 2024, winter seasonality concerns, accessibility work, and a renewed push to develop a multiuse indoor sports facility to boost winter visitation; staff requested a work session and an extension of its contract.
Travel Lane County, the destination marketing organization for Lane County marketed as Eugene Cascades & Coast, presented its fiscal year 2024–25 report to the Lane County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 23 and asked the board to consider a work session and a one‑year contract extension.
“ Our mission is to grow the overnight's visitors for a vibrant year‑round and countywide economy,” said Samara Phelps, president and CEO of Travel Lane County, in the presentation. Phelps reviewed visitor spending and industry indicators and described several strategic priorities, including reducing winter seasonality and advancing infrastructure that can produce overnight stays.
Phelps and staff told the board that visitor spending in Lane County topped $1,000,000,000 in 2024 and supported approximately 11,000 jobs countywide, producing about $53,000,000 in state and local tax revenue (Dean Runyon report, 2024). Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) collections support a range of community assets; Travel Lane County receives 2.1 percentage points of TLT to fund marketing and destination development. Fiscal year 24 TLT receipts reflected collection of an additional 2% for tourism infrastructure; fiscal year 25 collections were estimated to be lower than FY24 because of lower daily rates and increased room supply in the market.
To address the winter demand trough — average hotel occupancy about 48% in winter vs. 77% in summer — Traveling County has prioritized a multiuse indoor sports facility as a transformational investment to drive winter stays. The traveling county board dedicated $2,000,000 toward a multiuse facility that would “generate overnight stays,” Phelps said, and staff retained Sports Facility Company to update market analysis and define attributes that would produce hotel room nights. Travel Lane County said it is actively exploring two site opportunities: the Lane Event Center visioning process and an adaptive reuse opportunity at a North Gateway site (previously a large commercial facility).
The presentation highlighted other initiatives and commissionable revenue opportunities: accessibility work (Wheel the World destination verification and “visitable” training for members), cycling and scenic bikeway development in the Mackenzie River Corridor and Oak Ridge, and $22,000,000 in confirmed convention and meeting bookings attributable to Travel Lane County sales activity.
Phelps asked the board to schedule a work session to explore strategic investments and recommended the board work with staff to extend Travel Lane County’s contract for an additional year as outlined in the grant agreement. Commissioners expressed support for a work session; several members said they wanted it scheduled sooner rather than later given active site work and an approaching October–November timeline for sports‑facility analysis.
Why it matters: Travel Lane County argues that targeted use of TLT and strategic facility investments can reduce seasonality, stabilize year‑round employment across hospitality businesses, and support rural communities by spreading visitor demand. The board and county staff said they will consider the request for a work session and follow up as Travel Lane County refines market analysis and site work.
No formal board action on funding or sites occurred at the meeting; Travel Lane County’s specific requests were for discussion and for the board to consider a contract extension at a future session.
