Moses Lake to consider tourism projects

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) on Tuesday heard arguments from representatives of about 11 entities wanting a chunk of the annual hotel/motel tax money awarded each year to promote Moses Lake tourism.

The five-person LTAC will make recommendations to the Moses Lake City Council on which applications should be funded from the $309,900 available for 2022.

Recommendations are based on the extent to which the proposals would increase tourism and how they will affect the long-range stability of the special fund created for lodging tax revenues.

Eleven entities requested approximately $435,000 in funds, including the Sand Scorpions ORV Group, which applied for about $55,000. The funds would go toward marketing and operating costs for the Sand Scorpions Bounty Hole & Freestyle Mud Trucks event in September 2022.

Sand Scorpions member Brandon Douglass told the committee Sand Scorpions’ events have grown exponentially in the last three years. The off-road industry is worth about $22 billion, Douglass said, and will likely continue to grow.

With its unique sand dunes, Moses Lake can see a cut of that revenue.

“There is probably several million dollars worth of industry just here,” Douglass said. “You go out there on weekends and it’s packed — campers and ATVs everywhere.”

Other applicants included:

• Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation ($5,000), which didn’t present Tuesday, but submitted written documents.

• City of Moses Lake — Tourism ($110,000).

• Columbia Basin Allied Arts ($20,000).

• Columbia Basin Community Concert Association ($10,000).

• Moses Lake Spring Festival ($90,000).

• Entco International ($50,000).

• Visit WA ($1,000 - $3,650).

• Grant County Fairgrounds ($75,000).

• Downtown Moses Lake Association ($2,000).

• Moses Lake BMX ($5,000).

Previous recipients of hotel/tax funds include Moses Lake — Tourism, Columbia Basin Allied Arts, Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation, Grant County Fairgrounds and Visit WA.

The committee is expected to make recommendations for funding at a follow-up meeting at 4 p.m. today at city council chambers, 401 S. Balsam St.

For more information, visit www.cityofml.com/647/Lodging-Tax-Advisory-Committee.