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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-09-21 Regular Meeting troe CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, September 21, 2000 - 11:30 am WALLIS BUILDING ONE LIBERTY PARK PLAZA, GRAPEVINE, TEXAS AGENDA I. CALL TO ORDER II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM AUGUST 17, 2000 MEETING III. SALES AND MARKETING REPORT IV. OLD BUSINESS A. GRAPEFEST RECAP B. TARANTULA EXCURSION TRAIN UPDATE C. VISITOR CENTERS UPDATE VI. NEW BUSINESS A. 2000 - 2001 MEETING SCHEDULE VII. ADJOURNMENT STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF TARRANT Cw CITY OF GRAPEVINE MINUTES The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors met on Thursday, September 21, 2000 at the Convention & Visitors Bureau, One Liberty Park Plaza, Grapevine, Texas with the following persons in attendance: Gary Blagg Board Member Bill Brink Board Member Paul Jennings Board Member Steve Trent Board Member Kathee Livengood Board Member Phil Parker Board Member Philip Cloud Board Member Robert Thrailkill Board Member Paul W. McCallum Executive Director George Kakos Director of Marketing Absent: Darlene Freed Council Liaison Don Bigbie Chairman Pat Stinson Heritage Foundation Liaison CALL TO ORDER Phil Parker called the meeting to order. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes from the August 17, 2000 Board Meeting was made by Gary Blagg and seconded by Bill Brink. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS 2000—2001 Meeting Schedule Mr. Parker presented the proposed meeting schedule for the 2000 - 2001 fiscal year. Because there is no meeting scheduled for June 2001, Mr. Parker asked if the staff would do a recap on Main Street Days Festival to the board after the festival. Phil Cloud made a motion to approve the proposed schedule. Bill Brink seconded; motion carried. OLD BUSINESS Visitor Center Update Mr. McCallum reported that a budget amendment has been made to cover salaries of personnel CW to run a Visitor Information Center inside Grapevine Mills mall. Initially the visitor center will be in one of the present customer service areas. After the first of the year CVB staff and mall Board of Directors Meeting August 17, 2000 Page 2 of 4 SALES AND MARKETING REPORT cont. delegates. Tourism produced 5 leads representing 4,600 delegates. The Visitor Information Center assisted over 31,000 visitors and distributed over 41,300 brochures. Communications produced print and electronic media valued at$433,000. The sales team conducted a sales blitz in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and also participated in the Meeting World Trade Show in New York City. Five leads were generated from this show. Sales missions were also conducted during this time in St. Louis and Minneapolis. This was a first venture into the Minneapolis market and they were well received. Tourism division produced a rack card promoting hotel packages for GrapeFest weekend. The card has been distributed through travel agents, tour operators and bank clubs within the three-hour drive market. Mr. Kakos shared the GrapeFest poster and brochure, as well as, the display for the souvenir pin sales program. He also shared the"Best of..." article in which Main Street was voted by the readers as "Best Place to take Visitors". The invitations for the GrapeFest media fam went out last week and to date the fam is already half full. OLD BUSINESS Parras Exchange Update Bill Brink reported that the gift of the night watchman statue was well received in both cities. In Krems it is located at the entrance to old town. In Parras we are working through the Rotarians to explore ways to benefit both cities. There will be a delegation of 19 from Parras attending GrapeFest this year. This will require some volunteer civic involvement to assist with this group. We anticipate hosting our first intern form Krems this year and also expect to host some students from Parras. Mr. Bigbie spoke of the growth of the attendees once they have been to our sister cities. After visiting Parras and seeing the needs of the people our delegates are looking for ways to improve training etc. for the people of Parras. This learning and sharing promotes growth for both cities. GrapeFest Update Mr. Kakos reported that Rick Lott, Festival Director, has done a great job on sponsorship. This year for the first time we will have two presenting sponsors for GrapeFest. There are several new sponsors and many past sponsors have raised their level of sponsorship. Mr. Kakos asked the board to thank sponsors whom they come in contact with during the festival. Pat Stinson reported that there would be hard hat tours of the Palace Theater during the festival. Mr. McCallum stated that the expense of putting on the festivals has continued to grow over the years. There is a huge cost involved in bringing on new sponsors and the benefits come from keeping sponsors. With the leveling of Main Street project, electricity and water will be (arr available in the middle of the street. We will be able to transform the festival street into a more • Board of Directors Meeting August 17,2000 Page 3 of 4 OLD BUSINESS cont. GrapeFest Update cont. permanent fair type of setting. This will require some capital expenditures over the next several years. NEW BUSINESS Grants In Aid Request—Grapevine High School Former Students Association Mr. Bigbie presented the Grants In Aid request from the Grapevine High School Former Students Association in the amount of$ 2,500.00. Gary Blagg made a motion to approve the grant request. Paul Jennings seconded. Motion carried. Mr. Bigbie shared a thank you from the World Button Accordion Association for their recent grant. Historic Cotton Belt Railroad Update The steam engine is out of commission until it can be brought up to the standards set by the Federal RR Commission. Marketing of the excursion train and Tarantula steam engine has continued through the efforts of the Grapevine Fort Worth Historic Railroad Corridor Committee. Fort Worth and Western RR has legally reclaimed operation of the train. The image of the steam engine goes beyond the number of passengers it carries. The engine appears in the state's advertising. It symbolizes the Cotton Belt Railroad, Cow Town and the old west. It will be on the cover of a section in 16 million Sunday newspapers. The importance of the steam engine is far greater that that of the daily runs. Fort Worth and Western Railroad is unwilling to invest additional funds for the maintenance of the engine and has had offers to purchase the train. Through a series of meetings between Grapevine CVB, Fort Worth CVB, Stockyards Station and Fort Worth and Western RR plans are being developed to maintain this important tourism attraction. Grapevine would create an association that would run the train, initially under a lease arrangement with FWWR who would continue to operate the train. Approximately $200,000 is required to bring the steam engine back up to good standards. Fort Worth would put up $100,000 and Grapevine would put up $100,000. Mr. McCallum asked the board for a vote of confidence to support a plan which would bring the train back up to speed as a tourism attraction. With board support, the proposal would be on the September 5 Council Workshop. The proposal would be to create an association similar to the Tall Ship Elissa in Galveston. The Elissa Foundation is funded by memberships, museum proceeds, ship tours and a few sailings during the year. Our one time commitment of $100,000 would come from the CVB Fund Balance. After further discussion, Gary Blagg made a motion to support the project and go forward. Bill Brink seconded the motion. Motion carried. C Board of Directors Meeting August 17,2000 Page 4 of 4 NEW BUSINESS cont. Visitor Information Center Dennis McGovern, General Manager of Grapevine Mills, has offered the CVB the opportunity to take over their customer service booth and to operate a Visitor Information Center at that location. It would be located at the main entrance by Rain Forest Café. He encouraged us to promote Grapevine attractions including shopping on historic Main Street. His feeling is that the unique shopping on Main Street would add to the visitor's total experience and not conflict with shopping at the mall. The booth would need to be staffed with paid, trained personnel. The staff would also greet tour bus groups and distribute coupon books for the mall. This would be a non- budgeted personnel expenditure item for the bureau. It would require 4-6 part-time employees in the $6 - $8 salary range. The booth would not be staffed the entire time the mall is open. Phil Cloud made a motion to proceed with a budget amendment not to exceed $ 45,000 to man a Visitor Information Center inside Grapevine Mills mall. Gary Blagg seconded the motion. Motion carried. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to bring before the Board, Robert Thrailkill made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Gary Blagg. ATTEST: DATE: C Board of Directors Meeting Cio September 21, 2000 Page 2 of 3 OLD BUSINESS cont. Visitor Center Update cont. staff will work together to create a single visitor center site in the area of the Rainforest Café. Dennis McGovern, general manager,has put no limitations on what attractions are promoted including other retail areas in Grapevine. Our staff will train with the mall personnel as the visitor center will also be the distribution point for mall coupon books and incentives. Mr. Parker felt it to be very advantageous to have the visitor center inside the mall where visitors can get information without having to go to another location. Kathee Livengood and Phil Cloud commented that Mr. McGovern has been a committed player in several community projects. Tarantula Excursion Train Update Mr. McCallum reported that the council stepped out strongly in support of the Tarantula project and that there has been supportive media coverage as well. The Tarantula will be run similar to a convention center facility. Tom Wayne is working with Fort Worth and Western Railroad staff to work out the details of managing the train. We are set to assume operation of the train on December 1, 2000. At present Fort Worth and Western Railroad(FWWR) continues to operate the train on weekends with the diesel engine. Our goal is to roll out the train the first part of December and to do it with steam. To hit that target we are in the process of constructing a rail Cr' line into the roundhouse. Tomorrow, a meeting is scheduled with a project manager who will hopefully oversee the project. There are mechanics and engineers lined up to accomplish the rebuild of the steam engine. What is found once they get inside the boiler and firebox will determine the probability of meeting the December date. There has been great support from Stockyards Station. The size of the personnel team for the train will be based on the ability of the train to generate its own revenues. Two goals to be accomplished are the air-conditioning of the cars and obtaining a second steam engine. With the addition of these elements, we will also look at the possibility of running a train to the east. Staff is working with the city manager to establish the framework for providing personnel. The city has established an enterprise fund for the excursion train. GrapeFest Update Mr. McCallum recognized the relationship between the bureau and other city departments including public works, streets, parks and public safety. He also commended the steering committee, which is made up of approximately 40 volunteers. Due to the work of these and others the organization coming into this event was impeccable. The break in the weather and the huge promotional effort contributed to the event's success. GrapeFest experienced the largest Friday night ever and followed with a strong Saturday and Sunday. 134,600 people contributed to a gross revenue of over$251,000. Over$62,000 was raised by the civic organizations and the GrapeFest Auction Classic raised over$57,000. An economic impact model showed $2.2 million was added to the local economy. Mr. McCallum recognized Melva Stanfield, Chairman Cow of the Heritage Foundation,who thanked the board for the successful festival and the donation to the Heritage Foundation. Ms. Stanfield spoke of the strong bonds of cooperation between City Board of Directors Meeting Cr' September 21, 2000 Page 3 of 3 OLD BUSINESS cont. GrapeFest Update cont. Council, CVB, city staff, civic groups and the community. This ability to unite for a common purpose is envied by many other cities. Several board members spoke positively of areas that they experienced. Mr. McCallum recognized our hotel partners for their participation. The Hilton for the creative way they present the wines at the Texas Wine Tribute each year. This takes a tremendous amount of time on the part of the Hilton staff. The Hyatt for their ability to transform a tent/structure into a first-class silver service Champagne Brunch in a very short time. Mr. Brink reported to the board that our Sister City of Krems could not be here because of their harvest season. The ties to our Sister City of Parras are developing to the point of student exchanges and other forms of cooperation between the cities. SALES AND MARKETING REPORT Media coverage for August exceeded$175,000 and is over $1,791,000 for the fiscal year. Over 129,000 brochures were distributed during the month and the visitor center greeted 9,400 visitors. Convention sales team posted 5 definite bookings, 20 leads and 3 site inspections for the month. The sales team attended Affordable Meetings Trade Show in September where they have access to planners with weekend and stress period business. To date 7 leads and potential for an additional 19 leads have been identified. The bureau staff met with the director of sales from the hotel properties to strategize for future fam trips. The consensus of the group is to expand the fam groups to 50-60 attendees and do a blended local and national group mix. For GrapeFest the Texas Wine Tribute Gala would be included, but with other options available for the evening. For local meeting planners, a one-day site inspection with training and which would include all the properties was considered to be a good way to capture these planners. This group agreed to meet on a quarterly basis to keep current with the needs of the hotel properties. Mr. Parker suggested staff look to travel shows on cable TV as a medium to promote Grapevine. Mr. Thrailkill and Mr. Trent expressed their concerns for 2001 as it has been determined that Dallas is very light on citywide bookings. This will affect the compression effect that fills Grapevine hotels. Mr. Trent reported that there is not a definite word yet on the future of the west tower. Mr. Thrailkill reported that his property will be doing a$5 million rooms renovation reducing inventory by 75 rooms at a time for the next 6 months. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to bring before the Board, Phil Cloud made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Steve Trent. ATTEST: DATE: