HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 08/02/2012 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
August 2, 2012
Start Time 4:00 pm
Centennial North & South Conference Rooms
Committee Members Present: Jamie Perry Chair, David Kwok, Beth Sylves, John
Casey, Barbara Smith
Others present: Julie Pulliam
Chair Jamie Perry called the meeting to order at 4:03 pm and skipped the approval of
minutes and move on to Reports;
Chair Perry called for a motion to approve minutes, Beth Sylves moved, Barbara
Smith seconded, motion passed.
Report Skate America
Barbara Smith of KDP shared Lodging Tax granted $10,000 to Skate America for
marketing of the event happening in Ken, October 2012. Skate America's budget for
advertising/promotion is $150,000 the Lodging Tax $10,000 is just a portion of the
$150,000 budget. Here are some of the items that the budget will be used for 20
billboards plus bonus boards, TV buys with KOMO, radio talk shows such as WARM
who will promote contests, commercials and on-line interviews with some of the
skaters. In September an ad will be in the Seattle magazine, August 10th a reception
hosted to view the Today Show live about a surprise skater that will be participation
in the Olympic trials. September 14 hosting a kick off of Skate America downtown
Kent with a block party, Seattle Times will be attending. Ashley Wagner will be
coming early for Skate America which is the Olympic trials, and she will be available
to sign autographs. Also working with the Mariners, Seahawks and Seattle Sounder
to showcase the event at their games Ashley Wagner will also throw the first pitch at
the Mariner's game. There will also be TV ads on Comcast as well as 50 ads in Kent
and Federal Way newspaper, 50 ads in Issaquah, Redmond and Woodinville
newspaper.
This focus is on bringing outside people in; that is how we put heads in beds. Skate
America will bring in over 15,000 spectators over the weekend. It will be nationally
broadcasted on NBC to Canada, Japan, Korea, Russia and other European countries.
Also Regional and National International print journal and photography journalist will
be here. The Figure Skating Association has approx 180,000 members just in this
general area.
Beth Sylves stated the event is Friday, Saturday and Sunday but practice is on
Thursday that means people who have bought the all session passes will be coming in
to stay on Wednesday and staying through Monday, roughly 1200 all session passes
have already been sold. As of last week the Plaza by the Green is already 1/2 way full,
38 tickets have been purchased from Japan, over 50 for Canada and 27 other misc
tickets have been sold so far. All session passes 60% have been purchased from the
state of Washington, 40% from other states and countries. Session ends at 8 pm on
Sunday.
Smith noted with this event we are also auditioning for other events, we want Kent to
look good. Skate America said one way is with lots of signage. Should we get the
15,000 spectators for that week, we need to figure out how to move them around;
some of the hotels don't have shuttle service. Barb Smith of KDP has been looking
into a shuttle service that would leave and return to the hotels via ShoWare, Kent
Station and Downtown Kent. This would help hoteliers move their guests; a lot of
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Minutes of May 23, 2012
Page: 2
people may not have cars. Another things was to get banner over our streets, we
have approximately 17,000 people who travel up and down James Street each day. If
we can get approval we would want to put banners across James, Smith, Central and
Willis which would talk about Skate America with the wording of Olympia trials
somehow included.
David Kwok had some question of where the $10,000 went to Skate America. Beth
Sylves reported that it is going to Skate America to help cover marketing. There
budget is an overall $150,000 worth of marketing. The $10,000 is just a portion of
the $150,000. David also wanted to know is the $8,000 for trolleys & banners on top
of the $10,000; is that correct? Barb Smith replied that is correct. David asked
about the Duck in Seattle. Barb replied to it focused on downtown Seattle and is a
land/water attraction. Trolleys would do the same thing here without the water
feature. The goal is to transport the visitors from hotel to venue then to the business
and back to the hotels, only Kent hotels. David said he has contacted a couple of
companies with Town cars and let them know an event is coming and they will be
stationed at the Hampton Inn from 7 am -7 pm each night and they will be available
for transportation. This is one way to service the guest without getting involved with
the set up, insurance and everything that goes with hiring transportation. Beth
Sylves said the town car choice is a good idea but feels there is still a need for the
trolley service.
Chair Perry asked if there are any other people that want to contribute with this.
Barb Smith said she has not gone out to ask that question yet. Also there are so
many other things that we want to do, we would like lights for downtown, red, white
and blue flowers for downtown as well as some town square plaza activities. That
means we will need cleanup crew for that so will be going to the Service Clubs to help
organize that. Kent Lions came up as a club to ask to help with the plaza since they
are so familiar with it. There are just a lot of things we need to do as well as trolleys
and banners.
Chair Jamie Perry stated this would be a huge benefit to Kent Station if the trolley
was stopping there and that they would be a good partner. Have they been asked?
Barbara Smith stated that the downtown business don't have any money to
contribute. Laura from Skate America will be providing around 200 window clings,
posters and some small banners to be placed in the windows of the downtown
merchants.
Barb Smith remarked that Starbucks came to the KDP morning meeting and
suggested T-shirts for all the business, There would be some costs that some of the
merchants will be putting out.
David Kwok asked about the t-shirts what kind of price are they; Barb did not have
that figure. He felt that would be a good idea and a pretty cheap investment for
advertising. Beth said Laura from Skate America is also going to have some buttons
produced for advertisement.
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Minutes of May 23, 2012
Page: 3
Beth Sylves was contracted by Laura from Skate America and she would love all the
promotion to be in place By September 14 for the kick off.
John Casey asked if the $8,000 includes the cost of the trolleys. Barb Smith replied,
it is an estimate and not just for the trolleys it is everything on the sheet (attached)
including the banners. At this point we are just not sure. What research that has
been done shows to lease a trolley it would be $3,000 for a month from a Washington
company. It would consist of two trolleys and two drivers. Barbara will get more
information and come back she made it clear she is not looking for an open check
from Lodging Tax.
Barbara reaffirmed the trolleys would be offered to all hotels and for anyone who
wanted to ride it not just Skate America ticket holders. It will only be on a route no
side trips.
Chair Perry asks if the committee wanted to proceed with the banners as described so
they can be ordered. Julie Pulliam asked for clarity; what is the total of the KDP ask,
is it $8,000? Is that for trolleys and banners? Barb Smith from KDP answered yes.
John Casey asked if that money is going to KDP but Barb would want to have the
Lodging Tax do a vote via email if the committee feels the ask is reasonable after she
gets a cost.
Chair Jamie Perry said that we could do a motion saying up to......
Perry inquired if we can have an email meeting for the motion on the ask. She also
did some research and the banners are a permissible use of Lodging Tax funds.
Flowers are not. Not sure about the transportation, Pulliam will check with the City
Attorney with that question.
Pulliam asked if the committee would like to do two different asks one for banners
and one for the transportation. Barb Smith said that would be a great idea.
The banners will be placed at all of Kent's gateways. Approx 30 feet by 3 feet high.
Barbara said the banners are not expensive it is the hardware to hang them. Cost
$150, $200 or more depending on the width and the hardware. We will get the
research done and come back with the cost. What we are looking for is authorization
to proceed.
Perry asked, is the issue here you are wanting or looking for to authorization from the
committee to get bids. Barbara Smith responded ye
s.
David Kwok asked what the estimate for banners is. Barb Smith said the hardware is
approx $24 each side of the banners, $50-$200 or 6 large banners around $1500 pole
banners approximately $9 a piece. We have brackets all over town and would like to
have more than just downtown and use the already existing pole banner
bracket/hardware.
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Minutes of May 23, 2012
Page: 4
Perry asked if anyone is opposed to funding banners? The Committee is for the
purchase of banners. Let's get the bid circulate by email and if we need to have a
short meeting we can.
Chair Jamie Perry asked for the bids and the design and layout from Barbara Smith.
Beth Sylves asked if the same sort of procedure can be done the same way with the
transportation ask. Perry responded yes.
Pulliam suggested the Sr. Center shuttles would maybe be able to be used? Maybe it
would only be need to purchase signage for the shuttles. Smith will check into it.
Perry did not ask for a motion. Just let committee know that they will receive
something in their email boxes. And we will send out the estimate from KDP.
Good of the order — Nothing
Next Meeting Date — Was tentative set for September 20, 2012.
(Committee will meet every other month on the 3rd Thursday of the month 4 pm.)
Adjournment - The meeting was adjourned by Chair Jamie Perry at 5:00 p.m.
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2J e Pulliam,
odging Tax Secretary