If you stay in a hotel in Spokane County, you pay the TPA Assessment. It is a mandatory fee that directly funds the ads you likely saw before booking.
Their marketing shapes the city's self-image. They decide which neighborhoods are "cool" (marketable) and which are ignored, influencing development focus.
Promotes "Peak Season" events that cause density spikes. They engineer the crowds at Hoopfest and Bloomsday.
Tourism is a high-carbon industry. The "Fly-In" model they promote is resource-intensive compared to local/regional economic development.
The Verdict: The "Brand vs. Reality" Gap. They sell a polished, sanitized version of the city to outsiders, while the actual residents deal with the infrastructure load of 10 million annual visitors.
The "Tourist Bubble." If you follow their guide, you will only see the 5% of the city they want you to see—the Riverfront, the wineries, and the malls.