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Kelso-Longview Chamber urges county partnership on tourism as visitor center funding and Squatchfest face pressure
Summary
The Kelso-Longview Chamber told Cowlitz County commissioners that the chamber can implement tourism plans and convert pass-through traffic into local spending but warned the Kelso-funded visitor center's ELTAC support is at risk in 2027 and that Squatchfest is revenue‑challenged despite drawing many out‑of‑area attendees.
Bonnie, representing the Kelso-Longview Chamber, told the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners the chamber can play a central role converting passing visitors into local spending but asked for stronger county coordination and funding support to sustain the visitor center and events.
"We're the face, we're the voice, we're the engine," Bonnie said, describing the chamber as the county's frontline connector for visitors and local businesses. She presented visitor-center data showing the chamber distributed roughly 10,000 visitor guides and 15,000 local maps in the last 18 months and estimates 6,000–12,000 unique visitors per year at the Kelso-Longview Visitor Center.
Bonnie said the visitor center is currently supported in part by a $100,000 ELTAC grant awarded by the city of Kelso and by an annual $20,000 ELTAC allocation from Cowlitz County; she said annual operations run between $120,000 and $160,000 and that Kelso told the chamber its funding may be in jeopardy for 2027. "Without ELTAC funding for the visitor center, there won't be one," she warned, noting the chamber makes up shortfalls but cannot sustain current hours without grant support.
On events, Bonnie reviewed Squatch Meets Galactic (Squatchfest), noting about 1,200 people passed through the gate this year and roughly 800 paid tickets; she reported 32% of advanced ticket sales were from Cowlitz or Columbia counties, 38% were from beyond 45 miles, and 14% came from outside Oregon and Washington — meaning roughly 53% of pre-sales were from outside the immediate area. She said sponsorships rose 17% and vendor booth sales rose 8% but ticket sales were down 15% and ELTAC dollars to events fell 40% year-over-year, resulting in an estimated 10% drop in revenue for the event despite a 7% expense reduction.
Commissioners and members of the public questioned marketing choices (regional vs. local focus), how digital and printed materials should be balanced, and whether the chamber has been included sufficiently in county planning. Bonnie said the chamber was not included in some planning conversations and that the organization could serve as an implementer of plans created by county-led strategy work.
The presentation also included a brief, contested exchange about the chamber's social-media practices: a commissioner asked why the chamber reposted a Humane Society of Southwest Washington letter that the commissioner characterized as inflammatory; Bonnie said the chamber posts locally relevant items that arrive on official letterhead and also reposted the county's response.
Next steps: Bonnie provided an executive summary for commissioners and asked for a county seat at the tourism strategy table, increased operational support for the visitor center, and partnership on countywide tourism marketing to prepare for the Mount St. Helens 50th anniversary.
