Columbia County TDC approves $3,500 reimbursement grant for Mayhem sports event

The Columbia County Tourist Development Council on Oct. 25 approved a $3,500 reimbursement grant for the Mayhem sports event, after staff recommended cutting the original $5,500 request and requiring receipts for payment.

Speaker 2, presenting the request, said the group initially asked for $5,500 but “my recommendation to this board would be to do it for the $3,500” and emphasized that the award is reimbursement-based. “If they don't provide the documentation and proper paperwork, they will not receive that,” Speaker 2 said.

Chris (Speaker 3), who works with event recruitment, said the organizer expects more teams this year and that higher team counts raise costs for hotels and officials. “We're expecting a few more teams,” Speaker 3 said, describing growth from roughly 28–30 teams last year to a larger field this year.

After discussion about the event's scale and proof of expenses, Speaker 2 moved to approve the $3,500 grant; members voted in favor and the motion carried.

Several members also pressed staff to collect better visitor data tied to future grants. Speaker 7 suggested offering incentives for event organizers to collect post‑event survey data — for example, asking attendees “what would it take for you to stay another night?” — to better quantify economic impact and lodging nights. Staff responded that many organizers already collect registration data, including lodging information, and that the TDC is exploring additional tracking methods.

The approved award is explicitly conditional on submission of receipts and supporting documentation; board members noted the TDC will not pay funds if proper backup is not provided. The decision closes the Mayhem grant request for this meeting and directs staff to continue refining data collection and reporting practices.