Historic Hotel Bethlehem urges redirect of small hotel-tax marketing allocation to increase tour-guides funding
October 30, 2025 | Northampton County, Pennsylvania
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Bruce Haynes, managing partner of Historic Hotel Bethlehem, spoke during the courtesy-of-the-floor public comment period to request a reallocation of hotel-room-tax funds. Haynes said the hotels have been funding marketing and that the Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) nonprofit is the organization that operates tours and needs more support for tour guides.
“I'm asking for an increase... add that to the 15,000 that's in for tourist tour guides, increase the 15 to 25 and transfer the money for this that's in there to go to marketing which really will do no good at all,” Haynes told councilors. He described prior county grants (noting a $75,000 grant in 2022 and matching hotel contributions) and said the county’s hotel-tax revenue is substantial: “We collect 300,000 a month for hotel tax right there.”
During the grants review, staff clarified that hotel-tax grants require a 25% match and that new grants are under the budget line labeled "million 43" for the current year's awards. Councilors asked staff to clarify a $753,000 carry-forward listed for "Historic Bethlehem Partnership"; staff said those were state pass-through funds (referred to in the hearing as "rack p" or pass-through money) used for rehabilitation of historic properties in the Colonial Industrial Quarter, including recent work on the Grist Miller House.
Councilors also reviewed other tourism-related grants: ArtsQuest and IronPigs collaboration, the Banana Ball World Tour allocation, ambassador programs in Bethlehem and Easton, and the grant-review process. Staff said the award process included volunteer reviewers and that many nonprofit partners collaborate for Lehigh Valley 250 events.
Haynes asked the council to consider repurposing the county Chamber-marketing line ($10,000 in the proposed budget) to increase funding for HBMS tour guides and to consider additional support if funds can be found elsewhere in the budget. No vote or formal change was recorded during the hearing.
Sources: Bruce Haynes; county grant staff and budget presentation (transcript).
“I'm asking for an increase... add that to the 15,000 that's in for tourist tour guides, increase the 15 to 25 and transfer the money for this that's in there to go to marketing which really will do no good at all,” Haynes told councilors. He described prior county grants (noting a $75,000 grant in 2022 and matching hotel contributions) and said the county’s hotel-tax revenue is substantial: “We collect 300,000 a month for hotel tax right there.”
During the grants review, staff clarified that hotel-tax grants require a 25% match and that new grants are under the budget line labeled "million 43" for the current year's awards. Councilors asked staff to clarify a $753,000 carry-forward listed for "Historic Bethlehem Partnership"; staff said those were state pass-through funds (referred to in the hearing as "rack p" or pass-through money) used for rehabilitation of historic properties in the Colonial Industrial Quarter, including recent work on the Grist Miller House.
Councilors also reviewed other tourism-related grants: ArtsQuest and IronPigs collaboration, the Banana Ball World Tour allocation, ambassador programs in Bethlehem and Easton, and the grant-review process. Staff said the award process included volunteer reviewers and that many nonprofit partners collaborate for Lehigh Valley 250 events.
Haynes asked the council to consider repurposing the county Chamber-marketing line ($10,000 in the proposed budget) to increase funding for HBMS tour guides and to consider additional support if funds can be found elsewhere in the budget. No vote or formal change was recorded during the hearing.
Sources: Bruce Haynes; county grant staff and budget presentation (transcript).
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