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Home My WebLink About2018-11-15 Regular Meeting CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS GRAPEVINE CONVENTION &VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, November 15, 2018 —8:00 a.m. CVB Headquarters 636 S. Main Street Grapevine, Texas AGENDA 1 CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3. LIAISON UPDATES A. HERITAGE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES B. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTIVITIES 4. SALES & MARKETING REPORT 5. OLD BUSINESS A. GRANTS IN AID REQUEST i. MELANGE MUSICAL B. CHRISTMAS CAPITAL OF TEXAS UP-DATE C. GRAPEVINE VINTAGE RAILROAD UP-DATE D. DON BIGBIE AWARD NOMINATIONS 6. NEW BUSINESS A. TRINITY METRO/TEXRAIL INAUGURAL EVENT 7. HOTELS /ATTRACTIONS /ACTIVITIES 8. 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 9TH DAY OF NOVEMBER,2018 BY 5:00 P.M. ).<j {ine", ffVAL l441y Bell Assistant to the 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, November 15, 2018 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 Mark Terpening Cynthia Blankenship Dan Weinberger Keith Spinden Debi Meek Sharron Rogers Board Member - Chair Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Alternate Board Member Council Liaison Constituting a quorum, with the following liaisons and staff members present: Theresa Mason Balla Wright Paul W. McCallum Brady Closson Lindy Bell Absent: Iain Scouller CALL TO ORDER Chamber of Commerce Liaison Heritage Foundation Liaison Executive Director Managing Director, Sales/Marketing Assistant to the Executive Director Board Member Board Chair, Joe Szymaszek, called the meeting to order at 8:01 a.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion was made by Dan Weinberger, seconded by Keith Spinden to approve minutes from the October 18, 2018 meeting. Motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Szymaszek, Terpening, Weinberger, Blankenship, Spinden, Meek Nays: None Board of Directors Meeting November 15, 2018 Page 2of6 LIAISON UPDATES Heritage Foundation Activities Balla Wright provided the report for the Heritage Foundation. The Candlelight Tour of Homes, Saturday, November 3, welcomed over 300 attendees. The Heritage Foundation's "Annual Meeting of the Membership" was held at Nash Farm with a Field Hands supper served. Ken and Anne Murray were recognized for their generosity through the years of sharing their horses for events at Nash Farm. Nash Farm The October 19 Barn Dance was a success with 125 in attendance. The following day, Fall Round Up welcomed nice weather and a large crowd. November's First Friday featured "Farm Animals" with 281 attendees. Chamber of Commerce Theresa Mason reported that the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce's monthly luncheon is today. Related to Veterans Day, the speaker will present "Carry The Load." The luncheon is sponsored by Bank of the West. The Chamber made its annual presentation to Grapevine City Council Tuesday, November 6. The 26th Annual Chili Cook Off is scheduled for this evening at Classic Chevrolet from 5:30 to 7:30. The North Texas Employer Health Plan Cooperative for small businesses with 2-50 employees is now available in 22 counties in North Texas. There are several plan options available. Of the 128 Chambers in the area, 28 are confirmed and 15 have it under consideration. The Chamber building remodel and expansion is moving forward. Trinity Commercial Construction was selected by the Board to perform Phase 1: Concept, Design and Budget. A Finance Committee is to be appointed to determine financing options to submit to the Board for approval. Upcoming events include Parade of Lights Thursday, December 6; Chamber's Christmas open house at Frost Bank, Thursday, December 13; and January 24, 2019 Annual Grapevine Community Awards banquet at Hilton DFW Lakes. SALES & MARKETING REPORT Mr. Closson reported that for October, the Convention and Leisure Sales team had 141 sales leads sourced to stakeholder hotels with 190,000 potential room nights and a potential economic impact of $96 million. 25 groups were booked representing almost 20,000 room nights with an economic impact of $14 million. There were nine site inspections representing approximately 7,800 potential room nights and $3.8 million in potential economic impact Board of Directors Meeting November 15, 2018 Page 3 of 6 The Visitor Information Center, Settlement to City and Depot welcomed almost 6,600 guests in October. Approximately 37,000 brochures were distributed locally, statewide and nationally. Destination Services assisted six conventions representing 6,200 attendees with potential economic impact of $5 million. Grapevine Visitor Shuttle ridership for October was approximately 2,700 riders. The Convention Center, Palace Arts Center and Concourse hosted a combined 79 events with 12,000 in attendance and an anticipated economic impact of $431,000. The Grapevine Vintage Railroad had 15 excursions in October with a total ridership of approximately 2,800. The website welcomed approximately 154,000 total visitors in October with 112;000 unique visitors. Top pages visited were Christmas Capital of Texas/North Pole Express, Grapevine Vintage Railroad and Christmas Capital of Texas. There were 10 print consumer publication insertions with a total print circulation of 288,000. On-line consumer advertising generated 2.9 million impressions while on-line trade advertising generated 40,000 impressions for a total 2.945 million for the month. Total impressions and circulation totaled 3.2 million. Communications produced six press releases. No action was taken by the Board. Mr. Closson provided an up -date on IMEX America in Las Vegas with over 12,000 attendees. 24 one-on-one appointments were conducted yielding two strong RFP's representing a potential of 4,400 room nights and $2.9 million in economic impact. Over 200 planners attended the reception hosted by Grapevine and Arlington. No action was taken by the Board. OLD BUSINESS Grants In Aid Request The Grants in Aid request from Melange Musical was discussed. Mr. McCallum relayed information from Board Member Iain Scouller regarding the one and a half hour meeting he had with Melange Director Susanna Hilliard. Board of Directors Meeting November 15, 2018 Page 4 of 6 The group has implemented several of Mr. Scouller's marketing suggestions resulting in a significant attendance increase to 61 attendees at their November 11 concert. Based on their receptiveness and successful results, Mr. Scouller recommended approval of their Grant request of $3,350 with $500 to be earmarked especially for marketing their next two concerts. Motion was made by Cynthia Blankenship, seconded by Mark Terpening to approve Melange Musical's Grants in Aid request. Motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Szymaszek, Terpening, Weinberger, Blankenship, Spinden, Meek Nays: None Christmas Capital of Texas Up -Date Mr. McCallum reported on numerous events and highlights of the upcoming Christmas season. Events and features include Gaylord's ICE! Rudolph the Red -Nosed Reindeer exhibit, Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge, Hometown Christmas exhibition in Grapevine's Tower Gallery, multiple live performances and classic Christmas movies at the Palace Theatre and many others. New decorations include three large trumpeted angels on the Foust Event Center grounds, the large seated Santa, fully repainted complimentarily by DFW Collision as a thank you for the City's Christmas efforts and icicle lights on Main Street a result of an Icicle Light Grant program coordinated by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Cynthia Blankenship and Theresa Mason leave the meeting at 8:51 a.m. Grapevine Vintage Railroad Up -Date Mr. McCallum reported that the two FI -9M surplus locomotives will be in motion this next week as necessary repair work to make them road worthy has been completed in Connecticut. Their arrival is anticipated in the next two weeks. One of the train coaches bought previously from Connecticut's surplus is being utilized during North Pole Express. Additionally, an announcement will be made by Mayor Tate at the Tom T. Turkey pardoning event Tuesday that additional North Pole Express tickets will be going on sale immediately following his announcement. Additional excursions and the new coach being added have resulted in more seats. Tickets are anticipated to go on sale at 11:59 a.m. Tuesday, November 20. Don Bigbie Award Nominations Nominations were accepted for the 2019 Legends of Grapevine Tourism & Hospitality Award created in honor of Don Bigbie. Bill Davis, the individual responsible for bringing the Tarantula Express train to Grapevine in 1996, was nominated by Mr. McCallum in recognition of his significant contribution to the Grapevine brand. The train, an integral Board of Directors Meeting November 15, 2018 Page 5 of 6 part of Grapevine's history is still a significant tourist attraction today. Motion was made by Cynthia Blankenship, seconded by Dan Weinberger to approve Bill Davis as the 2019 award recipient. Motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Szymaszek, Terpening, Weinberger, Blankenship, Spinden, Meek Nays: None NEW BUSINESS Trinity MetrolTexRail Inaugural Event Mr. McCallum informed the Board that there will be an inaugural event and ribbon cutting for Grapevine Station on December 31, 2018. Approximately 50 Grapevine attendees along with attendees with a Golden Ticket from Fort Worth and North Richland Hills will ride from Grapevine to a large event at DFW. The event will start at approximately 10:00 a.m. The first official train will leave Fort Worth at 2:35 a.m. January 2, 2019. All rides will be free for the next two weeks. No action was taken by the Board. HOTELS/ATTRACTIONS ACTIVITIES Peace Circle Project Mr. McCallum introduced the Peace Circle project, a series of sculptures that will be placed at the entry of the Plaza at Grapevine Main. There will be eleven life size plus 25% figures representing ten Indian nations and General Sam Houston who came together in 1843 to sign the Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Linda Lewis, Grapevine's Artist in Residence, is coordinating the project as well as performing artistic design. Sculpting is to begin during the winter of 2018 with an anticipated 34 months to complete. Funding is being supplied by the Public Art Fund and supplemented by the Convention & Visitors Bureau. Keith Spinden left the meeting at 9:35 a.m. Mr. Closson reported that renovations continue at Great Wolf Lodge, Hyatt Regency DFW and renovations at Embassy Suites by Hilton has only three floors remaining. Work progresses on the completion of Peppa Pig's World of Play. Re:defined Coffee House is now open in its new location on Northwest Highway. The Grapevine Wine Festival being coordinated out of Homestead Winery is scheduled for this weekend. No action was taken by the Board Board of Directors Meeting November 15, 2018 Page 6 of 6 Cynthia Blankenship invited Board members to a Bank of the West open house at their home on December 15. ADJOURNMENT Next meeting of the Board will be Tuesday, December 11, 2018 for the annual combined City Council and Convention & Visitors Bureau Board meeting. There being no further business to come before the Board, a motion was made by Dan Weinberger and seconded by Mark Terpening to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 a.m. Motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes: Szymaszek, Terpening, Weinberger, Meek Nays: None PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE GRAPEVINE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS ON THIS 11TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2018. APPROVED: Joe zymaszek ' Bo` rd� Member - Chair ATTEST: �J :'- Lindy lJell Assistant to a Executive Director