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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-03-30 Regular Meeting tir CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, March 30, 2000 - 11:30 a.m. WALLIS BUILDING ONE LIBERTY PARK PLAZA, GRAPEVINE, TEXAS I AGENDA I. CALL TO ORDER II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 24, 2000 MEETING III. SALES AND MARKETING REPORT IV. OLD BUSINESS A. NEW YORK SALES PROMOTION REPORT B. HOUSING BUREAU STAFFING C. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE V. NEW BUSINESS A. CVB/HOTEL ALLIANCES I VI. ADJOURNMENT I iliw I 1 I STATE OF TEXAS IL COUNTY OF TARRANT CITY OF GRAPEVINE jMINUTES The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors met on Thursday, March 30, I 2000 at the Convention & Visitors Bureau, One Liberty Park Plaza, Grapevine, Texas with the following persons in attendance: Don Bigbie Chairman Gary Blagg Board Member Bill Brink Board Member IPhilip Cloud Board Member Paul Jennings Board Member Kathee Livengood Board Member IPhil Parker Board Member Robert Thrailkill Board Member I Steve Trent Board Member Darlene Freed Council Liaison Pat Stinson Heritage Foundation Liaison I Paul W. McCallum George Kakos Executive Director Director of Marketing IlL Absent: Bob Hamilton Chamber Liaison I CALL TO ORDER Chairman Bigbie called the meeting to order. IAPPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes from the February 24, 2000 Board Meeting was made by Kathee Livengood and seconded by Bill Brink. Motion carried. RT SALES AND MARKETINGMARKETINGREP O George Kakos reported that there were 10 group sales leads, 10 tourism leads, 2 bookings, I10,659 visitors through the Visitor Information Center, 151,000 brochures distributed and publicity value of$100,000 for the month of February. He shared the accommodations guide I which has been produced in 6 languages; English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Portuguese. He shared several articles that have been published as a result of our international presence. He shared the new meeting planner's guide for the Convention Center. Ads have been I placed with Southern Living for March and April to promote travel in Texas. In the past we have received 5,000 literature requests from this placement. Mr. Brink reported that he has seen response to the ad from visitors to the Visitor Information Center. le New York Sales Promotion Report The New York promotion was held at the Alamo Restaurant on March 17th. Included in the 126 RSPV's were 13 tour planners, 54 meeting planners and 4 travel writers. There were 42 "no I shows". 39 sales calls were completed with presentations to 63 meeting planners. To date there I s 1 it Board of Directors Meeting March 30, 2000 Page 2 of 3 I OLD BUSINESS cont. 111 are 18 potential leads. Mr. Kakos shared a letter from the meeting planner with National Multiple Sclerosis Society who also thanked the board and council for their participation. Discussion followed regarding the "no show" factor. Mr. Kakos stated that an evaluation II meeting was scheduled with the hotels to discuss the direction of the New York promotion. Housing Bureau Staffing III Mr. McCallum reported that the majority of the business being looked at by Opryland would not fit in their property for sleeping rooms. There will be a tremendous amount of overflow. Our I full service properties are not willing to commit to long-range service dates and we'll need the limited service properties and properties in Irving to help fill the room needs. Mr. McCallum requested the board approve a motion to request this position be added to the current budget I year. Discussion followed. The salary range would be in the 40 - 55,000 range. Of the housing programs presently being used, San Diego has a successful interactive one. The budget for the technology side of this position would be spread over a couple of years. At this point the hotels I would not allow access into their reservation systems,but rather would want the reservations delivered on disk. If the city approves the new position, we would work through the reservation managers from our hotel properties to develop the position. When properties outside Grapevine L would be used for overflow rooms they would be assessed a charge to offset the lost occupancy tax. The housing bureau will make it easier for any Grapevine hotel that has a piece of business larger than they have rooms to accommodate to find the necessary rooms. The housing bureau I would create a stable of properties including such properties as the Harvey and Marriott in Irving. This housing bureau could become an outsource for the Irving Convention Center by running the housing bureau for them. Steve Trent made a motion to develop a housing bureau I position and to proceed to city council for approval of the position for the current budget year. Bill Brink seconded the motion. Motion carried. I Marketing Committee Update Mr. Parker, chairman of the Marketing Committee,reported that this morning the committee met for the second time with Hilton, Hyatt, Embassy and Opryland represented. The hotels have I been giving some great input for the direction of the marketing plan for the next budget year. One of the ongoing concerns is for weekend business. The strong economy will allow absorption of the new inventory of rooms. The direction is to look more to association business. III On the sales mission side, Minneapolis, California and Washington DC were some targeted locations. The DFW area is also worth taking a closer look at for potential business and is being considered for a direct mail campaign. Revenue for the 2001 budget has been increased by I 400,000 dollars,primarily from new product. This will bring the budget to the four million dollar range. INEW BUSINESS If CVB/Hotel Alliances Mr. McCallum reported that due to the large quantity of hotel rooms around the airport and the amount of product in this area that discussions are being held with the Irving CVB regarding the I II I Board of Directors Meeting March 30, 2000 16, Page 3 of 3 INEW BUSINESS cont. I CVB/Hotel Alliances cont. formation of a hotel alliance for this area. Many properties in this area have dropped out of the Dallas CVB. We are looking to create a single image for this area and to separate our image I from the clutter of the Dallas /Fort Worth Metroplex. This would be a dues paying organization of 8,000-room strength and would be in place when Opryland Convention Center comes on board. The housing bureau would be a great asset in pulling this together. We may have to help I seed this alliance. Mr. Bigbie remarked that there appears to be a similar alliance forming between Fort Worth and Arlington. I Festivals Mr. McCallum shared with the board members information on the New Vintage Festival. He shared that Main Street Days will celebrate the leadership of the Grapevine mayors and showed I the board a mock-up of the poster. One of the featured mayors will be B. R. Wall. There is research into the production of a life-size statue of B. R. Wall for Main Street Days. Discussion followed and there were no objections from the board to pursue this project. Ms. Freed reminded 1 everyone of the Palace Theatre groundbreaking on April 5th at 4:00 pm. ADJOURNMENT 1141.° There being no further business to bring before the Board, Paul Jennings made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Bill Brink. I ATTEST: DATE: I I I 1 li. 1 76,i