La Grange Chamber Requests City Funding

The La Grange Chamber of Commerce asked the City of La Grange to resume financial assistance to the Chamber after a 10-year break.

Jamie Fabre, the Chamber’s operations director, made the request at the City Council meeting Monday night, June 13. Fabre said the Chamber benefits the City by directing tourists to the various attractions and businesses in the City. The Chamber does not get any City funding for these services.

“I think so many of you may not know how many times we function as a part-time tourism ambassador to the City of La Grange,” Fabre told the Council. “It’s something I do so often. Educating those who stop in my office is of the utmost importance for me. The first person I want them to see is a positive person, a knowledgeable person, and a ‘make you want to spend your money in the City of La Grange’ person.”

Fabre said some visitors to La Grange don’t know about the City’s Visitor’s Bureau at Casino Hall. Many times, visitors stop by the Chamber of Commerce for information about the area.

The City’s Main Street Department, which includes the Visitor’s Bureau, along with the City’s Community and Economic Department, handle tourism activities for the City of La Grange.

Some cities provide their local chambers with operational funding from hotel occupancy taxes (HOT). State law stipulates that HOT funds for tourism-related activities in most cases. City Manager Shawn Raborn said the City has granted HOT funds on several occasions for Chamber-sponsored events that attract visitors to the City. However, the City has not provided the Chamber with operational funding in many years.

Fabre made the request during the public comment period at Monday’s meeting. Council did not discuss the item or take any action since it was not on the meeting agenda.

In an interview with the Record on Wednesday, Raborn said the City used to give the La Grange Chamber all of its HOT funds. That changed more than 10 years ago. Raborn said the change happened after the City began handling tourism activities through Main Street and the Visitor’s Bureau. Leadership and operations management at the Chamber have changed hands several times since then. Raborn said the City supports the Chamber.

“The City would be glad to help the Chamber, but what are we buying?” Raborn said. “What are the taxpayers of La Grange getting for it?”

Raborn said he asked the Chamber to present the City with a detailed proposal about how they would use City funds.