Fergus Falls City Council Reviews New Tourism Partnership Agreement With Visit Fergus Falls

Fergus Falls city council members spent considerable time at the April 1 Committee of the Whole meeting debating what a renewed partnership with Visit Fergus Falls should look like and how deeply the city should involve itself in directing the organization's work going forward.

The session was the latest step in a renegotiation that began last fall. In October 2025, the council adopted Resolution #195-2025, terminating the city's Local Convention and Tourism Agreement with Visit Fergus Falls, doing business as the Fergus Falls Convention and Visitor's Bureau, effective December 31, 2025. The vote to terminate came with an explicit intent to renegotiate: council member Job outlined a goal of raising the administrative fee the city charges from 3% to 5%, which would generate roughly $3,400 in additional revenue, and directing a portion of Visit Fergus Falls funding toward marketing the Bigwood Event Center, which carries approximately $150,000 in annual city subsidy.

In December 2025, the council voted 7-1 to allow time for a revised agreement, with members Kremeier, Mortenson, Rachels, Kilde, Fish, Kvamme, and Job in favor and Leighton opposed. A working group was charged with producing a draft within roughly 60 days.

That draft took shape publicly at the February 25, 2026 Committee of the Whole, where Visit Fergus Falls board members Andrew Bremseth and Thomas Bales walked council through proposed terms. Those included the increased 5% admin fee, a provision to begin collecting lodging tax from Airbnb and VRBO rentals, quarterly updates to the full council, and an annual marketing plan presentation. Visit Fergus Falls carries approximately $250,000 in reserves and collects between $160,000 and $170,000 annually through the hotel tax.

At the March 2 council meeting, members voted by majority to direct the city attorney to draft the formal contract. The April 1 committee session followed as council continued to refine the agreement's structure and scope before a final vote.

The original Local Convention and Tourism Agreement between the city and Visit Fergus Falls had been in place since December 20, 2021.