[1. CALL SESSION TO ORDER]
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CALL THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION FOR A THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2026 TO ORDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER, EVERYBODY TALK TO AGAINST I AT ZERO ON THE, UH, ON YOUR ATTENDANCE.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER RENOLDS HERE.
[4.1. Discussion and possible action on the use of Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds. (Alberta Barrett, Cheney Gamboa)]
ITEM FOUR ONE.DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE USE OF OCCUPANCY TAX HOT FUNDS.
DISCONNECTED YOU HERE? YEAH, I'M HERE.
UH, WE HAVE FIVE APPLICATIONS FOR HOT FUNDS THIS YEAR.
THEY WERE PRESENTED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UH, COUNSEL HAD ASKED FOR SOME MORE DETAIL TO CONSIDER EACH ONE.
UM, SO WE HAD SENT OUT THE COMPLETE APPLICATIONS AND THE EVALUATION FORMS, UM, AHEAD OF TONIGHT.
IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE IT.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH TONIGHT WITH THE FIVE AND ONLY ABOUT 45 MINUTES.
SO, UH, WE'LL LET THE CHAMBER GO FIRST AS OUR GUESTS OF THE EVENING.
SO IF YOU GUYS WANNA TAKE IT AWAY.
OH, I EXPECT TO
WHAT DO YOU GUYS PREFER? IS YOUR ROOM? WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO.
AND, AND I BROUGHT, UH, BILLY LA VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER.
WHO'S GONNA JOIN ME UP HERE AT THE TABLE?
WELL, IT'S ON THE, IT'S ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
UM, WELL, UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, I AM, I AM SORRY.
HE'S JUST, HE'S JUST CORRECTING ME 'CAUSE I'M OUTTA LINE.
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR YOU GUYS TO MAKE STRATEG, YOU KNOW, APPROACH YOUR FINANCES STRATEGICALLY.
AND SO WE HAVE, UM, THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME SUBMITTING THESE GRANTS.
WE SUBMITTED TWO GRANTS, UM, THIS TIME.
ONE FOR, UH, TO SUPPORT THE VISITOR CENTER IN OUR NEW LOCATION.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS FOR, UM, OUR OLD TIME DAYS FESTIVAL.
SO I'LL START WITH THE VISITOR CENTER IF, UNLESS YOU GUYS PREFER SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UM, AS, AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, UH, WE ARE GOING ENGAGED IN BUILDING A NEW, UH, LOCATION FOR US.
WE'RE ALL SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
PART OF THAT IS OUR, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SPACE, DEDICATED SPACE FOR A VISITORS A A TRUE VISITOR CENTER, UM, THAT CAN HOUSE, YOU KNOW, HU DO SPECIFIC MERCHANDISE, HIPPO STAFF.
WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT PEOPLE, UM, COME INTO OUR CURRENT LOCATION LOOKING FOR AS TOUR TOURISTS AND, UM, GUESTS AND, UM, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT IS A, IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO CREATE SOME DEDICATED SPACE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, BROCHURES.
WHEN YOU GUYS GO TO CITIES, YOU PROBABLY STOP AT THE CHAMBER AND GET THE BROCHURES ABOUT DESTINATION, UM, UH, FESTIVALS, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
AND WHILE WE HAVE A SMALL PART OF THAT IN OUR LOCAL, IN OUR CURRENT LOCATION, UH, WE REALLY WANNA MAKE THAT, UM, AGAIN, IN THAT DEDICATED SPACE.
SO ONE, WE CAN BETTER TRACK DATA ABOUT WHO'S COMING IN, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT EVENTS THEY'RE COMING TO OUR CITY FOR.
AND, UM, ALSO BEING ABLE TO MARKET THE THINGS THAT THE CITY'S DOING, THE, THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ALL WAYS TO ATTRACT THE BOTTOM LINE ALSO FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS HOW ARE WE INCREASING THE, UM, HOTEL STAYS? HOW ARE WE FILLING UP OUR, OUR NOW THREE HOTELS? UM, SO AS WE ARE MARKETING OUT THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING, THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO STATE AND HOW TO OVERNIGHT AND FILL UP OUR HOTELS.
UM, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME SUBMITTING THESE, SO HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTION.
UM, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THIS IF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
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US, LIKE AN EXAMPLE OF ANOTHER, OF A MODEL THAT WORKS WHERE YOU'VE SEEN THAT HAVING A GOOD WELL FUNDED VISITOR CENTER PRODUCED, YOU KNOW, MORE HOTEL STAYS OR MORE VIS TOURIST TO A CITY? I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, OFTENTIMES I'LL GO TO THE SOLEAU EVENTS AND, UM, THEY HAVE LIKE DIFFERENT, UH, DOWNTOWN ACTIVITIES OR, OR DIFFERENT ATTRACTIONS THAT, UM, AND WHILE I'M NOT STAYING IN A HOTEL, I OFTEN AM TALKING TO PEOPLE AROUND ME THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE EVENTS AND THEY'RE STAYING IN THEIR LOCAL, UM, HOTELS AND STUFF.UM, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE OLD TIME DAYS OR DIFFERENT EVENTS, UM, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAVELING FROM OUT OF STATE TO COME HERE.
MOSTLY HIPPO LOVERS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR HIPPO STUFF.
BUT, UM, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? NO, IT DOES NOT.
IT HAPPENS WHEN WE GO TO WIMBERLEY, RIGHT? WE ALWAYS JUST PROBABLY LIKE ONE OF THE ONES WE GO TO THE VISIT CENTER BECAUSE WE WANNA SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT AREA.
SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE.
AND I KNOW IN SAN MARCOS IT'S BIG BECAUSE OF THE RIVER, BUT THAT'S A HIGH, A HEAVY USE OF THEIR VISITOR CENTER.
PEOPLE WANNA ABLE TO GET THEIR TUBES, HOW NOT TO GET LOST IN THE RIVER.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN, CAN HAVE THE RIGHTS TO PROGRAM WHAT THE AREA BE TO WHERE OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT CAN GET INTO AND SAY, OKAY, BECAUSE CHRISTMAS IS COMING UP, WE WANT TO SHOWCASE ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS WE'RE HAVING.
OR I MEAN, CAN CAN IT BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? OR IS IT LIKE, GOTTA BE A DEAL WHERE YOU GUYS PROGRAM IT AND WE JUST FUND IT? PART OF IS FOR ME, MIKE, IS IS WOULD ALLOW US THE ABILITY TO SPEND SOME FUNDS FOR SOME, UH, DIGITAL KIOSK AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE WITH THE BUDGET WE HAVE.
SO HAVING THAT, YES, THE CITY COULD PROGRAM THINGS THAT THEY'VE GOT GOING ON DOWNTOWN OR, OR WHEREVER, AND THEY CAN ALL BEGIN THAT AN INTERACTIVE KIND OF A KIOSK.
THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WE WANT THIS FOR.
AND, AND FOR THINGS ALSO LIKE, UM, I I, I THINK THAT IF THE CITY IS STILL, UM, HOSTING LIKE THE SCAVENGER HUNT OF HIPPOS AROUND TOWN, PEOPLE SCAN A QR CODE AND IT LISTS ALL THE DIFFERENT HIPPOS AROUND.
UM, SO, SO WE WOULD, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY, BUT FOR ALL THE THINGS HAPPENING, LIKE IT WOULD BE THE HUB FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOWTO? IS THE TRAIN STORY REALLY TRUE ABOUT THE HIPPO? IS THEY'RE ALL QUESTIONS THAT WE OFTEN GET ASKED.
I, I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED HERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS.
THEY'RE LIKE, YOU GUYS HAVE A DOWNTOWN AND WE, WE HAVE THIS, I, I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD AN ACADEMY.
AND YOU'RE LIKE, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THIS? AND ALL I CAN THINK OF IS THEY MOVE IN, IT'S SO BUSY THEIR LIVES, THEY JUST, NOT EVERYBODY GETS THEIR INFORMATION AND ALL THE FACTS AND STUFF OFF OF FACEBOOK.
SOME OF 'EM WE'VE GOTTA FIND OTHER AVENUES TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM INFORMATION.
AND I DO THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GO TO THE CHAMBER.
'CAUSE THE CITY, SO PRO OPTICAL IS THE LAST PLACE YOU GO TO IS THE CITY.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GO TO PAY BILLS AND, AND HAVE ISSUES.
AND THEN THE CHAMBERS USUALLY IS THE ONE THAT PEOPLE GO TO THAT THEY WANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GOVERNMENT, WHAT'S GOING ON BUSINESSES.
SO I DO THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO, TO HELP.
I'LL FIND YOU THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION WE GET FROM OUT OF TOWNERS THAT CALL IN IS HELP FINDING, UM, GRAVE PLOTS,
NO, THEY WANT TO FIND PEOPLE THAT ARE BURIED HERE.
IT'S ALL RELEVANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ANCESTORS OF OF HUDU PEOPLE WILL COME IN AND SAY, MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER OWNED THE HARDWARE STORE DOWN HERE AND I JUST WANTED TO CHECK IT OUT.
SO IT COULD ALSO BE A PLACE WHERE, UM, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA BECOME A MUSEUM
BUT WHAT YOU COULD GIVE THE DIRECTIONS TO THE MUSEUM, PLEASE GIVE THE DIRECTIONS TO THE MUSEUM LIKES WORKING ON IT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS TOO.
SO WOULD IT BE A PLACE YOU HAVE MAYBE A ROTATING PERIOD SPACE? THE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING WHERE YOU PUT IT AND THEY WAS WANNA PUT IT LIKE IN THE LIBRARY? MM-HMM
AND THAT'S, THEY'RE SO SMALL, BUT TO HAVE ANOTHER SPACE THAT YEAH.
WELL HOW TO, I MEAN, OUR PLAN IS TO HAVE REALLY SOME DEDICATED SPACE THAT IS FOR VISITORS, UM, AND TOURISTS.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THE TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER? WILL YOUR BATHROOMS BE PUBLIC AND STRAY? VERTICAL? WHAT BATHROOM? STRAIGHT REPUBLIC.
IT'S ALSO REST OUT, BUT WE RARELY, RARELY EVER TURN ANYBODY AWAY
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FROM OUR BATHROOM, SO THERE YOU GO.WHAT'S YOUR GUYS SECOND ONE? UH, THE SECOND ONE IS FOR OLD TIME DAYS.
AGAIN, JUST KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF, UM, DRIVING, UH, TRAFFIC TO OUR HOTELS AND, UM, CREATING, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO, FOR PEOPLE TO SPEND THE NIGHT HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, ALL TIME DAYS IS OUR LARGEST, UH, COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, SO, UH, I MEAN SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE HOW DO WE ATTRACT PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA COME FAR ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE REQUIRED TO STAY IN A HOTEL? AND SO WE INCLUDED IN OUR PROPOSAL, UM, DIFFERENT AVENUES OF, UM, ADVERTISING, MARKETING, UM, REACHING OUT BEYOND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CLOSE RADIUS TO HOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD PARTNER UP WITH THE HOTELS TO OFFER SOME KIND OF COLLABORATION AND HOW DO, HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE FROM DOWNTOWN OVER TO THE HOTEL? UM, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IT, THIS IS, THIS WILL BE OUR 41ST, UH, YEAR DOING THE HUDDLE OLD TIME DAYS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE, THIS YEAR WE'RE ALSO, UH, I KNOW THE HUNDRED AND 50TH, UM, COMMITTEE IS, WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN OLD TIME DAYS AND DRIVING, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY DRIVING TRAFFIC OVER TO THEIR EVENT IN NOVEMBER.
UM, SO QUESTIONS, UH, ON PENDINGS YOU HAVE A A USUALLY WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE IN FROM FURTHER OUT INTO THE MUSIC.
UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY, A GOOD LINEUP ALREADY OR ARE YOU WORKING ON SECURING THE A, A NAME THAT WILL DRAW MORE PEOPLE IN? THAT'S PART OF THIS SO THAT WE BRING IN THIS YEAR.
AND SO JUST, JUST THE MUSIC ALONE IS ABOUT 22,000.
AND YOU ADD THE STAGE, YOU ADD THE SOUND, YOU ADD.
AND WE DO PRETTY GOOD WITH SPONSORSHIPS.
I THINK PART OF THIS FOR US IS HAVING THE ABILITY TO EXPAND THIS.
SO WE LOOK THIS YEAR DOING LIKE A, BRINGING IN A SMALL CARNIVAL AND MAYBE GET IT TO WHERE WE CAN EXPAND THIS EVENT OVERALL FOR A LARGE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN IT'S, WE SPEND ABOUT 56 TO $60,000 OUT OF OUR POCKET TO PUT IT ON.
AND SO IF WE WANT TO GROW IT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A PARK.
RIGHT? SO MORE THAN JUST HOT FUNDS, TO ME, TO ME THIS IS A COMMUNITY EVENT THAT'S PUT ON BY A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION, WHETHER IT'S HOT FUNDS OR WHATEVER IT IS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO MAKE THIS AN EVEN LARGER COMMUNITY FESTIVAL.
WHETHER WE OWN IT, WHETHER YOU OWN IT, THE CARE ALSO, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT, WE, UM, EARLIER IN THE DAY WE'LL HAVE LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT, UM, UM, OF THE SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS, SOME PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL DO HAVE SOME LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A VARIETY OF 80 VANS.
UH, REALLY TIM'S IN CHARGE OF THE MUSIC.
SO
AND WE WANTED TO STAY IN OUR HOTELS.
AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO STAY, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE, THE COUNTRY BAND TO SHARE IS COMING OUT OF NASHVILLE, SO OH.
CAN'T TAKE HER NAME, BUT THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU GUYS DONE BY, BY VIEW BY THIS.
WE'VE TALKED AND LET'S SHARE IT.
I'VE BEEN HOPING THAT WE GET, WE GET TO A POINT IN THIS CITY TO WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO HELP GET ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS GOING LIKE ALMOST LIKE A KICKSTART, GET 'EM GOING.
AND ONCE THEY GET GOING, THEN THE CITY KIND OF BACK OFF TO HELP SO THAT THE MONEY CAN THEN BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS.
UM, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY, UM, FACILITIES THAT WILL ATTRACT ENTERTAINMENT AND PEOPLE STAYING OVERNIGHT.
AND SO THIS ONE BEING AT THE 41ST YEAR AND ALL THAT, THAT'S WHERE I'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS BECAUSE I'M LIKE, MAN, I'M HOPING IF WE FUND EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS, AND THAT MEANS LIKE 40 YEARS FROM NOW, WE'LL HAVE MILLIONS BUDGETED EVERY YEAR FOR EVENTS.
AND WHAT I'M HOPING IS WE HELP OUT THE NEW PEOPLE, THEY GET GOING, THEY GET THEIR EVENT GOING, IT BECOMES PROFITABLE, AND THEN IT ORGANICALLY ON ITS OWN GROWS AND GROWS AND GROWS.
AND WE USE THAT MONEY TO, TO THEN BUILD SOMETHING ELSE.
SO, UM, THIS, THIS PART I'M A LITTLE, LITTLE IN FENCE ABOUT BECAUSE I THINK YOU GOTTA DO A GOOD JOB, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.
PART OF ME IS LIKE, MAYBE IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE EXPANDED, BUT IT COULD BE MONEY USED FOR A WHOLE NOTHER EVENT TO WHERE NOW WE HAVE, INSTEAD OF JUST ONE BIG ONE IN OCTOBER, WE'VE GOT ONE IN OCTOBER, ONE IN NOVEMBER, ONE IN DECEMBER.
AND THEN WE JUST ALWAYS HAVE THINGS.
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UM, ANYWAY, I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO NOT BE SURPRISED.I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA NO, I I THINK THAT'S FAIR AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
I MEAN, YOU GUYS HAVE TO MAKE REALLY HARD DECISIONS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT YOUR MONEY AND WE ALL KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT
SO YOU'VE GOTTA DO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OLD TIME DAYS, WE'RE GONNA PUT IT ON AND IT'S GONNA BE GREAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HOPE THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE, YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCES WITH THAT.
BUT IF, IF NOT, WE WILL STILL PUT IT ON AND UM, MAYBE IF IF IT'S NOT THROUGH HOT FUNDS, MAYBE THE CITY IS ABLE TO SUPPORT IT IN ANOTHER WAY.
IT'LL BE DOWN AT THE, UM, WHERE IT WAS LAST YEAR BY THE GEN OR IT, IT WILL START WITH, UM, E STREET WILL BE A CAR SHOW AND THEN IT'LL COME ALL THE WAY.
WE ALREADY ARE LIKE SQUEEZING IN VENDORS FROM UH, E STREET AND FARLEY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CO-OP.
AGAIN, WE BETTER CONNECT MM-HMM
WE GET THE PARKING AND STUFF DOWNTOWN, WE GET THE ROADS FIXED, WIDEN AND SIDEWALKS TO WHERE IN A COUPLE YEARS IT WOULD BE LIKE, HOLY.
HOW YOU CAN ACTUALLY WALK FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER WITHOUT CUT THROUGH SOMEONE'S YARD OR UNDERNEATH TREES AND STUFF AND YOU CAN STOP BY OUR NEW BUILDING AND USE THE RESTROOM WHILE YOU WALK.
BUY A CAN OF BEER, USE THE RESTROOM AND BE READY TO GO.
HAS IT GROWN EVERY YEAR SINCE? I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME.
WE ALL SHOW THAT IT HAS GROWN EVERY YEAR.
HAVE WE HAD, HAVE WE IN THE PAST, UM, DONE A TALLY OF THE INCREASE OF OSIS BECAUSE OF THE OLD TIME DAYS? UM, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE HAVEN'T EVER, UM, SINCE WE'VE NEVER LIKE KIND OF ASKED FOR HOT FUNDS, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY TRACKED THE HOTEL STAYS, BUT, UM, WE DO, UH, REALLY AND WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR, UM, THE EDC ALLOWS US OR GIVES US THE DATA THROUGH THE PLATE OR AI THROUGH AI.
UM, SO 8,000, IF YOU
SO IT DOES HELP US KIND OF TRACK, YOU KNOW, WHERE THINGS ARE.
AND UM, YEAH, IT STAYS PRETTY SEVEN, PRETTY STEADY BETWEEN EIGHT TO 10,000 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL SHIFT GEARS INTO THE THREE REMAINING EVENTS.
THEY'RE ALL CITY OF SHADOW EVENTS.
UM, SO WE'LL START WITH THE CRAWL CHANGING ON YOUR END, BUT NOT THERE.
YOU HAVE TO CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON KATIE.
JUST, UH, SO REAL QUICK EVENT OVERVIEW.
UH, FOR ANYONE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CRAWL, THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVENT IS IT'S A COMMUNITY EVENT, ENGAGING RESIDENTS AND ATTRACTING VISITORS, PROMOTE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND HIGHLIGHT OUR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
SO THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THIS WHEN IT STARTED, UH, ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO, WAS TO SUPPORT GRANT FUNDING FOR DOWNTOWN PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.
SO THE INTENT WAS TO PROFIT, UM, FROM THE EVENT AND, AND TURN THAT INTO SOME KIND OF PROGRAM OR INITIATIVES SUPPORT DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UM, THIS YEAR MARKS THE 10TH ANNUAL IN THE SERIES, SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO SHOWN STEADY GROWTH IN ATTENDANCE AND BUSINESS PARTICIPATION THROUGH THE YEARS.
SO, OKAY, IT'S JUST A LITTLE DELAYED.
SO THIS EVENT MOVED INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN 2024.
THE FUNDING WAS SHIFTED TO HOT FUNDS IN 2025, WHICH WAS FY 26, RIGHT? SO ALONG WITH HOT EVENTS, JUST SO Y'ALL ARE AWARE, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL MARKETING COMPONENT BECAUSE HOW DO YOU ATTRACT PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA STAY IN HOTELS? TYPICALLY THAT'S NOT GONNA BE YOUR LOCAL RESIDENCE.
SO YOU NEED TO MAKE ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO MARKET THE EVENT OUTSIDE OF THE, THE AREA.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THAT MOVE WAS MADE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT NO NEW REVENUE SINCE THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN REOCCURRING EXPENSES FOR THE CITY.
UM, SOME OTHER CHANGES, WE CHANGED THE FOOTPRINT FOR THE EVENT.
UH, WE HAD A LOT OF BUSINESS FEEDBACK ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE, THE EVENT SPACE AND STREET CLOSURES.
SO WE ADJUSTED THE TIME ON THE STREET CLOSURES.
WE REDUCED THE FOOTPRINT TO HELP ACCOMMODATE AND NOT IMPAIR BUSINESS ACTIVITY DURING THAT SATURDAY.
UM, SOME OTHER CHANGES, WE CHANGED OUR TICKETING PLATFORM IN 2024.
WE USE CIVIC REC, WHICH IS WHAT PARKS AND REC USES FOR CAMP REGISTRATION, ET CETERA.
UH, IN 2025 WE HAD A BRAND NEW
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CALENDAR SYSTEM FROM VW AND THEY LET US KIND OF TRY THEIR SOFTWARE.UH, THIS YEAR THEY HAD, UH, QUOTED US A $2,000 CHARGE TO USE THEIR TICKETING PLATFORM.
UH, AND WE NEGOTIATED THAT TO ZERO.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME SAVINGS IN THERE.
PREVIOUSLY, UH, PRIOR TO 2024, IT WAS 10 TO $15 FOR THOSE FIRST SEVEN YEARS.
IN 2024 WE RAISED IT TO $20 FOR GENERAL ADMISSION, 2025.
WE DID GENERAL ADMISSION AT 25 AND THEN WE ADDED A VIP ELEMENT AT 50.
THIS YEAR WE'RE PLANNING TO OFFER GENERAL ADMISSION AT 30 AND VIP AT 60.
UH, SO THAT BRINGS VIP IS A NEW ELEMENT.
WE ADDED THAT LAST YEAR AND WE'RE PLANNING TO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THE HOT FUNDING REQUEST, UH, WE DID 2025 AND 2026.
UH, WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SPONSORSHIP ACTIVITY.
UH, 2024 WE HAD $2,000, UH, FOR ONE OF THE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN IN 2025 WE ADDED THAT VIP ELEMENT AND THE VENUE AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE FOR THAT HOUR.
UH, VIP HOUR WAS, UH, SPONSORED BY A LOCAL BUSINESS.
SO APPROXIMATE VALUE ON THAT WAS ABOUT 3000.
AND THEN FOR 2026 TO BE DETERMINED, WE'RE WORKING ON SOME SPONSORSHIPS NOW.
UH, ONE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ONE TO HANDLE THE VIP ELEMENT AS WELL.
SO YEAR OVER YEAR, UH, AGAIN, WE'VE ONLY HAD THE EVENT SINCE 2024.
SO TICKET PRICE I WENT OVER THERE WERE 774 TICKETS SOLD IN 2024.
THE EVENT COST WAS 21 TO EIGHT AND WE HAD 15 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE AS STOPS IN 25.
WE HAD THE, THE SPLIT BETWEEN GA AND VIP TICKET PRICES.
UH, AND WE HAD 788 TICKETS SOLD FOR GENERAL ADMISSION AND 44 FOR VIP.
SO TICKET REVENUE, SORRY, I FORGOT MY PUNCTUATION THERE.
EVENT COST WAS 26 5 AND WE HAD 17 STOPS.
UH, THIS IS ALL PROJECTED FOR 2026 AS OF NOW.
SO WE'VE GOT THE 30 AND $60 PRICE TAG THERE.
WE'RE PLANNING TO INCREASE ATTENDANCE TO A THOUSAND, SO WE'RE SPLITTING THAT INTO 900 GENERAL ADMISSION AND A HUNDRED VIP UH, VIP SOLD OUT IN RECORD TIME LAST YEAR.
SO WE KNOW IT'S AN ELEMENT THAT PEOPLE WANT, THEY WANT THE ELEVATED EXPERIENCE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LEAN INTO THAT TO HELP OFFSET UH, SOME OF THE COSTS AND AND INCREASE REVENUES.
UH, SO OUR TICKET REVENUE PROJECTION IS 33,000.
THE EVENT COSTS RIGHT NOW AS WAS REQUESTED IN THE HOT APPLICATION IS 35, ALMOST 36.
UH, AND WE'RE PROJECTING 25 LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE AS STOPS.
SO WE LOOK AT ALL THESE YEARS, WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING IN 24, 25, 26, WE'RE RUNNING A DEFICIT OF 6.4 K, 4.6 K AND THREE K.
WHY ARE WE RUNNING IN A DEFICIT? AND IS THIS THE ONLY REVENUE SOURCE TO PAY FOR THIS? UH, THE TICKET REVENUE COMES IN, BUT UH, I CHECKED WITH FINANCE THAT REVENUE DOESN'T GO BACK INTO HOT, IT GOES INTO GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
AND SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TURN THAT OVER.
CAN WE NOT DO THAT? IT'S STILL AT A LOSS THOUGH.
WELL, CAN WE NOT MAKE A LINE CODE TO WHERE THERE'S A SUBCATEGORY THAT'S ON REVENUE? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME WE'RE, WE'RE WASHING HOT FUND MONEY AND TURNING IT INTO GENERAL REVENUE MONEY BECAUSE NEXT YEAR IT'LL GENERATE 50 GRAND IN REVENUE AND WE'LL HAVE 50 GRAND EVENT COSTS.
AND EACH YEAR IF WE KEEP DOING THIS, WE'RE GONNA TAKE MORE AND MORE MONEY OUT OF THE HOT FUND, SPEND IT, AND THEN ALL THE MONEY WE MAKE, WE THEN GET TO USE FOR ANYTHING WE WANT.
TO ME, IT WOULD SEEM BETTER TO SAY IF THE EVENT REALLY WHAT YOU GUYS NEED IS $3,000 ABOUT HOT MONEY.
THAT'S, OR NOT MAKING IT COMPLICATED.
SO THEN WOULD YOU WANT, SIMILARLY TO HOW YOU GUYS HAVE STRUCTURED HOT FUNDS WHERE IT'S, IT'S THE ACTUAL HOT FUNDS THAT FROM THE PRIOR YEAR IS WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO USE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE DID $33,000 IN SALES THIS YEAR, THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE NEXT YEAR FOR THIS EVENT.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE ZERO HOT FUNDS AND THEN WE JUST USE THE TICKET REVENUE AND THEN SPONSORSHIPS.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE MY OPINION, IT DOESN'T MAKE MONEY.
WELL LET ME ASK YOU THIS, WHAT'S THE INTENT NOW? YOU SAID THE ORIGINAL INTENT.
WHAT'S THE INTENT NOW? I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US BE ABLE TO FUND THINGS IN DOWNTOWN FROM THIS EVENT THAT IN ORDER TO DO THAT I THINK WE NEED TO CUT, WE NEED TO GIVE YOU 33,000, NOT A PENNY MORE.
AND YOU ALL AS STAFF HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT PROFITABLE.
'CAUSE IF WE'RE IN OUR 10TH YEAR AND WE'RE STILL NOT MAKING MONEY, THEN IT WOULD BE BETTER JUST TO NOT HAVE IT AS A CITY EVENT.
INSTEAD CUT THAT MONEY OVER AND THEN JUST FUNDS SMALL BUSINESSES.
BECAUSE THE INTENT RIGHT NOW IS TO HELP BUSINESSES.
BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY HURTING BUSINESSES 'CAUSE WE'RE TAKING MONEY WE COULD BE USING.
SO I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO, NOT TO PICK ON YOU, BUT UM, I GUESS 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU BETTER.
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I MEAN, SO A MONTH OR SO AGO, SOME OF US SAID, HEY, WHERE ARE WE AT ON SPONSORSHIPS? WE'RE ONE INFLATABLES, NO PROJECTION ON SPONSORSHIPS.NOW IT'S LIKE, WE MIGHT HAVE ONE FOR 3000, I WOULD THINK BY NOW WE'D BE LIKE, LOOK, WE'VE GOT A PLAN.
WE GOT A TWO 50 FOR BUSINESSES DO THIS, A 500 DO THIS, A THOUSAND AND A VI IP IS 5,000.
THAT'S WE'RE WORKING ON BECAUSE WE'RE LIKE THREE MONTHS AWAY AND YOU STILL GOT TIME.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS DO IS BASICALLY GO, YOU WANT THE VIP, IT'S THREE GRAND.
YOU WANT WHATEVER YOU WANNA SPONSOR THE UBER PICKUP LINE OR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING THAT'S A THOUSAND.
AND DO WHERE YOU GET TO TO GET IT AND SAY LOOK.
AND I THINK THE ONLY WAY TO GET THAT TO HAPPEN BUT DOWN WITH OTHER THINGS IN THE CITY IS THE COUNCIL JUST SAYS THE ANSWER'S NO, FIGURE IT OUT.
AND THEN IT ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE STAFF FIGURES IT OUT.
AND I THINK IF YOU GUYS PARTNER WITH SOME OTHER NONPROFIT TO GO, HEY, CAN YOU GUYS DO THIS? 'CAUSE THE OTHER THING I FEEL BAD IS ALL THE STAFF PEOPLE WORKING THERE, UH, TO WHERE I KNOW YOU GOTTA HAVE A COUPLE, BUT TO HAVE ALL THEM THERE, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, MAN, THEY ALREADY WORKED ALL WEEK AND TO DO THAT.
AND THEN I'M NOT SAYING JAMES GIVES 'EM, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT THING JAMES, UH, OVERTIME COMP TIME.
BUT YOU KNOW, COMP TIME OVERTIME, IT'S LIKE, HEY, HOW DO WE DO IT TO WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN BENEFIT? MAYBE IT BECOMES A CHAMBER EVENT OR CHAMBER'S IN ON IT.
AND IT USED TO BE SAID, HEY, ALL THE MONEY MADE GOES TO CHAMBER AND THE CHAMBER'S OUT WORKING IT.
ONE THING I, THAT'S ALL I'M THINKING IS YEAH, I HEAR YOU.
ONE THING I WANNA POINT OUT ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS TOO IS THAT THAT'S A QUID PRO QUO.
AND SO IT'S NOT A DONATION, IT'S DIFFERENT.
SO EVERY TIME SOMEONE GIVES A SPONSORSHIP, THEY ARE EXPECTING A MARKETING PACKAGE IN RETURN, WHICH REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PLANNING AND RESOURCES ON STAFF.
SO THAT'S THE OFFSET FOR US RIGHT NOW.
WELL, BECAUSE WHEN YOU SPONSOR SOMETHING, DEPENDING ON WHAT LEVEL YOU SPONSOR AT, YOU GET BRAND RECOGNITION ON THESE THINGS.
INCLUSION IN THIS THING, TUBES ON THAT YOUR LOGOS SAY YOU HUNG UP, BLAH BLAH, THINK ABOUT THIS, A FOUR BY EIGHT BANNER HUNG UP TWO POSTS RIGHT THERE ON THE EMPTY LOTS AND FOR 250 BUCKS, THESE BUSINESSES HELP PUT THIS ON.
YOU GET YOUR LOGO ON AND THAT SIGN'S GONNA COST YOU A HUNDRED BUCKS TO MAKE.
AND IF YOU GET ONE BUSINESS TO DO THAT, YOU MADE MONEY.
IF YOU GET A HUNDRED BUSINESSES TO DO THAT, 250 BUCKS OR WHAT ARE THE NUMBER IT, I MEAN I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO OVERTHINK IT.
IT'S JUST THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO DO IT.
UM, THAT I JUST THINK WE GOTTA REALLY FOCUS ON AND GO, YOU KNOW WHAT THE INTENT IS TO HELP OFF SMALL BUSINESSES AND MAKE MONEY.
SO WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE MONEY ON THIS.
SO IN YEARS' PATH I USED TO THINK THIS WAS A CHANGE EVEN.
OH IT'S FOR, FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.
UM, BECAUSE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VISITOR CENTER.
UM, AND THE ALSO NEW LOCATION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL FEEL ABOUT, ABOUT TAKING THAT ON, BUT THEN THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PARTNER AND FUND.
AND YOU GUYS, I THINK JUST BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE, YOU'D BE VERY SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING SPONSORS FROM ALL THESE COMPANIES THAT WANNA COME IN OR ARE COMING IN OR JOINING, UM, THE CHAMBER.
I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
I DUNNO IF Y'ALL WANT TO TAKE, YOU GOT THREE, $3,000 TO GET IT STARTED, STAFF HELPS YOU.
MAYBE AN NEXT YEAR STAFF HELPS YOU.
AND THEN WE SAY, OKAY, YOU GUYS FIGURE IT OUT.
'CAUSE I PARTICIPATED IN THIS.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHERE WE SPENT 36,000 BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I SPENT ON GIVING BOOZ AWAY AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SPENT.
AND I'M LIKE, IF WE'RE ALL SPENDING MONEY THAN THE COST, REALLY IT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 60 OR 70,000 BECAUSE I THINK I WAS A GRAND END AND MAYBE I NEED TO GO CHEAPER ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, WHOEVER IT COULD BE MADELINE'S, IT COULD BE AMERICAN LEGION, COULD BE A COMBINATION OF THEM TO ME.
UM, DO YOU TYPICALLY SELL, LIKE IF YOU HAVE 900 AND 100, WILL YOU SELL ALL 1000 TICKETS? UH, WE TYPICALLY USE SOME AT LIKE GIVEAWAYS AND RAFFLES.
LIKE WE'LL PARTNER WITH THE CHAMBER AND GIVE THEM A COUPLE OF THE VIP TICKETS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO RAFFLE OFF AT A LUNCHEON AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE TRY TO SELL AROUND THE FULL CAPACITY.
'CAUSE WE MIGHT JUST, YOU ADDED 50 TICKETS TO THE ONE 50 AND MADE IT ONE 50 INSTEAD AND YOU WOULD MAKE MAKE UP THE THREE K.
YES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE VENUE CONSTRAINTS.
WE, SO WE SELL OUT THOSE THOUSAND TICKETS MM-HMM
AND WE AND YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY AND THERE'S NO PARTICIPATION.
BUT WHAT, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE ACTUAL BUSINESS THAT ARE DOWNTOWN? DO THEY PUT IN FOR THIS? UH, THEY DON'T CONTRIBUTE HERE, BUT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING THEIR WHATEVER DRINK, THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING DECORATING.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF 'EM HAVE THEIR OWN THEME PER, YOU GUYS STILL OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS FOR THEM? WE DO.
AND SO SOME OF THAT'S SOME OF THE UNKNOWNS.
'CAUSE THEY'VE CHANGED THE PERMIT PRICE LAST YEAR AND SO IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.
SO WE'VE UH, THE PERMIT FOR FOR ALCOHOL.
SORRY, I JUST WANNA HEAR MORE FROM,
[00:30:01]
'CAUSE YOU'RE VERY GOOD AT BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE WITHI KNOW YOU SAID EVERYTHING, BUT I DON'T KNOW, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU SEE INVESTING IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS? UH, SO I'LL JUST SAY I KIND OF HALFWAY AGREE WITH MIKE.
AND THEN I'M ALSO LIKE, WELL I LIKE WASHING MONEY.
UM, YOU, I'M LIKE, WE CAN TAKE THE HOT MONEY, WE CAN PUT IT BACK IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT FOR WHATEVER WE WANT.
UH, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE, A LITTLE, UH, BETTER FOR REVENUE.
YOU KNOW, EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS
THAT, THAT WAS PART OF THE DIRECTION LAST YEAR WAS TO MOVE IT OVER TO HOT SO THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE THE
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EVENT DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND CHANEY KNOWS I'M A BIG SUPPORTER DOWNTOWN, BUT I LIKE THE EVENT.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO SEE IT MAKE MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND IF, AND, AND I DO AGREE WITH WHAT, UH, WITH MIKE, WHAT HE SAID ON, YOU KNOW, A NONPROFIT TAKING IT OVER, UM, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE TO WHERE, UM, IT CAN BENEFIT.
BUT I DO LIKE WHAT CHANEY SAID ABOUT IT.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO BENEFIT DOWNTOWN.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEANS LIKE SOMEONE LIKE DHBA TAKING IT OVER SO THEY CAN DISTRIBUTE AND HELP OR THE CHAMBER.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY DO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY, ALL SMALL BUSINESS, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN.
I I, MY BIGGEST THING IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOSING MONEY AND HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GET OUT 10 YEARS? WE GOTTA STOP BLEEDING AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT BLEEDING AS BAD, BUT THERE'S STILL A CUT THERE.
SO I'D SPONSOR IF THERE WAS A SPONSORSHIP LEVEL.
I KNOW, I KNOW OTHER BUSINESSES
I'M LIKE, THAT'S A CHAMBER EVENT.
BUT THEN OUR EVENT, YOU JUST HAVE CITY OF
I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT COULD TALK TO THERE.
UH, SO CLOSING THE GAP, HOW DO WE MAKE IT THE PIVOT TO PROFITABLE? SO THE TICKET PRICES WE'VE BEEN IN, INCREASING THOSE INCREMENTALLY TO BALANCE THE RISING COST OF PUTTING ON THE EVENT, BUT ALSO MITIGATE DEEP INCREASES TO KEEP ATTENDANCE GROWING.
UM, PEOPLE GRUMBLE EVERY YEAR THAT IT GOES UP BY $5.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THOSE, UM, CONSTRAINTS AS WELL.
ATTENDANCE, WE'RE INCREASING YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND, UM, WE DO ANTICIPATE A CAP AT SOME POINT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STOPS AND FOOTPRINT, UH, THAT WE HOSTED IN THE STOPS AND ACTIVATIONS.
WE DO INCREASE THAT TO ADD VALUE FOR THE PRICE INCREASES.
WE DO THAT INCREMENTALLY ALSO TO TRY TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP.
AND THEN WE'VE ADDED THE VIP ELEMENT.
SO WE HAVE HIGHER TICKET PRICES TO ACCELERATE THAT MOMENTUM TOWARDS PROFIT AND THEN APPEAL AS FUNDRAISING EVENT ONCE WE CAN GET IT TO A PROFITABLE SPOT.
UM, SPONSORSHIPS WE KIND OF TOUCHED ON THAT'S ONGOING.
AND THEN OUR STANDARD BEST PRACTICES TO LOWER COST NEGOTIATING.
WE HAD THE EXAMPLE OF THE TICKETING SOFTWARE, 2000 TO ZERO, UM, ADVANCED PLANNING.
ANYTIME WE CAN ORDER AN ADVANCE, WE'RE NOT DOING LAST MINUTE RUSH SHIPPING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN BULK ORDERS TRYING TO ORDER ALL OF IT AT ONCE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, OOPS, WE FORGOT THIS.
AND THEN ANY DISCOUNTS, WE ASK FOR A DISCOUNT EVERY SINGLE TIME.
SO ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO JUST AUTOMATICALLY.
AND MY LAST QUESTION WAS, WAS THERE A LIST OF BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WE SPENT ALL THAT MONEY ON? YEAH, I THOUGHT WE ASKED LAST TIME.
I'M NOT KNOCKING IT, BUT I PROVIDED THE LIQUOR PROVIDED CUPS PROVIDED ON 10 TABLE.
WE, WE PROVIDED CUPS TO EVERYBODY.
WELL, IF YOU DID, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO.
I WILL SAY WE, HOW ABOUT THAT? COULDN'T FIND 'EM AT THE TIME.
THE ONLY THING I REMEMBER, NOT, I DIDN'T PROVIDE THE LANYARD AND THEN I DIDN'T PROVIDE THE CARD MM-HMM
AND THE MARKER TO MARK IT OFF.
SO I'M LIKE, I KNOW THERE'S MUSIC THAT WELL WHAT, HONESTLY, LIKE WHAT'S THE BIG TICKET THING THAT THEY THAT'S MAKING THAT $38,000 IN EXPENSIVE? YEAH, IT'S THE, THE MUG, THE SWAG BAGS AND THEN, UH, LIKE SANTA AND THE OTHER ACTIVATIONS THAT WE HAVE THERE, THE PHOTO BOOTH STUFF THAT WE DO FOR BACKDROPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT AS WELL.
LIKE I REALLY, I SAID I'M EXCITED, BUT IT CAME TOGETHER.
LIKE I REALLY WANT IT TO HAPPEN, BUT UNTIL RIGHT NOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD BEEN LOSING MONEY ON IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE READY TO MOVE ON? YEAH.
DO YOU WANNA SIT HERE JEFF? AND YOU CAN'T WANT ME TO DO THIS? OKAY.
UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL, JEFF WAT, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC AND WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE 12 LIGHTS LIGHT UP HERE NIGHT.
UH, AT THAT POINT WE OUTSOURCE OUR DISPLAYS.
WE PAY THE COMPANY COME IN AND DO THAT.
UH, OF THE FIRST YEAR WE DID THAT, WE HAD 4,602 VISITORS,
[00:35:01]
AN AVERAGE ANNUAL ATTENDANCE 287 WITH THE HIGHEST OF 821 ON DECEMBER 21ST.AND WE GENERATED 21 HOTEL STAGE FROM THAT EVENT AT 2025.
UH, WE, UM, PURCHASE THE DISPLAYS SO WE CAN KEEP 'EM AND HAVE 'EM FOR YEARS TO COME.
AVERAGE NIGHT STATE WAS 480 AND OUR HIGHEST NIGHT WAS 9 68.
I KEEP IT BACK ON SLIDE 46 0 2 AND THEN, OKAY, HOW MANY VISITORS IN 25? SEVEN 20.
SO, UH, HERE ARE SOME OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS.
UM, A LOT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, UH, BAND BOOSTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, YOU KNOW, REALLY, UH, SUPPORTING SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES AND NON-PROFIT GROUPS.
WE'VE HAD, UM, LOCAL BANDS, ENTERTAINERS, MUSICIANS, DANCE GROUPS, UH, VARIETY OF OTHER BUSINESSES OUT THERE AS WELL.
SO IN 2026, WE'RE PROJECTING 13 NIGHTS WITH AN ATTENDANCE OF 10,000.
UH, THE MONEY THAT WE REQUESTED WILL BE SPENT ON, UM, ENTERTAINMENT, UH, 10,000 FOR SUPPLIES.
THE BIGGEST EXPENSE THAT WE HAVE IS COMMERCIAL DISPLAYS.
THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT FEATURES THAT WE HAVE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 70 DISPLAYS.
UM, AND WHAT WE TEND TO DO IF FUNDED, WE WILL BUY, UM, SOME BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS RUSH AND THEN SOME AFTER WHEN THEY GO ON SALE THAT WHAT THE COMPANIES DIDN'T SELL.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES US LIKE A TWO YEAR, UH, WINDOW ON PLACE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND THEN $1,500 FOR MARKETING.
UM, GOING INTO THE DETAIL OF THE MARKETING, WE EITHER PLACE OUR AI TO TRACK WHERE ZIP CODES ARE COMING FROM IN THE HATO.
UM, WE USE TARGETED ADS TO, TO REACH THOSE ZIP CODES TO CREATE, STAY AND PLAY PACKAGES WITH LOCAL HOTELS.
UH, WE CREATE HOT QUALITY VIDEOS THANKS TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA START TAGGING SOME REGIONAL INFLUENCERS AND TOURISM ACCOUNTS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE THAT WE'RE GONNA UNVEIL THIS YEAR.
UH, BASICALLY FOR THE POPULAR DISPLAYS IS 5,000, THE ENTERTAINMENT'S, 2000, THE KIDS ACTIVATIONS.
UH, AND THEN THE IN KIND OBVIOUSLY IS GONNA VARY.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A RECAP.
THIS IS JUST AN INTERACTIVE HOLIDAY TRAIL WITH, WITH LOTS OF FESTIVITIES.
GUESTS ARE, IT'S FREE FOR GUESTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING CANNED FOOD, CANNED GOODS OR FOODS AND OR TO DONATE TO A LOCAL CHARITY.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE NONPROFITS AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE CELL REFRESHMENTS THERE.
AND THEN EACH NIGHT HAS KIND OF SPECIAL THEMES BETWEEN MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, SANTA REINDEER, AND EVEN A PET FRIENDLY NIGHT.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
HOW MANY FLOATS DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE? MANY.
UH, APPROXIMATELY 70 YOU SAID? APPROXIMATELY.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO SPONSORSHIPS? SO DO YOU, YOU SEE HAPPEN, IS THAT THE LEVELS THAT YOU'RE INVITING SPONSOR? LIKE IS THAT WHERE THE COMPANY PUTS THEIR THEIR LEVEL? YEAH, THIS WILL BE THE, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE DONE THIS.
SO THIS IS KIND OF OUR, UH, TAKE AT IT.
UH, WE FIGURED THESE ARE THE KIND OF THE THREE BIG AREAS THAT THEY WILL GET A LOT OF VISIBILITY, UM, IN DOING THAT.
AND WE WILL HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UH, BANNER OR OR OTHER BRAND AWARENESS THING THAT THEY CAN BE RECOGNIZED FOR.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AUSTIN TRAIL OF LIGHTS, WHERE EVERY SINGLE DISPLAY HAS A COMPANY LOGO ATTACHED TO IT AND MAKE THREE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN BY POPULAR DISPLAY? YEAH, THAT'S KINDA WHAT WE HOPE TO DO IS WE GOT, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY TO SPONSOR AN INFLATABLE IS FOR FIVE THOUSANDS, NOT REALLY A, A BIGGER DRAW VERSUS LIKE THE, UH, SNOWFLAKE TUNNEL WHERE EVERYBODY DOES YEAH, THE ACTUAL, YEAH, EVERYONE DOES THEIR SELF, EVERYBODY STOP THERE OR THE SELFIE STATION.
EVERYBODY STOPS THERE TO GET THEIR PICTURE TICKET.
5,000 SELFIE STATION ENTERTAINMENT.
ENTERTAINMENT IS THE DIFFERENT ACTS THAT WE HAVE JUST KIND OF COVERING SOME OF THE CALLS WITH THAT.
SO IF WE HAVE THE VW CAR SHOW, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY MAYBE GET THEM TO SPONSOR WHATNOT.
WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING A JEEP CLUB, MAYBE SEEING THEY'LL SPONSOR SOMEBODY THAT'S AFFILIATED WITH THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
KIDS ACTIVATION IS USUALLY THE RX AND CRAFTS OR THE SANTA OR THE REINDEER OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE KIND OF MORE GONNA DRIVE IN PEOPLE TO COME.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE CUSTOMERS A PAY THAT SAID BEFORE THAT EACH DISPLAY AND ALSO HAS ONE.
AND IF YOU JUST CHARGE 250 BUCKS PER DISPLAY, THAT'S ALMOST $18,000 RIGHT THERE.
I I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA DROP OFF $5,000 FOR A DISPLAY
[00:40:01]
AND EVEN 2000, BUT 250 BUCKS YOU CAN GET, LIKE, I MEAN HELL EVERY BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN I WILL SPEND TWO 50.AND SO THEN TO ME, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR BUDGET, O OTHER THAN NEW FLOATS, 18,000 ALMOST COVERS, YOU GO BACK A COUPLE, WHAT'S THE, UH, IT'S TOO MUCH ENTERTAINMENT.
WHAT, LIKE WHAT'S 10,000 SUPPLIES? THOSE ARE JUST INFLATABLES, RIGHT? IS THAT GASOLINE THAT'S, UM, GENERATORS OR IT'S, IT IS A MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO IT IS, UM, THE ELECTRICAL NEEDS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUT THERE BECAUSE WE'RE ADDING ALL THESE DISPLAYS THAT RUN OFF ELECTRICITY, SO MAKING SURE WE HAVE EXTENSION CORD AND THEY'RE PROPERLY SECURE, UH, MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH STORAGE ON SITE TO, TO STORE THESE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
BUT THOSE AREN'T USED YEAR OVER YEAR.
WE HAVE TO BUY 'EM AGAIN EVERY YEAR WE, WE BUY MORE AS WE ADD MORE.
I MEAN, WELL IT'S KIND OF BASED ON WHAT WE SPENT LAST YEAR ON ELECTRICAL.
UH, IT'S KIND OF A GOOD GUESSTIMATE OF WHAT WE HAD.
SO IS IS, ARE YOU PLANNING ON ADDING MORE ADDING EACH YEAR? NO, I THINK WE, WE FEEL LIKE, UM, IF THIS WERE FUNDED, THIS WOULD KIND OF MAX IT OUT FOR A COUPLE YEARS JUST TO KIND OF SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.
THERE'S SOME GAPS IN OUR TRAIL THAT WE NEED TO ADD SOME DISPLAYS.
SO WE THINK ABOUT 20 TO 30 MORE DISPLAYS, WE'LL KIND OF REALLY ROUND THAT, FILL THAT IN AND MAKE THAT EXPERIENCE REALLY UNIQUE.
AND, AND JUST FOR AWARENESS, DIS DISPLAY, IT COULD BE ONE INFLATABLE OR LIKE, OR ONE OF THE LITTLE, ONE OF THE LITTLE LIGHT TREES THAT'S BASICALLY LIKE EIGHT STRINGS OF LIGHTS COMING DOWN.
YEAH, THAT THING RIGHT THERE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THAT'S ALSO A DISPLAY THAT'S PROBABLY LIKE $8,500 TO $10,000 JUST BY YEAH, VERY EXPENSIVE.
THINK ABOUT LIKE WHAT ROUND ROCK DOES TOO, RIGHT? LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE BRANDS ON THERE, BUT EVERYBODY GOES TO TAKE PICTURES WITH ALL OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE HAPPENING WITH THAT ARC TRAILS TOO.
EVERYBODY IS TAKING PICTURES OF THEIR KIDS AT ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DISPLAY AND TO A BUSINESS OWNER, LIKE THEY GET, WAS IT GONNA BE 13 NIGHTS OF, YOU KNOW, MARKET THEIR PICTURE, THEY'RE GONNA BE EVERY SINGLE FAMILY PICTURE, RIGHT? SO THAT'S ATTRACTIVE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PRICING.
YOU CAN ADJUST, UM, TO THE POINT LIKE HOW MUCH WE CHARGE FOR THAT, BUT THAT SHOULD BE A REALLY BIG IMPORTANT DRAW.
UM, THAT WOULD HELP COVER A LOT OF THAT COST.
MAYOR, I WOULD POINT OUT TO YOUR POINT EARLIER ABOUT THE BIG CHECKS, UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THERE'S NO REASON THAT THAT COMPANY COULDN'T BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS LONG AS THE LIFE OF THAT YEAH.
THING IS BECAUSE BASICALLY THEY HELPED BUY IT.
IT'S, I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT I KNOW THIS, AND WHEN IT COMES INTO SPONSORSHIPS, YOU CAN COME RIGHT OUT AND GO 5,000, NO ONE BUYS IT.
YOU COME OUT AT TWO 50, YOU GOT IT.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS, BUT I JUST KNOW THAT WHEN I SEE 5,000, I'M LIKE, UNLESS YOU GUYS GOT SOMEONE ALREADY LINED UP TODAY.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, I THINK YOU, I'M GONNA TRY TO SAY THIS AS DIPLOMATIC IS I CAN'T, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE WAGGING ON THINGS.
WHEN YOU SAY 10,000 FOR ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES, I'M LIKE, THAT IS A TON OF POWER STRIPS AND POWER CORDS.
AND SO I THINK ONE THING WE, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE DONE JUST KIND OF THREW A NUMBER IN THERE AND WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO THAT? THEN WE HAD THESE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS LATER ON AND THEN WE BOUGHT $60,000 IN COMMERCIAL DISPLAYS AND WE ONLY SPENT 10,000 ENTERTAINMENT.
AND SO, OR WE ONLY SPENT 5,000 SUPPLIES BECAUSE JUST LIKE WE BEATEN UP ON CHENEY FOR SPENDING $38,000 ON LANYARDS, 10,000 ON ELECTRICAL STUFF.
I'M THINKING, MAN, ARE YOU BUYING GENERATORS? LIKE WHAT EXACTLY 'CAUSE 10 GRAND.
I'M LIKE, HOLY COW, YOU'RE ONLY TALKING 20 MORE DISPLAYS AT SOME POINT.
IT, IT MAKES ME START WONDER, ARE PEOPLE TAKING THIS STUFF HOME? ARE YOU GUYS KEEPING TRACK OF IT? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE SPENDING, YOU SPENT 10,000 LAST YEAR ON ELECTRICAL THIS YEAR, I'M SITTING GOING LIKE, MAYBE THIS CHEAPER WAY.
BUT SO WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DONE TO KIND OF ALLEVIATE THAT IS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE, UH, MAYOR COUNCIL, THE, THE AMPHITHEATER HAS PLENTY OF ELECTRIC OUTLETS ON THE OUTSIDE ALONG THE TRAIL.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO RUN 200 FEET OF THE, YOU KNOW, STITCH CORDS OR WE'RE ON TO BUY THOSE LITTLE SOLAR BATTERY BANK POWERS TO POWER STUFF.
BUT SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT AND DISPLAYS LIKE THIS FEATURE WILL RUN OFF THAT, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER PLACEMENT OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO, TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT INCURRING THESE COSTS YEAR OVER YEAR.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE COSTS THAT WE HAVE TO INCUR TO, TO OPERATE THESE DISPLAYS.
ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE REGARDING SPONSORSHIP MAYOR TOUCHED ON, YOU KNOW, LIKE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES HELPING, WHAT ABOUT, UM, UH, OTHER BUSINESSES LIKE HOOKY, UM, COVERT, YOU KNOW, STRETCHING
[00:45:01]
OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES.I MEAN THOSE, THOSE ARE SOME LARGE SIZE TOYOTA COMPANIES THAT CAN REALLY HELP KICK IN ON THIS.
AND IF THEY PUT THEIR NAME TO IT, I DON'T SEE WHY.
YEAH, I WOULDN'T SEE WHY THEY WOULDN'T BE.
BE HAPPY TO JUMP IN ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WE HAVE A BATTERY POWERED CHRISTMAS TREE.
WE HAVE A MEETING SET COOKIE NEXT WEEK.
THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT.
I'M SORRY, WHAT'D YOU SAY? THE NEXT WEEK WE HAVE A MEETING SET UP WITH HOOKY, UH, AND TO DISCUSS OTHER THINGS, BUT THIS IS ONE THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT AS WELL.
THIS GETS FUNDED CO OR TOYOTA OR WHOEVER.
I LIKE THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH TOYOTA CO.
WE FEEL GOOD IS A POSSIBILITY.
I'VE TALKED TO 'EM BEFORE ABOUT DIFFERENT SPONSORSHIPS AND THEY WERE, UH, VERY INCLINED TO DOING SO.
EVERYONE AGREE? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, SO HOW MANY YEARS HAVE WE DONE THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS? UH, THIS WE'VE DONE TWO YEARS.
SO MAYBE A LITTLE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE, THE MONEY THAT'S GOING IN AND THE MONEY THAT'S COMING OUT.
SO WHAT ARE, WHAT DEFICIT ARE WE OFFERING UNDER AND WHAT DO WE, I KNOW WE HAVE ALL THESE PLANS TO GO IN AND CORRECT THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO, I HAVEN'T MAYBE, SORRY I MISSED IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS OF WHAT MONEY ARE WE PUTTING INTO IT AND WHAT MONEY HAVE WE GOT OUT OF IT, AND THEN WHAT ARE OUR LOSS? YEAH, WE DON'T CHARGE, I DON'T OVERCHARGE, BUT SPONSORSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, YEAH, WE HAVEN'T REALLY RECRUITED ANY SPONSORSHIPS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD UP DEFICIT EVERY YEAR.
SO IF YOU GO BACK TO A COUPLE SLIDES, YOU'LL SEE THE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOCATED.
WE'VE SPENT, UH, I BELIEVE MOST OF THAT MONEY.
SO 38,000 FOR 2025 AND THE YEAR BEFORE WAS LIKE 34,000, 35.
ANYTHING ELSE DOWN? I'LL WRITE DOWN.
THE OTHER THING I'D SAY IS I THINK HONESTLY BEFORE YOU BUY MORE DISPLAYS, IT WAS UP TO ME.
I'D SAY YOU CAN'T BUY ANOTHER DISPLAY UNTIL TWO CONDITIONS ARE MET.
ONE, YOU HAVE SPONSORSHIPS LOCKED UP ON A 70 YOU HAVE AND YOU HAVE A SPONSORSHIP FOR THE NEW DISPLAY AND YOU GUYS WORK IT OUT WITH PEOPLE TO GO LOOK, YOU COMMIT TO A TWO YEAR SPONSORSHIP KNOWING THAT THEY COULD SIGN UP AND NOT PAY, BUT THEN ALMOST LIKE FORCE YOU OR IF YOU WANNA GROW IT AGAIN, LIKE WE SAID WITH CHENEY, YOU WANNA GROW IT THEN THE ONLY WAY I KNOW HOW TO FORCE EVERYBODY TO DO IT IS DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO IN A PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT SECTOR IS THE CEILING.
AND YOU GO, OH MY GOD, WE WE GOT MORE SPONSORSHIPS AND 'CAUSE EVEN WE GOT 50 BUCKS OF, UH, A DEAL THAT'S, THAT'S 3,500, I THINK THAT'S 3,507.
ANYWAY, THAT'LL BUY YOU A FLOAT OR A DISPLAY AND THEN ANYWAY, ANYMORE WE GOT ONE MORE.
ABBY'S GONNA, ABBY'S GONNA CALL THE NEWS AND GIVE US BAD, UH, BAD.
THESE ARE ACTUALLY FOR THE SPONSORS, SO WE'RE GONNA BE COME BACK.
OH, SO IT'S NOT AS MONEY WELL SPENT.
YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY PRESS HOW MUCH DO THESE COST
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, JOINING ME TODAY, WELL REALLY I'M JOINING HER, UH, IS OUR WONDERFUL SENIOR MULTI MEDIA SPECIALIST, KATIE
UH, THIS EVENT IS REALLY KATIE'S BRAIN BABY.
SHE MADE THOSE BEAUTIFUL BOOKS YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND, UM, SO SHE'S GONNA DO OUR PRESENTATION TODAY? YES.
UH, SO BEFORE WE STARTED, I, I'M PLANNING ON RUNNING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND THEN MAYBE WE COULD DO QUESTIONS AT THE END.
THEY PROBABLY WILL CATCH ALL THE QUESTIONS, HOPEFULLY IN.
MINE'S A LITTLE MORE SHOWY I THINK.
DRAMATICS, UM,
FOLKS WOULD FLOP TO THIS, FLOP INTO THIS FARM TOWN.
DEAR, SOME OF THE BEST ARTISTS IN THE REGION IN THE COUNTRY.
WHILE THE AMPLIFIERS HAVE LAYING DORMANT FOR A FEW YEARS, WE LOOK TO RESURRECT HU'S REPUTATION AS A MUSIC MAINSTAY PRESENTING LIVE AT THE CO-OP, A SUMMER OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES BROADCAST ON THE CITY'S NEW CABLE, PUBLIC, PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL AND STREAMING ONLINE.
THE SAME LAND THAT BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER FOR ALMOST A CENTURY NOW WITH AN ELEVATED CONCERT GOING EXPERIENCE FOUR NIGHTS A YEAR, EACH WITH ITS OWN GENRE AND CROWD, ITS OWN REASON TO MAKE THE DRIVE BUILT ENTIRELY AROUND ORIGINAL ARTISTS.
DO WE HAVE SOUND? WE DON'T HAVE SOUND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S WANTING MONEY FOR HER THING AND SHE'S HURTING YOU GUYS.
[00:50:07]
HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK WITHOUT IT BEING ECHOY.YOU HAVE TO, WHEN YOU SHARE, YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH FUN AND IT'S MUSIC.
I THINK, UM, CONTINUE, CONTINUE, UH, DESIGNED TO ELEVATE US AS A REGIONAL MUSIC DESTINATION AND SHOWCASE THE DIVERSE SOUNDS AND CULTURE THAT DEFINED THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.
JUST, I'M GONNA SIDEBAR FOR A SECOND.
I PROMISE MYSELF I WOULDN'T, BUT THE VERY FIRST TIME I WENT TO A 4TH OF JULY HERE, I ONLY WORKED HERE MAYBE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND I'VE JUST NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE OUR 4TH OF JULY IN MY LIFE.
LIKE, EVERYBODY'S THERE, EVERYBODY'S THERE.
I, I I'VE JUST NEVER, I LIVED IN AUSTIN, LIKE THAT'S A PRETTY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE HUDU AND I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING SO SPECIAL AND, AND THAT DESERVES TO BE ELEVATED.
SO HERE'S OUR TENTATIVE LINEUP IS MB JUNETEENTH ROADHOUSE, WHICH IS ROCKABILLY AND HONKY TONK.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN PARTNER WITH TOP-NOTCH AND AT THE SAME TIME AS A CAR SHOW 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE VERY COOL.
UM, WE'RE THINKING LIKE, KIND OF LIKE A SOUTH ASIAN VIBE, SO THAT WOULD BE VERY COOL.
AND BY WOR WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY NAILING IT WITH, WITH THE STYLE OF MUSIC AND THINGS THAT WE'RE CHOOSING.
UM, THIS IS JUST A VISUAL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HEAR THE PART.
THIS ISN'T A STADIUM OR A DISTANT STAGE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF SHOW THAT REINVIGORATES THE LOVE OF LIVE MUSIC FOR THE AUDIENCE AT HOME.
IMAGINE A CAMERA CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE THE SWEAT FLYING OFF THE KEITH MOON ES DRUMMER, THE KIND OF TV THAT BECOMES SOMEONE'S FAVORITE SHOW.
NOT JUST A S SLOTTED FILLER PROGRAMMING.
SPEAKING OF THE BROADCAST, EVERY SHOW AIRS ON HU VISION HU'S OWN SPECTRUM CHANNEL THAT'S COMING VERY SOON AND STREAMS ON THE CITY'S SOCIAL PLATFORMS. BEHIND EVERY BROADCAST IS A CREW OF LOCAL PAID STUDENT INTERNS.
LEARNING TO RUN A REAL PRODUCTION LIVE ISN'T JUST BUILDING A CONCERT SERIES, IT'S SUPPORTING CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE CREATIVE WORKFORCE.
IT, WHICH ALIGNS QUITE NICELY WITH SB 22 OF 2025, AND OUR OWN FILM FRIENDLY DESIGNATION.
I KNOW STUFF WALK THIS SERIES CREATES A REPEATABLE TOURISM ASSET THAT ATTRACTS VISITORS AND SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE'D LIKE TO ESTABLISH A BLOCK OF ROOM, SO OUR HOTEL PARTNERS WITH OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.
WE'D LIKE TO CAPITALIZE ON THE PECAN STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND THE CAP CO-OP DOWNTOWN PATH THAT I KNOW THAT'S COMING SOON.
UM, BY OFFERING SOME KIND OF LIKE DISCOUNT FOR FOLKS THAT ATTEND THIS.
YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE A SELFIE AT THE SHOW, YOU GET A FREE SLICE OF PIE AT THE TEXAN CAFE.
YOU HAVE YOUR STUDENT ID ON YOU.
I'M COMING TO THAT NEXT, MAYBE YOU GET A DISCOUNT AT THE, AT THE GENERAL STORE.
SOMETHING TO KIND OF DRIVE TRA TRAFFIC BACK OVER TO DOWNTOWN.
SO WE'D LIKE TO WORK WITH YEAH, I THOUGHT SHE DID.
WE'D LIKE TO WORK WITH STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ON BOTH THE SAN MARCUS AND COLLEGE STATION CAMPUSES TO PROMOTE OUR SHOWS.
A A GOOD EXAMPLE IS SIX STATE, UH, VA, THAT'S THE VIETNAMESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION.
IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET PROM QUEEN WHO WAS FEATURED IN THAT VIDEO I JUST SHOWED, THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT OVERLAP TO BRING ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AND GET STUDENTS HERE STAYING IN HOTEL ROOMS. UM, AND LIKE ANY CONCERT, ALL ARTISTS WILL HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION WRITTEN INTO THEIR CONTRACT WITH EXTREMELY SPECIFIC PARAMETERS.
UH, SHOWS THAT THE CO-OP ARE MANDATED TO REMAIN FREE.
SO AS SUCH, LIVE OF THE CO-OP IS ENTIRELY SPONSOR FUNDED, ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY TO THE ARTS FOR HU COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.
EVERY DOLLAR AMPLIFIES TEXAS MUSICIANS AND BUILDS TOMORROW'S CREATIVE WORKFORCE WITH REAL WORLD PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE.
UM, FOR MY FELLOW NEURODIVERGENCE
I'M THINKING IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU ACTUALLY LIKE LIVE HERE AND YOU'RE GOING DOWN TO LIKE, GET DINNER AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH, A CONCERT'S HAPPENING, YOU MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE EQUIPPED FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR HEARING PROTECTION.
SO JUST A, JUST A LIKE A LITTLE LOANER SYSTEM.
THOSE THINGS ARE VERY EASILY SANITIZED.
I WAS A SPED TEACHER ONCE, EASY TO CLEAN WITH SOME LYSOL
UH, WE ALSO LIKE TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PROVIDE FREE DANCE LESSONS BEFORE THE SHOW STARTS, BUT LIKE A LOT OF BARS DO AROUND TOWN.
I PERSONALLY FIND THAT WHEN PEOPLE TAKE A DANCE CLASS OF WHATEVER STYLE OF MUSIC BEFORE THE MUSIC STARTS HAPPENING, THERE ARE ABOUT A MILLION TIMES MORE LIKELY TO ENGAGE WITH WHATEVER IS HAPPENING.
WE ACTUALLY, THERE'S A, A, A TEAM OUT OF, UH, PFLUGERVILLE THAT TEACHES BOLLYWOOD LESSONS AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY COOL, BUT ALSO TWO STEPPING AND, UH, YEAH.
[00:55:01]
UH, THIS ALSO ISN'T MENTIONED IN THIS SLIDE, BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO FIND A WAY TO ENGAGE LOCAL ARTISTS.
EVEN IF, SO, IF SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS JUST SETTING UP A, A GALLERY WALL AND ASKING FOR SUBMISSIONS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE EVENING AND DISPLAYING THOSE WHILE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
UM, MERCH IS A BIG PART OF THIS.
UH, YES, THERE'LL BE MERCH, UH, EVERY SEASON, ASSUMING THERE WILL BE MORE THAN ONE SEASON.
UH, WE'LL HAVE AN OVERARCHING THEME.
OUR PLAN IS TO FIND A LOCAL MERCH SPECIFIC SPONSOR SO THEY CAN HELP FRONT THE UPFRONT COST OF THAT.
UM, THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF REVENUE FROM THIS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PERCENTAGE OF THAT GO TO HRC.
UM, THIS WILL BE A HIGH QUALITY MERCH EXPERIENCE.
UH, REALLY GOOD FABRICS, REALLY HIGH QUALITY PAPER.
THAT SORT OF THING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THIS NOVELTY SIZE PITCH DECK I HAVE HERE FOR YOU.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, WITH THAT, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A ROLLING ORDER SITUATION JUST SO THERE'S NO WASTE OF MATERIAL OR MONEY.
UM, I'M SUPER PROUD OF OF OUR TEAM OF HOW MUCH, UH, WORK WE'VE PUT INTO OUR, OUR, OUR SPONSORSHIP DECKS.
I THINK IF YOU FLIP TO THE BACK, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE OUR TIERS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRETTY, UH, THEY'RE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT TIERS, BUT WE, WE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT.
THIS PITCH DECK WILL ACTUALLY ALSO BE AVAILABLE ONLINE NEXT WEEK.
UM, WE'RE GONNA START APPROACHING PEOPLE LIKE YESTERDAY,
WE WANT TO LOCK IN OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR BY NOVEMBER 15TH.
AND THEN BY THEN WE'LL FEEL COMFORTABLE APPROACHING ARTISTS.
THEN AT THAT POINT, IT'LL BE KIND OF A FEEDBACK LOOP WHEN WE START TO APPROACH KIND OF THE SMALLER SPONSORS.
WE'LL BE LIKE, OH MY GOD, HEB OKAY AND YOU GOT PROM QUEEN.
WELL, LET ME JUST, YOU KNOW, HOP ON THIS TRAIN.
UM, 'CAUSE IT'S JUST MORE COMPELLING THAT WAY.
AND I THINK I COVERED EVERYTHING, BUT I WOULD LOVE WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, I WILL TRY MY BEST TO ANSWER THEM.
OH MY GOD, I'VE LEFT OUT A PIECE.
SO, UH,
JUST A REALLY GREAT WAY TO GATHER SOME DATA POINTS.
THINK KIND OF A PRETTY EASY ONE THERE.
UM, COMING FROM AUSTIN, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT PARTNERING WITH SOME OF THE ESTABLISHED LIKE STUFFS? I LOVE STUFFS.
IT'S GOT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN OVERFLOW.
HAVE, WE HAVE THESE ARTISTS THAT WANT COME IN IN AUGUST, BUT WE ONLY HAVE 20 NIGHTS AND WE GOT 24 ARTISTS.
MAYBE THEY COULD ROLL OVER TO HU AND WORK IN AGREEMENTS AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE I LIKE, THAT'S ANOTHER ELEMENT I'M THINKING OF TOO IS LIKE YES PRO A LOT, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST YEAR MIGHT END UP BEING MORE LIKE IN THIS REGION, BUT ESPECIALLY LIKE FINDING OUT WHICH BANDS ARE ON TOUR, WHICH ARE TRAVELING THE COUNTRY.
OH, THEY'RE GONNA BE IN THIS REGION RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WE'RE GONNA NEED 'EM.
LIKE REALLY FINDING THOSE SWEET SPOTS, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
JUST CONNECTING TO ONE, LIKE IF YOU HAD STUBS ALL BY ITSELF, JUST THAT THE, THE, THE, THE REALLY NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THAT.
AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THEY CAN'T BE AT STUSS, BUT HEY, YOU WANT A VENUE TONIGHT? WE CAN'T GIVE IT TO YOU.
ACTUALLY, I, I, THERE'S A, I I DO HAVE A CONNECTION TO STUFF SO THAT WE COULD PROBABLY MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO IF YOU'RE FRONT FRONT PORCH AND ANY OF THESE SPONSORS, IF IT'S, IF IT'S LIKE LOGO ON SPONSOR BANNER, THAT'S FOR ALL FOUR SHOWS? YES.
SO THE, YEAH, THE, THE SPONSOR BANNERS, THOSE ARE PERMANENT.
THE, THE PRESENTING WILL BE THE ONE OVER THE STAGE AND THEN ALL THE OTHER ONES WILL BE ON THE SIDE BANNERS.
SO THIS IS AWESOME 'CAUSE I CAN SEE YOU'VE GOT $500 AND SOMEONE GOING, I CAN GET ON THERE AND I'M ON, I'M ON THE BACK OF T-SHIRTS AND MERCHANDISE AND ALL THAT AND FOR 500 BUCKS GOTTA BE ALL OVER.
UM, YOU DID HAVE A SLIDE THAT SAID THE SPONSOR'S GONNA COMPLETE FUND EVERYTHING.
SO REALLY YOU JUST TELL US WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
YOU JUST NEED SOME SEED MONEY, GET IT GOING NEXT YEAR.
YOU'RE NOT COMING BACK NEXT YEAR ACTUALLY PLAN.
AND I THINK ALSO OUR, OUR FOUNTAIN, THE HOT FUNDS WAS WE DO PLAN TO BE FULLY SPONSORSHIP FUNDED, BUT ANYTHING THAT THAT CAN BE PROVIDED BY COUNCIL AS YOU KNOW, KIND OF SEED MONEY TO GET US STARTED WILL JUST HELP AMPLIFY UH, WHATEVER WE'RE ABLE TO GET FROM SPONSORSHIP.
AND I FEEL LIKE, UH, THE BUDGET WE'VE CAME UP WITH, I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD OUT A COPY THAT I FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT'S VERY LOCKED IN AND VERY TIGHT, BUT IT IS OUR FIRST YEAR SO YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S A SURPRISE $500 OR SOMETHING.
BUT I FEEL VERY, LIKE I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT BUDGET SO I'M HOPING THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO THIS, THIS IS HOPEFULLY OUR FIRST AND LAST TIME ASKING FOR A HOT, SO IF YOU GUYS GOT A HOMESTEAD, FIVE SILOS, 10 GR UH, 20 CROSSROADS AND A HUNDRED FRONT PORCH SPONSORS, WOULD YOU NEED TO, I SAYS CAN WE USE THE HOT FUND MONEY AS A BACKSTOP WHERE IMMEDIATE EXPENSES TODAY YOU GO AHEAD AND GET, BUT SAY YOU GUYS GET MORE THAN WHAT YOU NEED, THEN YOU REALLY WOULDN'T NEED THE HOT FUNDS.
RIGHT? YOU COULD JUST COVER YOUR EXPENSES, HAVE EXTRA.
YEAH, THAT'S DEFINITELY THE IDEAL.
AND I MIGHT HAVE TO CANCEL WILL DO, WE'D HAVE ANOTHER LINE ITEM WHERE WE DO THIS AND WE GO LOOK, THERE'S MONEY COMING IN.
I SEE CHARITIES DO THIS WHERE THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR WE
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WORK WITH ALBERTA.YOU GUYS CAN NEED A MINIMUM 15,000 TO DO NEXT YEAR'S BECAUSE YOU GOTTA GET SOME MUSIC AHEAD OF TIME BUT YOU HAVE 20.
SO THEN YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO THEN GET WITH US TO DONATE 5,000 TO HOW THE RESOURCE CENTER AND THEN I THINK THAT'S GREAT TO VISIT.
IT GROWS, THEY HAVE A A CONCERT EVERY WEEK AND THAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM.
BUT I REALLY LOVE OUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S NOT JUST THAT YOU HAVE THESE LOFTY GOALS.
SO YOU'VE ALSO OUTLINED HOW YOU CAN GET THERE, LIKE TARGETING COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
AND THOSE UNIVERSITIES WILL ALSO PICK UP SPONSORS, DON'T SLEEP ON THEM.
IF YOU'RE PROVIDING INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND WORK WITH THEIR CAREER SERVICES DEPARTMENTS, THEN THEY WILL ALSO PROVIDE SPONSOR THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA SAY THAT'S ANOTHER PLACE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GO AND LEARN.
I LOVE THAT YOU ALSO FELT WHAT YOUR BA ABOUT.
WE'VE JUST HAD BIG GOALS BUT WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
I WAS, THE MUSIC WAS GONNA BE A BIG DRAW, SO THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL ADJOURN AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.