Richleau12 said:

---

https://www.kbtx.com/2025/07/31/city-college-station-has-invested-600000-into-santas-wonderland-since-2020/

While Santa's wonderland is great for the community, I fail to see why tax dollars are going toward the business. Is it not self sustaining? And the article mentions "well, we get a sign with a QR code…maybe they click it" I just…I don't really know what to say. Folks will come to Santa's wonderland regardless. They will choose to stay or not and they don't need a damn QR code to know what the city has to offer. They have phones. They have Google, Yelp, etc. This is frankly crazy to me. Why invest 600k in a very sustainable and successful business?

---

Um, the 600k isn't for the QB code, the 600k is the total amount of dollars invested in Santa's Wonderland as a whole since 2020. That's roughly 120k a year.

That 600k likely includes upkeep, custodial services, employees, etc etc et al.

Quote:

---

" According to Visit College Station, the city has invested $600,000 into Santa's Wonderland since 2020."

---

harrierdoc said:

---

As a journalist, I would have asked the following questions:
1. How many times were the QR codes clicked?
2. What does Santa's Wonderland do with that money? Is it tax abatements, just a payout, etc…

---

None of this is about the QR code. The OP is hung up on that for absolutely no reason. The city didn't spend 600k on a QR code.

"Part of the agreement; we get some signage within Santa's Wonderland," said Jeramiah Cook. "They can see a QR code there. Maybe they click on it, and all of a sudden, they are hit with all the events that are going on in town, or maybe the restaurants or the hotels that have certain deals."

Yes there's more to the agreement, but I'm confused on what HOT money can be spent on. One user posted a rather narrow listing of what the funds can be used for. Advertisements are part of HOT. So what's the other part of the agreement? Heck, what is the agreement and what other businesses have agreements? What's the HOT pool? Just curious is all.

satexas said:

---

harrierdoc said:

---

As a journalist, I would have asked the following questions:
1. How many times were the QR codes clicked?
2. What does Santa's Wonderland do with that money? Is it tax abatements, just a payout, etc…

---

None of this is about the QR code. The OP is hung up on that for absolutely no reason. The city didn't spend 600k on a QR code.

---

I understand that. But the story was written by a junior high level reporter, it seems. No thoughtful questions, or follow up questions. Just a fluff piece

Couldn't even spell Jeremiah's name right. That's elementary school level. They must not pay well at The Eagle. It's kind of odd for a fluff piece tbh. What is it fluffing? SW? The partnership with the city? The amount of HOT money the city has?

The semi-daily Buzzard is dying a long, slow (deserved?) death. They do not pay well. I would argue that I find out about things far more often here on TexAgs and WTAW. Other than that, we live in a journalism desert.

whoop1995 said:

---

Wasn't it a couple of years ago when Bob was asked about why the city was "donating" to Santa winter wonderland he said that would be the last year? And while that discussion was going on another was going on about giving Texas A&M money and the city council people were mad about not getting what they thought was a good value for the money? Based on the above examples of how great a deal this is for the city why wouldn't A&M qualify? (The example states hotel rooms etc sold by Swwl and how great it is for the city)

So it is ok to give money to SWWL where the return is questionable to a profitable business? But not to A&M because there has to be attachments to it like a ROI?

I know there was a reason given by Bob that mentioned hotel stays drop in the winter time so the city was trying to up that number…….. why not promote Men's and Womens basketball? They fall into the criteria for sure for hot funds. Or George bush library? They probably qualify for hot fund expenditures…… I am sure there are a half a dozen more expenditures that qualify if SWWL does.

$600k wow - and to think there was no baseline before the money started flowing to them. Why the company cant start their own website and link to hotels in the area is crazy. Since it is taxpayer money are all hotels represented?

---

What would you do with the hotel occupancy tax funds that can only be spent on a very few select things, if you were king of C-Stat for a day?

techno-ag said:

---

whoop1995 said:

---

Wasn't it a couple of years ago when Bob was asked about why the city was "donating" to Santa winter wonderland he said that would be the last year? And while that discussion was going on another was going on about giving Texas A&M money and the city council people were mad about not getting what they thought was a good value for the money? Based on the above examples of how great a deal this is for the city why wouldn't A&M qualify? (The example states hotel rooms etc sold by Swwl and how great it is for the city)

So it is ok to give money to SWWL where the return is questionable to a profitable business? But not to A&M because there has to be attachments to it like a ROI?

I know there was a reason given by Bob that mentioned hotel stays drop in the winter time so the city was trying to up that number…….. why not promote Men's and Womens basketball? They fall into the criteria for sure for hot funds. Or George bush library? They probably qualify for hot fund expenditures…… I am sure there are a half a dozen more expenditures that qualify if SWWL does.

$600k wow - and to think there was no baseline before the money started flowing to them. Why the company cant start their own website and link to hotels in the area is crazy. Since it is taxpayer money are all hotels represented?

---

What would you do with the hotel occupancy tax funds that can only be spent on a very few select things, if you were king of C-Stat for a day?

---

Since you are all for spending HOT funds on private companies that probably don't need help and other things like the convention center I would have to think about it but not those. One year it was labeled a sponsorship and the city put a sign in the place. Why they would need to put a sign in the place that says city of college station? I would bet the sign didn't cost $100k+. People don't know where they are at?

I am not for wasting money and this entire thing with the convention center and SWWL just seems like - well since we have money let's just spend it - look see it's one of the things we can spend money on so we are all good. There are no metrics for comparison for the SWWL prior to them getting money but look at how we helped it grow!

I do not know if the city spends money on other places but there are most likely places just like Santa winter wonderland that probably receive no money.

does the gi museum, Texas A&M Corp center, George bush library, Messina hof get funds? They are listed on the webpage for historical places to visit while in college station on the college station visitor webpage.

there are 35 places listed in the attractions section and 8 in the arts and culture, 10 concerts, 35 sports arenas in the section of that same website. And then you have Texas a&m.

if it's all about room sales and generating income for hotel and restaurant owners then why is there only a deal for SWWL and not the rest. maybe there is but who knows. I think Texas A&M brings in a crapload of hotel nights and the rest included bring way more that SWWL but anyway people from what I am gathering here want to somehow break away from Texas A&M and form thier own stadium and meeting areas and such. I have heard on here that people want to get rid of northgate. There is also a voice that I have heard on here that wants the city to control it so they can get more money (which money earned can then go to the general fund most likely).

Why not use what you have? Can you have a concert in the back of Northgate in the parking lot? Probably. Oh it's too small, how do we charge people. I don't know but why are we not promoting Northgate like 6th street does. If the city can put on concert I hear shadow canyon is open. I saw concerts in there when I was in school.

Maybe the city can spend some of that money on a person to call groups for certain bands or rodeos etc and promote the town as a place to stay. Did you know Texas A&M rodeo has an event every year at brazos? I didn't until this year. Didn't even know we had a team It was a great show annd there were anbout 2-3 thousand people there. They use it as their only fundraiser for the year. Some of those kids qualify for the college national rodeo. Are there kids in ffa in surrounding town that someone can call? Yes.

why aren't the fun runs listed on the website of things to do? Promoting tourism should be number one. Are there flyers in the hotels of what is going on that week or weekend or months ahead of time for the hotels to call groups? Do you display art from local artists in the town hall and rotate the artists or at some other place the town owns or can rent- promoting art. I think that's covered under hot.

there is so much going on in that town that isn't promoted. Why not? I am sure that is under the spend category and would do so much better than 400+ million.

stick with the basics and conquer the basics before one even tries to conquer a beast of coordination and cost like a convention center.

i love college station and always will.

Edit to add.
Ok after writing all of that I think a waterpark would benefit the citizens of college station more than a convention center and it would draw people from all over the place.

Also I have always wondered why there there isn't a Hyatt hill country or like the one in bastrop. I know the city probably couldn't build this but is there a call op to those management groups to see if they are interested.

horse back riding, lazy river, surfing machine, etc.


can we have a festival in town like the Germanfest, watermelon festival etc? The city can run that and make it in the summer when nobody is in town. I know they are trying to make the winter thing better and it is coming around slowly like everything else will that is new.



Sorry for being so long

TAMU drives the hotel business here and there isn't a close second.

Home football game weekends with two-night minimums required by hotels.

Basketball to some extent.

Baseball.

Graduations three times per year, with May being huge.

Parents/Family weekend

Track meets

Equestrian meets

A number of tennis/soccer/lacrosse/cheer camps

College golf tournaments

Football and other sports recruiting visits

Visitors for various departmental conferences

If the city wants to reward businesses that drive HOT dollars, they need to look across the street.

Agreed

maroon barchetta said:

---

TAMU drives the hotel business here and there isn't a close second.

Home football game weekends with two-night minimums required by hotels.

Basketball to some extent.

Baseball.

Graduations three times per year, with May being huge.

Parents/Family weekend

Track meets

Equestrian meets

A number of tennis/soccer/lacrosse/cheer camps

College golf tournaments

Football and other sports recruiting visits

Visitors for various departmental conferences

If the city wants to reward businesses that drive HOT dollars, they need to look across the street.

---

What I don't understand are the guidelines for using HOT money. I've seen posted here that it's very narrow in scope. Is that not the case? Can the city just use the money on buying anything that could encourage overnight tourism? Does it even have to be overnight tourism? Is the goal to get folks to spend money at restaurants or primarily to stay a night in the city? If it's to stay a night, wasn't it something like 80% of folks that go to SW don't stay the night? Also, Bob, what's the HOT budget? How much at the city's disposal each year? Is there a stockpile? So many questions and few answers. I'd like to assume it's not just a slush fund.

As to A&M, I think they are doing fine. Folks will come to those events regardless of HOT money.

Richleau12 said:

---

maroon barchetta said:

---

TAMU drives the hotel business here and there isn't a close second.

Home football game weekends with two-night minimums required by hotels.

Basketball to some extent.

Baseball.

Graduations three times per year, with May being huge.

Parents/Family weekend

Track meets

Equestrian meets

A number of tennis/soccer/lacrosse/cheer camps

College golf tournaments

Football and other sports recruiting visits

Visitors for various departmental conferences

If the city wants to reward businesses that drive HOT dollars, they need to look across the street.

---

What I don't understand are the guidelines for using HOT money. I've seen posted here that it's very narrow in scope. Is that not the case? Can the city just use the money on buying anything that could encourage overnight tourism? Does it even have to be overnight tourism? Is the goal to get folks to spend money at restaurants or primarily to stay a night in the city? If it's to stay a night, wasn't it something like 80% of folks that go to SW don't stay the night? Also, Bob, what's the HOT budget? How much at the city's disposal each year? Is there a stockpile? So many questions and few answers. I'd like to assume it's not just a slush fund.

As to A&M, I think they are doing fine. Folks will come to those events regardless of HOT money.

---

Let's see what AI says.

Quote:

---

Guidelines for spending Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds in Texas

Local Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds in Texas are subject to strict regulations outlined in the Texas Tax Code, primarily Chapter 351 (Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax) and Chapter 352 (County Hotel Occupancy Tax).

The core principle guiding these expenditures is that they must directly promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry.

To ensure compliance, the Texas Municipal League (TML) outlines a two-part test for any expenditure of HOT funds:

1. The "Heads in Beds" Test
Every funded project or activity must attract overnight visitors to the city's or county's hotels, motels, and lodging establishments, thereby generating more hotel occupancy tax revenue. This means the expenditure must directly contribute to increasing hotel stays in the area.

For example:
-A major festival attracting attendees from other areas who require overnight lodging would likely pass this test.
-A local community event primarily attended by residents is unlikely to qualify.

2. The "Nine Categories" Test
In addition to attracting overnight visitors, expenditures must fall into one of nine authorized categories as defined by the Texas Comptroller's Data Analysis & Transparency Division and the Texas Municipal League. These categories include:

-Establishing, improving, or maintaining convention or visitor information centers.

-Providing facilities, personnel, and materials for convention registration.

-Advertising and promotional programs to attract tourists and convention delegates.

-Promoting the arts if it directly benefits tourism and the hotel industry.

-Historical restoration and preservation or related advertising that enhances tourism.

-Funding expenses for sporting events where most participants are tourists. This category may have population-based restrictions.

-Enhancing sports facilities with a history of hosting tournaments that attract overnight visitors.

-Funding certain transportation systems for tourists and hotel guests, such as shuttles, that are not primarily for the general public.

-Paying for signage to sights and attractions frequented by hotel guests.

Important considerations
-Simply fitting into a category is not enough; the expenditure must directly promote tourism and the convention/hotel industry.

-Municipalities must also annually report their HOT fund allocation to the Comptroller's office. Cities can delegate fund management to other entities via contract, provided those entities follow the guidelines and report expenditures. A portion of administrative costs related to managing HOT-funded activities can be covered.

-Some cities may have additional restrictions based on population.

Note: Consulting legal counsel is recommended for specific eligibility and uses of HOT funds in your area. Additional information is available from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Texas Municipal League.

---

So…what's the actual answer? Bob? You've been radio silent on this thread.

Let the guy have a weekend for goodness sake!

Richleau12 said:

---

So…what's the actual answer? Bob? You've been radio silent on this thread.

---

Que?
Edit: oh you're asking Yancy. N/m.

techno-ag said:

---

whoop1995 said:

---

Wasn't it a couple of years ago when Bob was asked about why the city was "donating" to Santa winter wonderland he said that would be the last year? And while that discussion was going on another was going on about giving Texas A&M money and the city council people were mad about not getting what they thought was a good value for the money? Based on the above examples of how great a deal this is for the city why wouldn't A&M qualify? (The example states hotel rooms etc sold by Swwl and how great it is for the city)

So it is ok to give money to SWWL where the return is questionable to a profitable business? But not to A&M because there has to be attachments to it like a ROI?

I know there was a reason given by Bob that mentioned hotel stays drop in the winter time so the city was trying to up that number…….. why not promote Men's and Womens basketball? They fall into the criteria for sure for hot funds. Or George bush library? They probably qualify for hot fund expenditures…… I am sure there are a half a dozen more expenditures that qualify if SWWL does.

$600k wow - and to think there was no baseline before the money started flowing to them. Why the company cant start their own website and link to hotels in the area is crazy. Since it is taxpayer money are all hotels represented?

---

What would you do with the hotel occupancy tax funds that can only be spent on a very few select things, if you were king of C-Stat for a day?

---

I know the laws allowing what the HOT tax can be used for would have to be changed, but I would be very limited in giving money to private businesses and put much of it in a reserve account drawing interest to be used for infrastructure repairs and improvements,

Since the visitors are using our street, our utilities, parks, and other publicly owned entities, maybe in addition to the 1.5% of the sales tax the city gets, the visitors contribute more through the HOT tax and support our city infrastructure and improvements?

maroon barchetta said:

---

TAMU drives the hotel business here and there isn't a close second.

Home football game weekends with two-night minimums required by hotels.

Basketball to some extent.

Baseball.

Graduations three times per year, with May being huge.

Parents/Family weekend

Track meets

Equestrian meets

A number of tennis/soccer/lacrosse/cheer camps

College golf tournaments

Football and other sports recruiting visits

Visitors for various departmental conferences

If the city wants to reward businesses that drive HOT dollars, they need to look across the street.

---

Didn't they agree to give A&M a chunk of HOT money when everybody freaked out at the height of COVID? A&M was worried about servicing the debt on the Kyle Field renovations? If I recall, A&M made some vague promises about the cities and the county being able to use A&M facilities, and Yancy was upset because A&M made it excessively hard to try and schedule facilities, and the city folks just threw up their hands?

Sharp & co. out negotiated someone? Nooooo, say it ain't so, Johnny.

This seems to highlight a pattern of the folks at the top negotiating from the city are really bad at negotiating... The Macy's / Beall's transaction comes to mind.

Hornbeck said:

---

maroon barchetta said:

---

TAMU drives the hotel business here and there isn't a close second.

Home football game weekends with two-night minimums required by hotels.

Basketball to some extent.

Baseball.

Graduations three times per year, with May being huge.

Parents/Family weekend

Track meets

Equestrian meets

A number of tennis/soccer/lacrosse/cheer camps

College golf tournaments

Football and other sports recruiting visits

Visitors for various departmental conferences

If the city wants to reward businesses that drive HOT dollars, they need to look across the street.

---

Didn't they agree to give A&M a chunk of HOT money when everybody freaked out at the height of COVID? A&M was worried about servicing the debt on the Kyle Field renovations? If I recall, A&M made some vague promises about the cities and the county being able to use A&M facilities, and Yancy was upset because A&M made it excessively hard to try and schedule facilities, and the city folks just threw up their hands?

Sharp & co. out negotiated someone? Nooooo, say it ain't so, Johnny.

This seems to highlight a pattern of the folks at the top negotiating from the city are really bad at negotiating... The Macy's / Beall's transaction comes to mind.

---

Goes way back farther than that to 2008 at least in the purchase of the Chimney Hill Shopping center for a convention center for $10 million, held it for six years and sold it for $7.5 million,

With the cost of HVAC for six years, maintenance and the loss of property taxes on it, the total cost to the city at the time of selling it was probably $12 million or more, We did store some of the Bush Library holdings in it for a period of time so maybe there was a little income generated from it?

woodiewood1 said:

---

Hornbeck said:

---

maroon barchetta said:

---

TAMU drives the hotel business here and there isn't a close second.

Home football game weekends with two-night minimums required by hotels.

Basketball to some extent.

Baseball.

Graduations three times per year, with May being huge.

Parents/Family weekend

Track meets

Equestrian meets

A number of tennis/soccer/lacrosse/cheer camps

College golf tournaments

Football and other sports recruiting visits

Visitors for various departmental conferences

If the city wants to reward businesses that drive HOT dollars, they need to look across the street.

---

Didn't they agree to give A&M a chunk of HOT money when everybody freaked out at the height of COVID? A&M was worried about servicing the debt on the Kyle Field renovations? If I recall, A&M made some vague promises about the cities and the county being able to use A&M facilities, and Yancy was upset because A&M made it excessively hard to try and schedule facilities, and the city folks just threw up their hands?

Sharp & co. out negotiated someone? Nooooo, say it ain't so, Johnny.

This seems to highlight a pattern of the folks at the top negotiating from the city are really bad at negotiating... The Macy's / Beall's transaction comes to mind.

---

Goes way back farther than that to 2008 at least in the purchase of the Chimney Hill Shopping center for a convention center for $10 million, held it for six years and sold it for $7.5 million,

With the cost of HVAC for six years, maintenance and the loss of property taxes on it, the total cost to the city at the time of selling it was probably $12 million or more, We did store some of the Bush Library holdings in it for a period of time so maybe there was a little income generated from it?

---

Yes some answers on this is necessary. Bob, are you listening? Sounds like you are being silent on purpose. We know you read these boards. This might be a very HOT subject! Seriously though, what's the annual budget for HOT? Where is the money being spent currently? What is the return on investment? Is there a war chest of HOT funds not allocated from previous years? Frankly, what the f is going on Bob?

I am not at all thinking that the current council is doing anything at all suspicious, Was just asking where I can find a list of where the HOT many is spent every year,

Don't make us file another FOIA request.....

woodiewood1 said:

---

I am not at all thinking that the current council is doing anything at all suspicious, Was just asking where I can find a list of where the HOT many is spent every year,

---

Me neither. I just think it's strange to be so silent about a really innocuous thing. Like, why not be upfront about this? Shouldn't there be a section on the CSTX website that directly shows the allocation of funds? I mean, is it in the posted budgets on the site? I haven't seen it if it is.

Hornbeck said:

---

Don't make us file another FOIA request.....

---

Here you go. A link to the super top secret budget with all those hidden numbers.

Don't tell anyone.

https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_12410832/File/Departments/Fiscal%20Services/FY26%20Proposed%20Budget%20Document.pdf

This is everything they've got public, man. Knock yourself out.

https://www.cstx.gov/departments___city_hall/fiscal/budget

Bear in mind it's 11-18 million or so out of about a 475 million total budget, and remains heavily restricted on what it can be spent on. But hey, let's find some pitchforks and torches and storm City Hall.

BTW some budget meetings are coming up. Go attend one and report back what you find out.

woodiewood1 said:

---

techno-ag said:

---

Hornbeck said:

---

Don't make us file another FOIA request.....

---

Here you go. A link to the super top secret budget with all those hidden numbers.

Don't tell anyone.

https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_12410832/File/Departments/Fiscal%20Services/FY26%20Proposed%20Budget%20Document.pdf

---

I don't see anything specific as to where any money went to a private business, Again, not thinking anything squirrelly is going on, but I think the public should know the details of what the city is doing with $11 to $18 million and who got what, I guess that's too much to ask for?

---

techno-ag said:

---

This is everything they've got public, man. Knock yourself out.

https://www.cstx.gov/departments___city_hall/fiscal/budget

Bear in mind it's 11-18 million or so out of about a 475 million total budget, and remains heavily restricted on what it can be spent on. But hey, let's find some pitchforks and torches and storm City Hall.

BTW some budget meetings are coming up. Go attend one and report back what you find out.

---

What are the restrictions? So far all we have is what an AI posted and the restrictions from the state. If that's the case 600k for a QR code still stands. Who governs how the business spends the money once it's received? And if they don't follow the rules? What then? 18 million is A LOT of money. Even 600k is A LOT of money. I don't think it's out of the realm of reason to demand to know how tax dollars are being spent, do you?