HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.min.010202 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF
JANUARY 2~ 2001
Chairperson Jon Busch called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. In
attendance were Charles Kennedy, Andrew Kole, Bill Dinsmoor and Terry
Butler. John Starr and Eric Cohen were absent.
Commissioner comments:
Andrew reported that the Shopping Event put on by Harley Baldwin was a
success and whatever they gave to non-profits was a bonus. During Gay &
Lesbian ski week they plan to do another event. The more people that make
money in town the happier everyone will be.
Marketing:
Andrew said, should the city have someone that promotes special events
with their own salary or hire out.
Jon said he feels it could work either way but it would be better handled by
the city as a city department, The main reason is that a potential person
looking for an event would see in the city perhaps something more benign,
something like we are here to help you, not it will cost you $10,000. to put
on an event.
Andrew said he felt it should be the City initially and then figured out
paying an individual $30,000 a year you wouldn't get anyone any good.
An independent operator could charge 20% of the event. It would give
them a goal.
Jon said the job is a $60,000 job with travel being additional. That
individual needs to go to the trade shows etc. See the top PR firms. The
city works within budgets, which might make it difficult.
Jon said he feels a good package should be presented to the city council and
it will not be turned down, as this will generate revenue and taxes for the
city.
Andrew said a suggestion would be to go to the city and request $50,000
from the visitor tax money for the next three years to put the department in
COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF
JANUARY 2, 2001
place and with first monies going back to off set it. You get more exposure
out of PR than advertising.
Terry said with Praco she feels the ACRA is passing the bubk.
Bill said putting responsibility into someone else's hands gives them the
opportunity to say we didn't do anything wrong it was the company we
hired. That is a natural thing and the ACRA had to hire someone.
Andrew said there is not a marketing person in the ACRA.
Terry said her rates this year are $200. a night. She needs to fill up her
rooms. The Gant, Aspen Club Lodge, Little Nell and St. Regis are all
knocking off 50 to 60% for rooms. Usually winter rates are higher than
summer.
Bill said it is easier to get here in the summer and possibly we should focus
on that time of year.
Jon said Telluride's marketing has a different festival each weekend and a
different crowd. The design each weekend is different and they fill the
lodges. Different sponsors handled each event.
Kathy was directed to contact Telluride and find out who handles their
events in the summer.
Andrew said Ski Co. is not interested in doing anything during the summer.
We should improve the summer events.
Charles said we need to look at recruiting and possibly there is someone
already living here and in NeTM York who would love to start a business
doing this and they could start a business off the commissions generated.
Our real focus is to find someone who has a connection here.
Andrew said money has to be available to underwrite the position for at
least two or three years.
2
COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF
JANUARY 2,2001
Jori said the "commission way" is geared toward someone who will in effect
hire you to work out thc rough spots. You go to Cadbury and asked them to
sponsor an event and it will only cost you 20% of the cost of the event.
Andrew said you need a list of events or potential events. Then you need a
list of all companies that would be sponsors of events in this town and then
you match them up. You would get paid by the commission basis.
Jon said it should be under the umbrella of the city. Events need to be
maintained here.
Jori said the city has no expertise in this and possibly we should use the idea
of a commission, which is funded by the city and hires this person.
Andrew said maybe CCLC hires that person and CCLC is the oversight.
Terry said you need a quarterly report from the commission.
Bill asked what are sponsors looking for?
1)Andrew said exposure.
2)Andrew also said the ability to do PR by their individual firm.
3)They also want to tie into that special event.
Bill said Comedy Fest is good for Aspen because it is shown over and over
and the Aspen name is on it over and over.
Jon said "Proda" is here for exposure. There was a big feature in the paper.
Jon said we need to be cautions about over saturation and over
commercializing. If you over-saturate the value goes down. Jon said we
need to keep events here.
Jon said we do not want to have a city position organizing an event but
coordinating an event is good.
Jon said there are different kinds of events and we need to keep the smaller
events here also.
3
COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF
JANuARy 2, 2001
Andrew said you need a media component to make an event.
Jon said the Music Festival event is huge and it is self-contained.
Terry said the music festival last nine weeks but it is not enough.
Jon said we are in agreement that something needs to be done because we
are loosing an opportunity.
Bill suggested a temporary position.
Ten~y said marketing takes time and if we are interested in the economy etc.
the sooner we start on this the better. This is a positive thing.
Terry said we are under exposed in Aspen.
Staff suggested that we meet jointly with the special events committee and
flush out our ideas and get a partnership going with existing committees.
Bill said it is not absurd to do a vote in the future for a tax.
Jon and Bill said borrowing from the visitor tax is not the right way to go.
Bill Said after we meet with the special events committee we should have a
representative from ACRA attend out meeting.
MOTION: Bill moved to adjourn; second by Terry. All in favor, motion
carried.
Meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.
Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk
4