Rock Springs City Council Meeting: Lodging Tax Renewal Presentation and Discussion, August 17, 2026
Rock Springs City Council Meeting: Lodging Tax Renewal Presentation and Discussion
The Rock Springs City Council met on August 17, 2026. The main item was a presentation from Janessa Meredith, CEO of Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism, about the lodging tax reauthorization that will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Council members gained details on the tax structure, its local economic impact, and factors limiting tourism growth. No formal action was taken.
Presentation: Lodging Tax Reauthorization (November 2026 Ballot)
- Janessa Meredith explained that the local lodging tax is a 2% assessment on hotel and campground stays, in addition to the 5% statewide lodging tax that has been legislatively imposed since 2021. The local 2% has been on the general election ballot every four years since 1991.
- The tax is paid by visitors staying in hotels/campgrounds; local residents pay it only if they use those accommodations. "The vast majority" of the tax is paid by non-Sweetwater County residents, though 65% of hotel occupancy in the county comes from workforce stays; those staying longer than 30 days are exempt.
- Revenue from the local 2% is used exclusively for marketing, not for building attractions. Roughly 80% of the budget funds out-of-county marketing to attract visitors to Sweetwater County.
- The lodging tax board consists of 11 volunteer members: six appointed by Rock Springs, two from Green River, one each from Wamsutter and Superior, and one from the County Commissioners.
- Historical voter support has ranged from 78% to 82%. Janessa Meredith noted that other Wyoming counties, including Teton and Campbell, have lost their local lodging taxes at times; Campbell County is currently the only county not collecting the local 2%.
Discussion Items
- Councilor Maloneas asked whether the tax is a percentage or flat fee and how it compares statewide. Ms. Meredith clarified it is a percentage and explained the 5% state/2% local split, noting every county in Wyoming has asked voter approval for the 2% except Campbell County, which lost it in 2022.
- Councilor Maloneas asked if tourism is an economic development opportunity and what might be holding it back. Ms. Meredith cited a lack of private sector investment in tourism-related businesses (outfitters, tour guides) and the challenge of checkerboard landownership. She encouraged the Council to be business-friendly to that sector.
- A councilor asked what percentage of the tax is paid by non-county residents. Ms. Meredith stated it is the vast majority, while clarifying the workforce exemption after 30 days.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes or decisions were made; the presentation was informational.
- The lodging tax reauthorization will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
- Ms. Meredith requested the Council's help in educating the public about the importance of the lodging tax to Sweetwater County.
- The meeting concluded with a reminder that the next day is primary day, urging everyone to vote.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. That moves us on to our presentations. Our presentation for today is the Sweetwater County Travel and Health Travel, wow, and tourism board lodging tax presentation from Jared Ness and Meredith after you. Good morning, Counselor. I'm Janet. Oh, good job. Thank you. It looked a little late. Good morning. I'm Janissa Meredith, CEO of Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism. Thank you for allowing me some time today to share with you more about the lodging tax. You've seen my annual report earlier in the year, so you know how the lodging tax was spent in the last year. So I'm just here to remind you that the lodging tax will be on the ballot in November. It has been on the general election ballot every four years since 1991. So every four years since then, local residents of Sweetwater County have been asked whether or not people staying in the hotels and campgrounds in Sweetwater County should be charged a lodging tax. So they pay the room rate, they pay the sales tax, and they pay the lodging tax. And that lodging tax comes to the Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism Board and can be used for marketing. We can't build any attractions, a Zipline Park, a Disneyland, anything. We can't build anything with it. It has to be used for marketing. So you have the annual report in front of you and can review what it was spent on in the last year as a reminder. But just wanted to let you know, we'll be on this election ballot. The board itself is made up of 11 volunteer board members. So this governing body appoints six of them, the majority, because the majority of that lodging tax is collected in Sweetwater County in Rock Springs. So six board members are appointed by this governing body, two are from Green River, one from Wam Cutter, one from Superior, and one from the County Commissioners. So that makes up the board of 11 board members, and they're all volunteer positions charged with administering the lodging tax. So this will be my fifth lodging tax election. So as a part of the 2010, 14, 18, and 22, and then 26 will be my fifth election. And I'm pleased to uh report that we have had a lot of success in Sweetwater County with local residents really understanding the value of the lodging tax and how it's spent and what it's used for and and how it impacts our local economy. We were just talking earlier around the state, other communities have lost their local lodging tax. When I was hired, Teton County and Campbell County did not have a lodging tax. Their local residents had voted it down. But I am again happy to report that Sweetwater County residents have really understood it. So ever since I have been involved, we have ranged everywhere between 78% and 82% success support of the people who voted, between 78 and 82% of them voted for the lodging tax. So when the you see the ballot language, um it says the reauthorization of the existing lodging tax, not paid by residents unless they stay in a hotel and campground. So this is a tax that local residents vote on but don't pay it unless they stay in a hotel and campground. So it's really something that benefits our local economy. Um all of our local events are funded by the lodging tax. You can see the list in the brochure or in the big pamphlet. Uh Wyoming's Big Show, uh, Shoot Pony, Classic Mounted Shooting Sport, The Art on the Green, All Out Ball Out Basketball Tournaments, the High School and Junior High Rodeos, BMX events, uh, wrestling events, the Rudy Gunter Memorial Wrestling Tournament, Shootout in the Springs Basketball, the County Commissioners Conference for the state, uh, Green River Knights baseball, the Red Desert Roundup Rodeo, Quilt Wyoming, Quilting on the Green, Flaming Gorge Days, the Tome and Invitational Wrestling Tournament, the Rock Challenge Soccer Tournament, Flaming Gorge Classic Basketball Tournament, uh, Freshman Boys Invite Basketball Tournament, Freshman Basketball Tournament, uh, State Snowmobiling Association Convention, regional basketball tournaments, Budcup Hockey Tournament, Shiver in the River, uh Swimming Meet, Overland Stage Stampede Rodeo, Mule Deal Deer Days, Blues and Brews, the River Festival, and the National High School Finals Rodeo. Those were our 25 2025 events that were funded. So any event that's hosted in Sweetwater County that generates heads and beds, people coming to stay in the hotels and campgrounds, they qualify for those lodging tax dollars. And so a lot of those events without the help of the lodging tax would no longer be able to function. Um they would go away. The River Festival just reminded us of that this past weekend, thanking the lodging tax board for the funding. Um, each of those events can get up to $8,000 based on how many people come to stay in the hotels and campgrounds. So it's a big impact for them. And like I said, many of them cannot go forward without the lodging tax. Um are there any other are there any questions about the lodging tax? I have one.
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