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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 08/15/2013 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee August 15, 2013 Start Time 4:00 pm Centennial Conference Room #402 Committee Members Present: David Kwok, Andrew Hutchison, Barbara Smith, Others present: Ben Wolters, Julie Pulliam, Bob Nachlinger, Josh Hall, Tim Higgins, and Ryan Hart Staff Ben Wolters called the meeting to order at 4:07 pm for Chair Jamie Perry. Introductions were done. A motion to approve the minutes was not done due to not having a quorum New Business — Seattle Southside Ben Wolters asked the questions to the committee 1. Do we want to seek a different but continuing relationship from Seattle Southside? • His interpret is yes, and if so, what services and at the reduced budget level, what do we want to purchase? Katherin sent a list of items and ideas (which was provided to the committee) • Items Wolters has heard from the committee they would like to keep are: 1. Being in the vacation planner 2. Having support going after certain events (Seattle Southside wants to keep a relationship with ShoWare center) possible budget set aside to work with ShoWare to go after certain events. Barbara Smith asked if the list from Seattle Southside would be sent to all the Hotels in Kent. Smith had received a call from Hawthorn they were upset they would not be able to bid on any groups brought in regardless of if they are in Kent, Tukwila, and SeaTac if not with Seattle Southside. Wolters responded he will have to learn more about that and he thought the owner ship group which bought Hawthorn Suites owns other properties connected with Southside. Wolters asked Andrew Hutchison if he knew, he responded he did not think so. They have properties in other states. Wolters asked what does it mean to be excluded? Hutchison said they have received the RFP's over his 7 years but have never booked one group from them. Hutchinson said he feels Seattle Southside has done just what they have been asked to do but that it has not helped his hotel Best Western Plaza by the Green in Kent. Hutchison is more in favorite of whatever direction the City would like to go to promote Kent and ShoWare Center to get events to come to Kent. Hutchison said he gets more bookings from events that happen in Kent and at ShoWare because his hotel is convenient for the visitors. Wolters will email out to the Hoteliers what the services from Seattle Southside are and ask the hoteliers choose which are useful to their hotel. Then Wolters will go back to Katherin (Seattle Southside) and negotiate a new contract at a reduced $60,000 and it may be less than that depending on what the hoteliers say their needs are. Wolters stated Des Moines is a member but they only pay $10,000. Seattle Southside is an office of the City of Tukwila and she reports to Derek Speck. Ben and Derek had a conversation and Tukwila understands why Kent is making this transition. Kent is only 8% of the Seattle Southside budget which is part of the continued lack of focus on Kent. Wolters still sees some value in Seattle Southside but will look to the hoteliers for their input. Barbara Smith responded it may be helpful to give them a time to respond, so they will have a limit time to respond. Wolters asked if Hutchison will share with any of the other hoteliers. What does the future with Seattle Southside will look, Wolters will be looking for guidance from what ShoWare needs as well as the regional Seattle Sports Commission which is the nexus in Seattle Southside thoughts for the future. Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Minutes of August 15, 2013 Page: 2 Branding Nachlinger was interested in the multiple efforts in the community on branding. Smith asked if you are talking about the Chambers breakfast with Dennis Higgins speaking. Smith said she was unaware of it. It is a Chamber event at Down-home Catering at 7:30 am on Friday. Lodging Tax Advisory Committee has an interest in Branding and some of the members have listen to one proposal from one company already(Genesis). Barbara has been able to get another company to come for a meeting on branding in August. They will be here at 6 pm next Thurs to give their presentation and answer questions, their cost we have been given is between $11 and $15 thousand. Smith thinks they are well worth hearing from them. Wolters said the value for this committee is to be inform what the options are which will help us determine how to go forward. Wolters stated with so many different needs within the community and Economic Development the best way to do this is to get a common brand then you can slice different characteristics which are needed. Barbara Smith wanted to announce the AnrettMuldrow will be holding a meeting at 6 pm on August 22. Lodging Tax Budget Report Bob Nachlinger reported that July was a good month (which was May's intake) up over 130/0 over the previous year and the charts show trending closely to 2008. Year to date is trending back to the 2008 number. Nachlinger said he is anticipating approximately $195+ in lodging tax this year. Kent Downtown Report Barbara Smith reported that KDP has been busy with Main St Program, State Wide Convention, and getting ready for the KDP's main fund raiser the dinner auction. KDP's next event is the Car show. All on the same day downtown there will be the 1st Ave Businesses block party, Farmer Market and KDP's Car show. Smith is part of the Right Size Parking Project which the City received a grant to study the parking. What do we want and don't we have for parking? The next several months we will have a report back. KDP Economic Development meeting will focus on what can be done with the empty storefronts. KDP is also working on bringing a speaker in October someone who specializes in talking to property owners which will help get some improvement from the property owner's downtown. Hanging baskets will be up until mid September. Thunderbird banners will begin to be switched out with the new ones, lot of things going on. Chamber Report - None Good of the order — Nothing Assignments for next meeting - None Next Regular Meeting Date — October 17, 2013 (Committee will meet every other month on the 3rd Thursday of the month 4 pm.) Next Branding Presentation Meeting - Arnett Muldrow Associates will be held on August 22, 2013 at 6 pm, in Centennial North and South. Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Minutes of August 15, 2013 Page: 3 Adiournment - The meeting was adjourned by Staff Josh Hall at 5:50 p.m. Julie Pulliam, Lodging Tax Secretary a✓