Six community organizations will split nearly $32,000 in room tax tourism grants to support events and activities planned for the city of Wausau.
The Wausau Room Tax Commission was formed in the fall of 2016 in response to changes in state statutes. The group aims to support events and activities that encourage overnight stays in hotels.
The city of Wausau has traditionally allocated more than 70 percent of room tax dollars collected to support organizations and events held in the city. The remaining funds have been allocated to the city’s general fund in support of departments that supports events like police and parks.
“These organizations and their planned events are key contributors to the vitality of our community and we are pleased to support their efforts with these allocations,” Mayor Robert Mielke said. “We are also grateful for the efforts of our new room tax commission to launch this effort and look forward to the continued growth of this allocation program for the benefit of our community.”
Room tax tourism grants are available to eligible not-for-profit organizations conducting events and programs that are significantly used by transient tourists and reasonably likely to generate paid overnight stays at more than one hotel establishment in Wausau.
On Tuesday, April 18, 2017, the Wausau Room Tax Commission made the following allocations as part of its spring funding cycle.
- $8,500 Wausau Events Balloon Rally
- $8,500 Wausau Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau International Wisconsin Ginseng Festival
- $5,000 Wausau Events Big Bull Falls Blues Fest
- $1,650 Wausau Canoe and Kayak Corporation
- $2,847 Wausau Festival of the Arts
- $2,592 Center for Visual Arts, Wisconsin Regional Art and Artists State Art Exhibit
- $2,840 Wausau River District
The next funding cycle will take place in the fall with applications due in August. For more information, please visit http://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/Home.aspx
