Leaders of the Woodland Chamber of Commerce say that the potential closure of the Woodland Visitor Center will lessen Woodland’s share of tourism traffic as tourists travel through the city to Mount St. Helens.
The future of the facility remains tied to a currently unresolved issue over how to distribute the final $50,000 in remaining lodging tax advisory committee (LTAC) dollars for 2026.
Since Oct. 6, the Woodland City Council has debated whether to follow the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s original recommendation to allocate $40,000 to the Woodland Chamber of Commerce and $10,000 to Downtown Woodland Revitalization (DWR), or to split the funds evenly between the two groups. In a 4-3 vote, the council recommended a $25,000-$25,000 split between DWR, which organizes community events such as Hot Summer Nights and Movies in the Park, and the visitor center, which the Chamber operates.
The LTAC board revisited the issue on Oct. 22 and voted 3-2 to support the council’s new recommendation, despite objections from LTAC chair and Councilor Carol Rounds. The council is expected to take a final vote before January, when the Chamber says the visitor center will close without sufficient funding.
During an interview inside the visitor center, Chamber President Neil Butler said the Chamber can keep the facility running with $40,000, as originally recommended by LTAC, but cannot keep the center open with the $25,000 allocation currently on the table.
“We talked about it as a board, and the letter we sent the city speaks for itself,” Butler said. “We respect the mayor’s role in running city council meetings, but the letter stands as what it is.”
Butler said that if the council ultimately keeps its 25,000–25,000 split, “the chamber can’t use those funds for its intended purpose” because the visitor center would still shut down in January. In that scenario, the council could return the remaining money to LTAC for new recommendations.
Chamber argues the center is a gateway, not just a stop
While Woodland businesses do not rely on the visitor center in a day-to-day operational sense, Butler said the center plays a key role in directing travelers to local restaurants, stores, and recreation spots.
“It’s not a symbiotic relationship,” he said. “The visitor center needs to serve the tourism piece and also push people into the community.”
The center sits close to the Interstate 5 Exit 21 interchange, where many drivers headed to Mount St. Helens turn east. The Chamber’s Executive Director, Keith Bellisle, said roughly 9 of 10 visitors are on their way to visit the mountain. Mt. Saint Helens is a little over an hour’s drive from Woodland, and Butler said that without the visitor center, many travelers would continue through town without learning what it offers.
He said the loss would be noticeable.
“You can Google the best coffee in Woodland and get whoever has the most reviews,” Butler said. “But when it comes to that local knowledge and understanding, that piece is now lost. In terms of people … who aren't from here now looking to stay here, there’ll be noticeable impact because there won’t be people to recommend to them.”
He added that the chamber promotes not only businesses but also community amenities such as Horseshoe Lake Park and the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens.
Youth programs and future plans
Butler said with $40,000 of Woodland’s LTAC funds, the chamber could expand the facility’s hours, which would also allow the Chamber to bring more youth volunteers into the center under a partnership with the Woodland School District. The center currently employs two people, which Butler says drives most of the center’s expenses.
“It gives them a real, live environment where they’re applying what they learn in their clubs and classes,” he said, adding that the Chamber already has a youth representative on its board.
The Chamber has also been planning for 2026, including a larger marketing plan and the rollout of the Woodland Chamber Academy, which aims to provide eight courses to help local nonprofits and businesses gain skills in marketing, bookkeeping, board development and bylaw writing.
Butler said these efforts, along with Chamber members who have offered to help expand the center’s digital footprint, would benefit the city if the visitor center remains open.
Butler said many residents underestimate the value of the center until they step inside.
“Woodland is more valuable with a visitor center where somebody can come and ask a question when they don’t know where else to go,” he said.
