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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.min.011602 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING coMMISSION MINUTES OF JANUARY 16, 2002 Chairperson Jon BUsch called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. In attendance were Eric Cohen, Bill Dinsmoor, Charles Kennedy, Andrew Kole, John Starr and Terry Butler. PARKS & RECREATION FACILITY - MARKETING Tim Anderson, Reci'eation Director said the goal is to share marketing with the community and organizations throughout town. In order to market there is a need to bring the boards and community together. The "Vision" is to market and utilize the facilities to the maximum. Tim Anderson and Clem Cleveland from the Parks Department gave a power point presentation of the new facilities of the City that will be marketed. Clem said groups that come to the hotels will be focused on to promote the new golf course and other city facilities. One focus will be on tournaments. Clem said their intent is to enhance the guest experience. Tim said facility scheduling is critical and event coordination needs to be smooth and suCcessful. The idea is to bring guests back. When events are brought here, money is spent. How do we get the Community involved and how do we all win with coordination? Tim said his team feels advanced marketing is key to making an event work. Clem said one goal is to bring people into town. Our events do book rooms and sent patrons to town. They are working on parmerships with the different stores in town. Clem said most event goers are middle income and looking for package deals. Tim informed the board that 50% of the users in recreation centers are guests. Families like the use of different facilities. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF JANUARY 16, 2002 Tim discussed the future direction. The Smart card will be Used within the department. Demographic information Will be handed out. Informational CD's will talk about Aspen and the Parks and Recreation facilities. Davos has a smart card in whiCh you can use for mass transit. Clem said he is working on flexibility with hotels in order to identify the rates in a brochure. Andrew asked about the marketing budget and Tim said he uses the existing budget in Parks and Recreation which is under $100,000. Clem Cleveland will be heading up the marketing. Andrew said Tim identified the family friendly marketing which is a good focus in bringing families to town. Andrew suggested contacting a media partner for promotions of their facilities. Charles asked if the marketing strategy is including Glenwood Springs etc.? Clem said during the Xgames, individuals have reservations as far down as Glenwood Springs. Clem said we would rather have tournament guests centrally staying here due to award presentations, dinners etc. Tim said he has booked rooms at $100. to $125. a night for groups and that seems doable for people. Clem said he can work on the rate reductions for the city tournaments but Colorado Gol£works on a block rate rather than an individual rate. Clem said with working with central reservations it is still the high end hotels that are recommended. In the past SRA has come back with lower rates. Terry said she has had $99. rates on the shoulder and so has the Little Nell. Andrew said it has to deal with coordination, getting rooms. There is a need for someone to take control. 2 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF JANUARY 16, 2002 Bill said getting information out prior to coming here is very important. Bill asked Clem how much money it would cost to staff a coordinator. Clem said if he had to d° it himself it would be a three-person job because he has ice-skating, golf, recreation center, tennis, and Nordic to market. Andrew said maybe SAS shoUld get funding frOm the city and they could be the coordinator source. Charles said the presentation shows the passion of the Parks and Recreation Departments in their effort to make the facility successful. Tim said people have gotten the idea that Aspen is not affordable. John said the Recreation and Parks Department are "customers" for a coordinator. Where do we go from here? Possibly the ACRA should be the source. Jon said we need to talk to ACRA and we need their support. Jeff Woods said we, as a group need to bring all the energy in town together. We have the best facility in the world andWe are unique. John said we need to meet with the ACRA and sit down and work with them and tell them we are going forward~ Terry said her Problem with the ACRA is that they haVe too much turnover in reservation personnel. Charles suggested we solicit customers and ask them what five things they would need to make their program or event successful. What do they need? Jon said the position is not just for off-season it is for all year. The position is to address the needs of different groups. Clem said his goal is to focus on the shoulder seasons for golf, April and September. He can make Phone calls and get the events here and the next COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF JANUARY 16, 2002 problem is can we "Provide", we have the golf course, tennis courts, swim/ice, parks. In the partnership we need the private sector to help us. Eric said a coordinator could bring events to town such as the X games. Jon said we also need to maintain the events we have. Kathryn Koch, Special Events Coordinator for the city relayed that the committee is made up of representative from a dozen of departments. Someone contacts the Clerk's office and inquires about the event the office gives them an outline of what is allowed and who to call for parks reservations etc. and a meeting is called and the committee tries to help them have a good event within the city's parameters. An example of the review would be signs, selling merchandise, streets, parking, lighting, how to get here, booze, food safety etc. The committee should not be soliciting. We do not go out and look for events. They make sure the insurance is covered etc. Numerous events come to the committee. John said he agreed that if the committee were soliciting it creates potential conflicts. Possibly the coordinator could be somewhere else in the city. Eric gave the X games as an example, Buttermilk Mtn. was given to ESPN and other creatiVe things were done. One person focused on this event. John said how you do it and Where you do it should be discussed next. John said their needs to be a legman and then a master marketer. The best way to sell something to city council is make it a profit venture. Where is the income generating opportunity for that office to keep itself funded? Andrew said we need to work on an outline and define the job. Terry said we might need two positions but without spending any money within come up with our idea of what we think the position or positions might be and what would they be doing and how would they generate revenue. Charles said he feels the committee is going in the right direction. 4 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSioN MINUTES OF JANUARY 16, 2002 Bill said we need to keep the ACRA involved and they might have good input. Commissioner comments: Jon asked Parks what is happening with the Rio Grand Trail. Jeff said nothing is being proposed and we have all of the easements except two parcels. Jon said due to the cost and difficulty of completing the trail the focus is put into things that are easier to do. Terry mentioned hotels having inside trunk/coat sales and only paying $150. for a business license and the competition it creates through the town. MOTION: Andrew moved to nominate Bill Dinsmoor as chair, second by Charles. All in fizvor, motion carried. MOTION: Andrew nominated Terry as vice-chair, second by Jon second. All in favor, motion carried. Jon said the Grog Shop has a neon sing in the window, and he also received two letters regarding the farmers market. Adam Walton is in support of the expansion and the Rothblum's are opposed. John said he had a conversation with Laura Theilen about the outside theatre concept and she recommended doing tapes not just film. Tapes in that are there are much more in family and kids. Charles said he is still interested in the outdoor theatre. Terry said she will give her input on lodging for Bill and Andrew. Eric gave an overview of the Infill program. Andrew moved to approve the minutes; second by Bill. All in favor, motion carried. John moved to adjourn; second by' Eric. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk