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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-04-21 Regular MeetingState of Texas County of Tarrant City of Grapevine MINUTES The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors met in Regular Session on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. at the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau, 636 S. Main Street, Grapevine, Texas with the following persons in attendance: Joe Szymaszek Board Chair Mark Terpening Board Vice Chair Dan Weinberger Board Member Corinna Wenks Board Member lain Scouller Board Member Chuck Pacioni Board• Member Debi Meek Alternate Board Member Sharron Rogers Council Liaison Constituting a quorum, with the following liaisons and staff members present: Paul W. McCallum Brady Closson Becky Roberson Absent: CALL TO ORDER Executive Director Deputy Executive Director Interim Assistant to the Executive Director Cynthia Blankenship, Board Member Board Chairman Joe Szymaszek called the meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. Board of Directors Meeting APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Dan Weinberger, seconded by Mark Terpening the minutes from the February 17, 2022 meeting were approved. Ayes: Szymaszek, Scouller, Pacioni, Meek, Wenks and Rogers Nays: None NEW EMPLOYEE INTRODUCTIONS Mr. McCallum introduced and read bios for six new employees of the CVB, David Taylor, Holly Gaddy, Denton Bricker, Joel Straus, Isabelle Spence and Amber Mataviesko. SALES AND MARKETING REPORT Mr. Brady Closson respectfully informed the Board that he would review both February and March data. In comparison to February of 2019, the February 2022 bookings were up where as March 2019 and March 2022 were flat. He further reported that all signs point to recovery. Three stake holders along with CVB team members, attended CVENT Connect in Las Vegas and held 26 one on one appointments, equating to five new lead opportunities. One lead that had already been established was assisted by Hailey Graham, a representative from Gaylord Texan, and this partnership aided in moving the client forward. Those five leads represent more than 14,400 room nights for an economic impact of $14,000,000. In late March, two of our team members put forth a local DFW financial blitz, targeting Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, TD Ameritrade, and Charles Schwab. Twelve local contacts were targeted which lead to five sit down meetings. Grapevine hosted the Texas Travel Counselors Conference and the Texas Travel Expo, an arm of Texas Department of Transportation. Texas Travel Expo is put on by Texas Travel Alliance which is part of the Governor's Office. Eighty attendees representing the Travel Information Centers gathered. This is the largest known group of attendees for this conference. Our CVB team spent five days showcasing the amenities and facilities that Grapevine has to offer. Over the course of a year these TIC employees have contact with two million people that are all over the state. These people are on major arteries traveling into and through the state of Texas. While the job of the Travel Information Centers is to promote all of Texas, having Grapevine summon exceptional experiences and being in the forefront of the mind is paramount. Having the opportunity to host the Travel Information Center employees proved fruitful just from the positive feedback that was shared. The Texas Travel Counselors Conference was held at Great Wolf Lodge and the Texas Travel Expo was held at the Gaylord Texan. In appreciation for hosting the Texas Travel Counselors, they gifted PW McCallum and Heather Egan with a beautiful glass award. PW McCallum, Joe Thompson and Codi Missimo attended the 34th Annual St. Patrick's Day celebration in New York. Hilde Salazar from the Hyatt Regency DFW also attended this mission. Gaylord Texas, Hyatt Regency and Hotel Vin provided overnight stays for raffle drawings. There were three different events held as part of this mission and the CVB team received one RFP for 1,230 room nights for a potential economic impact of over one million dollars. Some key clients that participated in those events were New York Life, Morgan Stanley, IEEE, and JP Morgan Stanley Board of Directors Meeting Brady Closson went on to share that the CVB is actively marketing and in all other ways preparing for the 381h Annual Main Street Fest a Craft Brew Experience presented by Bank of the West, Where Fun comes to Play. He explained that all are very excited about this new tag line and the unveiling will be for Main Street Fest but the intent is that it lives on throughout the year. The expectation is that Where Fun Comes to Play will be utilized more and more in our marketing campaigns moving forward. The MSF poster was unveiled with an explanation of the emphasis on the international street performers. It was presented that this could be a powerful way to differentiate Main Street Fest A Craft Brew Experience from GrapeFest. Artwork for double sided beverage cups, banner ads for the website, media passes, shift passes, weekend pins were all showcased. Where Fun Comes to Play is now a registered domain name that we own. This is all a well thought out and deliberate move of the marketing team where promoting all things Main Street Fest is the current top priority. Media placements, traditional tv, radio and print, out of home as well as digital out of home, streaming, paid social are just some of the avenues being used. Once again, the plan is strategic and purposeful. We target specific geographical regions, much as we have in previous campaigns. These regions continue to produce results and we are focusing on driving up incremental room nights. Come to Grapevine, Stay and Play is what we are putting out to our neighbors near and far. Inflation is impacting gas prices, both in driving and air travel. We believe that the drive market is going to continue to be the largest sustaining driver for both Main Street Fest and Summertime in Grapevine. Broadcast and digital marketing create exposure in multiple mediums with Amazon Fire Stick, Hulu, Apple TV all being part of this extensive campaign. We will utilize both in market and out of market influencers to promote Grapevine. Just as we had Curly Head Adventures for Grapevine, the Christmas Capital of Texas and her TikTok video went viral with over one and half million hits, with over one hundred calls in one hour the morning after it was released. We plan to have nine influencers here leading up to and during Main Street Fest. In speaking with Daniel Horsch, our Marketing Director, our partnership with these influencers has the ability to secure seventy five million impressions. Digital out of home avenues, such as interactive videos shown in elevators or at the gas pump, will aid in spreading the message. These types of displays will become more important as we reach out to the target demographic. Print media, such as Community Impact, D Magazine, Fort Worth Star Telegram will also be utilized. The goal is to carry over to Summertime in Grapevine. We have contracted and partnered with Kellie Raspberry, the number one leading radio host, of the Kidd Kraddick Show. Kellie Raspberry has 186,000 twitter followers, 170,000 Instagram followers, and over 574,000 Facebook followers. She is going to come out, experience Grapevine and promote all that Where Fun Comes to Play entails. Brady Closson opened the floor for questions. Dan Weinburger asked how would the CVB handle the expected increase of calls. Brady explained that while the receptionist in the CVB Lobby is the first point of contact, that any calls that she cannot answer will automatically roll upstairs where others will pick up and address questions and inquiries, as well as the concierges at Grapevine Main that aid in fielding calls. Mr. McCallum assured the board that the system was put in place to handle an influx in calls much as we have when North Pole Express tickets go on sale. Board of Directors Meeting ONGOING BUSINESS Mr. McCallum, the Executive Director of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, addressed Spring Into Nash held on April 9, 2022. It was such a busy Saturday, with more events happening in the DFW area than typical. That brought about fewer guests, 1250 attendees, where we historically have close to 2500. The night before on April 8th, Nash Farm hosted the Chuck Wagon Supper which was a sold out event. On Sunday, April 10, 2022, the New Vinatge Wine and Gallery Trail and Blessing of the Vines was held. The goal was 750 participants. With the reintroduction of shuttles and strategic planning where the first wave of guests were taken to the north end to the larger venues, we were able to accommodate over 800 participants. Wineries were able to welcome additional guests that could take advantage of the live music, food and wine. The Procession and Blessing of the Vines was held at Grapevine Main and Peace Plaza where an estimated 350 to 400 guests participated. The priests blessed the vines and the seven new vintage releases. GVRR is experiencing record numbers almost every weekend. This consistency is very promising as it drives people into Grapevine. We are seeing guests from around the metroplex but also coming from Houston, Louisiana, Oklahoma and beyond. The specialty trains such as the Jazz Wine Trains continue to sell out. We expect to see the Mother's Day Trains sold out as well. GVRR is fully self funded. With the success that we have seen with the North Pole Express and now from the various events and rides throughout the rest of the year, GVRR is making considerable contributions both in revenue and in the number of people it brings to Grapevine Sharron Rogers asked for an update on Puffy to which Mr. McCallum explained that the reassembling would ideally begin in the next six weeks and the goal is that sometime in the fall we could reintroduce Puffy, at least in the testing phase. He went on to explain that the testing phase has the potential to last as long as two months in order to comply with all directives. All signs point that Puffy will back in revenue service in early 2023. He also shared that the FL9 units have been outfitted with custom built silencers that significantly lessen the sound of the generators bringing what once was 180 decibels to 160 decibels. GRANTS Mr. McCallum shared that the Southwest Bluegrass Club has requested $1,500 to hold workshops, essentially putting on open air concerts, six Saturdays over the course of the next six months at the Settlement to City Museum. The current Grants -in -Aid budget has a remaining balance of $18,100. Chairman, Joe Szymaszek called for a motion to approve the grant. Debi Meek motioned the approval and Dan Weinberger seconded the motion. Ayes: Chuck Pacioni, Joe Szymaszek, Corinna Wenks, lain Scouller, Mark Terpening and Sharron Rogers Nays: None Approved 8-0 Board of Directors Meeting Mr. McCallum then presented the donation of a completely restored 1928 International Grain Truck by Bank of the West. He went on to explain that this exact truck would have been used on the Grapevine Prairie during the agricultural days of Grapevine's history. The truck would be used in our local parades and other regional parades where Grapevine would then be promoted. It would also be used for heritage education purposes when explaining the history of Grapevine. It would be a welcome addition to the railroad district and to Nash Farm. HOTELS / ATTRACTIONS 1 ACTIVITIES Brady Closson shared that Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center will be undergoing a full guestroom renovation in the third quarter of 2022. Stranger Things, a new attraction is coming to Grapevine Mills with an anticipated opening of May 2022. This will be the only store/attraction site in operation with both goods and an experiential showcase. Previous locations have been Los Angeles and New York. In partnership with Harvest Hall, Grapevine Main Live, a new music series will kick off Friday, April 22, 2022 in Grapevine Main Station and Peace Plaza. The first band will be Desperado, an Eagles Tribute band. Matt Rose, from Chicken N' Pickle, sent out invitations to all board members for the Grand Opening of the newest location here in Grapevine for April 27, 2022. The closest location is in Grand Prairie and has been a great success. There being no further business, Chairman Joe Szymaszek opened the floor. Chuck Pacioni lead the motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:09 a.m. and Corinna Wenks seconded. Ayes: Dan Weinberger, Joe Szymaszek, Debi Meek, lain Scouller, Mark Terpening and Sharron Rogers Nays: None Approved 8-0 ATTEST: �/v Becky Roberson APPROVED: 1 Joe Szymaszek Interim Assistant to the Executive Director Chairman CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, April 21, 2022 — 8:00 a.m. CVB Headquarters 636 S. Main Street Grapevine, Texas PT 1. Call to Order 2. Citizen Comments Any person who is not scheduled on the agenda may address the Convention & Visitors Bureau Board under Citizen Comments or on any other agenda item by completing a Citizen Appearance Request form with staff. A member of the public may address the CVBB regarding an item on the agenda either before or during the Board's consideration of the item, upon being recognized by the Board Chair or upon consent of the CVBB. In accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, the CVBB is restricted in discussing or taking action during Citizen Comments. 3. New Employee Introductions 4. Approval of Minutes 5. Sales & Marketing Report A. Main Street Fest Marketing Campaign B. Summertime in Grapevine Marketing Campaign 6. Ongoing Business A. Festival & Events Updates: B. GVRR Update 7. New Business A. Grants -in -Aid • Southwest Bluegrass Club B. Donation of vintage Grain Truck 8. Hotels / Attractions / Activities 9. Adjournment If you plan to attend this special public meeting and 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 15th day of April, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. 6e6ky Roberson Interim Assistant to the Executive Director