By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Citizens that look at the 2020 Calendar of Events page from the City of Great Bend might get excited about the number of events popping up with the nicer weather arriving. Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes says there always seems like something going on in town.
With a stay-at-home order in effect for the entire state of Kansas, many of those events have been cancelled or put on hold.
The coronavirus pandemic and its caused restrictions have proved to some how much they take for granted all the events scheduled throughout Great Bend.
"That goes for big city events that we do and all the way down to the pop-up markets that small businesses or non-profits do," said Hayes. "I think people are missing the events. We are all hoping we can bounce back from this and come back to support all the events in our great community."
Hayes noted the Art & Wine Walk for May 7 is on hold right now, and June Jaunt is far enough out that the city is waiting to see if gathering restrictions will be lifted by the first weekend in June.
Hayes says businesses are definitely feeling the hit with less foot traffic through their stores, and the lack of sales and tax generated will have an effect on tax-funded projects, like community events.
"My Community Coordinator position is paid out of economic development sales tax," said Hayes. "That includes funds for Party in the Park, June Jaunt and all the sales promotions for businesses."
Hotels are also seeing a decline in customers, lowering the transient guest tax intake for Great Bend. The city’s transient guest tax is six percent. The Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau receives five percent for community marketing purposes and one percent helps fund the Great Bend Events Center.
The City of Great Bend recorded its two highest transient guest tax collections in the previous two years, including more than $290,000 in 2018.