Broken Arrow City Council Meeting Summary - December 9, 2025

The Broken Arrow City Council convened on December 9, 2025, to review consent calendar items, approve a hotel rebate for the American Junior Golf Association, and consider significant updates to the Visit Broken Arrow community event sponsorship program. The meeting also included a tourism director report and the official introduction of a new community development events liaison.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimous approval of the November 18, 2025 meeting minutes (Ford abstained due to absence).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments or testimony were recorded during this segment of the meeting.

Discussion Items

• American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Hotel Rebate:

  • Project Description: The AJGA proposes a junior golf tournament at Indian Springs Resort from August 3-6, 2026. The event anticipates 300-350 hotel nights and 300-350 travelers, representing an international tournament with participants from approximately 20 states and 5 countries.
  • Speaker Positions:
    • James O'Brien (AJGA Regional Director): Expressed a strong desire to establish a multi-year event in Broken Arrow but stated the organization will not commit to a three-year deal until they have successfully raised the necessary funds to cover the event's $40,000 operating cost. He noted their goal is to raise $50,000 for the event, with city support being a critical component.
    • Council Members: Expressed excitement for the event and full support for the $15,000 rebate request, citing the successful connection with Indian Springs head pro Lance Allen as a key factor in bringing the tournament to Broken Arrow.
  • Key Points: The event is the first hotel rebate request for Fiscal Year 2026, pending available funds in Fiscal Year 2027.

• Visit BA Community Event Sponsorship Rebate Program Updates:

  • Proposal Summary: Visit BA leadership proposed new guidelines to address uncontrolled spending on community events that do not generate hotel tax revenue. Current spending trends show a 60/40 split favoring community events over hotel rebates, contrary to the desired 60% for hotel rebates.
  • Proposed Guidelines & Changes:
    • Attendance Verification: Mandatory use of "Placer" data software to verify attendance; estimates or self-reported numbers will not be accepted.
    • Double Dipping Prohibition: Events cannot receive both a monetary sponsorship and in-kind city services (e.g., police, barricades, stages). They must choose one or pay the city for the services.
    • Spending Requirement: All matched expenditures must be proven to occur within Broken Arrow.
    • Sponsorship Tiers & Limits: Tiers are based on attendance (1,000 to 10,000+ attendees), with a standard maximum of $7,500. Events over 30,000 attendees may be considered for additional funds.
    • Matching Funds: Events must secure matching funds, capped at a maximum of 30% of the total operating budget from the city.
    • Step-Down Funding: Sponsorships will decrease annually (10% step-down) for the first three years. A year-long pause is required in the fourth year unless the event demonstrates a 20% attendance growth to re-qualify.
    • Allocation Cap: The new internal guideline aims to ensure at least 60% of the $90,000 annual budget is allocated to hotel rebates.
  • Speaker Positions:
    • Tourism Director: Expressed strong support for the new guidelines to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure events have sustainable outside funding. They stated the current system lacked gatekeeping, often requiring the council to approve requests without full financial context.
    • Council Members: Expressed general support for the proposal to create stricter parameters. One member suggested that if a hotel event consumes all available funds, the city should be able to dip into the community event fund, but not vice versa. Another member noted that while events like "Tuesdays in the Park" are hard to monetize, the step-down model is fair and allows for long-term planning.

Key Outcomes

• Approval of AJGA Rebate: The council unanimously approved the $15,000 hotel rebate request for the American Junior Golf Association (Action Item B25-1714) with a vote count of: Dean (Yes), Yardie (Yes), Bowie (Yes), Ford (Yes), Muskrat (Yes), Lop (Yes), Schneider (Yes).
• Approval of Updated Sponsorship Guidelines: The council approved the proposed updates to the Visit Broken Arrow community event sponsorship program, with a specific revision adding a requirement that matched expenditures be spent in Broken Arrow. The guidelines were set to take effect on January 1, 2026 (Action Item C25-172). Vote tally: Dean (Yes), Yardie (Yes), Bowie (Yes), Muskrat (Yes), Lop (Yes), Schneider (Yes).
• Staff Introductions: Officially introduced Krista Mooney Shea as the new Events Liaison for the Community Development Department.
• Upcoming Events: Noted upcoming dates for the State of the City (December 10), Carol's and Coco's (December 12), and a future Film Festival planning meeting.