Everett Now Offering Cash For Events That Generate Hotel Stays Within City Limits

Last week we told you about how Snohomish County was offering grants to event promoters that bring exciting events to Everett. Now the city of Everett is also announcing grants to non-profit groups that can show their events lead to overnight stays. The grant program is made possible through taxes imposed on hotel and motel room rentals in the City of Everett. Grants funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to eligible applicants who can demonstrate ability to complete projects by Dec. 15, 2013. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday Feb. 8 in the City of Everett Clerk’s Office located on the first floor of the Wall Street Building, 2930 Wetmore Ave.

Economic impact is a major focus of the grants. Here’s an excerpt from the application packet that addresses this new focus:

Because the City of Everett operates the Hotel-Motel fund as an economic development tool, one of the key evaluation criteria for selecting a project for funding is its potential economic benefit. In addition, the City is required to report to the State on the numbers of visitors and the numbers of overnight stays generated by each project. Please indicate the anticipated economic impact of your project and, especially, its potential for generating visitors and overnight stays. Quantify your projections and indicate how you propose to verify your results. Remember, food and fuel purchases assist the local economy but do not contribute to the Hotel-Motel fund; the fund derives entirely from taxes on overnight lodging in the county. If your project will not result directly in overnight stays, try to demonstrate how its success may contribute to generating future overnight stays. An example might be a one-day festival you sponsor which, when combined with – and jointly marketed with – an event the following day which appealed to the same audience, would encourage visitors to spend the night and attend both events. In this example, it would be important to discuss the timeframe and strategy for future implementation of an appropriate cooperative marketing campaign to link your one-day festival with the second one. Again, quantify your projections and explain the methodology by which you developed them.

You can click here to visit a link that will allow you to download the entire application. If you have questions or would like more additional information, contact Everett City Council member Shannon Affholter, chair of the Lodging Tax Advisory, at 425-257-8703.