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Hotel seeks $22,000 for community-branded tourism van
Summary
The Best Western Wheatland Inn asked the council for $22,000 from hotel-motel funds to buy a photography-friendly van to transport photographers and visitors; council members asked the hotel to return with a nonprofit applicant (e.g., Chamber) and a management plan.
Ken Taylor, sales director at the Best Western Wheatland Inn, asked the Colfax City Council for $22,000 from the city's hotel-motel funding to support a Picturesque Palouse photography-focused van.
Taylor told the council that "47% of their business is derived from photography" and that the hotel has 29 groups of photographers booked this year. He presented three ownership options — city ownership, nonprofit/tourism association ownership or a stewardship model — and said the hotel cannot staff the vehicle without outside support. Councilmembers expressed support for the concept but urged Taylor to return with the Chamber of Commerce or a nonprofit as the applicant and with details on maintenance and scheduling.
No vote was taken; Mayor Retzer suggested the hotel or the Chamber come back as the formal applicant. Councilmembers noted maintenance, scheduling and driver staffing would need to be resolved before a funding decision.
