Lenexa uses hotel tax revenues to cover costs of Public Market operations

With the Lenexa Public Market wrapping up its first full year of operation, city staff and leaders are making plans to keep the space financially stable for the next few years.

The Lenexa council agreed in a 7-0 vote during its Dec. 18 meeting to make up the difference in Public Market revenues and expenditures for the rest of 2018 and all of 2019. Councilmember Thomas Nolte was absent.

The council’s action authorizes the transfer of funds from the Tourism and Convention Fund to the General Fund for Public Market operations for this year and next year.

Denise Rendina, communications director for Lenexa, said the council’s action “retroactively” makes up the difference in costs from 2018 and proactively covers the difference in 2019, Rendina said.

Costs have exceeded revenues, but city staff anticipate that as the Public Market grows in popularity, the difference will decrease.