HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 01/22/2015 (2) 4000,
• Lodging Tax Advisory
KENT Committee Agenda
WAS H I N G T O N
Mission: Promote the City as a destination
to increase tourism and business development
Committee Members: Tim Higgins, John Casey, Barbara Smith, David Kwok, Andrew
Hutchison, Bill Boyce, Chair
City Staff: Ben Wolters, Julie Pulliam
AGENDA
January 22, 2015
4:00 p.m.
Centennial North & South Conference Rooms
Item Description Action Speaker(sl
1. Approval of the November 20, 2014 Minutes Yes Bill Boyce
Motion: Move to approve the minutes of November 20, 2015.
2. Finance Report No Aaron BeMiller
2014 Year End
• 2015 New Budget
3. Update Website/Branding No Ben Wolters
4. Tourism Website updates and next steps No Ben Wolters
Next Steps
5. Update 43rd Annual Economic Forecast Conference No Ben Wolters
Global Investment & Innovation: Capitalizing on Our Gateway
to the World Held on January 15, 2015, at the Washington
State Convention Center
6. Update Drone Project Bill Ellis
7. Next Meeting Date - March 19, 2015
Unless otherwise noted,the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meets every other Month on the 3rd Thursday at 4:00 p.m. in
Centennial North&South Conference Room,400 West Gowe Street,Kent WA 98032.
For information on the above item(s),contact Julie Pulliam(253)856-5702.
Wednesday,January 21, 2015
Dear Lodging Tax Committee,
Thank you for your consideration, I look forward to the opportunity to join the Lodging Tax Committee
for the City of Kent. I am a resident of Kent and have lived here for almost 10 years, raising 2 children in
this community. I have a vested interest to improve and serve this city.
I have been in the hospitality industry for 20 years. I spent 10 years with Marriott International as a
Housekeeping Manager, Front Office Manager, Food & Beverage Manager and then shifted over to a
role as an Area Account Executive selling for Marriott from Seattle down to Federal Way for our
portfolio in that area. After that I left and pursued a career with a nonprofit and was the Manager,
Group Sales with EMP Museum in Seattle. After that I joined Destination Hotels& Resorts as a National
Sales Manager to help re-launch their Downtown Seattle hotel as an independent boutique style
property named Motif Seattle. I am now honored to be the new General Manager at the TownePlace
Suites Marriott here in Kent. I really am looking forward to being a valuable contributor to this
committee should I be chosen to join.
Thank you again for your consideration.
Kindest regards,
Josh
LODGING TAX OPERATING FUND
As of December 31, 2014
2013 2014 2014 2015 2016
Actual Budget Est Actual Adopted Adopted
Revenues
Lodging Tax 217,618 196,812 242,000 208,060 210,141
Miscellaneous Income 85 50 190 85 85
Total Revenues 217,703 196,862 242,190 208,145 210,226
Expenditures
r�,,�I�' Services &Charges 10,000 10,000
/yam Seattle Southside Visitor Services 60,0
00 60,000 13,520
Tourism Unallocated 10,000 20,000 21,000 80,000 80,000
Tourism Chamber 18,500 18,500 18,500 18,500 18,500
ShoWare Marketing 35,000 60,000 60,000 60,000
Branding Activities 20,000 18,450 20,000 20,000
Total Expenditures 123,500 178,500 71,470 188,500 188,500
Transfers Out - Showare Center Marquee (4,064)
Total Expenditures and Transfers 119,436 178,500 71,470 188,500 188,500
Change in Fund Balance 98,266 18,362 170,720 19,645 21,726
Ending Fund Balance 193,663 212,025 364,383 384,028 405,754
) \ ) \ k Z ch
§ o 0 0 § E \ k
o 0 0 0 & \ \ § ) & ® § G
0 E E E E $
/ k 7 \ m } E E E \ E
■ n ¢ e - - - - -
7 / \ \ / / \
\ c /
_ ■ m m m m m m
CD = ( m ( k =CD \{ } } } {\ ( / ( \ \ \
w
< < < <
/
o
R / -t \ \ � o
0 0 3 0 8 0 CD
g
0 0 0 0 0
o } \ / } /
E
y ± T. [ $ [
f ( \ E E E
co ) o ) § § co
7 0 o / / /
& / ƒ S ƒ g
f 2 § 5 » q
/ cc § \ am
\ ( 2 0
7 § ( 7 k 7 2
\ / [ cl-
\ m k 0
O E
} CD } � q c �
§ � i
m
\ cn
n
a
§ § \ \ \ \
/ 2 / / f /
/ § \ \ / / / f f a
/ / \ 0 o 0 o / 0 / 7
D
/
5 4 2 - J ■
\ } \ \ L a a e \ 5
o
% 0 0 % o § 0 0 § m y
} to
\ \ ( 3 $ 7 Ln
m o o / ) \ \
/ \ A
po m $ /m ■
P W
CD m 0 \ 0 G 0 ° G S :-A2
� \
A $ $ A A 0 ) co E - %
0 0 0 0 0 0 o a �
; ■ « » m
pq
GENESIS MARKETING
RKETIN
full-service advertising agency
on(n& 1iYlwket n5 '(--_)roVo6A
Why is it important to market VisitKent.com online?
• Increase intent to travel
• Increase traffic to website
• Raise awareness of local Kent activities & attractions
• Create interest in the website
• Create new followers for social media
How do we plan on doing this?
• Target the following:
o Lower parts of Canada
o Central Washington
o Spokane and North Idaho
o Portland
o Seattle &Tacoma metro area
• Put together campaigns with the following advertising platforms:
o Facebook
o Google AdWords
o Bing
o YouTube text ads
o Retargeting
What do we expect to accomplish?
• Increased tourism dollars spent in Kent
Logistics:
Totol Monthlyp- • • Committee: $1,725
• $1,500 per month to be spent on the online advertising
• $225 per month for genesis management fee
"Note—Social media advertising requires a credit card to be locked into accounts in order to
advertise. Because of this, we will either need payment in advance OR a tourism credit card. IF
tourism credit card provided, management fee will be invoiced.
psCiS3:'77 11:'„ IS NIq 777 1??5 0 gsm-.sf.qmnrkeling hii.
Prop f kwa 0wpnlb- for I b5it K&IA ONA
ptv"Oe
Hiring Freelance Photographer:
Ross Coyle
Phone 541-515-2070
rosscoyle.media@RmaiI.com
www.rosscovlemedia.com
Why Hire Ross?
• Entice visitors to come back with new and fresh photos
How does he plan to do this?
• Committee will receive 30 photos to review
• Committee will choose out of the 30 photos the 10 best photos to clean up and edit
• Photos the committee will receive each month to review:
o Seasonal Photos to be displayed on main web pages
o Events photos used to enhance Kent Experience Stories
o Photos of Outside Restaurant listings
Monthly • Cost: 41 1
• Ross' Monthly Cost: $350
• Monthly Management Fee for Genesis to Direct: $52.50
• No long-term contract required, can be cancelled at any time with written notice.
• Ross requires payment within 15 days of each month. If this contract is approved we
will invoice immediately.
KBringing the World Home
en
W A S H I N G T 0 N
GENESIS MARKETING
full-service advertising agency
Socd. Proposal
Why is it important to manage social media?
• To keep the brand/website in the mind of consumers
• Increase awareness of the brand/website
• Keep website and pages in a positive light
How do we plan on doing this?
• 1 post weekly to the following social media sites:
o Facebook
o Twitter
o Instagram
o Google +
■ Posts to include photo (where applicable),text, and link back to
visitkent.com (when possible)
• Monitoring & responding to comments and hiding negative comments when necessary
• Additionally,we will share posts from local business and event pages
• Tailored to match blog posts when applicable
What do we expect to accomplish?
• Increase social media likes &followers
• Increase the amount of people that are aware of the website/brand
Logistics:
• Proposal Duration-February 2015-December 2015
C, 5Ci9 777,s120 ja 3kIff.777.1125 * genesismarketing biz
GENESIS MARKETING
full-service advertising agency
Why is it important to maintain your website?
• To keep visitkent.com relevant and up to date
• To establish credibility with search engines through proper use of their algorithms, which
will improve search engine track ability and ranking.
How do we plan on doing this?
• We will research new algorithms used by Google and Bing and edit the site accordingly to
improve crawling and search priority
• Monthly organic search engine optimization
• Receive relevant info about upcoming events from the board members and add to the
website
• Make text and photo changes provided by the writer and photographer
o Note-this is contingent upon approval of future writer and photographer proposals
What do we expect to accomplish?
• Make the website relevant & interesting to visitors giving them the intent to travel to Kent
• Optimize the site for the most efficient crawling on the web within Google
Logistics:
Total costto • IImonthly'
• Hourly rate of$50 to be rounded at 15 the minute time period
• 10 hours a month maximum
• Maximum budget of$500 monthly
• Time period: February 2015 through December 2015
`. Y,09 777 1120 Iffi 51D 777.1125 49 genes=5markating.bi2
Economic Forecast Conference Notes for Mayor Suzette Cooke
January 15, 2015
Good morning everyone. I'm Suzette Cooke, mayor of the City of Kent - our
beautiful state's sixth largest city. And for those of you who don't know, Kent is at
the center of the fourth largest manufacturing and distribution area in the United
States.
As such, Kent has long understood the importance of global trade and investment
for creating jobs. Whether in aerospace, homebuilding, or other industries, Kent
has seen the benefits of overseas companies coming here to invest in our
community.
In fact, the Kent Valley is an economic engine that generates 1/8 of our state's
Gross Domestic Product - to the tune of $49 billion annually.
While that's a surprising fact, what's fascinating is what is actually being
manufactured there.
From the first lunar rover developed at Boeing's space center to the creation of
next-generation rockets at Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, brilliant scientists and engineers
are developing the world's most advanced vehicles in Kent.
Amazon is building a state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Kent which will use
robots, taking product distribution to the next level. The company plans to use
"drone delivery".
And, former NASA scientists at LaserMotive are working on technology to refuel
drones in mid-flight using lasers.
With Kent's concentration of over 50 aerospace companies, it's almost inevitable
we're seeing so much activity melding those necessary skills from one industry to
another.
It's this type of innovative business activity, and Kent's global connections that
makes my community proud to sponsor this Economic Forecast Conference.
With that, I'd like to ask our Economic Forecast panelists to join me on the stage.
Please help me welcome Rob Smith, Editor-in-Chief of the Puget Sound Business
Journal - Rob will moderate the panel.
And Ken Goldstein, Economist with The Conference Board and Chris Mefford,
President and CEO of Community Attributes, Inc.
Thank you! Enjoy the forecast.
ft swod—cr
THINGS TO READ - THINGS TO DO - Search •
December 10,2014
FOOD•DRINK
Kent Is Filled with Delicious IAHuerta
Things from All Over the 405 E Smith St,Kent,253-520-0198,lahuertamarket.eom
World La Huerta is more than a market—it's more like a supermarket.In the fridge in the
back you'll find bags of mesa to make tortillas and tamales,which you can also buy
Where to Find(and What to Do with)Burmese Pickled Tea freshly made from the in-house bakery(as well as assorted pastries).Want to whip up
Leaves, Indian Fox Nuts,and Mexican Tejocote some ponchli(Mexican Christmas punch)?You'll find all the necessary fruits(tejocote,
by NAOMI TOMKY quince,and sugarcane,among others)to do so,as well as mango smoothies graced
with tamarind-encased straws.The cheese department has multiple crema options,
including versions from Mexico,Guatemala,Honduras,and El Salvador.Over at the
full-service meat department,you'll find not only standard cuts but also beef and pork
head;pork feet;meat for tamales,birria(a spicy soup),and barbacoa(pit-cooking);
goat;lamb;quail;Cornish game hens;turkey;rabbit;frog legs;and more(a sign
t a - invites customers to ask if they can't find something).
!� I KMarket
238o5 to4th Ave SE,Kent,253-854-5236,kkmarket.us
It's easy to feel overwhelmed at KK Market.You might find yourself standing
slack jawed at the rainbow of bulk cases of pulses(or dals,as they're known).Or
p -- - perhaps youll be dumbfounded by the sweets at the front counter(I recommend the
v\o� ��AYa(�(/1�•` syrup-soaked gulab jamun or the barfi,which,despite the unappetizing name,is a
C lovely square dessert made from condensed milk).Or maybe you re debating which of
!r''.+M•[r,he., the dozens of varieties of frozen bread(roti,naan,paratha,or chapatti)would go best
with your palak paneer.The rice options include parched(easily digested and
prepared)and samo(small-grain for fasting days),among many others.Or perhaps
N AOMI TO M K v you were just looking for psyllium husk?The friendly gentlemen at the front counter
WHAT KENT HAS TO OFFER Delicious snacks!Well,except for the Unusually Flavoured will be happy to help you find your way,whether ifs to tell you what kuttu ka flour is
Objects.
(buckwheat)or what one might do with fox nuts(roast them).
Seattle's food scene leaves something to be desired. 868 Taste of Europe
These days it's mostly known for its ampersand-laden
bar names,reclaimed-wood tables just feet from 24225 104th Ave SE,Kent,253-852-7737
wood-burning ovens,and Asian cuisine cooked by white guys
whose credentials seem to be based upon having once had a To be clear,the"Europe"to which the store s name refers is the eastern edge,so this is
rowdy week credentials
als see. I--13 not the place to come for French croissants or Swedish meatballs.If you're looking for
yr Tweet dark rye bread from Latvia or Russian pehneni dumplings,however,you re in luck.
But over in Kent,which is less than an hour away,you'll find There's also the famous Kiev cake from the Ukrainian candy company Roshen,which
Burmese pickled tea leaves,Punjabi syrup-soaked you'll find in the cake case,alongside locally made items whose labels appear to have
doughnuts,and Mexican cheese.It's not that you cant find been printed by a home printer(e.g.,"Renata's Bakery,'"Inessa's Cake').The front of
many of these ingredients elsewhere—you could drive to the store features a hot case with various types of dough wrapped around various types
White Center for Cambodian foods,to Bellevue for Russian Illit COMMENTS(14) of meats(which is actually my favorite food group)and a cold case containing a
goods,and to the north end of Roosevelt for Indian spices A PRINT colorful assortment of premade dishes—a bright-purple beet salad,an orange carrot
and pulses.But in Kent,you can find it all—not surprising, +Enlarge this Image slaw,red pickled peppers,and green cucumber spears.The cases don't stop there:
given that 24 percent of its residents were bom in another There's also a sausage case(a case of cased meats,if you will),a fish case,and a case of
country. farmers cheeses.
Kent isn't exactly obscure:It's the states sixth-largest city, Ravi Video and Grocery
home to REI headquarters and hockey fans(the Seattle
Thunderbirds call ShoWare Center home).But thus far,its 236t3 xo4th Ave SE,Kent,253-850 6885
culinary reputation has been tragically underrated.No ------- -- _ —
I wandered into Ravi Video and Grocery,wondering what I might find in an
longer! Indo-Fijian store,only to discover mostly Indian food.I sampled the only product I
Here are some of the most noteworthy markets that deserve your attention. could find that seemed to have been imported from Fiji,and while I'd return to the
store for the mango lassi and the wide selection of South Pacific and Southeast Asian
Asian Planet products,I would recommend that you avoid the"Unusually Flavored Objects:Burger
Flavored Snacks."
24202 tooth Ave SE,Kent,253-854-6800
Although it's a Cambodian-owned store,Asian Planet has a notable selection of Valley Harvest
Burmese foods,including the aforementioned pickled tea leaves.Mix them with 23636 io4th Ave SE,Kent,253-856-8462
bbage,diced tomatoes,and a dressing of lime juice,fish sauce,and garlic oil to
Bate one of the few exceptions to the"no salad is a meal"rule.To round out your Across the street from Ravi you'll find Valley Harvest,an international market with
Burmese meal,pick up some instant fish broth for mohinga,a traditional soup of rice food from all over,in addition to discount produce.That's where I happened to pick up
noodles and fish.Cross over to Laos with frozen yang leaves to make a bamboo soup a bottle of Filipino sinamak I was told it goes well with pork rinds and fried fish,which
a
called kaeng lao.Of course,all of the Cambodian ingredients are here,too,including is convenient since the store has a fish-frying service in its seafood department. g
Sinamak turned out to be the find of the week,a delightfully zingy and spicy fermented
pickled sadao(bitter flowers)and pre-shredded fresh papaya for bok lahong,the o
regional variation of the green papaya salad common on menus at Vietnamese and coconut nectar with garlic and chilies that I plan to pour over everything I eat for the iJ
Thai restaurants. next three weeks.