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Grand Prairie: City reports marketing partnership with Texas Monthly produced millions of impressions and higher hotel occupancy
Summary
City marketing staff and Texas Monthly representatives told the council their multi-year contract — paid from hotel-motel and EPIC funds — produced millions of impressions, increases in hotel occupancy tax and traveler sales, and helped promote Epic Central events including Texas Country Reporter Fest and Taco Fest.
City marketing staff and representatives from Texas Monthly presented results from a multi-year marketing partnership and outlined how advertising and events tied to the contract have tracked to increased visits and spending in Grand Prairie.
Claudia Garibay, the city’s marketing director, told the council the partnership’s funding comes from “the hotel motel tax funds and the EPIC funds, not necessarily the general the general fund.” Garibay said negotiations secured roughly 28% savings versus rack rate and that Texas Monthly delivered on contracted promotional items for fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
Sarah (surname not specified in the transcript), presenting campaign metrics, said the program produced roughly “116,700,000 impressions” and brought more than 660,000 new users to city websites. Staff reported a 9% year-over-year increase in Epic Central foot traffic (measured October through May), a 6% increase in traveler sales tax revenue for fiscal 24, and a 13% increase in hotel occupancy tax revenue for Grand Prairie hotels overall.
Zane King, with the city’s events team, described attendance at Texas Country Reporter Fest (TCR Fest) and other signature events. “TCR Fest, you know, the very first year that we have it in its own new location, you get about 5,000 people with the long term goal of about 20 to 25,000,” King said. Staff said Taco Fest attracted about 1,500 attendees and confirmed ticket caps and vendor limitations on certain events.
Joe Weir, chief revenue officer for Texas Monthly, thanked the city for the partnership and said Texas Monthly would answer questions from council and staff. City staff and Texas Monthly representatives explained tracking methods for attributing visits to the campaign: digital clicks tracked through Google Analytics (GA4), QR codes on print materials, cell-phone location data for in-market visitation, and retargeting. Presenters acknowledged attribution is imperfect for users exposed to multiple advertising sources but said the city’s metrics show increased website traffic, overnight stays and spending.
Council members asked how the campaign reaches outside markets and how local vendors can participate in events. Presenters said Texas Monthly expanded the city’s reach into non-Texas markets (notably Los Angeles and New York), and that vendor applications open roughly two to two-and-a-half months before events; TCR and other festivals sell out due to space limits. The presenters said some forthcoming Texas Country Reporter broadcast segments will feature local businesses and artists.
No council action or vote on the contract was recorded at the meeting; staff presented results and invited Texas Monthly representatives to answer council questions.
