On January 1, 2013, collections started for the new Tourism Business Improvement District. Guests of all the hotels in Sidney are assessed a $1.50 per night fee which goes to the TBID. There are state and federal exemptions, as well as exemptions for extended stays over 30 days. The TBID is run by the hotels, with Bryce Baker, Best Western Golden Prairie Inn as chairman; Brandon Taylor, MicroTel Inn & Suites as vice-chairman; Rachel Reed, Richland Motor Inn as secretary/treasurer; and board members Ray Johnson, Holiday Inn Express; Tami Roth, Lone Tree Inn; and Gwynne Garcia, Park Plaza Motel. LaVanchie Starkey of the Sidney Chamber of Commerce is executive director of the organization and a non-voting member of the board. The Chamber does not receive any of the TBID funds. The TBID and the Chamber are thankful to the City of Sidney for passing the resolution creating the district. Baker stated, “The TBID helps out the entire community. It benefits from a tax the hotels willingly put on themselves.”
Currently, $6-7,000 has been raised and board members are hopeful that approximately $150,000 per year can be raised through the fees. With money available, the board is now looking for projects to fund. Anything that puts guests in hotel rooms or “Heads in Beds” as the slogan goes, will be considered. Those projects will benefit the entire community. Chamber executive director Wade Van Every said that every overnight stay puts an additional $150.00 into the community versus someone just here for the day.
The projects which would qualify for funding are endless, but the TBID cannot do the projects themselves. It needs groups or individuals to come up with ideas and present them to the board. Some suggestions include improving ball fields or soccer fields in order to host state or national events; hosting ag related events such as a state Stockgrowers or Farm Bureau convention; adding more events to the Richland County Centennial celebration; expanding current festivals and fairs to create a need for more overnight stays. Baker stated that Great Falls, Billings and Helena host big ag meetings every year. “We want to get those here. Our ag community is second to none. We have the beautiful facility at the fairgrounds, and now we have the hotel rooms too.” He added, “There are tons of ideas, we just need the community to step up and propose a project.” The funds are designed to help out a project, not fund the entire thing. The TBID would entertain requests from the surrounding areas as well, as long as the project would put guests in hotels in Sidney.
The TBID hopes to start dispensing funds May 5. Bring your proposal to a board meeting, which is always held at 9:00 a.m. the first Wednesday of the month at the Best Western Golden Prairie Inn, or feel free to discuss your idea with any of the board members. “They need to come and talk to us!” Baker stated.
The hotel owners stress that rooms are available, especially for 2014. Projects approved now could easily be accommodated then. So, if you have a great idea that needs some funding to make it a reality, bring it to the TBID.
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