Coon Rapids gets grant from area visitors bureau
An annual marketing grant was presented to the Coon Rapids City Council May 5 by Twin Cities Gateway, the area tourism and visitors bureau, of which Coon Rapids is a member.
According to Steve Markuson, Twin Cities Gateway director, who gave a check totaling $16,362 to Mayor Jerry Koch, the grant, which goes to all member cities, is based on the local option lodging tax collected by Coon Rapids and the other eight member cities.
Coon Rapids took in the most lodging tax of all the Twin Cities Gateway member cities in 2014, Markuson said. “It was a good year,” he said.
As per council policy, 90 percent of the grant, $14,725.80, will go to the Coon Rapids Community Strength Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to “promote and enhance the quality of life in the city of Coon Rapids by supporting community celebrations and events.”
The foundation sponsors the annual July 4 fireworks celebration and the twice-a-year Movies in the Park event. It also provides financial support to the Coon Rapids Snowflake Days celebration and the Coon Rapids Arts Commission’s free summer concerts at the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.
The balance of the Twin Cities Gateway grant, $1,636.20, remains in the contract grants account of the city’s general fund, according to City Clerk Joan Lenzmeier.
Joining Coon Rapids as members of Twin Cities Gateway are Anoka, Blaine, Fridley, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Mounds View, New Brighton and Shoreview.
The organization’s purpose is to increase visits into and throughout the region and to stimulate tourism- and visitor-related economic impacts.
According to Markuson, Twin Cities Gateway had a very successful year doing that in 2014 on a budget of just over $830,000, with all revenues coming from the lodging tax, of which more than $661,000 was used for marketing the area.
“If you are going to tax, it is better to get it from visitors, rather than residents,” Markuson said.
Twin Cities Gateway focuses its marketing of member cities outside the Twin Cities area in northern Minnesota, the Dakotas and Canada, he said.
Traffic on the organization’s website and through social media was up significantly in 2014 over 2013, Markuson said.
In addition, hotel occupancy in the nine member cities increased every month except one last year compared with 2013. Lodging tax receipts jumped 11.3 percent over the past year, according to Markuson.
“We think the best is yet to come,” Markuson said.
By Peter Bodley
Reported by: ABCNewspapers.com
According to Steve Markuson, Twin Cities Gateway director, who gave a check totaling $16,362 to Mayor Jerry Koch, the grant, which goes to all member cities, is based on the local option lodging tax collected by Coon Rapids and the other eight member cities.
Coon Rapids took in the most lodging tax of all the Twin Cities Gateway member cities in 2014, Markuson said. “It was a good year,” he said.
As per council policy, 90 percent of the grant, $14,725.80, will go to the Coon Rapids Community Strength Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to “promote and enhance the quality of life in the city of Coon Rapids by supporting community celebrations and events.”
The foundation sponsors the annual July 4 fireworks celebration and the twice-a-year Movies in the Park event. It also provides financial support to the Coon Rapids Snowflake Days celebration and the Coon Rapids Arts Commission’s free summer concerts at the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.
The balance of the Twin Cities Gateway grant, $1,636.20, remains in the contract grants account of the city’s general fund, according to City Clerk Joan Lenzmeier.
Joining Coon Rapids as members of Twin Cities Gateway are Anoka, Blaine, Fridley, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Mounds View, New Brighton and Shoreview.
The organization’s purpose is to increase visits into and throughout the region and to stimulate tourism- and visitor-related economic impacts.
According to Markuson, Twin Cities Gateway had a very successful year doing that in 2014 on a budget of just over $830,000, with all revenues coming from the lodging tax, of which more than $661,000 was used for marketing the area.
“If you are going to tax, it is better to get it from visitors, rather than residents,” Markuson said.
Twin Cities Gateway focuses its marketing of member cities outside the Twin Cities area in northern Minnesota, the Dakotas and Canada, he said.
Traffic on the organization’s website and through social media was up significantly in 2014 over 2013, Markuson said.
In addition, hotel occupancy in the nine member cities increased every month except one last year compared with 2013. Lodging tax receipts jumped 11.3 percent over the past year, according to Markuson.
“We think the best is yet to come,” Markuson said.
By Peter Bodley
Reported by: ABCNewspapers.com
