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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-21 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, March 21, 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 LuAnn Chapman Gatts Gracie Vega Lance Marrin Dennis Roberts Dan Weinberger Tom Cherry Chairman Board Member for John Imaizumi Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Alternate Board Member Constituting a quorum, with the following liaisons and staff members present: Sharron Spencer Perry Leonard Duff O'Dell Paul W. McCallum Michael Woody Eloise Koehn Absent: Joe Szymaszek Council Liaison Chamber Liaison Heritage Foundation Liaison Executive Director Assistant Executive Director Director of Finance & Administration Board Member CALL TO ORDER Chairman Slechta called the meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. Mr. McCallum introduced Shawna Barnes, Assistant to the Executive Director, to the board. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Dan Weinberger, seconded by LuAnn Chapman Gatts to approve the minutes from the February 21, 2013 meeting prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Slechta, Gatts, Vega, Marrin, Roberts, Weinberger, Cherry Nays: None Board of Directors Meeting March 21, 2013 Page 2 of 6 LIAISON UPDATES Heritage Foundation Activities Duff O'Dell reported that the First Friday Film was To Catch a Thief. The Penny Gilley Show returned to the Palace Theatre to tape the final 13 episodes of its upcoming season. The Grapevine Opry will perform on March 23rd and 30tH The 12th Annual Spring Into Nash will take place at Nash Farm on April 20th. The Foundation held their annual meeting at Nash Farm on February 21St in the new Soil Conservation Office. Accomplishments of 2012 and plans for 2013 were discussed. The Foundation Board of Directors met yesterday to complete plans for the upcoming Spring Into Nash. The Preservation Advocacy awards will be announced at the May 21St Council meeting. Chamber of Commerce Activities Perry Leonard reported that the Chamber received a 4 -star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Grapevine is one of 19 Chambers of Commerce accredited in Texas out of 400. The Chamber has created a 501 c3 foundation to help civic functions within the Community. On April 4th there will be a joint luncheon with the Colleyville and South Lake Chambers on clean air initiatives. The Young Entrepreneur's program will present at the Lancaster on March 26th. The Chamber is hosting a trip to China October 5-13, 2013. Cost is $2,300 and includes flight from Los Angeles and hotel. No action taken by the Board. OLD BUSINESS New York Sales Mission Recap Mr. McCallum reporter that the 25tH Annual St. Patrick's Day Promotion at the Andaz Hotel was very successful. We added a children's event to encourage meeting planners to return to the City with their family for the Saturday event. Staff has been marketing to the 1,600 prospects for the past six months. Out of 200 RSVPs there were 104 qualified meeting planners. Board of Directors Meeting March 21, 2013 Page 3 of 6 OLD BUSINESS cont. New York Sales Mission Recap cont. Early in the week, staff made sales calls in Philadelphia and New Jersey. On Friday councilmembers and board members joined staff on sales calls in Manhattan. On Thursday evening staff hosted a media event at the Bar Americain with 20 media outlets attending. No action taken by the Board. Attractions / Entertainment District Zoning Update Mr. McCallum reported that the last Council workshop was held regarding the entertainment district zoning overlay. Bob Masterson, one of the top attractions persons in the country, has worked with the City on this zoning overlay. The district zoning will cover many obstructions that make it difficult for attractions to set up in a community, including items such as setbacks, parking, signage etc. Bill Harrelson is doing research on our market and visitor profile. With these two pieces complete, we will be prepared to meet with attractions. There are 240 good group (W meeting days during the year. Adding attractions will boost the leisure business for the other 125 days each year and will help increase hotel tax revenues. No action taken by the Board. Update Historic District Overlay Amendments Mr. McCallum reported that last Tuesday night a Council Workshop was held relative to existing historic districts. Protection would be extended to three districts and land - marked properties. This covers about 100 properties out of 300 in the township. During the first public hearing for districts and landmarked properties Council gave the directive to include the entire township. The second public hearing will take place in April. No action taken by the Board. NEW BUSINESS Grants -In -Aid Request Chairman Slechta presented the Grants -In -Aid request from the Tarrant Area Guild of Storytellers in the amount of $1,926.96. This group has worked with the CVB for many Board of Directors Meeting March 21, 2013 Page 4 of 6 NEW BUSINESS cont. Grants -In -Aid Request cont. years. The request covers Tales at Twilight, Spring Into Nash, Fall Roundup, and Bewitched by the Barn events at Nash Farm. Motion by Tom Cherry, seconded by LuAnn Chapman Gatts, to approve the Grants -In - Aid request from the Tarrant Area Guild of Storytellers in the amount of $1,926.96 prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Slechta, Gatts, Vega, Marrin, Roberts, Weinberger, Cherry Nays: None GVRR Rolling Stock Needs Mr. McCallum reported that the Grapevine Vintage Railroad continues to grow and that we are short on equipment during heavy use times. When the commuter rail starts we will need adequate equipment to operate during peak times. Staff has worked to locate some unique equipment. Three articulated lounge cars have been located. They will help expand the charter business and also will allow us to continue regular runs during special event times. The three cars operated between San Francisco and Los Angeles during the 1940s, `50s and `60s. McCallum shared photos of the equipment which has been in storage for 40 years. The owner will sell the three cars for $60,000 and also donate an early 1900s mail car. It will take approximately $30,000 to relocate the cars to Grapevine. Funds to purchase the cars are available in the train accounts. Motion by LuAnn Chapman Gatts, seconded by Tom Cherry, to approve $90,000 for the purchase and transport of the three articulated lounge cars prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Slechta, Gatts, Vega, Marrin, Roberts, Weinberger, Cherry Nays: None SALES AND MARKETING REPORT Mr. Woody reported that during the month of February, Convention Sales produced 31 leads representing 54,592 potential room nights; 17 of which are for 2013. They assisted with 13 definites representing 13,215 room nights; all for 2013. The sales team conducted eight site inspections. Staff hosted eight meeting planners for the Valentines Hot Flaming Date Night event at Vetro Glass Blowing Studio. Tourism Sales produced Board of Directors Meeting March 21, 2013 Page 5 of 6 SALES AND MARKETING REPORT cont. five leads with 221 potential room nights and 207 attendees, all for 2013. They assisted with five definites representing 211 room nights and 224 attendees, all for 2013. Staff participated in the Fort Worth Home & Garden Show, Houston Home & Garden Show and the San Antonio Home & Garden Show. The tourism sales team also attended Unity Dinner and Converge on the Capitol events in Austin. 99,986 brochures were distributed and 1,219 tickets were sold at the Visitor Information Center. 3,423 visitors were welcomed at the Visitor Information Center. Destination Services provided registration and information assistance to eight groups representing 13,778 delegates. Grapevine Shuttle ridership was 3,650, a 28% increase over last year. The Convention Center had 27 future bookings representing over 11,000 attendees and total sales of $74,170. The Palace Arts Center had 22 future bookings representing over 3,490 attendees and total sales of $27,500. The Concourse had four future bookings representing 475 attendees and total sales of $10,100. The Grapevine Vintage Railroad resumed service on February 23. For the two days of operation there were 61 passengers for the Grapevine Fun Run, 338 out of Grapevine and 244 out of Fort Worth. There were 69,590 unique visitors to the website of which 21 % used a mobile device to access it. Over 1,600 of our visitors reached us through Fort Worth websites (CVB and Stockyards). There were 27 print trade publications and online group insertions, 35 print consumer publications insertions, 28 TV/radio insertions and 45 online advertising insertions. Public relations generated $95,303 in print and $291,105 in electronic for a total public relations value of $386,408. The Texas Country Reporter report on Messina's Shoe & Boot Repair ran for 207 seconds on 30 stations. No action taken by the Board. HOTELS / ATTRACTIONS ACTIVITIES • A 90 million dollar convention hotel for Irving is in the proposal stage. • D'Vine wine has a new owner and general manager, David Besgrove. • Romano's Macaroni Grill has sold to Houston-based Ignite Restaurant Group. • Building permits were issued for Nike Factory Store, Michael Kors and Sportsman Shooting Center. • A demolition permit was issued for a demo at the corner of Ira E Woods and Mustang Drive to make way for a 7-11 convenience store. • A demolition permit was approved for a demo at 105-115 South Main Street to make way for a historic replica building. A' Board of Directors Meeting March 21, 2013 Page 6 of 6 HOTELS / ATTRACTIONS ACTIVITIES cont. • The Jazz Wine Trains will be March 22 and 23�d • Blessing of the Vines and New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail will be April 13tH • The 300 -room Marriott hotel property is under construction. It will house a Courtyard and a TownePlace. No action taken by the Board. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the board a motion by Lu Ann Chapman Gatts, seconded by Tom Cherry to adjourn the meeting at 9:40 a.m. prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Slechta, Gatts, Vega, Marrin, Roberts, Weinberger, Cherry Nays: None PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS on this the 18st day of APRIL, 2013. APPROVED: C Pau Slechta Chairman ATTEST: Eloise Koehn Director of Finance & Administration CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, March 21, 2013 — 8:00 a.m. CVB Headquarters 636 S. Main Street Grapevine, Texas AGENDA CALL TO ORDER II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES III. LIAISON UPDATES A. HERITAGE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES B. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTIVITIES IV. OLD BUSINESS A. NEW YORK SALES MISSION RECAP B. ATTRACTIONS / ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT ZONING UPDATE C. UPDATE HISTORIC DISTRICT OVERLAY AMENDMENTS V. NEW BUSINESS A. GRANTS-IN-AID REQUEST B. GVRR ROLLING STOCK NEEDS VI. SALES & MARKETING REPORT VII. HOTELS /ATTRACTIONS ACTIVITIES VIII. ADJOURNMENT