The city of Sparks receives an annual allocation of room tax revenues from the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority from the Washoe County Taxes on Transient Lodging Act of 1999. Each year, the Tourism and Marketing Committee solicits funding applications from the producers of special events that take place in Sparks and recommends funding allocations to assist event producers to pay some of the event production costs. Committee goals include: civic engagement, economic developmnet and tourism.

The Sparks 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 performs an advisory role and may only make recommendations to the Sparks City Council concerning how these revenues should be spent. A contract with each funded producer is made with the Committee's recommendation that 50% of the requested funds be made available to event producers 45 days in advance of the start of their event and the remaining balance be released upon receipt of a post report within 30 days of the close of the event. 

On March 11, 2019, the City Council approved a recommendation from the Tourism and Marketing Committee to allocate $230,300 for 2019 Special Events. These funds are used to assist event producers with marketing, promotional and city service costs related to each event.     

The Tourism and Marketing Committee met on January 30, 2020, to review the applications for the 2020 special event season. As a result of the meeting, the Committee voted to recommend that City Council approve the funding amounts below:

FY 2020

$  9,810                 Sierra Nevada Lavender & Honey Festival

$  2,000                 Free Fishing Day

$  10,000               3rd Thursday (39 North-12 events)

$  20,000               Nugget Event Center – 2020 Summer Series (10 concerts)

$  30,000               Star Spangled Sparks Fireworks

$  15,000               Artown Presents: TBD at the Nugget Event Center

$  5,000                Water Lantern Festival

FY 2020 $  91,810

FY 2021

$  20,000              PumpkinPalooza

$  30,000              Hot August Nights

$  16,400              39 North Pole Village

$  2,400                4th Annual Marnell Holiday Tree Lighting

$  30,000              Best in the West Rib Cook Off

$  12,300              Northern Nevada International Dragon Boat Festival

FY 2021 $  111,100

$  Not funded     The Barracuda Championship

$  Not funded     The National Championship Air Races

$  Not funded     Attendance Study for 2020

$  Not funded    City of Sparks; Art Program

Total Funding $  202,910 (Total requested Funds $307,340)

1. Coucil may choose to approve the funding allocation as recommended by the Tourism and Marketing Committee.

2. Council may choose not to approve the funding allocation as recommended by the Tourism and Marketing Committee.

I move to approve the funding allocation of $202,910 for 2020 special events as recommended by the Toursim and Marketing Committee.