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Walnut Creek council adopts T‑BID assessment report and sets July 21 public hearing
Summary
The council adopted the Tourism Business Improvement District annual assessment report for FY26 and set a public hearing for July 21, 2026 to levy FY27 assessments. The T‑BID is funded by a 3% assessment on the transient occupancy tax covering eight hotels (1,311 rooms) and is managed by the Walnut Creek Chamber/Visit Walnut Creek.
The Walnut Creek City Council on June 16 adopted resolutions receiving and approving the Tourism Business Improvement District (T‑BID) annual assessment report and set a public hearing for July 21, 2026 to consider the FY27 levy.
Economic Development Manager Mike Nieman presented the item and introduced Nicole Higdon, interim CEO for the Walnut Creek Chamber/Visit Walnut Creek, who summarized marketing and partnership activities that the district funds. Higdon noted partnerships with sports facilities, meeting‑planner outreach, advertising campaigns and a hotel shuttle during the Art & Wine festival; the T‑BID funds are generated by an additional 3% assessment on the transient occupancy tax collected from hotels that participate in the district.
Higdon reported the district currently covers eight hotels (two technically in unincorporated county areas but part of the district) and a total room inventory of about 1,311 rooms in Walnut Creek. She reviewed recent marketing campaigns (Google and meta buys, targeted meeting‑planner outreach) and upcoming events that drive room nights, including an international cycling event scheduled for April 2027 and ongoing partnerships to attract conferences and sports tournaments.
Councilmember comments focused on occupancy trends, the DMO’s use of reserves during COVID, and the board’s strategy to spend funds to bring “heads in beds.” T‑BID’s treasurer acknowledged pandemic reserves have been used to sustain marketing while the industry recovers; the organization said reserves are intended to be spent judiciously to support hotel demand.
The council adopted the resolutions to receive the report and set the public hearing for July 21, 2026.
Quote: “We’re getting people driven to the website where they can access everything that’s going on in Walnut Creek,” Nicole Higdon said in presenting the T‑BID’s marketing outcomes.
Ending: The council’s action schedules the formal public hearing on July 21, 2026; the DMO will continue reporting to council on tourism performance and planned campaigns.
