Discover Kalamazoo reports modest visitor-spend growth, warns 2026 will be tight; event center bond work continues
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Summary
Discover Kalamazoo told commissioners that visitor spending grew 3.6% in 2024 but accommodations-tax revenue underperformed in 2025; the organization cited ARPA support, accessibility mapping, a new tourism master plan and continued work on a 2027 indoor youth sports facility tied to a bond and assessment district.
Jane Ghosh, president and CEO of Discover Kalamazoo, presented an abbreviated annual strategy at the Dec. 2 meeting, reporting that 2024 visitor spending grew 3.6% year over year but that accommodations-tax revenue is underperforming in 2025 as hotels nationally face softness.
Ghosh said Discover used a $60,000 ARPA grant from the county to help offset missed revenue and that the organization exceeded its net-income target for 2025 after making programmatic cuts and more efficient media buys. She highlighted investments in an ad campaign, a tourism master plan (an RFP was issued) and accessibility mapping that placed Kalamazoo highly on the Wheel the World platform.
Ghosh also updated commissioners on the indoor youth and amateur sports facility: the project remains on track for a 2027 opening and the board had a first reading that night on publication of intent to issue capital-improvement bonds and declare intent to reimburse from bond proceeds for the Event Center Assessment District. The administrator clarified the board can decide later whether to collect an administrative fee on hotel assessments.
Commissioners asked about budgetary details, the effect of displaced ice facilities on room-night generation, and how visitor spending is measured (Ghosh said the state engages Tourism Economics/Oxford Economics using credit-card data, hotel data and consumer surveys).
Next steps: Commissioners were invited to follow up with Discover Kalamazoo on specific budget and project questions; the bond-related item remains at first reading and will return for further action.
