[*A portion of this video is without audio*]
[00:00:47]
JUDITH BURLESON, RETIRED CORPORATE MARKETING.LIKE, WE'RE GETTING SOME MICROPHONES SET UP.
UM, ANY CITIZENS, UH, THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? OKAY.
[IV. Approval of June 2024 meeting minutes]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF OUR JUNE MEETING MINUTES.ANYONE HAVE ANY MOTIONS TO APPROVE OR MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? AND I WILL SECOND.
[V. Presentation of HOT Grant Application: Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre - Jill Reason]
PRESENTATION OF THE BAY AREA HOUSTON BALLET QUAD GRANT APPLICATION.UM, I WAS SCHEDULED TO DO THE POST REPORT FOR THE SEASON TWO MONTHS AGO, A MONTH AGO SOMETIME.
AND, UM, THE MEETING WAS CANCELED, SO I'M SQUEEZING IT ALL IN TO ONE TODAY AND I'M GONNA PRESENT THE, UH, SUGAR FORM GALA AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH A LITTLE, ARE WE ON? I THINK GO.
WE ARE AT BAY AREA HOUSTON BALLET IN THEATER.
WE ARE, UM, THE ONLY SEMI-PROFESSIONAL BALLET COMPANY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HOUSTON.
WE DO PERFORM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, CLEAR LAKE, THE BAYOU THEATER.
IT HOLDS 500, UH, AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA TELL YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, OKAY.
I'M GONNA FIND MY SPOT AND WE CAN GO.
THIS IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT, OF COURSE, BUT WE ARE A LOT MORE THAN I THINK WHEN I DID THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF OUR 48TH SEASON, WHICH NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO START 49, UM, TELLING YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.
IT'S NOT JUST PRODUCTIONS THAT OCCUR ON THE STAGE.
WE DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OUTREACH TO THE SCHOOLS, TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND THINGS THAT WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO DOING.
THIS WAS OUR 48TH SEASON THAT WE JUST FINISHED PRODUCING, UH, LAST APRIL.
THAT I WANT TO TELL YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
WE DID FOUR PRODUCTIONS, CINDERELLA, THE NUTCRACKER BEST AB IT, LEVI DARE.
UM, SO WE DID 26 FULL STAGE PRODUCTIONS, AND WITH THAT WE ALSO DID 32 COMMUNITY APPEARANCES AROUND THE AREA, WHICH WE HAD AN AUDIENCE OF OVER 12,000.
I GAVE YOU OUR ANNUAL REPORT WRITTEN IN FRONT OF YOU IN CASE THIS IS HARD TO SEE.
I DO WANT, UM, IT, IT'S GREAT TO SAY WE PERFORM ON A STAGE AND WE DO ALL OF THESE FUN THINGS, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.
THIS IS OUR INCOME, AND YOU CAN GET AN IDEA OF KIND OF, WE HAVE A BUDGET OF OVER 585,000 EACH YEAR.
AND THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM
[00:05:01]
TO MAKE ALL THE MAGIC HAPPEN.AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR EXPENSES.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK.
MOST OF OUR EXPENSES ARE USED IN THE, UH, PRODUCTION AREA, AND OF COURSE OUR ARTISTIC STAFF TO GO THAT WAY.
AND THE NUMBERS ARE ALL IN THERE TOO.
IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT THE ANNUAL REPORT, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
CINDERELLA, WE DID, UH, FOUR SHOWS AND SOLD 1,684 TICKETS.
I'LL GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.
OUR BREAD AND BUTTER THING, WE ALWAYS DO THE NUTCRACKER AND WE TRY TO MAKE THAT IS CREATED AS CREATIVE AS POSSIBLE.
MY FILM BLEW UP LAST YEAR AND WE SOLD OUT ALL OF THEM, BUT IN ORDER TO GET A LITTLE MORE PEOPLE IN THERE, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A THURSDAY NIGHT OF OUR THIRD WEEKEND TO MAKE 19 TRIPS.
SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS SIX OF THOSE 19 SHOWS ARE DONE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
ALL OF OUR CAST TAKE THE DAY OFF WORK, OR IF THEY'RE IN SCHOOL, THEY HAVE THAT, I DON'T THINK SO.
THEY HAVE PERMISSION TO MISS SCHOOL.
AND WE PERFORM FOR, UH, THE SCHOOLS ARE BUSED INTO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CLEAR LAKE, AND WE PERFORM THERE REALLY FUN.
THEY GET TO MEET THE CHARACTERS.
WE GO OUT AND MINGLE TO THE AUDIENCE, AND WE GIVE ON A TALK ON HOW TUTU'S ARE MADE AND HOW POINT SHOES ARE MADE AND THEY GET TO MEET EVERYBODY.
SO, AND, UH, 1,760 OF THOSE WERE TITLE ONE SCHOOLS THAT WE BROUGHT IN THROUGH A GRANT WITH THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS.
SO EXCITING THAT, UM, THAT'S OUR FUN ONE.
UM, THIS SPRING WE DID LEVI A DARE.
I HAD TO DO AN INTERVIEW ON I 45 NOW WITH HER.
AND IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER DONE.
AND THEN SHE STARTED GOING OFF IN MY HAIR AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, I THOUGHT, OH, THE THINGS I HAVE TO DO, WE ALL DID WITH OUR THOUGHTS.
SO, AND THEN OF COURSE, AS I STATED BEFORE, WE DO, WE DID 32 PUBLIC APPEARANCES BECAUSE WE HAVE A MISSION TO GET OUR, THE ARTS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THAT ALL OVER IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
WE LOVE COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS, SUPPORTING THEM AT THEIR GOLF TOURNAMENT.
OF COURSE, VALE IN THE PARK OF LAKE CITY IS ONE OF OUR ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THINGS THAT WE DO.
THERE'S A FEW MORE HEART ASSOCIATION THAT IS PIT BULL, THE REAL PIT BULL.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR SCHOOL PERFORMANCES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CHARACTERS TALKING TO ALL THE KIDS AT INTERMISSION, JUST VARIOUS THINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
ADVERTISING, WE REALLY BUILT UP OUR ADVERTISING.
WE LOVE, UM, WE DO BILLBOARDS YOU ALONG, UH, A STANDALONE ON HIGHWAY THREE AND FIVE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS AROUND TOWN TO GET THE WORD OUT.
WE DO A HALF PAGE AD IN THEIR MAGAZINE FOR EACH PRODUCTION THAT WE DO.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I'M LEARNING AND LEARNING.
I I THINK I, I WANT TO BE ATTACHED TO THE HIP BECAUSE I'M LEARNING.
IT'S NOT JUST HOW MANY FOLLOWERS YOU HAVE AND HOW MANY IMPRESSIONS YOU'RE MAKING ON THOSE FOLLOWERS.
LOOKING AT YOUR STATISTICS, SEEING, UM, OKAY, THIS POST THAT I DID WITH THAT HAD KIDS IN IT, IT ATTRACTED MORE OF THESE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHO I WANT TO GET FOR SUGAR PLUMS. SO I NEED TO DO MORE POSTS LIKE THAT.
IT TAKES, IT'S ALMOST A FULL-TIME JOB TO REALLY ANALYZE AND TAKE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT.
AND THAT'S, UM, A BIG MISSION.
OF COURSE, LEAD CITY, NOT THE SAILBOATS.
I KNOW WE'RE OUTTA SAILBOATS NOW.
I I, I WILL IN THE FLYER YOU HAVE, IT STILL HAS SAILBOAT, BUT, UM, OUR GRAPHIC DESIGNER, SHE HAS THE NEW ONE.
SO EVERYTHING FROM HERE ON OUT WILL BE DONE WITH THE CORRECT LEAD CITY LOGO.
WILL, UM, IT'S NOT JUST, HERE WE GO.
UM, WE HAVE ADDED THIS, UM, ASPECT TO OUR WEBSITE.
WE STARTED IT PROBABLY ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
IT, WHEN YOU GO TO BUY TICKETS, ANYTHING THAT WE DO, THE PLAN, YOUR STAY IS GONNA POP UP LIKE THIS.
AND WHEN YOU, UH, CLICK IT, IF YOU'RE COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN, IT'S ALL RIGHT.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE YOU TO WHERE, UH, ANY ESTABLISHMENTS, THE LIST GOES DOWN A LITTLE LOWER, UH, THAT ARE THERE.
CLICK ON BOOK NOW, AND THEN IT'LL TAKE YOU STRAIGHT TO THE, UH, HOTEL WEBSITE SO THAT YOU CAN BOOK ROOMS AND BOOK,
[00:10:01]
UH, TO MAKE YOU STAY FUN.STEPHANIE, LOVE THIS, THIS GROUP, WONDERFUL THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN PUSHING.
IT'S, WE USED TO GET A LARGE AUDIENCE JUST OF LAKE CITY PEOPLE, BUT NOW WE WANNA REACH OUT AND WE WANT TO BRING THOSE HOUSTON PEOPLE DOWN HERE, MAKE IT A FULL WEEKEND, MAKE IT A FUN THING.
SO WE REALLY ARE WORKING HARD TO REACH ALL THOSE ASPECTS THERE.
AT THE END, WHEN YOU ARE A PATRON AND YOU BUY TICKETS, YOU GET A SURVEY MAILED BACK TO YOU THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS BECAUSE WE, WITH GRANTS AND ALL OF THE ASPECTS AND WE WANT TO KNOW THESE IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES.
AND I TOOK THE STATISTICS FROM LAST.
I ONLY HAD 37% OF THE PEOPLE RESPOND BACK.
IT DID GO UP BECAUSE I GAVE THEM $5 OFF THEIR NEXT, YOU KNOW, TICKET.
IF THEY DID, UH, RETURN THEIR SURVEY.
AND I, THIS RIGHT HERE, I JUST TOOK FROM THE LEAGUE CITY PEOPLE THAT WE HAD.
THIS WAS OUR SEASON LAST YEAR.
AND 1,949 OF THE 37% WERE FROM LAKE CITY.
AND THEY REPORTED THAT THEY DID STAY IN THESE HOTELS.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE LOVE THE COMMENTS AND THINGS.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE ARTISTIC ABILITY OF OUR DANCE.
IT'S, WE HAVE AN AMAZING ARTISTIC STAFF.
THEY WERE PRINCIPALS AT BOSTON BALLET FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
LAUREN AJO AND NELSON MAGICAL AND WHAT THEY PRODUCE AND WHAT THE QUALITY OF DANCE IS, IS BAR NONE.
THIS ACTUALLY IS ONE OF OUR, UM, DANCERS FROM LAST YEAR.
HE IS NOW WITH THE DUTCH BALLET IN AMSTERDAM, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET INTO, BUT HE DID.
THIS IS ACTUALLY TARA, WHO IS NOW DANCING WITH RHODE ISLAND BALLET.
JUST SOME THINGS, UH, MADISON WENT ON.
I I, I KNOW YOUR TIME IS SO VALUABLE, I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
BUT JUST TO SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES OF THE VERSATILITY OF OUR DANCERS.
WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN DOING, MAKING TRIPLE THREAT DANCERS, AS I TALKED ABOUT WITH YOU BEFORE, OUR ARTISTIC ACT IS STRONGLY CLASSICAL BALLET AND IT'S THE BEST TRAINING FOR CLASSICAL BALLET YOU COULD FIND ANYWHERE.
BUT WE ALSO GIVE THEM THAT EXPERIENCE.
THE BEST ABOUT IT THAT WE DID IN THE SPRING WAS CONTEMPORARY.
WE WERE ABOUT TO DO BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AND THEY, THESE LITTLE BALLERINAS HAD TO SING AND DANCE AT THE SAME TIME.
IT, IT'S A PUSH TO GET 'EM OUT THERE.
BUT THERE ARE PROBABLY 10 PRIMA BALLERINAS IN THE WORLD AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DROPS ON BROADWAY.
AND A LOT OF OUR DANCERS GO ON TO BROADWAY.
SO WE WANT TO GIVE 'EM THE ASPECTS SO THAT THEY CAN TRAIN AND DO THAT.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT SUGAR FER GALA.
I WANTED TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THAT.
WE'VE BEEN DOING STATISTICS ON THIS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
WE CAN'T UP TOO MUCH HERE, BUT WE LOVE THE FACT LAST YEAR WE HAD 886 PEOPLE AT THE GALA, WHICH IT USED TO BE SUGAR P FAIRY BREAKFAST.
IT WAS ONE LITTLE BREAKFAST ON A SATURDAY MORNING.
NOW IT IS A COMPLETE WEEKEND OF EVENTS AND IT HITS A GREAT MINI AUDIENCE.
OUR ROOMS LAST YEAR, UH, THIS ARE PEOPLE WHO MADE RESERVATIONS AND STAYED AT THE HOTEL THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
WE HAD 56 ROOMS THAT WERE PURCHASED.
I THINK WE HAD MORE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WENT ON LIKE BOOKING.COM OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND BECAUSE I WOULD SAY, OH, YOU'RE NOT ON THE LIST.
AND I SEE THEY WERE LIKE, OH YEAH, WE HAVE A ROOM, BUT WE GOT OUR ROOM THROUGH WHATEVER.
SO I THINK WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN I, JOSE AND I HAVE TALKED, WE FIGURE OUT HOW RIGHT, HOW TO TRACK THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
'CAUSE I WANT CREDIT FOR ALL OF THEM.
SO
AND WE BRING OUT ALL OF OUR LITTLE CHARACTERS HERE.
THESE GINGERBREAD PEOPLE THAT EVERYONE MAKES, LIKE LOVES AND EMULATES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE THING.
UM, MISS LYNETTE, WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE VALET, WE HAD A LITTLE GIRL WHO HAD, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF IT.
SHE HAD, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE DISEASE THAT SHE HAD OR THE CHROMOSOMAL.
AND SHE CREATED THIS CHARACTER FOR HER.
AND WE STILL USE IT TO THIS DAY THAT THEY, THEY KEEP THEIR HANDS LIKE THIS THE WHOLE TIME.
JUST INTERESTING FACTS THAT, AND OF COURSE HERE'S THE GINGER AND VEILING LOVE THAT THE CHARACTERS
[00:15:01]
WITH THE SUGARLAND THEORY, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S ON THE THURSDAY NIGHT.FRIDAY NIGHT WE DO DINNER WITH CLARA AND HER FRIENDS IN THE REEF RESTAURANT WHERE A HUNDRED PEOPLE COME.
THEY HAVE A BUFFET DINNER, IT STARTED.
NOW THEY ALL COME IN THEIR PAJAMAS.
IT'S SO COOL BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HOTEL ROOM.
THEY COME IN THEIR PAJAMAS, THEY HAVE DINNER.
THE BARONS AND BARON TAKE THE KIDS OUT AND THEY READ THE NUTCRACKER TO THEM WITH COOKIES AND MILK WHILE THE MOMS GET TO GO SHOP OUR BOUTIQUE FOR BE THE THE FIRST TO SEE THE BOUTIQUE AND SHOP AND VISIT THE BARS.
AND LIKE I SAID, THEY ALL HAVE THEIR PAJAMAS.
THEY KIND OF TAKE OVER, SOUTHSHORE RUNNING AROUND.
AND THERE'S SOME OF THE OTHERS, OF COURSE WITH THEIR CUPS THAT BIT TO THE BAR.
WE USED TO DO A HOT CHOCOLATE PARTY IN THE PENTHOUSE.
JOSE, THIS IS THE, I WANTED TO KEEP THIS HERE TO SHOW YOU.
WE HAD HOT CHOCOLATE EVERYWHERE.
'CAUSE WE HAD OVER LIKE 88 KIDS IN THIS ROOM AND IT WAS A LOT.
SO WE MORPHED INTO ENCOURAGING THEM TO STAY AT THE HOTEL.
WE TOOK AWAY THE HOT CHOCOLATE PARTY AND THEN WE DELIVERED THE SUGAR P DELIVERED A GIFT OUTSIDE EVERY ROOM AT LIKE 2:00 AM THE SUGAR PLUM FAIR
SO NOW WE, WHEN YOU CHECK INTO THE HOTEL, YOU GET A GIFT FROM THE SUGAR PLUM FAIR TO UM, START YOUR WEEKEND.
AND THERE'S A PACKAGE OF HOT CHOCOLATE IN THERE.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T DO THE PENTHOUSE ANYMORE.
UM, THE BEST PART OF THE SUGAR POND, OF COURSE, IS A SATURDAY.
WE REALLY, REALLY, UM, THE DECORATIONS AND THE BALLROOM, IT REALLY, UM, EACH YEAR HAS A THEME.
THIS YEAR'S AMAZING, I HAVE TO TELL YOU.
AND OUR, OUR ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THIS IS RED CARPET DAY OF, WE DO A BREAKFAST AT, UM, THE DOORS OPEN AT NINE.
WITH THAT THERE'S A, A BOUTIQUE THAT TAKES UP THREE WHOLE ROOMS. THERE'S A RAFFLE, THERE'S AN AUCTION, THERE'S A ROUND OF FLOYD PHOTOGRAPHY IS IN ANOTHER ROOM TAKING PICTURES OF THE STRIP FERRY.
WE TAKE OVER THE HOLES DOWN STAIRS.
AND UM, SO WHEN COVID HIT, THEY ALLOWED US TO STILL HAVE THE BREAKFAST WITH THE STRIP FERRY.
BUT OF COURSE THE TABLES HAD SIX PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AND WE SPREAD THEM ALL OUT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M A PUSHER
COULD WE FLIP THE ROOM AND DO A TEA AT TWO O'CLOCK SO THAT WE COULD GET THE, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE IN, KIND OF CLEAN THE ROOM AND START ALL OVER.
AND THEY ALLOWED US TO DO THAT.
AND NOW IT'S SUCH A TRADITION BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH A WAITING LIST OF THE 500 WE TO CUT IT OFF AT 500 'CAUSE THE ROOM IS TIGHT.
AND NOW WE HAVE A TEE THAT LAST YEAR ALMOST GOT TO 400.
SO I ANTICIPATE THIS YEAR WE WOULD LOVE TO SELL OUT, SELL UP THAT AS WELL.
SO CHARACTERS EVERYWHERE TO KIDS TO TERRORIZE LITTLE ONES.
UM, THE STAFF AT SOUTH SHORE IS PHENOMENAL.
UM, MOTHER GINGER ALWAYS MAKES AN APPEARANCE.
HE IS HYSTERICAL AND KEEPS THE PARTY ROLLING AT THE ENTIRE TIME.
IT'S THE AFTER PARTY AT THE END OF THE SAME DAY.
SATURDAY THIRD EVENT ON SATURDAY WHERE THE AFTER PARTY IS FOR OUR DONORS AND FOR OUR PATRONS TO COME AND JUST, WE HAVE A DJ AND THE DANCERS DO LOTS OF FUN THINGS AND IT'S JUST A PARTY CASH BAR.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE SOME, UH, SMALL FOODS, AGAIN, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STAY ANOTHER NIGHT IN THE HOTEL.
UM, WE JUST LOVE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH SOUTH SWELL HARBOR.
UH, WITH, WELL LEAGUE CITY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE WITH COVID.
WE STEPPED UP TO, UM, SARAH STEPHANIE AND THEIR BRILLIANT IDEAS.
WE WENT AROUND TO ALL OF THE MANY ESTABLISHMENTS IN LAKE CITY AND DID LITTLE VIDEOS WITH THE SUGAR POINT FERRY, THE RAT KING AND A CLARA TO PROMOTE THE BUSINESS.
AND THAT WOULD BE FUN IN YOUR SPARE TIME.
THIS IS SHOOTING ONE OF THE COMMERCIAL AT NANAS THAT, UM, THE SUGAR POINT FERRY DID TO PROMOTE THAT.
[00:20:01]
AND THEN OF COURSE OUR BALLET LESSONS IN THE PARK.IT'S OUR FAVORITE THING TO DO.
WE ALWAYS DO THAT ON THE SHOPS SHOP LOCAL SATURDAY, RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING.
AND IF IT RAINS, WE GO INSIDE.
IF IT'S NOT RAINING, WE, WE ARE OUTSIDE.
HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU THINK WE HAVE IN ATTENDANCE OF THIS? WELL, WE DO SO MANY SESSIONS, SO PROBABLY SIX OR SEVEN SESSIONS.
WE HAVE 20 TO 25 KIDS PER SESSION.
BUT WE LOVE THAT LINK CITY, UH, ALLOWS US TO, UH, CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ARTS INTO, UH, AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE IN THE, IN THE THING.
WE JUST REALLY CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP FOR THE ARTS.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO EXTRA OR ADD, WE, I LOVE IDEAS.
I LOVE MAKING THINGS BIGGER AND BOLDER AND WE WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THAT.
UM, BREAKFAST FOR THE SUGAR CORN PERIOD.
I KNOW IT'S GOT THIS, WE WILL FIX IT.
HOW MANY TIMES DID WE SIT IN THAT MEETING, SARAH? A LOT.
WE BELIEVE NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE, THE LOGO, BUT I NEVER SENT IT TO OUR DESIGNER, SO I WILL FIX THAT AS WELL.
DECEMBER, UM, NOVEMBER 23RD OF THIS YEAR IS WHEN THE FUND WILL HAPPEN.
UH, TICKETS GO ON SALE SEPTEMBER 1ST FOR SPONSORS AND DONORS.
AND THEN ON THE FIFTH IT GOES OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, LAST YEAR, THE DAY WE WENT TO THE PUBLIC, I SOLD FOUR, THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN TICKETS IN ONE DAY.
IT MIGHT, IT JUST BLEW UP 'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE WAITING.
IT'S, IT IS, IT IS A TREASURE.
THERE'S NOT MANY EVENTS AROUND THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN AND THE COST.
WE, WE HAVEN'T RAISED OUR COSTS IN SUCH A LONG TIME.
IT'S JUST, UH, YOU GET TO COME WITH YOUR KIDS AND ENJOY AN EVENT.
AND THEN ALSO WE ARE GEARING UP FOR OUR 24 25 SEASON.
THIS IS OUR 49TH AND BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, UM, HITS OPENS ON SEPTEMBER 27TH.
THE CAST WE HAVE IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
THEY'RE FROM THE, UH, HOUSTON AREA AS WELL AS OUR COMPANY DANCERS WILL BE IN THIS AS WELL.
OF COURSE THE NUTCRACKER COMES FOR 19 SHOWS AND THEN WE DO OUR CONTEMPORARY THE BEST OF AB IN THE SPRING.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES AT THE THEATER.
THERE'S HUNDREDS MORE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE WE'LL BE DOING THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.
I WOULD LOVE ANY, UM, QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT US, ABOUT THE SUGAR PLUG, ABOUT THE SEASON OR ANY IDEAS THAT YOU WANNA THROW AT ME, I WOULD LOVE THAT AS WELL.
AND I DO WANNA SAY AS, UM, UH, OUR TITLE SPONSORS FOR THIS, THE FRONT AND CENTER SUGAR PLUM TABLE, I WOULD LOVE, YOU KNOW, IS YOURS TO, UM, IF THAT IS IS GOOD, JUST LET ME KNOW WHO HAS KIDS AND WHO WANTS, IF YOU NEED MORE THAN 10, WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS WELL.
AND ALSO IN OUR PROGRAM, I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE LAKE CITY A PAGE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST YEAR OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT JUST TO SELL THE CITY.
YEAH, WE PRINT 12,000 PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP PROMOTE LAKE CITY? I I'M IN, DO YOU WANNA DO MORE COMMERCIALS WITH OUR CHARACTERS OR, UH, OF COURSE THE DANCE ON THE PARK AND ALL OF THAT AS WELL.
ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS? WHEN DO TICKETS FOR MEETING THE BEAST GO ON SALE? ARE THEY ON SALE? THEY ARE NOW.
AND WE ARE ALSO PART, I'LL JUST GIVE THIS, UH, HOUSTON HAS THEATER WEEK GOING ON THIS WEEK.
OH YEAH, IT STARTED MONDAY AND SUNDAY I THINK.
YES, IT'S, I WILL ME ONE FREE, THERE'S THE CODE, IT'S CAPITAL HOUA AND THEN LOWERCASE A RTS, HOUSTON ARTS.
UM, OR YOU CAN SEE IT ON OUR, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT'S A BUY ONE GET ONE FREE FOR THAT FIRST WEEKEND OF GETTING SECOND WEEKEND IS NOT, BUT YEAH.
WHAT WAS THE CODE AGAIN? IT'S A CAPITAL HOUA AND THEN LOWERCASE R-T-S-H-O-U-R.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION MA'AM? YEAH.
UM, FOR YOUR WEEKEND, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU UH, CAP IT OFF AT A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
WHAT IF IT, ARE YOU PLANNING IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE IT BIGGER OR ARE YOU JUST ALWAYS GOING TO KEEP IT? WE CAN'T FIT ANY MORE IN THERE.
WE'D LOVE IT BIGGER TO LOOK FOR A BETTER, BIGGER VENUE OR WHAT, KNOW THAT, THAT,
[00:25:01]
YEAH, I CAN I INTERJECT AS SOMEONE WHO'S ATTENDED THAT? ABSOLUTELY.I, YEAH, I THINK IF YOU GOT TOO BIG IT WOULD MAKE IT QUITE DIFFICULT.
'CAUSE THE KIDS ARE KIND OF LIKE RUNNING AROUND.
THERE'S LONG LINES FOR THE SHOP.
THEY, THEY, THEY DO A LITTLE VIGNETTE UP FRONT AND IF YOU HAD MORE THAN THAT KID'S LIKE, IT'S HARD TO SEE 'CAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF ON THE GROUND.
SO THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT, SORRY, YOU MISSED IT.
YOU KNOW? UM, AND WE WANNA KEEP IT IN LEAGUE CITY.
WE IN LEAGUE CITY, SO WE DON'T WANNA GO OUTSIDE THE CITY TO SOME OTHER VENUE SOMEWHERE.
SO WE WANNA, WE WANNA KEEP IT SOUTH.
AND WITH THE TEA THOUGH, THAT'S WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU MISS THE BREAKFAST, YOU COULD AT LEAST SIGN UP AND GO TO THE TEA.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GO STRAIGHT TO THE TEA.
THEY LEARN THAT ROSIE DON'T IN THE MORNING, SAME EXPERIENCE GET UP.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET UP SO EARLY.
AND YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS A GENERATIONAL THING, YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR I WENT AND I TELL THIS STORY EVERY TIME JILL COMES, BUT FOR THE NEW PEOPLE, UM, I WAS WITH MY GIRLS AND WE WERE AT A TABLE WITH A FAMILY AND IT WAS LIKE THEIR KIDS WERE EVEN A LITTLE BIT OLDER THAN MINE.
SO LIKE TWEENS AND THE MOMS WHO WERE PRETTY YOUNG MOMS THIRTIES, WHATEVER, THEY, THEY HAD BEEN COMING WITH THEIR, AND THEN IT WAS LIKE THREE OR FOUR GENERATIONS AND THEY'VE ALL LIVED IN THE WOOD.
THEY WERE ALL FROM THE WOODLANDS AND HAD TRAVELED DOWN FOR THIS MM-HMM.
AND HAD, THEY WERE STAYING AT THE HOTEL AND THEY HAD DONE THE THING WITH THE SHIRT, YOU KNOW.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY MY EARS PERKED UP WHERE I WAS LIKE, WHERE ARE WE ALL FROM AND HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN COMING? YOU KNOW, THEY LIKE IS THIS RANDOM PERSON, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE WE HEAR THAT THAT HAPPENS.
BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE.
I SAT AT THE TABLE WITH THESE WOMEN AND THEY WERE LIKE, WE'VE BEEN BRINGING OUR KIDS AND NOW WE'RE BRINGING OUR GRANDKIDS AND YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A WHOLE THING.
THE GENERATIONAL THING IS SO, SO THERE ARE SO MANY THAT THEY'RE NOW, THEY USED TO EITHER DO THE EVENT OR CAME AS KIDS ARE NOW GRANDPARENTS AND THEY'RE BRINGING REMOVED.
YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I EXPERIENCED.
AND THEN THE PICTURES WITH THE SUGAR PLUM FAIR ARE PRETTY COOL BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THEM TO THE BALLET, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY COULD PULL HER OFF THE STAGE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT'S, PEOPLE GET TO KNOW TOO THAT, UM, WE ALWAYS CHOOSE ONE FOR THE PROMO FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO EVERYONE GOES IN AND MAKE SURE THEY GET THEIR PICTURE MADE, WHICH HELPS.
RHONDA FLOYD, YOU KNOW,
IT'S PRETTY CHAOTIC TO BE HONEST WITH THE 500.
SO I CAN'T IMAGINE IF YOU HAD 700 OR WE JUST IN 500 IS YEAH, WE'VE GONE UP TO FIVE 30 BEFORE 53 TABLES AND IT WAS, YEAH.
OBVIOUSLY AS PERSON, YOU'RE NOT JUST THINKING ABOUT TICKET SALES, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE COMFORT OF THE GUESTS TOO AND THE ENJOYMENT.
AND IF IT'S TOO BIG, IF IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY BIG.
MM-HMM,
AND THE ONLY THING DIFFERENT IS THE FOOD.
THE MORNING YOU GET YOUR WAFFLES WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND SPRINKLES LIKE SUGAR OFF THE FOOD.
AND YOU SHOULD SEE THAT ROOM IN THE BREAKFAST ROOM.
I NEED BACK IN STEPHANIE? YES.
OR ANYTHING YOU HAD FOR, UM, GRANT APPLICATION.
[VI. Communication update - Sarah Osborne]
SARAH IS NEXT.OH, AM I NEXT? DO YOU WANNA GET STARTED WHILE SHE'S PACKING UP? SORRY.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS NEXT.
A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
SO WE HAVE, UM, UH, I'M OVER THE ART INITIATIVE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
SO THAT YES, IT'S LIKE, AND OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.
UM, SO I'M OVER THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, WHICH IS REALLY OUR ART DIVISION.
SO A COUPLE OF ART RELATED, UM, THINGS WE'RE HAVING, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO DO MORE MUSIC IN THE PARK ACTIVITIES.
WE HAD THE JAZZ FEST, SO WE'RE HAVING A MUSIC IN THE PARK ON SEPTEMBER 6TH.
AND I'M MAKING SURE THERE'S NOT A WEDDING ON THE SIXTH BECAUSE THERE WAS ON THE SEVEN I GET THE SCHEDULE FROM, FROM BROOKE.
[00:30:01]
YEAH.SO THIS IS ACTUALLY, I THINK YOU TALKED TO MA ELAINE BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY THE SOUTHERN SHANKS SPAN AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT ON A FRIDAY.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, UM, FROM UM, SEVEN TO SEVEN TO NINE 30.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO KIND OF BE DONE BY 10 O'CLOCK.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE GALVESTON BAY BREWING THERE.
THEY'VE BECOME A HUGE PARTNER TO US AND THEY LOVE TO COME TO OUR CONCERTS IN THE PARK BECAUSE THEY DO VERY, VERY WELL SELLING BEER AND WINE AND CIDER AND ALSO SOFT DRINKS.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME FOOD TRUCKS THERE AS WELL.
ONE OF MY THOUGHTS WAS, WOW, IT MIGHT BE KIND OF FUN TO GET SOME OF THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST CHARACTERS OVER AT THE CONCERT TO PROMOTE THE FACT THAT, UM, THE TICKETS ARE ON SALE AND THAT IT'S SEPTEMBER 27TH, SO IT'D BE GOOD TIMING.
SO I MIGHT REACH OUT TO JILL AND DO THAT AS WE TRY TO PROMOTE THE ARTS MORE AND MORE.
UM, WE ARE ABOUT TO GET MUSIC FRIENDLY, CITY MUSIC FRIENDLY CITY CERTIFICATION.
UH, THIS IS THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, JOHN BAUM BARNER JUST SIGNED OFF ON THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
AND SO NOW THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF, I GUESS NEEDS TO SIGN OFF ON IT, UM, WILL BE ONE OF THE FEW IN THE AREA THAT HAS THE CERTIFICATION.
AND SO DOES CLEAR LAKE SHORES.
AND THIS IS JUST US SHOWING THAT WE ARE PROMOTING THE MUSIC, PROMOTING MUSIC AND MUSICAL ACTS AND MUSICAL THEATER, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO BE A MUSIC FRIENDLY CITY.
WE HAVE TO FORM A COMMITTEE THAT MEETS QUARTERLY.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT LIKE 15 PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE THAT ARE MUSICIANS THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE LEAGUE CITY FOCUS.
YEAH, TUCKER HART AND HIS WIFE, UM, RACHEL ARE INTERESTED IN BEING ON THAT COMMITTEE.
UM, WE'RE CONTINUING WITH OUR MUSIC IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, MUSIC EVENTS EVERY FRIDAY, OR EXCUSE ME, THE LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH, UM, IN LEAGUE PARK.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE GOT THIS MUSIC CERTIFICATION.
'CAUSE WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO DO MORE MUSICAL EVENTS.
UM, WE HAVE WRAPPED NINE NEW BOXES AROUND THE CITY YOU MAY HAVE SEEN AS YOU'RE DRIVING AROUND ALL OF THESE NEW WRAPPED TRAFFIC BOXES.
SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 36 BOXES THAT ARE NOW EITHER WRAPPED OR PAINTED.
THE WRAPPED BOXES ARE ACTUALLY SUBMISSIONS TO A CONTEST.
WE HAD, UH, BACK IN LATE S SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER OF 2023, PEOPLE SUBMITTED THEIR DESIGNS AND WENT THROUGH THE JUDGING PROCESS AND NOW ALL NINE OF THE BOXES HAVE BEEN WRAPPED.
WE'RE DOING AN ARTICLE IN THE NEXT EDITION OF CITY MATTERS THAT HAS THE LOCATION OF ALL THE NEW NINE BOXES AND THE NAME OF THE ARTIST.
UM, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON A BROCHURE MAP THAT HAS EVERY OF ALL 36 BOXES NOW ACROSS THE CITY, UM, THAT PEOPLE CAN KIND OF GO AND DRIVE AROUND AND SEE.
PLUS THE OTHER ART THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE CITY.
WE'VE HAD A LARGE ASK THAT WE HAVE A BROCHURE THAT HAS EVERY SINGLE TRAFFIC BOX.
I GUESS PEOPLE JUST WANNA DRIVE AROUND.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN GET OUT AND, OR LIKE CHECK TAKE A PICTURE OR LIKE CHECK IT, CHECK I'VE SEEN ALL 36, WHAT DO I GET? WHICH WE MIGHT, WHICH WE MIGHT THINK, WHICH THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING YOU MAYBE YOU COME AND GET A STICKER AT CITY HALL.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN STICKERS THAT PEOPLE, ANYTIME WE HAVE A STICKER, SOMEBODY WANTS IT TO PUT ON THEIR, ON THEIR YETI OR THEIR STANLEY OR WHATNOT.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF AN ART CONTEST FOR OUR WHITE LINEN KNIGHT POSTER.
EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH OUR BIG WHITE LINEN KNIGHT EVENT, UM, WHICH IS IN JUNE.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND HAVING PEOPLE SUBMIT THEIR DESIGNS FOR THE POSTER POSTER.
LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, AND THE YEAR BEFORE RICK WILLIAMS, WHO'S ON THE KEEP LEAGUE CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMITTEE AND ON THE PATRONS OF THE PARKS AND ARTS FOUNDATION GENEROUSLY DESIGNED THE POSTER FOR US AND HE DID A GREAT JOB FOR THE TWO YEARS.
BUT WE THOUGHT THIS SHOULD REALLY BE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE ACCEPTING, UM, SUBMISSIONS NOW AND THEN THAT WILL BE USED TO PROMOTE AND MARKET THE UPCOMING, UH, 2025 EVENT.
I JUST WANNA KNOW THAT WE'RE, IT'S BUDGET SEASON RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW STEPHANIE HAS PROBABLY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN HOT FUNDS GETS DEDICATED TO ART.
UM, THAT HAS TO BE PLACED THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH THE DE WITH THE DESIRE TO MARKET THE CITY TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE CITY.
SO ONE OF THE, THE, THE PROJECT THAT WE DID FOR 2024 IS THE BIG MURAL THAT'S GOING ON THE SIDE
UNFORTUNATELY, ADAM SOCI, WHO'S OUR ARTIST, HAS BEEN READY TO PAINT SINCE FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NOT, HE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PAINT UNTIL PROBABLY MORE LIKE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
THIS IS TOTALLY ON THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING WHO ARE LAYING DOWN ASPHALT IN THE ENTIRE PARKING LOT, PUTTING UP A NEW SIGN, DOING SOME BEAUTIFICATION.
AND WE DON'T WANT ADAM PAINTING AN ASPHALT KICKING UP ON THE MURAL AND ALL THAT.
SO WE, THEY KEEP STALLING AND THEY KEEP DELAYING AND THEY KEEP DELAYING AND THEY'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S PROBABLY BEST THAT HE PAINTS MORE IN THE FALL THAN LITERALLY IN THE HOTTEST.
I MEAN IT'S LIKE SUPPOSED TO BE FEEL LIKE 110 TODAY OR WHATEVER.
SO HE ACTUALLY JUST GOT BACK FROM UM, RUSSIA,
[00:35:01]
WHY OF ALL PLACES HE WOULD WANNA VISIT RIGHT NOW, BUT HE PAINTED A THREE STORY MURAL, UM, IN RUSSIA.UM, SO HE JUST GOT BACK FROM DOING THAT.
SO OUR MURAL WILL BE NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT HE JUST DID.
NO, ONCE IT STARTS, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE HIM? IT'LL TAKE HIM ABOUT A MONTH TO COMPLETE.
SO BETWEEN THE SCAFFOLDING, YOU KNOW, THAT HE HAS TO DO AND THEN HE'S GONNA BRING IN ANOTHER ARTIST THAT HE WORKS REALLY WELL WITH THAT WENT WITH HIM TO RUSSIA AS WELL, TO, TO HELP AND ASSIST.
AND HE MIGHT BRING IN ONE MORE AS WELL JUST TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS, BUT IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL JUST PUTTING THE SCAFFOLDING UP AND DOWN AND DOING THE WHOLE OUTLINE SCHEDULING.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING WITH A, A GAS STATION THAT'S IN THE EARLY PROCESS OF COMING IN RIGHT ON THE CORNER THERE WHERE THAT HEART'S CHICKEN USED TO BE.
REMEMBER THERE USED TO BE A GAS STATION AND THEY TOOK IT DOWN.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT A NEW ONE BACK UP AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS ON THE SIDE OF THE WALL, DO THE LCTX LOGO ON IT WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS AND LCTX.
SO THAT WAY WHEN YOU GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND YOU'RE COMING DOWN FIVE 18 TO TURN INTO LEAGUE CITY, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, LEAGUE CITY.
SO WE'RE WORKING, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I GOT GOING ON WITH THE ARTS.
EVERYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW IS DEBRIS, DEBRIS, DEBRIS.
IF I
SO I JUST WANNA REMIND PEOPLE, PUT OUT YOUR FENCE AND PUT OUT WHATEVER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS YOU HAVE AND DON'T PUT IT NEAR A FIRE HYDRANT AND DON'T PUT IT IN FRONT OF A STORM DRAIN AND MAKE SURE YOUR CARS ARE NOT PARKED IN THE STREET.
YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PILES WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET BECAUSE PEOPLE PARK THEIR PAR CARS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PILE AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT HUGE GRAD ALL CRANE COMING IN, YOU DON'T WANT TO DAMAGE THE CAR.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO A SECOND PASS AND A CERTAIN POINT, IF WE CAN'T GET IN, IT'S GONNA BE THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET IN BECAUSE OF UM, THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING'S BEEN BLOCKED AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME EVEN GETTING A CONTRACTOR TO DO THEIR FENCES.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M WONDERING IF IS IT GONNA EXTEND, BECAUSE MOST CONTRACTORS ARE YOU HIRE TO TAKE AWAY YOUR, THEY REMOVE IT, THEY REMOVE YOUR FENCE FOR YOU AND THAT'S WHAT MOST PEOPLE WILL DO.
MOST PEOPLE, WHAT THEY DID IS JUST TO GET THEIR FENCE DOWN AND HAVE IT NOT BE AN ICE SOURCE.
STUCK IT IN THE FRONT JUST TO GET IT, JUST TO GET IT OUT OF THEIR BACKYARD.
DANGEROUS TO THE KIDS AND ALL THAT.
BUT YEAH, THERE IS A WAITING LIST FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR FENCE BUILT, BUT THE CONTRACTOR WILL, WE ARE ONE HAUL IT OFF.
THAT'S USUALLY PART OF THE CONTRACTOR YARD.
THAT'S ALL I GOT UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
[VII. Discuss and vote on HOT Grant Application: Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre]
OKAY.THE NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSING A VOTING ON THE HOT GRANT APPLICATION, UM, THAT JILL PRESENTED TODAY FOR THE SUGAR PLANT.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ASKING FOR 10,000, WHICH IF MY MEMORY SERVE IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY ASK FOR EVERY TIME.
ANY, CAN I PUT A MOTION? YEAH.
UH, I PUT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FULL AMOUNT OF $10,000.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, GREAT.
I LIKED HER IDEA ABOUT MOVING AROUND TO THE BUSINESSES AGAIN.
SO I THINK WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN AND, AND, UM, JUST KIND OF PROMOTE THE DIFFERENT SHOPS AROUND TOWN AS PART OF SHOP LOCAL I THINK WOULD BE FUN.
Y'ALL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO WITH THAT TIME, RIGHT? WELL WE, AND WE ARE DOWN A VIDEOGRAPHER RIGHT NOW, SO I'M IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING ONE, SO, WELL YOU COULD ALWAYS OUTSOURCE JUST FOR THAT.
[VIII. CVB Manager report - Stephanie Polk]
UM, CBB MANAGER REPORT.WHO'S DAUGHTER STARTED HER SENIOR YEAR TODAY.
ALL THE S IT JUST HAPPENED SO FAST.
SO FIRST THING I WANTED TO DO WAS GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE NEW SHORT TERM RENTAL PLATFORM THAT WE'VE JUST LAUNCHED.
UM, THIS ENTIRE YEAR WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING A SERIES OF, OF CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WHOLE SHORT TERM RENTAL COMPLIANCE PROJECT.
THE WHOLE EFFORT, UM, FROM IT WAS A COMPREHENSIVE, THERE WAS A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT DONE WITH OUR CITY AUDITOR.
WE BROUGHT IN OUR PERMITTING DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY THAT'S, THAT TOUCHES THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, WE WANTED TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE, GET THEM, GET THEM PERMITTED, HAVE A GOOD WAY OF IDENTIFYING THEM AND, AND BRINGING THEM THROUGH.
UM, SO THAT THEY WERE IN TOTAL COMPLIANCE FOR CITY ORDINANCES.
SO IT KIND OF FELL IN MY LAP BECAUSE IT
[00:40:01]
WAS THE, UH, IT'S CONNECTED TO HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE CONSIDERED A HOTEL AND THEY NEED TO PAY HOT TAXES.
SO, UM, WE HAD A SYSTEM BEFORE THAT PEOPLE COULD LOG IN AND REPORT AND FILE THEIR TAXES.
IT WAS HARD TO IDENTIFY THEM AND CONTACT 'EM AND IT'S JUST, IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT SYSTEM.
UH, WE HAVE A NEW ONE NOW AND I'M VERY HAPPY THIS WHOLE LAST MONTH WE'VE BEEN TRAINING ON IT.
UM, IT'S CALLED, UH, RENTAL SCAPE AND IT'S POWERED BY DECKER TECHNOLOGY.
UM, IT REPLACED OUR PREVIOUS SYSTEM THAT EXPIRED AT THE VERY END OF JULY, AND THIS ONE WENT INTO EFFECT AT THE VERY END OF JULY.
SO I GOT THAT TIMING RIGHT ON.
I WAS REALLY, REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT.
THERE IS ONE LOGIN SCREEN AND FROM THAT LOGIN, THIS IS THE COPY OF THE DASHBOARD, WE CAN SEE WHERE YOUR SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE.
YOU HAVE THE LITTLE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT, YOU CLICK ON THAT, IT OPENS UP THEIR WHOLE THING.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, THEIR BOOKING ACTIVITY AND, AND ARE THEY PERMITTED.
IT MONITORS EVERYTHING FOR YOU.
AND THEN THEY, UH, IF THEY'RE PAYING YOUR TAXES, LIKE TELLS YOU EVERYTHING IN ONE SCREEN.
THE OTHER SYSTEM HAD TWO DIFFERENT PLATFORMS AND IT WAS LIKE 2003 TECHNOLOGY.
IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO, SO THIS IS STREAMLINED AND SO MUCH EASIER.
LOOK AT ALL THESE UNLICENSED ONES.
WELL, OKAY, SO WE JUST IMPORTED THE NEWS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, 37 NOW PERMITTED, AND NOW THE NEXT PART, THEY ALL HAVE TO LOG IN AND MAKE AN ACCOUNT IN THE SYSTEM.
SO WE HAVE 37 PERMITTED 37 EVERY, PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY'S PAYING THEIR TAXES NOW.
AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THIS THING ONLINE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE NOT, BUT THEY ARE.
I I, WE, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE REACHED A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO I I, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.
WE JUST LAUNCHED LIKE A WEEK OR TWO AGO, SO WE ARE GOOD.
I FEEL LIKE WE ARE AT 100% COMPLIANCE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IS A, THIS IS A, A SCREENSHOT OF THE DASHBOARD.
YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL HOST REVENUE AVERAGE DAILY RATE, UM, THE ACTIVE STRS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THE TOP PLACES THAT ARE RENTING.
AND THEN THE TOP PLATFORM, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT MOST OF THEM ARE ON AIRBNB.
ANOTHER PART OF THE COMPLIANCE EFFORT WAS THAT, UH, WE GOT AGREEMENTS DIRECTLY WITH THE BOOKING PLATFORMS AND THEY ARE NOW SENDING THE TAXES DIRECTLY ONTO THE CITY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE SELF-REPORTING ANYMORE, WHICH IS AWESOME.
SO THAT ALL WENT INTO EFFECT, UH, APRIL 1ST THIS YEAR.
SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN QUARTER THREE.
AND WE RECEIVED OUR VERY FIRST CHECK FROM AIRBNB FROM THIS PAST QUARTER, AND I'M VERY EXCITED.
UM, WE, SO FROM AIRBNB ALONE, THE AMOUNT WAS $31,000 FOR HOT TAXES.
SO WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO COLLECT AND GET EVERYTHING UNTIL NOW.
SO NOW WE ARE PRETTY MUCH AT A HUNDRED PERCENT HUGE IMPROVEMENT.
305% COMPARED, COMPARED TO ALL PREVIOUS YEARS BEFORE.
SO WE WERE AVERAGING ANYWHERE FOR THE YEAR, ABOUT SEVEN TO $8,000 FROM SHORT TERM RENTAL HOT TAX COLLECTIONS.
AND NOW WE ARE BACK WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
THIS IS LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THIS, SO VERY GOOD, VERY EXCITED.
PUT A LITTLE SMILEY FACE ON THERE.
SO IT'S VERY, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE HAS WORKED.
SO WE HAVE, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE FIXED IT NOW.
WE JUST, THEY HAVE TO RENEW THEIR PERMITS EVERY YEAR AND WE HAVE A WAY TO DO THAT AND IT'S JUST GONNA BE STREAMLINED.
SO I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT THIS IS JOB.
KNOW IT WAS BROKEN AND NOT BE ABLE TO LIKE, JUST TAKE CARE OF IT.
OKAY, SO SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MONEY, WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT INTO FINANCIALS IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU GUYS.
I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, WHERE WE ARE.
WE ARE TRENDING UP COMPARED TO QUARTER ONE THROUGH QUARTER THREE OF LAST YEAR.
OUR ACTUAL EXPENDITURES ARE BELOW THE AMENDED BUDGET IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
OVERALL, THE FUND IS IN A VERY FAVORABLE POSITION.
REVENUES ARE EXCEEDING OUR EXPENDITURES AND WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
UM, WE ARE BUDGETED FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR TO, UH, HIT $775,640.
WE'RE ALMOST AT BUDGET JUST AT QUARTER THREE, SO WE ARE GOING TO EXCEED OUR BUDGET IN MID WAY.
SO I EXPECT NEXT YEAR THEY'LL BUMP US UP A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT YEAH, THINGS ARE GOING VERY GOOD.
I THINK SOME OF THAT DOES HAVE TO DO WITH INFLATION, BUT, UM, OCCUPANCY IS, HAS REMAINED STEADY.
WE JUST FINISHED JULY, UM, JOSE, I MEAN Y'ALL HAD A GOOD JULY, I IMAGINE Y'ALL HAVE PLENTY EVENTS.
IT'S BEEN SOLID SUMMER, SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO IT TO Y'ALL A GREAT SUMMER.
YEAH, THINGS ARE GOING REALLY GOOD, SO I'M VERY HAPPY WITH EVERYTHING.
SO, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? WE ARE, UM, WE STILL HAVE PLENTY TO WORK WITH FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
[00:45:01]
ROLL BACK OVER INTO THE FUND BALANCE FOR NEXT YEAR.IT IS A RESTRICTED SIGN, SO WE HAVE TO USE THOSE IN CERTAIN WAYS.
AND, UM, THIS IS IT, IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
WE'RE ON, WE'RE ON PACE WITH ADVERTISING.
I ACTUALLY GOT A CALL YESTERDAY FROM PURCHASING.
UM, WE ARE, WE WERE AT LIKE THE LIMIT FOR ADVERTISING.
SO WE ARE TRANSFERRING SOME MONEY FROM A DIFFERENT FUND THAT HASN'T BEEN USED, UH, TO COVER SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS, BUT YEAH, THAT'S FINANCIALS.
REAL QUICK MARKETING UPDATE, NOT REAL QUICK.
UH, WE JUST COMPLETED OUR SUMMER CAMPAIGN, SO IT'S AUGUST ALL ALREADY, UH, OVER THE SUMMER WE HAD MULTIPLE CAMPAIGNS RUNNING WITH THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE CLOSER MAP HOUSTON DATA FI, ORANGE 1 42 IN FOR TEXAS.
AND I'M GIVING YOU THE IMPRESSIONS AND THE, UH, METRICS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE THERE.
UH, WE HAD 5.7 MILLION IMPRESSIONS THIS SUMMER, WHICH WAS VERY, VERY GOOD, VERY BIG.
UH, WE RAN THE CAMPAIGN, WE RAN WITH THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE.
I'M GONNA GO INTO EACH ONE OF THESE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, LET'S GO DATA FIVE.
WE HAD A TARGETED CAMPAIGN, UM, BASED OFF OF PREVIOUS VISITORS AND, UH, KEY MARKETS FOR US THAT RAN, LET'S SEE, THE DATE WAS VERY BEGINNING OF JULY THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST, SO IT'S STILL ACTUALLY RUNNING.
UH, AND WE HAVE SOME ATTRIBUTION TIED TO THAT.
WE'VE RIGHT NOW TRACKED 1,332 1,332 TRIPS TO OUR DESTINATION.
UM, ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT NUMBER IS THERE OVER $159,000 IN IMPACT FROM THIS CAMPAIGN.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SEEN OUR AD AND ACTUALLY SHOWED UP IN OUR MARKET.
SO THIS IS BIG BROTHER TRACKING INFORMATION WE HAVE ON THIS, BUT IT'S VERY NICE FOR MARKETING PEOPLE.
UH, OUR TOTAL SPEND ON THAT WAS $5,000 OR ALMOST $6,000 THERE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE OUR IMPRESSION NUMBER IS 7 54.
UM, OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT ON THAT IS $27 AND 2 CENTS TO EVERY $1 SPENT ON ADVERTISING.
SO THAT IS STILL ACTUALLY RUNNING.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER CAMPAIGN, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TARGETING THERE, AND IT'S WITH, UH, A COMPANY CALLED ORANGE 1 42 AND IT'S SENDING TRAFFIC TO OUR WEBSITE.
UH, WE'VE HAD ABOUT 2000 CLICKS.
OUR IMPRESSION NUMBERS ARE ARE PRETTY GOOD THERE.
UM, OUR AD COST, WE SPEND ABOUT $5,000 WITH THEM ON THIS PROGRAM.
UM, OUR IMPRESSION NUMBER IS 561,000 AND UH, IT'S GENERATED OVER 2000 PLATES TO THE SITE.
UH, JULY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BOTTOM, YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE MAP OF GOOGLE ANALYTICS AND WE HAD A HUGE SPIKE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF JULY.
I THINK IF WE HAD NOT HAD A WORLD WEATHER SITUATION, WE WOULD'VE HAD A VERY BIG JULY.
UH, BUT JULY IS A HUGE THING, ESPECIALLY KICKING OFF WITH JULY 4TH AND THE FIREWORKS.
FIREWORKS IS A HUGE TRAFFIC DRIVER FOR US.
SO PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR ANYWHERE THEY CAN GET BY FIREWORKS AND WITH CHEMO BOARDWALK DOING THAT EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT, THAT HAS BEEN A GOOD JUST DRIVER OF INTEREST FOR US.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR MARKETS THAT WERE, UH, PERFORMING WELL FOR US.
THERE WAS OF COURSE TEXAS AND SURROUNDING STATES AND THEN ALSO CALIFORNIA.
WE ALSO DID A PROGRAM WITH, UH, CULTURE MAP HOUSTON.
WE HAD FRONT OF SITE BANNERS GOING AND UH, WE HAD, UH, 200,000 IMPRESSIONS.
WE HAD 487 CLICKS AND UH, THAT IS STILL DOING WELL.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM COMING UP FOR FALL.
I TRY TO GET CREATIVE READY FOR THAT, SEEING THE CULTURE MAP SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SCREENSHOTS THERE OF WHAT THE ADS LOOK LIKE.
SUMMER STARTS HERE, WATER STARTS HERE.
WE ALSO, UH, RAN CAMPAIGNS FOR WHITE LINEN NIGHTS.
WE DID A PROMOTED ARTICLE SPLASHED THROUGH SUMMER WITH A COOL ESCAPED LEAD CITY.
AVERAGE TIME ON THAT PAGE WAS TWO MINUTES AND 17 SECONDS.
A VERY STRONG NUMBER OF IMPRESSIONS, 291,505 IMPRESSIONS.
THEY DROVE THAT THROUGH, UH, THEIR EMAIL NEWSLETTER, FACEBOOK, TWITTER HOMEPAGE, AND ALL THE OTHER CHANNELS THERE.
SO THAT ARTICLE PUBLISHED, UH, THE VERY END OF JUNE, NO END OF MAY, AND IT RAN THROUGH, THEY PROMOTED IT ALL THROUGH JULY UNTIL AUGUST 8TH.
WE ALSO DID A PROGRAM WITH HOUSTON CHRONICLE.
WE HAD THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, MEDIA PLACEMENTS THROUGH THERE.
AND WE DID CONNECTED TV STREAMING PLACEMENT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE IMPRESSION NUMBER THERE.
AND THE DIFFERENT, UH, AUDIENCES THAT WE TARGETED WERE DALLAS AND ANTONIO FORT WORTH, AUSTIN AND ARLINGTON.
AND THEN THE STATIONS THAT IT RAN ON TO THE FOX NEWS, A MCA AND E LIFETIME CW.
WE USED OUR, UH, TARGET AUDIENCE DATA FROM DATA FIVE TO DRIVE TARGETING FOR THIS CAMPAIGN AND IT'S VERY GOOD.
WE HAD, UH, 266,855 VIEWS COMPLETED VIEWS OF OUR COMMERCIAL VETERAN IN.
SO THAT WAS, THAT'S VERY COOL.
UH, WE ALSO DID SOCIAL PROMOTED POSTS WITH THEM.
UM, WE HAD A GOOD REACH ON THAT.
WE HAD A LOT OF IMPRESSIONS AND GOOD CLICK THROUGH RATE.
UM, REACH WAS OVER 66,000 IMPRESSIONS OVER 160,000.
I SHOWED YOU THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THAT ONE.
BUT IT WAS REALLY PRETTY AS LIKE A WHOLE, UH, YOU KNOW, VISIT
[00:50:01]
LEASE CITY FOR THE SUMMER AND IT'S LIVE FOREVER, BUT THEY PROMOTED IT SOLID FOR A MONTH.WE HAD OVER 3 MILLION IMPRESSIONS WITH THAT AND IT DROVE 7,000 CLICKS TO OUR SITE.
WE ALSO LINKED OUR HOTELIERS DIRECTLY IN THAT STORY TOO.
SO IF YOU SEE ANY TRAFFIC, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR GOOGLE ANALYTICS AND YOU SEE SOME TRAFFIC COME IN FROM A CHRONICLE SOURCE, THAT'S PROBABLY THAT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF LIKE TRACKING EXTERNAL LINKS.
I CAN ONLY SEE WHAT CAME INTO OUR WEBSITE.
IN OUR PROGRAM WITH TOUR TEXAS, OUR TOTAL ENGAGEMENT ACCOUNT FOR THIS IS FOR, UH, JUNE AND JULY 8,237.
UM, WE DID HAVE 74 UH, VISITOR GUIDES ORDERED THERE AND IT DOES GIVE US A LITTLE ECONOMIC IMPACT CALCULATION THERE.
UM, APPARENTLY EVERY TIME THE AVERAGE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR EVERY VISITOR GUIDE SENT OUT IS $48.
WE SENT OUT 40, 74 VISITOR GUIDES.
AND THEN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THOSE REQUESTS IS $3,552.
UH, WE HAD, THIS IS ALSO THE SAME TIME PERIOD YOU IN JULY, OUR USER COUNT 761 USERS, WE HAD 4,947 PAGE VIEWS FOR THAT AND A LOT OF DOWNLOADS OVER, I THINK IT WAS 155 DOWNLOADS, UM, FOR BOTH ANDROID AND, AND APPLE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT VERY WELL, OUR TOP CONTENT THERE IS BREAKFAST.
PEOPLE WANNA KNOW WHERE TO EAT BREAKFAST.
THIS IS A VERY HANDY TOOL FOR THAT.
UM, AS FAR AS OUR WEBSITE TRAFFIC, IT IS GOING VERY STEADY, GOING PRETTY GOOD.
UH, WE HAD A HUGE PEAK FOR FIREWORKS IN JULY AND THEN IT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH WEATHER WE WOULD'VE HAD A WONDERFUL TREND IN JULY HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THAT STORM.
UM, OUR TOP PAGES ARE HOMEPAGE, FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA, CHEMO BOARD, WALK 4TH OF JULY, CELEBRATION EVENTS, EXPLORING ATTRACTIONS AND EVERYTHING.
WE DO HAVE, LEMME SEE IF I'M GOING TO THAT YET.
YEAH, SO WEBSITE'S GOING GOOD.
WE HAD OVER ALMOST 30,000 PAGE VIEWS, WHICH IS HUGE.
FOR SOCIAL MEDIA, WE HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OUR STRATEGY AND REFINING SOME THINGS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A COMPANY CALLED TWO SIX DIGITAL AND THEY'RE DOING SOME CONSULTING AND, UH, STRATEGY TRAINING STUFF FOR US ON TARGETING WITH PAID POSTS AND EVERYTHING.
UM, WE HAD 84 POSTS OVER, UH, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.
WE HAD 275 NEW FOLLOWERS AND YOU CAN SEE OUR FOLLOWER ACCOUNTS THERE, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.
IT'S GROWING, UH, WHICH I'M, I'M HAPPY.
I THINK THAT REALLY OUR, OUR SHIFT AND STRATEGY IS WORKING.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF, UH, WE'RE DOING WEDNESDAYS OR CONTENT DAYS.
WE GO OUT AND WE DO VIDEO COLLECTION ON WEDNESDAYS.
WEDNESDAYS WE WEAR PINK AND WE GO
UH, WORK FIREWORKS, UM, 4TH OF JULY.
AND THEN, LET'S SEE, THIS IS TEXAS HEAT.
WHAT IS THIS? STAY COOL INSIDE.
YOU WERE SENDING TRAFFIC AND JULIANA Y'ALL IS THE, THE MASTER BEHIND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT.
SHE'S WRITING EVERYTHING AND MAKING SURE WE'RE STAYING OUT, STAYING UP THERE.
AND THEN, UH, CURRENT PROJECTS.
SO, UH, WE ARE WORKING ON A COUPLE NEW THINGS.
THE NEW LEAGUE CITY MEETING PLANNER, GUIDE, PUBLICATION WILL BE A LITTLE BOOKLET KIND OF LIKE THIS.
UM, IT WILL SHOW ALL THE PLACES THAT YOU HAVE THAT HAS MEETING SPACE AND WE SEE IF WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS WHERE, WHAT RESTAURANTS HAVE MEETING SPACE.
YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COLLECTS ALL THAT IN ONE SPACE.
SO I'M WORKING ON A PUBLICATION.
I WORK WITH ASHLEY, UH, TO DESIGN IT AND IT IS BEING EDITED RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE UPDATING THINGS AND IT SHOULD BE OUT PRETTY SOON.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON, UH, THE SAME TYPE OF MATERIALS, THE MARKETING BRANDON STUFF FOR THE BALLPARK AT LAKE CITY, UH, THAT IS IN THE WORD.
SO WE NEED A FACILITY GUIDE FOR THEM WITH ALL THE SPECS AND INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN BOOK IT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES THERE AND WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, LOTS OF NEW THINGS.
IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, JUST BECAUSE I WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY ON MARKETING THE BALLPARK AT LEAGUE CITY.
SO PART OF THE BUDGET HAS HOT FUNDS.
UH, I THINK IT'S 25% OF HOT FUNDS, UH, FOR THE POSITION.
SO LIKE 25% OF A HUNDRED PERCENT IS GOING TO BE USED TO PUT PLAY, UH, FOR AN EVENT PLANNER AT THE BALLPARK OF LEAGUE CITY TO REALLY BRING IN EVENTS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO MARKET IT AS MORE THAN JUST BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.
THEY'RE BRINGING IN A LOT OF STOCK OR THEY'VE BEEN DOING EVENTS INSIDE THE PAVILION.
THEY'RE REALLY GONNA BE MARKETING, WEDDINGS, MEETINGS, CORPORATE EVENTS, UM, ALL OF THAT, WHICH I KNOW THAT'LL BE GOOD FOR YOU.
TESIA OLIVER AT THE FAIRFIELD.
JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE SO, SO CLOSE TO THE BALLPARK.
SO THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO TRANSFORM IT FROM JUST MORE THAN BASEBALL, UM, AND MAKING IT INTO A, A KIND OF MEETING VENUE SPACE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY STEPHANIE'S REALLY WORKING ON THIS MEETING GUIDE FOR THEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S NOT JUST A MARKET BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL, IT'S ALL THESE OTHER STUFF.
AND WE'LL HAVE A SALES PERSON THAT'S ACTUALLY RECRUITING AND BRINGING THAT BUSINESS IN.
[00:55:01]
UH, PERSONNEL COSTS WILL GO TO FUND AND THEY'RE STILL BRINGING IN THESE HUGE BASEBALL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS.JUST BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, WHICH WE HAVE HILLS,
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, WE HOPE THEY DON'T GO OVER TO WEBSTER STAY, BUT JUST WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AT A TOURNAMENT, WELL THEY'RE ASKING FOR LIKE 3000 ROOM NIGHTS TO COMMIT FOR THESE TOURNAMENTS THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO BRING IN.
WE ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIMITED AS FAR AS OUR TOTAL ROOM NIGHT, CITY WISE, WE NEED SOME MORE HOTELS.
SO ALSO WORKING ON FALL CREATIVE FOR ADVERTISING AND THEN THE VIDEO AND REAL CONTENT.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO ACT, I'M REDESIGNING THE CBB WEBSITE.
SO I WILL HOPEFULLY SHOW YOU THAT MAYBE NOT NEXT MONTH OR THE, MAYBE THE MONTH AFTER THAT BECAUSE I'M GONNA BE TRAINING ON IT.
WE'RE CHANGING IT FROM THE WIX TO A WORDPRESS.
AND SO I HAS BEEN WORKING HARD ON THAT AND I'VE SEEN A SNEAK PEEK OF IT.
AND WE HAVE A NEW, UH, TOOL THAT IS BRINGING IN EMPOWERING OUR LISTINGS AND OUR EVENTS.
SO WE'VE GEOFENCED OUR AREA AND AGGREGATING CONTENT FROM FACEBOOK EVENT PAGES, EVENTBRITE, GOOGLE EVENTS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND IT BRINGS IT INTO A PORTAL.
AND THEN I CAN APPROVE THE, THE BUSINESSES THERE AND IT SHOWS UP ON OUR WEBSITE.
I HAVE IT ON MY CURRENT SITE UNDER THINGS TO DO.
YOU CAN SEE ALL OF OUR ATTRACTIONS AND STUFF THERE.
AND ALSO OUR EVENT CALENDAR IS GONNA BE POWER POWERED BY THAT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER, UH, SOFTWARE TOOL IN TRAINING ON.
UH, AND IT WILL GO INTO OUR NEW WEBSITE, BUT IT IS ON OUR CURRENT SITE NOW.
UH, NEXT WEEK, JUST A HEADS UP, I'LL BE ATTENDING THE T-A-C-B-B CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN.
I'M ON THE BOARD, BUT I'M HOSTING A FIRST TIME ATTENDEES LUNCHEON ON WEDNESDAY.
SO I'M PREPARING FOR THAT AFTER THIS MEETING.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING AND STUFF, SO I'LL BE IN AUSTIN NEXT WEEK.
SO IF YOU NEED ME, I'M AVAILABLE.
I'LL JUST NOT BE UP THE OFFICE.
UH, AND THEN ALSO ON AUGUST 29TH, HGAC IS HAVING A, UH, A WORKSHOP ON HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX USAGE.
AND SO I'LL BE ATTENDING THAT AS A FULL DAY THING.
AND SOMEWHERE IN HOUSTON, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IN HOUSTON, BUT NOT HERE.
IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN GOING, IT'S A FREE SESSION.
I CAN SEND YOU THE INFORMATION IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GO TO IT, BUT THAT'S HAPPENING SOON TOO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE, UM, MEETING PLANNER.
IS THAT GONNA INCLUDE LIKE THE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE MEETING SPACES AS WELL? MM-HMM.
IT'S NOT ALL BAY AREA, BUT YES.
SO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, ON THERE.
'CAUSE WE GET CALLS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A THING ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ROUNDING THAT UP AND IT'S GONNA BE, WE'LL PRINT A SHORT RUNT OF, OF PIECES AND IT WILL ALSO LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE.
BUT, UM, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE CONSTANTLY UPDATED JUST BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE ALL THE TIME.
[IX. Board member comments]
OKAY.UH, BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, YOU WANT TO START US OFF? WHO WANTS TO START? ANYBODY HAVE ANY UPDATES OR COMMENTS, EVENTS COMING UP? ANYTHING
I'M FROM SOUTH SHORE HARBOR RESORT.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK, I'VE, I'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
I TRANSITIONED WITH MR. GREEN AFTER HE RETIRED.
BRIDGET BARR JUST RECENTLY RETIRED ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES.
SO, BUT WE ARE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
UM, I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, UH, I KNOW YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT THE HOTELS.
THIS IS A WORLD OF INFORMATION AND FOR ME, THIS IS LIKE ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
UM, I HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE WORKING WITH JILL.
REASON FOR THE AREA, UH, HOUSTON BALLET.
IT, IT, IT WORKS WELL AT OUR PROPERTY.
UM, BUT HER, HER BROADCAST AND, AND HER AUDIENCE IS, IS WIDESPREAD.
SO IT'S, IT'S GREAT FOR THE, THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT.
UM, AT OUR HOTEL NOW, UM, WE'VE HAD A GREAT SUMMER.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LARGE, UH, GROUP IN RIGHT NOW OF, UH, ASTRONAUT SCHOLARSHIP, UH, FOUNDATION, A LOT OF, UH, JUNIORS AND SENIORS, UM, FROM OUTSIDE, UH, UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE ATTENDING AND THEY'RE DOING LOTS OF WORK WITH, UH, AND TOURS WITH THE SPACE CENTER AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE THAT GOING ON THIS WEEK, THIS WEEKEND WE HAVE, UH, ONE OF OUR SIP AND SAILS, WHICH IS WE WORK WITH IN CONJUNCTION WITH HOUSTON PARTY BOATS.
AND IT IS A TWO HOUR SAILING CREWS THAT HAS SMALL, SMALL FOOD FAIR LIGHT BITES, UH, WINE AND BEER.
AND THEN THEY GO OUT FOR A TWO HOUR TOUR AND COME BACK.
WE HAVE THOSE ON SATURDAYS AND USUALLY ONCE A MONTH.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE OUR END OF SUMMER, WE'LL CALL IT A WEEKEND BASH THAT WE'RE HAVING AT OUR POOLSIDE.
UH, WE'VE GOT A FEW DJS LINED UP AND IT'S JUST A GOOD WAY A LOT OF THE KIDS WENT BACK
[01:00:01]
TO SCHOOL THIS WEEK AND PRIOR.SO GOOD WAY TO KIND OF WRAP UP THE SUMMER.
AND, AND, AND FOR US, IT'S A LOOK FORWARD TO HEY, LABOR DAY'S AROUND THE CORNER.
AND THEN IN OUR WORLD, THE EVENT SEASON KIND OF STARTS AFTER THAT.
UH, BUT WE HAVE THAT GOING ON IN ADDITION.
ACTUALLY, THAT'S ON SUNDAY, I'M SORRY, ON SUNDAY.
UM, AND THE, THE SUMMER BASH AT THE POOL IS ON SUNDAY, AND THAT'S ALL DAY UNTIL EIGHT O'CLOCK, I BELIEVE.
UM, ON THE 22ND OF AUGUST, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, WHAT WE CALL WINE DINNERS.
AND ON AVERAGE THEY'RE EVERY OTHER MONTH.
UH, THIS, UH, ON THE 22ND IT'S OUR NEW ZEALAND WINE DINNER.
AND, UH, MY APOLOGIES, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THAT WINE LIST OR THE MENU WITH ME.
HOWEVER, IF YOU DO GO TO OUR WEBSITE, ALL THE, UH, THE MENU THAT'S PRODUCED BY OUR CHEF IS THERE, IT IS A GREAT, GREAT DEAL.
UM, AND WE HAVE THOSE EVERY OTHER MONTH, $99 PLUS TAGS.
NICE LITTLE QUAINT ATMOSPHERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE, UH, AN ARGENTINIAN WINE DINNER IN SEPTEMBER AND ANOTHER SIP AND SALE COMING UP TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH THERE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S MY, I'M, I'M NEW SO I'LL GET ACQUAINTED TO THIS MORE, UH, BUT THAT'S KIND OF A SYNOPSIS OF WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON AT THE HOTEL.
A HIGH LEVEL REPRESENTATIVE IN THE HOTEL.
BE ON THE FLOOR BETWEEN, THANK YOU BRIDGET AND ROY JUST TOOK TURNS I THINK FOR YEAH, YOUR TURN.
UM, WELL AS FAR AS BUTLER'S COURTYARD, WE HAD TO POSTPONE OUR OPEN HOUSE BECAUSE OF UH, HURRICANE BUR, UH, BARREL, BARREL WHATEVER, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
A LOT OF THINGS BESIDES THE BEING GIVEN, UM, IT CAUSED SOME PRETTY MAJOR DESTRUCTION FOR US.
SO WE ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE HAVE A WEDDING ON SATURDAY.
SO, UH, ACTUALLY WE HAVE A PARTY THIS SATURDAY AND THEN WE HAVE A WEDDING NEXT SATURDAY BEFORE, SO WE PICKED THE 25TH FOR OUR OPEN HOUSE.
SO ANY SHARES ON YOUR PERSONAL PAGES, ON YOUR BUSINESS PAGES, IT REALLY HELPS US A LOT.
HELPS THE ALGORITHMS SAY, OH, THESE PEOPLE ARE POPULAR, LET'S SHOW THEM.
UM, THE SPRING LOOKS REALLY EMPTY, WHICH IS KIND OF A PROBLEM 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT SIX MONTHS OUT, BUT WE'RE HOPING WITH OPEN HOUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THOSE SPRING BRIDES WAIT UNTIL THE, THE SUMMER OPEN HOUSE THEY BOOKED.
SO, UM, BUT YEAH, JUST KEEP US IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND S 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN QUITE EXPENSIVE.
AND THEN AFTER THE HURRICANE OUR TRAILER GOT STOLEN.
DID YOU GUYS EVER 30 OF OUR WEDDING BENCHES, THEY GONE, NEVER GOTTEN ANY.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE MAIN STREET MISTRO ALSO HAD A TRAILER STOLEN THAT SAME TIME? I DID NOT KNOW THAT, BUT I DID KNOW SOME NEIGHBORS BACK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD AN RV STOLEN AND SO, OH GOSH, MY GOSH.
WHO IS THIS TRAILER BANDIT? THEY CAME BOLT CUTTERS READY.
LIKE WE GOT LITTLE CUTTERS IN OUR YARD.
THE LAKE CITY CSI TEAM HAS THEM, BUT THEY GOT, YOU KNOW, THAT TRAILER'S GONE LONG, NOW IT'S MEXICO.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY WHO SHARED OUR POSTS.
YOU KNOW, I DEBATED TO DO THAT 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA LIKE FREAK OUT OR BE LIKE NEEDY OR WHATEVER, BUT I WAS SO HOPEFUL THAT THEY WOULD DUMP THE BENCHES SOMEWHERE 'CAUSE I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE TRAILER BENCHES BACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CUSTOM MADE AND THEY TAKE A LONG TIME TO MAKE.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED TO ULTIMATELY SHARE IT.
WE GOT OVER A THOUSAND SHARES FROM FRIENDS NEIGHBORS AND SO WE, WE REALLY WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
'CAUSE I WAS JUST HOPING SOMEBODY BE DRIVING ALONG AND BE LIKE, HEY, I RECOGNIZE THOSE BENCHES IN THAT DITCH, YOU KNOW, BUT WE DID NOT GET THEM BACK.
SO WE'RE NOW BUILDING NEW BENCHES ON TOP OF A NEW BUILDING AND NEW, BUT WE'RE GETTING, IT'S A CHANCE TO UPGRADE.
UM, BUT PLEASE SHARE OPEN HOUSE, CLICK INTERESTED OR GOING.
THAT ALSO HELPS EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT GOING, JUST CLICK INTERESTED FOR ME.
AND THEN, UM, IT'LL BE TIME TO START LOOKING FOR A BLOCK PARTY DATE AND OH GOSH.
MOVING INTO THE WINTER NOW THAT OUR KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL, LIKE I KNOW.
SO WHEN DO YOU NORMALLY DO THE BLOCK PARTY? IN OCTOBER.
WHEN YOU GET A COOL WEATHER, WHEN YOU GET A DATE.
WHEN, WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU'LL HAVE A DATE? I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE ARE ACTUALLY VERY BUSY THIS OCTOBER.
WE'VE DONE IT IN SEP TOWARD THE END OF SEPTEMBER BEFORE AND THAT WAY WORKS OKAY TOO.
WE JUST WANNA GET THROUGH HURRICANE SEASON THROUGH THE HEAT, YOU KNOW.
IT'S NICE IN THE COOLER WEATHER.
UH, WE ALSO USUALLY PULL DOWN THE HOMECOMING SCHEDULES.
I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS ON SOMEONE'S HOMECOMING, BUT IF IT'S MORE ON LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, OTHER SIDE AWAY FROM EVERYBODY ELSE.
UM, BUT YEAH, WELL I'LL DEFINITELY LET Y'ALL KNOW IF THERE'S YEAH.
LET US KNOW CITY'S PARTICIPATION.
YEAH, WELL WE'RE PLANNING FOR CITY MATTERS WHERE WE DO SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER EVENTS.
SO IF YOU HAVE IT ANYTIME IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO, JUST LET US KNOW.
LET JULIANA KNOW BECAUSE PLEASE KNOW, I I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, I NEED LIKE TWO THINGS IN MY
SHE'S LIKE, I NEED TWO MORE CONTENT.
[01:05:01]
SO WE'LL, WE'LL PICK IT, WE'LL PICK IT THIS WEEK.I MEAN MY SISTER AND I WERE SAYING THIS WEEK WE NEED TO DO IT.
OUR KIDS WENT BACK TO SCHOOL TODAY SO WE CAN BE NORMAL AGAIN.
HE'S, BUT UM, AND THEN OF COURSE OUR OTHER NIECE IS A SOPHOMORE AND THEN OUR OTHER NIECE STARTED HER SOPHOMORE YEAR AT TEXAS STATE.
UM, SO WE GOT A LOT GOING ON
SO, ANYTHING ELSE? COLTON, DO YOU WANT TO UH, YEAH, SO WE ARE ACTUALLY PLANNING A BACK TO SCHOOL MARKETING CONFERENCE FOR ALL THE MARKETING PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE ENTIRE BAY AREA, HOUSTON.
UM, WE'VE GOT A TENTATIVE DATE AND WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE ACTUALLY ABOUT A 50 TO A HUNDRED MARKETING PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS OWNERS FROM OUR AREA, HEARING FROM ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT INDUSTRY EXPERTS ON HOW TO MARKET THEIR BUSINESSES PROFITABLY AND CREATING KIND OF LIKE THEIR BRAND AWARENESS.
UM, AS A ONE MAN SHOW FOR THE BAYERS CBBI CAN ONLY MARKET SO MUCH, UH, BUT IF I CAN TEACH A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE ON HOW TO MARKET, WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, SUPPORT THERE.
WHAT IS THE NAME? UM, SO IT'S GONNA BE OCTOBER 1ST.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE 8:00 AM TO, TO 1:00 PM CAN WE SEND PEOPLE ON OUR BEHALF THAT HELP WITH OUR MARKETING? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S LIKE IF I CAN'T GO INSTANCE, IT IS GOING TO BE OPEN TO ANYBODY.
UM, WE'VE GOTTEN THREE OF THE SIX SPEAKERS SO FAR.
WE'RE JUST GETTING A COUPLE OF DETAILS AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD LIKE SPONSORS THAT REACHED OUT TO US, SO CAN YOU MAKE SURE I GO ABOUT IT TO GET TICKETS OR WHATEVER? YEAH.
UM, SO WHERE ARE YOU GONNA HOLD IT? UH, IT'S GONNA BE AT THE COURTYARD MARRIOTT OVER IN NASSAU BAY.
UM, SO SHE'S GIVING US THAT ROOM FOR LIKE, IS THE RE LINK LIVE? SO DO I, IS THE REG LINK LIVE? NOT YET.
SO WE'RE GOING OVER A FEW DETAILS IN OUR BOARD MEETING TODAY, SO I'M HOPING TO HAVE THAT HERE WITHIN THE NEXT STEPHANIE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF, WE ALL GET THAT TOO.
SO I'VE GOT ALL EVERYBODY'S EMAILS SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT GOES OUT.
ANYTHING ELSE? TH OH NO, GO AHEAD.
HURRICANE SLOWED IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH, WE HAVE POWER MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
NO, THAT'S A BUNCH OF BRANCHES IN THE PARKING LOT, BUT NO.
AND YOU DISTURB FOOD TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS DURING AS LONG AS YOU, WE APPRECIATE THAT WE DOING THAT.
AT LEAST ALL THE FOOD DIDN'T GO TO WASTE.
AND THEY SHOW UP ASKING, I WAS LIKE, SURE, YEAH.
YOU GUYS REAL, DON'T YOU? YEAH, IT WAS OUR FIRST MEAL BEFORE WE LEFT TOWN IN OUR FIRST MEAL BACK
IT WAS LIKE ON THE WAY FROM THE AIRPORT.
YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES THAT WANNA HAVE EVENTS AND PROMOTED I FOR YOU GUYS.
I'LL TAKE ONE PRINTED OUT FOR YOU TODAY.
TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO TO GET PULLED IN.
[X. Discuss requests for future meeting agenda items]
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ANY TOPICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ABOUT LIKE, I DON'T THINK SO.UH, I, I DO KNOW THAT THE HISTORICAL SUB SIDE IS PLANNING TO COME AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE MUSEUM OPENINGS.
SO MIKE PETERSON WILL REACH OUT TO YOU ON WHEN HE CAN COME TO DO THAT.
BUT ARE THEY OPEN NOW? THEY ARE.
OUR SWEET LITTLE DOCENT DOES SUCH A GOOD JOB AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'VE BEEN A BILLION TIMES I SOLD SO MY KIDS AND WE HAVE HEARD THE WHOLE THING, BUT YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SHOW CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE DO SHOW UP.
IT'S NOT LONG, YOU KNOW, IT'S OPEN ON SATURDAYS, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
MM-HMM,
I THINK THERE WAS TWO OR THREE DAYS.
YEAH, I, IT'S DEFINITELY OPEN ON SATURDAYS, WHICH IS MY MAIN THING AND YOU KNOW, YES, IT'S THE WEEKENDS FOR SURE.
SO PLEASE GO BY, TAKE YOUR FRIENDS, TELL YOUR OUT TOWN FRIENDS.
IT'S NOT A LONG THING, BUT IT'S A GREAT WAY TO LEARN ABOUT AND IT HAS BC IN IT SO YOU'RE NOT IN THE HOSPITAL.
[01:10:01]
YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.UH, OKAY, WELL THEN WE CAN ADJOURN AT 1117.