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Experience Fayetteville proposes $203,500 in 2026 for Downtown Fayetteville Coalition and authorizes MOU negotiations
Summary
Commissioners voted to place $203,500 into the 2026 draft budget to support a three-year MOU and one-year staffing agreement with the Downtown Fayetteville Coalition; the allocation would fund events, contract labor and partial staff salaries and staff were authorized to negotiate contracts for December presentation.
Ryan, the commission’s CEO, told commissioners that a proposed city agreement with the Downtown Fayetteville Coalition (DFC) and Experience Fayetteville’s proposed support would together create a multi-year partnership for downtown events and staffing.
Ryan explained the proposed Experience Fayetteville contribution would total $203,500 in the 2026 draft budget and said the money is allocated across proposed line items: about $26,500 for executing Sundays on the Square, $17,500 for Lights of the Ozarks, $5,500 for contract labor and roughly $154,000 to supplement the salaries of two staff positions assigned to downtown work. He asked the commission to authorize staff to negotiate two contracts — a three-year memorandum of understanding and a one-year staffing agreement — and to include the amount in the 2026 budget.
"What I would like to be able to pass a motion on today, would be to pass a motion of 203,000 doll $203,500, used in the proposed line items for fiscal year 20 six's budget, and then enter into negotiations for the development of the...contracts to be presented to the commission during the December 15 meeting," Ryan said.
The commission moved and conducted a roll-call vote to place the $203,500 into the draft 2026 budget and to allow staff to start contract negotiations; the meeting record shows unanimous yes votes by the commissioners present. Staff said the final MOU and staffing agreement will be returned to the commission for approval in December.
The CEO characterized the arrangement as a transition of event delivery and sponsorship handling to the Downtown Fayetteville Coalition while Experience Fayetteville continues to invest in events and staffing during the multi-year transition. Commissioners asked about step-down or renegotiation provisions and agreed the staffing agreement would be re-evaluated annually.
The vote recorded yes votes from commissioners listed in the roll call during the meeting.
