Submitted By
Ahmad Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager / Interim Director of Development Customer Services
Reviewed By
LKS, Deputy Village Manager
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Resolution Approving a Funding Grant Agreement between the Village of Oak Park and Visit Oak Park in the Amount of $209,024 for Fiscal Year 2024 and Authorizing its Execution.
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Overview
Overview
The 2024 Funding Grant Agreement between the Village of Oak Park and Visit Oak Park, including a scope of services and program goals and measurements, in the Amount of $209,024 for Fiscal Year 2024, is presented for the Village Board's review and approval.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution.
Background
Visit Oak Park is a non-profit State of Illinois certified tourism bureau that provides marking and advertising services for the various attractions located in its service area. Visit Oak Park assists 21 communities in the Oak Park area, including Oak Park, with these marketing and advertising services. The Village of Oak Park has been a primary funder of Visit Oak Park, in partnership with the State of Illinois, for decades. Visit Oak Park has asked for a 19%+ increase in their annual grant award from the Village. The 2024 request is $209,024 and the 2023 grant award was $175,000. The Village's grant support is provided from a potion of the funds collected from Oak Park's Hotel/Motel tax, the majority of which are realized from stays at short-term rentals, the one oak park hotel and the one oak park bed-n-breakfast.
The 2023 service agreement calls or Visit Oak Park to encourage tourism related visits to Oak Park through their targeted marketing and advertising efforts across multiple types of media. Additionally, Visit Oak Park is to provide professional assistance and consultation to Oak Park tourism attractions including, to name a few, the Hemingway Birthplace, the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Unity Temple, etc. Visit Oak Park is recognized as an importan...
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