HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 09/20/2012 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
September 20, 2012
Start Time 4:00 pm
Centennial North & South Conference Rooms
Committee Members Present: Beth Sylves, Barbara Smith, Andrew Hutchinson, David
Kwok, John Casey
Others present: Jamie Perry, Julie Pulliam, Andrea Keikkala, Bob Nachlinger, and
Katherine Kertzman
Chair Perry called the meeting to order at 4 pm.
Chair called for the motion to approve minutes of September 7, 2012. John Casey
moved, Barbara Smith seconded, motion passed.
Reports
KDP Skate America Ask
Barbara Smith noted the kick off was held on Friday tied into the 1st Ave block party
she showed some of promotional materials that have and will be handed out around
town as well as the Skate America schedule. The city has gotten up all the banners.
There are no brackets on Gowe to hang banners. Still looking for a few more places
Katherine Kertzman said she will look at hanging one at Sea Tac by the airport and
possibly also South Center. There are also life size window graphics and pole banners
at ShoWare. Beth Sylves stated Ashley Wagner is the current US champion, on
Tuesday she did KING 5 morning news, was a guest on New Day Northwest, KOMO
radio and KOMO TV.
Beth said Seattle Magazine has a very nice Skate America ad in the September issue
about page 4; it's a great ad and looks wonderful.
The hotels are pretty much full. The Best Western by the Green is not full yet but
expects to be full.
KDP will be having a City Clean-Up day on October 13th meet at the corner of 2nd and
Gowe, everyone welcome. Service clubs and youth groups will be helping and all are
invited to help. The city will also be helping with the clean-up pick-up.
Chamber
Andrea reported Chamber is seeing an uptick in phone calls for Skate America and it
is on the front page of their website so they can help book people into hotels near
ShoWare.
Chamber staff is working with the restaurants to help welcome Skate America.
Business showcase has a Skate America theme this year and so far they have sold 82
booths and sell out is 90; anticipate it will be sold out.
Expanded the Taste of Kent to 13 restaurants instead of 10 focused on Commercial to
showcase Kent and ShoWare Center, we are on the Food Network and decided to
focus all are efforts there to hit our target audience. Last year we had 2000 this year
we are hoping to get 3000 in attendance.
Sport Commission is still in the planning still working to get it up and running.
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Minutes of May 23, 2012
Page: 2
2012 business directories have been printed this is one of the big things in our
contract with Lodging Tax. Distribution will be in December.
Another thing Chamber is trying to bring to Kent is the State Attorney Generals race
we will have TV coverage on it so it will be great for Kent exposure. More to come on
that later.
Seattle Southside
Seattle Southside just launched the fall featured deals, shopping package at Kent
station and Westfield, football fanatic's hotel package and skate America. Seattle
Southside will be spending about $58,000 to promote these package opportunities.
Prepping has begun for a show in October in Mass for military reunion planners as
well as Go West and NTA in Jan of 2013 to target tour operators
The visitor center is up about 20 percent since we recently install new signage
showing way to Seattle Southside Visitor Center from the rental car center at Sea Tac
airport.
SPR report shows occupancy is up 08 percent year to day, total revenue should be up
5.8 as of August. Seattle Southside will be budgeting a 5 percent increase for each of
their cities. (notes attached)
Chair Perry asked where is the planning for the TPA hoteliers meeting? David Kwok
replied he is working on it having some trouble getting some of the hoteliers to return
his calls. Will be working on it by 27t". Perry stated Lodging Tax needs to know what
the vote is to be able to reflect that decision in our 2013-2014 budgets. Cutoff date
is mid October.
ShoWare
Beth Sylves reported that hockey is starting Saturday the 22 of September.
Lynyrd Skynyrd 1500 tickets have been sold. KZOK will have interviews with the
band.
Sept 30the Vision Day for a regional church service will be held at ShoWare and we
should have a lot of foot traffic in Kent.
Oct is Taste of Kent.
A concert event in October
Disney on Ice goes on sale publicly Sept 24, but the preferred sales are 40 percent
already. There will be 9 shows Beth anticipated all to sell out.
Announcing Pandora Love on Ice is returning in January it will be a Friday date this
year. Barry Manilow will be the guest entertainment.
1
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Minutes of May 23, 2012
Page: 3
The circus did pretty good we were down a little bit for this year.
Budget
April numbers has a $15,000 auto recovery out of it. The state has done an audit so
lodging tax will be less with the state taking back $15,000 and returning it to the
hoteliers. It was a 3 year time frame that was audited by the State.
Bob Nachlinger presented the budget year today so far in lodging tax is $100,930.
(budget attached)
Chair Perry will be working with Bob to do a budget proposal coming in November to
this committee. If you have feedback please let her know ahead of time. The Chair
will be emailing a draft of the budget prior to the November meeting.
Chair Perry stated we are out of budget for asks so we will not be doing anymore asks
this year.
Good of the order
Jamie will be sending to the Hoteliers a draft copy of a revised application for the
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Asks, Logo, and Brochure and a copy of the draft
budget.
David Kwok asked if we can have our name on any of their printed materials. We will
look at a logo or brand for Lodging Tax.
Katherine will send us the funding request form that Sea Tac uses as a reference.
Assignments for next meeting
David Kwok will give a report from the hoteliers on the TPA
Lodging Tax Funding Ask form
Budget for 2013-2014
Next Meeting Date — Was set for November 15, 2012
(Committee will meet every other month on the 3rd Thursday of the month 4 pm.)
Adjournment - The meeting was adjourned by Chair Perry at 4:40 p.m.
Julie Pulliam,
Lodging Tax Secretary