HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformation Only 070924AGENDA
INFORMATION UPDATE
July 9, 2024
5:00 PM,
I.Information Update
I.A Follow-up Memo for Theatre Aspen / Rio Grande Park Request Work Session
I.B June Destination Marketing Report
I.C Follow Up Memo Bob's Rules of Order
Theatre_Aspen_Follow-Up_Memo_062424(1).docx
June2024_DMReport.pdf
Follow-Up Memo Bobs Rules of Order 6.6.2024.docx
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FOLLOW-UP MEMORANDUM
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
WORK SESSION MEETING DATE:June 17, 2024
FOLLOW-UP MEMO DATE:June 24, 2024
AGENDA TOPIC:Theatre Aspen
PRESENTED BY:Matt Kuhn, Jed Bernstein (Theatre Aspen),
Charles Cunniffe (Charles Cunniffe Architects)
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:Torre, Ward Hauenstein, John Doyle, Sam
Rose, Bill Guth
OPEN SPACE BOARD MEMBERS Dan Perl, Adam McCurdy, Julie Hardman,
PRESENT:Howie Mallory, Ted Mahon, Ann Mullins
______________________________________________________________________
WORK SESSION DISCUSSION SUMMARY:
A team representing Theatre Aspen (the tenant), comprised principally of Jed Bernstein
and Charles Cunniffe, presented an update to the design changes for a new proposed
permanent theater in John Denver Sanctuary and Rio Grande Park.
Staff was seeking guidance from Council and the Open Space and Trails Board on two
primary questions:
1. Is a permanent theater building an appropriate use for Rio Grande Park considering
surrounding park uses?
2. Is there general Council and Board agreement with the general direction on the
design aesthetic?
Council members generally were receptive of the proposal and of Theatre Aspen.
Clarifying questions were asked pertaining to the current lease. The current lease is in
its first ten year extension, and will expire in 2031. The City Manager will likely request
an Executive Session with Council to discuss terms of a new lease, possibly on July 23.
Several questions were asked regarding long term operation and commitments of
Theatre Aspen to maintaining and operating the space, with answers to those questions
likely to be resolved later in the land-use process.
The area of the site was discussed, and Theatre Aspen presented the current lease
area, along side the proposed new limits of disturbance.
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Theatre Aspen requested consideration and authorization to prepare a land use
application.
The Open Space and Trails Board chair, Dan Perl, commented that the Board had
concerns about the permanency of the proposed improvements, and the associated
long-term loss of public access if a permanent theater is constructed. The Open Space
and Trails Board will provide a recommendation to Council subsequent to discussion on
July 18, 2024.
Mayor Torre inquired about the possibility that this proposal goes to public vote, and
staff discussed that this may be a condition of approval, to be determined later in the
land use process.
REQUESTED DOCUMENTS:
NEXT STEPS:
The Open Space and Trails Board Meeting will further discuss this proposal on July 17,
2024.
An executive session may be held to discuss lease negotiations on July 23, 2024.
A land use application my be initiated following signature of a Letter of Intent later in the
summer, pending the aforementioned topics.
CITY MANAGER NOTES:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
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June 2024 Destination Marketing Report for Council
Destination Marketing: The Destination Marketing team launched a new campaign ‘Petal it Forward’ during the FOOD &
WINE luncheon. This campaign is focused on gratitude and community recognition from locals to visitors to businesses and
part-time residents. Visit our petal cart at the next activation at the Aspen Music Festival Community Pride Event on June 27th,
4-6 PM and look out for the cart throughout the summer to ‘petal it forward’. Summer media continues to run through both
BVK and TwoSix Digital. We distributed Pact kits for “doo Colorado right” campaign to Ute Mountaineer, US Forest Service and
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers to distribute in the community. We hosted the Marketing Advisory Committee on June 4th.
The Maroon Bells reservations page has a new chatbot to assist with reservation questions. We will be hosting Edge Outdoors
in partnership with Snowmass Tourism and Aspen Skiing Company the last week of June, this aligns with ensuring Aspen &
Snowmass is a welcoming place for BIPOC visitors.
The sales team hosted a corporate and incentive planner fam related to Northstar’s Destination West hosted buyer program
being hosted in Snowmass. 7 planners arrived early to experience Aspen. Limelight Aspen extended the guest rooms. The
planners toured the group hotels, hiked Maroon Bells with Blazing Adventures, and experienced our restaurants. Nichole
attended the Digital Summit for professional development with a focus on marketing tools. Welcome back to Liz! ACRA co-
hosted the UK group media fam in partnership with Snowmass Tourism. Journalists attended from the publications Woman &
Woman’s Own, Daily Mirror/Express/Star, and Irish Daily Mail joined the fam along with our account director from Black
Diamond.
Special Events: Another successful FOOD & WINE Classic is in the books! Thank you to everyone that attended, volunteered,
and supported – it certainly takes a village to put on this event and all the collaboration is much appreciated. The events team
will be taking a break from planning for a bit, but we will still be available so please reach out as we welcome any feedback
from F&W. Wintersköl is up next, and we will be sharing more details towards the end of summer. Please continue to share
your summer online event submissions and any updates. In the meantime, enjoy summer!
Airport Guest Services: Flights are now full and up to 25 per day. High Mountain Taxi and hotel shuttles continue to be the
only option for transportation which works most of the time, but there is still a need especially in these heavy flight times and
late at night. We welcome a new staff member to the team, Cynthia Scholer.
Visitor Centers: The Guest Service Team had a successful Kick-off Summer Event on June 4th at the Pitkin County Library.
Fourteen organizations presented an abundance of summer activities to our staff of sixteen. We are looking forward to all that
the valley has to offer and sharing this with guests and locals alike. FOOD & WINE has brought an increase in numbers, and we
are now feeling remarkably busy around town. The construction has been a bit disruptive, and the city is also doing
maintenance on the pavilion itself. Therefore, Jennifer and Casey have been in communication with Ski Co to potentially
utilize the old ticket windows as a secondary ACRA Visitor Center. We will know more as this conversation has recently begun.
Sales Tax Reports:
As of the April 2024 Consumption Tax Report, released in June, the 2024 Tourism Promotion Fund is coming in 1% ahead
of 2023 collections and 2% above projections.
Recent Press Coverage
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Occupancy statistics and commentary, as well as visitor center counts, website data and air service information can now
be found on the following page in the Defy Ordinary Dashboard. All data points are sourced from our monthly report
with Blue Room Research and can be found in the Data Center on the website.
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HOTEL
OCCUPANCY
ASE
PASSENGER
DATA
VISITOR
CENTER
COUNTS
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
WEBSITE
STATS
ACRA's 4 Visitor Information Centers saw a
103% increase in traffic in May 2024 as
compared to May 2023. Staff assisted 2,320
individuals this year.
JUNE 2024
In May 2024, Aspen's lodging properties reported
the following:
•Occupancy fell 4.6% YOY to 32.5%
•Average Daily Rate decreased 2% YOY to $310
•Room Nights Available increased 9% YOY
•Room Nights Booked increased 4% YOY
Despite Aspen Airport being closed for 18 days in May, ASE saw an
increase of 22.2% enplanements & deplanements YOY.
May load factor was 45.8% vs. 64.9% in 2023. 18 daily flights proved to
be more capacity than ASE could support during the final week of May.
May saw Delta continuing new year-round service from ATL & LAX and
United launched full summer schedules two weeks earlier than usual.
Aspen website top performing blogs and pages for May 2024
Blogs:
1.Top 5 Reasons to Visit Aspen This Spring (5,977 views)
2.What's New in Aspen This Summer (3,508 views)
3.Aspen After Dark - Group Activities (2,347 views)
4.Everything You Need to Know about Indy Pass (2,160
views)
5.7 Secrets On Springtime in Aspen (2,042 views)
Pages:
1.Maroon Bells Reservations (37,127views)2.Discover the Maroon Bells (8,949 views)3.Events (8,775 views)4.Homepage (7,913 views)5.Plan your Trip (7,417 views)
•“Summer is looking better as of May 31, 2024, than it was at the end of April. A small adjustment to
room rates has driven strong incremental fill to turn what was flat occupancy to more moderately
robust numbers, along with bolstered RevPAR and revenue figures.”•“Overseas arrivals to the U.S. reached 85% of 2019 levels in April 2024 year-to-date, led by recovery in
Central America.•Meanwhile, many Americans are traveling abroad. Year-to-date outbound trips were up 11% from last
year and 20% from 2019.”•“The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) and the Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) went in separate
directions in May, with the CCI gaining and CSI declining. The Conference Board’s CCI increased 4.6%,
or 4.5 points, from 97.5 in April to 102.0 points in May.”•“It’s the first gain in the index since January, as lingering inflation has kept consumers concerned.”
*Source: Destimetrics & Blue Room Research Report
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FOLLOW-UP MEMORANDUM
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
WORK SESSION MEETING DATE:June 3, 2024
FOLLOW-UP MEMO DATE:June 29, 2024
AGENDA TOPIC:Bob’s Rules of Order
PRESENTED BY:Robert C. Widner
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:Mayor Torre, Councilors Doyle, Guth, Rose
Absent: Councilor Hauenstein
______________________________________________________________________
WORK SESSION DISCUSSION SUMMARY:
City Council engaged in a training presentation with Robert C. Widner regarding simplified
parliamentary rules for public meetings. During the presentation, Mr. Widner provided
examples of various parliamentary rules for effective governance, based upon the book
Bob’s Rule of Order for Colorado Local Governments. Further, he answered questions,
offered considerations for city council’s bylaws, and provided an overview of the
opportunities and challenges of remote/virtual/hybrid meetings.
1. Rules of Order
All Councilors present agreed that the simplified parliamentary procedures would
add value to the Council’s discussion and debate processes. There was general
interest in adopting these changes with other governance improvements.
2. Bylaws
All Councilors present recognized the overlap between the current bylaws
(Council’s rules and regulations), and the parliamentary project. There was
interest in updating the bylaws, allowing the adoption of new rules of order and
discussion on amendments to additional sections of bylaws.
3. Remote/Virtual/Hybrid Meetings
All Councilor present received information regarding the current opportunities and
constraints with the use of any meeting format that is not in person. Notably, in all
cases, governing bodies must commit resources to use alternative meeting
formats that are fully compliant with the Colorado Open Meetings Law.
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NEXT STEPS:
The City Manager’s Office staff will begin on possible new bylaws for the City Council.
Staff anticipate one to two work sessions for Council to provide direction, along with
reviewing draft bylaws. The first check in with City Council will occur by the end of Q3,
2024.
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