The Ely Chamber of Commerce, CEO Shadrach Robertson has submitted a written proposal to the City of Ely requesting funding through the Transient Lodging Taxes (Hotel Room Tax) for the purpose of operating a downtown Ely Visitor’s Center that would be located inside the Chamber of Commerce office. The amount requested is $16,664.
The proposal states that for the past 4.5 years the chamber has been functioning as a downtown visitor’s center with the service made possible through a cooperative agreement with White Pine Tour & Rec. providing salaries to part-time employees.
The City of Ely has been a member of the chamber since 2019, and the proposal states “We are here to support you, our member. The Chamber of Commerce sees the value in maintaining this established service as our building was modified to incorporate the amenity and be utilized for this purpose.”
What Is a Chamber of Commerce?
According to Investopedia, a Chamber of Commerce is a network of businesspeople often made up of business owners that share a locale or interests. Many chambers rely on membership dues as their primary source of revenue, which help cover the organization’s operating costs.
Among the benefits chamber members receive are deals and discounts from other chamber members, listing in a member directory, and a variety of other programs and services designed to promote business activity in a region. Members receive the distinction of being a preferred local vendor, as well as listing on various municipal websites and literature.
Typically, chambers of commerce are designated as 501(c)(6) corporations for federal tax purposes. This classification allows chambers of commerce to operate as nonprofit entities, while also giving them the authority to represent their members in policy matters.
Please visit https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/chamber-of-commerce.
What is a Visitor’s Center?
According to Wikipedia a Visitor Center is a physical location that provides information to tourists. They can either be owned and operated by the state, a county, a municipality, a local Chamber of Commerce, or be a joint effort between a county and/or a city.
Types:
a) A Visitor Center may be a Civic Center at a specific attraction or place of interest, such as a landmark, national park, national forest, or state park, which provides information such as trail maps, info about camp sites, staff contact, etc. Some add in-depth educational exhibits and artifact displays (for example, about natural or cultural history). Often a film or other media display is used. If the site has permit requirements or guided tours, the visitor center is often the place where these are coordinated.
b) Visiting Centers that give free brochures relating to nearby attractions, lodging, and dining, a free official state highway map updated at regular intervals, and staffed desks for people to ask for assistance. There is normally a large flagpole with the state flag in front of a welcoming visiting center.
Please visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_centers_in_the_United_States
At the April 24th Ely City Council Meeting Public Comment George Chachas stated “Let it be known that the $16,664 should be denied for a downtown visitor’s center inside the Chamber of Commerce. He stated that the council can’t take care of city streets, which are inundated with weeds and sagebrush. Also, a new fire truck is needed. He then asked, “Where are your priorities?”
In a letter from Kyle Horvath, Director of Tourism stated “I’ve never once been consulted on the Chamber’s proposal to use taxpayer money to run an unwanted and unnecessary visitor’s center. We pulled out of operating that space for a reason, and that is because tourism resources were better used elsewhere. I won’t support it!
Nicole Collard who works for White Pine County Tourism stated“We have meetings on the 4th Tuesday of every month, and anyone can attend these meetings or come into the office located in the Convention Center. You should be requesting financial documentation from the Chamber before you give them any money. The taxpayers should know how they spend their money and where their revenue funds are coming from. I want to know how much the Chamber paid for their advertorial in Forbes Magazine?!”
Mark Bassett with the Northern Nevada Railroad stated “I support the downtown Ely Visitor Center; anything that can be done to encourage visitation to Ely should be supported by the City of Ely. We have multiple visitor information centers in our community already, and having a downtown visitor’s center on the main drag is a smart decision.”
I urge all taxpayers and interested citizens of Ely to visit www.cityofelynv.gov/approvedminutes/cc4-11-2024 or go, in person, to city hall and ask for a copy of April 24th Ely City Council Meeting Minutes. The entirety of the Public Comments, alone, will definitely entice and you won’t be sorry for taking the time to read what this heated topic entails.
Mayor Robertson stated “I would request that this item be tabled until there is a quorum with the Mayor being able to abstain from this.” Note: There is a conflict of interest since the Mayor is married to the C.E.O. of the Ely Chamber of Commerce, thus that is why he will abstain.
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