The Centralia City Council unanimously approved allocating $247,567 in Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) grant funding to eight recipients during its Tuesday meeting.
The city’s LTAC committee received eight proposals totaling $345,721 for tourism-related services to be provided in 2026 grants, and the projected amount available is $247,567. The committee met on Dec. 3, 2025, to evaluate the applications and presentations.
LTAC funding is collected from taxes on hotel and motel rooms and other overnight stays. It is meant to fund tourism-related activities and events within the community.
The city’s recommendation continues the grant for the bonded debt obligation of $84,600 for the event center and $66,967 for the Fox Theatre loan repayment and allocates the $96,000 expected to be available in 2026 lodging tax revenues above the debt payment.
ARTrails of Southwest Washington, which requested $18,000 and received $15,000, will utilize its funding to promote art tourism within Centralia, to visitors from locations 50 miles or more from Centralia. Marketing will include magazines, newspapers, studio guides and websites.
Economic Alliance of Lewis County requested $20,000 and will receive $10,000 to add the promotion of Centralia as an emphasis in the social media and other advertising campaigns through Discover Lewis County including website redesign, and video marketing and increase tourism in Centralia.
The Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce requested $26,000 and received $2,500 to update and provide maps for the chamber visitor center. In the LTAC’s recommendation letter, it encouraged the chamber to consider opening the visitor center on Sundays and closing the center on a weekday to increase usage of visitors on weekends.
The Centralia Downtown Association requested $70,000 and received $28,000 for the Centralia Welcome Project.
The Downtown Centralia Festivals Association requested $40,154 and received $33,000 to provide annual unique events to Centralia, including the Hub City Car Show, Antique Fest, Ghost Walk & Dark Market, and Christmas on Magnolia.
Southwest Washington Fair Interim Events requested $10,000 and received $5,000 for marketing campaign development for events other than the Southwest Washington Fair by expanding to other social media platforms and increasing advertising for the dog and cat shows.
The Lewis County Historical Society also requested $10,000 and received $2,500.
