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The San Ramon City Council is set to vote on beginning the process of renewing the San Ramon Valley Tourism Improvement District for an additional cycle at its next regular meeting Tuesday.
Councilmembers are set to discuss and consider approving a resolution of intent at the upcoming meeting that would mark the first step of renewing the district for an additional five years.
The existing district was first established in 2015 in response to hotel owners in the city petitioning for a tourism improvement district that would see them assessed fees that would then be used for desired services aimed at promoting and expanding hospitality and tourism opportunities in San Ramon specifically. The move separated San Ramon from the regional tourism district operated by Visit Tri-Valley.
Following the council’s approval to establish the district, funds assessed to hospitality and tourism businesses have been handled by the nonprofit Discover San Ramon, which was established for that purpose.
DSR is requesting the renewal of the SRVTID for an additional five years as part of broader efforts to recover from impacts to businesses within the district brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to continue supporting their earlier vision of increasing awareness and demand for the hospitality and tourism sectors in San Ramon.
“Assessed business owners decided to pursue renewal of the SRVTID in order to continue a revenue source devoted to marketing San Ramon Valley as a tourist, meeting, and event destination,” deputy city manager Scott Koll wrote in a staff report prepared for the meeting.
Koll added that renewing the SRVTID could mean approximately $450,000 annually for travel and tourism promotion in the region.
The assessment rate for hotels would remain the same — $2 per bed occupied per night in most cases — with funds collected by the city then distributed to DSR for implementation of projects and programs within the district. The city would receive 1% of assessment funding to cover associated administrative costs.
The upcoming discussion and vote are part of a resolution of intention hearing spurred by a petition showing 59% support from hotel owners in the district.
If approved, the resolution to renew the SRVTID would then be the subject of two additional public hearings on Feb. 13 and April 9. If approved at the final hearing and subsequent council vote, the five-year renewal would be effective April 1.
The San Ramon City Council is set to meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 23). The agenda is available on the city’s website.
In other business
- The council is set to discuss the possibility of forming a new sustainability and climate action oversight body, at the suggestion of members of the city’s ad hoc Environmental Subcommittee.
- The council is set to discuss labor negotiations with the San Ramon Police Officers Association and unrepresented employees in a closed session following the public meeting.
