City of Lawrence

Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau Advisory Board

Tuesday, November 22, 2005 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Michael Moore, David Longhurst, Brad Kemp, and Maria Martin and Bob Schumm

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Derek Felch, Kate Kelly, Doug Holiday, Constance Wolfe, Ron Desch and Karen Christilles. 

STAFF PRESENT:

Judy Billings, Bob Sanner, Debbie White and Ashlee Roll-Gregory, Susan Henderson, Lisa Patterson

PUBLIC PRESENT:

none

 

The meeting was called to order by Maria Martin. Longhurst moved, Kemp seconded to approve the minutes as presented.  Motion carried.

 

Financial Report

Billings noted that the bed tax is down 40 percent to date, but a final number will not be known until the end of the year. The end-of-the-quarter total is expected to be around $200,000 based on history. However, there might be a slight delay in payments due to the switchover from Brandy to Ashlee at the CVB, which has resulted in a delinquency in online billing. The ADR is up significantly as is REVPar.  There are some expenses from the sports line items as well as the conventions/meetings line items that will appear in next month’s report.

 

Old Business

 

i.                    Proposed Budget for 2006 – The proposed budget for 2006 has been increased $100,000 due to the projected bed tax revenues and based on 2005 collections. Expenses will be monitored carefully so as not to spend more than is collected in 2006. 

 

This increase is reflected in the sports marketing line item to include participation in a gold trade show (as requested by Ron Desch, Holiday Inn Express) for a partnership with  KDOC/Travel & Tourism in international marketing and to increase the general advertising line item.  There is also an increase in the administrative line item to accommodate internships and/or a part-time employee to assist with services to sports events and conventions.

 

New Business

 

i.        The LCVB marketing staff will meet to finalize the 2006 The Destination Marketing Plan  on December 19th.

 

Staff Updates of involvement

 

Susan Henderson reported on a marketing summary from RUF Strategic Solutions. RUF analyzed the visitor database to gather information from the “Stay the Night” campaign.  Previously, RUF provided the LCVB with an extensive study of the LCVB’s database.  The executive summary of that study highlighted the traits regarding Lawrence visitors. This included information such as what TV shows they watch and what types of appliances they own. Most recently, RUF provided detailed maps of specific DMAs and metropolitan areas that showed potential for Lawrence due to a high concentration of target audience residents. For example, a map of Des Moines showed the number of people that match the profile of the LCVB’s target visitor. There was also a map of Iowa that showed, by county, the concentration of would-be Lawrence visitors. This extensive information will make it easier for the LCVB to use its marketing dollars more effectively and target potential visitors more successfully.

 

The LCVB is also promoting Lawrence as a holiday arts and shopping destination through a KC Star holiday E-push. In addition, 2,600 holiday postcards were mailed out to visitors in our database. There is also a special Holiday page on visitlawrence.com.

         

Bob Sanner reported that he is preparing to give the final presentation on the bid to USA Track & Field to host the 2007 Junior Olympics National Cross Country Championships. Sanner reported that he will give a 15 minute presentation and a 15 minute Question & Answer session to sell the event.  Patterson noted that the LCVB needs to keep neighbors informed of developments in the JOXC07.

 

Sanner mentioned the survey that was sent out to Downtown businesses regarding the cycling event that is returning in May. The survey was sent to determine if the cycling event should be held on a Friday or Sunday. That this point most people think that the event will be held on Sunday. The Downtown survey will shape most of what will happen with the event. Billings noted that the LCVB wants to do what is necessary so that they event can come back next year.

 

KRPA Annual Conference was interested in coming to Lawrence in 2008. Doug Vance told Bob that the personal touch from the LCVB was awesome. However, the conference selected Hutchinson because the conference is growing and they needed more hotel rooms (220) and 15,000sf of contiguous meeting space and Lawrence could only offer 9,000sf. This prompted the question of how many other conferences are outgrowing Lawrence.  Most agreed that Lawrence has a lot of hotel rooms throughout the city, but it is hard to find a single venue that can hold a large group. Billings noted that in her years at the LCVB there were only a handful of conventions that had outgrown the Lawrence convention space.  Sanner then mentioned that on a daily basis, the spring/fall total for meetings was no worse than last year. 

 

          Ashlee Roll-Gregory reported that monthly users on visitlawrence.com had increased 195% from 11/05, in addition daily use had increased 195% from 11/05. The number of reservations made on the online booking site had increase 291% from 11/05, and the number of reservations stayed had increased 185% from November of last year.

 

Debbie White, reported that the state travel information centers were now charging to display brochures. Therefore, our visitors guide and John Brown brochures would now be displayed at our expense. White also noted that the total number of visitors at the Visitors Center, was up 1% for the month.  She also noted that visitors were still coming in from out-of-state.

 

          Judy Billings, reported on her testimony before the House Committee on November 10th. Billings noted that the process is political and hard to determine when the bill will pass but that she would continue working behind the scenes to pass the bill. for federal designation as a heritage area.

 

Meeting Adjourned

 

Future Meetings

         

January 2006, SpringHill Suites