Tourism Commission Agenda & Packet

Tourism Commission Meeting Agenda; Page 1 of 2 Prepared by: Finance Department VILLAGE OF WESTON, WISCONSIN MEETING AGENDA OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION DATE/TIME: Monday, October 19, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. LOCATION: Village Municipal Center - 4747 Camp Phillips Road Weston, WI 54476 and ZOOM MEMBERS: Ermeling(c), Hodell, Winkels, Zeyghami(vc), Vacant Join Zoom Meeting by Computer: Join Zoom Meeting by Phone: https://zoom.us/j/5445915099 +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) Meeting ID: 544 591 5099 AGENDA ITEMS. 1. Call to Order & Welcome. 2. Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. 3. Roll Call by recording secretary. PUBLIC COMMENTS. MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING. 4. Approval of minutes from the previous meeting: May 18, 2026 ACKNOWLEDGE WORK PRODUCT TRANSMITTALS. 5. September Budget Status Report 6. CVB Reports EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS. OLD BUSINESS. NEW BUSINESS. 7. Grant Request: 2026 Fall Cup (post-event request) 8. Grant Request: Clearing of Trees from Eau Claire River 9. Post Event Reports: a. 2026 Wings Over Wausau b. 4th of July 2026 c. 2026 Weston Acoustic Concert Series d. 2026 Blue Fest e. 2026 World Horseshoe REMARKS FROM STAFF. REMARKS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS. Tourism Commission Meeting Agenda; Page 2 of 2 Prepared by: Finance Department REMARKS FROM CHAIR. FUTURE ITEMS. - Next meeting date: January 18, 2026 @ 4:00 p.m. ADJOURNMENT. A quorum of members from other Village governmental bodies (boards, commissions, and committees) may attend the above-noticed meeting to gather information. If a quorum be other government bodies are present, this would constitute a meeting pursuant to State ex rel. Badke v. Greendale Village Bd., 173 Wis.2d 553,494 N.W.2d 408 (1993). No officials’ actions other than those of the Tourism Commission shall take place. Wisconsin State Statutes require all agendas for Committee, Commission, or Board meetings be posted in final form, 24 hours prior to the meeting. Any posted agenda is subject to change up until 24 hours prior to the date and time of the meeting. All items listed on this agenda may be acted upon by this commission. This Notice was posted at the Village Municipal Center, on www.westonwi.gov and transmitted to media partners on October 14, 2026. VI LLAGE OF WESTON, WISCONSIN TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES TOURISM_MMINUTES_260518 pg. 1 Song Lao, Recording Secretary . May 18, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ADGENDA ITEMS. 1. Tourism Commission Call to Order & Welcome. Meeting called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Administrator Gebert. 2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 3. Roll Call by Recording Secretary. Roll call indicated 4 members present and 1 absent/excused. Member Present Ermeling, Barbara Y ES Frederick, Kim ABSENT Hodell, Renee YES Jalowitz, Jackson YES Zeyghami, Hooshang YES 4. Elections of OƯicers: a. Chair Motion by Zeyghami, second by Hodell, to nominate Ermeling as Chair. Motion carried 4-0. b. Vice-Chair Motion by Hodell, second by Jalowitz, to nominate Zeyghami as Vice-Chair. Motion carried 4-0. c. Secretary Motion by Zeyghami, second by Jalowitz, to nominate Hodell as Secretary. Motion carried 4-0. PUBLIC COMMENTS. None. MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING. 5. Approval of minutes from previous Tourism meeting: April 21, 2026. Motion by Zeyghami, second by Hodell, to approve previous minutes. Motion carried 4-0. ACKNOWLEDGE WORK PRODUCT TRANSMITTALS. None. EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS. None. OLD BUSINESS. None. NEW BUSINESS. 6. Grant Request: Taste N Glow Fest DRAFT TOURISM_MMINUTES_260518 pg. 2 Song Lao, Recording Secretary Mr. Jilek presented the Taste N' Glow Festival. He clarified that the figures on the application represent rooms reserved exclusively for pilots. Additionally, he said that the other festival in Marshfield just announced their cancellation and as such, they are hoping for attendances to be higher than 2025 for the event. Motion by Hodell, second by Jalowitz, to approve Grant Request of $5,000 to Taste N Glow Balloon Fest for the annual Taste N Glow Balloon Fest. Motion carried 4-0. REMARKS FROM STAFF. None. REMARKS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS. Hodell discussed her attendance at the Alice in Dairyland dinner. REMARKS FROM CHAIR. Ermeling welcomes everyone back. FUTURE ITEMS. Next meeting date(s): -Regular meeting: July 20, 2026, 4:00pm ADJOURNMENT. Motion by Hodell, second by Zeyghami, to adjourn the Tourism Commission meeting. Motion carried 4-0. Chairperson Ermeling adjourned the Tourism Commission meeting at 4:11 p.m. Song Lao, Recording Secretary. DRAFT REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION VILLAGE OF WESTON 4747 CAMP PHILLIPS RD, WESTON, WI 54476 Public Mtg/Date: Tourism Commission, October 19, 2026 Description: September Budget Status Report From: Finance Department Question: Should the Tourism Commission acknowledge budget status report? Background Attached is the September budget status report for the Village’s room tax fund. It includes 2nd quarter room taxes. Attached Docs: September 2026 Budget Status Report Commission Action: None. FISCAL IMPACT: None. Recommendation: Finance recommends acknowledgement. Recommended Language for Official Action I move to acknowledge the September budget status report. Additional action: None. 29 - ROOM TAXES FUND SUMMARY WITH COMPARSION TO BUDGET September 30, 2026 CURRENT CURRENT PRIOR PRIOR YTD YTD YTD YTD ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET ROOM TAXES $ (331,060)$ (591,892)$ (325,760)$ (540,000) TOTAL FUND REVENUE (331,060) (591,892) (325,760) (540,000) PAYMENT TO CVB 231,742 412,677 220,040 378,000 TOURISM COMMISSION 0 647 0 12,587 TRANSFER TO GENERAL FUND 0 0 0 5,000 TRANSFER TO AQUATIC CENTER 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 TRANSFER TO FACILITIES 0 0 36,797 0 TRANSFER TO CAP PROJS 0 137,568 0 116,595 TOTAL FUND EXPENDITURES 271,742 590,892 296,837 552,182 NET REVENUE OVER EXPENDITURES 59,318$ 1,000$ 28,924$ (12,182)$ HOTEL-MOTEL ROOM TAX COLLECTIONS: 8% ROOM ROOM TAX TOURISM VILLAGE OF RECEIPTS COLLECTIONS ACTIVITIES WESTON COMFORT INN & SUITE 486,025 38,882 27,217 11,665 AMERICINN & SUITE 385,189 30,815 21,571 9,245 AIR BNB 38,484 3,079 2,155 924 PRICELINE 111,898 8,952 6,266 2,686 HOMEAWAY.COM 6,985 559 391 168 BOOKING.COM BV 55,003 4,400 3,080 1,320 EXPEDIA 243,168 19,453 13,617 5,836 FAIRFIELD INN 1,183,676 94,694 66,286 28,408 OTHERS 4,488 359 251 108 HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS 1,623,331 129,866 90,907 38,960 TOTALS $ 4,138,247$ 331,060$ 231,742$ 99,318 Account Title DISTRIBUTION OF COLLECTION REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION VILLAGE OF WESTON4747 CAMP PHILLIPS ROAD, WESTON, WI 54476 Public Mtg/Date:Tourism Commission, October 19, 2026Description:CVB Room Tax ReportFrom:Wausau/Central WI Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (CVB)Question:Should the Tourism Commission acknowledge the CVB reports? BackgroundThe CVB sent a room tax report for the Tourism Commission’s review: a general breakdown of the room taxes forwarded to the CVB.Weston Hold Account balance as of 9/30/2026: $233,531.76Attached Docs:2026 Weston Municipal Account as of 9/30/2026 Committee Action: None.FISCAL IMPACT: None.Recommendation:Finance recommends acknowledgement.Recommended Language for Official Action I move to acknowledge the CVB reports.Additional action: None. REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION VILLAGE OF WESTON 4747 CAMP PHILLIPS RD, WESTON, WI 54476 Public Mtg/Date: Tourism Commission, October 19, 2026 Description: MC United Fall Cup – MC United Soccer Club Room Tax Grant Request From: Wausau/Central WI CVB / MC United Soccer Club Question: Should the Tourism Commission approve the grant request of $5,000 to MC United Soccer Club for the MC United Fall Cup? Background Organization: MC United Soccer Club Event: MC United Fall Cup Event Date(s): 9/11/2026 – 9/13/2026 Location: Marathon County Peoples Complex and Greenheck Turner Amount Requested: $5,000 Participants Expected: ~8,500-10,000 Estimated Room Nights: 900 Attached Docs: MC United Fall Cup Room Tax Grant Application Committee Action: None. FISCAL IMPACT: $5,000 grant request to come out of the Weston Room Tax Hold Account Recommendation: None. Recommended Language for Official Action I move to approve the grant request of $5,000 to MC United Soccer Club for the MC United Fall Cup. OR I move to … Additional action: None. Wausau/CentralWisconsinConvention& VisitorsBureau P.O. Box 1486 Wausau, WI 54402 Updated: 715-355-8788 jmaguire@visitwausau.com Village of Weston Tourism Commission Room Tax Grant Application Effective January 1, 2017, the State of Wisconsin Room Tax Law requires the Village of Weston to forward room tax funds exceeding the amount the municipality may retain to a Tourism Entity. Since 2017, the Village of Weston established a Tourism Commission made up of Village Trustees, Lodging Representatives, and Community Members to oversee and approve grants that are submitted to the Village of Weston. Funding is devoted to community groups and organizations for tourism development and promotion in the Weston area or surrounding communities. The Tourism Commission will consider applications from organizations that will generate overnight stays and have an overall effect on the economic impact to the Village of Weston. Applications will be distributed and returned to the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau where they will be evaluated. The Wausau CVB will reach out with any additional questions if needed and will be a liaison to make sure qualifications and criteria have met. Once application is completed, the Wausau CVB will forward applications to the Village of Weston. The Tourism Commission will meet quarterly to review applications. Organization: Name of Applicant: Event Name & Date: Location of Event: Federal ID Number: Phone Number: Mailing Address: City/State/Zip: Tax Status of Organization: Wausau/CentralWisconsinConvention& VisitorsBureau P.O. Box 1486 Wausau, WI 54402 Updated: 715-355-8788 jmaguire@visitwausau.com Grant Amount Requested: New or Existing Event: Has the Organization applied for funds in the past? If so, how much and when?___________________________________________________________________________________________ Event description: How will the event promote tourism to the Village of Weston:Please explain how the grant funds will be used: How will this event be advertised or promoted?: Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau Wausau, WI 5440715-355-8788 jmaguire@visitwausau.com Updated: Expected Number of local athletes/participants or spectators:Expected Number of athletes/participants or spectators from outside 90 miles: Expected Number of AttendeesHotel Information Has contact been made with any area hotels? If so, who?: If not, can the CVB assist with securing your hotel accommodations and room blocks? Use the chart below to indicate the number of hotel rooms needed by day: DateDay Monday TuesdayWednesday ThursdayFriday Saturday Sunday Rooms Total Numberof Room Nights: AverageLengthofStay: Estimated Number ofGuests Per RoomWill the organization receive any additional funds (grants, donations, entrance fees, etc.)? If yes, please explain: Please attach a copy of your proposed budget for the event. Failure to provide a proposed budget could delay grant application process. Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau Wausau, WI 5440 715-355-8788 jmaguire@visitwausau.com Updated: Policies and Procedures Applications must be filled out completely and returned to the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau 60 to 90 days before the event date. Applications are reviewed quarterly by the Tourism Commission (January, April, July, October) Event organizers may attend the Tourism Commission meeting to present and answer any questions the Commission may have. Grants will be limited to $10,000 per event. The Wausau CVB will notify applicants of when the next meeting will be held. If grant is approved by the Village of Weston’s Tourism Commission, recognition of their tourism commission logo is needed on any promotional or marketing material.*A representative or point of contact should attend the Tourism Commission meeting whengrant application will be reviewed. The Wausau CVB will be in communication with therepresentative or point of contact with information on the date and time of the meeting. Twooptions for attending the meeting would be in person or virtually. *Application Acknowledgement The signature below acknowledges that the above information is true to the best of knowledge at the signing of this application. I understand that information deemed inaccurate or misrepresented could result in a denied application or loss of event funding. I have read the policies and procedures noted above. Funding is not guaranteed by the submission of this application. All grant applications will be evaluated and approved by the Village of Weston’s Tourism Commission. I understand that a post event report will be submitted within 60 days of the completion of the event.Event Representative: Printed Name: Date: Post Event Report A post event report is required 60 days after completion of the event. Please indicate who will be responsible for submitting report: Failure to submit report may affect future grants. Wausau CVB Notes and Comments: REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION VILLAGE OF WESTON 4747 CAMP PHILLIPS RD, WESTON, WI 54476 Public Mtg/Date: Tourism Commission, October 19, 2026 Description: Eau Claire River Tree Clean Up – Dan Higginbotham Room Tax Grant Request From: Wausau/Central WI CVB / Dan Higginbotham Question: Should the Tourism Commission approve the grant request of $600 to Dan Higginbotham for the Eau Claire River Tree Clean Up? Background Organization: Dan Higginbotham Event: Eau Claire River Tree Clean Up Event Date(s): N/A Location: Eau Claire River Amount Requested: $600 Participants Expected: N/A Estimated Room Nights: N/A Attached Docs: Dan Higginbotham Room Tax Grant Application Committee Action: None. FISCAL IMPACT: $600 grant request to come out of the Weston Room Tax Hold Account Recommendation: None. Recommended Language for Official Action I move to approve the grant request of $600 to Dan Higginbotham for the Eau Claire River Tree Clean Up. OR I move to … Additional action: None. Wausau/CentralWisconsinConvention& VisitorsBureau P.O. Box 1486 Updated: Wausau, WI 54402 715-355-8788 @visitwausau.com Village of Weston Tourism Commission Room Tax Grant Application Effective January 1, 2017, the State of Wisconsin Room Tax Law requires the Village of Weston to forward room tax funds exceeding the amount the municipality may retain to a Tourism Entity. Since 2017, the Village of Weston established a Tourism Commission made up of Village Trustees, Lodging Representatives, and Community Members to oversee and approve grants that are submitted to the Village of Weston. Funding is devoted to community groups and organizations for tourism development and promotion in the Weston area or surrounding communities. The Tourism Commission will consider applications from organizations that will generate overnight stays and have an overall effect on the economic impact to the Village of Weston. Applications will be distributed and returned to the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau where they will be evaluated. The Wausau CVB will reach out with any additional questions if needed and will be a liaison to make sure qualifications and criteria have met. Once application is completed, the Wausau CVB will forward applications to the Village of Weston. The Tourism Commission will meet quarterly to review applications. Organization: Name of Applicant: Event Name & Date: Location of Event: Federal ID Number: Phone Number: Mailing Address: City/State/Zip: Tax Status of Organization: Wausau/CentralWisconsinConvention& VisitorsBureau P.O. Box 1486 Updated: Wausau, WI 54402 715-355-8788 @visitwausau.com Grant Amount Requested: New or Existing Event: Has the Organization applied for funds in the past? If so, how much and when?___________________________________________________________________________________________ Event description: How will the event promote tourism to the Village of Weston:Please explain how the grant funds will be used: How will this event be advertised or promoted?: Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau Wausau, WI 5440715-355-8788 je@visitwausau.com Updated: Expected Number of local athletes/participants or spectators:Expected Number of athletes/participants or spectators from outside 90 miles: Expected Number of AttendeesHotel Information Has contact been made with any area hotels? If so, who?: If not, can the CVB assist with securing your hotel accommodations and room blocks? Use the chart below to indicate the number of hotel rooms needed by day: DateDay Monday TuesdayWednesday ThursdayFriday Saturday Sunday Rooms Total Numberof Room Nights: AverageLengthofStay: Estimated Number ofGuests Per RoomWill the organization receive any additional funds (grants, donations, entrance fees, etc.)? If yes, please explain: Please attach a copy of your proposed budget for the event. Failure to provide a proposed budget could delay grant application process. Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau Wausau, WI 5440715-355-8788 je@visitwausau.com Updated: Policies and Procedures Applications must be filled out completely and returned to the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau 60 to 90 days before the event date. Applications are reviewed quarterly by the Tourism Commission (January, April, July, October) Event organizers may attend the Tourism Commission meeting to present and answer any questions the Commission may have. Grants will be limited to $10,000 per event. The Wausau CVB will notify applicants of when the next meeting will be held. If grant is approved by the Village of Weston’s Tourism Commission, recognition of their tourism commission logo is needed on any promotional or marketing material.*A representative or point of contact should attend the Tourism Commission meeting whengrant application will be reviewed. The Wausau CVB will be in communication with therepresentative or point of contact with information on the date and time of the meeting. Twooptions for attending the meeting would be in person or virtually. *Application Acknowledgement The signature below acknowledges that the above information is true to the best of knowledge at the signing of this application. I understand that information deemed inaccurate or misrepresented could result in a denied application or loss of event funding. I have read the policies and procedures noted above. Funding is not guaranteed by the submission of this application. All grant applications will be evaluated and approved by the Village of Weston’s Tourism Commission. I understand that a post event report will be submitted within 60 days of the completion of the event.Event Representative: Printed Name: Date: Post Event Report A post event report is required 60 days after completion of the event. Please indicate who will be responsible for submitting report: Failure to submit report may affect future grants. Wausau CVB Notes and Comments: Festival Foods 4 th of July Fireworks Fest 2026 Recap: The 2026 4th of July Festival Fireworks Event took place on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at the Wausau Downtown Airport. This event continues to expand year by year; in 2025, the event expanded to include food truck vendors, a beer tent, and live music. 2026 saw another increase in attendance, welcoming additional food trucks to the lineup as well as increasing our volunteer-based event workforce by triple in order to accommodate the larger crowd. The Wausau Police Department provided additional officers for traffic control and grounds coverage, and the Wausau Department of Public Works provided runway cleaning as needed for Fireworks debris. Wausau Downtown Airport staff as well as Wausau Flying Service staff provided support to adjus t operations and close the airspace during the fireworks launch. Financial Support for the event was provided by Festival Foods, City of Wausau, Village of Rothschild, Village of Weston, and the Village of Rib Mountain to provide a Fireworks Budget of $30,000.00 to put on a spectacular fireworks display for the whole Wausau surrounding area in recognition of the 250 th anniversary of the United States. Attendance inside the airport grounds was estimated to be between 8,500 & 11,000 attendees. A crowd of equal size was estimated to be in the surrounding parks, soccer & baseball fields, NCHC parking lots, and neighborhood residents in their yards, driveways, and sidewalks. Traffic from the Southeast side neighborhood took approximately one hour to clear after the fireworks ended. Between 75 and 100 boats were observed on the water on Lake Wausau/Wisconsin River during the fireworks. Wausau Events does not have a count for those viewing the fireworks outside the immediate area surrounding the Airport. This festival has become a beloved Central Wisconsin tradition, and its continued growth and expansion this year, and in years prior, has cemented it as a community favorite. Grant funding has played an important role in supporting the festival’s continued success, helping us enhance the event experience, reach a broader audience, and provide an engaging, accessible experience for community members and visitors alike. The continued growth of the festival reflects its lasting value to the community, its contribution to the vibrancy of the Central Wisconsin area, and the importance of partnerships and grant support in sustaining and expanding this and other meaningful community events for years to come. For the 202 7 event, Wausau Events is planning to expand the event further with a larger, more variable fireworks display, additional food vendors, and possibly additional activities inside the airport grounds. Wausau Events will be requesting support from Rothschild to make this event possible again in 202 7. It has been a “joint-municipality” event since the start, and the goal is to keep it that way into the future. This creates a free event for all attendees regardless of municipality of residence, that can be seen from over 7 surrounding communities, including the following: City of Wausau, Village of Rothschild, Village of Weston, Village of Rib Mountain, Village of Kronenwetter, City of Schofield, and the Town of Ringle. 2026 Event Advertising & Marketing • WSAW Promo Ad run the week of the event • Radio promotion package of event including over 744 radio & streaming commercials and on-air mentions broadcast statewide across 4 major radio stations • Social Media Ads run prior to and the week of the event o Social Media reach was more than 176,660 • Facebook Post Promotion of the event on Wausau Events Social Media page with a following of over 26,000 • Digital ad placements with Wausau Pilot & Review • Targeted event emails sent by Wausau Pilot & Review • Partial page ad placement in Wausau and Stevens point May/June publications of Money Saver Magazine • News Story/Interview push of the event through local TV and Radio stations • Full page ad in the City Pages Summer Fun Book publication • Partial billboard ad placed on Grand Avenue near the Wausau Downtown Airport posted and running for the month prior to the event • Full billboard ad placed on Grand Avenue near the Wausau Downtown Airport (courtesy of Festival Foods) Municipality Recognition: • Logos on the event website, social media posts & ads, event flyers & Banners, digital ads, print and magazine ads, targeted emails, mentions in Radio & TV ads. Some examples below, and more on separate marketing examples document (not actual size). Big Bull Falls Blues Fest 2026 Recap: Marketing: Item: Value Amount: Locations: Notes: Social Media $1,434.46 WI, MI, MN, IL, TX, CA, FL Boosted event & Ads TV/OTT $5,000 Green Bay, Appleton, Madison, Northwoods, Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Market, Fox Valley Market WSAW paid advertising aired via long-form content streaming; guaranteed over 100,000 impressions Core Digital Promotion – Gray Media $5,000 Wausau Market, Chippewa Valley Market, Eau Claire, Fox Valley Market Promotional Broadcast TV schedule, WSAW Site takeover, ads on CH7 & WSAW app Money Saver Magazine – Full page back of cover ad for max. visibility $2422 Wausau and Stevens Point Served 43,000+ households in the Wausau area and 31,000+ in the Stevens Point area Digital Poster Advertising $780 Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Menomonie Social Indoor – Short-form promotional video and event poster displayed on digital monitors in high-traffic businesses Blue Monday Monthly Online Tabloid $300 WI, MN, IA, SD, ND, IL, TN, TX, FL Website reports an average of 50,000 visitors per monthly publication and weekly streaming broadcast Online Ads $1200 Northwoods, Green Bay, Wausau markets News Website Banners and Graphics Radio Ads $44,824 Statewide coverage within the following approximate boundaries: Northern – UP Michigan Southern – Fond du Lac Eastern - Appleton Western – Black River Falls See notes below on radio ad package Total Event Marketing Value: $60,960.46 Social Media Ad Notes: • Reach: 137,715 through Facebook/Instagram • Results/Engagements: 5,908 (website clicks or post clicks for the event) • Ad Views: 201,277 • Event Responses: 819 responded to the event • Most men and women ages 65+ (demographic that responded) TV/Streaming/OTT: • Streaming TV: WSAW reports 131,614 total impressions were served to households of adults 30+, blues/live music fans, and event interest in the Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls area and the Fox Valley Area between 8/12/26 – 8/21/26. 30,774 households were reached with a 98.72% video completion rate. Radio Ads • Over 1,296 radio commercials aired statewide across 6 stations • 2,000 streaming commercials aired over 6 streaming platforms • At least 360 on-air mentions across 6 stations • Event graphics on six station homepage promo reels • Posts/advertising on each of 6 station’s social media platforms with a following of over 51,300 individuals Hotels: • Wausau Hotel rooms - o 28 room nights (Jefferson Street Inn – WE pays for and secures at a value of $4,290.44) o 18 room nights (Courtyard Mariott – WE pays for and secures at a value of $ • Weston Hotel Rooms - 11 room nights (Holiday Inn Express & Suites – WE pays for and secures at a value of $1,368) • Attendee Hotel Rooms – Estimated 1,503 room nights for the 2026 event beyond the rooms that Wausau Events secures for the event. This is based on talking to hotel partners from around the area and their bookings for the weekend. o Approx. 994 in the Wausau area o Approx. 509 in the Weston area Event Overview: • Total tracked event attendance of 2,468 attendances (This number does not include musicians, vendors, volunteers, or staff for the event weekend, but does include free and sponsored entries). These were tracked using numbered wristbands. • Gate admission was charged to help cover event expenses ($15/Friday only, $70/Saturday only, $80/weekend general admission, $180/VIP). • Event had good weather for the most part both days – brief periods of rain occurred on Friday, 8/21. • The musician lineup played in full with no significant delays or issues, and was very well received by audience members • VIP attendance saw another sold-out year • Waiting on final CVB reports for attendance by zip codes Municipality Recognition: • Logos on the event poster, event t-shirts and merch, event website, social media posts & ads, event flyers & Banners, digital ads, and mentions in Radio & TV ads. Examples below (not actual size). 2026 World Horseshoe Tournament | Greater Wausau, Wisconsin | Visit Wausau 2026 NHPA WORLD HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT Greater Wausau, Wisconsin | July 13-26, 2026 TOURNAMENT RESULTS & ECONOMIC IMPACT NEARLY 1,000 registered competitors ABOUT 3,000 total attendance EST. DIRECT $3.2M visitor spending EST. TOTAL $5.1M economic impact PARTICIPANTS & LODGING 539 lodging records captured • 76% hotel/motel | 15% vacation rental | 9% camping/RV • Stays ranged from 3 days to nearly a full month; no complete average stay is available • The vast majority of competitors drove to Greater Wausau LODGING MARKET SIGNALS 82.0% hotel occupancy • $157.94 average daily hotel rate during the tournament period • $1.75M combined hotel + short-term-rental revenue in the Zartico lodging panel • Hotel revenue was 27.3% above the preceding four-week baseline VISITOR SPENDING LIFT +9.6% total visitor spending • Restaurant visitor spending: +8.2% • Retail visitor spending: +11.9% • Arts, entertainment & attraction visitor spending: +91.4% • Comparison is to the preceding four-week Zartico baseline COMMUNITY ACTIVITY 86.2% explored Greater Wausau • 76 survey respondents visited restaurants • 39 visited Downtown Wausau; 37 parks/trails; 32 shopping • 17 visited Granite Peak/Rib Mountain; 10 museums/arts 96.6% rated the tournament 4-5 out of 5 92% said facilities met or exceeded expectations 87 participant survey responses BENCHMARK: The 2024 Tri-Cities World Tournament reported 535 registered competitors, 1,861 total people, a 6+ day average stay, $117 in spending per person per day, and $1.8-$2.0 million in direct economic impact. Wausau's impact estimate uses this completed event as one benchmark, together with local lodging, visitor-spending and survey data. Visit Wausau estimate: $3.0-$3.5M direct visitor spending; approximately $4.8-$5.6M total economic impact. 2026 World Horseshoe Tournament | Greater Wausau, Wisconsin | Visit Wausau Methodology & Data Notes This page separates observed data from modeled economic-impact estimates so the results can be used confidently with municipal, venue, lodging and funding partners. What is measured vs. modeled Measure Status 2026 result / note Registered competitors Reported Nearly 1,000 Total attendance Reported estimate Approximately 3,000 over the two-week event Participant lodging distribution Observed 539 check-in records; estimated by staff to be about 90% accurate Average participant stay Not available Known stays ranged from 3 days to nearly a month; no complete check-in/check-out dataset Participant exploration Surveyed 86.2% of 87 respondents explored Greater Wausau outside the tournament Lodging / visitor-spending changes Observed in Zartico Panel- and sample-based destination data during the tournament period Direct visitor spending Modeled estimate $3.2M central estimate; $3.0-$3.5M defensible range Total economic impact Modeled estimate $5.1M central estimate; $4.8-$5.6M defensible range Economic-impact approach 1. Attendance scale. Nearly 1,000 registered competitors and approximately 3,000 total attendees establish the event volume. 2. Local lodging evidence. Participant check-in sheets show broad use of hotels, vacation rentals and campgrounds. Zartico recorded 82.0% hotel occupancy, 8,794 hotel demand nights and $1.75M in combined hotel/STVR revenue within its lodging panel during the tournament period. 3. Destination spending evidence. Zartico recorded visitor-spending increases versus the prior four-week baseline, including +9.6% overall, +8.2% restaurants, +11.9% retail and +91.4% arts/entertainment/attractions. 4. Completed tournament benchmark. The 2024 Tri-Cities World Tournament reported 535 registered competitors, 1,861 total people, 6+ days average stay, $117 per person/day and $1.8-$2.0M direct impact. 5. Total-impact conversion. The central $5.1M total-impact estimate applies the relationship between direct visitor spending and total economic impact used in Wisconsin tourism economic-impact reporting. It is a modeled estimate, not an event-specific IMPLAN study. Recommended external wording The 2026 NHPA World Horseshoe Tournament brought nearly 1,000 registered competitors and approximately 3,000 participants, family members and spectators to Greater Wausau during its two-week run. Based on participant lodging records, Zartico lodging and visitor-spending data, participant survey results and completed World Tournament benchmarks, Visit Wausau estimates the event generated approximately $3.2 million in direct visitor spending and roughly $5.1 million in total regional economic impact. Sources and limitations Sources: 2026 NHPA participant survey (87 responses); Visit Wausau participant lodging check-in sheets; Zartico Event Lift, Lodging Insight and Visitor Snapshot exports; 2024 Tri-Cities NHPA World Tournament results flyer; Wisconsin tourism economic-impact methodology. Zartico metrics are sample/panel based. The Zartico hotel panel covers 9 hotel properties / 825 rooms and does not represent every lodging property used by tournament attendees. Participant lodging sheets did not contain complete check-in/check-out dates, so no tournament-specific average length of stay or room-night total is claimed.