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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-08-15 Regular Meeting(W State of Texas County of Tarrant City of Grapevine MINUTES The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors met in Regular Session on Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. at the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Headquarters, 636 S. Main Street, Grapevine, Texas with the following persons in attendance: Paul Slechta Tom Cherry John Imaizumi Lance Marrin Dennis Roberts Joe Szymaszek Dan Weinberger Mark Terpening Constituting a quorum, with the following Absent: Sharron Spencer Perry Leonard Melva Stanfield Paul W. McCallum Michael Woody Eloise Koehn Shawna Barnes Jennifer Hibbs Chairman Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Alternate Board Member liaisons and staff members present: Council Liaison Chamber Liaison Heritage Foundation Liaison Executive Director Assistant Executive Director Director of Finance & Administration Assistant to the Executive Director Assistant City Manager CALL TO ORDER Chairman Slechta called the meeting to order at 8:04 a.m. OATH OF OFFICE Laura Simmons administered the Oath of Office to returning board members, Tom Cherry and Dan Weinberger. . APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Joe Szymaszek, seconded by Dennis Roberts to approve the minutes from the June 13, 2013 meeting prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Slechta, Cherry, Imaizumi, Marrin, Roberts, Szymaszek, Weinberger Nays: None. Board of Directors Meeting August 15, 2013 Page 2 of 5 LIAISON UPDATES Heritage Foundation Activities Melva Stanfield reported that the Foundation has acquired a pianoforte from the Southern Memorial Association. While the cabinet is in good condition the hammers and strings are in need of restoration. Nash Farm will host the Italian CarFest on Saturday, September 7th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. October 19th will be the 13th Annual Fall Round -Up! at Nash Farm. Saturday, November 9th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. will be the Candlelight Tour of Homes. Events coming to the Palace Arts Center include BB Secrist, The Piano Man on August 23rd, the movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off on Friday, August 30th and the Grapevine Opry performs on Saturday nights through November 30tH No action taken by the Board Chamber of Commerce Activities Perry Leonard that the Chamber Foundation has been approved as a 501 c3 and is comprised of the Young Entrepreneur Program, Leadership Grapevine, the Women's Division Spirit of Giving program and the Kathee Livengood Scholarship program. Leadership Grapevine starts today. Texas Christian University has partnered with the Chamber on the Young Entrepreneur's program. RaDonna has earned the certified chamber executive award. She has also been recognized at the state and local level. The Chamber was recognized by the Texas Association of Chambers receiving awards for both brochures and the website. No action taken by the Board OLD BUSINESS Parras Mission Report Councilwoman Spencer reported that the recent Parras Mission included seventeen participants. During the mission the group met with the owners of Casa Madero, toured the Orphanage and saw the work that Grapevine helped fund. They visited the school and saw the donated playground equipment. The school is in need of computers and Grapevine plans to send some back with the Rotarians after GrapeFest. They visited the library and met with both the current mayor and incoming mayor. Both mayors and a group of Rotarians plan to be here for GrapeFest. The group also visited the fire department and saw the four pieces of equipment that the city has donated. No action taken by the Board Board of Directors Meeting August 15, 2013 Page 3 of 5 OLD BUSINESS cont. Wallis Update Mr. McCallum reported that staff has tried to bring a national or regional gallery to the space but have been unsuccessful in locating one. Many retailers have shown interest in the space. We are now considering an art gallery / architect / interior design combination for the second floor and retail / winery / tasting room for the first floor. This will put the CVB in the position of a building manager for the space. We would like to have some tenants in by the end of the year. Staff will pursue this new approach with City officials. No action taken by the Board. Ice House Update Mr. McCallum reported that the exterior is completed and they should be working on the building signage today. Museum Arts of Dallas is working with the Historical Society on the interior. The interior plans include areas for dairy, agriculture, military, civic, bridal, children, bedroom and parlor. The interior walls etc. should be finished and the building turned over to the Historical Society in late October for them to install the artifact displays over the winter. The Society is working with Lynn Rushton on the displays. The museum may be ready to open at Main Street Days. No action taken by the Board. NEW BUSINESS GrapeFest Report Michael Woody reported that the theme of this year's GrapeFest is Discoveries! He reviewed many of changed, new and improved events and activities at GrapeFest. The Texas Wine Tribute will now be the kick-off event of the festival on Saturday, September 7 t The first "Tall in Texas" award will be presented to Messina Hof winery. People's Choice has been re -vamped and will host 39 wineries with 146 wines. It will include new categories for the judging competition. Grapevine Vintage Railroad will have a static North Pole Express display between the section house and the depot. There will be five entertainment stages with many new bands. The festival store will have new items and there will be several new festival vendors. No action taken by the Board. SALES AND MARKETING REPORT Mr. Woody reported that during the month of July, Convention Sales produced 46 leads representing 41,357 potential room nights; 13 of which are for 2013. They assisted with ten definites representing 9,379 room nights; six of which are for 2013. The sales team conducted seven site inspections and hosted a site visit for Marriott's Plano Sales Board of Directors Meeting August 15, 2013 Page 4 of 5 SALES AND MARKETING REPORT cont. Office. Connie Ash exhibited at MET USA Summit in New Jersey and held sales appointments while in the region. Tourism sales and service produced six leads with 240 potential room nights and assisted with five definite booking representing 162 room nights. Staff attended the State of Texas Louisiana Sales Mission, hosted a Tourism Committee Meeting, Sister City Meetings for both Parras and Krems and hosted a West Lothian Sister City tour in Grapevine. 109,752 brochures were distributed and over 4,200 tickets were sold at the Visitor Information Center. Over 10,000 visitors were welcomed at the Center. Destination Services provided registration and information assistance to eight groups with over 14,500 delegates and an economic impact of $12,000,000. Grapevine Shuttle ridership was over 5,000. The Convention Center had 31 future bookings representing 4,600 attendees and total sales of $30,800. The Palace Arts Center had 16 future bookings representing about 1,400 attendees and total sales of $14,200. The Concourse had eight future bookings representing 800 attendees with sales for the month of $4,000. The Grapevine Vintage Railroad had total ridership of 5,592. There were 146,000 unique visitors to the website of which 23% used a mobile device to access it. There (W were 27 print trade publications and online group insertions, 53 print consumer publications insertions, 1,337 TV/radio insertions and 130 online advertising insertions. Public relations generated $96,766 in print and $191,160 in electronic for a total public relations value of $287,926. No action taken by the Board HOTELS / ATTRACTIONS ACTIVITIES • Connector Project is looking at an early September completion date. The substantial completion ceremony is set for August 21. Phase 2 will start with the completion of the first phase and is scheduled to take 36 months. • Marketing Planning Committee meetings have been set for August 22"d, September Stn and September 18tH • Newcrest Image has shifted the opening of the Dual Flag Marriott to October 1. • Gaylord has begun renovation of their guestroom and are hoping for a June 2014 completion. • The new SeaLife Turtle Rescue opened on July 11th with great success. • Great Wolf Lodge will open a new themed restaurant called "Hungry As A Wolf' where the Pizza Inn used to be. • Restaurant, So Cal Tacos, will open on Hall Johnson Road. • Our two new shuttles have arrived and will have a slightly redesigned wrap. • DFW has named Sean Donohue as the new CEO to replace the retiring Jeff Fegan. • A $3 million renovation of the restaurant will be completed next month at the Grand Hyatt. No action taken by the Board. Board of Directors Meeting August 15, 2013 Page 5 of 5 ADJOURNMENT Councilwoman Spencer encouraged the board to volunteer at the Chocolate Junction during North Pole Express and the Festival Store. She also encouraged the board to bring their families to ride on the CVB vehicle at the Christmas Parade on December 5th There being no further business to come before the board a motion by Tom Cherry, seconded by John Imaizumi to adjourn the meeting at 9:36 a.m. prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Slechta, Cherry, Imaizumi, Marrin, Roberts, Szymaszek, Weinberger Nays: None PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS ON THIS THE 19TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2013. APPROVE Paul Slechta Chairman ATTEST: Eloise Koehn Director of Finance & Administration CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, August 15, 2013 — 8:00 a.m. CVB Headquarters 636 S. Main Street Grapevine, Texas AGENDA CALL TO ORDER II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES III. OATH OF OFFICE IV. LIAISON UPDATES A. HERITAGE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES B. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTIVITIES V. OLD BUSINESS A. WALLIS UPDATE B. ICE HOUSE UPDATE VI. NEW BUSINESS A. GRAPEFEST REPORT VII. SALES & MARKETING REPORT VIII. HOTELS /ATTRACTIONS ACTIVITIES IX. ADJOURNMENT IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THIS SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING AND YOU HAVE A DISABILITY THAT REQUIRES SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS AT THE MEETING, PLEASE CONTACT THE GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU AT (817) 410-3185 AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE MADE TO ASSIST YOUR NEEDS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551.001 et seq, ACTS OF THE 1993 TEXAS LEGISLATURE, THE GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU ADVISORY BOARD MEETING AGENDA WAS PREPARED AND POSTED ON THIS THE 7T" DAY OF AUGUST, 2013 AT 5:00 P.M. �Z,Qcr� 7�J Eloise Koehn Director of Finance and Administration