Kevin Lewis, president and CEO of Visit Tri Cities, briefed the City of Pasco council on Nov. 24 about the organization’s 2025 performance and a 2026 work plan that includes a $253,000 request from tourism performance area (TPA) reserves. Lewis said the organization’s total revenues were about $3.4 million in 2025 and that TPA assessments make up roughly two‑thirds of that amount.

The presentation highlighted major events that drove visitation and hotel demand — including Ironman, NWAC championships and the USSA softball tournament — and estimated that regional visitor spending was about $630 million annually. “We brought in about 57,000 visitors to Pasco and about $15 million in visitor spending,” Lewis said, summarizing the impact on the city.

The funding request would be used for a regional sports facilities market analysis (staff called out the last such study was several years old), targeted promotion of a new convention center expansion, media and influencer fam tours, and contingencies tied to new state tax rules affecting advertising purchases. Lewis told council the hotel commissioners unanimously approved the reserve draw and asked the city to approve implementation so projects can proceed in 2026.

Council members asked for clarification on sources of Visit Tri Cities revenue and how TPA assessments and the lodging tax differ. Lewis explained that lodging tax is a sales‑tax‑linked levy and that the TPA is an industry assessment of about $3 per room per night paid by participating hotels; together those revenue streams support marketing and sales work. Councilmember discussion focused on whether Pasco should prioritize events that use local venues and on the proposed sports study, which some members said should be tied to demonstrable plans for attracting or converting facilities in Pasco.

Next steps: Visit Tri Cities will await final direction from the city; council members signaled general interest in the study but asked staff to verify scope, expected deliverables and how the analysis would directly support Pasco venues and bids for events.