The city of Borger is on an exciting path to becoming a Texas Music Friendly Community through the Office of the Governor, and we’re reaching out to musicians across the area to join our journey! We’re forming an Advisory Panel of talented musicians to help shape our music scene and make Borger a true destination for live music. An essential part of our plan is to grow our annual Battle of the Bands event, which is funded by tourism dollars and hotel occupancy funds. This support makes it vital to create an event that draws visitors & brings fresh energy to our community, making Borger a must-visit for music lovers and up and coming musicians. (If you think that sounds far-fetched, you’re likely not the right person for this panel 😉)
To be transparent… We came up with the concept after being repeatedly disappointed with larger named musicians and wanted to stop wasting $60,000 + each year on headliners, who may or may not be what the community wanted. Instead, we wanted to put that money towards a competition that could benefit local and non-local musicians on a deeper level. By hosting a Battle of the Bands during Boomtober Fest (our annual three-day festival in October), competitors gain exposure to new audiences, have endless networking opportunities, the ability to focus on skill development, free media and social media exposure, a high potential for monetary prizes, and the ability to grow their name and fan base. These benefits make Battle of the Bands a powerful platform for emerging bands to gain momentum, connect with audiences, and make meaningful strides in their musical journey. This year was our second year for Boomtober Fest, and the first year for Battle of the Bands. We had 58 Bands register, from ALL over the country. The total combined visitors for the weekend of Boomtober Fest, including Battle of the Bands, was over 10,000. This is in addition to our 12,000+ population. The social media reach for Boomtober Fest related events was over 500,000.
As an Advisory Panel member, you’ll:
Contribute ideas for enhancing the music scene and tourism.
Provide strategic advice on production and technical best practices.
Provide input on local music events, festivals, and community initiatives. Help us with the: How, when, where, and why!
Help grow the Battle of the Bands.
Network with other talented musicians and industry professionals passionate about music and their community.
Help evaluate talent for future Battle of the Bands competitions, and other local music events.
Contribute to the advancement of music related events within the city.
Help identify judging criteria for music competitions.
Help us create and update a directory of musicians, bands, and venues to add to a shared directory with Music Friendly Texas.
The Panel would meet once a month, in person or virtually, so no travel is necessary. Meetings would start January 27th at 5:30PM at the Dome.
We briefly mentioned above about Hotel Occupancy Tax and Tourism Funds. We are a municipality, so it’s important to understand how we obtain our funding, in order to maximize it. Hotel occupancy tax (HOT) is a significant source of revenue for our city in particular. This tax is typically levied on guests staying in local hotels, motels, and short-term rental accommodations. Here’s why it’s so important:
Funding for Tourism and Events: HOT funds are usually earmarked for tourism-related projects and events, helping cities attract more visitors. The revenue can fund festivals, concerts, cultural events, and promotional campaigns that make the city a desirable destination. This also allows the city to keep community events low cost, or free to the general public.
Economic Growth: By investing in events and attractions with HOT funds, cities can increase visitor traffic, leading to more spending at local businesses—restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues benefit from increased tourism. This creates a ripple effect that strengthens the local economy and supports job creation.
Infrastructure Improvements: HOT funds can also be used to improve infrastructure in ways that enhance the tourist experience, such as upgrading parks, maintaining public spaces, or creating visitor amenities like signage and information centers.
Property Tax Relief for Residents: When tourism is strong and hotel occupancy taxes generate substantial revenue, it can help offset the city’s reliance on property taxes or other municipal taxes, which lightens the financial load on residents.
Creating a City Identity: HOT revenue enables a city to create and maintain a vibrant identity through unique cultural and entertainment offerings. This not only draws visitors but also creates a sense of pride and belonging among residents. For cities like Borger, HOT revenue makes it possible to fund community events, such as Boomtober Fest and the Battle of the Bands, which in turn draw tourists and keep the cycle of economic and cultural growth going. It also positively affects quality of life.
If you’re passionate about making an impact and contributing your insights to our community, this is a fantastic opportunity to do just that! We want this Panel to be a positive, constructive, informative, and innovative space for ideas! Please click here to let us know if you’d like to be a part of it: https://forms.gle/5e2t29vweEscaHJm8