Greer council approves 2025 ATAX awards after debate over Arts & Eats allocation

At a Greer City Council meeting, members voted to accept the accommodations tax (ATAX) committee's 2025 grant recommendations, approved the full slate of advertising awards and adopted a council amendment reallocating $16,000 from the Greer Arts & Eats programming award to fully fund the Greer Christmas Parade ($4,000) and the Foothills Philharmonic season ($12,000).

The action implements the ATAX committee's recommendations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, while responding to council concerns about distribution among downtown events and the evidence applicants provided for drawing out-of-town visitors.

The ATAX committee, chaired by Finance Director Chris Klein, reviewed 17 applicants on Feb. 25, 2025. Klein said the programming pool had $156,741.33 available and the committee recommended awarding $131,242.50; the committee recommended awarding the entire $70,987.21 available for advertising grants. The committee listed criteria including economic impact to hospitality and attraction of out-of-town guests.

The recommended programming awards included: Greer Chamber of Commerce, Greer Arts & Eats Festival, $50,000; Greer Parks, Recreation and Tourism, various events totaling multiple awards; Greer Farmers Market, $9,465; Greer Heritage Museum gallery expansion, $10,995; Freedom Blast, $18,757.50; International Fest, $3,375. The committee recommended no programming funding for Foothills Philharmonic and did not recommend a programming award for the Greer Christmas Parade. For advertising, the committee recommended $49,637.21 for the Greer Chamber and smaller amounts for the cultural council and parks and recreation items. Several applicants were recommended $0.

During deliberations councilmembers pressed the committee and applicants on how visitor and tourist counts were gathered. Klein described application materials that ask applicants to report methods such as surveys, ZIP-code collection and vendor reporting. "The total amount available is $156,741 and it's recommended $131,242.50," Klein said when summarizing the programming totals.

Sarah Petroskey, who identified herself as representing Foothills Philharmonic, told the council the philharmonic gives a mix of concerts and that "our concerts are all free, fun, and family friendly," and asked for continued funding to expand marketing. Katie Collins, president and CEO of the Greer Chamber of Commerce, described Arts & Eats as drawing large crowds and providing downtown economic impact. "This funding is critical to us as an organization to be able to put on the event," Collins said during public comment.

Council debate focused on whether the chamber's Arts & Eats award represented the best use of ATAX funds. Several councilmembers said the chamber's $50,000 programming recommendation and $49,637.21 advertising recommendation represented a large share of available funds and questioned whether some smaller local events had been underfunded or excluded because they did not supply sufficient tourism data. One councilmember noted that last year the Philharmonic had received $24,000 and the chamber had received $26,000 in programming and $32,500 in advertising.

Councilmember Arrowood moved an amendment to the programming recommendations to fully fund the Greer Christmas Parade ($4,000) and the Foothills Philharmonic season ($12,000) and to reduce the Greer Arts & Eats Festival programming award by $16,000. The amendment passed on a 4-2 vote: Arrowood, Booker, Hopper and Councilmember Alpert voted yes; Bettis and Mayor Danner voted no.

After that amendment, council then took up advertising recommendations and approved the committee's full advertising slate as presented. The final vote on the advertising recommendations passed 4-2, with Arrowood, Booker, Hopper and Mayor Danner voting yes and Bettis and Alpert voting no.

Klein told council the programming recommendations left a carryover balance of $25,498 that the committee proposed rolling into the next year rather than awarding this cycle. Council discussed using that carryover or adjusting other line items, and members noted applicants have two years to spend awarded ATAX funds.

Council directed staff to follow the award conditions in the application process, including reporting and receipts; Klein said applicants are required to submit documentation and that compliance is considered in future funding decisions.

The council vote on the amendment and the later vote to approve advertising grants conclude the council's formal action on the 2025 accommodations tax recommendations. The decisions will be reflected in the city's fiscal accounting for the ATAX fund and in award letters to recipients.