Tourism commission approves $10-per-room-night subsidy up to $3,500 for Wisconsin Lion States convention

The tourism commission voted to approve a marketing grant to support the Wisconsin Lion States convention, awarding a $10-per-room-night subsidy not to exceed $3,500 to cover speaker fees and marketing costs.

The commission’s chair presented the convention’s application and budget, noting eligible grant expenditures include advertising, printing, registration software, speaker fees and audiovisual costs but not catering or room rental. The chair read line items that showed advertising budgeted at $1,500, printing $875, registration software $1,164, keynote-travel estimates at $3,500 and audiovisual at $2,500. “It’s pretty self-explanatory,” the chair said while summarizing eligible expenses and the post-event reimbursement process.

Commission discussion focused on how to structure the award: the convention requested $3,500 for the keynote speaker, and attendees were estimated at roughly 400–452 room nights (commissioners referenced historical figures around 318–350). The chair recommended using a $10-per-room-night formula capped at $3,500 based on those historical attendance levels.

A motion to approve the grant on that basis received a second from Schaer and passed by voice vote; the chair announced, “motion carries.” The transcript does not record numerical vote tallies or identify the motion maker by name beyond the chair’s facilitation.

The commission also reviewed two marketing partnership items. The chair said they would not recommend partnering with Beyond Your Backyard at this time, citing concerns about brand and readiness post-pandemic, and proposed deferring a Discover Wisconsin proposal to a later meeting and the next budget cycle so commissioners could review updated figures.

The meeting lasted about 10 minutes. A motion to adjourn was seconded and the chair declared the meeting adjourned at 11:39 a.m.