STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — The City of Stevens Point is getting creative in keeping as many of its guests for the 2023 US Senior Open Golf Championship in the city as possible.
On Tuesday, the City Plan Commission voted to allow short-term owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied tourist rooming in all residential zoning areas between June 22nd and July 5th, 2023.
Commission Chair and City Mayor Mike Wiza says the proposal would suspend the city ordinance that states that non-owner-occupied rentals are only allowed in R4 multiple-family zoning areas. Meaning homeowners could rent out their properties for the event and then be free to either stay in town or take a vacation. “I could go to Vegas for the week and rent my house out, that would be non-owner-occupied. There could also be a rental [unit] that doesn’t have occupants [at that time,] that could get rented out.”
Community Development Director Ryan Kernosky says the move will also help the city keep as much of the tournament revenue in its coffers as possible for the week. “Instead of encouraging these folks to rent properties in Appleton or Wausau, we’d like to keep them here as much as possible [for an] economic boost.”
Both Wiza and Kernosky noted that those interested in taking advantage of the change need to fill out the proper paperwork with the city to be recognized as a short-term rental and need to remit room tax on the stay.
The tournament runs from June 29th through July 2nd. Wiza notes that they’ve given more time on the front end for the change because many officials, participants, and media crews will get to town early.
“The golfers have scouts that come here and play the course ahead of time. The TV crews, the vendors all come out ahead of time. They generally don’t stay after. The week before is going to be just as busy as the four days of the tournament,” added Wiza.
The ordinance would immediately go back into effect on July 6th.
Both SentryWorld and the Stevens Point Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau supported the change, which will need the approval of the full City Council later this month.
Several hotel properties in Central Wisconsin and beyond are already full for the tournament. Others aren’t yet taking online reservations for that period.
