Spokane Valley panel reviews $475,000 in available lodging funds; staff to develop marketing and incentive proposals

Spokane Valley commissioners were briefed on the city’s year-end finance numbers and discussed options for using surplus lodging/TPA (tourism promotion area) funds to boost marketing and recruit conferences.

Chelsea Walls, finance director for the city, told the commission the city’s 2024 revenue “ended at about 1,400,000.0” and that, after accounting for expenditures and maintaining the city’s minimum fund balance, “I anticipate that we have about 475,000 available for additional expenditures if the commission were to choose that.” She clarified the available amount is “above and beyond the reserve,” and said the reserve is sized at about 25% of expected revenues.

The available funds prompted a broad discussion about how to spend the money this year and whether to create a small incentive or “opportunity” fund to help recruit conferences and events that require hotel room blocks and meeting space. Leslie (staff member in the economic development department) briefed the group on the statutory backdrop for lodging surcharges, saying, “The section of state code allowing the additional up to $3 per night sunsets on 07/01/2027, unless the legislature extends those additional charges.” Leslie also noted the city currently levies $4 per night while a separate Spokane Regional TPA assesses $5 per night.

Leslie asked the commission whether it wanted the economic development staff to work with current contractors — including 116 West and Spokane Sports — to produce concrete proposals for using the available funds. Commissioners and industry representatives discussed two related pathways: (1) one-time…