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Visit Saint Paul and River Center present 2025 budgets, stress capital needs and recovery from pandemic
Summary
Visit Saint Paul outlined a $3.5 million 2025 marketing budget and a three‑year strategic plan while River Center leaders presented a 2025 operating budget that relies heavily on parking ramp revenue and a non‑operating capital plan that taps sales tax, TIF and reserves for critical infrastructure work.
Visit Saint Paul and Saint Paul River Center staff presented their 2025 budgets to the City Council, describing tourism marketing priorities, a strategic planning process and capital projects needed to maintain the River Center campus.
"Visit Saint Paul's efforts are often focused outside of our community ... but ultimately all that work is for the people that are here in our community," Jamie Lucky Hendrickson, president and CEO of Visit Saint Paul, told the council. Hendrickson said the organization's 2025 revenue and expense plan is just over $3.5 million, supported primarily by a portion of the hotel lodging tax and supplemented by partnership revenue, grants and interest income.
Susan Hubbard and Kate Setley described River Center's operating model and capital needs. Hubbard presented a 2025 operating forecast showing roughly $12.613 million in revenues and $12.5 million in expenses, with a projected net of about $123,000. She said the River Center parking ramp is the largest single revenue source (about $5 million) and that the organization plans to apply roughly $3.8 million in sales tax and TIF funds plus a one‑time $2.5 million use of River Center reserves to address critical infrastructure needs.
Setley outlined capital priorities: parking ramp maintenance, elevators/escalators nearing end of life, lighting upgrades tied to sustainability goals and continued phases of air‑quality technology (AtmosAir). She said some projects are recurring and will be prioritized annually; many projects await final budget decisions.
Councilmembers asked whether Visit Saint Paul or the River Center would play a formal role in broader downtown convention center planning. Hendrickson said ownership remains with the city and Visit Saint Paul would be a strong advocate and partner in evaluating opportunities; she noted consultants are evaluating the convention center and Roy Wilkins Auditorium, with results expected later in the year.
The presentations were informational; no formal council action was taken during the session.
