Visit Dallas delivered its annual briefing to the Dallas Economic Development Committee, summarizing five years of activity, audit follow‑up, and strategic priorities as the city prepares for a new convention center scheduled to open in 2029.

Rosa Fleming, director of Convention and Event Services, explained the presentation satisfies contractual and audit requirements tied to Visit Dallas’s use of hotel occupancy tax revenue. Fleming said Visit Dallas has worked with Convention and Event Services to address prior audit recommendations and that the auditor’s fiscal‑year‑2025 follow‑up report marks prior recommendations as implemented.

Craig Davis, president and CEO of Visit Dallas, walked committee members through tourism performance and strategic work: Dallas visitor spending was presented as roughly $6.6 billion with related job impacts, recovery from the COVID‑19 downturn, new bookings for years when the convention center is closed for construction, and promotional successes such as Dallas’s designation as part of the Michelin Texas Guide. Davis said Visit Dallas led sales strategy and community outreach for the new convention center and noted the organization supported the successful passage of a 2% hotel tax increase to fund the project.

Fleming reminded the committee that Visit Dallas is funded by hotel occupancy tax and that Convention and Event Services administers the Visit Dallas contract. She said the city amended the hotel occupancy ordinance in March 2025 so Visit Dallas will receive about 17.6% of the hotel tax in the near term while the Office of Arts and Culture moves toward the statutory 15% allocation.

Davis highlighted program work including convention sales (more than 60 new bookings for 2029 and beyond), leisure marketing claims (a reported $159 of visitor spending per $1 of marketing), sports and event recruiting led by the Dallas Sports Commission, development of a unified brand (“Maverick Can‑Do Spirit”), and new units within Visit Dallas such as a compliance department and the Dallas Music Office. He also referenced large upcoming events that will involve Dallas, including FIFA World Cup matches and future NCAA Final Four bids. Davis said Visit Dallas has pursued industry certifications and internal compliance improvements since the 2020 contract renewal.

Committee members did not request committee action. Staff said the briefing meets audit and contractual requirements; no vote or motion was requested.

No formal committee action was recorded on the Visit Dallas briefing; staff and the Visit Dallas team took questions and offered to provide further information on contract and budget details in future materials.