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Bernalillo awards $59,000 in lodgers-tax grants for local events, including Route 66 promotion
Summary
The Town approved $59,000 in lodgers-tax awards on March 10 for local events and promotion: Camels at Coronado ($3,500), Farmhouse Ale/Bernalillo Blues ($20,000), town events/golf carts ($13,500 + insurance/logo), Route 66 promotion ($15,000) and Sandia Shadows sanitation ($7,500).
The Town of Bernalillo on March 10 approved lodgers-tax funding recommendations presented by Christina Jones, Director of Community & Economic Development, totaling $59,000 to support local events and tourism promotion.
Awards and primary uses: Camels at Coronado (Friends of Coronado & Jemez) — $3,500 for advertising and outreach for an April 12, 2025 event at the Coronado Historic Site; Farmhouse Ale/Bernalillo Blues Festival (Kaktus Brewing/Dana Koller) — $20,000 for promotion, sanitation and policing at a June 15, 2025 event at Loretto Park; Town events/golf carts — $13,500 plus $300 for a logo and $300 for yearly liability insurance to support town events and capital outlay; Route 66 (Town of Bernalillo) — $15,000 for advertising the upcoming Route 66 centennial and ongoing Route 66 programming; Sandia Shadows Cluster (Sporting Dog Fanciers of New Mexico) — $7,500 for advertising and sanitation services for an October 30–November 1, 2025 event. The total listed in the meeting packet and presented to the council was $59,000.
Christina Jones told the council the Lodgers Tax Board had reviewed proposals and provided a recommendation; supporting application materials and marketing plans were included in the attachment packet. The documents show applicant budgets, proposed marketing channels (print, radio, TV and social media) and expected use of funds (advertising, sanitation, police/fire services, and small capital outlay for town events). The Farmhouse Ale/Bernalillo Blues submission included a marketing plan, estimated attendance of 400–600 and a request directed to regional advertising including surrounding states; Camels at Coronado proposed school outreach on April 11 and a public program on April 12.
Why it matters: Lodgers-tax funding supports tourism advertising and event services that can increase overnight stays and local spending; awardees are required to follow the town’s agreements and submit the customary post-event reports.
The council voted to approve the awards; staff will proceed with issuing agreements and disbursing funds per the town’s standard processes.
