Visit San Benito County announces Condor Gravel Challenge, flags tourism improvement district hurdles

During public comment at the Jan. 28 meeting, Irene Davis of Visit San Benito County announced the revived Condor Gravel Challenge, a gravel-biking event planned for Sunday, June 7 with a route beginning at Piscinas Ranch, passing Hollister Hills and Eden Rift, and an expected field of about 500 participants.

Davis said the event is intended to bring new visitors to the Cienega Valley and local downtowns and will raise funds for the National Park Foundation’s Condor Project. She said the ride’s format has changed since it last ran in 2009 and that the committee should expect promotion and community outreach as the event planning continues.

Davis also updated the committee on efforts to form a tourism improvement district (a proposed 2% assessment to fund tourism marketing). She said two large hotel owners (Lotus Management Group) have flipped between support and opposition three times, most recently expressing concerns tied to a city hotel tax increase from 8% to 12% that took effect in July. Because of the hotel owners’ hesitation, Visit San Benito County has reduced some advertising placements and is not listed in a 2026 edition of a regional magazine (noted as "Edible" in the discussion) due to budget constraints.

The committee heard the report and acknowledged that a passed tourism improvement district could provide a funding stream for priorities such as wayfinding signage; no committee action was taken on the district itself. Davis asked committee members for any personal contacts with hotel management to assist outreach; staff and commissioners agreed to explore partner contacts and to include tourism funding on future agendas.

Next steps: Visit San Benito County will continue event planning and outreach; the committee will pursue a workshop on wayfinding (separately recommended to the Board of Supervisors) and may revisit tourism funding and district formation after additional outreach to hotel owners.