Platteville tourism report: room tax hits record $236,500 in 2025, Chamber credits promotion and construction-related stays

Wayne Woodars, executive director of the Platteville Regional Chamber of Commerce, told the city council on Feb. 24 that local room tax receipts reached a record $236,500 in 2025, a 17.5% increase over the prior reporting year. Woodars said strong quarterly results—including records in the second, third and fourth quarters—drove the annual total.

Woodars cited several factors for the rise: storm-related hail damage that generated contractor stays, ongoing solar and wind projects that bring workers into the area, and stepped-up marketing efforts including billboards, digital partnerships and promotional videos. “We’ve never had $236,500 room tax, that's significant revenue for us,” he said.

He outlined how room tax revenue is shared: Wisconsin law sets the 5% room tax; under the current contract the Chamber receives 70% of the room tax, the city receives 28%, and lodging properties retain 2% for administrative fees. Woodars said the city’s share for 2025 (by the fourth-quarter report) was $66,351.

Council members asked whether staff could isolate the construction-related stays from leisure travel. Woodars said he does not have those breakdowns and that lodging properties would need to separately identify nights attributable to construction versus events. He also described promotional tactics the Chamber used in 2025, from QR-code listings in lodging properties to pooled booths at travel shows and short video spots adapted for local broadcast and digital campaigns.

Woodars said the Chamber plans continued promotion and that he expects the upward trend to continue as local repair and energy projects proceed.