BELLEFONTE — More than 5 million visitors travel to Centre County each year, fueling a billion-dollar tourism economy — and straining the local services that support it.

Officials in State College and consulting firm Allegheny Strategy Partners are now seeking ways for municipalities to recoup those costs.

On Monday, Mike Negra, of Allegheny Strategy Partners, asked Bellefonte Borough Council to join the growing coalition behind the Regional Local Government Revenue Innovation & Sustainability Plan.

For three years, Allegheny Strategy Partners has worked with State College Borough Manager Tom Fountaine on issues tied to visitation and large events in the borough, where Negra says roughly 60% of police calls involve alcohol.

Those discussions have since evolved into the Regional Local Government Revenue Innovation & Sustainability Plan, a collaborative effort of five municipalities in the State College region aimed at developing legislative and policy proposals that would give local governments more authority to address the fiscal and public safety impacts of heavy visitation and event-driven demand. The goal is to produce analyses specific to each municipality and a coordinated regional strategy for consideration by lawmakers in Harrisburg.

Negra said participation would give municipalities a clearer, data-driven accounting of what tourism-related costs actually look like, while also outlining potential legislative options or recurring revenue tools that could help balance current budgets and support long-term fiscal stability.

“When we started, it was just a State College-oriented project,” Negra said.

Over time, though, the effort expanded to include neighboring municipalities.

“Every single township that I’ve met with,” he said, “has said they would like to include Bellefonte.”

Negra said the group believes Bellefonte would add an important perspective, bringing its own challenges around short-term revenue and long-term planning, and strengthening the coalition’s credibility if it moves forward to Harrisburg.

“We think a unified group of townships, municipalities, boroughs would show Harrisburg and whoever else wants to listen that we’re in danger,” he said. “Our services are being really stretched.”

He reiterated that those services are not strained by routine demand, but by large-scale events in the Centre Region that stretch emergency and municipal management resources.

That includes Penn State football, which brings in nearly a million visitors each year and is only expected to increase following renovations to Beaver Stadium, as well as, increasingly, concerts, hockey and major gatherings like Arts Fest.

Negra said tourism to the Centre Region is expected to continue growing, adding further pressure on local services. He has since met with municipalities and other stakeholders to identify the issues and explore potential solutions.

“We’ve talked about a hotel tax, we’ve talked about a drink tax,” said Negra. “What are our options, and what’s feasible?”

He said one option the group is not considering is placing the burden on local property taxpayers.

“We’re looking for ways to have the visitors, who are coming here, chime in for some of the expenses that we’re experiencing,” Negra said.

The initiative is structured as a six-month study, costing $30,000 in total, or about $5,000 per month, with participating municipalities splitting the cost. So far, four others outside State College have signed on, and Ferguson and Harris townships have declined to participate.

The cost for each municipality is prorated based on the number of businesses with liquor licenses. Negra said he could not provide a precise figure for Bellefonte’s share, but noted it would be similar to other participating municipalities. In Ferguson Township, which is comparable to Bellefonte, participation costs were about $4,000.

Bellefonte Borough Council President Doug Johnson said the proposal would be considered. Borough council did not commit to joining the effort during Monday’s meeting.

Negra said he hopes to have an answer from Bellefonte by the end of the month.

The study’s findings will be shared with participating municipalities in September.

In other business:

— The Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization is conducting a study of current and future transportation needs along state Route 150 (Benner Pike). The draft Benner Pike Corridor Study includes a series of recommendations aimed at improving traffic operations. Those recommendations can be viewed at bit.ly/BennerPikeRecommendations. Among them is a proposal to create a five- or six-lane road from I-99 to the outskirts of Bellefonte. Residents can also take a related survey, due May 13, at bit.ly/BennerPikeSurvey.

— The deadline to apply for Bellefonte’s Hometown Hero Banner program is Friday, May 15. More information is available at www.visitbellefonte.com.

— Residents are reminded to maintain grass and weeds in compliance with borough regulations. Failure to do so may result in enforcement action, fines or mowing at the owner’s expense.

— A boil water notice affecting 1020-1032 Airport Road, Ville Du Parc and Governors Gate Apartments remains in effect following a May 4 water main relocation tied to roadway work at Airport Road and Governors Park Road. Customers will be notified when the advisory is lifted. Updates are available at www.bellefonte.net or by calling 814-355-1501.

— Bellefonte Borough’s Community Wide Yard Sale will be held Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16.