THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PATIENT
[00:00:01]
WITH US.OFFICIALLY CALLING INTO ORDER AT
[I. Call to order]
10 15.WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH YOU, SIR.
I'M JACOB PROUD WITH ESTEBAN CAFE.
UH, JOSE MIRANDA WITH SOUTH SHORE HARBOR RESORT.
JODY KALUZA, MILLIONAIRE HOUSTON.
LAKE CITY, CBB, AMBER MURPHY, BUTLER'S COURTYARD, JUDITH BURLESON, RETIRED CORPORATE MARKETING.
UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS.
JILL REASON? UH, BAY HOUSTON VALLEY THEATER.
UH, ANY CITIZENS THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? OKAY.
NOW WE MOVE ON TO APPROVING THE OCTOBER
[IV. Approval of October 2024 meeting minutes]
MEETING MINUTES.I PERSONALLY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING OFF.
[V. Presentation of BAHBT Season HOT Grant Application - Jill Reason]
NOW WE HAVE THE BAY AREA HOUSTON BALLET AND THEATER ASKING, UH, PRESENTING THEIR HOT GRANT APPLICATIONS.I'M SO EXCITED TO HEAR Y'ALL ARE MY FAVORITE CITY.
NO, I I TRULY DO MEAN THAT I I KNOW I LIVE IN LOUISIANA.
BUT THAT, UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS IS A TRUE COLLABORATION.
LIKE WE LOVE DOING THINGS TOGETHER WITH LAKE CITY.
JUST, YOU'RE ACTIVE AND IT'S WONDERFUL AND WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THAT.
I'M WITH BAY HOUSTON VALLEY THEATER, AND I'M GOING TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR, OUR 49TH SEASON THAT WE ARE IN NOW.
YOU CAN STOP ME AT ANY TIME AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK ME QUESTIONS.
THIS IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT.
SOMETHING THAT WE ADDED ON ABOUT, UH, COVID YEARS IS THAT WE ARE REALLY INNOVATIVE AND WANT TO BE, UH, ACTIVE IN OUTREACH.
NOT JUST PERFORMING THE ARTS IN ON THE THEATER STAGE, BUT TO GET OURSELVES OUT THERE TO REALLY BRING THE ARTS TO ALL CITIZENS, TO ALL PEOPLE, AND TO, UH, GET THE ARTS ALSO INTO ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF ASPECTS THAT GO ON IN OUR CITY.
AND SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, THAT WE DO THAT.
THIS IS OUR 49TH SEASON, IF YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK.
UH, WE DID BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, A MUSICAL EVERY OTHER YEAR, AS YOU KNOW, IS OUR NAME IS BAY, WHO'S A BALLET AND THEATER.
SO EVERY OTHER YEAR WE PRODUCE A MUSICAL.
MUSICALS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE, AND IT'S DIFFERENT.
WE LIKE TO TAKE OUR BALLERINAS AND STEP 'EM OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE AND MAKE THEM DO, MAKE THEM, I SAY MAKE THEM, BUT ONCE THEY KEEP GOING, THEY LOVE IT.
BUT IT IS HARD FOR THEM TO AUDITION AND THEY HAVE TO SEE, THEY HAVE TO DO THINGS THAT THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT USED TO DOING.
AND THE REASON WE DID THIS, OUR FOUNDER LANETTE, MS. AND GREG, SHE WAS IN, SHE REALLY HAD A VISION OF CREATING TRIPLE THREAT DANCERS, WHICH NOT ONLY YOU CAN SING, DANCE, AND OF COURSE PERFORM.
SO BEING A TRIPLE THREAT DANCER GIVES YOU SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE YOURSELF.
UH, ARTISTICALLY THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY PRIMA BALLETS IN THE WORLD.
THERE'S PROBABLY, YOU CAN COUNT THEM ON ONE HAND.
SO THESE, WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR, UH, COMPANY MEMBERS THAT MOVE ON THAT ARE ON BROADWAY.
AND THEY COME BACK TO US AND THEY SAY, ONE OF OUR, ACTUALLY THE DIRECTOR OF GIVING THE BEAST WAS, UH, SHE STARTED CATS.
AND SHE CAME BACK AND SHE SAID TO THE COMPANY, SHE SAID, I WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT CRIED WHEN I HAD TO SING AND HATED IT.
BUT IF YOU HAD NEVER MADE ME DO IT, I WOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO BROADWAY AND, AND DONE AND DONE THE THINGS THAT I DO THAT I'M DOING.
SO, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR NUTCRACKER, AS YOU KNOW, OUR INFAMOUS NUTCRACKER.
AND, UM, THE BEST OF ABBOTT IS THE PERFORMANCE THAT WE DO IN THE SPRING THAT'S CONTEMPORARY.
THIS IS GETTING THAT TRIPLE THREAT OUT THERE, CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL AS WELL THAT WE ENJOY DOING.
SO OUR 49TH SEASON, AS I JUST SAID, WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
AND WITH THOSE PRODUCTIONS, WE ACTUALLY ARE PRODUCING, UM, 30 FULL STAGE PERFORMANCES, NOT PRODUCTION, IT SHOULD BE PERFORMANCES.
SO 30 DIFFERENT SHOWS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, CLEAR LAKE AND THE, UH, ATTENDANCE.
WE, THE SEATING THAT WE HAVE THERE IS 500.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WE, AS I GOT BACK TO THAT, UM, OUTREACH LAST YEAR WE DID 32 COMMUNITY APPEARANCES.
AND THAT WILL EXTEND EVEN MORE.
UH, JUST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS WE WERE AT THE, UH, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GALA.
[00:05:01]
JUST SETTING THE MOOD WITH, WE WERE CHEERLEADERS THAT DAY.THE, UM, WE PERFORMED AT THE A A RP HOLIDAY LUNCHEON AT THE THING, THE U OF H STEP UP TO LEARNING.
NELSON AND I DID A PRODUCT, A PERFORM, UH, A SPEECH THERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SECRETS OF NUTCRACKER AND THINGS THAT HAPPENED BACKSTAGE THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND OR KNOW.
AND SO, AND ALSO FREE VIGNETTES IN DIFFERENT CITY PARKS THAT WE LOVE DOING AS WELL.
AND HERE IN LAKE CITY, WE LOVE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND JUST GROWING OUR ATTENDANCE.
I'M KIND OF A GEEK WHEN IT COMES TO, 'CAUSE I DO ALL WRITE ALL THE GRANTS, UH, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO NUMBERS AND REALLY GETTING INTO SEEING ALL THAT.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT A PIE CHART OF OUR INCOME, OUR YEARLY INCOME, THIS WAS ACTUALLY LAST SEASONS, BUT IT RUNS ABOUT THE SAME.
AND WHAT I LOVE IS THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE, IT GIVES YOU A BIG PICTURE OF WHERE OUR FUNDING IS COMING FROM.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, IS IF YOU LOOK, OUR PRODUCTION ONLY EQUATES FOR 32.5% OF OUR INCOME.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, IT TAKES A WHOLE LOT MORE TO, TO KEEP THE, THE DOORS OPEN AND EVERYTHING HAPPENING.
AND THEN OUR EXPENSES, WHICH I LOVE AND FOR, UM, LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT TOO, IS THAT IT IS SPENT ON OUR PRODUCTION.
LIKE THE, THE HEAVY PIE OF SHARE OF THE PIE IS SPENT ON PRODUCTION AND ARTISTIC.
UM, WE SEE THAT PASS OUT TO YOU FOR BEAUTY.
AND THE BEAUTY, WE HAVE AN AMAZING ARTISTIC STAFF.
NELSON MAD IS OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.
HE WAS WITH BOSTON BALLET FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
HIS WIFE RUNS THE FA HILL BALLET SCHOOL, WHICH SUB LEASEES FROM OUR BUILDING HERE, RIGHT, UH, DOWN STREET.
AND THEY, UM, WERE BOTH PRIMA THE STARS OF BOSTON VALLEY FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
AND HER SISTER WAS THE STAR OF SAN FRANCISCO BALLET.
AND SHE ALSO IS ON OUR ARTISTIC TEAM.
SO WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN THAT.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE FIVE PROFESSIONAL DANCERS THAT WE PAY.
UH, FOUR OF THEM ARE FROM CUBA.
SO, AND WHEN YOU COME TO KNOW, ACTUALLY BEAUTY THE BEAST, IF YOU SAW IT, THEY, WE COULDN'T HAVE THEM IN A LOT OF SINGING ROLES BECAUSE THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH VERY WELL,
AND THE DRESS DRIVE FISH 'CAUSE YOU ARE NOT IN THE MUSICAL.
IF YOU CAN'T SING, YOU REMOVE YOUR MOUTH.
SO THEY WERE THE WOLVES THAT WERE KIND OF IN THE TREES AND THEY GOT TO DO THAT PART OF IT.
SO YES, VERY EXCITING TO DO THAT.
SO THIS IS BEAUTY THE BEAST, AND AS I SAID, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
WE HAD EIGHT PERFORMANCES IN SOLD, 370, UH, 3,752, UH, SEATS FOR THAT.
MANY OF THE SHOWS WERE SOLD OUT.
WE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS BECAUSE OUR DANCERS THAT COULD SING, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF A STAR ROLL.
SO, UH, THE BEAST WAS ACTUALLY A PHENOMENAL MAN.
HE'S A MATH EIGHTH GRADE MATH TEACHER IN SUGARLAND.
SO IT WAS EXCITING TO PULL THAT IN.
UM, OUR NUTCRACKERS COMING UP VERY, VERY SOON.
WE ADDED A THIRD WEEKEND AFTER COVID.
SO THAT EXTENDED US TO FROM 12 TO 18.
AND THEN LAST YEAR WHEN WE GOT TO OUR THIRD WEEKEND, IT WAS COMPLETELY SOLD OUT PRIOR TO THE SHOW STARTING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CEASE? DO YOU HAVE ANY CEASE? CAN WE, SO WE, THIS SHOULD, WE ADDED A THURSDAY NIGHT SHOW TO THAT THIRD WEEKEND, HOPEFULLY.
AND TICKETS ARE SELLING SO WELL FOR THAT ALREADY.
SO 19 SHOWS, BUT SIX OF OUR SHOWS ARE FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND AT THE THEATER.
WE DO IT DURING THE DAY, UM, ON A THURSDAY WE DO TWO SHOWS A FRIDAY.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY WE DO, UH, TWO MORE.
UM, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR.
WE HAD 1,760 TITLE ONE STUDENTS COME TO THE THEATER AND WE LOVE THAT.
IT'S A LITTLE SHORTENED VERSION OF THE NUTCRACKER.
THE SUGAR POND ONLY COMES OUT ONE TIME.
IF YOU COME TO, YOU KNOW, SHE COMES OUT, HE COMES OUT, SHE COMES OUT AND THEN THEY COME AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH MY GOD, STOP
NO, WE DON'T DO THAT FOR THIS FOLK BOYS.
AND THEN DURING INTERMISSION, WE HAVE CHARACTERS COME OUT TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE NUTCRACKER, HOW
[00:10:01]
TUTU'S ARE MADE, POINT SHOES, ALL OF THAT FUN, FUN STUFF FOR THE, FOR THEM.BUT I AM EXCITED, UH, BEFORE I CAME TODAY, I TOOK A LOOK AT OUR TICKET SALES.
WE'RE ALREADY SOLD 2,473 TICKETS FOR THIS YEAR'S.
THAT'S A LITTLE WAYS, WAYS TO GO.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THERE.
AND THAT'S, UM, UH, VERY EXCITING.
AND NOW CRACKER KIND OF IS OUR CASH PAL THAT GETS US THROUGH THE, THE REVENUE FROM THAT GETS US THROUGH THIS FIRST HALF OF THE NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN IN THE SPRING, WE LOVE TO DO OUR, UH, CLASSICAL CONTEMPORARY AND KIND OF AN ARTISTIC IMMERSION FOR, UH, THE AUDIENCES OF THE BEST ABOUT IT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THE OUTREACH, WE LOVE THAT WE, WE GO ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WE RARELY EVER SAY NO TO ANYBODY.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS FUN TELLER TITA HAS THIS FOR IN THE SAN LOUIS SALUTE GOLF TOURNAMENTS, UM, DOWN IN GALVESTON, DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, ALL OVER.
AND THAT'S JUST A FEW PHOTOS OF THAT.
THIS IS OUR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE WITH THEM TALKING.
AND THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE, THIS IS LAKE CITY.
THIS WAS, UM, AREA, BUT THAT IS REALLY PIT BULL.
WE DO, UH, BILLBOARDS ON HIGHWAY THREE.
ONE IS A STANDALONE ON HIGHWAY THREE, AND THEN FIVE, UH, DIGITAL ONES THAT ARE TUSCAN LAKES, KEA AND THAT IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT PLACES, UM, THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TO PHOTOS THAT.
SO WE, WE LOVE THAT, UM, ASPECT.
WE ALWAYS DO A HALF PAGE IN THE BAY AREA MAGAZINE.
UM, DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, HEAVILY, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE TRY TO POST AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, IF NOT MORE.
UH, ONE THING THAT WE REALLY ENJOYED AND IMPLEMENTED, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT WE KEEP IT UPDATED WHEN YOU GO IN TO BUY YOUR TICKETS, THIS IS OFF OF OUR WEBSITE.
WE HAVE A PLAN YOUR STATE BUTTON THAT POPS UP ONCE YOU BUY IT.
AND WHEN YOU HIT IT, IT TAKES YOU TO LEAGUE CITY.
AND THEN, UM, AND IT SCROLLS ON DOWN TO SHOW YOU THE HOTELS THAT YOU COULD BOOK FOR THIS.
AND THEN, UM, YOU, IT TAKES YOU DIRECTLY TO THOSE LINKS WHERE YOU CAN GET HOTEL SAFE AT THE END OF OUR PERFORMANCES, EACH ONE, UH, TICKETS, EXCUSE ME, PATRONS GET A SURVEY TO FILL OUT THAT'S LIKE THIS, THAT I USE FOR GRANT PURPOSES.
AND THIS WAS A SURVEY, UH, THIS WAS LAST YEAR.
UM, BUT THE THING IS I ONLY GOT 37% OF THE SERVICE RETURN, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN, AND THIS IS, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, JILL.
WE EVEN HAD, IF YOU FILL THIS OUT, YOU CAN GET $5 OFF YOUR NEXT TICKET.
AND WE TRIED ALL OF THAT, BUT IT, IT JUST, IT KIND OF, I GUESS IT'S A KIND OF A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE WE DO NEED ALL OF THIS FOR GRANTS.
AND THEN, UM, WE ASKED IF YOU, WHAT ZIP CODE DID YOU LIVE IN? AND THAT'S WHAT WE GOT.
AND THEN DID YOU GET A HOTEL ROOM? AND WE HAVE THAT MM-HMM.
AND THIS IS SEPARATE THAN OUR BREAKFAST, OUR FUNDRAISER.
I KNOW I TALKED TO YOU SEPARATELY ON THAT, BUT THAT DOES BRING IN A WHOLE LOT MORE RECEIPTS FOR THAT OR HOTEL ROOMS. BUT I JUST, I WON'T BORE YOU WITH JUST LOVE THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF, UH, REVIEWS THAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT OUR, OUR COMPANY.
THIS ACTUALLY WAS ONE OF OUR ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE TWO YEARS AGO, AND HE'S NOW WITH THE DUTCH BALLET OVER IN EUROPE.
WHICH THE DUTCH BALLET IS LIKE THE, THE ULTIMATE, UM, BALLET COMPANY.
UM, THESE TWO, UH, MADISON IS WITH CINCINNATI BALLET AND KENNEDY IS WITH MEMPHIS BALLET.
SO WE TRAIN 'EM AND THEY GO, THEY, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A THING.
UM, SOPHIE JONES WAS SUPPO, SHE WAS OUR PRE, UH, PRINCIPAL LAST YEAR AND SHE WAS, AND A THING IN HOUSTON, ONE OF THESE EVENTS THAT WE WENT TO.
AND SOMEONE SAW HER IN BOSTON BALLET, GAVE HER A CONTRACT.
LIKE SHE NOW IS GOING TO BE, SHE'S CLARA FOR BOSTON BALLET.
BUT YEAH, YOU ARE LIKE, WAIT, WE NEEDED YOU A FEW MORE YEARS.
SO ONE OF THE CUBAN DANCERS IS A FEMALE THAT WE, WE HAD TO HAVE TO GET, UM, TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE SEASON OR TO MAKE IT GOOD.
SO A LITTLE CONTEMPORARY THERE.
I DON'T BORE YOU WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
[00:15:01]
A PROFESSIONAL ISH BALLET COMPANY AND WE HAVE 70 COMPANY MEMBERS THAT TRAIN DAILY WITH, IN OUR, AT OUR STUDIO FROM 12 TO FOUR.MANY OF THESE GIRLS EITHER GET OUT OF SCHOOL EARLY AROUND TWO-ISH TO JOIN IN, OR A LOT OF THEM CHOOSE TO BE HOMESCHOOLED SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, TRAIN IN.
BUT WE LOVE OUR, UM, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, LAKE CITY.
UH, OF COURSE OUR BREAKFAST WITH THE SUGAR PALM BEER IS COMING UP.
THE STAFF THERE IS WONDERFUL, UH, NUTCRACKER IN THE PARK.
UM, I KNOW THIS YEAR WE'RE NOT DOING AS MANY LITTLE THINGS WELL BECAUSE WE MOVED THE TREE LIGHTING TO SUNDAY, SO I AM BAD.
WE STILL HAVE FOUR SH I THINK WE HAVE FOUR PERFORMANCES, SO THERE'S STILL TIME TO SIGN UP FOR IT.
WE GET SO MANY CALLS ON THIS TOO AND THEY WERE SO EXCITED.
BUT, UM, I JUST TOLD SARAH WE NEED TO BRING THIS BACK.
AND WE TOOK THE SUGAR PHONE FAIR AND THE RAT KING AND
AND THERE'S MY FAVORITE
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU LOVE IS THESE LITTLE GIRLS OR BOYS THAT COME OUT.
BUT I JUST, WE CANNOT THANK LEAGUE CITY ENOUGH FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT OF THE ARTS OF WHAT THEY BRING.
I WILL TELL YOU OUR 50TH IS NEXT YEAR AND IT'S GOING TO BE THAT.
LIKE I MAY BE CALLING, I WENT, LENNY HAD ME LENNY MADISON SPEAK WHO DOES FASHION INTO HOUSTON LAST NIGHT AND ONE OF HIS FASHION SHOWS AT ELIZABETH, DON'T EVEN KNOW THE NAMES.
ANYWAY, IT WAS A FASHION SHOW OF SOME DESIGNER, BUT IT WAS OUTSIDE.
IT WAS SO I WAS LIKE, HE GOES, YOU KNOW WHY I BROUGHT IT HERE.
SO I, ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS LAKE CITY.
WHERE IN LAKE CITY CAN WE LIKE, DO SOMETHING LIKE, DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? SUCH IS JUST AN PARK, I GUESS.
LEAGUE PARK AND THE COURTYARD COULD BE.
ANYWAY, MY LITTLE HEAD KEEPS GOING, BUT OUR 50TH DAY GONNA BE PHENOMENAL.
WE WILL BE HAVING, UM, A, A BIG GALA IN JANUARY OF 2026 OH, AWESOME.
AND HOPE TO BRING BACK LOTS OF OUR PERFORMERS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO ARE STARS NOW SHARE.
UM, OUR BREAKFAST, I KNOW THIS IS HOT.
OUR BREAKFAST IS SATURDAY, OUR SUGAR QUANTITY IS SATURDAY.
SO IT'S THE BIGGEST ONE WE'VE EVER HAD.
WE HAVE 543 AT THE BREAKFAST WHILE, AND THE TEA IS SITTING AT UH, 347.
RIGHT? ARE YOU SOLD OUT? COMPLETELY CAN GO TO 500.
LAST YEAR WE BARELY MADE ONE 60 FOR THE TEA.
COME TO THE GINGER UN ARE YOU GONNA BE OUTTA TOWN TOMORROW? GINGER UNVEILING IS TOMORROW.
SO THAT'LL BE GONNA BE UNVEILING FOR THE GINGERBREAD HOUSES TOMORROW.
CAN WE GET OUTTA WAY FOUR O'CLOCK? I THINK THAT'S OUR NICE, YES.
OH, AND I WANTED TO SHOOT, THIS WAS OUR PROGRAM AND UM, I SHOWED YOU SARAH.
I WILL LEAVE SOME FOR YOU TOO.
AND THEN THE LAKE CITY ADAM IS RIGHT THERE THE COVER.
SO IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE THING.
I'M GONNA GO HOME AND WATCH
I THINK IT JUST, I JUST, UM, DO YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE THESE SARAH? YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SHE GOT IT TO JUST LIKE, GOTCHA.
IF I GET, IF I GET I THINK SHE PARK ON BOARD, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
I'M GONNA TRY BECAUSE WE WERE SO, NATALIE WAS SO EXCITED.
SHE, 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO YEAH, I, I'M GONNA SEE WHAT I CAN DO.
I'LL DO, YOU KNOW, TELL SARAH THOUGH.
[VI. Discuss and vote on BAHBT Season HOT Grant Application]
OR QUESTIONS TO MAKE ABOUT THAT? SHE'S REQUESTING 10,000, UM, WHICH IS WHAT WE GAVE HER LAST YEAR AS WELL AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.I MEAN, I, I WOULD THINK WE SHOULD DO IT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH STEPHANIE AND SARAH TO GET CONTENT FOR THAT WE CAN USE AND THEY CAN USE, LIKE
[00:20:01]
CHECKS ALL THE BOXES.SO IT'S REALLY GREAT FOR OUR PUBLIC ART INITIATIVE TO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT, WE REALLY WANNA PUSH NOT ONLY THE VISUAL ARTS, BUT THE PERFORMING ARTS.
AND SO THEY REALLY FILL THAT BUCKET FOR US BECAUSE WHEN THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CHILDREN IN THE AREA AS SPEAKS ENOUGH ALSO FOR ME.
SO, AND, AND FRANKLY JUST THE HOTEL ROOM BRINGING IN FOR ALL I WAS GONNA ADD IS, IS THIS IS MY, UH, SECOND YEAR TO WORK WITH JILL.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING THE WORK AND THE ACTUAL ART THAT'S THERE.
I I, I ACTUALLY, SHE WOULDN'T, SHE DIDN'T SAY, BUT I SAT IN THE BREAKFAST LAST YEAR AND, AND I WATCHED AND, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT STUFF AND, UM, I, I THINK IT'S DONE VERY PROFESSIONALLY AND, UH, SHE'S VERY EFFICIENT WITH THE TIME AND THE WAY THAT THINGS GO ABOUT.
SO, UM, I'VE, I'VE ENJOYED IT.
AND I DO, I WANT TO CLARIFY TOO, WE ALREADY GAVE THEM A GRANT FOR THE EVENT THAT AT THE HOTEL, THIS IS FOR THEIR SEASON.
JUST SO EVERYONE, IF YOU'LL LOOK IN 2021 WHEN WE WERE GIVING HER 20,000, THAT'S WHEN, I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE AS A GROUP SAID, WE, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEPARATE THIS OUT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
MONEY FOR YOUR EVENT THAT DEFINITELY PUTS HEADS IN BEDS AND THEN MONEY FOR YOUR SEASON THAT SUPPORTS THE ARTS AND THAT, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SPLIT INTO 10,000.
THAT'S WHY IT'S ONLY 10,000 BECAUSE WE ALREADY GAVE THEM, AND WE ALSO CHANGED OUR, OUR RULES, OUR RULES.
THE MAX OF 10,000 TO SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO JUST GET $10,000 GRANTS.
SO WE TYPICALLY DID DO IT TOGETHER AND SHE WOULD JUST COME MAKE ONE PRESENTATION AND THEN WE GIVE HER 20,000 AND THEN WE CHANGED OUR WAYS AND THEN SHE SEPARATES IT INTO TWO AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANT THAT ON THE RECORD.
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT.
SO I WOULD MOTION THAT WE GIVE HER THE FULL 10,000 AS LONG AS THE SAME MARKETING EFFORTS ARE IN PLACE WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
[VII. Communication update - Sarah Osborne]
I DON'T HAVE, UH, TOO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.UM, SO I WANT TO PUSH, AND THIS IS RELATED TO JILL, OUR NUTCRACKER IN THE PARK HOLIDAY MARKET.
WE ALWAYS DO IT ON THE SHOP SMALL SATURDAY, UH, WHICH WILL BE SATURDAY IN NOVEMBER 30TH.
IT'LL BE FROM 9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE MOVED THE TREE LIGHTING UNTIL SUNDAY, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE A AND M UT GAME.
AND WE WERE FEARFUL OF WHO WOULD BE COMING OUT.
SMART FAIR, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR MAYOR MIGHT BE ATTENDING THAT GAME, SO YOU MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, SO WE DECIDED TO MOVE IT TO SUNDAY.
SO WE SHORTENED IT UP A LITTLE BIT JUST FROM 9:00 AM TO TWO BECAUSE TYPICALLY THE, WE GET THAT AFTERNOON CROWD BEFORE THE TREE LIGHTING.
AND SO THE VENDORS WOULD RATHER HAVE IT FROM NINE TO TWO.
SO THEY'RE NOT COMMITTED THE WHOLE DAY EXPECTING A AFTERNOON NIGHT RUSH.
UM, AND SO WE ARE DOING OUR BALLET LESSONS WITH THE SUGAR PLUM FERRY.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING YOUR LITTLE OR YOUR LITTLE ONE OR YOUR GRANDCHILD OR, UM, COME ON OUT, YOU CAN GO TO LEAGUE CITY.COM AND THE CBB SITE AND THEIR SIGN UP THERE, WE'RE GIVING AWAY OUR FREE COMMEMORATIVE ORNAMENT.
I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT ONE WITH ME.
PEOPLE LOVE OUR COMMEMORATIVE ORNAMENTS.
I'LL, I'LL, UM, AND SO I WAS TRYING TO DO A PROMO VIDEO AND I'M STILL WORKING.
JILL WAS TRYING TO SEND ONE OF, WELL JILL WAS GONNA SEND ONE OF THE BALLERINAS OUT AND I WAS GONNA TRY TO GET MY PUBLIC WORKS CREW DOING BALLET LESSONS AND BASICALLY SAY IT'S A MAJOR FAIL, BUT YOU CAN BRING YOUR KIDS OUT, WHATEVER.
BUT THE PUBLIC WORKS GUY BALL, THEY WERE LIKE, NO WAY.
SO I'M TRYING WITH PARKS, PARKS IS USUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE PLAYFUL WITH ME, BUT WE'RE, I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE A HYSTERICAL PROMO OR THE PD OR SOMETHING TO PUT YEAH.
SO, UM, I'M, UM, TRYING TO GET THAT SO WE CAN PROMOTE THE BALLET LESSONS EVEN MORE BECAUSE, UM, WE WANT, WE STILL HAVE SOME SLOTS TO FILL AND THEN THE TREE LIGHTING IS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST.
THE LEAGUE CITY BAND WILL PLAY FROM FIVE 30 TO SIX.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL LIGHT THE TREE AT SIX.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE PRETTY QUICK.
WE WILL HAVE MORE COMM COMPARATIVE ORNAMENTS TO GIVE AWAY THAT NIGHT.
WE USUALLY HAVE PLENTY TO DO FOR BOTH NIGHTS JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY COME OUT FOR THAT COMMEMORATIVE ORNAMENT.
UM, AND THEN NOT ON HERE, BUT THERE IS A THIRD HOLIDAY MARKET THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE DOING AT THE BALLPARK AT LEAGUE CITY.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE'S AWARE, BUT THE BALLPARK AT LEAGUE CITY, NOT ONLY IS IT THE CITY OWNED, BUT NOW IT'S CITY MANAGED.
UM, SO WE, THEY ARE REALLY, UM, AND, AND STEPHANIE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON EFFORTS WITH THEM TO PROMOTE THE BALLPARK FOR NOT JUST SPORTING EVENTS BUT FOR OTHER EVENTS.
SO THEY ARE HOLDING A BIG HOLIDAY MARKET.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE LIKE SANTA STOP BY FOR PICTURES.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE LIKE ARTS AND CRAFTS AND OF COURSE LOTS OF ARTISAN MARKETS.
I BELIEVE STEPHANIE REMEMBER THE TIME, IT'S LIKE NINE TO FIVE.
I THINK IT'S IF YOU GO ON FACEBOOK YEAH.
AND YOU TYPE IN THE BALLPARK AT LAKE CITY, UM, THEY'LL HAVE THE TIMES ON THERE.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S SO MANY SHOPPING EVENTS AVAILABLE.
[00:25:01]
THERE ARE OF COURSE HOLIDAY IN THE PARK IS THE FOLLOWING, UM, THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND AS WELL.THERE'S, SO THERE'S, IT'S, AS AMBER WELL KNOWS WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, THERE IS A LOT OF HOLIDAY EVENTS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF I TALKED ABOUT OUR ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM LAST SESSION.
SO THAT IS KICKING OFF IN THE NEW YEAR.
OUR CITY MATTERS MAGAZINE THAT WILL GO OUT, UH, IN MID-DECEMBER, WE WILL HAVE A WHOLE ARTICLE ABOUT HOW ARTISTS CAN SIGN UP AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FOR THE APPLICATION.
I ALREADY HAD ONE WOMAN JUST COME BY OUR OFFICE AND YEAH, JULIANNE'S LAUGHING.
SHE'S LIKE, I'M IN, PUT ME IN, I WANNA FILL THE APPLICATION RIGHT NOW, JUST GIMME ALL THE INFORMATION SO I CAN BEAT EVERYBODY.
I'M LIKE, WELL IT'S NOT COMING OUT UNTIL LIKE IN THE MAGAZINE AND, AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I FEEL GREAT THAT THERE'S INTEREST, UM, UH, ALREADY THAT'S AT THE GERARDI HOUSE.
SO, AND THEN WE DO HAVE A FIRM DATE IN APRIL WHERE THE, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WILL BE COMING OUT TO AWARD OUR OFFICIAL MUSIC FRIENDLY CITY APPLICATIONS.
SO, UH, THE LEAGUE CITY FOLK ASSOCIATION HAS AGREED TO MOVE THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT TO SATURDAY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO COME TO A LIVE MUSIC EVENT AND PRESENT THE CERTIFICATE AND HONOR US FOR BEING A MUSIC FRIENDLY CITY.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEM FOR MOVING THEIR CONCERT TO, UM, TO A SATURDAY INSTEAD OF A FRIDAY.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, WHICH SATURDAY IS THAT? SATURDAY? I THOUGHT IT WAS IN APRIL.
I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE DATE.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK BROOKE SENT IT TO ME.
IT'S LIKE, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE.
I'LL HAVE IT AT THE NEXT, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE A, A LOT OF ART PROJECTS PLANNED, UH, IN THE NEW YEAR.
SO I'LL UPDATE YOU GUYS, UH, AS I COME TO MORE MEETINGS.
BUT BASICALLY WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE YEAR, UH, GET THE FLOAT READY FOR THE HOLIDAY PARADE.
UM, OF COURSE WE CAN'T NOT DO A FLOAT, YOU KNOW.
WELL I KNOW SOME YEARS IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HARD 'CAUSE IT'S MY DEPARTMENT THAT PUTS IT TOGETHER AND SO, UM, BUT YEAH, WE'RE DOING A FLOAT AND, UM, STAY IN THIS WORKSHOP.
I'M TRYING TO BE RELATABLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, SO IT'LL BE GOOD.
I DON'T WANNA GIVE AWAY THE, THE THEME.
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE GOING ON.
THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE NEW YEAR AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE WILL HAVE THE STATE OF THE CITY COMING UP.
I'M STILL BOOKING THE DATE FOR JANUARY.
I'LL GIVE YOU, I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THAT IN AN EMAIL BECAUSE WE DO, UH, IT'S A BREAKFAST AND WE DO HONOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSION AT THE STATE OF THE CITY.
SO YOU OF COURSE WILL BE INVITED TO THAT.
UM, AND TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE THE MAYOR AND JOHN BAUMGARTNER DO A Q AND A WITH ME ABOUT WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED IN 2024 AND WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2025.
AND THE AUDIENCE CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE ALWAYS GOOD QUESTIONS LIKE, WHAT IS THIS ROAD GONNA BE DONE? WHAT IS THIS HAPPENING? SO, UM, ONCE I GET THAT DATE FOR TEXT, DOT TEXT DOT TEXT DOT TEXT DOT TEXT DOT.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THEM THERE QUESTION.
WE SHOULD JUST HAVE HIM BE ON THE SPOT.
MAYBE I'LL THINK ABOUT THAT ACTUALLY.
WELL, THIS GUY RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN ASK HIM AFTER THIS EVENT, BUT I'LL HAVE STEPHANIE EMAIL YOU THAT DATE AS SOON AS WE KNOW.
SO YOU CAN SAVE IT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
WE USUALLY DO IT ON A FRIDAY MORNING AT LIKE EIGHT O'CLOCK.
YEAH, IT'LL BE A FREE BREAKFAST.
SO THAT WAS MY FIRST YEAR THIS YEAR AND IT WAS FABULOUS.
YEAH, IT TURNED, IT USUALLY TURNS OUT REALLY WELL.
I MEAN IT IS REALLY INFORMATIVE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE THE INNER WORKINGS OF GOVERNMENT.
SO, UM, SO I, PEOPLE DO, WE DECIDED TO MAKE IT A FREE EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN KIND OF PARTNERING WITH THE CHAMBER, WHICH, 'CAUSE THEY MAINLY GET SPONSORS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES AND WE REALLY WANT RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AS WELL.
AND NOT JUST, I MEAN, BUSINESSES OF COURSE CAN COME, BUT WE REALLY WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND HEAR OUR MAYOR AND OUR UM, VERY GOOD.
I DID LOOK UP THAT HOLIDAY IN THE BALLPARK.
AND SO YOU CAN DO 11 TO FIVE AND SHOP AND THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE TREE LIGHTING.
THAT'S PRETTY, YEAH, IT IS PRETTY GOOD.
SO WE HAVE A SPECIAL WEBSITE, LEAGUE CITY HOLIDAYS.COM TOO WITH ALL OF THE CHRISTMAS EVENTS AND MARKETS THAT WE FOUND OUT ABOUT.
IT'S LIKE PLAIN SUPER CUTE ON THERE.
UM, TO ADD IT, I NEED TO PROBABLY ADD IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT SOUNDS OKAY.
[VIII. CVB Manager update - Stephanie Polk]
STEPHANIE, YOU'RE NEXT.UM, MY SLIDESHOW PRESENTATION'S A LITTLE BACKWARDS HERE, SO LET ME GET CAUGHT UP.
I DID, UH, GIVE Y'ALL AN UPDATED, UH, GRANT LIST FOR THIS YEAR WHERE WE ARE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR HOT GRANTS IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE ON EVERYTHING.
WE'LL ADD THE ONE TODAY ON THERE, SO THAT'LL BE 10,000.
[00:30:01]
WE STILL HAVE UH, PLENTY OF BUDDIES.MY PART YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU MY, UH, ANNUAL TOURISM PLAN AND KIND OF A RECAP REPORT.
AND I WAS JUST GONNA NOT GO THROUGH THIS ENTIRE BOOK WITH YOU TODAY SINCE YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU.
BUT JUST DO SOME HIGH LEVEL, UH, RECAPS ON THINGS.
SO WE HAD CAMPAIGNS RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UH, WITH DATA FI ORANGE 1 42, THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE TOUR, TEXAS CULTURE MAP, HOUSTON, UH, MEET TEXAS, THE TRAVEL GUIDE AND THEN SOME OTT, WHICH IS, UH, THE STREAMING MEDIA TYPE THINGS AND TARGETED THING.
SO WE HAD A RECORD, UH, 9.9 MILLION IMPRESSIONS THIS YEAR FOR OUR CAMPAIGN.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS THE PLACED MEDIA PART OF IT.
WE HAD 2,802, UH, 280 2034 ENGAGEMENTS FROM THESE EITHER CLICKING OR SIGNING OR DOING SOMETHING ACTUALLY ENGAGING WITH OUR CONTENT.
AND THAT GENERATED 148,337 PAGE VIEWS TO THE WEBSITE FROM OUR PAID MEDIA THERE.
SO, UM, I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT NUMBER.
IT'S KIND OF A HIGH NUMBER THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT.
UH, WE ALSO HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR IN SOME ACHIEVEMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, UH, WE OPENED OUR VISITOR CENTER.
IT'S BEEN OPEN FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR NOW.
WE, UH, WE'VE SUPPORTED THE LEAGUE CITY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM PROJECT AND NOW THE MUSEUM IS OPEN FOR REGULAR HOURS, WHICH IS GREAT.
SUPPORTED WITH HOT GRANTS, THE BAY AREA HOUSTON BALLET THEATER, THE WINDS, EVERY HOUSTON AIR SHOW, THE ARTS WITH WHITE LINEN KNIGHT MURALS, JAZZ KNIGHTS.
AND WE HOSTED AN AV AREA FAIR FOR THE BIRDING MARKET EARLIER THE SPRING OF FEATHER FEST.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE DID.
WE ALSO HOSTED OUR VERY FIRST PRESS TRIP IN CONJUNCTION WITH BAY AREA HOUSTON.
UH, BROUGHT IN JOURNALISTS AND SHOWED THEM THE AREA AND IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL TRIP THERE.
WE UPDATED OUR BRANDING FOR THE CBB AND WE ALSO OVERHAULED OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL COMPLIANCE EFFORTS FOR THE CITY, WHICH HAS REALLY DONE BIG THINGS.
I'LL GO TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
SO SOME BIG ACHIEVEMENTS THERE.
UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR, OUR HOTEL PERFORMANCE, WE HAVE HAD STRONG GROWTH ACROSS THE BOARD AND OCCUPANCY PERCENTAGES, A DR REVPAR DEMAND AND REVENUE FOR THE HOTEL.
WE'VE HAD TO DATE 134,649 ROOM NIGHTS SOLD IN LEAGUE CITY'S HOTELS TOTAL, WHICH WAS UP 6.8%.
OUR DIRECT TRAVEL SPENDING NUMBERS FROM THE STATE SHOW $137 MILLION IN VISITORS SPENDING DIRECTLY IMPACTING LEAGUE CITY.
SO WHENEVER PEOPLE COME TO TOWN, THEY BRING THEIR MONEY AND THEY SPEND IT HERE.
AND THAT'S GOOD FOR ALL OF US.
UH, HOT REVENUE GROWTH EVERY QUARTER THIS YEAR.
YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THINGS HAVE BEEN UP, UP, UP OVER LAST YEAR AND I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO EVERY QUARTER I'VE BEEN LIKE LOOKING FOR THAT BIG TOTAL NUMBER AND I ACTUALLY JUST GOT IT.
UM, THE NUMBER CAME IN FOR JULY AND SEPTEMBER.
THAT HAS PUT US NOW OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN ANNUAL COLLECTIONS.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD THAT FOR THE CITY.
UH, YOU COULD SEE FROM 2018 WHEN I THINK THINGS JUST STARTED HAPPENING WITH HOT TAXES OR 714,000 LAST YEAR WAS OUR RECORD YEAR 889,000, WHICH I THOUGHT THIS YEAR MIGHT BE 900 SOMETHING I DID NOT REALIZE WE WOULD EXCEED A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO I WAS VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT IS 19% HIGHER THAN IT WAS OVERALL FOR THE LAST YEAR, SO I'M PUMPED ABOUT THAT.
UH, I DID GIVE YOU A COPY OF OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
IT DOES NOT REFLECT THAT BIG NUMBER YET BECAUSE IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE FOR ALL THAT TO GO THROUGH.
AND THIS IS AT THE END OF OCTOBER.
SO THINGS ARE, IT'S A BRAND NEW FISCAL YEAR, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPENDING THAT'S HAPPENED YET, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY SKINNY THERE ON THAT.
SO ANYWAY, WE'RE, WE'RE ON TARGET.
WE HAVE A GOOD BUDGET THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'LL BE DOING LOTS OF ADVERTISING AND, AND YOU KNOW, GROWING OUR, GROWING OUR STUFF LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.
I JUST SKIPPED TO THE VERY END.
WE ARE LAUNCHING RIGHT NOW A NEW WEBSITE.
WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING THAT, ALL THE PAGES.
I WANNA GO LIVE WITH OUR NEW SITE IN JANUARY.
UH, WE WILL ALSO RUN OUR SEASONAL CAMPAIGNS AND CONTINUE WORKING, UH, ON PROMOTIONS FOR THE BALLPARK.
WE ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW DOING LIKE EVENT UH, PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO AND WE'RE MAKING, UH, BASICALLY CAMPAIGNS TO KIND OF MARKET THAT FACILITY AND GET THAT OUT THERE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL EVENTS AND TOURISM INITIATIVES THROUGH OUR HOT GRANT PROGRAM.
AND THEN JUST, WE'LL BE RUNNING LOTS OF PROMOTIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR, SO, UM, ABOUT GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF EVERYTHING, WHICH IN THE BACK OF YOUR LITTLE HANDBOOK, IT KIND OF SHOWS YOUR MONTHLY EDITORIAL CALENDAR, THINGS THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON.
WE'LL BE DOING SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITES, SPECIAL ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU A LITTLE LIST OF EVERYTHING THERE.
BUT, UH, THAT'S KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF EVERYTHING.
UH, AND ALSO IN YOUR REPORT I GAVE YOU LIKE THE COMPLETE MARKET ANALYSIS FOR THE AREA, UM,
[00:35:01]
THE ANNUAL WEBSITE TRAFFIC AND THE VISIT WIDGET NUMBERS AND OUR GOALS AND STRATEGIES, YOU KNOW, OUTLINED EVERYTHING FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL.WE WILL BE, WE'LL BE BUSY AGAIN NEXT YEAR AND UH, I'M EXCITED.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT 2025 IS GOING.
I MEAN AS FAR AS THE, UM, OH, THE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? SHORT TERM RENTALS.
OKAY, SO SHORT TERM I'M LIKE, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS REALLY COOL.
SHORT TERM RENTAL COLLECTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE WORKED TO GET AGREEMENTS WITH AIRBNB AND VRBO AND SO WE JUST GOT THAT LAST CHECK.
SO THE AMOUNT THAT IT WENT UP FROM LAST YEAR WAS 704%
SO WE COLLECTED OVER $60,000 FOR JUST TWO QUARTERS FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS VERSUS, VERSUS ZERO, A COUPLE HUNDRED BUCKS HARDEST ON THEIR DOOR, GIMME EMERGENCY.
SO NOW IT IS LIKE STREAM, WE'RE STREAMLINING IT, IT IS STREAMLINED AND WE HAVE A NEW SYSTEM AND IT IS JUST NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE.
SO OUR COLLECTIONS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE NEXT YEAR JUST BASICALLY ON THAT BECAUSE HAVING ALL THOSE NOW COMPLIANT, IT'S ALMOST LIKE ANOTHER, UH, SMALLER PROPERTY HOTEL THAT'S CONTRIBUTING WITHOUT HAVING ANOTHER HOTEL.
I LOVE HOW THOROUGH YOU ARE AND NOW YOU GIVE US ALL THE INFORMATION.
I HAVE MORE INFORMATION IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO READ ALL THE REPORTS OF THIS, THE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE THAT WHERE UPHOLD IMPRESSION NUMBERS AND STUFF, THEY HAVE LIKE ABOUT A 10 PAGE SUMMARY FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS TOO.
SO, UH, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T COPY ALL THOSE FOR Y'ALL.
THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE DOING WELL THAT THEY'RE ALL DOING VERY WELL.
I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THEIR PERFORMANCE.
[IX. Board member comments]
MEMBER COMMENTS, JACOB? NO.UM, WELL I'LL JUST GO THROUGH KIND OF MY UHHUH
WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF IT AND I LIKE SEEING ALL THIS ON THE BOARD BECAUSE I WAS KIND OF CHECKING OFF AND, AND, UH, IN MY MIND I'M LIKE, OKAY, HOW ARE WE IN LINE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON? AND, AND, AND IT, AND IT FEELS REALLY GOOD.
I THINK THOSE NUMBERS ARE OUTSTANDING TOO.
UH, BY THE WAY, UM, JUST FYI ON THE HOTEL, WE HAVE OUR GINGERBREAD UNVEILING TOMORROW.
WE HAVE, UH, THE SUGAR PLUM AND FRIENDS WEEKEND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH, UH, BARRY HOUSTON BALLET AND THEATER.
UM, WE'RE HEADED INTO MORE SEASONAL STUFF, UH, IN DECEMBER WITH OUR, UH, SATURDAYS WITH SANTA.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW YEAR'S, UH, NEW YEAR'S EVE HOLLYWOOD GLAM, UH, PARTY COMING UP, UH, FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE ON THAT TUESDAY.
I BELIEVE IT'S ON A TUESDAY EVENING.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WE TOUCHED ON A MINUTE AGO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO 25 AND, AND SEEING, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH.
I THINK THE, I THINK WE WERE PROJECTING, UH, CONTINUED YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH.
UM, WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR THAT LEISURE MARKET.
UM, THE CORPORATE HAS BEEN STRONG, EVENTS HAVE BEEN STRONG.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE HAS BEEN THERE, BUT UH, THAT LEISURE TRAVEL IS THE KEY.
AND UH, AND JUST TO COME FULL CIRCLE WITH THE BALLPARK, WE'VE DONE A LITTLE WORK WITH THEM ALSO AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN A COUPLE OF THOSE TEAMS COME THROUGH FROM THERE.
AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON WITH THEM IN MARCH IN 2025.
SO THEY'RE BRINGING IN AN INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN MARCH, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING WITH THEM.
THEY'RE, KIM KEEN IS OUR DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING AND SHE JUST MET WITH THEM.
IT WAS EITHER YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE THEY WALKED IN AND SO WE'RE EXCITED.
UM, AND I, I HAVEN'T BEEN IN TO SEE THE BALLPARK IN RECENT YEARS.
MY KID PLAYED THERE YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CHECKING IT OUT.
YEAH, I BET NOW THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN OVER TOTALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT DIFFERENT AND WE'RE REALLY WORKING WITH ASHLEY DER HAS TO OUR TEAM TO DO SOME MORE BRANDING AND THE NEW LOGO WE DESIGNED AND JUST REALLY TAKING IT UP, YOU KNOW, NOT SO MORE SIGNAGE AND YEAH.
UM, WELL WE'RE ON THE TAIL END OF WEDDING SEASON, UM, BUT NOW WE'RE INTO ENGAGEMENT SEASON, SO, UM, NOW WE'RE IN SALES MODE.
UH, WE HAVE OUR OPEN HOUSE IN JANUARY, UH, WHICH IS ALWAYS HELPFUL IF Y'ALL WILL HELP PROMOTE THAT.
AND THEN, UM, MORE, UH, RECENT IS WE HOLIDAY IN THE PARK, OUR FRIENDS WITH LEE CITY PROUD, UM, THE FIRST SATURDAY, THE FIRST WEEKEND OF DECEMBER.
[00:40:01]
AND SO ON THAT SATURDAY, I CAN'T REALLY DO WEDDINGS ANYMORE.I USUALLY JUST HAVE A HANDFUL OF VENDORS WHO CAN'T COMMIT TO THE FULL THREE DAY THING.
THE BAR'S OPEN ALL DAY FROM LIKE TO 9:00 AM THE MOM'S LINING UP FOR THE CHILDREN'S PARADE TO GET THEIR MIMOSAS
UM, AND THEN WE HOST AFTER PARTY.
UM, I BROUGHT, I JUST PRINTED THIS FOR ALL MY LITTLE POSTCARDS HAVEN'T COME YET, BUT UM, WE HOST AFTER PARTY.
IT IS 21 AND UP AS THE PARADE IS WINDING DOWN, WE ARE KICKING UP.
WE HAVE A DJ, WE HAVE SPECIAL COCKTAILS, A LOT OF THE VIPS, UM, THE JUDGES AND STUFF COME OVER FOR IT.
UM, SO EVERYONE PLEASE COME HAVE A DRINK ON ME.
I'LL BUY YOUR FIRST ONE, THEN YOU BUY THE REST.
UM, SO WE'D LOVE TO SEE Y'ALL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, YEAH, WE'RE KIND OF QUIET FOR CHRISTMAS BUT CRANK, CRANK IT BACK UP IN JANUARY.
SO I'LL SEND YOU THE INFORMATION ON MY MERRY MARKET, THE AFTER PARTY AND OPEN HOUSE IS STARTING TO GET MARKETED AS WELL.
AND YOU HAVE A DATE FOR OPEN HOUSE? I DO.
I'M LOOKING AT, JACOB SAYS HE WILL BE THERE.
I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S JANUARY 19TH.
AND THEN, UM, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK MY EMAIL FROM BROOKE ABOUT THAT, UH, APRIL DATE BECAUSE MAYBE WE COULD HAVE THE BAR OPEN OR SOMETHING.
LIKE, YEAH, I MEAN, I KNOW, UH, SOUL FREAK HAS BEER AND WINE.
I DON'T WANNA TAKE AWAY FROM HER, BUT YEAH, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TO THOSE EVENTS, THEY COME IN ANYWAYS.
WHAT YOU WANNA SEE, WE, WE'VE BOUGHT A CHALKBOARD THAT SAYS PRIVATE EVENT IN YEAH.
BECAUSE PEOPLE FIRST TIME IN 20 PEOPLE WANDER OVER.
SO, BUT THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WEDDING OR ANYTHING GOING.
YEAH, I THINK WE DID IT ALREADY LIVED.
SO WE APPRECIATE OUR CONTINUED, UM, RELATIONSHIP WITH PARKS AND REC AND THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR BUSINESS.
UM, AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE REALLY FUN THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT OVER, WE ARE HOPING TO BUILD A CHAPEL IN 2025.
UH, WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN HAVING MEETINGS WITH PLANNING AND ZONING.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A LOT OF HOOPS WE STILL HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH, BUT WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WILL SOLVE A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS WITH NOISE AND TRAFFIC.
IF THE CEREMONIES ARE INSIDE, WHERE WILL YOU BUILD IT? UM, IN FRONT OF THE BUNKHOUSE.
STEP ONE IS WHAT DO WE DO BUNKHOUSE? AND THEN STEP TWO IS BUILDING.
THERE'S BEEN SOME DRAMA WHICH I WON'T BORE YOU WITH, COME TO A HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING FOR THAT OH YEAH.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, WE'RE GETTING IT ALL SORTED OUT OR NOT TEARING DOWN A CONTRIBUTING FEATURE, IT WOULD NEVER, UM, BUT THAT WOULD, I, I REALLY THINK THAT IS GONNA BOOST OUR BUSINESS A LOT BECAUSE WE LOSE A TON OF BUSINESS IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE IT'S SO HOT.
UM, AND IF I HAD THE CHAPEL NOW I CAN, THERE YOU GO.
HOPEFULLY DOUBLE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.
OR AT LEAST GET SOME ELOPEMENTS GOING EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE BIG RECEPTIONS OR WHATEVER.
SO WE APPRECIATE COMMUNITY SUPPORT ON THAT.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER ANY OF US DO, THE BOATS ALL RISE TOGETHER.
SO, UM, THANKFULLY THE CITY OF LAKE CITY IS SO SUPPORTIVE OF OUR BUSINESS, SO, UM, THEY'RE HELPING US WITH ALL THAT.
WE'LL BE THE ONLY, DON'T TELL ANYONE NO.
WE'LL BE, UH, THE ONLY AIR CONDITIONED WHITE WEDDING CHAPEL IN THE COUNTY, I THINK.
THERE MIGHT BE, BUT SEE, 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T USE ST.
MARY'S DOESN'T LET YOU USE THEIR YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE IS ONE IN GALVESTON, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN IT CAN BE USED.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE DIOCESE TO USE THAT ONE AS WELL.
OR THE, HIS, THE HISTORIC GROUP DOWN THERE HAS CONTROL OVER IT NOW OR SOMETHING.
I HOPEFULLY CAUSE A LITTLE WEDDING BOOM.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT A WE A WEDDING CHAPEL, SO.
[X. Discuss requests for future meeting agenda items]
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? ANY REQUEST FOR FUTURE MEETING AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY.WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A MEETING IN DECEMBER.
UM, I'LL BE HAVING SURGERY RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.
AND BECAUSE WE DON'T NORMALLY TOO BUSY DECEMBER, SO WE'LL GET EVERYTHING GOING, UH, IN JANUARY AGAIN.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING SPECIAL YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ON THE AGENDA, ANY PRESENTATIONS OR SPECIAL PROJECTS OR MAYBE THE BALLPARK OR WHATEVER Y'ALL LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE THAT READY FOR YOU.
WELL, YEAH, JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL STILL IN COMPLIANCE.
I KNOW STEPHANIE'S BEEN SENDING EMAILS IF WE'RE YES.
I'M JUST THE ONLY MAN THAT'S BEHIND ME.
YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT HASN'T DONE IT.
UH, JACOB GOT HIS, UH, THINGS IN THE OTHER DAY INTO MYSELF.
WE GOT AN EMAIL, I WAS LIKE, HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOOD OR NOT GOOD OR NICK WON'T BE A MAYOR, LONG RATHER, WE'LL BE LOOKING EVERYTHING OVER IN DECEMBER AND WE PROBABLY WON'T BE OFFICIALLY APPOINTED UNTIL JANUARY.
I JUST DON'T, THE DECEMBER MEETING IS SO JAM PACKED.
WE'RE ONLY HAVING ONE MEETING IN DECEMBER,
[00:45:01]
SO IT'LL LOOK LIKE JANUARY IS WHEN YOU'LL BE OFFICIALLY APPOINTED AND YOU'LL LET US KNOW.AND THEN WE HAVE FILL OUT THE BACKGROUND CHECK THING AGAIN.
DON'T FORGET TO DO THE BACKGROUND CHECK.
SO I KNOW YOU WILL GET AN EMAIL.
HAVEN'T DONE THE BACKGROUND CHECK.
I'M LIKE I THAT LAST WEEK, BUT I HAVEN'T DONE APPLICATION.
WELL, THANK YOU EVERYONE AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.