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  • Jim Curtiss, executive director of the Woodward Tourism and Convention Bureau, speaks to members of the Woodward Tourism and Convention Committee during their monthly meeting Thursday afternoon. Photo by Rowynn Ricks

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March 19, 2010

Tourism committee talks money at monthly meeting

Rowynn Ricks Woodward News

Woodward, Okla. — Discussion at Thursday’s monthly meeting for the Woodward Tourism and Convention Committee primarily focused on financial concerns.

Jim Curtiss, executive director of the Woodward Tourism and Convention Bureau, noted the tourism bureau has “caught up” on hotel and motel tax collections from a couple of local lodges that were behind and has noticed a “significant difference” in collections from the business at the two new hotels.

“With our hotel/motel tax, we thought it was going to be down about $170,000,” he said, “but with LaQuinta and Hampton Inn coming online, it’s closer to $91,000 that it’s down from a year ago.”

However, that is still a significant decrease and has led to some major cancellations, Curtiss said.

In his report to the committee, the executive director said the bureau has already “canceled our advertising in Oklahoma Today and similar magazines” and has canceled attendance at a number of trade shows such as the American Association of Convention Sales and the Oklahoma Society of Association Executives.

He noted that the bureau also made the “fiscally responsible” decision to cancel a televised bull riding event that had been scheduled for September.

Although he thought it would have been a successful event, committee chair Gary Whitcomb noted the tourism bureau was asked to front $90,000 to sponsor the event, which was “a problem” because it is “$70,000 more than we have to spend.”

In fact, other than funds that have already been promised to the Northwest Oklahoma Junior Rodeo Association and the Oklahoma State Junior High School Rodeo Association for upcoming events, it doesn’t look like the tourism board will be spending anything on any more events this fiscal year.

Curtiss even noted that the bureau is currently “about $14,000 over our projected budget.”

But, factoring in the canceled advertising and trade shows, and by scaling back plans for events like the Fourth of July, which will be discussed in more detail at the next tourism committee meeting, he said the bureau “will probably end the year with a reserve.”

However, this reserve is “not huge” and not guaranteed, he said, noting it is currently projected to be around $20,000 at the most.

Yet, one good thing about the budgeting issues that the bureau has faced this past year is that the officials have learned an appreciation for a more cautious approach.  Curtiss hinted at this when he discussed current budget discussions for next year.

“For the coming year projections are for $420,000 to $470,000, but with the two new hotels it could go over that,” he said, but added, “if it goes over our projected budget, that money will go into our reserves until we build our reserve back up to $150,000.”

Whitcomb discussed an idea he had to help increase the bureau’s revenue beyond the hotel and motel tax with the suggestion of a “ticket tax.”  He explained this “tax” would involve adding some amount, like an extra dollar, to the cost of tickets for events held in Crystal Beach Stadium and other city venues, which would be earmarked for the tourism bureau’s coffers.

Whitcomb said he felt an extra dollar “for individuals would be pretty nominal but certainly would provide more income.”

He noted he hoped to draw up a proposal concerning the ticket tax to present to the city commission at a later date.

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