Midland officials praise "Midland Merry Lights" turnout, confirm three-year DecorIQ lease funded by hotel-motel tax

Taylor Novak, the city's chief of staff, told the Midland City Council that the city's Midland Merry Lights holiday program drew unexpectedly large crowds and measurable business impact. "This project was funded out of hotel motel tax, not the general fund," Novak said, noting the funding distinction. She told council members the leased program included installation, seasonal removal, on-site repairs and off-site storage under a three-year lease with DecorIQ, a San Antonio-based vendor that specializes in large-scale seasonal installs.

Novak said the city estimated "close to 5,000" people attended the tree lighting ceremony and that downtown business owners reported record December sales. She described the first year as largely front-loaded because of one-time installation expenses for semi-permanent, expandable lighting systems around the park and the Bush Convention Center.

The staff presentation outlined community partners and in-kind supporters: the local Conservancy Board provided site access and additional electrical work, Community National Bank sponsored a projection show, and the Bush Convention Center allowed roof-line lighting that will remain year-round. Novak emphasized the lease terms were intentionally chosen so the city would not have to purchase, maintain or store large quantities of decor: "It also includes storage, which is a huge thing. We don't have a lot of warehouse storage, here at the city."

Council members repeatedly asked about program cost-sharing and found consensus around recruiting corporate partners. Novak said the administration intends to ask council to help secure private sponsorships so the hotel-motel tax would cover a smaller share in future years. "We've asked counsel to to work towards doing that," a councilmember said, describing a plan to reduce the city's share by roughly half over a two-year ramp.

Novak also outlined program improvements for 2025: open the lights the week of Thanksgiving, add horse-drawn carriage rides, increase photo opportunities and pop-up holiday market elements, and evaluate additional tree lighting along portions of Main Street and the parking area around the convention center. The team plans to keep portions of the installation interchangeable (for example, a Christmas photo frame that can be repurposed for other holidays) and to expand weekend programming with music and curated "corporate partner nights." Novak asked council to help with partner recruitment and sponsorships in the coming months.

Council members and staff credited the city's communications team for strong earned social-media attention despite the city's policy not to operate a TikTok account; Novak said organic TikTok videos of the lights received substantial engagement. Novak and the mayor said staff will return with a package of partnership and sponsorship options for council consideration.

Novak's full presentation and council questions included details about the lease, operational repairs that occurred during the season, the vendor's installation approach (expandable wiring to accommodate tree growth), and the goal of building a multi-year tradition that supports downtown economic activity.