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CONSENT ITEM - 8B 'It -ARZEEN HILLS MEMORANDUM DATE: October 13, 2025 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator SUBJECT: Acknowledgement of Twin Cities Gateway Grant Funds Budgeted Amount: Actual Amount: Funding Source: N/A $20,182 Twin Cities Gateway Council Should Consider Motions to approve, table, or deny the following: • Acknowledgement of Twin Cities Gateway Grant Funds being used to support community related activities. Discussion The City of Arden Hills is a member of the Twin Cities Gateway (TCG) Visitors Bureau. As a member, the City facilitates a pass-thru lodging tax on hotel receipts in the City. These lodging receipts fund marketing activities in the area administered by TCG. As part of the organization, the City also receives an annual grant based on receipts from TCG, which must be spent on marketing activities to draw in visitors from outside the city. This year, the City's grant amount is $20,125; the City Council previously discussed how to use the funds at a work session and directed Staff to work with Ribfest, Norwegian Foot March, and the City's 75th Anniversary. Ribfest and a few marketing ideas for the 751h Anniversary have been submitted and given preliminary approval by TCG. The City is able to carry over 10% of the grant funds to the following year. City staff is working with the Norwegian Foot March organizers to confirm the timing of their marketing materials to see if funds would be distributed in 2025 or 2026. A brief summary of each plan is below. • Ribfest: used for marketing activities related to its September 201h Ribfest event, including print, digital, and radio marketing. • Norwegian Foot March: used for marketing activities related to its April 2026 event, will include print and digital marketing. Page 1 of 2