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City launches Discover Bastrop department to manage tourism and hot‑funds
Summary
City staff introduced Discover Bastrop, an in‑house department to manage marketing, Main Street/downtown promotion, convention center operations and special events, with a ROOTS advisory board proposed to oversee hotel occupancy tax spending.
Michaela Joyce, the city’s new Discover Bastrop director, described the new department that consolidates tourism marketing, Main Street, cultural arts and special events work that had been contracted to Visit Bastrop. Joyce said the shift aims to increase transparency and in‑house strategic control of hotel-occupancy (HOT) funds.
The department will include arts & culture, convention center operations and special events coordination; Joyce said some Visit Bastrop staff declined city offers to move in‑house and several positions remain open. She also described a proposed ROOTS advisory board (Realizing Opportunities for Occupancy Tax) to provide division representation and include hoteliers and asset stakeholders to make recommendations for HOT spending.
Council members praised the in‑house approach and asked about office location (1408 B Chestnut Street) and governance details for the advisory board; Joyce said she is still developing specific board composition and conflict‑of‑interest safeguards.
