Rochester Could Terminate Agreement With Convention Bureau

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester City Council will vote tonight on a resolution that gives notice to Experience Rochester that its current contract with the city will be terminated at the end of next year.

City staff says the move does not necessarily signal an end to the longstanding relationship between the city and the organization formally known as the Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau, but the notice frees the city to explore all of its options in connection with an ongoing analysis of the Mayo Civic Center’s governance and operations. Those options include negotiating a new deal with Experience Rochester, request proposals for convention and visitor services, or even establish its own convention and visitors department.

The current agreement between the city and Experience Rochester is in force through December 31st, 2019 and will automatically renew unless one of the parties gives a one-year notice of the intent to terminate the contract. Under the agreement, a little under 30-percent of the lodging tax collected by the city is directed to Experience Rochester to fund its activities, which includes finding and booking events at the city-owned Mayo Civic Center.