Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton, connected to Hilton Paper Valley. Dec. 30, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The city of Appleton has reached an agreement with Hilton Paper Valley Hotel to operate the Fox Cities Exhibition Center. The deal is pending approval from Appleton Common Council.
If approved by Common Council, the two sides will draft a final contract based on this agreement, also pending approval by Appleton Common Council.
“The priority going into this process was to make sure that we’re creating an agreement that provides for mutual benefit,” said Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford.
Two sides operated under temporary agreement since January
Appleton and the Hilton Paper Valley Hotel failed to reach a long-term agreement before the initial agreement expired last Dec. 31. However, Hilton Paper Valley continued to operate the hotel under a temporary agreement that ran until this month.
At the time, the hotel absorbed a $180,000 annual loss to run the center, according to Hilton Paper Valley’s director of business development and community affairs Linda Garvey. The agreement was a loss leader though, as it drew visitors to stay in the hotel.
Garvey said the hotel spends about $380,000 annually to run the exhibition center.
The hotel has operated the exhibition center since it opened in 2018.
New agreement will allow hotel to draw more events
The new agreement “remov[es] contractual guardrails,” allowing the hotel to have control over booking events and vendors. This allows the hotel to book more events without going through the city. This will allow the hotel to generate more revenue, according to Garvey.
“There were things in the agreement that we weren’t allowed to do,” said Garvey, referring to events like weddings. “After over 40 years in the business, we feel that we know what’s the best business to place in the exhibition center that would have the most benefit to the community. And having that ability to book on our own and continue our own sales efforts is fantastic.”
Added Garvey: “To have the ability to do what’s best for the economy and for businesses in the area without having to jump through hoops to book a piece of business is for everybody’s interest.”
With the expected additional revenue, the hotel is then willing to share funds with the city to cover a portion of the capital expenses.
“Success looks like having that facility well used, creating room nights in our hotels,” said Woodford. “And we want to make sure that this agreement incentivizes the operator to do that.”
Hotel, Appleton will create a fund to cover capital expenses
The hotel wanted Appleton to fund major capital expenses, while the hotel would continue to cover operational expenses. Under the previous agreement, Hilton Paper Valley covered both.
Under the new agreement, Hilton Paper Valley will share a portion of its revenue with the city. This money will go directly into a fund to cover major capital expenses. Hilton Paper Valley will continue to cover remaining capital expenses and all operational expenses.
It will not cost Appleton taxpayers anything.
The revenue sharing is as follows:
- Year 1 of the agreement: 1% of gross revenue
- Year 2: 3% of gross revenue
- Year 3: 5% of gross revenue
- Year 4 and beyond: 6% of gross revenue
The agreement calls for a five-year agreement.
Appleton’s Finance Committee will decide whether to advance the agreement at Monday night at its regularly scheduled 5:30 p.m. meeting.
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