Carson City Culture & Tourism Authority Board Meeting - August 10, 2026

This is a summary of the Carson City Culture & Tourism Authority (CTA) Board of Directors meeting held on Monday, August 10, 2026, at 4:00 PM in the Robert "Bob" Crowell Board Room at the Carson City Community Center. The meeting covered approval of minutes and consent agenda items, a presentation on the 2026 Stetina's Paydirt Carson City ride, monthly updates from staff on events, arts and culture, marketing, and public relations, as well as board discussion on future agenda items including a potential CTA role in Nevada Day.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously approved the minutes of the July 13, 2026 CTA Board meeting.
• Unanimously approved the Statement of Accounts Payable checks totaling $275,291.05 and p-card charges totaling $20,667.02 for June 2026 (Item 6).
• Unanimously approved the adjusted FY2026 budget report, including comparative statement of adjusted revenue totaling $3,632,917.33, expenses totaling $3,206,923.14, and fund balance for all CTA funds totaling $5,330,682.19 (Item 7).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered during either of the two public comment periods.

Discussion Items

• Stetina's Paydirt Carson City Ride (Item 9): Carlos from Bike Monkey, Inc. presented results of the 2026 gravel bicycle race held in May. Key points: 400 registered participants from 32 states, nearly 100 junior and family ride entrants (free entry for juniors), total estimated participation near 650. The event generated room nights and spending. Board member Andrew Reno asked about challenges and opportunities for pre/post tourism marketing; Carlos expressed gratitude for community support and offered to promote Carson City through event communications. The presentation was for discussion only, no action taken.

• Monthly Non-Action Items (Item 10):

  • Executive Director's Update (A): Chris Kipp reported that the FY2026 financial audit is beginning.
  • Transient Occupancy Tax (B): A variance of -1.16% from forecast was noted, with final numbers expected to be even closer.
  • Events & Sales Update (C): Chris Kipp presented a list of upcoming events including Legacy Sports adult slow-pitch and fast-pitch tournaments, Frothect Hema Women's Tournament, Rockalock Bang Bang convention, Zealos Pickleball tournament, NAFA Masters World Series, and Bonanza Kennel Club dog show. All events are expected to draw participants from out of state, with many booking hotel rooms.
  • Arts & Culture Update (D): Eric Brooks reported on the unveiling of the Mark Twain statue (over 100 attendees), the Levitt Amp concert series, and upcoming events: Plan Air Carson City (all mediums, $10,000 in prizes), murals by Basque artists, and Mark Twain Days (including a pecan punch-off contest).
  • Marketing & PR Update (E): Lydia Beck presented July digital growth (58,000 website visits, 1,000+ lodging referrals, 63% increase in spending) and a FY26 PR scorecard: 867 earned stories, surpassing goals except tier-one features. FY27 budget increases to $70,000 (from $12,000) focusing on regional drive markets, outdoor/wellness, and AI-friendly earned media. DataFi visitation data showed trips down slightly but average stay of 2.5 days; hotel occupancy averaged 56% with ADR of $110 and RevPAR of $62 for July–March.
  • Future Agenda Items (F): Board member Garrett Lepire proposed adding an item to discuss CTA taking over Nevada Day from the Nevada Day Foundation, citing security, tourism potential, and ideas for a multi-day event. Stacey Giomi and Andrew Reno cautioned against taking over a nonprofit event without prior discussion with Executive Director David Peterson. The board agreed to table the discussion and first consult with David Peterson privately.
  • Upcoming Meetings (G): The next CTA Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, September 14, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

• Board Comments (Item 11): Stacey Giomi informed the board about the National Association of Counties Western Interstate Region annual conference in May 2027 at the Tahoe Blue Event Center, potentially drawing 400 attendees, and a sponsorship opportunity. He also summarized proposed federal OMB uniform guidance changes that could affect grant administration, including oversight by political appointees, termination at any time for any reason, and increased reporting requirements. He noted that CTA should monitor these changes, especially regarding grants.

Key Outcomes

• Approved minutes of July 13, 2026.
• Approved consent agenda items (checks, p-card charges, FY2026 budget report).
• No action taken on the Stetina's Paydirt presentation or monthly updates; all were for discussion only.
• The board tabled discussion on Nevada Day as a future agenda item, pending private consultation with the Executive Director.
• The board received information on federal grant policy changes and the upcoming NACo conference; no action taken.