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ANAHEIM, Calif. (April 10, 2025) — Visit Anaheim is paying the city of Anaheim $3 million in two payments over the next 12 months to settle issues raised about city funding of the tourism marketing organization during the pandemic.
Visit Anaheim, which books hotel rooms and events at the Anaheim Convention Center and markets Anaheim to visitors, is paying the city $1.5 million on April 30 with another $1.5 million payment on April 30, 2026.
The payments are the result of an agreement between Visit Anaheim and the city that was finalized Wednesday.
The money is set to go to Anaheim’s general fund, the city’s main fund for police, fire, parks, libraries and other services.
“I continue focusing on moving Anaheim forward,” Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said. “Finalizing this settlement underscores my commitment to accountability, transparency and fostering relations with community partners that share Anaheim’s values. I look forward to working with Visit Anaheim to support the growth of Anaheim’s visitor economy and all the benefits it brings to our community.”
The payments settle issues related to a 2020 agreement between Anaheim and Visit Anaheim.
During the height of the pandemic, a prior Anaheim City Council voted to provide $6.5 million in funding to Visit Anaheim.
The funding was intended to keep Visit Anaheim staff in place to reschedule pandemic-delayed events at the convention center and to promote Anaheim’s visitor economy as possible during pandemic restrictions and as they eased.
After the funding was extended, a city-commissioned investigation and a state audit found that $1.5 million of the funding was transferred to the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, without the knowledge or intent of the city.
The transfer to the chamber is part of a series of issues that came to light in 2022. You can see a timeline of events here.
In 2023, Anaheim City Attorney Robert Fabela sent a letter to Visit Anaheim calling for repayment of a minimum $1.5 million in city funding.
The $3 million payment agreement covers the $1.5 million outlined in the city attorney letter along with an additional $1.5 million based on a city audit.
The city audit, which took place from March to October 2024, determined a portion of city funding fell beyond the scope of the agreement with the largest portion coming after Anaheim’s visitor economy had reopened and recovered from the pandemic.
The audit also notes Visit Anaheim saw $3.6 million in federal pandemic assistance and tax credits, eliminating the need for some city funding.
The payments to the city are coming out of Visit Anaheim’s operating reserves.
No payment money is from the Anaheim Tourism Improvement District, which funds improvements in the area around the theme parks and convention center, or the Garden Grove Tourism Improvement District, which Visit Anaheim also represents.
See can see the agreement here.