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Coastal Interpretive Center seeks LTAC support for exhibits, staff says funds are tourism-focused
Summary
The Coastal Interpretive Center told LTAC it has federal 501(c)(3) status on file with staff and requested funds to refresh indoor and outdoor exhibits and support visitor services. The center said a loss of LTAC support would cut winter hours and reduce summer hours substantially.
Jacob, executive director of the Coastal Interpretive Center, told the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee the organization is a federal 501(c)(3) and confirmed staff had reviewed the organization's articles of incorporation. He described a recent year of digital and operational improvements — a new website (launched Oct. 3), point-of-sale and bookkeeping — and said the 2026 request focuses on visitor services and exhibit refreshes rather than routine building exterior repairs the city covers under the lease.
"We're not using LTAC funding for things that are not tourism related," Jacob said, describing programmatic outreach this year at Lake Quinault that generated visits back to Ocean Shores. He said county LTAC grants and federal/state grants have supported other programming and that Ocean Shores LTAC historically comprised about a fifth of the center's budget, though percentages have shifted as the organization pursues diversified revenue.
Committee members pressed on capital versus operations. Member Shannon asked why exterior or capital improvements should qualify when private businesses typically fund similar capital elements. Jacob replied that the requested items are programmatic and tourism-facing, noting outdoor interpretive features and indoor exhibit refreshes tie directly to visitation and education. He added that without LTAC support the center would need to close in winter (January through Memorial Day and Labor Day through Dec. 31) and reduce summer hours from daily operation to three days a week.
Staff provided prior award figures: Coastal Interpretive Center requested $98,009.21 for 2026 after a 2025 award of $60,000. The committee did not act on the application at the meeting; members indicated they would evaluate documentation, prior reports and relevance to RCW eligibility criteria before scoring.
