HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 11/09/2023 (2) Approved
Lodging Tax Advisory
KENT Committee
Lodging Tax Advisory
Committee-Regular Meeting
Minutes
November 9, 2023
Date: November 9, 2023
Time: 4:10 p.m.
Place: Centennial North and South
Members: Bill Boyce, Chair
Burl Battersby,
Gaila Haas,
Tim Higgins,
Andrew Hutchison,
David Kwok,
Agenda:
1. Call to Order 4:10 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Bill Boyce Chair Present
Burl Battersby Present
Gaila Haas Present
Tim Higgins Present
Andrew Hutchison Present
David Kwok Present
3. Agenda Approval
4. Business
A. Approval of Minutes
1. Approval of Minutes dated May 11, 2023
MOTION: Move to approve the Minutes dated May 11, 2023
RES LU T: APPROVED [5 TO 1]
MOVER: David Kwok
SECONDER: Gaila Haas
AYES: Boyce, Haas, Higgins, Hutchison, Kwok
NAYS: Battersby
B. Review of Available Budget and Revenue Trends
Shane Sorenson, from Finance offers an overview of funds available to grant
and summarizes the trends in lodging tax revenue for 2023. Because we are
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Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax November 9, 2023
Advisory Committee-Regular Meeting Kent, Washington
Minutes
tracking slightly below budget, and because there are known obligations
pending, Finance has added an additional 80K from LTAC reserves the funds
available for the remainder of this year.
C. Sponsored Event Report Out: NRHA Northwest Nationals
John Ramsey, marketing specialist for Pacific Raceways, talked about what
he was able to do with a last minute contribution from LTAC for this
Summer's NHRA Nationals competition, and what he hopes to accomplish
with a 2nd grant, should he be awarded one, for the 2024 event.
Though only the finals race on Sunday is nationally televised, the NHRA
nationals is really a weekend long affair, with events for drivers and fans
beginning Friday, and qualifying races occurring Saturday, with some local
and niche cable coverage of those. The 35K in support from LTAC for the 1
million plus event budget, enabled its organizers to get the City of Kent's
name in front of 1.247 television viewers, and nearly 26,000 3 day
admissions packages sold.
Of those, nearly half were from out state and some 6800 were from out if the
country (which was likely Canada). So for next year, organizers would like to
start earlier and work with our local hoteliers on ticket packages, offering
discounted tickets along with bookings in Kent located hotels, and to foster
that relationship so that fans who attend other events held at the track also
receive information and incentives to stay and play in Kent.
They also want to improve the on location advertising media related to Kent
and its businesses, to be more telegenic, as they had noticed that some of
the 2023 didn't show up that well on TV.
D. Sponsored Event Report Out: Taste of Kent/Taste of Community
Christina Arokiasamy spoke before the committee about her Taste of
Kent/Taste of Community event series for which she received an LTAC grant
of 10,000 last spring.
She explained that this idea, which grew from shopping tours she has always
offered to her cooking classes, has been building momentum for her over the
past 20 years, but that the circumstances of the pandemic and its impacts on
the merchants she shops from brought new urgency to her plans to expand
its reach and scope. Her recent activities have attracted interest from the
New York Times, CNN and Sunset Magazine to name a few.
The LTAC supported tours this fall were all completely sold out and she has
planned six more tours for 2024. She has also undertaken a complete
overhaul and move to a more robust platform for her website. She will use
this improved interactivity and capacity to showcase the array of restaurants
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Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax November 9, 2023
Advisory Committee-Regular Meeting Kent, Washington
Minutes
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and merchants in Kent, and even build in the ability for them to engage in
online orders for prepared take-out or web sales and shipping for their
specialty ingredients and other wares.
She shared highlights of the tours from her website, two write-ups of local
restaurateurs who overcame significant barriers in establishing their
businesses, and discussed how very much is wrapped up in their successes.
Ms. Arokiasamy is seeking a 2nd LTAC grant to support her plans for 2024
and bring additional media attention and especially more customers to its
incredible restaurants and shops.
E. Lodging Tax Grant Awards - Authorize
MOTION: I move to authorize awarding grant funds recommended by
the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee at funding levels for
applications submitted during the Fall 2023 grant application cycle.
RESULT: PULLED Next: 11/30/2023 4:00 PM
S. Adjournment 5:35 p.m.
With time running out before members have to leave, Committee Chair Bill
Boyce makes the decision to table all discussion of new grant applications
until the meeting scheduled for November 30.
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Committee Secretary
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