Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

General information

In 1989, an ordinance was created by the City of Jefferson authorizing the mayor and city clerk to execute an agreement with the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce for the administration of a lodging tax fund. Out of this came the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau. In April 2001, the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau officially split from the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce to form its own 501 C6 not-for-profit corporation. The City of Jefferson contracts with the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. to market Jefferson City as a desirable destination.

Board of Directors
Prior to the split from the Chamber, the Convention and Visitors Bureau was led by an Advisory Board. Since the separation the Bureau has been under the direction of the Board of Directors made up of nine community leaders. Each member is appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council. The organization by-laws state that three of the board members must be employed in the hotel or motel industry or affiliated therewith. The other six members can be from any industry in the community.

Funding
The Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau is funded by a 3% lodging tax. This is a tax incurred by visitors when they spend the night in a Jefferson City hotel. The city collects the tax revenue then forwards that money to the Bureau on a monthly basis to fund its marketing efforts.

Budget Approval
The Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau develops an annual budget. This budget is reviewed by the Board of Directors before submission to the City of Jefferson, City Council. The City Council is responsible for the final review and approval of the Bureau operating budget.

Economic Impact
The goal of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau is to entice visitors to spend money in our community. When a visitor comes to Jefferson City, tax money is generated from items purchased. This tax benefit is derived from visitor’s spending money on activities such as buying gas, staying in our hotels, eating at our restaurants and shopping at our stores. Tax money goes into the city coffers reducing the tax burden on residents of Jefferson City. It is estimated that each convention attendee spends approximately $156.00 per room night when staying in Jefferson City. Groups attending sporting events spend an estimated $126.00 per room night.