Download & Print
Bandera City Council members during their Oct. 24 regular meeting.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
October 26, 2023
Bandera City Council discuss The Cowboy Capital
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Bandera City Council members are deliberating a request for Hotel Occupancy Tax funds from Cowboy Capital Productions, to support the promotion of The Cowboy Capital, a documentary produced by Artur Owczarski and Roy Dugosh.
The film, which was filmed in and features Bandera, was premiered at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar, the Bandera and Medina libraries, and at BEC, before Owczarski and Dugosh crossed international lines, where it has been shown in Poland and other film festivals. Plans include viewings both domestically and around the world, with the hope of selling the film to a station or streaming network.
“I do think that people who see the film will probably be curious about coming to Bandera. There was a large influence on dude ranches still in existence here, showing you can come and be a cowboy here in the Cowboy Capital,” Council Member Lynn Palmer said Tuesday, adding she would have appreciated seeing more historical buildings and sites included in the film.
Palmer said she contacted the Bandera County Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and asked if they were supporting the film. She said representatives of both indicated they had not yet been approached, but they would be happy to consider it.
“I think we’re going to need a little more information,” Palmer said.
The HOT fund currently has $130,000, with $60,000 set aside for the total solar eclipse in April 2024. HOT money is generally used to help fund events that promote tourism in Bandera and encourage overnight stays. City Administrator Richard Morton said most HOT requests are released after an event, as a reimbursement.
“[The documentary] is promoting Bandera,” Mayor Rebeca Gibson said. “This would help to fund their expenses to showcase this film around the world.”
Council deferred action, and will bring it back to the next regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
The film, which was filmed in and features Bandera, was premiered at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar, the Bandera and Medina libraries, and at BEC, before Owczarski and Dugosh crossed international lines, where it has been shown in Poland and other film festivals. Plans include viewings both domestically and around the world, with the hope of selling the film to a station or streaming network.
“I do think that people who see the film will probably be curious about coming to Bandera. There was a large influence on dude ranches still in existence here, showing you can come and be a cowboy here in the Cowboy Capital,” Council Member Lynn Palmer said Tuesday, adding she would have appreciated seeing more historical buildings and sites included in the film.
Palmer said she contacted the Bandera County Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and asked if they were supporting the film. She said representatives of both indicated they had not yet been approached, but they would be happy to consider it.
“I think we’re going to need a little more information,” Palmer said.
The HOT fund currently has $130,000, with $60,000 set aside for the total solar eclipse in April 2024. HOT money is generally used to help fund events that promote tourism in Bandera and encourage overnight stays. City Administrator Richard Morton said most HOT requests are released after an event, as a reimbursement.
“[The documentary] is promoting Bandera,” Mayor Rebeca Gibson said. “This would help to fund their expenses to showcase this film around the world.”
Council deferred action, and will bring it back to the next regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14.