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Council approves ARC operations plan, TBID MOU and naming‑rights framework
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Summary
Billings City Council approved a three‑year PRPL runway to operate the Amen Park Recreation Campus (ARC), accepted a $500,000 Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) MOU staged over three years, and authorized staff to pursue naming‑rights and sponsorships to offset operations.
City parks staff presented the proposed operational model for the Amen Park Recreation Campus (ARC), recommending a three‑year runway with Parks, Recreation and Public Lands (PRPL) operating the facility while performance and financial metrics are measured. Staff outlined a plan to recover 60% of operating costs in FY27, 80% in FY28 and 100% in FY29 (exclusive of TBID assistance), and proposed an advisory board and naming‑rights tiers to help build reserves and operational solvency.
Casey Conlon of Visit Billings and the TBID explained the funding mechanism: a room‑night assessment ($4 per occupied room night) that would provide up to $500,000 over three years (structured as $100,000 startup plus staged shortfall coverage). Staff said the TBID dollars are intended as a bridge; quarterly financial reporting to the council and TBID would demonstrate progress against metrics.
Council members discussed advisory‑board composition and the question of whether a TBID seat should be contingent on continued funding. Council member Scott Aspenlieder and others argued for a stable sports‑tourism presence on the advisory board, and staff said the language could be drafted to require the seat to be held by a sports‑tourism manager while that position exists.
After brief public comment (none on the item), council voted unanimously to adopt the ARC operations resolution and to approve the TBID MOU and related resolutions, including the naming‑rights framework and a three‑year financial runway.
Why it matters: The ARC is positioned as a regional sports tourism asset. The structure approved combines public operations with targeted TBID support and private naming rights to reduce long‑term tax exposure while establishing performance expectations and quarterly financial transparency.
