The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2005-01-20 Regular Meeting CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS (I, GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, January 20, 2005 -- 11:30 a.m. WALLIS BUILDING ONE LIBERTY PARK PLAZA, GRAPEVINE, TEXAS AGENDA I. CALL TO ORDER II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES III. HOTELS/ATTRACTIONS REPORT IV. SALES AND MARKETING REPORT V. OLD BUSINESS A. MARKETING PLAN B. SISTER CITY UPDATE C. ACQUARIUM UPDATE VI. NEW BUSINESS A. CHICAGO SALES MISSION B. NEW YORK SALES MISSION C. SIGNAGE PROGRAM VII. REPORTS A. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE B. HERITAGE FOUNDATION VIII. ADJOURNMENT C State of Texas County of Tarrant City of Grapevine MINUTES The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors met on Thursday, January 20, 2005 at the Wallis Building, Grapevine, Texas with the following persons in attendance: Don Bigbie Chairman Ev Barnes Board Member Bill Brink Board Member Philip Cloud Board Member Kathee Livengood Board Member Paul Slechta Board Member Tom Smith Board Member Steve Stinson Board Member Darlene Freed Council Liaison Pat Stinson Heritage Foundation Martin Thompson Grapevine Chamber Paul W. McCallum Executive Director George Kakos Assistant Executive Director (lw Absent: Cliff Reynolds Board Member CALL TO ORDER Chairman Bigbie called the meeting to order. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes from the December 14th meeting was made by Kathee Livengood and seconded by Paul Slechta. Motion carried. HOTELS/ATTRACTIONS REPORT Mr. McCallum shared the following: • Council approved the Hilton Garden Inn that will be located at 205 W. State Highway 114. • Main Street Blues, located at Main St. and Dallas Road is scheduled to open on February 18. They will have live jazz entertainment. Grady Spears is building the menu. Owner is Monika Guzman whose husband is the former Texas Rangers' pitcher, Jose Guzman. • Love and War in Texas Restaurant is going into the old Trail Dust location by Grapevine Mills. This dinner and entertainment facility is on the council agenda for February 15th for a conditional use permit. The Board of Directors Meeting January 20, 2005 Page 2 of 4 HOTELS/ATTRACTIONS REPORT cont. • Midnight Rodeo / Hondo's is going in on property located east of Grapevine Mills Parkway in the Lone Star Crossing Phase II. This will be a 25,000 sq.-ft. restaurant/ dance hall facility. • There's been a conditional use request to renovate the abandoned Movies 8 theatre building on Wm. D. Tate and turn it into restaurant and retail use. • A building permit was issued the end of December for "Pump It Up" a recreational facility on Mustang Drive. This includes bounce house type activities for children and parents. • The Gaylord Texan will bring an ice carving event called "ICE" in November which will remain open until after the holidays. Sixty artisans from China carve a life-size city. • Su Vino has been named one of the top ten producing wineries in the state of Texas. • Darlene Freed shared that the Sky Link Event will take place on March 3rd. This is to celebrate the opening of the people mover at DFW Airport. • Tom Smith shared that Hyatt has purchased all the AmeriSuites about a month ago. • George Visor, General Manager, for the Grand Hyatt will start on February 1, 2005. The tentative soft opening is July 1 and the expected grand opening on Jul 15. It is Cofdependent on the international terminal. • Don Bigbie reported that everyone at the HDGA meeting had good reports of holiday sales and were very enthusiastic. • Steve Stinson shared that he is working Mad Duck Sports to bring NORBA (National Off-Road Bicycle Association) to Grapevine in March 2006. SALES AND MARKETING REPORT Mr. Kakos reported for the month of December that the convention sales division produced 29 leads representing 37,256 potential room nights. The team assisted with 7 definite groups representing 11,174 room nights. The team conducted 3 site inspections and participated in Holiday Showcase in Chicago, Austin Sales Mission and attended the TSAE luncheon in Austin. Convention Services provided registration and information service staff to 9 groups representing 4,750 delegates. Tourism division produced 21 leads representing 70 potential room nights and conducted 1 site inspection. Staff assisted with 5 definite groups representing 285 room nights and hosted a holiday fam tour for 6 tour operators. During the month 25,457 brochures were distributed and 2,970 visitors were assisted at the Visitor Information Center. The Convention Center booked 26 groups representing 10,886 attendees. Revenues for the center in December were up 18.8% over this time last year. The Grapevine Vintage Railroad carried 13,013 passengers with 11,217 of them on the school and public Polar Express runs. Visits to the Grapevine Vintage Railroad web site totaled 19,532 and visits to the general site numbered 20,395. Public Relations generated $64,306 in print and $74,489 in electronic media coverage. Board of Directors Meeting January 20, 2005 Page 3 of 4 SALES AND MARKETING REPORT cont. Mr. Kakos shared several awards received at the Texas Association of Fairs and Events annual meeting. The awards included 2 "First" place, 1 "Second" place and 2 "Third" place. OLD BUSINESS Marketing Plan Mr. Kakos reported that the marketing plan went into effect on October 1, 2004 and that a presentation had been made at the Director of Sales' meeting for the hotels. The presentation is available on disc. Mr. Kakos shared highlights of the program, which includes promoting Grapevine the Destination including wineries, historic district, shopping and the train. The plan includes more sales missions and more trade shows. Staff will be looking at third-tier cities and citywide meetings. Staff has begun a quarterly e-newsletter to meeting planners. The marketing plan includes producing a new meeting planners guide. On the leisure tourism side staff will participate in several public shows and promote to the individual traveler. We are increasing the amount of advertising and are doing packaging on the Internet. Sister City Update Mr. McCallum reported that we have two sea containers full of hospital supplies and equipment for Parras. We are working with Parras to get the supplies delivered. The Grapevine Rotary Club had an opportunity to obtain a used Carter Blood Care bus, which will also go to Parras. The next scheduled sister city mission will be to Parras in early August around the 6th through the 12th for approximately 20 people. We plan to take a small Texas stage play on this mission. In late October, a delegation of up to 30 people will participate in a cultural mission to Krems and Vienna. Staff is working with the airlines on group transportation. Aquarium Update Mr. McCallum reported that the city worked with Erik Pedersen on the development of Underwater World at the mall for a long time; but it did not come together. He is still trying to put financing together. The city is now working with Ripley's to put their aquarium package together. NEW BUSINESS Chicago Sales Mission Mr. Kakos reported that the Chicago Sales Mission is scheduled for February 7 - 11, 2005. Staff is working to have ten planners and guests at the event. ( New York Sales Mission rrr Mr. Kakos reported that the New York Sales Mission is scheduled for March 14 - 18, 2005 with a reception at Grand Central Station on the 15th. This has worked well in the The Board of Directors Meeting Cr` January 20, 2005 Page 4 of 4 NEW BUSINESS cont. New York Sales Mission cont. past as a venue for interacting with the meeting planners. On the 17th will be a dinner for meeting planners and guests. Signage Program Mr. McCallum reported that in 1999 we established a citywide committee to develop a signage program. The plan was presented to the CVB board and then to City Council. Graphic Solutions was hired to develop the program. In 2000, with the closure of the Hyatt west tower, all capital projects were shut down and the signage program was put "on hold." The aftermath of September 11, 2001 kept the signage program on the "back burner." Last Tuesday the signage program was brought back before the council. It will be a joint funding project through the general fund sales tax and the CVB hotel tax. The first phase is scheduled to begin in March and a target completion date is May 2006. REPORTS Chamber of Commerce Martin Thompson reported that the Chamber has had an outstanding year and their Coe membership is at 800. March 31, 2005 is the date for the Chamber Banquet at the Hyatt. February 3rd will be Mardi Gras at Paradise Cove. Heritage Foundation Pat Stinson thanked the board for the donation to Nash Farm from the Grapevine Jubilee. The foundation plans to do a jubilee each year. She distributed Nash Farm capital campaign packets to all the board members. She reported that Sallie Andrews, Heritage Foundation Manager, has energized the board. They have started children's movies on Saturday mornings and have produced note cards with original art from Ted Willhoite. The cards are for sale at the Depot and the Palace. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the board; Phil Cloud made a motion to adjourn; seconded by Steve Stinson. Motion carried. ATTEST: DATE: