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Lodgers Tax grants keep Gallup lively

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Gallup City Council announces grant awards

The Gallup City Council discussed a number of recommendations for the Lodgers Tax grant for the previous and current fiscal year during their recent regular meeting.

Lodgers Tax funds are taxes drawn from hotel visitors. A committee awards the funds to groups so they have money to advertise and promote their events in order to attract tourists.

The Lodgers Tax Committee met on March 19 to review the applications for the FY19 awards. The committee was told about $81,000 in funding remained, so they offered funding recommendations for the following events:

Manuelito Children’s Home Memorial Day 5K on May 27 - $5,000

Adventure Guide Publication - $25,000

Lions Club Annual Open Rodeo from June 12-15 - $25,000

Marketing for the Lions Club Downtown BBQ on June 15 - $4,000

Sacred Heart Spanish Market from June 21-23 - $11,500

New Mexico High School Semi-Finals on May 4 and 5 - $8,000

The total amount of the recommended awards is $78,500, and the City Tourism Department recommended the remaining amount of $2,465 be awarded to the Spring Smash Softball Tournament on May 26 and 27.

Acting City Manager Jon DeYoung said that potential recipients jeopardize their opportunity to receive funding when they do not file their applications in a timely manner.

The city council also discussed the first batch of recommendations for the FY20 Lodgers Tax Grant, with $250,000 available in funding, pending approval of the FY20 budget.

The following recommendations were listed by Tourism and Marketing Manager Jennifer Lazarz:

 

 

The last item Lazarz spoke for was a proposal for the City of Gallup to host the 2019 New Mexico High School Rodeo Association Finals from May 24 - 27 at Red Rock Park.

“We are very excited for this,” Lazard said about hosting the rodeo finals.

The city designated $50,000 for advertising and payment of an announcer, stock contractors, judges, secretaries, stock feed, barbeque, fajita contest, breakfast and prizes, as well as for security services.

According to information attached to the agenda, the city wants to host the finals to co-sponsor, support and promote the love of good horsemanship, promote rodeos for youth, amateur, and professional riders, and horsemanship contests for the welfare and benefit of the citizens of Gallup and McKinley counties.

Each item was approved with a 4-0 vote by the council.

By Cody Begaye
Sun Correspondent

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