Summit County Restaurant Tax Committee meets March 5, discusses 2023 grant reallocation

A request to reallocate a 2023 restaurant-tax award of $120,000 prompted review at an informational workshop convened by the Summit County Restaurant Tax Advisory Committee on March 5, 2026, at 3:00 PM via Zoom with an anchor location at the Summit County Courthouse, 60 N. Main Street, Coalville. The March 5 session continued the committee’s 2026 grant-application outreach and followed agenda items the committee flagged in a February 19, 2026 meeting packet, including setting the 2026 calendar and applicant informational meetings.

The advisory committee exists to advise use of a 1 percent restaurant tax authorized by the Utah Legislature in 1991 and implemented in Summit County in June 1992 by ordinance 198A, later codified in Title 3, Chapter 3, Article B of the Summit County Code. County materials and the fundsforNGOs listing state the program’s purpose: “The primary purpose of the Restaurant Tax Grant is to promote tourism as set out by Utah State Statute and the County Council.” Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations and government entities, and recipients must submit written reports with supporting documentation.

The Park City Area Restaurant Association sought committee action in a February 27, 2024 letter, which was scheduled for discussion at a March 11, 2024 meeting. The letter begins, “We are writing to request an adjustment on how grant funds received in 2023 (RES-19-23) for the James Beard New York event are used.” PCARA’s submission described a weeklong New York City media push with a kickoff at Pier 57 and a slate of Park City events to prepare chefs and generate local media coverage, noting a New York City / PCARA James Beard Event scheduled September 25-29, 2024 and Park City events September 27-29, 2024 that included Riverhorse on Main and High West appearances.

PCARA’s budget document lists revenue and line items verbatim: “Restaurant Tax Grant Funds Recevied 120,000.00 Park City Chamber Sponsorship 10,000.00 Total Revenue: 130,000.00.” The submission also lists airfare and support lines exactly as provided, including “High West 1,500.00 $750 pp x 2,” “Riverhorse 1,500.00 $750 pp x 3,” “Courchevel 1,500.00 $750 pp x 4,” “Pendry 1,500.00 $750 pp x 5,” “tupelo 1,500.00 $750 pp x 6,” “Alpine 1,500.00 $750 pp x 7,” “Steins 750.00,” “Christa Graff 750.00,” and “Support Staff 750.00.”

Documents in the record show internal inconsistencies that the committee will need to reconcile. A March 9, 2026 fundsforNGOs listing repeats the March 31 deadline for applications and contains both “Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000” and “minimum grant request is $10,000,” a contradiction with historical county grant practice. The PCARA budget also contains arithmetic inconsistencies between per-person multipliers and line totals. Summit County committee packets and agendas note procedural follow-ups: the February 19, 2026 agenda listed election of officers and confirming calendar dates, and the March 5 workshop was presented as an applicant informational meeting.

Zoom access for committee sessions has used Meeting ID 707 914 6500 and dial-in 1 669 900 9128, and documents direct ADA or accommodation inquiries to Amy Jones at 435-336-3042. The committee’s next concrete steps are to publish official minutes and any decisions on RES-19-23; county staff and PCARA documentation will be needed to confirm whether the 2023 award was disbursed as listed and whether the committee approved any adjustments.