HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 10/26/2015 i
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LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES
OCTOBER 26, 2015
Attending Committee Members: Chair Bill Boyce, Tim Higgins, John Casey, Josh
Bang and Andrew Hutchison.
Attending City Staff: Ben Wolters, Julie Pulliam, Michelle Wilmot
Guests: Andrea Keikkala
Call to Order
Chair Boyce called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm.
Changes to the Agenda: None
1. Approval of Minutes
Casey MOVED and Bang SECONDED a Motion to Approve the Minutes of
September 14, 2015. Motion PASSED 5-0.
2. Budget
Ben Wolters projecting year end fund balance just over $300,000. Tourism
unallocated funds, might have some left over funds available. Wolters stated it
would be helpful for the committee to collectively think about how to proactively
spend the funds, as well as how to expand the marketing outreach to get the word
out about Kent.
3. Campaign Update
Mary Kae Repp - good news the first group of ads we had 1,400 new likes from
October 1st through October 11th. Online marketing is working. With the commercial
there is no link that people can click on to bring them to Kent's home page, they
have to type in the web page address, this is showing that they are looking for the
website from seeing the commercial. Josh Bang talked to his co-hoteliers in
Portland and they were surprised we have a commercial playing.
There is still some funding in marketing available for another commercial. Mary
Kae suggested there be different ads that rotates with the current one and be
placed on Comcast, consisting of both people talking & just text and music in the
ads. Mary Kae stated there were 2 ads purchased and only 1 was used. They could
add a new advertisement at no cost which could be rotated with the current ad.
There have been 2033 new users for the time period of October 19, 2015 through
October 25, 2015. Michelle Wilmot has received emails from Portland TV station
wanting to know who does our marketing ads. She will forward the emails to Mary
Kae.
The TV and Radio campaign will continue up to the Super bowl and online will run
through the end of February
3. ShoWare Update
Tim Higgins stated since August 1, 2015 about 70 thousand people have come
through the building, 50 events, 6 concerts, and 5 hockey games. Frozen, Disney
on Ice about 50 thousand people with 6 days & 13 shows. ShoWare is doing great!
4. Julie will do a Doodle Poll to see what date in December will work for the
committee. Staring January 2016 the meetings will be the 2nd Tuesday of
the month
Adjournment
Chair Boyce adjourned the meeting at 5:00 P.M.
Julie Pulliam, Secretary,
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
ECDC Minutes
October 12,2015
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