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Visitors bureau contract: commission keeps request steady as new hotels promise future innkeeper revenue
Summary
Destination Muncie and the county tourism commission requested a modest contractual increase; speakers said the commission has reserve funds and new hotels coming online should boost innkeeper taxes in future years.
Representatives of the Delaware County Travel and Tourism Commission (Destination Muncie) presented their contractual request to the council and described the commission’s finances and expected revenue changes.
The commission asked for a modest increase in its contractual amount for the coming year (roughly a 4% bump from the prior year). The presenters told the council that the commission manages innkeeper tax receipts and pays a contracted non‑profit, Visit Muncie Inc., to perform day-to-day destination-marketing and sales functions. The commission also maintains reserves invested in the Hoosier Fund; presenters said the commission had roughly $1.6 million invested and about $100,000 in a checking account at the time of the hearing.
Presenters noted several new hotels under construction or opening soon — Holiday Inn Express, Home2Suites and a Tapestry Collection property in Ball State Village — which they said would increase future innkeeper-tax receipts. They said when revenue exceeds the contractual payout, the commission has used the reserves for strategic projects and has come to the council for appropriation when needed.
Council members asked for a standard monthly accounting from the non‑profit and for transparency on how reserve earnings would be used; Destination Muncie said it would continue to provide budgets and monthly reports.
The council neither voted on nor changed the contractual figure at the hearing.
