[00:00:01]
MAY TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD MEETING TO ORDER.[Call to Order]
AND, UM, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS TODAY? NO SPEAKERS.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF THE MARCH 21ST MINUTES.ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? MAKE A MOTION, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN REGULARLY MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE MARCH 21ST TOURISM COMMISSION MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION? CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION? IT SAYS HERE I UPDATED THE BOARD ON THE NEW APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, INCLUDING JOY.
I ACTUALLY DON'T REMEMBER IF WE VOTED.
I THINK THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION LAST TIME THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO VOTE.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A CORRECTION ON THE SPELLING OF THE NAME? I'D HAVE TO FIND IT TO MAKE SURE.
LET'S MAKE SURE IT'S CORRECT FOR THE RECORD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, CONCERNS.
I CAN'T NAVIGATE MY EMAIL VERY QUICKLY, BUT I THINK HER NAME IS SPELLED C A S N O V S K Y C O S C A S N O V I I'M SORRY.
I'M NOT SURE I CAN, LET ME GET IT TO YOU, THE SPELLING AFTERWARDS.
SO BASICALLY THAT MAYBE THE N AND THE, I NEED TO BE SWITCHED AROUND.
UH, PENDING THE IMPROVEMENT OF, UH, PENDING THE CORRECTION OF JOY BECAUSE NOBODY'S NAME.
CAN WE GO AHEAD? AND, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY AYE.
THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED AND IF THERE IS A SPELLING ERROR, IF COMMISSIONER CAN, WILL GIVE THAT TO FELICIA AND WE'LL GET THAT DONE.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE ALL BUSINESS.
HOWEVER, UM, AUSTIN CONVENTION CONVENTION CENTER HAVE ANOTHER MEETING TO ATTEND, AND SO THEY HAVE ASKED IF THEY CAN GO IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? GREAT.
THEN WE WILL GO OUT OF ORDER AND, UH,
[3c. Presentation from the Austin Convention Center on the redevelopment and expansion project]
HAND THE FLOOR TO AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.CAN YOU HEAR ME? GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY WITH CA UH, BY KATIE'S HIM AS NICK, THE CONVENTION CENTER'S CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
UH, WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION PROJECT.
TODAY'S BRIEFING IS GOING TO GO QUICKLY OVER THE HISTORY OF THE PROJECT AND THE PROOF OF CONCEPT THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED A FOLLOWING THE ENDING OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO THE WEST, AS SOME PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS, A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THE FINANCING AND THE HILTON BOND INDENTURE, AND WE WILL CLOSE WITH THE NEXT STEPS I WANTED TO SHARE TODAY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DAY, LATE DAYLIGHTING, THIS PROOF OF CONCEPT, UH, OF OUR NEW EXPANSION PROJECT BEFORE A COMMISSION.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO SHARE YOUR, UH, SHARE OUR THOUGHTS WITH YOU AND, AND TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK AS WELL.
SO THE IDEA OF AN EXPANSION HAS BEEN CONTEMPLATED FOR NEARLY A DECADE AND WAS FIRST FORMALLY DECLARED IN 2015 WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE LONG RANGE MASTER PLAN.
FOLLOWING THIS SEVERAL REPORTS AND STUDIES WERE CONDUCTED THROUGH 2019, WHEN COUNCIL FORMALLY APPROVED AN ORDINANCE RAISING THE MINT, THE MUNICIPAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX RATE, OR THE HOT RATE BY 2% IN SUPPORT
[00:05:01]
OF AN EXPANSION FOLLOWING COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF THAT 2% HOT INCREASE.THE CONVENTION CENTER STAFF WORKED TOWARDS A MASTER PLAN UPDATE AND AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY TO CONFIRM THE VIABILITY OF AN EXPANSION.
THESE REPORTS WERE RELEASED IN AUGUST OF 2020, AND THEY WERE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR, BEFORE I CONTINUE, UH, WE DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S A PROCESS THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TIMELINE, AND THAT IS THE APPROVAL FOR THE CITY MANAGER THAT THE CITY MANAGER GAVE TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO THE WEST, WHICH COUNCIL GAVE US IN NOVEMBER OF 2020 STAFF BEGAN THESE NEGOTIATIONS IN EARNEST FOLLOWING THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
AND UNFORTUNATELY AS COMMUNICATED TO COUNCIL IN APRIL OF 2021, DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF ALL PARTIES, THE FINAL PROPOSAL WAS UNABLE TO DELIVER THE PROGRAMMATIC FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER WITHIN THE PROPERTIES CURRENTLY UNDER THE DEVELOPER'S CONTROL AND EXCEEDED THE ANTICIPATED COSTS AS A RESULT OF THIS DECISION, THE COUNCIL, UH, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CONVENTION CENTER BEGAN OUR DUE DILIGENCE EFFORTS, UH, THAT WOULD NOT ONLY DELIVER A LARGER, MORE EFFICIENT FACILITY WITHIN A SMALLER FOOTPRINT, BUT IT WOULD ALSO REALIZE THE GOALS OF THE UTI STUDY, THE CONVENTION CENTER, MASTER PLAN UPDATE, AND THE PALM DISTRICT RESOLUTION, THE CENTER WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR CONSULTANT TEAMS DEVELOPED A PROOF OF CONCEPT THAT BEARS OUT THE GOALS, WHICH WE'RE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY.
UM, ALONG THIS TIMELINE, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, HAD AN IDEA OF THE REPORTS AND THE STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE 10 TO 2020, UH, 2014, UH, WHICH TAKES US ALL THE WAY UP TO THE JUNE 21ST ACTIONS, WHICH I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NOW.
UM, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER, YOU'RE ASKING WHO, WHO DID THE STUDY WEBSITE SOMEWHERE? I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THAT ONE.
I BELIEVE IT SHOULD ALL BE IN YOUR BACKUP AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY, IT'S ALSO ON THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER WEBSITE.
IT WAS SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL VIA THE MEMO PROCESS.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST.
UM, AND IT WAS DONE BY HVS AND GENSLER SO THE MOST TO THE TWO MOST RECENT COUNCIL ACTIONS WERE ON JUNE 10TH, 2021, REQUESTING FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK METHODOLOGY, AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE PROJECT DELAYS.
AND THE BUDGET IMPACTS TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION PROJECT WHILE THE FINANCING OPTIONS WERE BEING FINALIZED, STAFF TOOK FORTH THE RCA ON JUNE 10TH, 2021 COUNCIL AGENDA THAT REQUESTED THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE USE OF A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK METHOD OF CONTRACTING AS A PROJECT DELIVERY METHOD FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION IN TANDEM TO THIS ITEM, COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION WHICH PROVIDED FURTHER DIRECTION FOR ELEMENTS TO INCLUDE IN THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES.
AND IT DIRECTS THAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, THE PALM DISTRICT, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, AND THE WATERLOO GREENWAY BE INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION PANEL FOR THE RFQ.
IN ADDITION TO CITY STAFF, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO INCORPORATE THE DIRECTION INTO THE FINAL RFQ, WHICH, UH, READY FOR RELEASE WHEN APPROPRIATE.
SO THIS BRINGS US TO THE PROJECT ITSELF.
AS I NOTED PREVIOUSLY, THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL BE A LARGER, MORE EFFICIENT FACILITY ON A SMALLER FOOTPRINT.
THE OVERALL PROJECT WILL DELIVER AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY FRIENDLY EVENT FACILITY THAT ENHANCES THE CULTURALLY RICH FABRIC OF THE PALM DISTRICT AND REMOVES THE BARRIERS THAT IS CURRENTLY THE CONVENTION CENTER FROM THIS CORNER OF DOWNTOWN.
THE CHART ON THE RIGHT SHOWS, THE CURRENT RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER THAT TARGET SQUARE FOOTAGE IS CALLED FOR IN THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE, AND THE MINIMUM THAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE WITH THE NEW CONSTRAINTS OF OUR SITE COMBINED, WE'RE NEARLY DOUBLING THE AVAILABLE RENTAL SPACE AND EVEN GOING BEYOND THE MASTER PLAN TARGET A LARGE PART OF THIS INCREASE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE MEETING SPACE, ALLOCATIONS, THE TRENDS AMONG EVENTS, THAT CALL FOR A HIGHER AMOUNT OF MEETING SPACE, ALONG WITH MORE FLEXIBLE SPACES.
[00:10:01]
THESE ARE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE COVID PANDEMIC.THE REVISED SQUARE FOOTAGE TARGETS STILL ALLOWS US TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH OUR PEER CONVENTION CENTERS AND COMPETE FOR THAT NEXT TIER OF BUSINESS.
OUR CONSULTANT TEAMS HAVE TAKEN A PROOF OF CONCEPT AND WE'VE UPDATED OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT AND MARKET ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF THIS PROJECT IS STILL FEASIBLE AND VIABLE.
AND THE ANSWER IS RESOUNDINGLY.
YES, THE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM THE EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER IS ESTIMATED AT OVER $250 MILLION A YEAR SO WHAT WILL THE PROJECT LOOK LIKE? THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR FACILITY, AS IT STANDS TODAY.
THIS VIEW IS ORIENTED EAST TO WEST AND CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER CREATES A BARRIER BETWEEN THE EAST AND WEST.
IT LIMITS THE GROUND LEVEL PUBLIC INTERACTION.
IT IS LOWER IN DENSITY FROM THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE SURROUNDING IT.
IT HAS ZERO GREEN SPACE AT ABOVE ALL IT IS IT'S INADEQUATE FOR THE EVENT, DEMAND GROWTH OF THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HERE IS WHAT WE COULD BUILD ON THE SITE.
I WANT TO STRESS THAT THIS IS NOT A DESIGN OF A BUILDING, BUT THIS IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A STARTING POINT FOR A THOUGHTFUL DESIGN PROCESS AND ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE OUR REMAINING DUE DILIGENCE EFFORTS.
THE RED AND YELLOW BOXES CONTAINED IN THIS DIAGRAM WOULD BE THE CON WOULD FUNCTION AS THE CONVENTION CENTER, AS WELL AS MANY RETAIL AND COMMUNITY SPACES.
THE FACILITY WILL BE LARGER THAN ARE ON ITS CURRENT SITE, BUT ON A SMALLER FOOTPRINT, THE TEAL BLOCK AT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE PROPERTY IS INTENDED TO BE A P THREE DEVELOPMENT.
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD VERY CLEARLY WAS DESIRED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY IN THIS PROOF OF CONCEPT, THE EXHIBIT HALL SPACES ARE UNDERGROUND SPANNING THE FULL LENGTH OF THE SITE.
WE'VE ALSO MOVED THE LOADING DOCKS UNDERGROUND ALONG RED RIVER, ALLEVIATING THE TRUCK, TRUCK TRAFFIC ON THE STREET.
AND THIS WILL WORK IN TANDEM WITH OUR NEARLY COMPLETE MARSHALING YARD OUT BY THE AIRPORT.
THIS CONCEPT ALLOWS US TO REOPEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS TO MULTIMODAL TRAFFIC.
IT'S HELPING REMOVE THE BARRIER BETWEEN EAST AND WEST THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
FINALLY, THE PROOF OF CONCEPT INTEGRATES OUR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT WITH OTHER INVESTMENTS INCURRING OCCURRING IN DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING PROJECT CONNECT AND THE VISION OF THE PALM DISTRICT.
THE FULL PROOF OF CONCEPT WILL BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE RFQ.
WE ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE PROOF OF CONCEPT ENVISIONS A PHASED APPROACH TO THE EXPANSION PROJECT, BUT WE HAVE ALSO, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT AND CONSIDERING A ONE PHASE PROJECT AND THE DESIGN PROCESS IS WHERE WE WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE THAT DECISION.
THIS SLIDE HELPS US VISUALIZE THE POTENTIAL PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT YOU'LL BE REALIZING IN THE REDEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION PROJECT.
LOOKING DOWN THE TOP OF THE IMAGE IS FOURTH STREET AND THE BOTTOM OF THE IMAGE OF CESAR CHAVEZ.
AND THEN YOU, YOU'VE GOT TRINITY STREET AND RED RIVER WHERE THAT GREEN SPACE IS.
OUR GOAL IS TO BRING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BACK.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT HERE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE INCORPORATED SIGNIFICANT GREEN SPACES ALONG RED RIVER, HELPING TO ACTIVATE THAT STREET.
IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS AND AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR, UH, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING COMMUNITY SPACE AND AN ART GALLERY AT STREET LEVEL THAT WOULD SHOWCASE LOCAL ARTWORK.
UM, YOU'LL SEE, IN THE RED BOXES THAT RUN THROUGHOUT THE, OF THE SITE, THAT THESE ARE ALL AREAS THAT ARE INTENDED TO BE RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES AND WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY TO IMAGINE WHAT RETAIL WOULD BE APPROPRIATE HERE.
WE'VE SET ASIDE SPACE FOR PROJECT CONNECT ALONG TRINITY STREET AND THAT TEAL BOX.
AND WE ENVISIONED THAT THIS WOULD BE A STATION SERVING THE BLUE LINE.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE STREET CRIB STREET GRID HAS BEEN REOPENED TO MULTIMODAL TRAFFIC.
THAT BOTTOM PORTION IS WHERE THE P THREE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE ENVISIONED.
UM, AND THAT IS FROM SECOND STREET TO CESAR CHAVEZ.
[00:15:01]
ONE OF OUR OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN THE FINANCING WE'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH OUR OUTSIDE FINANCIAL ADVISORS, OUR CONSULTANT TEAM, AND OUR INTERNAL CORPORATE FINANCE TEAM TO FINALIZE THE FUNDING MODEL FOR THE PROJECT AND OPERATIONS PROJECT CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS REMAIN FULLY FUNDED THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTERS, ALLOCATION OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, THE 2% EXPANSION HOT AND THROUGH CONVENTION CENTER REVENUES.THIS MODEL INCLUDES THE 15% ALLOCATION OF THE 2% EXPANSION HOT FOR BOTH THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AND IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY ANTICIPATE ANY FORCED REDUCTION IN STAFFING.
THIS PROJECT WILL DELIVER PUBLIC BENEFITS WITHOUT PUBLIC MONEY.
RATHER IT WILL BE FINANCED BY THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION ATTENDEES WHO ARE STAYING IN AUSTIN HOTELS.
WELL, LAST YEAR IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE CITY'S ATTENTION THAT THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION PROJECT COULD TRIGGER A DEFAULT CLAUSE IN THE BONDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OUTSTANDING AT THE CITY OWNED HILTON HOTEL.
THE HOTEL IS MANAGED BY AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER ENTERPRISES.
THE ACE BOARD PRESIDENT HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE BOND HOLDERS TO PURSUE A RESOLUTION TO THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE.
AND WE WILL BE ALLOWED TO RELEASE THE RFQ ONCE A RESOLUTION HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.
SO NEXT STEPS, ONCE THE RESOLUTION TO THE BOND INDENTURE IS ACHIEVED, WE WILL RELEASE THE RFQ FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN SERVICES.
AND A FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT, WE WILL RELEASE THE RFP FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES.
THESE CONTRACTS WILL GO BACK TO COUNCIL APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AFTER ISSUANCE, AND THEN THE DESIGN PROCESS WILL BEGIN IN EARNEST.
WE'RE HAPPY TO COME BACK TO THIS GROUP AT ANY POINT DURING THE PROCESS TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR WORK.
AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK AS WE BEGIN THE DESIGN PROCESS AS WELL.
IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR TIME TODAY.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD COMMISSIONER SMITH? UH, YES.
DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE ON, YOU KNOW, GROUNDBREAKING TO END AND I'M NOT LOOKING FOR THE DATES, BUT HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO ACTUALLY DO THE CONSTRUCTION FROM GROUNDBREAKING TO OPENING ROUGHLY? SO THAT WILL BE FLESHED OUT DURING THE DESIGN PHASE, AND THAT WILL BE IMPACTED ON WHETHER WE DO A ONE PHASE TWO PHASE EXPANSION.
UM, OUR CONSULTANTS, AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THEM, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD BE A FOUR YEAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT START TO FINISH CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAMPION.
UM, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE 2% INCREASE IN THE HOT TAX.
IF THE CONVENTION CENTER DOESN'T GET AVAILABLE DAY EXPANDED, EXCUSE ME.
SO WE WOULD CERTAINLY NEED THE LEGAL OPINION ON THAT, BUT IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT IF AN EXPANSION WERE NOT PURSUED, WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO COLLECT THE ADDITIONAL 2% ON THAT COUNCIL APPROVED FOR THE EXPANSION PROJECT, UH, WHICH WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT WE WOULD NO LONGER BE CONTRIBUTING FUNDING TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND OR THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION THAT WAS ALSO APPROVED AS PART OF THAT.
AND SO COULD THE COUNTY USE THE 2% INCREASE TO, UM, MIX RENOVATE, EXPAND, WHATEVER IMPROVES EXPO CENTER? SO IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AVAILABLE TO BE LEVIED THAT THE COUNTY HAS THE FIRST RIGHT OF HER FRUITS OF REFUSAL.
UM, AND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT HOW THE, UM, I'M NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AFFECTS, UM, WHAT'S, IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO INCREASE PRESERVATION FUNDS AND LIVE MUSIC FUNDING, UM, AS WELL AS IT'S TIED INTO THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE PALM DISTRICT PLAN.
SO WE ARE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE PALM DISTRICT PLANNING PROCESS, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN A PARTNER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND HELPED GET IT OFF THE GROUND, UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UM, AS I MENTIONED AT THE TIME THAT COUNCIL APPROVED THE ADDITIONAL 2% FOR THE EXPANSION PROJECT, UM, IT WAS ALSO APPROVED THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER WOULD TRANSFER THE EQUIVALENT OF 15% OF THAT 2%, UH, TO THE LIVE MUSIC AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT ACTION, WE HAVE NOW ALLOCATED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE UNDER STATE LAW FOR BOTH HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CULTURAL ARTS.
[00:20:01]
IF WE DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXPANSION, WE WEREN'T COLLECTING THE 2% ANYMORE.UM, THERE WOULDN'T BE THAT INCREASED FUNDING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND LIVE MUSIC.
SORRY, CAN YOU, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? I COULDN'T QUITE, YOU HAD MENTIONED BEFORE THAT YOU THOUGHT YOUR OPINION WAS, IF WE DIDN'T EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER, WE COULDN'T COLLECT THE 2% ANYMORE WITH THAT CORRESPONDENT.
WE MEAN THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO INCREASE PRESERVATION FUNDING AND, UM, UM, AND THE ARTS FUNDING INCREASES 3%.
AND SO HOW I, I, I'VE JUST A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS.
TELL ME, UM, THE, THE CALL IT, THE INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION ON, WHAT IS IT? THIRD, THIRD, AND SECOND STREET.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? IS IT GOING TO BE WHAT, A STREET UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING? HMM.
SO WE'RE ENVISIONING OPENING THAT AT STREET LEVEL.
SO YOU WOULD SEE, AND I'LL, I'LL ZOOM BACK FOR YOU.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT OPENING AT STREET LEVEL SECOND AND THIRD STREETS.
WE'D BE WORKING WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION TO DETERMINE THE BEST USE OF THOSE STREETS, WHETHER THAT WOULD BE A VEHICULAR TRAFFIC OR WHETHER IT WOULD BE SIMPLY FOR, UM, BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS.
UM, SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH ATD DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE, UH, HOW WE BEST USE THOSE STREETS GOING FORWARD.
SO OUR EXHIBIT HALLS WOULD BE COMPLETELY UNDERGROUND.
STREET-LEVEL IS GOING TO BE MOSTLY RETAIL AND A LOBBY SPACE TO GET OUR ATTENDEES DOWN AND UP.
AND THEN ALL OF OUR BALLROOMS AND MEETING ROOMS AND FLEX HALLS WOULD BE ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE SECOND FLOOR AND ABOVE, BUT TO, TO ACCESS THEM, YOU'D HAVE TO WHAT GO UNDERGROUND CROSS THAT STREET.
OR I KNOW THERE'LL BE ENTRIES AT STREET LEVEL, UM, AT STREET LEVEL.
BUT YOU'D HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET TO GET TO THEM FROM ONE BUILDING TO THE OTHER, CORRECT.
AND WILL, AND THIS WILL BE VETTED THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS, BUT THERE WILL BE A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS, UM, INCORPORATED IN THE DESIGN BETWEEN THE RED AND THE YELLOW SQUARES.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT A DESIGN OF THE FACILITY.
UH, THIS IS JUST, IT WAS JUST A PROOF OF CONTENT CONCEPT TO VERIFY THAT EVERYTHING WE NEEDED IN OUR SITE COULD INDEED BE ACHIEVED.
UM, SO ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE LOGISTICS OF HOW WE WILL MOVE PEOPLE AMONGST OUR FACILITIES, UH, WOULD BE DONE IN THE DESIGN PROCESS.
SO JUST ONE FINAL QUESTION, CAN YOU, UM, FURTHER EXPAND UPON AND HOW THIS TIES IN WITH PROJECT CONNECT THAT THIS CENTER WAS EXPANSION CONVENTION CENTERS, EXPANSION, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION, HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER'S EXPANSION TIES INTO PROJECT CONNECT? YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE, THE LOWER PORTION.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH CAPITAL METRO AS OUR PARTNERS, AS YOU KNOW, THEIR BLUE LINE WILL BE COMING UP TRINITY STREET UNDERGROUND, AND THAT WILL BE THE LIGHT RAIL.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THEM TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR, UH, OUR CONVENTION ATTENDEES AND THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR TRAIN PLATFORM INSIDE OF OUR FACILITY.
SO WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE WORKING, UM, ADDITIONALLY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, UH, DEPENDING ON WHEN WE'LL BE DIGGING OUR BIG HOLE AND WHEN THEY'RE DIGGING THEIR BIG HOLE, WE'RE TRYING TO ACTUALIZE AND REALIZE A COST SAVINGS FOR THESE TWO PROJECTS, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE TRYING TO RUN THESE PROJECTS IN TANDEM, UM, ON A SIMILAR TIMELINE AS WELL.
SO I GUESS THAT WAS REALLY MY QUESTION THAT RIGHT NOW IT'S HOPED FOR THAT.
THERE'LL BE A STOP ON PROJECT CONNECT ON THE BLUE LINE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE PORT CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, COMMISSIONER BUNCH.
UM, I WANT TO START WITH YOU, I BELIEVE YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU HAD YELLOWED UPDATED YOUR MARKETING AND PROJECTIONS AND CONCLUDED WITH THE ROSEANNE SOUNDING.
THAT IT'S STILL FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.
DID I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHERE IS THAT UPDATED ANALYSIS? CAN WE GET A COPY OF THAT? UH, YES, WE CAN GET THAT OVER TO YOU GUYS AS WELL.
WE HAVE NOT SENT IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL YET.
UM, WE WERE WAITING TO DAYLIGHT, THIS PROOF OF CONCEPT.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, WE CAN GET THAT OVER TO YOU.
AND WAS THAT ALSO DONE BY H V S? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO ONCE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, RE-IMAGINING THE FACILITY ON OUR, WITHIN OUR OWN FOOTPRINT, AS TRISHA MENTIONED, I THINK IN HER PRESENTATION, UM, WE, WE KNEW IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD, THAT THIS WAS STILL A FINANCIALLY VIABLE PROJECT AND THAT IT WOULD BRING BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE RE-ENGAGE THEM DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC TO GO AHEAD AND UPDATE THAT FOR US.
[00:25:01]
AND THAT'S, THAT WAS THE RESULT OF, SO IS THAT, THAT SORT OF MARKETING ANALYSIS, IS THAT FREE STANDING FROM THE FINANCIAL MODEL OR IS THAT SORT OF THE REVENUE INPUT SIDE? IT'S BOTH, IT FEEDS INTO IT.SO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BY HVS FEEDS INTO THE FINANCIAL MODEL.
SO THEN THE FINANCIAL MODEL IS THAT IN SORT OF THE SAME STATE, AS SOON AS YOU GIVE IT TO THE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE NOT CURRENTLY ENVISIONED, UM, PROVIDING THAT THE, THE EXCEL SPREADSHEET AND, AND KIND OF ALL OF THE BACKUP INFORMATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY SUMMARIZE THE MAIN POINTS IN THE, UM, FINANCIAL MODEL, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO THE CITY COUNCIL, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
AND WHAT, WHAT IS THAT FINANCIAL MODEL PROJECT? THE, UH, TOTAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO BE? SO THE CURRENT, UM, COSTS ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1.2 AND 1.4 BILLION.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE FINANCIAL MODEL, UH, WE CERTAINLY ANTICIPATE THESE NUMBERS WILL COME DOWN.
THERE IS QUITE A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONTINGENCY BUILT INTO THE PROJECT ESTIMATES AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE WE ARE BUILDING IT BASED OFF OF A PROOF OF CONCEPT AND NOT OFF OF FULL DESIGN OF THE, OF THE FACILITY.
UM, SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
AND SO, UM, ACTING, UH, I THINK IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PROJECT, WE'VE INCLUDED A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONTINGENCY THAT AS I MENTIONED, UH, WE ANTICIPATE WILL COME DOWN.
AND IN THAT FINANCIAL MODEL, UM, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT SORT OF LIKE ANNUAL OPERATING LOSSES YOU'RE PROJECTING FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, LEAVING OUT THE TRANSFERS OF THE HOT? SO IT'S, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE WHAT THE FACILITY REVENUE IT'S, IT'S GENERALLY PREDICTED TO BE JUST ABOUT ZERO DURING THE YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE WE WILL NOT HAVE A FACILITY THAT WILL BE OPERATIONAL.
UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE WHAT THE OPERATIONAL REVENUE WILL BE.
UH, FOLLOWING THE, WHEN THE FACILITY OPENS BACK UP WITH THOSE ESTIMATES LOOK LIKE, WELL, YOU SAID THE OPERATIONAL REVENUE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL COSTS? SO WE CAN SEE THE, THE DELTA.
WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT IN, YOU KNOW, THE LARGE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT, AS TRICIA MENTIONED, UM, DURING HER PRESENTATION WILL BE STAFFING COSTS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY REDUCTION IN STAFFING.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE ON AS WE GO THROUGH THIS AND THAT WE HAVE A FULLY TRAINED WORKFORCE, UM, AND RECOGNIZING THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR US THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, EVEN PRIOR TO COVID DURING COVID.
UM, AND WE WANT THE BEST OF THE BEST TO BE THERE WHEN WE REOPENED THE FACILITY.
AND THEN, UM, I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THAT SORT OF PROJECTION OF REVENUES WOULD ALSO BE PART, UH, LIKE WOULD BE FURTHER UPDATED AS PART OF THE RFQ AS LIKE THE FIRST PART OF THE RFQ, BUT THEN WHEN YOU LAID OUT THE RFQ, I SAW IT JUMPS STRAIGHT TO DESIGN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN.
SO DID I NOT HEAR THAT CORRECTLY? I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, YOU, YOU SAID, SO HVS DID THIS ANALYSIS, THIS SORT OF MARKET ANALYSIS PROJECTIONS, UH, UM, IN 2020, AND THEN THAT'S BEEN UPDATED NOW, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO GET, TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT UPDATE.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID, UH, MS. SHOW THAT THAT WOULD BE UPDATED FURTHER AGAIN AS A EARLY PHASE OF THE RFQ, UH, CONTRACTING.
AND SO THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
DID I NOT HEAR THAT CORRECTLY? BECAUSE THEN WHEN YOU SHOWED THE SLIDES, IT WENT STRAIGHT INTO DESIGNING AND CORRECT.
SO WE WILL BE RELEASING THE RFQ FOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FIRST, THAT WILL BE A SEPARATE CONTRACT, CONTRACTED DOLLAR AMOUNT TO DESIGN THE ACTUAL FACILITY.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, THE, THERE WILL BE THE RFP FOR CONSTRUCTION THAT WILL BE A SEPARATE, A SEPARATE SOLICITATION, WHICH WILL HAVE A BULK OF THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO REFINE OUR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE CONSULTANTS AND THE DESIGN FIRMS AS WE'RE DESIGNING THE FACILITY.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY KATIE WAS SPEAKING TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONTINGENCY IN THAT 1.2 TO $1.4 BILLION, BECAUSE IT'S BASED OFF A PROOF OF CONCEPT RATHER THAN AN ACTUAL DESIGN OF THE FACILITY.
SO, UM, AND, AND, UM, WE, I MEAN, WE ARE CONSTANTLY, UH, REFINING WHAT THE REVENUES ARE AS EVERY QUARTER COMES IN OF CONVENTION CENTER REVENUE AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE.
AND SO THIS IS A LIVING AND BREATHING, UM, FINANCIAL MODEL.
THAT IS, THAT IS NOT ONLY BEING, UM, THAT IS NOT ONLY, UH, WORKED ON BY OUR TEAM, BUT BY AN OUTSIDE SET OF CONSULTANTS, PFM, WHO IS THE CITY'S, UH, CONSULTANTS FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES,
[00:30:01]
AS WELL AS WITH, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN CORPORATE FINANCE.SO THERE'S AN ENTIRE TEAM WORKING ON THE FINANCE, THE FINANCIAL MODEL FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND IT HAS TO GO, THE BLESSING HAS TO GO THROUGH ALL PARTIES, UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
SO DOES, DOES THE FINANCIAL MODEL ENVISION ANY OTHER REVENUES BESIDES, YOU KNOW, PAYMENT TO USE THE FACILITY CATERING, THAT SORT OF THING AND THE HOT TAX? OR IS THERE ANY NEW REVENUE STREAM YOU'RE PROPOSING TO BE BROUGHT IN? NOT AT THIS TIME, WE'RE PROPOSING TO FINANCE THE ENTIRETY OF THIS PROJECT THROUGH COME THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, THE 2% THAT WAS VOTED ON, UH, FOR THE EXPANSION PROJECT AND CONVENTION CENTER REVENUES ONLY.
AND THEN YOU SAID FOUR YEARS CONSTRUCTION.
WHAT ABOUT THAT DESIGN PHASE BEFORE WE GET THERE? HOW LONG ARE YOU ANTICIPATING THAT WE'LL TAKE? UM, YEAH, WE'RE HOPEFUL.
IT WILL BE A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, AND THEN YOU SAID THAT, UM, YOU'RE READY TO RELEASE THE RF QUEUE OR RFP, BUT WHEN YOU'RE ALLOWED TO AND SO ALLOWED TO, BY WHOM AND BASED ON WHAT CRITERIA.
SO WE'RE WAITING ON THE RESOLUTION, THE FINAL RESOLUTION WITH THE HILTON BOND INDENTURE, UM, WHICH WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH ACE AND THE HILTON HOTEL AND WITH CITY LEADERSHIP.
SO JUST AS SOON AS, UM, CITY LEADERSHIP AND THE HILTON BOND, UH, THE, UH, ACE BOARD FEELS AS THOUGH THERE'S A, A RESOLUTION TO THIS INDENTURE.
UM, THEN, UH, WHEN THAT IS COMPLETED, THEN I BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RELEASE OF THE RFQ.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN MEETING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL OFFICES TO UPDATE THEM ON ALL OF THE STEPS ALONG THE WAY TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE STILL ON BOARD WITH WHAT, WITH OUR COURSE OF ACTION.
SO, BUT IS THERE ANY REASON WHY YOU COULDN'T RELEASE IT AS A DRAFT FOR COMMUNITY INPUT EVEN BEFORE YOU'VE HAD A RESOLUTION ON, ON THE ACE BONDS? SO, UM, WE ARE RUNNING THROUGH THE CAPITAL CONTRACTING OFFICE AS A, AS A, UH, THEY ARE THE LEAD, UM, DEPARTMENT THAT WILL BE TAKING THE LEAD ON RELEASING THE RFQ.
UM, AND SO WE FOLLOW THE STANDARD CITY OF AUSTIN PROCUREMENT, UM, AND SOLICITATION, UH, RULES AND REQUIREMENTS.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT THAT'S, THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN, UM, HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY, BUT CAN CERTAINLY INTO THAT.
SO ARE YOU ALL IN YOUR ENVISIONING ISSUING THAT DIRECTLY WITHOUT HAVING THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE FINAL FORM OF THAT COUNSEL? SO, UH, COUNCIL APPROVED IN JUNE OF 2020, THE, THE, UH, CMR METHODOLOGY, WHICH HAS GIVEN US THE, THE AUTHORITY TO RELEASE THE RFQ FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN SERVICES.
WE WILL BE SENDING A MEMO OUT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE RELEASE, JUST TO LET THEM KNOW WE'VE WORKED WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES, UM, AS, UH, THERE WAS THAT SECOND RESOLUTION THAT WAS ALSO PASSED THAT GAVE US DIRECTION ON ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THEY WANTED ON THE EVALUATION PANEL.
UM, AND SO WE'VE INCORPORATED, UH, THE DETAILS OF THAT RESOLUTION INTO THE RFQ AND COUNCIL OFFICES HAVE SEEN THE DRAFT OF THE RFQ AS WELL.
NOT THE, NOT THE FULL COUNCIL.
NO, NOT THE FULL, THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THE FULL RFQ.
THEY'VE SEEN THE SCOPE OF WORK, WHICH WAS INCLUDED ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS CONTAINED WITHIN THE RESOLUTION THAT THEY PASSED ON JUNE 10TH.
UM, I THINK I FOLLOWED ALL THAT.
WHEN ARE YOU ANTICIPATING THAT YOU MIGHT RESOLVE THE, THE ACE, UM, BONDING QUESTION? IS THERE SOME HOPED FOR TIMELINE ON THAT? UM, WE'RE HOPEFUL TO HAVE, UH, GOOD NEWS VERY SOON IN THE IMMINENT FUTURE.
UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T BE MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS YOU'VE SPOKEN ONCE ALREADY? LET ME JUST SEE IF ANYONE ELSE, ANYONE ELSE CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
I JUST, YOU MENTIONED A POTENTIAL FOR TWO DIFFERENT PHASES.
THERE'S ONE SCOPE OF DIRECTION TO BUILD OUT, BUT THERE'S A PINCH POTENTIALLY TO, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING MATERIAL ABOUT THE DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN EITHER BEING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THE CENTER MIGHT NOT BE SERVICEABLE VERSUS IT'S A HYBRID THAT ALLOWS BUSINESS TO OPERATE? I JUST WANT TO GET MORE CLARITY ON THOSE TWO OPTIONS, IF ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE FIRST OPTION WOULD BE TO DEMOLISH THE FACILITY IT'S IN ITS ENTIRETY AT ONE TIME AND REBUILD THE FACILITY BACK, OBVIOUSLY THAT WILL TAKE LESS TIME, UM, FOR CONSTRUCTION.
[00:35:01]
THAT WE DO WANT TO LOOK AT AND HAVE THE DESIGN TEAM AND THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM TELL US WHETHER THAT IT MAKES SENSE, OR IF THERE'S ANY, UM, REALISTIC OPPORTUNITY TO DEMOLISH A PORTION OF THE FACILITY WHILE KEEPING A PROPORTION OF THE FACILITY OPERATING.UM, SO THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT WE STILL HAVE FOR THE EXPERTS, OUR, OUR, OUR ARCHITECTURAL FIRM AND THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, UH, ONCE THOSE CONTRACTS, UM, GET EX GET EXECUTED.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE'LL BE HAVING AND WE'LL BE IN.
UM, SO WE WILL MAKE THE DECISION THAT WE FEEL IS BEST FOR BUSINESS, UH, FITS WITHIN THE PROJECT COST OF THE OVERALL PROJECT AND FITS WITHIN THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, TO COMPLETE PROJECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DID YOU EVER RECOGNIZE THIS COMMISSIONER CHAIRMAN? UM, SO THE EXPANSION, IT WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THE SALE OF BONDS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
IT WILL BE A MIX OF, UM, DEBT ISSUANCES, AS WELL AS, UM, SOME CASH THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS BEEN SETTING ASIDE IN PURSUIT OF THIS PROJECT.
THOSE WILL BE SECURED BY WHAT THE CONVENTION CENTER REVENUES AND THE HOT TAX ONLY.
UM, IT, IT WILL BE BACKED BY THE FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER RECEIVES AS WELL AS THE 2%.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL STILL QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH WITH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS, BUT IT'S NOT CONTEMPLATED THAT THOSE BONDS WILL BE GENERAL OBLIGATION PUNTS OF THE CITIES.
AND THEN I HAVE KIND OF AN UNRELATED QUESTION, BUT SORT OF RELATED, UM, WHAT IS, HOW IS THE CONVENTION CENTER DOING WHAT WITH, AFTER THE PANDEMIC, UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE PROJECTIONS IS THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, GETTING BACK UP TO IT, TO WHERE WE WERE, IF WE'RE NOT ALREADY THERE, UM, KIND OF GENERAL CONCEPT.
THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS REBOUNDED QUITE WELL.
UM, OVER THE, OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, UM, WE ARE BACK TO, UH, PRE PANDEMIC 2019 LEADS IN TERMS OF INQUIRIES COMING INTO OUR CITY.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY, UH, LOOKING AT AN OCCUPANCY OF ABOUT 70% FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH IS BACK TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
UM, AND 70% OCCUPANCY FOR A CONVENTION CENTER IS CONSIDERED A PRETTY FULL, UM, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, MOVE IN AND MOVE OUT DAYS IN ORDER TO GET SHOWS IN AND OUT FACILITY MAINTENANCE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, THAT'S THE TARGET THE CONVENTION CENTERS LOOK FOR.
UM, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY, UM, WHERE WE ARE.
SO OUR, UH, KATIE CAN SPEAK TO THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX PROJECTIONS FOR THE YEAR.
SO, UM, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER WAS ABOUT 56 MILLION, WHICH WAS MORE THAN THE ENTIRE AMOUNT WE COLLECTED IN 2021.
UM, SO WE'RE CERTAINLY BACK, WE'VE REVISED OUR PROJECTIONS UPWARDS SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, FOR THE END OF THE YEAR AND ARE ON TRACK TO, AND, UH, OVER A HUNDRED MILLION IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS.
ANYONE ELSE RECOGNIZED, RECOGNIZES COMMISSIONER CANADY? UM, IF YOU COULD JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PIECE.
JUST CURIOUS, I REMEMBER IN SOME OF THE EARLIER SCENARIOS, THERE WAS SOME RESIDENTIAL PROPOSED TO BE ABOVE THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH IS GOING TO GENERATE TAX REVENUE.
AND I SEE THIS AS ALL SEPARATED IN THE PROPOSAL HERE.
SO, UM, WE ENVISION IT, UM, CURRENTLY IN THE PROOF OF CONCEPT, AND AGAIN, IT'S ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS.
UM, BUT IN SORT OF PUTTING THE BUILDING BLOCKS TOGETHER, WE WERE ABLE TO CARVE OUT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF ACRES THAT COULD GO FOR A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO HANDLE THAN TRYING TO PUT IT ABOVE THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND IT ALSO POTENTIALLY LEAVES ROOM FOR GROWTH OF THE CONVENTION CENTER TO GO UP.
UM, WE DO NOT, WE HAVE NOT SPECIFIED, UH, WHAT THAT MIX OF USES WILL BE IN THE P THREE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL SORT OF BE BORN OUT THROUGH THE MARKET.
UM, BUT WE HAVE DONE AN ANALYSIS, WE, AS IT IS A P THREE.
SO WE WOULD ENVISION JUST RECEIVING GROUND LEASE REVENUE FOR THOSE TWO AND A HALF ACRES, UM, THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY GO, UM, FOR A VARIETY OF INITIATIVES.
UM, AND THEN SORT OF IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WOULD RUN WHATEVER THAT FACILITY WAS.
DOES THAT REVENUE FACTOR INTO HOW YOU'RE EVALUATING THE FEASIBILITY? IT'S NOT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UM, BACK, UM, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE FULL ANSWER TO THIS, BUT I'M CURIOUS THAT WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE SPAN OF TIME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DESIGN TO CONSTRUCTION, THAT WE'VE JUST WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE ANECDOTALLY, OR AS SPECIFICALLY AS YOU MIGHT HAVE YET, HOW MANY MORE HOTEL ROOMS ARE POTENTIALLY COMING ONLINE IN AUSTIN OVER WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS? THAT'S WHERE I MET ITCHY.
THAT'S A COLD CALL, BUT I'M JUST, I WANT TO KIND OF KEEP A BEAT ON BECAUSE THEY KIND OF FEED OFF EACH OTHER.
AND I'M JUST KIND OF GETTING A FEEL FOR THAT PIECE OF THE GROWTH OF THE MARKET.
[00:40:01]
THAT'S DOING ITS OWN THING.THERE ARE MORE HOTELS PLANNED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
MOST CERTAINLY, UM, OVER THE NEXT FOUR TO SIX YEARS.
AND WE CAN REACH OUT TO, UM, UH, VISIT AUSTIN HAS THAT DATA AND INFORMATION, AND WE CAN GET THAT, THAT WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU EASILY.
I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING LIKE 10 HOTELS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IS THAT CRAZY? IT SEEMED CRAZY TO ME, BUT IS THAT OKAY? THANKS CHAIR.
YEAH, I THINK THE QUESTION IS MORE OF HOW MANY ROOMS THEN JUST SO WE MAKE SURE WE CLARIFY BECAUSE 10 HOTELS FITS 200 ROOMS, BIG DIFFERENCE, BUT YEAH, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET THAT INPUT TO YOU.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONDITIONER CANADIAN.
WELL, IT MAY BE IRRELEVANT TO KNOW IT'S OVER MY HEAD, BUT ARE THESE NEW HOTELS BRINGING IN CONVENTION CENTER TYPE ACTIVITIES, SPACES THAT I ASSUME THIS IS IN YOUR MODELING OF WHAT YOU THINK THE CONVENTION CENTER NEEDS VERSUS I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION POINT.
SOME OF THE BOARDS COMMISSIONS, IF ALL THESE HOTELS ARE SHOWING UP AND THEY'RE BRINGING IN ALL THIS CONVENTION EXHIBIT SPACE, IS THAT IN ANY WAY WITHDRAWING THE, THE NEED FOR WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THE CITY'S CONVENTION CENTER? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO IT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOUR, YEAH, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE.
UM, SO HISTORICALLY WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO OUR CITY, THEY WANT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THEIR MEETING SPACE, EXHIBIT HALL SPACE IN BALLROOM SPACE, UNDER ONE ROOF, UH, WHICH IS WHY THE CONVENTION CENTER IS SUCH A DESIRABLE OUTCOME.
UM, WHEN WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PLETHORA OF HOTELS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THEY ADDITIONALLY DO HAVE MEETING SPACE.
WE DO BRING A LOT OF CITYWIDE BUSINESS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE LARGE CONVENTIONS THAT COME IN AND BECAUSE AUSTIN IS SO DESIRABLE, THEY'RE WILLING TO CHANGE THEIR PROGRAM TO FIT WITHIN THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THEN GO TO WHAT WE CALL A CAMPUS APPROACH, WHICH IS THEN, YOU KNOW, MORE DIFFICULT FOR OUR PLANNERS TO THEN HAVE TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS PORTIONS OF YOUR PROGRAMMING AND MOVE IT TO THIS HOTEL.
AND THIS HOTEL AND THEIR ATTENDEES HAVE TO SPREAD OUT.
UM, THE IDEA BEHIND HAVING AN EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER WOULD BE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO HOUSE THOSE LARGER GROUPS, UM, TO KEEP THEM ALL UNDER ONE ROOF.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE HOTELS WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO SELL ADDITIONAL BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF OUR BUSINESS.
AND THE MODEL WORKS WHEN WE BLEND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, CITY-WIDE CONVENTIONS WITH LARGE CONVENTIONS, WITH PRIVATE BUSINESS AND PRIVATE OPPORTUNITIES AT THE HOTELS.
DO YOU BRING IN ADDITIONALLY WITH OUR EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER, WE'RE NOT ONLY LOOKING AT BRINGING IN LARGER EVENTS, BUT IT'S ALSO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WITH A LARGER FACILITY, YOU CAN LAYER IN BUSINESS AND WE CAN HAVE THREE CONVENTIONS OR TWO LARGE CONVENTIONS IN AT ONE TIME, RATHER THAN JUST GOING AFTER, UH, THE LARGE, BIG CONVENTIONS THAT GO TO CHICAGO, ATLANTA, LA, YOU KNOW, UM, KIND OF AROUND.
SO OUR BUSINESS MODEL ISN'T NECESSARILY ALL WANTING TO CAPTURE THOSE BIGGER EVENTS.
IT'S ABOUT LAYERING IN, UM, MORE EVENTS INTO THE CITY, ALLOWING THE HOTELS TO OPERATE A LITTLE MORE ON THEIR OWN, AND THEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH US WHEN THE MIX IS RIGHT, WHICH IS THAT SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY BUSINESS.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, SO, UM, SO BASICALLY YOU'RE HOPING FOR FOUR YEARS GROUNDBREAKING TO, TO CONVENTION CENTER BEING OPEN AGAIN.
UM, AND THIS PROBABLY HASN'T, IT'S PROBABLY TOO SOON TO ASK, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK ANYWAY, UM, IS THERE, IT SORT OF SOUNDS LIKE THERE WILL BE A DROUGHT IN TERMS OF, UM, CONVENTION WORK AND, UM, CONVENTIONS IN AUSTIN DURING THAT BUILDING PHASE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
UM, AND THAT OBVIOUSLY WILL MAKE AN IMPACT ON, ON, UH, THE FUNDING THAT GOES INTO HOW YOUR HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS, AND THEN ONCE IT'S OPEN, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL BE A BONANZA OF MONEY, UH, COMING IN BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE A BIGGER, BETTER, UH, CENTER SO WE CAN DO MORE BUSINESS, UM, DURING THE WHOLE THOUGHT PROCESS OF HOW AND WHEN AND EXACTLY TO MANAGE THIS EXPANSION.
IS THERE A THOUGHT PROCESS ON HOW THE CITIES, UH, LIKE THE HERITAGE FUND AND THE CULTURAL ARTS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THE TIME THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION? AND WHAT SORT OF THOUGHTS ARE BEING, UH, WHAT IS THE THOUGHT PROCESS FOR THAT? IF THERE IS SOME THOUGHT, LIKE TO SUPPORT THOSE FUNDS AND ANSWER THAT AND THEY WON'T DO NO.
SO, AND THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
UM, THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE HAVEN'T REALLY STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS YET.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE PREMATURE FOR US.
UM, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE AN IMPACT.
UM, THE REALLY FANTASTIC THING ABOUT AUSTIN IS OUR MARKET IS VERY LARGE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE HIT THAT MAY OCCUR WITH THE HOTEL TAX AND THE SUBSEQUENT FUNDING, UM, SHOULD HOPEFULLY HELP, YOU KNOW, BE MITIGATED A LITTLE BIT BY, UM,
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE SENDING OUR CONVENTIONS THAT WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS, TO THE HOTELS IN THE AREA, WHICH WILL HELP KIND OF THEIR REVENUES AND HELP WITH THOSE HOTEL STAYS AND KIND OF WORKING ON THE CAMPUS APPROACH.WE DO HAVE THE PALMER EVENT CENTER, WHICH WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO ABSORB SOME OF THE EVENTS.
UM, SO OUR HOPE IS THAT THE IMPACT IS GOING, WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT.
UM, AND WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, UNTIL THIS PROJECT REALLY FEELS LIKE OVER.
SO YOU'RE KIND OF HOPING TO MITIGATE IT.
SO IT'S NOT A CASE OF ZERO WORK FOR FOUR YEARS, BUT SOME FORM OF WORK.
AND THEN IS THERE ANY OTHER CONVENTION CENTER THAT HAS SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT UNDERGROUND? THE UNDERGROUND? CONCEPT'S REALLY VERY INTERESTING TO ME.
THE UNDERGROUND CONCEPT, UM, IS A NEWER MODEL OF CONVENTION CENTERS.
WHEN YOU GO TO, WHEN YOU'RE GOING FROM A, UH, A CONVENTION CENTER OF THE 1990S WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, 500,000 SQUARE FEET AT STREET LEVEL, UM, THE NEW, UH, KIND OF STATE OF THE ART CONVENTION CENTERS ARE GOING WITH A VERTICALLY STACKED APPROACH.
SO SAN FRANCISCO HAS THAT SEATTLE IS GOING TO HAVE THAT, UH, WASHINGTON DC CONVENTION CENTER HAS THAT, UH, PHOENIX ALSO HAS AN UNDERGROUND.
UM, AND SO THE, IT, IT IS, UM, KIND OF THE NEW MODEL OF CONVENTION CENTERS GOING FORWARD IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS, YOU KNOW, CREATING THE SPACE THAT WE NEED, UH, IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT, BUT IN SUCH A WAY THAT DOESN'T IMPACT THE STREET, THE STREET LEVEL AS MUCH.
AND THEN ON THOSE CENTERS WHERE THEY HAVE IT UNDERGROUND, YOU ALSO MENTIONED ALL THE LOADING DOCKS WOULD BE UNDERGROUND, CORRECT.
SO IN THOSE SITUATIONS, AND I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T GOT A DESIGN YET, BUT CONCEPTUALLY ARE WE LOOK, ARE WE THINKING ABOUT THE LOADING DOCKS BEING ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL OR THE SAME LEVEL TO THE, SO THE LOADING DOCKS WOULD BE ON THE SAME LEVEL OF THE EXHIBIT HALLS, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE, UH, FREIGHT ELEVATORS FOR REDUNDANCY TO GET TO THOSE VERTICAL FLOORS.
UM, YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEW MOODY, UH, CENTER THERE.
THE, THEIR LOADING DOCK IS UNDERGROUND AND THEN GOES INTO, UH, THEIR, THEIR LEVEL.
UM, AND SO IT SEEMS TO, I WAS SKEPTICAL AS WELL.
I WENT ALL THE WAY TO, UH, WASHINGTON DC AND TOUR THEIR CONVENTION CENTER IN PHOENIX AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'M AN OPERATION PERSON AT HEART, UH, KIND OF BORN AND RAISED IN THE INDUSTRY DOING EVENT OPS.
AND SO THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY SERVICE OUR, UH, OUR ATTENDEES AS WELL, AND NOT TRYING TO CRAM SOMETHING IN THAT, THAT ISN'T GOING TO BE A GOOD DESIGN OPERATIONALLY, RIGHT.
IT NEEDS TO HAVE THE SPACE IDEALLY THAT IT'S LEVEL.
AND THEN I'M ALSO THINKING, JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE HEALTH AND SAFETY, LIKE THE, UM, THE EXHAUST VENTILATION VENTILATION, UH, IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE INTERESTING BECAUSE IT CREATES A CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN THE, IN THE DOCKS AND THE LOADING, UM, WHICH, UH, IN THE AUSTIN IN THE SUMMER.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE TREMENDOUS BENEFITS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM PHOENIX, ESPECIALLY IS THAT, UH, THE, THE CREWS THAT ARE LOADING IN AND DOING THE RIGGING AND, AND OFFLOADING THE TRUCKS THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING IT IN A CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT INSTEAD OF THE HOT TECH SWEATING, LIKE WE USUALLY DO.
WE WILL MOVE BACK TO OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS.
UM, FIRST ITEM OF UN, I ALWAYS WANT TO SAY UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
I HATE THE TERM OLD BUSINESS, BUT IT IS WRITTEN AS OLD BUSINESS.
[2a. Election of a Vice Chair]
ELECT A VICE CHAIR.SO, UM, DO I HAVE EMOTION? GOOD.
SHOULD WE DISCUSS IT OR DO YOU WANT SELF NOMINATED? ALL I'M LOOKING FOR NOMINATIONS.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH HAS SAID HE WOULD BE WILLING IF NOMINATED.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN THE VICE CHAIR POSITION? I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO NOMINATE.
IT'S BEEN NOMINATED TO, UM, SORRY.
IT'S MOVED TO NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS, ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS GOING A THIRD TIME? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THE MOTION TO NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH IS VICE CHAIR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY AYE.
AND YOU ARE DULY NOMINATED AND WILL NOW SERVE AS VICE CHAIR FOR THIS COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO APPRECIATE IT.
SO THAT IS THE ONLY UNFINISHED BUSINESS BEFORE US BACK TO NEW BUSINESS, UM,
[00:50:01]
REPORT FROM PARK'S[3a. Report from the Parks and Environment Working Group on any updates or make new appointments]
ENVIRONMENT, WORKING GROUP ON ANY UPDATES OR ANY NEW APPOINTMENTS COMMISSIONER CANETTI.UH, WE DID GET A CONFIRMATION THAT GEORGE COFER FROM THE HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY IS WILLING TO STEP ONTO THE COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, I DID SEND OUT AN EMAIL AROUND TO EVERYBODY BEFORE THE MEETING ON OUR WORKING GROUP, TRYING TO SCHEDULE THE MEETING IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WHERE WE WOULD HAVE AN INITIAL DISCUSSION, UM, AND TRY TO GET SOME IDEAS ABOUT THESE FUNDING SCENARIOS.
WE COULD BE EXPLORING THE BENEFIT, THE PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? UM, IF I COULD ADD, WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR, WE'VE GOT SOME OUTREACH TO A NUMBER OF EASTERN NORTH SIDE PARKS AND I, WE NEED MORE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CENTRAL WEST AUSTIN, SOUTH AUSTIN PEOPLE ON HERE.
SO, UM, PLEASE SEND ME SOME CONTACTS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
ANY, UH, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NOPE.
[3b. Report from the TPID working group on any updates or make new appointments]
ITEM IS REPORT FROM TEEPEED WORKING GROUP, ANY UPDATES OR ANY NEW APPOINTMENTS MIDI WE HAVE YET TO MEET, BUT AS YOU AND I SPOKE ABOUT BEFORE THE MEETING, UM, WE HAD SOME EMAIL ISSUES.I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO TEXT YOU AND THEN WE'LL JUST PUT IT ON THE EMAIL TO KEEP A RECORD.
BUT YEAH, WE HAVEN'T YET, YET TO MEET.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE THREE OF US MEET FIRST BEFORE WE DO OUTREACH TO LIKE THE HOMELESS ADVOCACY, UM, AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DEFINE THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO BEFORE WE GO OUT TO THIRD PARTIES.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSED
[3d. Discuss Bylaws Article 2 Section B]
BYLAWS, ARTICLE TWO, SECTION B.AND YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE YOUR BIBLES IN FRONT OF YOU.
WHICH ONE IS? YEAH, THEY MOVED HER MULTIPLE NUMBERS, I GUESS IT WOULD BE OPTICAL TO I'M GUESSING THIS MEMBERSHIP BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ARTICLE NUMBERS.
SO B NOR IS IT? OH, OH, OH, WHERE IT SAYS EIGHT ON HERE FOR WHATEVER REASON.
ORDER SECTION, BUT THERE'S NO ARTICLE NUMBER.
SO ARTICLE TWO IS PURPOSE AND DUTIES, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WE ARE THE SPECIFICALLY STATED AND YOU SEE YOUR SAYS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS.
THAT WAS WHAT I DECIDED WELL BETWEEN US.
SO WHATEVER COPY YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, ARTICLE TWO IS PURPOSE AND DUTIES.
AND SECTION B IS THE, UH, SECOND PARAGRAPH.
THE COMMISSION SHALL ADVISE THE CITY ON, AND THEN IT HAS BULLETS ONE THROUGH SEVEN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING THE SCOPE OF WORK.
SO THE COMMISSION SHOW ADVISE THE CITY ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE ALLOCATION INVESTMENT AND BUDGETS FOR THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE AND ALL THE RELATED FUNDS, CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FACILITY INVESTMENTS RELATED TO TOURISM, SPECIAL EVENTS AND OTHER CITY EVENTS THAT HAVE A MAJOR TOURISM COMPONENT, REVIEW REC AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MARKETING RELATING TO RELATED TO ADVERTISING OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN, SPECIAL EVENTS, MUSIC, CULTURAL, AND OTHER EXISTING, OR FUTURE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THESE THINGS.
I THINK WE WANTED TO DISCUSS THEM BECAUSE WE WANTED TO LOOK AT EACH ONE AND SORT OF SAY OUT LOUD, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US? UH, MY MEMORY WAS WE WANTED TO HAVE KIND OF A STANDING DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITY AT EVERY BOARD MEETING JUST TO RUN THROUGH THESE.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BREAK EVERYONE DOWN, BUT IS ANY, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY TOPICS THAT COME UP THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO START PURSUING THAT FIT WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION? IT'S THOSE SEVEN BUILDINGS CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE SONGS? PLEASED, TO BE HONEST.
YOU KNOW, WHAT CAME TO MIND WHEN I READ NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I REMEMBER US EVER HAVING, YOU KNOW, IN ANY IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT SPECIAL EVENTS AND OTHER EVENTS THAT HAVE MAJOR TOURISM COMPONENT.
SO, I MEAN, I WAS THINKING ABOUT ALL THIS HOOPLAH CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SPURS COMING TO TOWN AND PLAYING IN THE MOODY CENTER.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I MEAN, DOES THAT MEAN SOMETHING NOTICED WOULD PROBABLY BE TAUGHT TO US.
I MEAN, IT PROBABLY DOES THE THEORETICAL IDEA THAT PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL GAMES MIGHT TAKE PLACE
[00:55:01]
IN THE MOODY CENTER.IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU TEACH PUTTING IN THERE SOUNDS LIKE IT BRINGS PEOPLE TO TOWN.
SO THEN THAT BACKED ME INTO, SHOULD WE HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM THE SPORTS COMMISSION AT THE CONVENTION, IT VISIT AUSTIN TO FIND OUT WHAT TYPES OF EVENTS ARE THEY LOOKING AT ON THE HORIZON? BECAUSE I MEAN, PART OF WHAT WE WOULD BE THINKING IS IF, YOU KNOW, WOULD THEY BE AMPING UP? ARE THERE THINGS OUT THERE TRAVELING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SCORE IN OUR REGION? I HEARD THEY BUILT SOME BIG PFLUGERVILLE BUILT.
LIKE, WHAT IS IT, 40 SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT THING UP THERE.
I MEAN, THOSE THINGS ARE MOVING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY BUILT IT, THAT MONEY WOULD GO INTO PFLUGERVILLE.
DOESN'T DUMP MONEY INTO OUR, DOES IT, I'M SEEING MR. SMITH THOUGH.
I MEAN, THEY DON'T HAVE THE HOTELS TOO, SO THEY HAVE TO STAY HERE, BUT GO THERE TO PLAY.
THAT'S AN INTERESTING, SO THE POINT OF MY POINT IS THAT'S AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S OFF THE TABLE FOR THINGS THAT WE SHOULD, IF WE'RE IN SOMEBODY WHO HAS A PET INTEREST OR SOME NEWS ITEM COMES FLOWING THROUGH, AND THAT, AND I'M JUST BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS, ALL THIS WITH THE SPURS AND UPROAR ABOUT PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO, FEELING LIKE IT'S MOVING HERE AND WHATEVER, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO OUR HOT TAX COLLECTION? IF PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL STARTS ARTICULATING HERE, HOW FAR WILL PEOPLE COME IF ANYBODY'S DONE A STUDY, LIKE HOW FAR WILL PEOPLE COME TO SEE THAT? WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? I I'VE HEARD A STORY ABOUT THIS, UM, LIKE MOODY CENTER.
AND IN FACT IS THESE HARRY STYLE SHOWS THERE'S FIVE HAIRSTYLE SHOWS GOING UP.
HE'S ONLY PLAYING LIKE SEVERAL CITIES IN AMERICA.
SO THEY'RE EXPECTING PEOPLE FROM OUT OF STATE TO DRIVE HERE FOR THOSE FIVE DAYS.
I DON'T, I'M NOT MAKING IT AN ISSUE FOR THE REST OF THIS DISCUSSION, BUT IT'S AN EXAMPLE.
NUMBER THREE IS AN INTERESTING EQUATION BECAUSE IT SPEAKS TO LEISURE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A COMPONENT THAT, THAT WE DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN ADDITION TO CONVENTIONS FROM TIME TO TIME, IF I MIGHT, I JUST WOULD JUST TO PIGGYBACK WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT SOFTBALL OR EVEN A KID'S BASEBALL TOURNAMENTS, ET CETERA, IT IS ABSOLUTELY HUGE.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A GRANDSON TRAVELING FROM HOUSTON TO, UM, TO FLORIDA, TO PLANE, A WORLD SERIES BASEBALL TOURNAMENT, WHICH IS 10, WHICH IS TELEVISED.
AND THEY EVEN HAVE APPS FOR THE LOCAL STUFF, BUT IT'S A HUGE EVENT AND YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE PFLUGERVILLE AND THE, AND THE HOTELS.
BUT THAT'S THE REASON THAT PFLUGERVILLE MAY START BUILDING HOTELS.
AND, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ENOUGH PARKS IN ORDER TO, UH, ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, THOSE ARE BIG COMPLEXES.
GEORGETOWN HAS A BIG COMPLEX, BUT AUSTIN TO MEET TO MY KNOWLEDGE DOES NOT HAVE ONE.
SO ANY EVENT, BUT IT'S A BIG MONEYMAKER FOR THOSE CITIES AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN OR IS HUGE.
I, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT THOSE IN THE PARKS.
THEY'RE PROBABLY OVER STRESSED ALREADY, BUT THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER IDEA MANY YEARS AGO IN DALLAS, THEY HAD THE WORLD CUP JUNIOR.
AND WE HAVE THE WHOLE SOCCER TEAM IN TOWN AND MAYBE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF ENERGY AROUND THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE FRISCO HAS A MAJOR, A SOCCER TOURNAMENT UP IN FRISCO, TEXAS AS WELL.
I'M ALWAYS DRIVING TO SAN ANTONIO FOR MY KIDS.
AND WHEN THEIR BIG TOURNAMENTS HAPPEN, I'M GOING TO SAN ANTONIO.
SO IN ANY EVENT, I THINK THERE WERE GOOD POINTS.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, UH, FROM THE BOARD RELATING TO THIS SECTION? WHAT SPRINGS TO MIND? UM, LAST TIME WE LOOKED AT THIS, I MENTIONED THE IDEA OF, DID WE WANT TO, AS A BOARD EXPLORE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER REVENUE STREAMS THAT CAN HELP BOLSTER THE HOT TAX? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN EVER INCREASING DEMAND ON, UM, CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION, MAYBE NOT AS, AS, AS MUCH IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, I'M SURE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE DEFINITELY FROM THE CULTURAL ART SECTION IS MORE AND MORE GROUPS THAT ARE LOOKING, UM, FOR ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND HEARING THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL BE CLOSED FOR A WHILE.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WITHIN THEIR PURVIEW, LOOKING AT THESE, YOU KNOW, NUMBER SEVEN AND ANY OTHER ITEMS RELATED TO TOURISM AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX SEEMS LIKE WE COULD MAYBE BRAINSTORM SOME IDEAS OF OTHER STREAMS TO HELP BOLSTER HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX SO THAT THE CULTURAL ARTS IS NOT SOLELY DEPENDENT ON JUST THAT REVENUE STREAM.
[01:00:01]
I'M WORKING ON THAT IN MY DAY JOB, UM, CAUSE IT IS STRETCHED THIN AND, UM, AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET THINNER.I FEEL WELL THERE'S SOME ISSUES IN THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT, UM, THAT WE DO FEEL THAT'S SOME HOT TAX HAS BEEN SPENT ON THINGS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY QUALIFY AS PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, CULTURAL ARTS, VIRTUAL THING WITHIN THE CITY RIGHT NOW, UM, IN THAT THERE HAVE BEEN HOTEL TAX FUNDED EVENTS THAT REALLY BOLSTERED COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES RATHER THAN PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.
AND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF 3 51 IS THAT IT'S FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.
AND THE REASON CITIES GENERALLY SUPPORT THE ARTS IS, IS FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS SO THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO THINGS AND ARTS EDUCATION ABILITIES FOR SELF-EXPRESSION, YOU KNOW, PERFORMING IN AMATEUR GROUPS, ET CETERA.
BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT WHERE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS, UM, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THERE'S VARIOUS GROUPS STARTING TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A TAX RATE ELECTION IN AUSTIN BECAUSE OF STATE CAPS COMING IN.
AND IF WE DON'T, ACTUALLY, YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO UP TO A CERTAIN POINT UP TO THE STATE CAP WITHOUT AN ELECTION, BUT TO GO ABOVE THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTION.
AND, UM, IN PARTICULARLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY OUR FIREMEN AND EMS PEOPLE IF WE HAVE TO EXIST UNDER CAPS.
SO, UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE GROUPS IN TOWN STARTING TO THINK ABOUT WITHIN A TAX RATE ELECTION, WHICH INCREMENT CAN GO WHERE, SO THE BULK OF THE INCREMENT WOULD GO TO THE GENERAL FUND OR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT MAYBE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, 0.2 MIL FOR PARKS.
AND IN THAT CASE, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CULTURAL NONPROFIT SECTOR TO START BASICALLY WANTING TO BE IN MIND FOR SOME OF THAT.
SO IF, AND FOR EXAMPLE, A 0.02, 5 CENTS ADDITIONAL TAX INCREMENT WOULD GENERATE $9 MILLION A YEAR FOR ARTS.
UH, OR YOU ADD, YOU GO TO 0.5 AND SPLIT IT BETWEEN ARTS, ARTS, AND PARKS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT FALLS UNDER OUR PURVIEW BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT HOTEL, ACCURACY TAXES, IT'S ABOUT GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES, BUT I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND THEN I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT, UM, I'M NOT PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER BEING CLOSE TO FOUR YEARS, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK HISTORIC, I MEAN, I'M CONCERNED FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO NEED THE WORK, BUT IF YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY AS THE LAST 20 YEARS, THE CONVENTION CENTER GOES A LITTLE BIT UP AND UP AND UP AND DOWN, BUT THE HOT TAX HAS ALWAYS GONE UP.
SO OVERALL TOURISM HAS SLOWLY BECOME LESS DEPENDENT ON THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT NOW, IT'S AS MS. TATRO POINTED OUT, OR MAYBE, UM, I'M SORRY.
I DON'T KNOW THE LAST NAME OF THE OTHER WOMAN KATIE'S MANTECH.
UM, WE'RE ALREADY BACK TO PRE COVID LEVELS, BUT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS NOT THERE.
THEY HAVE INQUIRIES BACK TO PRE COVID LEVELS, BUT THEIR BUSINESS LEVEL IS NOT BACK TO PRE COVID LEVELS YET.
AND EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, THE PROJECTIONS I'VE SEEN THAT, I THINK WE GOT TWO MEETINGS AGO.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON TRACK TO EXCEED 2019.
AND EVEN IN, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA 2%, EITHER, LIKE IT'S OVERALL UP.
SO I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHERE THE ROOM NIGHT COUNT WAS THIS YEAR VERSUS 2019 TO SEE REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT MY POINT BEING THAT I THINK FROM THE CULTURAL ARTS LIVE MUSIC FUND AND PRESERVATION FUND, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A HUGE HIT BECAUSE THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CLOSED.
THEY MAY LEVEL OFF AND OF COURSE MISSING GROWTH, BUT I'M NOT SAYING, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO CRATE HER BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IN THE PAST, WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER HAD A DOWN YEAR, THE WHOLE OVERALL HOT TAX STILL WENT UP, SO TAX IS GOING UP BECAUSE HOTEL ROOMS ARE GOING UP.
BUT ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS BEHIND THAT IS WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE OCCUPANCY RATE FOR THOSE HOTELS? I MEAN, YES, WE'RE SEEING THE GROSS BECAUSE IF YOU ADD 10,000 HOTEL ROOMS IN AUSTIN, RIGHT.
THERE'S NO WAY NOT TO GET THAT LIFT UP, BUT IT'S ALSO, ARE THEY DOING ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF BUSINESS TO OPERATE THOSE BUSINESSES? AND I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT A RHETORICAL QUESTION, RIGHT.
IT'S JUST LIKE, OH YEAH, WE HAD 80% IN APRIL BECAUSE ALL, ALL THE WEDDINGS CAME TO TOWN.
AND THEN, SO IT'S, IT'S LOOKING AT THE TRENDS OF HOW ARE, HOW ARE THOSE PLACES DOING? AND THAT WAY, ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
IF IT'S DOWN FOR FOUR YEARS, WHAT'S THE OCCUPANCY LEVEL, HOLD ON.
ALL OF THESE AVAILABLE ROOMS THROUGH THAT PERIOD.
AND THAT WILL BE REALLY GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
I MEAN, THIS BODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING ON.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION, WHAT THEY THINK THE IMPACT OF, I THINK THEN YOU GO BACK TO THOSE MEETING NOTES THAT WE QUESTIONED MEN MARCH.
I REALLY LIKED TO KNOW WHAT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY SEES AND WHAT THEIR FEARS ARE ABOUT A FOUR HOUR SET DOWN
[01:05:01]
CIRCULATION, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. YEP.I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION RIGHT HERE.
I GOT A STAR COMPETE OR I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH STAR REPORTS.
SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH DOES A COMPARISON OF OTHER CITIES, ET CETERA, ON OCCUPANCY AND AVERAGE RATE.
AND ACCORDING TO, UH, THE MARCH 22 COMPARED TO THROUGH MARCH 22, COMPARED TO 20 19 20 19 OCCUPANCY.
AND THIS IS JUST THE FIRST QUARTER 2019 TO 2022 ARGUMENTS YOU HAD 2019 FOR AUSTIN WAS 79.3.
AND, UH, IN 2022, IT WAS 61.2.
THE KEY COMPONENT THOUGH, WAS THE ADR.
THE ADR IN 2019 WAS 2 53, UH, 18.
SO EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE DOWN 18 POINTS IN OCCUPANCY, THEY WERE ONLY DOWN ABOUT $13, WHICH IS HUGE.
I MEAN, THAT'S AN AMAZING DIFFERENTIAL.
THE REV PAR IS BASICALLY DOWN IN OCCUPANCY 0.2% FROM 29.2, 3% ADR 0.05% AND REV PAR WAS DOWN 0.27.
SO GENERALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING, CNN IN THE HOTELS IS YES, THE OCCUPANCY IS DOWN, BUT THEY'RE MITIGATING THE AVERAGE RATE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
NOW THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER COMPONENTS THAT COME INTO WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOTELS, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE COVID STUFF AND TRYING TO GET HELP, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, WHICH REMINDS ME, I MEANT TO ASK THEM IF THEY WERE UP TO PAR, SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT KEEPING HER STAFF.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOWN IN STAFFING AT THIS POINT.
SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE KEEPING THEM, IT'S PRETTY MITIGATED BECAUSE THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STAFF.
BUT ALSO MENTIONED THAT IN TALKING TO THEM AT SOME OF THE HOTELS, THE DIFFICULTY THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE CONVENTIONS THAT ARE CLOSES, UH, OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AND HOTELS ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO WORK TOGETHER TO SEE IF THEY CAN BOOK IN THE, IN THE FUTURE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT STUFF LIKE THIS, ALL THIS STUFF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT, UH, THE, THE BIG THING FOR ME IS YOUR DEMAND GROUP DEMAND FORECAST, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT GROUP DEMAND FORECAST FOR FUTURE PACE, WHAT THEY CALL, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH DO YOU BOOK IN THE YEAR FOR THE YEAR.
AND PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT DEFINITES AND WE'RE LOOKING AT MARCH AND 18 COMPARED TO 2222, AND WHAT THEY'RE CALLING THE PACE.
IN OTHER WORDS, ARE YOU KEEPING PACE IN THE FUTURE? WHAT WOULD THEY USED TO DO IN THE PAST? WELL, 20, 22 IS DOING GREAT.
THE PACE TARGET IS UP 28% IS 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.
THAT IS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY TO WHAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD DO.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS SIMPLE.
BOTH CONVENTIONS DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL WE'RE DOING.
AND THEY'RE AFRAID OF SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO COME INTO THIS BOOK ONE AND THEN PULL THE PLUG ON HIM BECAUSE THEY'LL NEVER GET THEM BACK, BUT THAT'S BAD, BAD, BAD WAY IN THE BOAT.
THAT'S THE DIFFICULT THAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
ANYWAYS, THE, IF I MAY, THOSE NUMBERS YOU YOU'RE GIVEN US, IS THAT CITYWIDE OR IS THAT JUST DOWNTOWN HOTELS? CITYWIDE.
AND THEY DO HAVE, THEY DO HAVE A COMPONENT FOR IT.
SO I'M SURE YOU CAN GET THAT FROM THEM EASILY.
SO I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE A FRIEND THAT WAS IN A MEETING WITH IT AND MADE A COFFEE FOR ME.
I'D STILL LIKE TO MAYBE PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT LOGIC GUYS OUT HERE.
DO YOU HAVE THAT AGENDA ITEM READY TO PUT IN WORK RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE MOVING TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS IS OUR NEXT AS OUR NEXT TOPIC.
UM, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THIS PARTICULAR ARTICLE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS. THIS IS THE PORTION WHERE WE CAN NAME SOME FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS RIGHT NOW.IF WE'RE READY, OTHERWISE WE CAN DO IT VIA EMAIL CHECK, NICE COMMISSION LUNCH.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE GONE WITHOUT SAYING THAT PROFESSOR SANDERS WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THIS AGENDA SINCE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN LAST MONTH, BUT PLEASE HAVE IT ON NEXT MONTH.
BUT YOU ALSO REMEMBER THAT HE TOLD US NO RIGHT ON THE SCREEN AND THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T ON HIS AGENDA.
PLEASE HAVE HIM ON NEXT MONTH IF HE'S AVAILABLE.
CERTAINLY I WOULD SAY LET'S JUST KEEP THAT REAL IT'S UNTIL HE CAN MAKE IT.
AND THEN IF YOU TAKE IT, YOU KNOW, LIKE OTHERS, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND IT DIDN'T WORK, THEN IT GETS ROLLED OVER AGAIN.
UM, ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS TO, UM, FOR ME, UM, ONE WOULD BE A BRIEFING BY, I GUESS THE L H L A NOT THE AUSTIN, NOT THE STATEWIDE RIGHT
[01:10:01]
ON THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE HOTEL INDUSTRY FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER BEING CLOSED.UM, AND THEN, UM, HAVE WE TALKED ABOUT THE STR STUFF THAT'S GOING AROUND FOR AWHILE? WELL, THERE'S, UM, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD.
UM, SO, UH, AIRBNB IS SHOPPING A RESOLUTION AROUND THE CITY HALL AND, UM, HE'S BRIEFED THE TOURISM, NOT TOUR.
HE'S BRIEFED THE MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSIONS.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HIM TO BRIEF US.
UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME.
I HAVE IT SOMEWHERE IN MY EMAIL.
I CAN LOOK IT UP, BUT HIS FIRST NAME'S ELISE AND HE'S A GOVERNMENT RELATIONS GUY FOR AIRBNB HERE IN TOWN.
UM, AND THE GIST OF THEIR RESOLUTIONS THAT THEY WANT TO RELAX REGULATIONS OF STRS AND THE UPSIDE IS INCREASED HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
UM, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE HAVE SOME STRICT REGULATIONS ON THE NUMBER OF THEY WANT TO INCREASE PERMITS.
AND IN, IN EXCHANGE FOR INCREASING PERMITS, THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY'RE GOING TO VOLUNTARILY START THERE.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT WHEN THE PURCHASE BUYS TO THEM, THAT THEY COLLECT, CAUSE THAT WAS THE BIG NUANCE BEFORE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO COLLECT THE TAX.
WE PUT THAT BACK ON THE LISTING OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO COLLECT THE TAX AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT.
SO THIS IS A CHANGE OF THAT UNREGISTERED STRS DO NOT PAY HOTEL TAXES TO THE CITY.
THEY PAY THEM TO THE STATE, BUT NOT TO THE CITY.
UM, AND AIRBNB, UM, IN SOME CITIES HAS COME TO AGREEMENTS LIKE IN DENVER THAT THEY WILL ONLY LIST REGISTERED STRS.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN AUSTIN.
SO THEY WILL LIST YOU IF YOU'RE AN UNREGISTERED STR, UM, UNREGISTERED WITH THE CITY.
THAT'S THE, TRADE-OFF RELAXED, THE REGULATIONS AROUND REGISTRATION IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF STRS IN A GIVEN AREA.
UM, THE, THE AMOUNT OF FULL-TIME OCCUPANCY CAUSE THE CITY CURRENTLY, UM, REQUIRES THAT YOU LIVE IN THE RESIDENCE IN THE STR TO REGISTERED NO MORE NON-RESIDENT STRS ARE ALLOWABLE.
AND THEY, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IN EXCHANGE, IT WOULD BE A BONANZA OF ADDITIONAL HOTEL TAX REVENUE.
AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE HIM COME HERE CAUSE HE CAN OBVIOUSLY SPEAK TO THE NUANCES WAY BETTER THAN I JUST DID.
SO, UM, OH, I'D LOVE TO SEE A MODEL OF WHAT HE THINKS IT LOOKS LIKE.
OR IF THEY'VE GOT ANY OTHER MINI UNITS OF PALLIATIVE TO SAY YES TO THIS, WHAT THAT'S DELIVERING.
AND I BELIEVE HE HAS THOSE NUMBERS.
I HAD A ZOOM CALL WITH HIM AND THE LOCAL LOBBYIST A FEW MONTHS AGO, I'M REALLY SEEKING MY ORGANIZATION SUPPORT.
BUT AT THAT TIME THEY WOULD BRING IN A RESUME.
THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD BRING IN RESOLUTION BEFORE THE END OF LAST YEAR.
I THINK THEY'VE DELAYED THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT.
UM, AND THE, THE COUNTERVAILING IS THAT THERE'S NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN RELAXING, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY ARE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE HOTEL INDUSTRY FEELS ABOUT IT EITHER BECAUSE IT'S A DIRECT COMPETITOR.
AND IT'S AN UNREGULATED TO THEM.
IT'S AN UNREGULATED DIRECT COMPETITOR.
AND THAT INITIALLY, I MEAN, LOOK AT FIVE YEARS AGO, EVEN IT WASN'T EVEN ON THEIR RADAR RIGHT NOW.
IT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING BUSINESS FROM IT AND YOU SEE IT ALL OVER.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY A VERY TIMELY ONE.
IF I MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO DO IT IN SOME TYPE OF A FOLLOW-UP, IN OTHER WORDS, MAYBE WE DO, UM, THE GENTLEMEN FROM SAN ANTONIO AND THEN WE DO THE, THE, THE PERSON WITH THE, UH, STR AND THEN WE DO HLA BECAUSE THAT'LL GIVE US QUESTIONS TO ASK, UH, AUSTIN HOTEL ASSOCIATES.
YOU MEAN IN SUBSEQUENT MONTHS? NOT ALL AT ONCE.
UM, IDEALLY IN THAT SEQUENCE AND THAT'S ALL GOING TO DEPEND ON THEIR AVAILABILITY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT IT'S WORKING IS WHAT I NEED YOU FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO DO IS TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO COME BEFORE US TO SEND THEIR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FELICIA.
SO SHE KNOWS WHO SHE'S REACHING OUT TO.
AND THEN ESSENTIALLY THE AGENDA IS BEING SET BASED ON THEIR AVAILABILITY.
SO WE CAN SAY, IDEALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM IN THAT ORDER, PROFESSOR SANDERS, STR REPRESENTATIVE HLA REPRESENTATIVE AT CONSECUTIVE MEETINGS.
AND SHE CAN AIM FOR THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO, IF THE, IF, IF THAT ORDER CHANGES BASED ON THEIR AVAILABILITY, THAT'S, WHAT'S GOING TO SET THE AGENDA IS WHEN THEY APPEAR COMING INTO SUMMERTIME, IT MIGHT BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM WHAT WE HEARD TODAY RIGHT AWAY.
SO, WELL, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEXT WORDS ROTATION THOUGH, OR IS IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE IT TO COUNCIL AND THEN THEY'D RELEASE IT TO THE PUBLIC AND US TOO.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD HAVE THEM BACK HERE NEXT MONTH TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BASED ON ANY OF THAT INFORMATION THEY GET RELEASED.
[01:15:01]
ABOUT IT AND, YOU KNOW, WE OUGHT TO BE POSTED WHERE WE COULD MAKE SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION AND RESPONSE.IF, IF WE'RE SO INSPIRED TODAY, THEY MAY EVEN HAVE SOME UPDATES BY THEN TOO.
SOUNDS LIKE, YEAH, THEY MIGHT WANT TO MAKE A FOLLOW UP PRESENTATION, BUT AT LEAST WE SHOULD ASK THEM TO COME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO WHAT I HAVE DOWN IS, UH, PROFESSOR SANDERS REMAINS AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, UH, INVITE REPRESENTATIVE, UM, ON STRS AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM HLA AND INVITE THE CONVENTION CENTER TO DO A FOLLOWUP PRESENTATION.
WHEN THEY INFORMATION THEY'VE MENTIONED TODAY IS RELEASED TO US.
CAN I ASK YOU IF, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF I UNDERSTOOD AULA WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATIVES SPEAK TO QUESTIONS ABOUT RELAXING, THE STR REGULATIONS? I MEAN THAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW FAR OUR JURISDICTION GOES, BUT AS YOU POINTED OUT, IT'S AN IMPACT OF TOURISM THAT STARTS TO REALLY BLEED INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IF WE'RE JUST, CAUSE I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IF WE, ONCE WE KNOW WE HAVE SOMEONE AND THAT'S POSTED ON OUR AGENDA, THEN THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD USE OF CITIZENS COMMUNICATION FOR NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS, MAYBE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
BUT THE ONLY CONCERN IS THOSE ARE TIME LIMITED.
JUST THINKING ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
I MEAN, THERE'S A, THERE'S THE ANC, THERE'S LOTS OF BUNCHES ON A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ASSOCIATION.
I THINK THAT BRINGS UP A REALLY GOOD POINT, BUT MAYBE IF WE DID PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S LIMITED, WE CAN ALWAYS BRING THEM BACK IF WE WANT IT.
AND AT LEAST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD AND YOU GET ONE IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS SOME PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT.
AND IF IT'S TOO TIME LIMITED, WE CAN ALWAYS BRING THEM BACK AS A, AS A GUEST.
I THINK THAT'S GOOD THOUGH, THAT WE DO THAT.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE SUBSEQUENT, NOT AT THE SAME MEETING, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY IF, IF SERIOUS QUESTIONS GET RAISED, WE REACH OUT TO FAN A AND SEE THE OTHERS ARE NOT, IS THERE A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS WHO WERE PARTICULARLY LIKE ACTIVE ON LIKE STR ISSUES? I KNOW THAT THERE WERE WHEN THERE WAS A HOT ISSUE.
SO NOW THAT IT'S RE RE UH, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO PUMP SURFACE.
THE COMMISSIONER HAS, WAS THE LEAD DRIVER OF THE DISCUSSION, I BELIEVE FOR THE COMMISSION BEFORE SHE STEPPED OFF AND ASCENDED.
SO I'M JUST SAYING POSSIBLY HER OFFICE MIGHT BE COLLECTING DATA ON THAT.
I'M NOT, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
I, I, UH, I MAINTAIN A RELATIONSHIP WITH HER.
AND THEN THE OTHER FEATURE DINGY ITEM THAT WE HAVE STILL LISTED AS A PRESENTATION ON HOW THE HOSPITALITY WORKERS AND THOSE THAT WORK IN LIVE EVENTS, INCLUDING ALL ORGANIZATIONS ARE IMPACTED.
THAT WAS, UH, YOUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
DID YOU HAVE SPEAKERS IN MIND FOR, I BELIEVE IT WAS YOUR FUTURE AGENDA.
IT PROBABLY CAME UP AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
I MEAN, WE COULD BRING IT IN, WE CAN BRING IN HR DIRECTORS OR SOMETHING FROM HOTELS OR WHATEVER, BUT, UH, I THINK WE CAN JUST KEEP IT ON THERE FOR NOW.
AND AS WE GO FORWARD, WE'LL FIND OUT THERE'S SUBSEQUENTLY, UH, SOME GROUP OR WHATEVER THAT WE CAN BRING IN.
SO I SAID, IT'S A SUBJECT, A TOPIC YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY IN MIND AT THE MINUTE.
I, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A NOTE AS WE APPROVED THESE NOTES FROM MARCH, MARCH TODAY.
THAT WITHIN OUR NEW BUSINESS SECTION OF THAT, THAT WE DID APPROVE EACH SECTION NUMBER FIVE D WE BASICALLY STILL DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHAT I ASKED FOR BACK IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS A REPORT FROM THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION ON WHO THEY'RE GIVING THE MONEY TO THEY'VE COLLECTED THE MONEY.
WELL, WHO ARE THEY GIVING THE MONEY TO? AND THE RESPONSE WE GOT WAS NOTHING HAS BEEN AWARDED IN 2022.
AND SO WE THEN SAY WHAT HAPPENED IN 2012 AND 2021? WE HAVEN'T SEEN, WE HAVEN'T SEEN WHERE AS FAR AS I KNOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS CONDITION, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN A REPORT ON 20 AND 21 WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING, WHAT ARE THEY USED AT WHERE WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING THEY'RE IN THESE FUNDS AND HOW CAN WE GET SOME SORT OF GUIDANCE ON OUR OWN? I MEAN, TO THE POINT YOU MADE ABOUT LIKE, THERE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME CLARITY ON WHY THESE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED DO CONTRIBUTE TO TOURISM.
I JUST WENT, I'M NOT, I DON'T WANT TO BE HARD ABOUT IT.
I JUST WOULD LIKE, I MEAN, LIKE THE ONE TIME THAT I READ THE ONE THING I READ THE FIRST TIME I GOT INTO HERE AND I DON'T KNOW, BUT SORRY THAT THE ZILKER CLUBHOUSES REBUILT FOR $450,000.
AND I WAS JUST LIKE, WELL, THAT'S COOL.
[01:20:01]
EXACTLY DRIVE TOURISM? I KNOW WHAT THE ZILKER PARK MEANS TO TOURISM.I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CLUBHOUSE MEANS.
IT'S PROBABLY BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN THE FIRST TIME I WAS THERE.
I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE LEGITIMATE INQUIRY AND NOT HOUNDED PEOPLE FOR ANYTHING, BUT IF, IF WE GOT $15 MILLION SITTING THE HERITAGE FUND IT'S GOING TO GET SPENT, I, I THINK WE'RE ALL GLAD THAT WE'VE GOT 15 MILLION NOW GOING FOR HERITAGE PROJECTS.
WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, BUT WE, I FEEL EVEN BETTER KNOWING HOW IT'S BEING SPENT.
WELL, WE DID GET A BRIEFING FROM THE HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION, MELISSA ALVARADO.
AT ONE POINT SHE BROUGHT A LIST OF THE SMALLEST PART OF THE PRESERVATION FUND THAT GOES TO PRIVATE HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
UM, WE SHOULD BRING KIM, NOT THE PARKS DIRECTOR ARE ACTUALLY CLOSER.
AND THERE'S A WOMAN NAMED KIM WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE PRESERVATION PROJECTS AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND I KNOW HER HUSBAND BECAUSE HE'S A MUSICIAN IN TOWN, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME RIGHT.
THIS IS NOT URGENT BY THE WAY.
I MEAN, I'M JUST, I'M JUST MENTIONING THAT IF, WHEN WE ASKED FOR WHAT, WHERE'S IT GOING HERE? WELL, WE HAVEN'T GIVEN AWAY YET AND IT'S GONE, SO, OKAY.
WELL, WHEN YOU ARE READY TO GIVE IT AWAY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE SHOULD BE A PART OF SEEING IT BEFORE THEY DO GIVE IT WHERE I WENT TO SAY, IT'D BE NICE TO KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY DOING THE WORK AND THE JT.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM FELICIA.
FELICIA, YOU NEED YOUR MIC ON.
SO IN APRIL, WHEN WE, UM, DID NOT MEET, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER, ED EDD SENT US A RESPONSE THAT I HAD SHARED WITH EVERYONE IT'S ON THE, UM, WEB PAGE.
AND THEN I CAN RE SHARE IT AGAIN, BUT THEY DO SHARE THE ALLOCATIONS FROM FYI 19 20 21, UM, THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
BUT ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS IN THE EDD MATERIALS, BUT IT IS BECAUSE WE CANCELED.
THAT IS, CAUSE THAT WAS A CANCER QUORUM.
NEVER LOOKED AT IT AND THAT'S ON ME.
SHE HANDED IT TO US, BUT I WAS GOING SAY, UM, EDD HAS PAUSED ALL OF ITS HOT FUNDED PROGRAMS. THEY'RE RE EVALUATING.
UM, WELL, THEY HAVEN'T REALLY FINISHED THE LIVE MUSIC.
THEY'RE RE-EVALUATING THE ARTS AND THE PRESERVATION HAS ALSO BEEN PAUSED, IS THAT CAUSE THEY JUST HAD TO BRING IT IN YOU.
I MEAN, WHEN WE WENT TO SEE THEM SPEAK AT OTHER COMMISSIONS, THEY TALK ABOUT ALIGNING THEM.
I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO LIKE ALIGN THEIR TIMELINES.
SO THEN THE STAFF IS LESS OVERWORKED.
MAYBE I'M NOT REALLY SURE THEY WERE, THEY WERE LIVE.
MUSIC FUND IS NEW, BUT PRESERVATION AND ARTS FUNDING, UM, GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION PROCESSES WERE ON DIFFERENT SCHEDULES.
AND THE GOAL IS I WAS AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO ALIGN THEM ALL TO START IN MAY OF 23.
SO IT WAS STILL OVER A YEAR AWAY FROM MUSIC ARTS AND PRESERVATION FUNDING THROUGH THE EDD PROGRAMS. UM, THAT'S ALL I KNOW WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THEM MAYBE COME BY TOO.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO WELL.
WE BASICALLY ALL LAST YEAR WERE OUT TO LUNCH.
TALKING WITH MEETINGS FELLATIO BEFORE WE LEAVE, WOULD LIKE US TO REVIEW THE MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE THAT SHE'S PROVIDED FOR US.
SO PLEASE CHECK YOUR CALENDARS.
AND, UM, IN OCTOBER WE'VE BEEN ASKED FOR A HARD STOP AT FOUR 30.
SO THE OCTOBER 19TH MEETING HARD STOP AT 4:30 PM.
UM, DUE TO ANOTHER, DO YOU TO ANOTHER MEETING BEING AT THAT FACILITY? UM, ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS ON THE SCHEDULE? I'M LOOKING FAST.
THE OCTOBER MEETING, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT EVENT CENTER THING IS JUST CURIOUS, PDC ROOM EVENT CENTER.
FELICIA, WHERE WOULD THAT BE? SO THAT IS ACTUALLY LOCATED IN THERE, THE OLD HIGHLAND MALL AREA.
UM, I'LL SEND A MAP FOR EVERYBODY WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO THAT DATE.
AND THE BOARD AND COMMISSIONS FROM IS THE ONE ACROSS THE HALL.
SO, SO WE'RE PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS HERE FOR THE MAJORITY OF IT AND ALWAYS THE THIRD, WEDNESDAY AND ALWAYS THREE TO FIVE.
SO THAT SATISFIES THE REQUEST THAT WE HAD FROM COMMISSIONER ALEX SAUNDER TO DO REGULAR ANYONE KNOW WHY WE GOT KICKED
[01:25:01]
OVER HERE.I'M JUST CURIOUS, AVAILABLE SPACE.
I'VE NEVER DONE A MEETING THAT I CHAIRED WHERE YOU'RE ALL SIDE BY SIDE.
THIS IS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE IF YOU ALL DO THIS, I'LL BE OUT.
I CAN SEE WHO RAISED THEIR HAND FIRST RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IT IS BECAUSE, YEAH, TRYING TO DO SIDE BY SIDE, I CAN'T REALLY SEE WHO RAISES FIRST.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO GET INTO THE HABIT OF THIS AND I'LL HAVE TO GET INTO THE HABIT OF LOOKING AT THAT.
IT'S FUNNY, THAT CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE.
CAUSE I'VE SPOKEN FROM THAT PODIUM A FEW TIMES TO COUNCIL AND IT FEELS VERY INTIMIDATING.
BUT THEN FROM THIS DIRECTION YOU'RE LIKE THIS SMALL ROOM.
EXCEPT WE ARE ALL BEING RECORDED AND ON.
SO IT'S, SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S STILL INTIMIDATING.
UM, MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE DISTRICT NINE VACANCY IN THE MIRROR ON VACANCY? IF PEOPLE JOINING THE COMMISSION? UM, I, UH, AM AWARE THAT DISTRICT NINE IS GOT SOMEBODY IN THE PIPELINES.
OF COURSE, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS OUT OF OFFICE SOON ENOUGH.
SO HE MAY NOT BE HERE VERY LONG UNLESS THE SUBSEQUENT COUNCIL MEMBER CHOOSES TO KEEP HIM ON.
I GUESS THERE WAS THAT PART OF THE REDISTRICTING.
I JUST, WE HAVEN'T I'M CALL SEEING ALTO OR LO LOIS IN A BIT, EITHER GOOD ATTENDANCE RECORDS.
SHE MADE A COUPLE OF VIRTUALS.
LOWEST RATES WITH VIRTUALS? UM, I SPOKE WITH ALTAR LAST MONTH WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE CORA.
UM, SHE DID TRY TO CALL ME BACK CAUSE I HAD REACHED OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT WAS NOT PRESENT AND SHE DID TRY TO CALL ME BACK.
SO WE SPOKE AFTER, UM, THE MEETING WAS CANCELED AND SHE WAS, UM, TRAVELING.
SHE TRAVELS A LOT FOR HER, FOR HER WORK.
AND SO THAT'S WHY SHE REQUESTED SAME PLACE, SAME TIME.
UM, THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR HER.
SO WE HAVE DONE THAT AND SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET TO SEE HER.
SO I JUST QUESTIONED A LITTLE BIT TO DECEMBER 21ST MEETING AND HOW MUCH ATTENDANCE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEN I JUST BRING IT UP AS POINTED OUT.
WELL I GUESS WE CAN EVALUATE THAT ON NOVEMBER.
WE SHOULD CUT THAT ON THE NOVEMBER AGENDA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PAYING SOONER.
UM, FOR ME, OCTOBER, MARCH IS ALWAYS TRICKY, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.
THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS OR IS THERE JUST ONE QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE COMMITMENT FROM OUR BOARD THAT WE WOULD LET FELICIA KNOW AT LEAST TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING, WHETHER WE'RE COMING OR NOT, BECAUSE IT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT FOR HER GOING BACK AND FORTH.
I WOULD'VE BEEN HAPPY AND TOLD HER IF I JUST REMEMBERED THE CHECK, THE FRICKIN I'VE ONLY FOUR EMAILS THAT I HAVE TO CHECK HER.
AND I CAN'T DO IT ON MY PHONE.
I GOT TO DO IT ON MY COMPUTER.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I WAS PLANNING TO COME FROM THE GET-GO I JUST DIDN'T CALL.
CAUSE I DIDN'T READ THE EMAIL.
IF WE MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT, I THINK IT WOULD HELP HER OUT A LOT.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S IT.
HAS ANYONE DISCOVERED AN AUTO FORWARD FEATURE I'VE JUST SIGNED UP TODAY FOR THIS THING? SO I'M NOT SURE.
IS THERE A WAY WE CAN DO AUTO FORWARDS? NO, I DON'T KNOW.
AND I, I ASSUME THAT THE IDEA IS NOT BECAUSE THE REASON FOR, UH, FOR PUTTING US BACK ON, UM, ON THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EMAIL, I BELIEVE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT CITY BUSINESS IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CITY SERVER KIND OF THING.
UM, WELL I'M SURE THAT THAT CREATES OTHER PROBLEMS IF YOU'RE NOT, UH, PERHAPS WE SHOULD ALSO, NOW THAT WE HAVE THE COMMITTEES ALL LINED UP AND ALL, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE, IF IT'S MAYBE FELICIA COULD SEND OUT A UPDATE ON WHO'S ON WHAT COMMITTEES, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
WHICH ONES ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WORKING GROUPS, WORKING GROUPS.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS? ALL RIGHT.
THEN WE ARE ADJOURNED UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.