In 1999 the Nevada Legislature adopted Senate Bill No. 477.  This bill has since been amended and is now codified in Chapter 432, Statutes of Nevada 1999 as the “Washoe County Taxes on Transient Lodging Act of 1999” (hereinafter, “1999 Act).

The City of Sparks receives an annual allocation of room tax revenues from the Reno Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority which can only be used for the marketing and promotion of tourism in the City of Sparks and the operation and maintenance of capital improvements within redevelopment areas of the city.  Each year, the Tourism & Marketing Committee solicits funding applications from the sponsors of the special events which take place in Sparks and recommends funding allocations to help pay for the cost of the events.  Historically, the committee has recommended that the funds be made available to event sponsors 45 days in advance.     

Because the Spark City Council is ultimately responsible for the authorization and expenditures of room tax revenues deposited within the City Center Room Tax fund account, the Sparks Tourism and Marketing Committee simply performs an advisory role and may only make recommendations to the Sparks City Council concerning how these revenues should be spent.  It is ultimately up to the Sparks City Council to make the determination as to whether the recommendations of the Sparks Tourism and Marketing Committee are truly for the “marketing and promotion of tourism in the City of Sparks.”

The Committee met this year on 4/17, reviewing the request for the 2017 special event season for a proposal for a Ride to Events Campaign to be matched by City of Reno and RTC.  As a result of their meetings, they approved funding requests for $3,333.

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I move to approve the funding allocation of $3333 for the Ride to Events Campaign of the 2017 special events season as recommended by the Tourism and Marketing Committee.