A proposed meeting and event center by local hotel owner Bob Hunt could bring as much as $3 million in new money to the McCall area, Valley County Economic Development Director John Blaye said Friday.
Blaye made the comment as a part of a panel at the Valley Adams Forum 2007, sponsored by McCall Magazine at Whitetail Club and Resort.
Blaye figured that the new meeting and event center proposed by Hunt next to The Hunt Lodge would bring in about $1.9 million a year in new money if it brought in 12,000 visitors.
He figured that if the existence of a convention center could double the amount of new visitors, that it would mean $3 million in additional money in the area.
Hunt plans to build a meeting and event center on his Hunt Lodge property that would accommodate up to 500 people. The center would also be able to hold dinner for up to 450 people. Hunt hopes to break ground on the facility in 2008, pending approval by the city of McCall, and open the center in 2009.
Blaye made his comments based on prior research his office had done in 2002 about the benefits of locating a convention center in Valley County.
"It's a very, very popular location; we're just not on the radar and going after this business," Blaye said to the small crowd in, attendance.
Blaye said that Hunt's project would generate $1 million in new payroll.
Blaye estimated the center would generate an additional $90,000 in state sales tax, $28,000 to McCall's Local Option Tax and $19,200 in tax revenues for the state to promote tourism. The project would also generate about $24,000 in property taxes.
Hunt did not comment on the numbers at the forum. Instead, he focused on the need for a larger meeting center.
"I learned there is a huge interest in McCall," Hunt said. "Most groups get tired of going to the same place. By not having a larger facility, my staff has trained meeting planners that McCall is closed to larger groups."
Hunt opened the Hunt Lodge in 2003 on Third Street in McCall. The meeting and event center would have 6,100 square feet of meeting space, a 1,000 square-foot commercial kitchen and 2,000 square feet of "break out" areas. Above the meeting center, hunt will add 30 rooms to his Hunt Lodge.
"McCall will have almost 600 rooms with the opportunity to become a group destination again," Hunt said.
Hunt was referring to rooms McCall could offer in the future once he builds his detached meeting and event center.
He also was referring to the proposed 47-room Timber Lodge next to The Hunt Lodge and The Woodsman redevelopment project that will construct a condominium hotel on the site of the current Woodsman Motel.
Carl Wilgus with the Idaho Department of Commerce & Labor said tourism is the state's third largest industry at $3.4 billion annually.
The industry represents 6.2 percent of Idaho's gross domestic product and generates $289 million in state and local taxes, Wilgus said.
Tourism accounts for 47,000 jobs in Idaho and attracts 26 million visitors to the state each year.
Tourism is responsible for
$18.64 million in retail sales, $5.25 million in transportation dollars, $4.59 million in dining, $15.65 million in lodging and $16.31 million in recreation dollars in Valley County, Wilgus said.
"McCall has had a great history when it comes to association business," Wilgus said. "At one time, every association in Idaho had meetings in McCall. There still is a huge interest."
Pat Rice with the Boise Centre on the Grove, which owns and operates the Boise Centre, warned that growth is a reality and "you either lead, follow or get out of the way."
"This project is a great start to that," Rice said. Rice operated a convention center hotel for Red Lion Inns in Durango, Colo.
He said the meeting and event center would generate revenue for local economic development.
Katrin Thompson of The Ashley Inn in Cascade told those in attendance, "the same tide raises all boats."
The Ashley Inn has a 5,000square-foot conference center that has not only helped The Ashley Inn generate revenue, but it has also generated revenue for Cascade businesses.
