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Hotel-occupancy-tax fund to cover Special Olympics transportation, arts grants; council to form allocation committee
Summary
Staff said the hotel-occupancy-tax fund is projected near $3.0M with $510,000 in anticipated revenue; allocations in the FY2027 draft include $5,000 for Special Olympics transportation, $70,000 for programming, and arts/promotion set-asides including Sumi A Society and a $30,000 placeholder for Magnolia Musical Theater.
Julie briefed council on the hotel-occupancy-tax (HOT) fund during the FY2027 budget discussion, saying staff expect to land near $3.0 million in the fund with $510,000 projected in incoming revenue. She explained that the HOT fund supports events and tourism-related programs and that statute requires a portion be allocated to advertising and promotion.
Julie identified allocations the draft includes: "Special Olympics ... 5,000 for transportation and 70,000 for the program," and noted the budget also carries the full statutory arts and promotion amount (stated as $76,000) and a $30,000 placeholder for Magnolia Musical Theater. A meeting participant corrected an organizational name in the discussion, clarifying that the Sumi A Society and Magnolia Musical Theater were included on the arts list.
Julie said the council still needs to form a committee to develop a plan for the HOT fund and that staff can reevaluate mid-cycle applications if needed. The council did not make a final allocation decision at this meeting.
