HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-18 Regular Meeting CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS
GRAPEVINE CONVENTION &VISITORS BUREAU
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Thursday, .May 18, 2017 — 8:00 a.m.
CVB Headquarters
636 S. Main Street
Grapevine, Texas
AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3. INTRODUCTION OF NEW STAFF
4. LIAISON UPDATES
A. HERITAGE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES
B. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTIVITIES
5. SALES & MARKETING REPORT
6. NEW BUSINESS
A. CONFERENCE DIRECT ANNUAL PARTNER MEETING (APM)
7. OLD BUSINESS
A. TEXRAI L UPDATE
B. COTTON BELT CORRIDOR BRANDING UPDATE
8. HOTELS /ATTRACTIONS /ACTIVITIES
9. 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 12TH DAY OF MAY, 2017 AT 5:00
P.M.
I-Ady Bell
Assistant to V Executive Director
State of Texas
County of Tarrant
City of Grapevine
MINUTES
The Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors met in Regular Session
on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. at the Grapevine Convention and Visitors
Bureau, 636 South Main Street, Grapevine, Texas with the following persons in
attendance:
Joe Szymaszek Board Member- Chair
Mark Terpening Board Member
Keith Spinden Board Member
Debi Meek Alternate Board Member
Constituting a quorum, with the following liaisons and staff members present:
Sharron Spencer Council Liaison
Theresa Mason Chamber of Commerce Liaison
Balla Wright Heritage Foundation Liaison
Paul W. McCallum Executive Director
Paula Newman Managing Director, Administration/Operations
Brady Closson Managing Director, Sales/Marketing
Lindy Bell Assistant to the Executive Director
Absent: Dan Weinberger Board Member
Cynthia Blankenship Board Member
Jim Quinn Board Member
lain Scouller Board Member
CALL TO ORDER
Board Chair, Joe Szymaszek, called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
Mr. Szymaszek extended thanks and appreciation on behalf of the Board to Mark and
Sonya Terpening for their service as this year's Main Street Fest Co-Chairs.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion was made by Keith Spinden, seconded by Mark Terpening to approve corrected
minutes from the April 20, 2017 meeting. Motion prevailed by the following vote:
Ayes: Szymaszek, Terpening, Meek and Spinden
Motion
Nays: None
Board of Directors Meeting
May 18, 2017
Page 2 of 5
LIAISON UPDATES
Heritage Foundation Activities
Balla Wright reported the Heritage Foundation Board met Wednesday, May 17th, and
presented a $1,000 scholarship to Hector Sandoval who will be obtaining a degree in
civil and architectural engineering. The scholar is a part of the Heritage Foundation's
efforts to further a deserving student's education in preservation through heritage
degrees or museum arts.
Nash Farm
Balla Wright reported the 16th Annual Spring into Nash event was a success with strong
attendance. The adult/child activity was building a wooden tool box which was popular
with both boys and girls. The Farm to Fork fundraiser was a first for the Farm with over
80 people enjoying a meal prepared by Chef Fabien featuring Nash Farm-grown hors
d'oeuvres and Grapevine wines. On May 9th the Farm hosted a Convention Sales
"Lunch and Afternoon at the Farm" for the spouses of U.S. Courts 5th Circuit Conference
attendees at the Gaylord Texan. 250 people attended Saturday's 1860's Vintage
Baseball game to watch the game and enjoy popcorn and lemonade. Nash Farm
Manager Cody Jolliff participated in a news segment filming with Fox News, Channel 4
to discuss Main Street Fest. Ms. Wright mentioned sponsorship opportunities available
for the 17th Annual Fall Round-Up in October.
Chamber of Commerce
Chamber liaison, Theresa Mason, reported that the Chamber's monthly luncheon will be
held at noon and will feature graduation of this session's Leadership Grapevine class.
Immediately following the luncheon, ground breaking will be held for the flag plaza
honoring the 25th anniversary of the Leadership Grapevine program. The next
Leadership Grapevine session will begin in August and currently has a waiting list. The
Chamber's series of meetings with elected officials will begin June 2nd and will feature
a Coffee and Conversation with Commissioner Gary Fickes at the DFW Hilton Lakes.
SALES & MARKETING REPORT
Mr. Closson reported that for April, the convention and leisure sales team had 78 sales
leads with 105,000 potential room nights and a potential economic impact of
$49,500,000. 14 groups have been booked representing 23,700 room nights with an
economic impact of$11,800,000. There were 16 site inspections representing 22,750
room nights and $16,200,000 potential economic impact.
The team participated in HelmsBriscoe's Annual Business Conference in Chicago
(ABC). Staff met with 27 associates and received one strong RFP with a potential
economic impact of$590,000. The team hosted six clients on a Jazz Wine Train
onboard Grapevine Vintage Railroad, also hosted 10 clients at the 25th Annual New
Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail event.
Board of Directors Meeting
May 18, 2017
Page 3 of 5
Leisure Sales participated in a sales mission to China on a 10-day mission to Shanghai,
Beijing and Guangzhou. 90 one-on-one appointments were conducted with both tour
operators and local media.
The Visitor Information Center, Settlement to City and Depot welcomed over 6,700
guests. Over 33,200 brochures were distributed locally, statewide and nationally.
Destination Services assisted ten groups representing 14,700 attendees with an
economic impact of over $9,000,000.
The Convention Center, Palace Arts Center and Concourse booked a combined 41 new
definites with an economic impact of$240,840.
The website averaged 78,600 unique visitors in April.
The Grapevine Vintage Railroad had a total of 83 excursions for a ridership in April of
over 26,700.
For marketing, there were six print trade publication insertions. Online advertising
realized 80,000 impressions.
Print consumer publications had 22 insertions representing 4,000,000 circulating
impressions.
TV spots ran a total of 15 segments including seven on the Penny Gilley Show with a
Grapevine message included on RFD-TV. WFAA ran segments on the McPherson
house move at 6 p.m. with viewership of 69,000 and at 10 p.m. with viewership of
95,000. Fox 4 ran a segment at 5:00 p.m. regarding the McPherson house move with a
viewership of 65,000.
Communications print ad value of$312,000 represented 3,000,000 circulation
impressions with an electronic ad value of$88,650 representing 322,000 audience
impressions.
The summer issue of the Grapevine Today magazine has been received and is being
distributed prior to Main Street Fest.
Grapevine Rails, Rolling Through Time, the summer exhibit will be installed next week
as part of Summer Blast activities.
No action was taken by the Board.
Board of Directors Meeting
May 18, 2017
Page 4 of 5
NEW BUSINESS
Conference Direct Annual Partner Meeting (APM)
Mr. Closson reported on the recent Conference Direct Annual Partners Meeting (APM)
sales mission in Baltimore, MD attended by Connie Ash. The goal of the mission was to
network and connect with new and established clients to prospect for future business
opportunities. Over 900 attendees were at the conference including 170 meeting
planners. 36 one-on-one meetings were conducted and training classes attended.
Through this organization, 65 different pieces of business were confirmed with bookings
in six of Grapevine's seven full service hotels during the 2016 calendar year. A total of
37,311 room nights were contracted or 10.3% of all contracted rooms Conference Direct
booked in Texas. Economic impact associated totaled $36,900,579. 31 of the 65
bookings were booked in need months including January, February, July, August,
November and December.
No action taken by the Board.
OLD BUSINESS
TEX Rail Up-Date
Mr. McCallum reported that 100% of the track work at Dooley has been completed. The
work at Ball Street took longer than anticipated but the street is now open. The non-
signalized Wal-Mart crossing work is progressing with work on the signalized portion to
be done next. Work on Main Street will begin during July. New storage tracks east of
the Section House are now being planned.
Portions of track will be removed and replaced where needed but the old road bed has
proven to be more stable than expected. Work will be done east and west of Main
Street in the coming weeks.
New rail cars from Atlanta, GA and Houston, TX will be arriving the first of October. The
cars are Bombardier brand made in Switzerland. Cars will be assembled trackside, and
TEX Rail will begin testing upon their completion. The first ticket will be sold in
December for ridership in 2018.
A maintenance pit is now planned for locomotive servicing. TEX Rail will share the cost
of construction and will share use of the pit for locomotive maintenance.
Cotton Beit Corridor Branding Up-Date
Stewart Colovin and Craig Compagnone of MMGY continue interviews of key
Grapevine leaders, businessmen and citizens for branding information in relation to
Grapevine. Study and interviews will be completed in the coming weeks regarding the
branding of the boutique hotel, plaza, garage and TEX Rail station. Design input is also
underway for the plaza area with plans to accommodate a crowd of 5,000 with niches
Board of Directors Meeting
May 18, 2017
Page 5 of 5
allowing use by smaller groups as well. Shuttle coordination will be headquartered at
the new location. A presentation to City Council is planned for June 19tH
HOTELWATTRACTIONS ACTIVITIES
Mr. Closson reported that DFW's two new international flights from Amsterdam and
Rome have begun.
A new attraction, The Escape Game, has opened at Grapevine Mills with three themes
currently in operation and plans in process for a fourth. Cost is $32 per person.
The mural at Tolbert's is scheduled for completion on Friday, May 19th, during Main
Street Fest.
ADJOURNMENT
Next meeting of the Board will be June 15th. There being no further business to come
before the Board, a motion by Keith Spinden and seconded by Mark Terpening to
adjourn the meeting at 9:43 a.m. prevailed by the following vote:
Ayes: Szymaszek, Terpening, Meek and Spinden
Nays: None
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE GRAPEVINE CONVENTION &VISITORS
BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS ON THIS
15TH DAY OF JUNE, 2017.
PROVED•
e Szymasz
B rd Chair
ATTEST: L^
f& l
Lindy Bell
Assistant to the xecutive Director