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Council committee approves $30,000 occupancy-tax grant for 'Rock & STOL' airport event
Summary
The committee approved sending an ordinance to council to appropriate $30,000 in occupancy-tax reserves to support Rock & STOL, a new free-to-the-public concert and short-takeoff-and-landing aviation event at Music City Executive Airport intended to draw visitors to Gallatin.
The Gallatin City Council Committee voted to move an ordinance to council that would appropriate $30,000 from occupancy-tax reserves for a new airport-based event known as Rock & STOL. The motion to increase the staff-requested $15,000 to $30,000 was adopted in committee and the amended amount will move to council for final approval.
Event description and city role
Miss Landstrom, the city’s tourism and marketing director, described Rock & STOL as a free public event combining a STOL (short takeoff and landing) aviation competition and a large concert at Music City Executive Airport. The event’s organizers expect vendors, food trucks and a headliner performance; organizers will solicit donations to benefit Bold Aviation, a nonprofit that would use proceeds for aviation education and pilot scholarships.
Funding rationale and logistics
City staff said the request is an appropriate use of occupancy-tax reserves because the event is expected to draw out-of-town visitors who may stay overnight, use local services and spend in Gallatin. The committee discussed leveraging the airport authority and event organizers for other in-kind support; airport authority representatives were reported to be involved in planning.
Next steps
The committee forwarded the amended appropriation to the council for final action; staff said the event organizers are responsible for production, and the city’s funding would support staging, sound, lighting and artist costs.
