Municue

Case File 26-2163

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Authorize negotiation and execution of an agreement with Austin Convention and Vistors Bureau d/b/a Visit Austin (ACVB) for an initial five-year term and one five-year extension option for convention and tourism promotion services in an amount not to exceed $19,993,429 for the City’s portion for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, and approve a resolution approving the ACVB 2026-2027 Marketing Plan and Proposed Budget of $22,453,889, setting the contract payment as required by Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code, and authorizing the City Manager to file approved documents with the City Clerk’s Office as required by the Texas Tax Code. Funding: $12,493,429 is available in the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Tourism and Promotion Fund Operating Budget of the Austin Convention Center Department and $7,500,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget for the Austin Convention Center Department for the marketing plan and budget. For the agreement, $19,993,429 is contingent upon approval of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Proposed Operating Budget for the Tourism and Promotion Fund, $12,493,429 of which is funded with a portion of Hotel Occupancy Tax and $7,500,000 of which is contingent upon approval of the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget of the Austin Convention Center Department. Funding for each fiscal year is contingent upon the availability of Council-approved funds in the Operating Budget of the Tourism and Promotion Fund.

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Budgetsite_specificCity Council
The City would enter a five-year agreement, with one five-year extension option, with the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau (doing business as Visit Austin) for convention and tourism promotion services, paying up to $19,993,429 for fiscal year 2026-2027. A companion resolution would approve Visit Austin's $22,453,889 marketing plan and proposed budget and set the contract payment as required by state law. The City's share would be funded with $12,493,429 from the Tourism and Promotion Fund, drawn partly from hotel occupancy tax, and $7,500,000 from the Austin Convention Center Department budget.
1 eventFirst seen Aug 27, 2026Last activity Aug 27, 2026File #: 26-2163
Topics
contract
budget
community
tax

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Attorney

Verify tourism contract filing with City Clerk's Office

Why now: The August 27, 2026 City Council item authorizes the City Manager to file approved documents with the City Clerk's Office as required by the Texas Tax Code and sets contract payment as required by Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code, with $19,993,429 contingent on approval of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Proposed Operating Budget for the Tourism and Promotion Fund.

What to do: Obtain from the City Clerk the approved agreement, resolution, and marketing plan documents the City Manager was authorized to file, and confirm the executed contract carries forward the stated condition that payment is contingent on Council-approved funds in the Tourism and Promotion Fund operating budget each fiscal year. If the filed record is incomplete or the annual contingency language is missing from the executed agreement, ask counsel how that affects obligations across an initial five-year term plus a five-year extension option.

Act before: After the filed contract documents are produced by the City Clerk

Source: City Council — Aug 27, 2026 →
Contractor

Seek marketing subcontracts under tourism bureau plan

Why now: The August 27, 2026 City Council item authorizes an agreement with the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau for an initial five-year term and one five-year extension option and approves its 2026-2027 Marketing Plan and Proposed Budget of $22,453,889.

What to do: If you sell advertising, media buying, event production, or destination marketing services to the City, stop waiting for a city solicitation and pitch the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau directly against its approved 2026-2027 marketing plan. The convention and tourism promotion work is being placed under a single agreement with an initial five-year term and a five-year extension option, so subcontracting is the realistic entry point.

Act before: After the next material record update

Source: City Council — Aug 27, 2026 →
Journalist

Question difference between tourism budget and city payment

Why now: The August 27, 2026 item approves an Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau 2026-2027 Marketing Plan and Proposed Budget of $22,453,889 while capping the City's payment at $19,993,429, split between $12,493,429 in Hotel Occupancy Tax-funded Tourism and Promotion Fund dollars and $7,500,000 from the Austin Convention Center Department budget.

What to do: Request the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau 2026-2027 Marketing Plan and Proposed Budget backup and ask staff to itemize what revenue, other than the City's payment, supports the approved plan total. The public record approves a plan budget larger than the City's not-to-exceed payment without explaining the remainder's source.

Act before: After the requested records are produced

Source: City Council — Aug 27, 2026 →

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Authorize negotiation and execution of an agreement with Austin Convention and Vistors Bureau d/b/a Visit Austin (ACVB) for an initial five-year term and one five-year extension option for convention and tourism promotion services in an amount not to exceed $19,993,429 for the City’s portion for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, and approve a resolution approving the ACVB 2026-2027 Marketing Plan and Proposed Budget of $22,453,889, setting the contract payment as required by Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code, and authorizing the City Manager to file approved documents with the City Clerk’s Office as required by the Texas Tax Code. Funding: $12,493,429 is available in the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Tourism and Promotion Fund Operating Budget of the Austin Convention Center Department and $7,500,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget for the Austin Convention Center Department for the marketing plan and budget. For the agreement, $19,993,429 is contingent upon approval of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Proposed Operating Budget for the Tourism and Promotion Fund, $12,493,429 of which is funded with a portion of Hotel Occupancy Tax and $7,500,000 of which is contingent upon approval of the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget of the Austin Convention Center Department. Funding for each fiscal year is contingent upon the availability of Council-approved funds in the Operating Budget of the Tourism and Promotion Fund.