Feb 14, 2024 Tourism Commission

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED TO, UH, TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 10TH, 2024.

I WILL GIVE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES, A COUPLE OF MINUTES OR A MINUTE, .

THAT'S COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

HEARING, UM, NO DISCUSSION.

ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE MINUTES? DO I HEAR A MOTION? I MOTION? WE APPROVE.

UH, SECOND FOR COMMISSIONER IAN'S MOTION.

UH, SO SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

COMMISSIONER HAN, UH, PARTICIPATING REMOTELY ALSO VOTES.

AYE.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ABSTENTIONS? VOTE UNANIMOUS.

HAVE OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UM, WITH MS. NICOLE ALDO, THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.

MOVING ON TO BEFORE WE GO THESE SCREENS ON, I WANNA WATCH THE YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

UM, HOW DO WE GET OUR SCREENS ON? NONE OF OUR SCREENS ROLLING.

HI, JACKSON FROM CTM.

UH, CURRENTLY THE PARTS, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE PARTS, UH, THEY SHOULD BE DELIVERED IN MARCH, MID-MARCH.

ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THE SCREENS IN FRONT OF US TODAY FREE.

[2. Presentation by Nicole Klepaldo, Interim Executive Director with the Red River Cultural District to present an overview of their organization.]

PLEASE APPROACH DAAS.

UM, SHE WILL BE GIVING AN OVERVIEW OF HER ORGANIZATION.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

WELCOME.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

UM, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.

I'VE NOT PRESENTED, OUR ORGANIZATION HAS NOT PRESENTED HISTORICALLY IN FRONT OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION.

SO FOR THOSE THAT I'M MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

AND ALSO, UM, YOU'RE PROBABLY PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT IS.

MAYBE JUST NOT WHO OUR ORGANIZATION IS.

SO THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT IS A 5 0 1 C3.

UM, WE WERE FORMED OUT OF A CALL TO ACTION IN 2015 WHEN SEVERAL, UM, LIVE MUSIC VENUES CLOSED IN THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.

UM, OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDES EXPERIENCES, UM, OF DIVERSE LOCAL MUSIC, ART, AND FOOD FOR EVERY FAN AND GUEST.

UM, IT'S DEFINITELY A MAJOR TOURIST DESTINATION FOR BOTH, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE COMING STATEWIDE, BUT ALSO BEYOND.

UM, RECENTLY OUR MISSION, MISSION HAS KIND OF GONE BEYOND THAT BECAUSE IN AN EVER-CHANGING AUSTIN, OUR NONPROFIT REALLY FINDS OURSELVES AT THE HELM OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GROW, UM, AND PRESERVE WHAT RED RIVER HAS TO OFTEN, UM, OFFER, UM, AS A COMMUNITY ROOTED IN ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS, PERFORMERS, MUSIC VENUES, AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS.

UM, WE FEEL THAT THIS DISTRICT REALLY EMBODIES KIND OF THE HEART AND SOUL OF AUSTIN.

FOR FOLKS THAT DON'T KNOW, OUR BOUNDARIES STRETCH FROM FOURTH STREET UP TO 15TH STREET.

UM, AND WITHIN THOSE BOUNDARIES, YOU WILL FIND OVER A DOZEN INDEPENDENT LIVE MUSIC VENUES.

BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

OUR ORGANIZATION IS A COALITION OF OVER 50 PLUS BUSINESSES, UM, THAT REPRESENT NOT ONLY MUSIC VENUES, BUT ALSO FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, HOTELS, UM, THE GERMAN TEXT AND HERITAGE SOCIETY, UM, AND WATERLOO GREENWAY.

UM, THE DISTRICT WAS DESIGNATED AS A STATE CULTURAL DISTRICT DESIGNATION IN 2020 BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF THE ARTS.

AND THEN WE BECAME A LOCAL CULTURAL DISTRICT IN, UM, 2013

[00:10:01]

SO, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S OVER A DOZEN INDEPENDENT LIVE MUSIC VENUES.

UM, WE SUPPORT THOUSANDS OF LOCAL MUSICIANS AND PERFORMERS ANNUALLY THROUGH DIRECT SUPPORT THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION.

UM, THIS AREA SPECIFICALLY PROVIDES OVER A THOUSAND MUSIC AND SERVICE INDUSTRY JOBS.

UM, OUR DISTRICT IS TRULY THE BACKBONE TO MAJOR TOURISM AND ECONOMIC GENERATORS LIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, ACL LEVITATION, OVIA ACCESS, AND THE GERMAN TEXAN HERITAGE SOCIETY NOT ONLY HONORS AN OCTOBER FEST, BUT ALSO A MAY FEST.

UM, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT MORE INTERNATIONAL, UM, GERMAN DELEGATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY COMING INTO THE DISTRICT AND EXPERIENCING WHAT ALL THEY HAVE TO OFFER.

WE REALLY HAVE SERVED AGAIN AT THE FOREFRONT IN LEADERSHIP FOR ADVOCACY, UM, ON AUSTIN'S LIVE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL POLICY LEVEL.

UM, THIS HAS INCLUDED STUFF THAT OCCURRED DURING THE PANDEMIC WITH SAVE OUR STAGES.

UM, WE ARE A CREATIVE ECONOMY HUB FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS, VIDEO PRODUCTIONS, DESIGNERS, AND FASHION.

SO NOT JUST FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE STAGE, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE BEHIND THE SCENES THAT COME THROUGH NATIONAL TOURING ACTS.

UM, WE ARE A DESTINATION FOR LOCAL AND TEXAS BASED MUSIC HERITAGE, UM, AND IMPORTANTLY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT INCUBATOR.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR MUSICIANS, WE KNOW OF, UM, MUSICIANS THAT STARTED OUT AT A VERY SMALL STAGE AND HAVE WORKED THEIR WAYS UP TO LARGER STAGES AND MANY THAT HAVE SEEN THEIR FACES ON AN ACL LIVE STAGE, AS WELL AS GOING ON TO A NATIONAL TOUR OR INTERNATIONAL TOUR.

SOME OTHER STUFF THAT OUR ORGANIZATION HAS DONE IS WE DID PROVIDE OVER 200,000 IN DIRECT PANDEMIC RELIEF TO MUSIC AND SERVICING INDUSTRY WORKERS.

WHEN VENUES WERE CLOSED, WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO STEP IN AND SUPPORT FOLKS.

UM, WE'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR OVER A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS IN, IN PUBLIC KIND OF CURB APPEAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND AGAIN, LOOKING AT THAT ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION AROUND LIVE MUSIC.

TWO OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS THAT WE HOST EVERY YEAR ARE OUR FREE MUSIC FESTIVALS.

UM, THESE ARE THREE DAY EVENTS, UM, THAT ARE REALLY DEDICATED TO THE TWO SLOWER, UM, MONTHS OF THE YEAR, WHICH ARE JANUARY AND JULY.

AND THOSE ARE FREE WEEK AND HOT SUMMER NIGHTS.

UM, WE PROVIDE THROUGH DONORS, SPONSORSHIPS, UM, AND DIRECT PAYMENTS, UM, TO OVER TWO 300 MUSICIANS PLUS, UM, OVER THREE DAYS.

AND WE AVERAGE 15,000 ATTENDEES DURING THESE FESTIVAL WEEKENDS.

UM, OUR MARKETING FOR THIS STRETCHES BEYOND LOCAL.

UM, AND WE DO TAP INTO MARKETING AT IN HOUSTON, DALLAS, SAN ANTONIO.

AND AS FAR AS EL PASO, UM, WE DO HAVE SOME BAND MEMBERS FOR SOME OF THE BANDS THAT HAVE RELOCATED, AND THEY ALSO COME IN FOR THOSE SHOWS.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT 15 TO 25% OF FIRST TIME PERFORMERS ARE ACTUALLY COMING IN.

SO WE ARE SEEING NEW MUSICIANS, UM, CURATING OUR STAGES DURING THESE EVENTS.

THESE EVENTS ALSO PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HOTELS IN THE AREA TO CREATE EITHER A STAYCATION OR A, UM, VACATION TO, UM, AUSTIN TO OUR FESTIVALS FOR THESE THREE DAYS.

UM, SO WE'VE BEEN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF THE HOTELS THAT ARE LOCATED IN OUR DISTRICT.

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE STATISTICS FROM OUR HOT SUMMER NIGHTS EVENT, WHICH WAS LAST IN JULY.

IT WAS ONE OF OUR LARGEST HOT SUMMER NIGHTS.

WE DID SOME PROGRAMMING ON SUNDAY.

YOU SEE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH.

UM, AND ALSO JUST OUR BASE OF KIND OF MEDIA IMPRESSIONS, UM, AND HOW FAR THAT REACH ACTUALLY GOES.

UM, SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS HAS AN, HOW THESE EVENTS HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

THEY'RE BRINGING FOLKS TO AUSTIN TO EXPERIENCE THIS, UM, AND BEYOND.

OUR, OUR, OUR LIVE OUR MUSIC COMMISSION, UM, GUARANTEES SOME FUNDING, UM, TO THE MUSIC COMMUNITY VENUES 'CAUSE THAT REALLY IS THE BACKBONE HERE TO THE INDUSTRY.

SO WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IS REALLY TO ONE, GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHO WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION, UM, BUT ALSO TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE HORIZON ISSUES THAT ARE FACING THIS VERY IMPORTANT DISTRICT.

UM, AS YOU HEARD FROM THE FOLKS FROM ZILKER, WE ALSO, UM, APPLIED FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HOT FUNDED PROGRAM THROUGH ELEVATE AND DID NOT RECEIVE THAT FUNDING.

UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS FOR FUNDING OUR, UM, ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORTS, BUT ALSO, UM, OUR EVENTS IN GENERAL.

UM, SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING, UM, OUR DISTRICT RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE GENERAL AND LIQUOR LIABILITY INSURANCE INCREASES FOR MUSIC VENUES HAVE GONE UP 400 TO 500%.

SO WHILE VENUES ARE ALREADY, UM, TAGGED WITH HIGHER RENTS AND TAXES, WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH INCREASING COST OF OPERATION.

WE'VE GOT THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, WHICH IS A GRANT PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE ARE CROSSING OUR FINGERS OVER THE NEXT MONTH.

UM,

[00:15:01]

UM, WITH SO MANY VENUES IN RED RIVER, UM, SOME OF THAT PROGRAM AT PROGRAMMATIC AND GRANT FUNDING WOULD REALLY BE BENEFICIAL.

SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN THE NEWS IS, UM, STREAM REALTY HAS PURCHASED UP A LOT OF PROPERTIES ALONG SIXTH STREET AND RED RIVER.

SO WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS OUR PRESERVATION TACTICS, WHAT ARE OUR EVOLUTION TACTICS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE, UM, WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

AND PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE MUSIC ECONOMY AND HOW THAT GOES ON TO GENERATE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL BENEFITS RELATED TO TOURISM.

THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CLOSING FOR, UM, UH, CONSTRUCTION.

SO WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST GO WITH SO MANY OF OUR VENUES BEING HOME-BASED FOR THAT.

UH, WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY WILL BE DOING CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WAS ALSO MAY HAVE IMPACT ON THE VENUES.

UM, THINKING THROUGH SOME OTHER THINGS IS ALSO IMPACTS REGARDING THE MEDICAL DISTRICT CAMPUS ON RED RIVER PROJECT CONNECT I 35 CAP AND STITCH.

AND WOULDN'T BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T SAY THAT PARKING ALWAYS HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR DISTRICT.

SO WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IS OBVIOUSLY, TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW, WE DID GO TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION.

UM, OUR REQUEST TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION IS SIMILAR.

WHAT WE WOULD ASK OF YOU TODAY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, WHICH IS FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITY.

UM, THE RED RIVER MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION THAT IS FINANCIALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE FUNDING ALLOCATION THAT'S GIVEN TO OTHER CITY DESIGNATED CULTURAL AND HERITAGE DISTRICTS.

WE ARE ONE OF THREE CULTURAL DISTRICTS RIGHT NOW.

UM, THERE IS THE FIFTH STREET MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CORRIDOR AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT, WHICH CURRENTLY RECEIVE A CITY ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.

UM, SO WE ARE ASKING THAT, UM, RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, UM, RECEIVE GAP FUNDING UNTIL FURTHER WORK IS PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL ON INITIATE ON AN INITIATIVE THAT WAS PROVIDED TO CITY COUNCIL TO CREATE A DISTRICT POLICY FRAMEWORK WHERE ALL DISTRICTS COULD THEN RECEIVE THE SAME SUITE OF SERVICES.

UM, THE MUSIC COMMISSION SUPPORTED, UM, UNANIMOUSLY THIS REQUEST AND WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL TO ALSO, UM, FIND SOME FUNDING FOR OUR ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK THAT WE DO.

WE ALSO KIND OF BROUGHT TO CITY COUNCIL'S ATTENTION.

WHAT WE KIND OF REFERRED TO IS, UM, A RESOLUTION GRAVEYARD.

UM, THESE ARE RESOLUTIONS AND PLANS THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED, AND THIS IS JUST A SNIPPET, BUT THERE'S ABOUT A DECADE WORTH OF, UM, RESOLUTIONS AND PLANS THAT DO SUPPORT, UM, OR SITE SUPPORT FOR MUSIC ECOSYSTEM PROGRAMS AND, UM, INCENTIVES.

AND SO FAR THESE ITEMS HAVE FALLEN REALLY SHORT OF IMPLEMENTATION.

SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THE COUNCIL TO ALSO CONSIDER UNDERSTANDING ANY SORT OF EXPEDITED, UM, TIMEFRAME ON THESE ITEMS WOULD BE GREATLY, UM, APPRECIATED, NOT JUST WITHIN THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, BUT ALSO FOR THE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM THAT IS CITYWIDE.

UM, WHICH WAS A QUESTION THAT WE WERE TOLD WOULD NOT BE USED FOR SCORING.

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT RED RIVER, UM, IN TERMS OF WHO WE ARE AS A SPACE, UM, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT COVERAGE FROM LONELY PLANET TO, YOU KNOW, THE STATESMEN TO CULTURE MAP.

UM, EVERY YEAR WE, EVERY YEAR WE DO A ROUNDUP OF SOME OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS THAT FOLKS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A, AS A DESTINATION.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

AND JUST THANK YOU AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU MS. CAPALDO.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE ETH COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER REY? THANKS, SIR.

THERE WE GO.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT IT.

WHAT WAS THE REASON? WELL, FIRST I WOULD SAY AS A CULTURAL PROFESSIONAL, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A CITY DESIGNATING A CULTURAL DISTRICT WITHOUT ALSO INCLUDING FUNDING.

NEVER HEARD OF THAT IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

UM, SO WHAT IS THE REASON THAT RED RIVER WAS NOT FUNDED? WAS IT SPEC, WAS THERE ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE PROCESS? CURRENTLY WE'RE JUST BEING TOLD THAT THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THAT, FOR THE ALLOCATION FOR THAT BASED BASED.

BUT WITHIN THE ELEVATE YOU SAID YOU DID ELEVATE.

OH, WITH ELEVATE, UM, OUR, WE APPLIED FOR AN APPEAL.

WE DID NOT GET AN APPEAL.

UM, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT OVER AND OVER THROUGH THE PANELISTS COMMENTS WERE THAT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING THE DEMOGRAPHIC, MAKE MAKEUP OF OUR BOARD,

[00:20:01]

UM, BUT WITH THE APPEAL PROCESS BEING SO LIMITED, WE WERE NOT PROVIDED ANY OTHER FEEDBACK ON WHY WE MAY HAVE BEEN DECLINED.

UH, MR. CHAIR, MAY I MAKE A COMMENT TO THE GO ? GO AHEAD.

WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW, I'M THE CEO OF THE AUSTIN CREATIVE ALLIANCE, AND I'M A STRONG CRITIC OF THE CITY'S RECENT CULTURAL FUNDING CHANGES.

AND WE'VE HAD TWO SPEAKERS TODAY WHO POINTED OUT THAT WHO ORGANIZATIONS SERVE AND WHO THEY ARE WAS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE PROCESS, WHICH IS DEEPLY INEQUITABLE IF YOU'RE SERVING A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO BE SPOKEN OF, THEN IT'S IN, IN MY VIEW, UH, A BANKRUPT PROCESS.

SO I JUST WANNA SAY MY SUPPORT IS FOR THIS, UH, BODY TO ALSO, AT LEAST, WHAT ARE WE, ARE WE ASKING TO ENDORSE THE MUSIC COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION OR TO DO OUR OWN? WE WOULD, I WOULD, I THINK OUR ORGANIZATION WOULD LOVE IF THE TOURISM COMMISSION WOULD SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION TO FUNDING FOR THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.

IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL ARE WILLING TO DO TODAY.

WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE THE TOURISM COMMISSION TO CONSIDER IT, AND I I WOULD CERTAINLY MOVE THAT WAY IF WE HAD OTHER FOLKS ON BOARD.

COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER BAILEY.

I, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY I UN UNLESS WE SEE WHAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION IS, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ENDORSE IT.

I MEAN, WE HAVE TO GET A COPY OR SEE COPY OF IT, BUT I'D BE WIDE OPEN TO THAT CONSIDERATION THAT I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO IT BLINDLY.

THE MUSIC COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION WAS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN ON THAT ONE SLIDE.

UM, CAN WE GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE? THANK YOU.

THE, THE REQUEST, THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

AND ACTUALLY FOR YOUR REFERENCE, IT'S ON SLIDE THAT ONE.

YEP.

OKAY, GOTCHA.

SECOND TO THE LAST PAGE, THE REQUEST AS IT READS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ENTITY, THE RIVER, EXCUSE ME, THE RED RIVER MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, THAT IS FINANCIALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE FUNDING ALLOCATION GIVEN TO THE OTHER DESIGNATED CULTURAL AND HERITAGE DISTRICTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY RRCD REQUEST GAP FUNDING UNTIL FURTHER WORK IS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON A COMPREHENSIVE DISTRICT POLICY FRAMEWORK.

THE RANGES OF THAT FUNDING THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION WERE, UM, THE FIFTH STREET MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CORRIDOR RECEIVES $120,000 AND ANNUALLY.

AND THE, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT RECEIVES $300,000 ANNUALLY.

AND YOUR PROPOSAL, POTENTIALLY RATHER, COULD YOU JUST RESTATE WHAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION APPROVED AS A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL? THE MUSIC COMMISSION APPROVED THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT GO TO THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT THAT IS FINANCIALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE FUNDING ALLOCATION TO THE OTHER CITY DESIGNATED CULTURAL AND HERITAGE DISTRICTS, AND SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT COUNCIL PROVIDE GAP FUNDING UNTIL THE FURTHER WORK THAT IS DUE TO BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL ON THE COMPREHENSIVE DISTRICT POLICY FRAMEWORK CAN BE COMPLETED.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPO? NO.

HEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AND EDUCATING US ON THE DISTRICT.

I THINK WE ALL TALK ABOUT RIGHT.

THE BACKBONE OF AUSTIN AND MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.

AND SO I THINK PERSONALLY THIS SPEAKS RIGHT DIRECTLY TO THAT.

UM, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW MORE INFORMATION IN TERMS AROUND BUDGETS AND WHERE, LIKE, WHAT, WHERE'S THIS GAP FUNDING GOING? IT SEEMS RIGHT.

THEME OF THE YEAR IS, HEY, WE DIDN'T GET FUNDING FROM THIS LATEST ROUND OF GRANTS, RIGHT? AND SO NOW EVERYBODY NEEDS GAP FUNDING.

AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A MINUTE AND PAUSE.

NOT THAT WE AREN'T SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, BUT JUST HOW DO WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND HAVE THE, THE BEST IMPACT AND THE MOST IMPACT FOR ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS AND SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WHERE I DON'T WANT THIS TO COME TO TOURISM COMMISSION, ASK THIS FOR MONEY.

WE VOTE ON SAY YES.

AND SO WE'RE, WE SAY THE WORD GAP FUNDING, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE REALIZE THAT THERE MAY NOT BE FUNDING THAT IS BUDGETED TO ALLOCATE TO RED RIVER THIS YEAR.

I, I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE IS REALLY CLEAR IS, UM, WE ARE ASKING WITH THIS REQUEST TO BE TREATED, UM, YOU KNOW, EQUITABLY WITH THE OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS.

AND SO THERE'S, WE'RE ONE OF THREE THAT THAT DOESN'T PROCEED THAT FUNDING.

[00:25:01]

UM, BUT KNOWING THAT THE OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS CURRENTLY HAVE AND DO RECEIVE FUNDING, WE WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY WOULD EXPEDITE THAT FUNDING TO US.

THERE IS THAT POLICY THAT IS IN THE WORKS, UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR THEIR APPROVAL, WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE MORE GUIDANCE THAN ON HOW FUNDING WILL BE ALLOCATED IN THE FUTURE TO CULTURAL DISTRICTS.

UM, BUT I THINK OUR HOPE IS THAT IF WE RECEIVED AN ANNUAL ALLOCATION, WE WOULD NOT GO THE ROUTE OF APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM PROGRAMMATIC FUNDS IN THE FUTURE.

RIGHT.

BUT WE DON'T SEE US DOUBLE AND TRIPLE DIPPING IN THOSE WAYS.

NO, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO TO KIND OF SPLICE THEM OUT TOO, RIGHT? YES.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

A QUICK QUESTION, UM, IS THE ARCHWAY IN THE RED RIVER DISTRICT? THE ARCHWAY? THE ARCHWAY? YEAH.

THE OVERPASS, THE ARCH, THE DY.

IT LOOKS LIKE DINOSAUR BONES.

IS THAT ALSO IN THE RED RIVER DISTRICT? THE PARKING GARAGE SECTION? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

ACROSS SEVENTH STREET.

IS THAT THE ZIPPER ON 35 WITH THE BLUE THINGS THAT COME OUT? IS THAT WHAT YOU I OUR BOUNDARIES GO TO I 35.

I'LL LOOK, I'LL LOOK OUTTA MAP.

OUR BOUNDARIES GO TO I 35, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER REALLY ADDRESSED THE, IT'S UNDER I 35.

SO WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED PART OF YOUR BOUNDARY? NO, BECAUSE THEY'RE, WE'RE JUST ON, YEAH, WE'RE JUST ON THE ONE SERVICE DRIVE SIDE.

THIS IS 30 FIVE'S.

SO IF WE'VE GOT A THICKER MARKER, WE CAN GET YOU ALL COUNTRY.

DID YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTION? NO, I MEAN, I THINK WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT ON OUR ACTION ITEM FOR, YEAH, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE AN AGENDA ITEM.

COMMISSIONER CHAPO.

COMMISSIONER REEDY, DID YOU WANT TO RESTATE, UM, I THINK YOU STARTED, I'M SORRY, PERHAPS WITH A MOTION, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CREATE A MOTION.

I'M NOT TELLING YOU TO DO SO, BUT I WANTED TO OFFER YOU THE SPACE.

SHOULD YOU SO CHOOSE.

WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION THAT WE RECOMMEND THE, AND USE THE LANGUAGE THAT, UM, MS. KAPALO HAS BROUGHT TO US.

AND I, I MIGHT ALSO SAY THAT, UM, I WOULD APPRECIATE LANGUAGE TO THE EFFECT THAT, YOU KNOW, NO CITY IN THE COUNTRY HAS CREATED A CULTURAL DISTRICT WITHOUT ALSO FUNDING IT.

AND THEREFORE, WE SHOULD RECOMMEND THAT A CULTURAL DISTRICT WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD BE FUNDED EVERY CULTURAL DISTRICT.

IS THAT A FORMAL MOTION COMMISSIONER? REEDY? SURE.

IS THERE A SECOND ON THE MOTION ON THE TABLE? CAN I ASK A POINT OF ORDER QUESTION? COMMISSIONER KANATI.

AND I'M NOT PROPOSING THE CONCEPT.

I AGREE THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S POSTED FOR ACTION, AND I'D KIND OF LIKE COMMISSIONER CHAN'S IDEA THAT WE LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE COME BACK WITH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GROUPS THAT HAVE COME TO US AND WE MIGHT COME UP WITH A MORE COMPREHENSIVE WAY APPROACHING THIS OR MAYBE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, WHEN WE'RE POSTED FOR ACTION.

THANK YOU, MR. KANATI.

MR. EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER IAN.

UH, MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT WE, UM, COME BACK TO THIS WHEN THE, WHEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL'S GOING TO LOOK AT, AND THEN WE CAN COME OUT AND SAY, WE SUPPORT THIS.

SO THAT WOULD HELP COUNCIL KIND OF, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS WELL, AND THEN PUSH THAT FORWARD.

BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU'LL HAVE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE SOME DATA BEHIND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT.

AND WE CAN, IT'LL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT AS WELL.

MS. KADO, DID YOU WANNA UH, I THINK OUR REQUEST TODAY IS FOR IMMEDIATE FUNDING.

WE RESPECT THAT A FRAMEWORK DOES ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE CREATED FOR DISTRICTS TO BE TREATED EQUALLY, BUT THERE IS NO TIME CERTAIN, UM, WE'VE BEEN TOLD SUMMER, BUT A POLICY OF THAT MAGNITUDE, AS MR. REEDY HAS MENTIONED, CULTURAL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE REALLY ROBUST POLICY INITIATIVE AT A COMMUNITY SIDE OF THINGS.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, UM, BASED ON THE HARD WORK THAT WE HAVE, AGAIN, AHEAD OF US WITH HORIZON ISSUES, THIS IMMEDIATE FUNDING TO BE EQUITABLE WITH THE OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED TO US.

UM, AND THEN WE CAN WAIT FOR THAT POLICY TO COME OUT.

AND IF THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT HAS TO CHANGE, THEN WE ABSOLUTELY WILL BE OPEN TO THAT FOR MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY.

COMMISSIONER CHAP.

NO, AND I THINK WE RAISE AN INTERESTING POINT, RIGHT? YOU'RE ONE OF THREE.

SO THE, TO THE POINT THAT THERE'S NO FUTURE GROUPS COMING FORWARD TO HAVE THIS REQUEST, SO IF WE'RE SAYING, RIGHT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CULTURAL AND HERITAGE DISTRICTS THAT MAYBE THAT'S THE MOTION, MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE A NEW MOTION THAT'S SCALED BACK A LITTLE BIT OR I'M MISUNDERSTANDING IT.

UM, THE CURRENT MOTION ON THE TABLE IS, CAN YOU REPEAT, UH, COMMISSIONER REY TO ENDORSE HER, ASK HER REQUEST AS STATED, BUT I, I WOULD SAY I WOULD WITHDRAW THAT MOTION BECAUSE COMMISSIONER KANATI IS CORRECT.

WE'RE NOT DUE FOR ACTION ON THIS ITEM.

RIGHT.

ALRIGHT.

UM, HEARING THAT THIS MOTION HAS DIED, UH, COMMISSIONER BISHOP, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL RATHER,

[00:30:01]

YEP.

SO WE CAN APPROVE THAT FOR AN AGENDA ITEM TO COME BACK NEXT MONTH AS THE SOONEST THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT JUST AS A BODY.

SO AS CHAIR, I MAY RECOMMEND THAT, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC, UM, COME BACK WITH A FORMALIZED MOTION TO PROPOSE OR A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS OR A, A RECOMMENDATION.

PERHAPS IT'S THE SAME ONE THAT PASSED THE MUSIC COMMISSION, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION OF THIS BODY.

UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY IS, DOES THAT SOUND AMENABLE? YES.

TO THE DAAS, WE HAVE NATALIA MORGAN, THE DONOR AND MEMBERSHIP MANAGER FOR THE LYNDON BAES JOHNSON FOUNDATION, UH, TO REVEAL THEIR UPCOMING MUSIC, UH, EXHIBITION, WHICH I BELIEVE IS SET TO OPEN TOMORROW NIGHT.

COMMISSIONER REEDY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.

ANY LAST THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? NOPE.

JUST APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND JUST, WE ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO GET THIS ON THE FEBRUARY 29TH COUNCIL AGENDA.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NEXT UP

[3. Presentation by Natalia Morgan, Donor and Membership Manager for the Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) Foundation to reveal their upcoming music exhibition.]

YES, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A MEMBERS' PREVIEW TOMORROW, BUT IT OPENS TO THE PUBLIC OFFICIALLY ON THIS SATURDAY.

WE'RE HAVING LIKE A NICE BIG, EXCITING PROGRAM AROUND IT.

PERFECT.

AND I DIDN'T SAY HELLO TO YOU.

I I DIDN'T MEET YOU BEFORE, BUT HELLO, WELCOME.

HI, UM, UH, PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, YOURSELF, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND, UM, THIS WONDERFUL EXHIBITION.

SO, UM, I'M NATALIA MORGAN.

I'M THE DONOR MEMBERSHIP MANAGER FOR THE LBJ FOUNDATION, WHICH WORKS IN PART WITH THE LBJ LINDON MAINS JOHNSON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY.

UM, WE'RE LOCATED ON THE UT CAMPUS AND OUR, UM, OUR LIBRARY'S THERE TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON AS WELL AS, UM, THE SIXTIES, WHICH WAS A VERY COMPLICATED TIME, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING HIS PRESIDENCY, BUT I THINK WE DO A REALLY GOOD WAY OF HIGHLIGHTING THE GREAT CHANGE THAT CAME DURING HIS PRESIDENCY, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS AS WELL.

UM, AND WITH MUSIC AMERICA, THE LBJ PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES PARTNERED WITH THE BRU, THE, EXCUSE ME, THE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ARCHIVES AND CENTER FOR AMERICAN MUSIC, UM, TO DEBUT THIS NEW EXHIBITION ON THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSIC CALLED MUSIC AMERICA ICONIC OBJECTS FROM AMERICA'S MUSIC HISTORY MUSIC AMERICA WAS CURATED AS A PART OF A LEAD UP TO CELEBRATING 250 YEARS SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE COUNTRY IN 1776.

THE EXHIBIT TELLS HOW THE STORY OF HOW MUSIC HAS INFLUENCED AND INSPIRED OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY AND PLAYED A ROLE IN SHAPING OUR COUNTRY OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES.

THE EXHIBIT PREMIERES AT THE LBJ LIBRARY, UM, OPENING THIS SATURDAY, UM, THE 17TH.

AND WE'LL RUN THROUGH AUGUST 11TH, 2024.

IT WILL THEN MOVE ON TO OTHER LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE GRAMMY MUSEUM IN MISSISSIPPI AND THE KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, LEADING UP TO THE 250TH YEAR CELEBRATION IN 2026.

UM, THE EXHIBIT, THE EXHIBITS GOING TO FEATURE MORE THAN A HUNDRED PERSONAL ARTIFACTS FROM LEGEND JERRY MUSICAL ARTISTS THAT TELL THE STORY OF AMERICAN HISTORY.

I HAVE A RATHER FULL LIST OF THOSE.

SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE LIKE JOHNNY CASH, GLORIA ESTEFAN, ELLA FITZGERALD, LADY GAGA, JIMMY HENDRIX, WHITNEY HOUSTON, MICHAEL JACKSON, MADONNA, PRINCE CARLOS SANTANA, TAYLOR SWIFT, TUPAC, AND OF COURSE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.

UM, AND WE'LL BE SHOWCASING OBJECTS SUCH AS LEONARD BERNSTEIN'S BATON.

UM, WOODY GUTHRIE SIGNED THIS LAND AS YOUR LAND LYRICS, BB KING'S GUITAR, LUCILLE, UM, PRINCE'S PURPLE RAIN SHIRT, AND HIS CLOUD GUITAR.

UM, AND TAYLOR SWIFT GUITAR AND COSTUME FROM HER REPUTATION STADIUM TOUR.

UM, MUSIC AMERICA OPENS TO THE PUBLIC SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, AND WE WILL BE HAVING OPENING FESTIVITIES INCLUDING LIVE MUSIC AND INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILY.

THE LBJ LIBRARY AND THE NEW MUSIC AMERICA EXHIBIT WILL BE OPEN FOR FREE ADMISSION, UM, THIS UPCOMING MONDAY FOR PRESIDENT'S DAY, FEBRUARY 19TH.

AND THE LIBRARY IS OPEN, UM, DAILY FROM 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM WITH LAST VISITOR ADMISSION AT 4:00 PM IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION, WE HAVE THAT ON OUR WEBSITE, LBJ LIBRARY.ORG.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. MORGAN.

UH, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE DIETS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS? SO IS THIS AN ALL AGES FESTIVAL MISSION BAILEY? HMM.

OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.

IS IT AN ALL AGES FESTIVAL? UH, YES.

SO THE, UM, PROGRAM OR THE LITTLE EVENT WE'RE GONNA BE, THE OPENING WE'RE GONNA HAVE ON SATURDAY IS FOR ALL AGES FOR FAMILIES.

WE WANT EVERYONE TO COME OUT AND THE EXHIBIT ITSELF IS OPEN TO

[00:35:01]

ALL AGES.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY AGE RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.

WE WON'T HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONABLE ITEMS THAT CHILDREN SHOULDN'T SEE.

COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER BAILEY COMMENT? I'M JUST ADDING, I HAVE ONE MORE ITEM THAT YOU WEREN'T, WASN'T ON YOUR LIST BECAUSE IT'S A LAST MINUTE ADD TO YOUR EXHIBIT.

AND THAT IS A CON FOR THE LOCAL PLAY.

THEY CONTACTED AUSTIN CITY LIMITS AND WE ARE LOANING THEM THE ORIGINAL MIC THAT WILLIE NELSON USED IN 1974 TO RECORD THE PILOT EPISODE, WHICH GAVE BIRTH TO THE SERIES, WHICH IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH SEASON THIS YEAR.

SO I CAN'T WAIT TO GET UP THERE AND SEE IT.

I CAN'T WAIT EITHER.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

AND THAT'S SUPER EXCITING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COMMISSIONER BAILEY.

UH, THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH MS. MORGAN.

UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO, TO HAVE THIS EXHIBITION HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND ONE LAST QUESTION.

IS IT GOING TO BE TORT? IT WILL, UM, BE GOING HAVING DIFFERENT STOPS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

I DON'T HAVE AN EXTENSIVE LIST.

LIKE, UM, THE ONLY ONES I KNOW OF ARE GONNA BE THE GRAMMY MUSEUM, THE ONE IN MISSISSIPPI, NOT THE ONE IN LA, UM, AND THE KENNEDY CENTER.

I DON'T KNOW THE OTHER ONES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE THE FIRST PLACE THAT, UM, THE EXHIBIT STARTS AT, WHICH IS PRETTY EXCITING TO HAVE IN AUSTIN.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

THANK YOU ALL.

FOUR, ECONOMIST REPORT PRESENTATION.

UH, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER

[4. Economist Report Presentation by Matt Patton with Angelou Economics regarding the Austin Tourism and Implications for the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT).]

THIS IS BY MATT PATTON WITH ANGELA ECONOMICS, WHO'S PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY TODAY.

HIS PRESENTATION WILL, UH, BE IN REGARD TO THE, UM, HOT TAX AND LARGER QUESTIONS AROUND AUSTIN TOURISM, AND THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE HOTEL OCCUP OCCUPANCY TAX.

MR. PATTON, WE SEE YOU THERE ON THE SCREEN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

UH, FEEL FREE TO START WHENEVER, ONE SECOND.

UH, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU IN THE ROOM WHILE THE IT ISSUES ARE BEING SORTED.

I JUST WANTED TO, TO CALL BACK THAT THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT THIS BODY HAS REQUESTED, UH, I THINK CLEAR BACK TO LAST FALL.

AND, UH, WE'VE INVITED ANGEL ECONOMICS TODAY TO SPEAK TO THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HOT TAX FUNDING AS IT COMES TO DIFFERENT TRENDS AND OBSERVATIONS IN THE AUSTIN TOURISM ECONOMY.

SO THAT'S THE BACKGROUND FOR THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.

OKAY, MR. PATTON, COULD YOU TEST YOUR MIC ONE MORE TIME? UH, WHY IS IT NOT COMING THROUGH? UM, COMMISSIONER SHANNON, COULD YOU DO A MIC CHECK FOR ME AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE SURE? YES.

1, 2, 3.

UH, MR. PATTON, UH, THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR, UH, HEADSET THAT YOU'RE USING.

I'M NOT SURE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE COMMISSIONER CHAN'S ABLE TO COME THROUGH.

OKAY, NOW WE CAN HEAR YOU, MR. PATTON.

TERMS OF HOT TAX AUSTIN'S TOURISM INDUSTRY, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN FLESH OUT ADDITIONAL STAYS OR, UH, ROUND OUT THE NATURE OF AUSTIN'S TOURISM? AND IT WAS A PLEASURE TO HEAR ABOUT THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, THE, THE TOURING, UH, MUSIC, UH, EXHIBITS AND THE ZILKER, UH, UH, THEATER PRODUCTIONS.

WELL, UH, AWESOME.

YOU THINK AFTER A PANDEMIC WE'D HAVE ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY STUFF FIGURED OUT, BUT, UH, HERE WE ARE.

UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT REMOTELY.

UM, AS MENTIONED, I'M WITH ANGELO ECONOMICS.

UM, ANGELO ANGELOU, OUR CEO OR FOUNDER.

PRIOR TO STARTING ANGELO ECONOMICS WAS WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 12 YEARS.

UM, AND, UH, WAS, YOU KNOW, HE LIKES TO SAY HE'S INSTRUMENTAL FOR ALL OF THE, UH, JOB CREATION AND, AND RECRUITING COMPANIES TO AUSTIN.

BUT I LIKE TO REMEM, UH, REMIND HIM THAT HE'S ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THE TRAFFIC ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, AND WHY I'M IN ROUND ROCK TODAY AND NOT DOWNTOWN WITH Y'ALL.

UM, I'M PLEASED THAT THE OPPORTUNITY, I'M HONORED TO SPEAK WITH Y'ALL TODAY.

I'M GONNA SHARE MY SCREEN, UH, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOT TAX AND SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS, UM, THAT WE SEE, UM, REGARDING HOT TAX AND SOME OF THE LARGER EVENTS.

MR. PATTON, IF YOU COULD ENLARGE THE PRESENTATION.

IT'S, UH, WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO INDIVIDUAL SCREENS, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LARGER VERSION.

MM-HMM.

, IS THAT BETTER FOR Y'ALL? UH, I THINK EVEN MORE, YEAH.

OKAY, PERFECT.

DO WE HAVE A PRINTOUT? OH, GREAT.

WE HAVE A PRINTOUT AS WELL.

UM, SO WHEN DANIEL APPROACHED ME ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIG DRIVERS, UH, IN

[00:40:01]

AND THESE ARE ALL INTEGRAL PARTS OF OUR TOURISM ECONOMY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST SOME OF THESE MORE LARGE, MORE WELL-KNOWN EVENTS, YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY, SUCH AS ACL MUSIC FESTIVAL, F1 OTHER RACING EVENTS SOUTH BY OR, OR UT ATHLETICS.

AND EACH OF THESE ARE GONNA DRAW FOLKS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA DRAW FOLKS FROM AROUND THE MSA WITHIN THE STATE NATIONAL AUDIENCES AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES IN EACH OF THESE EVENTS.

UH, AND ONGOING, UM, UM, FESTIVALS AND, AND RACE WEEKS SEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO SALES AND USE TAX, RENTAL CAR TITLE, VABC, MIXED BEV, AND OF COURSE, UH, HOTEL TAXES.

SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAPTURE THAT JUST TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, IS WE'LL RELY ON SURVEY DATA FROM ATTENDEES.

WE'LL RELY ON CLIENTS PROVIDING SOME OF THEIR EXPENSES TO PUT ON THESE EVENTS.

AND IF THEY'RE HOSTING PEOPLE IN HOTELS, THAT DEFINITELY, UH, CONTRIBUTES TO THE HOT TAXES.

BUT FOR EACH OF THESE, WE'RE GONNA USE AN INDUSTRY STANDARD MODEL CALLED THE IMPLANT MODEL.

AND WE BREAK IT OUT INTO A COUPLE OF COMPONENT PIECES, LOOKING AT EVENT OPERATIONS AND ATTENDEE EXPENDITURES.

WE PUT THOSE TOGETHER, WE RUN THEM THROUGH OUR MODEL, AND THAT GIVES US OUR TOTAL ECONOMIC OUTPUTS.

WE CAN CAPTURE THOSE AT THE DIRECT LEVEL.

YOU KNOW, X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS WAS SPENT ON A HOTEL THAT NIGHT OF THE EVENTS INDIRECT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE INCREASED SALES, UH, INCOMES AND JOBS AND BUSINESS SECTORS THAT SUPPORT OR SUPPLY THE EVENT.

SO WE HIRE A FENCING COMPANY, UH, AT IL OR DURING ACL, AND THEN INDUCED IMPACTS.

SO THOSE INCREASES IN HOUSEHOLD SPENDING AS A RESULT OF THOSE INDIRECT PURCHASES SO THAT FENCING COMPANIES EMPLOYEES GET TO GO OUT AND, UH, SPEND MORE MONEY LOCALLY IN THE ECONOMY, WHETHER THAT'S TO, UH, RESTAURANTS OR BUYING MORE FOR THEIR, UH, LOVED ONES ON VALENTINE'S DAY.

WE SEE THOSE RIPPLES THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY.

UH, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR METHODOLOGY AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS METHODOLOGY IS NOT 100%, UH, CAPTURING ALL OF THE SPENDING THAT TAKES PLACE.

WE'RE RELIANT ON SURVEYS AND THE RESPONSES THAT WE GET ON THOSE SURVEYS.

UM, SO THERE, THERE MIGHT BE PARTS THAT, UM, ARE GOING UNCAPTURED AT LEAST AS WE REPORT THEM, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE A SENSE OF WHAT SOME OF THESE LARGE EVENTS ARE DOING IN TERMS OF HOTEL TAXES, IN TERMS OF RANGES, BECAUSE, UH, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT EVENTS, UH, HAVE DIFFERENT LENGTH OF STAY ATTACHED TO THEM.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT A MULTI-DAY MUSIC EVENT IN, UH, AND AROUND THE MSA, THOSE HOTEL TAX RANGES, SO THE HOT TAX COLLECTED, IT'S ANYWHERE FROM 520 5K TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT MULTI-DAY RACE EVENTS, AGAIN, IN AND AROUND THE MSA, AND THEN LOOKING AT SOME OTHER EVENTS AS WELL, WE'RE SEEING A HOT TAX IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 350,000 TO 3.5 MILLION.

UH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ATHLETICS, WHICH OF COURSE THIS IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL ALTOGETHER RUNNING, UH, MUCH MORE CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE CALENDAR YEAR.

UH, WE'LL SEE THAT RANGE ANYWHERE FROM 550,000 TO 4.4 MILLION.

AND AS WE'RE GEARING UP FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, AGAIN, A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LENGTH OF STAY FOR THAT GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

UH, WE'RE SEEING THAT HOTEL RANGE IN SOMEWHERE IN THE 1.1 TO 1.9 MILLION, UH, DOLLAR RANGE.

AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE IN THE METHODOLOGY, THERE ARE RIPPLES THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY, NOT ONLY DIRECT, INDIRECT AND INDUCED, UH, RIPPLES, BUT ALSO ACROSS SECTORS.

SO WHEN WE SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN HOTELS, WE KNOW PRETTY DARN QUICKLY THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE A BUMP UP IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE, OTHER NON-EVENT ENTERTAINMENT, GROUND TRANSPORTATION, AND MORE MERCHANDISE AND SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND WE UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT.

HOW CAN WE PIGGYBACK, THOUGH, ON THIS LENGTH OF STAY? UH, AND THIS IS

[00:45:01]

REALLY WHAT INTRIGUING ME AND MY TEAM IS WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE INCREASE THIS LENGTH OF STAY RIGHT NOW WITH A LOT OF THE EVENTS THAT WE COVER PERSONALLY.

UH, THE LENGTH OF STAY IS ANYWHERE FROM 3.2 TO 3.7 DAYS.

AND THIS GETS US THINKING, HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE AN EXTRA DAY IF WE CAN BUMP THAT TO FOUR TO FOUR AND A HALF DAYS, EVEN GET 'EM ONE MORE NIGHT IN A HOTEL? WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A LOT MORE HOT TAX GENERATION, AND HOW DO WE GET THIS TO WORK IN CONCERT WITH SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCES IN AUSTIN.

UH, AND THIS LEADS US DOWN THIS PATH OF NICHE TOUR.

HOW DO WE GET, UH, MORE SPECIALIZED INTERESTS, PREFERENCES, CATERING TO SPECIFIC SEGMENTS OF TRAVELERS SEEKING MORE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES? UM, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF NICHE TOURISTS OUT THERE.

I JUST WANTED TO FOCUS ON A FEW HERE.

ECOTOURISM IN LINE WITH, UH, SOME OF THE ETHOS OF MANY IN AUSTIN AROUND THE AREA, BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, FOCUSED ON THAT RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL, NATURAL AREAS, CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, AND SUSTAINING THE WELLBEING OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES, UH, AND BUILDING INTO THAT EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES.

THE WELLNESS TOURISM, UH, NICHE IS FOCUSED ON PROMOTING HEALTH, RELAXATION, HOLISTIC WELLBEING.

AND AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE ATTENDEES FROM SAY, F1 OR ACL, AFTER AN EXHAUSTING WEEK, WELLNESS ONE TO THE END OF THAT MIGHT BE A WELCOME, UH, ADDITION FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, UH, TO KIND OF DECOMPRESS OR MAYBE EVEN SOME OF THE FOLKS WORKING EVENTS, UH, TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WELLNESS TOURISM RIGHT AFTER THOSE EVENTS CONCLUDE.

THERE'S ALSO, AS WE ALL KNOW, OR AT LEAST MY WAISTLINE KNOWS, A A, A GROWING, UH, CULINARY, UH, TOURISM SCENE TO BE HAD HERE IN AND AROUND THE CITY.

UH, AND DESIGNATING, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOURS AROUND FOOD, UH, THE EXPLOSION OF FOOD-BASED TRAVEL SHOWS.

UH, SOMEBODY FEED PHIL COMES TO MIND VISITING THE DIFFERENT TAQUERIAS AND OTHER RESTAURANTS AROUND THE CITY AT LOCAL FOOD CULTURES, CULINARY TRADITIONS, AND, AND SOME GASTRO SPECIALTIES OF AUSTIN.

AND THIS CAN RANGE FROM FOOD TOURS, COOKING CLASSES, FARMER'S MARKETS, WINE TASTING, BEER TASTINGS, ET CETERA.

YOU KNOW, OUR SPIRITS SCENE IS, IS GROWING AND GAINING REPUTATION VERY QUICKLY AS WELL.

AND THEN THE LAST IS, IS MORE, UM, PIGGYBACKING ON THE, THE ECOTOURISM, UH, IS VOLUNTEERISM.

SO COMBINING TRAVEL WITH VOLUNTEER WORK, UH, GOING INTO A COMMUNITY, HELPING WITH ITS DEVELOPMENT, CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVES.

UH, BUT IN SHORT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, AT LEAST WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, IS TRYING TO GAIN THAT EXTRA ONE TO 2%.

WE SEE A LOT OF, UH, BACKGROUND IN SPORTS, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE'RE COMPETING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THAT EXTRA, THAT LAST ONE TO 2%.

HOW DO WE TAKE IT FROM BEING GREAT AND EXCELLENT CHAMPIONS? AND SO HOW DO WE IDENTIFY THAT LAST ONE TO 2% HERE TO REALLY CAPITALIZE UPON THAT HOT TAX GROW, THAT HOT TAX IDENTIFYING MARKET SEGMENTS, DEMOGRAPHICS AND TAILORING ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES ON THE BOOKENDS OF LARGER BOSTON EVENTS.

UH, AND ONE, UH, SUCH WAY THAT I'M ACUTELY, UH, FAMILIAR WITH, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER OF THESE PASSPORT PROGRAMS THAT EXIST ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I THINK AT LEAST A DOZEN STATES DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

UH, BUT THE NEBRASKA PASSPORT PROGRAM SENDS FOLKS ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATES, UH, FROM THE PANHANDLE BACK TO, TO OMAHA AND IN BETWEEN TO VISIT DIFFERENT UNIQUE LOCATIONS.

AND I'VE JUST ALWAYS HAD IT IN MY HEAD, WHY NOT DO SOMETHING JUST FOR THE CITY? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IT TRACKS, UH, ALL OF THAT HOT TAX DIRECTLY RELATED TO THAT INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM.

UH, SO IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR FOLKS ON MY END DOING THESE TYPES OF ANALYSIS, UH, TO SAY, YEAH, THIS ARE, THERE'S A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THIS PROGRAM AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HOT TAX GENERATION.

UM, SO WITH THAT, I WILL, UH, STOP SHARING THE SCREEN AND OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. PATTON.

COMMISSIONERS.

QUESTIONS?

[00:50:01]

COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER BAILEY, THANKS FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

IT, IT JUST MAKES YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER AND DEEPER.

I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, BUT ONE AREA OF INTEREST I HAVE IS, UH, I GUESS COMMENTARY ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS.

YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THESE EVENTS AND I'M LOOKING AT THE LENGTH OF STAY, UH, PROPOSED IN THERE.

AND IT SEEMS NATURAL THAT TEXAS AS A WHOLE PROBABLY IS A BENEFICIARY, MAYBE NOT AUSTIN, MAYBE AUSTIN'S THE, THE DESTINATION, BUT IT'S THAT IF SOMEONE GETS HERE THAT THE STATE OR OTHER REGIONAL CITIES ARE GETTING THAT EXTENDED STAY.

THEY'RE NOT EXTENDING IT HERE, BUT THEY'RE STARTING HERE AND THEY'RE EXTENDING IT IN THE STATES.

AND PROBABLY SOME COMMENTARY ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DOMESTIC, YOU KNOW, HERE VERSUS INTERNATIONAL AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN.

'CAUSE THEN THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT HOW MARKETING AND DOLLARS AND MESSAGING SPINS OUT.

JUST YOUR THOUGHTS.

NO, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IF, IF WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, UH, OUR PROXIMITY TO MEXICO SO WE CAN GET A LOT OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASIER TO CATCH A FLIGHT FROM MEXICO CITY OR GUADALAJARA THAN IT IS SEATTLE OR BOSTON.

THOSE ARE SHORTER FLIGHTS IN SOME CASES.

SO IT, IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT.

BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE COMING ACROSS AN OCEAN, RIGHT? IF THEY'RE COMING FROM SPAIN OR JAPAN, THAT'S, THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING.

AND THEN, YEAH, THEY MIGHT BE TURNING THIS INTO A MULTI-CITY TOUR OF TEXAS.

HOPEFULLY THEY JUST STAY IN THE MSA AND AND VISIT ALL FIVE COUNTIES AND STAY A NIGHT IN EACH.

THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

UH, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA GO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE IN AUSTIN, MAYBE SAN ANTONIO OR DALLAS OR HOUSTON OR POINTS BEYOND OUR BORDERS.

UM, BUT YEAH, IT IS AN INTERESTING, UH, QUESTION.

AND, AND AGAIN, I SHARE YOUR, YOUR ENTRY.

I, I'D LOVE TO GO DEEPER, BUT HOW DO WE KEEP THEM HERE LOCALLY LONGER AND, AND NOT MAKE IT A MULTI-CITY TOUR? I GUESS THE F TO, TO PICK UP ON THAT, HOW DO WE STEAL FROM SAN ANTONIO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN HOUR AND A HALF MAYBE UP THE STREET ROAD, AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON DOWN THERE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE UNTIL THEY COME HERE? I KNOW FREDERICKSBURG'S DOING THAT TO ALL OF US.

AND, AND I GUESS THIS IS PART OF THE, THE NICHE ASPECT IS WHAT CAN AUSTIN CREATE OR LEVERAGE OR ALIGN THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THAT NICHE THING THAT YOU CAN ONLY DO IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? WHAT, WHAT IS THAT TRULY UNIQUE AUSTIN EXPERIENCE? WE'VE GOT A FANTASTIC REPUTATION TO KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD AND IT'S LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

HOW DO WE KEEP THEM HERE? WHAT IS SO UNIQUE THAT WE'RE LIKE, WELL, YOU HAVE TO GO TO AUSTIN AND YOU HAVE TO DO THESE FIVE THINGS, RIGHT? AND YOU'VE GOTTA STAY FOR MULTIPLE DAYS.

'CAUSE YOU'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT IN JUST ONE OR TWO DAYS OR THE 3.2 TO 3.7, BUT WE NEED YOU HERE FOR LIKE FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

SO THANK YOU.

UM, AS A, A DATA GUY, I LOVE THIS.

AND AS A FORMER HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE, I SPENT MY CAREER, UM, SHORTENING LENGTH OF STAY.

SO THIS IS A DIFFERENT MIND SWITCH TO STRETCH IT OUT.

UM, BUT WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT AUSTIN AND UNIQUE THINGS THAT COME TO AUSTIN, SO MY, MY BRAIN IMMEDIATELY WENT TO, RIGHT, THE NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AUSTIN, BARTON SPRINGS, TOWN LAKE, THESE SORTS OF THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S UNIQUE TO AUSTIN ARE THOSE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY LIKE BARBECUE IS, IS A BIG THING.

UM, AND SO, BUT I WANTED TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING EARLIER YOU SAID, I THINK THAT YOU DO HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT LEVERAGING THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING IN FOR BUSINESS AND TRYING TO GET THOSE PEOPLE TO TURN INTO TAURUS.

AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE KIND OF THE FIRST LEVEL THAT I MIGHT GO AFTER, UM, OR INCLUDE THAT IN SOME OF YOUR OTHER, UH, PROPOSALS.

BUT I THINK THIS IS CERTAINLY EXCELLENT WORK AND I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE, UH, ON THIS PATH.

JUST ON THE HOTEL? I MEAN, JUST REMIND US HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO HAVE THESE EVENTS BECAUSE ALL, ALL THIS MONEY BEING COLLECTED IS GETTING USED FOR ALL THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, ARTS AND THINGS WE WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FUND.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

COMMISSIONER PENOC.

HI MATT.

NICE TO SEE YOU VIRTUALLY .

HEY, UH, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

UM, AS THE TOURISM COMMISSION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US IS TO KEEP THESE EVENTS ALIVE AND ACTIVE IN THE CITY BECAUSE AS, UM, THE DATA YOU POINTED OUT HERE FROM VISIT AUSTIN REPORTS, UH, TRAVELERS SPENT OVER 8.2 BILLION.

UM, IS THAT AN ACCURATE NUMBER OR DO YOU THINK IT'S, IT'S A, UH, GREATER NUMBER THAN THIS BASED ON, UM, ALL THE, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC STUDIES THAT, UH, YOU ALL PERFORM ON THE VARIOUS EVENTS? AND IS THIS JUST THE FIVE TAXES OR IS THE 8.2 BILLION

[00:55:01]

SURE.

UH, I'M NOT GONNA COMMENT ON THE, THE ACCURACY O OF SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK.

I, I NEED TO SEE THE DATA FIRST BEFORE I'LL SAY, WELL, THAT SHOULD BE HIGHER OR LOWER.

UH, BUT TO YOUR POINT, THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE EVENTS, ANY RIPPLE EVENTS, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, RIPPLE EVENTS AND RIPPLE EFFECTS OF, SAY, ACL OR SOUTH BY OR, UH, THE NEW, THE CMA AWARDS THAT, UH, THAT ARE NOW HERE.

AND THESE ARE ALL OPPORTUNITIES WHERE, UH, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE THE CITY.

AND, AND I REALLY MEAN THE CITY, UH, AS MUCH AS IT'S IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE THE, THE MSA, BUT THE CITY, MAYBE IT'S FIRST TIME, IT'S JUST, UM, ONE PERSON COMING FROM A FAMILY, BUT THEY HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME THAT THE NEXT TIME THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR FAMILY.

UH, AND SO WE GO FROM A SOLO TOURIST TO A FAMILY TOURIST WHERE IF IT'S F1, THE ENTIRE FAMILY'S COMING AND MAYBE MOM OR DAD IS AT THE RACE, BUT THE REST OF THE FAMILY IS DOING SOMETHING ELSE, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BARTON SPRINGS, UH, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE COMING FROM MICHIGAN AND IT'S SNOWING ALREADY, AND THEY CAN GO SWIMMING OUTSIDE AND THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC THING.

UH, AND THEN THEY GET TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS AND SUPPORT EVERY ASPECT OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMY AND NOT JUST THOSE REALLY SPECIFIC PARTS THAT ARE MAYBE CONNECTED TO A RACE OR A MUSIC FESTIVAL.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I SEE THESE HUGE EVENTS AS THE PLACES WHERE WE NEED TO START AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WELL SUPPORTED BECAUSE THEY CAN SERVE AS A LAUNCHING PAD FOR OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH IN THE CITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTIRE TOURIST ECOSYSTEM IS REALLY ROBUST AND, AND AND STRONG FOR THE FUTURE.

I THANK YOU MR. PATTON.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, HAVE YOU, UM, WORKED WITH THE TEXAS, UH, HOTEL ASSOCIATION IN TERMS OF OFFERING DISCOUNTS FOR LIKE THE FOURTH NIGHT? UH, NO.

SO, UH, OUR ROLE IN ALL OF THIS IS REALLY AN AFTER THE EVENT WE ARE GONNA CAPTURE WHAT WAS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF A CERTAIN EVENT AND USE THAT AS CLIENTS NEED THAT TO BE USED, WHETHER THAT'S A PUBLIC FACING DOCUMENT, WHETHER THAT'S AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE DIFFERENT THINGS? UM, BUT I, I'M OPEN TO ALL OF THAT 'CAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO STAY HERE AS LONG AS WE CAN.

UM, SO LONG AS THEY'RE NOT PERMANENTLY HERE.

RIGHT.

AND, AND MAKING MY HOUR LONG DRIVE EVEN LONGER.

UM, I'M ONLY KIND OF JOKING ON THAT, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ATTENDED ACL AND YOU WANT TO GO TO A MUSEUM, YOU GET SOME SORT OF DISCOUNT AFTER THE FACT AND YOU JUST SHOW 'EM YOUR WRISTBAND AND THEN YOU GET IN.

THAT WOULD BE COOL.

I MEAN, I WOULD CERTAINLY DO THAT.

AND I LIVE RIGHT UP THE ROAD IN ROUND ROCK.

COMMISSIONER KANATI, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

UM, I SEE EVERYTHING HERE IS FOCUSING ON THE EVENTS THAT YOU TRACK.

I'M JUST CURIOUS, DO YOU ALL TRACK OTHER TYPES OF ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY? UM, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT COMMISSIONER CHAPEL WAS TALKING ABOUT BARTON SPRINGS AND THE NATURAL PLACES.

I WONDER IF THEY TRACK THAT IN TERMS OR IF YOU TRACK THAT IN TERMS OF SORT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT.

UH, NO.

WE HAVE IN THE PAST DONE OTHER EVENTS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE, THE FIVE COUNTY, MSA, LOOKING AT THEM, JUMP STARTING SOME TOURIST ACTIVITIES.

UM, SOME, UH, SPIRITS KIND OF, UH, TRAILS WHERE YOU GO FROM ONE DISTILLERY TO A BREWERY TO A WINERY, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

UH, AND THEN SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS, UM, TRAIL OF LIGHTS, WE'VE KIND OF LOOKED AT THAT IN A PASSIVE WAY.

UH, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER EVENTS THAT HAVE A GOOD ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND, AND I'D SAY GOOD 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE HARD DATA ON THOSE THAT THAT NEED TO BE CELEBRATED AND THOSE STORIES NEED TO BE TOLD AS WELL TO REALLY FULLY UNDERSTAND TOURISM IN AUSTIN.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, UH, MR. PATTON FOR THIS BRIEF, BUT, UM, I THINK NEEDED LOOK AT THE TOURISM ECONOMY HERE IN AUSTIN AND ITS IMPACT ON THE HOT TAX.

I WOULD JUST SAY AS, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THE ARTS AS WELL, THAT I THINK THERE'S MORE RESEARCH THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, UH, ABOUT THE INTANGIBLE ECONOMIC BENEFITS, UH, WHETHER IT'S MUSEUMS, UH, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, UH, DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES THAT OUR CITY HAS THAT,

[01:00:01]

YOU KNOW, AREN'T NECESSARILY LEVERAGED BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT MEASURING IT, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'D LIKE TO BRING OUR COLLECTIVE HEADS TOGETHER AND, UH, TRY AND TACKLE, UH, AS WE LOOK TO ASSESSING REAL ECONOMIC IMPACT AND ITS IMPACT ON THE HOT TAX.

SO THANK YOU FOR THIS INITIAL LOOK.

UM, WE'RE, I THINK, ENGAGED AND WANTING TO KNOW MORE AND GO DEEPER IN THIS ECONOMIC RESEARCH AND, UH, SEE WHAT THAT ENTAILS FOR NOT ONLY HOW WE THINK ABOUT TOURISM, BUT PERHAPS RESOURCES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD INVEST IN CREATING FORMAL, UH, DATA, UH, REPORTS AROUND TOURISM AND, UM, HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE OUR CURRENT TOURISM ASSETS TO BRING EVEN MORE REVENUE TO SUSTAIN THIS VITAL, UH, INDUSTRY HERE IN AUSTIN.

ITEM ON THE AGENDA, AGENDA NUMBER, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, APPROVE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL WORKING GROUP REGARDING SHORT TERM RENTALS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, ANY LAST WORDS BEFORE WE MOVE ON, MR. PATTON? WELL, THANK Y'ALL.

I APPRECIATE THE TIME.

UH, LOVELY TO SPEAK WITH YOU'ALL AND HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.

PERFECT, THANK YOU.

BUY YOUR CHOCOLATE.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MOVING ON TO THE NEXT

[5. Approve a recommendation from the Short-Term Rental (STR) Working Group regarding short-term rentals in the city of Austin and how to address challenges to unlicensed STRs in Austin, Texas.]

HAD TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES TO UNLICENSED ST IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

I WILL NOTE THAT WE HAVE POSTED, UH, TO THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION WEBSITE, THE RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 2 0 2 4 0 2 1 4 0 5, UH, THE OFFICIAL SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION OF THIS BODY.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE IS ANOTHER DOCUMENT WHICH HAS NOT BEEN POSTED TO THE WEBSITE, BUT IS IN FRONT OF EACH COMMISSIONER TITLED, FOSTERING A RESPONSIBLE STR ECOSYSTEM IN AUSTIN.

A DEEP DIVE.

THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, WE'RE THIS CAN BE A PART OF WHAT WE SEND TO STAFF, BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE APPROVING AS A COMMISSION.

IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING? GREAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO PASS ON, UM, THE LEADER OF THIS DISCUSSION TO, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, THE LEADER OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ISSUE HERE IN AUSTIN.

COMMISSIONER CHAP.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RONAN.

UH, ONE MOMENT.

UH, MAY THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER MCGEE HAS JOINED THE MEETING VIRTUALLY.

UM, SO FIRST OFF, UH, MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE GOES TO MEMBERS OF OUR SHORT TERM WORKING GROUP, ANNA, STEPHANIE, CHRISTIAN, RYAN, AND JOHN.

UH, YOUR DEDICATION, EXPERTISE, AND TIRELESS EFFORTS HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING THIS IMPORTANT WORK.

SO THANK YOU.

UM, WE ALSO WANNA EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION AS A WHOLE.

UH, THIS GROUP'S COMMITMENT TO THIS COMPLEX ISSUE SETS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP AND I THINK RESPONSIBILITY FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND FINALLY, A HEARTFELT THANK YOU, UH, TO ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS CONTRIBUTORS, AND MEETING ATTENDEES WHO GENEROUSLY SHARED THEIR TIME AND INSIGHTS.

YOUR VOICE HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE, AND WE HOPE THAT YOUR VALUABLE INPUT, THAT YOU SEE YOUR VALUABLE INPUT REFLECTED IN THE FINAL PRODUCT.

SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE TAKEN TIME OUT OF YOUR LIVES AND BUSY DAYS TO EDUCATE US ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

SO I'M GONNA JUST GO THROUGH AND REVIEW KIND OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND SO IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AT THE END THAT WE APPROVE OR HAVE QUESTIONS, WE'LL SAVE THOSE TO THE END.

AND THEN I'M JUST GONNA READ THROUGH THE DOCUMENT.

COMPARED TO HOT REVENUE PERMIT FEES ARE CRUCIAL IN DRIVING LICENSE ADOPTION.

THE SDR WORKING GROUP OUTLINES A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES POSED BY UNLICENSED SHORT-TERM RENTALS STR IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THE GOAL IS TO FOSTER A RESPONSIBLE UNSUSTAINABLE STR ECOSYSTEM THAT BENEFITS BOTH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND RESIDENTS.

WHEREAS S ST'S OPERATE IN AUSTIN LEADING TO LOST REVENUE FROM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES, PERMIT FEES, AND INDIRECT COSTS, SUCH AS INCREASED ENFORCEMENT AND STRAIN ON CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

WHEREAS UNRELIABLE DATA HINDERS ACCURATE ESTIMATES OF THE LOST TAX REVENUE AND POSES RISKS RELATED TO INACCURATE PROPERTY INFORMATION HOSTS, BACKGROUND CHECKS AND HEALTH HAZARDS.

AND WHEREAS LEGAL LIMITATIONS SUCH AS THE SARI VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN CASE RESTRICT THE CITY'S ABILITY TO DIRECTLY ELIMINATE TYPE TWO SDR LICENSES.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL REQUIRE MORE INFORMATION FROM APPLICANTS FOR SDR LICENSES AND MAINTAIN A DATABASE FOCUS ON UNDER-REPORTED HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES OR HOT TAX, WHICH LEADS TO A LOSS IN REVENUE.

WHILE THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM PERMIT FEES MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT

[01:05:01]

THIS IN TURN, HELPS DRIVE COMPLIANCE FOR LICENSES AND MAXIMIZES HOT REVENUE LEADING TO A MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SYSTEM.

ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY IN STREAMLINED LICENSING BY SIMPLIFYING THE APPLICATION PROCESS, IMPLEMENTING ONLINE SYSTEMS, AND ADDRESSING OPEN CITATIONS BY IMPLEMENTING AN EFFICIENT TAX AND PERMIT FEE SYSTEM.

PRIORITIZE SAFETY AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING BY UPHOLDING SAFETY REGULATIONS THROUGH PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS, ADDRESSING NOISE COMPLAINTS AND PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE GAS BEHAVIOR.

FOSTER COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH PLATFORMS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT RECTIFY OPEN CITATIONS HELD BY NON-COMPLIANT HOSTS AND ENSURE ACCURATE PROPERTY LISTINGS VIA ACCOUNTABLE PROCESS TO NOTIFY SHORT-TERM RENTAL PLATFORMS TO REMOVE HOST IS APPROPRIATE.

ONCE THE NECESSARY VALIDATIONS ARE COMPLETED, THE PROPERTY LISTING MAY BE REPOSTED.

IMPLEMENT, IMPLEMENT PLATFORM FEES AND HOLD PLATFORMS ACCOUNTABLE FOR AIDING NON-COMPLIANCE.

EXPLORE INNOVATIVE FUNDING MODELS FOR CULTURAL AND ARTS PRESERVATION, AND OFFER DISCOUNTS AND INCENTIVES FOR COMPLIANT AND SUSTAINABLE STR, CREATE PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS AND AN HONORARY BEST PRACTICES BADGE FOR SDR THAT CONSISTENTLY MEET PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS AND CONTINUOUSLY ASSESS AND ADAPT TO CHANGE IN THE AUSTIN STR ECOSYSTEM BY MAINTAINING OPEN COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, LEVERAGING DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS, AND EMBRACING CONSISTENT PROGRAM REVIEW AND ADOPTION.

AND SO I JUST WANNA PAUSE HERE.

SO THE SCOPE OF THE STR WORKING GROUP WAS TO DRIVE ADOPTION OF LICENSEES AND, UH, HELP WITH ENFORCEMENT.

AND SO ADOPTION OF LICENSES, COMMUNICATION AND ENFORCEMENT ARE THE THREE PRONGS THAT KIND OF ATTACKING THROUGH THIS WORKING GROUP.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS REFLECTED HERE ON THIS DOCUMENT.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ANY COMMISSION, UH, EXCUSE ME.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMISSION, UH, WORK GROUP REGARDING THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL COMMISSIONER IAN? OH, UM, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD ON THAT THE, UM, OTHER, THE FOSTERING A RESPONSIBLE SCR ECOSYSTEM PAPERWORK YOU HAVE KIND OF GOES INTO MORE DETAIL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A, A LOT IN EACH ONE OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ENTAILS AND HAS A BROADER SCOPE.

SO IF, UM, Y'ALL WANNA JUST KIND OF LOOK THROUGH THAT, IT'S VERY HELPFUL.

QUESTION.

OH, AND CHRISTIAN'S GONNA GO OVER THIS IN A LITTLE BIT.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

COMMISSIONER KNA, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? COMMISSIONER KDI, UH, BRIEF QUESTION, STARTING WITH THE PREFACE.

I RECOGNIZE I WAS NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE SDR GROUP, AND I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE COVERED, BUT MY APOLOGIES IF YOU ALREADY HAVE.

UM, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE'S A, A TOOL CALLED SOFTWARE COMPLIANCE THAT SOME CITIES WILL USE.

I GUESS THERE'S DIFFERENT VENDORS WHO PROVIDE THESE TOOLS TO HELP COLLECT FUNDS.

UM, AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT IS SOMETHING, I DIDN'T REALLY SEE IT IN HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT THAT AS A TOOL.

DID YOU REJECT THAT AS A TOOL? IS THAT WORTH CONSIDERING AS A TOOL? SO CURRENT, CURRENTLY, THEY TRY TO, TO SCRAPE AND PUT TOGETHER, SO I'M TALKING ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT.

THEY'RE KIND OF PUT TOGETHER AN ADMINISTRATIVE CASE FILE AND THEN TRY TO PUSH THAT OUT.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS TAKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE INTAKE ITSELF, AND SO FOLKS WILL STILL BE ABLE TO GET THEIR LICENSES, BUT THE CITY IS MAINTAINING AND HOUSING THAT INFORMATION.

AND SO THEY'RE BETTER ABLE TO PERFORM BETTER BACKGROUND CHECKS BEFORE THEY GET THE LICENSE, WHICH THEN IN TURN SHOULD OPEN UP COMPLIANCE NOT TO SPEND 90% OF THEIR TIME CHECKING ON LICENSED ST.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE THINKING BEYOND THAT IS, RATHER THAN HAVING A SYSTEM SOFTWARE THAT KIND OF GOES OUT AND CREATES THE ADMINISTRATIVE CASE FILE, WHICH IS CERTAINLY HELPFUL, UM, WE'RE TAKING A STEP BELOW THAT TO HAVE THE INTAKE SIDE KIND OF SOLVE THAT PROBLEM INSTEAD OF, SO WE KIND OF, WE SOLVED THAT PROBLEM BY CHANGING THE INTAKE PORTION.

TO GATHER THAT INFORMATION.

AND I MAY NOT, I PROBABLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M ASKING, BUT I'M, I THOUGHT THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE WAS LIKE THIRD PARTY VENDORS WHO HAVE THIS AS A TOOL AND DO THIS SORT OF SERVICE FOR CITIES.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS CODE ENFORCEMENT TALKED ABOUT A TOOL THAT THEY'D USED IN THE PAST.

MM-HMM.

UM, AND IT WAS OKAY, BUT NOT GREAT.

UM, AND THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT, UH, CHECKING IT OUT AGAIN BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SOME AI AUTOMATION ADDED TO IT.

UM, AND SO THAT WAS DIRECTLY SPEAKING TO HOW THEY COULD BETTER HELP ADMINISTRATIVE CASES TOWARDS UNLICENSED SDRS, WHERE THESE ARE KIND OF DIRECTED AT HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO LICENSE THEIR SDR MM-HMM.

DOES THAT OKAY.

MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSE.

YEAH, NO, WE DID LOOK AT IT AND IT WAS DISCUSSED IF WANTS TO ADD TO THAT.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? OKAY.

COMMERS, KTI AND CHAPEL.

I A REMINDER TO ALL COMMISSIONERS TO PLEASE WAIT FOR ME TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU.

UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS,

[01:10:01]

I HAVE ONE.

COMMISSIONER PENOC, UM, TWO THINGS.

UH, COMMISSIONER KANATI.

UM, I THINK WE WERE, I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS WHY DON'T, WHY DOESN'T THE CITY HIRE A THIRD PARTY TO IMPLEMENT ALL OF THIS? AND I THINK IN, I THINK INITIALLY WE WANTED TO COME TO, UM, KIND OF ORGANIZE IT AND HAVE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN HAVE COUNSEL FIGURE OUT WHETHER THEY, UM, HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO IMPLEMENT OR IF THEY NEED A THIRD PARTY.

SO I THINK WE, WE FIRST WERE LIKE, OKAY, LET'S IDENTIFY THE ISSUES AND WHAT, WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT.

UM, SECONDLY, I, I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL JUST SAID THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER JP, UH, YES.

YES.

WAS, THANK YOU.

WAS GOING TO, UH, GO OVER THIS, UH, MORE IN DEPTH DOCUMENT.

MAYBE I'D RECOMMEND WE DO THAT FIRST SO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE A CHANCE TO KIND OF REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW WE MINIMIZED ALL THIS LANGUAGE INTO THE, INTO THE RESOLUTION.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO THAT WE COULD, SO IT GIVES PEOPLE MORE COMFORT BEFORE WE VOTE ON SOMETHING.

COMMISSIONER PENOC.

COMMISSIONER SHAY, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO ADDRESS, UH, THE DETAILED DOCUMENTS IN FRONT OF US? UH, QUICK REMINDER TO COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE, UH, MUTE YOUR MICS WHEN YOU'RE DONE TALKING.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO.

UH, SO, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, FOSTERING A RESPONSIBLE SER ECOSYSTEM IN AUSTIN, A DEEP DIVE.

UH, THIS IS A RESULT OF A LOT OF, UH, COLLABORATION WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WITH, UH, THE COMMUNITY.

SO, UH, WE HAVE COMMUNITY GROUPS.

WE MET WITH, UM, B VERBAL LOBBYISTS.

WE MET WITH CITY COUNCIL STAFF, UH, WE MET WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.

WE MET WITH A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCY.

AND, UH, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, THAT YOU SEE HERE, UH, ARE, UH, KIND OF LIKE THE, THE OUTLINE, THE BULLET POINT.

AND, AND THIS DOCUMENT IS, UM, IT GOES IN MORE DEPTH ON HOW THOSE STRATEGIES, UH, MIGHT PLAY OUT AND KIND OF HOW WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THAT.

AND, UH, WHEN WE WERE CONSULTING WITH OUR, UH, WITH THE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENTS, DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.

DID, DID YOU WANT TO, UH, ADD ON SOMETHING? UH, SO COMMISSIONER SHAPEY, UM, WE'VE JUST SORT OF BEEN GIVEN THIS.

CAN YOU DO A, A BRIEF, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ IT RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A DEEPER DIVE THAT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE CITY, OF THE, OF AUSTIN STAFF TAKE A LOOK AT AS THEY CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THEM THAT WE'RE SENDING TO COUNCIL AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT THEM.

SO IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE US THE 30,000 FOOT VIEW OF WHAT THIS DOCUMENT HITS HOME, WHEN IT COMES TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, WE ARE CONSIDERING TODAY, THAT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

UM, COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS.

SO, UH, UM, I, I THINK YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, THE, THE KEY ISSUES.

UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF LIKE AN, UH, A THOUSAND FOOT OVERVIEW OF, UH, THE LANDSCAPE, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE SEEN.

UH, SO LIMITED LICENSING COMPLIANCE, 11,000 UNLICENSED STRS, UH, UNRELIABLE DATA, UH, ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES.

SO THIS IS KIND OF LIKE THE LANDSCAPE.

AND THEN SOME OF THE PROPOSED STRATEGIES THAT, UH, THAT WE'VE LOOKED INTO WERE AROUND ENHANCING TRANSPARENCY, STREAMLINED, UH, STREAMLINING LICENSING.

UM, AND THEN, UH, AS YOU HEARD BISHOP, UH, SAY AROUND, UH, FORMING A RO A ROBUST DATABASE THAT WE CAN, UH, ADDRESS THE ISSUE MORE ON THE INTAKE SIDE.

AND SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S THAT.

AND THEN, UH, OPTIMIZE REVENUE COLLECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY.

UM, THIS IS FOCUSING AROUND HOT COLLECTION AND HOW, HOW WE CAN GO ABOUT OPTIMIZING, UH, PERMITTING, UH, AND THEN FINES AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES.

SO THIS IS, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, CITY COUNCILORS, UH, WORK WITH SDR PLATFORMS, NEIGHBORHOODS, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND THEN MAINTAIN AN OPEN CHANNEL.

UH, PRIORITIZE SAFETY AND WELLBEING.

UH, PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS, ADDRESS NOISE COMPLAINTS, UH, DATA-DRIVEN REVENUE OPTIMIZATION.

THESE ARE, UH, BASED ON PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS OF THE INDUSTRY.

UH, AND ALSO SOME OF THE MORE QUALITATIVE METRICS LIKE, UH, IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE, SAFETY, FAIRNESS, ACCOUNTABILITY.

UH, AND THEN NUMBER EIGHT FINALLY WAS, UH, ENABLING, UH, USING TECHNOLOGY ENABLED SOLUTIONS.

UH, SO THIS, UH, AGAIN, IS POINTING TO A DATABASE, BUT THEN ALSO, UH, GOING A BIT, UH, INTO, UM, THE, UM, USING OTHER TYPE OF TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS LIKE NOISE MONITORING.

[01:15:04]

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SHAY.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME, WE, WE HAVE SOME REALLY COMPREHENSIVE AND, UH, COLLABORATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS HERE BEFORE US.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, VOTE ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS? JUST HAD ONE MORE QUESTION, COMMISSIONER KTI.

UM, THE THIRD FROM THE LAST BULLET, IT SAYS, EXPLORE INNOVATIVE FUNDING MODELS FOR CULTURAL AND ARTS PRESERVATION.

AND I WAS WONDERING, ARE WE, DOES THAT INCLUDE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION TOO? I'M JUST, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT BULLET.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPREHENSIVE OR IS THAT JUST CULTURAL ? I THINK, UH, ACTUALLY COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER SHAY, OH, SORRY.

I THINK ACTUALLY COMMISSIONER REY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, UH, EXPLAINING THE, UH, INNOVATIVE FUNDING MODELS THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING.

COMMISSIONER REY, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF IDEAS FLOATED, UM, INCLUDING AN ADD-ON IDEA, UM, FOR WHEN SOMEBODY MADE A BOOKING TO VOLUNTARILY PAY A LITTLE MORE.

UM, I THINK THAT WAS A TECHNICAL CHALLENGE, , PERHAPS.

UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY WE WANTED, I WAS IN, IN, WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE WE WERE, WERE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT VISITORS, UH, COME HERE FOR THE CULTURE AND WE WANNA LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISITORS TO SUPPORT THAT CULTURE IN OTHER WAYS.

COMMISSIONER REEDY.

I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER CTI'S QUESTION WAS MORE AROUND THE VERBIAGE OF CULTURE AND ARTS PRESERVATION, WHETHER THAT INCLUDED HISTORIC PRESERVATION EXPLICITLY, OR, YOU KNOW, OR, OR WILL WE BE OPEN TO INCLUDING HISTORIC PRESERVATION? 'CAUSE THESE ARE ALL APPROPRIATE, AND I'M NOT OPPOSING TO THIS AT ALL.

THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'RE ALL APPROPRIATE USES OF HOTEL TAX FUND.

CORRECT.

SO I THINK COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

SO THIS STEM FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER RADIO EXPERIENCE SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND WITH THE, UH, MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSION, AND AS WE HEARD TODAY, GAP FUNDING.

AND SO THE IDEA BEING THAT THERE COULD BE EITHER AN OPT OUT OR A FEE BASED FOR THE USER.

UM, AND THEN THIS FUND WOULD BE TRANSITIONED OVER TO THAT CULTURAL ARTS PRESERVATION FUND.

AND SO ONCE THAT WOULD BE ESTABLISHED, AND SO THIS IS KIND OF A PATHWAY FOR THAT TO OCCUR.

UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT'S ROUNDED IN THAT YEAH, THAT'S THE LANGUAGE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, IT DOES.

I'M IN MY HEAD, I'M THINKING THIS COULD JUST AS WELL BE APPLIED TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION MAYBE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA INSIST ON IT.

I'M JUST RAISING THIS.

NO, AND I THINK WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, BE THERE'S INNOVATIVE FUNDING MODELS AVAILABLE MM-HMM.

IN THIS ARENA, AND BE OPEN TO THEM.

THANK YOU, COMM.

COMMISSIONER TI AND CHAPEL COMMISSIONER REDI.

AND I JUST WANNA APOLOGIZE TO COMMISSIONER KANATI THAT I MISSED THE POINT WHEN COMMISSIONER SHEEY HANDED IT OVER, BUT I HAVE, IF IT'S NOT EXPLICIT, I WOULD BE FINE MAKING IT EXPLICIT BECAUSE I SEE ARTS, MUSIC AND PRESERVATION AS A HOLISTIC CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM.

COMMISSIONER REY.

COMMISSIONER CHAN.

SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE IN COMING UP WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION.

AND I THINK THEY'RE ASKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, WHICH, WHICH I WOULD MAKE.

COMMISSIONER CHAN.

IS THERE A SECOND TO THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WORKING GROUP OF THE STR, UH, SOLUTIONS TEAM? WE'LL CALL IT.

SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER PIAN DISCUSSION.

SO FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, A POTENTIAL EDIT ON THE TABLE TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE THIRD TO THE LAST BULLET, AND THE WORDING, CULTURAL AND ARTS PRESERVATION TO MAKE THIS A MORE BROAD IDEA TO INCLUDE MORE EXPLICITLY THE TOPIC OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

COULD JUST BE CULTURAL ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION THAT DO IT.

MM-HMM.

, UH, OKAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER KTI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESTATE? WOULD YOU, , IS THAT A MOTION TO AMEND THE CURRENT MOTION ON THE TABLE? YES.

SO MOVED.

UM, DOES, I WOULD ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT.

UH, SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHAN.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

KANA AND CHAN.

IS THERE MORE DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDED MOTION? HEARING NONE, WE NOW MOVE FORWARD WITH,

[01:20:01]

UH, A VOTE.

THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STR WORK GROUP.

I GUESS WE DO.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PENOC , GETTING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF MYSELF.

UH, FIRST WE MUST ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE MOTION TO AMEND THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.

SO, DO I HEAR A VOTE FOR THE AMENDED MOTION DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THE VOTE IS UNANIMOUS.

UH, OF ALL THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, NOW MOVING FORWARD WITH THE AMENDED MOTION, INCLUDING THE, UH, APPROVING THE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS SET FORTH BY THE STR WORK GROUP, INCLUDING THE EDITS.

ON THE THIRD TO THE LAST BULLET, EXPLORE INNOVATIVE FUNDING MODELS FOR CULTURE, ARTS, AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND OFFERING DISCOUNTS AND INCENTIVES FOR COMPLIANT AND SUSTAINABLE ST.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THIS STATED EDIT, PLEASE, UH, INDICATE YOUR SUPPORT BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

UH, YES, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME INCREDIBLY, UH, HARDWORKING AND COLLABORATIVE, UM, ARTISTS IN THIS ROOM.

BISHOP CHRISTIAN ANNA, LIKE TRYING TO GET EVERY, UH, DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER'S OPINION TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL VIEWS WERE, WERE, UH, RESPECTED AND, UM, DEMONSTRATED, UM, AND, UM, INDICATED IN, IN THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THE MANY DRAFTS THAT, UM, THAT THEY WORKED ON AND REVIEWED IN ORDER TO GET THIS HERE.

UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK THAT'S PUT HERE BECAUSE, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR IS THAT THIS GETS APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND MORE HOT TAXES RECEIVED.

BECAUSE EVERY WEEK WE'RE REMINDED THAT WE SURE DO NEED MORE.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT, UM, IT'S QUITE DESERVING, IT'S EXCITING TO, TO THINK ABOUT THE MONEY THAT, UM, THAT'S SO NEEDED, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, MORE OF IT CAN BE, THE PIE CAN GET BIGGER INSTEAD OF PEOPLE FIGHTING OVER PIECES OF A PIE AND WHO GETS A LITTLE MORE OF A PIE, WE NEED A BIGGER PIE.

AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN FROM, FROM THIS HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT IN.

I ESTEEM YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHAPEY.

COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

ARE THERE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SHAY? I JUST WANTED A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAP'S LEADERSHIP THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.

HE, HE REALLY CARRIED THIS WHOLE INITIATIVE.

HE SET UP, UH, LOTS AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT COFFEE CHATS WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.

AND, UH, WE GOT TO GO ON A LITTLE TOUR OF OUR OWN, UH, IN, IN THE CITY OF DIFFERENT CAFES.

SO THAT, THAT WAS PRETTY NICE.

UM, YEAH, IT, WE MAN, IT, WE COULD SERIOUSLY ESTABLISH LIKE A, A TOUR OF AUSTIN'S DIFFERENT COFFEE SHOPS JUST FROM THE COFFEE SHOPS THAT WE WENT TO, .

SO, UH, SHOUT OUT TO CHAPPEL.

AND ALSO THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL FOR, UH, AND THE ENTIRE WORK GROUP'S COMMITTEE FOR ALL THEIR WORK.

COMMISSIONER REEDY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? I JUST WANT TO ENDORSE WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS AND SHAY SAID CHAPEL.

UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL DID A GREAT JOB AND YOU KNOW, I, I WAS IN A WORK CRUNCH TIME AND DIDN'T GET TO PARTICIPATE AS MUCH AS I HAD HOPED, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONSTANTLY POSTING INFORMATION, STAYING IN COMMUNICATION, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I COULDN'T ATTEND MANY OF THE IN-PERSON MEETINGS, I NEVER FELT LEFT OUT OR IN THE DARK.

SO I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REEDY.

UH, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY THANKS TO, AGAIN, TO THE, THE WORK GROUP, BUT ALSO ALL OF THE STR WORK GROUP, UM, ENGAGEMENTS, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT THE WORK GROUP ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE WORK OF PUTTING TOGETHER THESE UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STR, UH, PROBLEM SOLVING HERE IN AUSTIN AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS BEING MIKE MICHAEL WHALEN, UH, RYAN PKI, ASHLEY HO HOG DEGEN, EXCUSE ME, MICHAEL MCGILL, UH, ALI RIVERA, DANIEL WORD, HIDDEN BAGGAGE.

UH, LUIS ES, MICHAEL WHALEN, AGAIN, ANOTHER MEETING.

ASHLEY HANI, AGAIN, ANOTHER MEETING.

UH, LUIS BENET, VICTORIA GARMENT.

UH, LISA ROB, LISA ROBUCK.

BRUCE BLOOM,

[01:25:02]

UH, PATTY AARONS, DEBRA BLOOM, TRIS, UH, ANDREA GEN, STEPHANIE ASHWORTH, TOM NUNAN, UH, LUIS ES ANDRES.

UM, INVALUABLE INPUT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL AS, UM, RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY STR.

AND, UM, I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THIS IS REALLY, I THINK, A WIN FOR AUSTIN THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COME AROUND UNANIMOUSLY HERE AT THE TOURISM COMMISSION TO PUT FORTH RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE STR ENVIRONMENT, NOT ONLY FOR RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, BUT ALSO THE PLATFORMS THEMSELVES WHO WANT TO DO RIGHT BY AUSTIN.

AND TOURISM IN, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND REALLY AS, UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS WAS, HAS STATED, INCREASE THE PIE OF RESOURCES FOR ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT BRING AUSTIN, THAT BRING, UH, VISITORS TO AUSTIN RATHER, UH, INCLUDING ARTS PRESERVATION, CULTURE, MUSIC, CULINARY, UH, PARKS, MUSEUMS, AND, UH, SO MUCH MORE.

SO THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME.

UM, ALL UNPAID, BUT ALL IN, UH, THE SERVICE TO, UH, CREATING A BETTER AUSTIN FOR TOURISM.

AND, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MOVING ON TO OUR

[6. Discussion and possible action regarding 2024 Tourism Commission calendar for altering or approving the calendar as is.]

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

WE HAVE A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING 2024 TOURISM COMMISSION CALENDAR FOR ALTERING AND APPROVAL.

SO I AM GOING TO ENGAGE WITH, UH, FELICIA OJEDA, OUR, UH, STAFFER ON THE COMMISSION TO, UH, OUTLINE THE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO SOME SCHEDULING AND CALENDAR STAFF FOODS FOR UPCOMING, UH, COMMISSION MEETINGS.

MS. OJEDA.

THREE TO FIVE, UH, AND TO REMAIN IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CORRECT? OR IS THAT GOING, ALSO GOING ACROSS THE WAY? CORRECT.

UM, THIS IS MORE ABOUT, UM, I BELIEVE WE TALKED LAST MONTH OF, UM, MAYBE MAKING ALTERNATE, UM, DATES, UM, THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN A LITTLE WHILE.

I DO WANNA JUST TALK ABOUT MORE ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, UM, DUE TO CERTAIN REASONS.

OUR APRIL DATE, IF YOU COULD SEE ON THE NEW CALENDAR I SHARED WITH YOU, UM, WE WILL BE HERE IN CITY HALL JUST MOVING ACROSS THE WAY TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION ROOM.

SO THAT WILL BE FOR OUR APRIL 10TH DATE.

UM, IN THE SUMMER, BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND JULY, THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS WILL BE SHUT DOWN.

SO THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE, UM, OUR MEETINGS AND INCLUDING ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S MEETING THROUGHOUT THOSE MONTHS.

SO, AND WE'RE ONLY LIMITED TO TWO OTHER LOCATIONS.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF FIGHTING THAT I'M GOING THROUGH AS FAR AS FIGHTING, FINDING A LOCATION AND A DATE, ESPECIALLY WITHIN OUR TIMEFRAME THAT Y'ALL VOTED ON IN, IN NOVEMBER.

UM, IF YOU COULD SEE A LITTLE, UM, DOWN THE WAY THE BOARDING COMMISSIONS ROOM IS AVAILABLE ON JUNE 12TH, IF WE MOVE THE TIME TO THREE TO FIVE INSTEAD OF TWO 30 TO FOUR 30.

SO IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT, I WILL LET, UM, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE KNOW.

THE ONLY THING IS I'M STILL WAITING ON THEM TO FIND OUT IF THAT'S OKAY WITH CTMS GROUP, BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE THREE MEETINGS BOOKED THAT DAY IN THAT ROOM.

SO WE ARE PUTTING OURSELVES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.

AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE IS, IF THEY CAN, UM, HANDLE ANOTHER GROUP THAT SAME DAY.

UM, SO I'M WAITING ON THAT.

UM, FOR OUR JULY 10TH MEETING, UM, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE.

HOWEVER, IF WE MOVE TO A MONDAY, SO EITHER IT BE IN JULY 8TH OR JULY 15TH, WE CAN HAVE THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION ROOM AGAIN.

UM, ACTUALLY THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION ROOM ON JULY 8TH.

IF WE MOVE IT TO THE 15TH, WE CAN BE BACK IN HERE IN THE CHAMBERS.

UM, AGAIN, AT THE SAME TIME, AT TWO 30 AND FOUR 30, THAT WILL WORK.

SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU, MS. OJEDA.

UH, LET'S BREAK THIS DOWN JUST TO, UH, ALLOW US, UM, INCREMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO THE SEVERAL TOPICS ON THE TABLE.

OR APRIL, WE HAVE A PROPOSAL TO MEET FROM THREE TO FIVE INSTEAD OF TWO 30 TO FOUR 30.

THAT'S FOR JUNE.

EXCUSE ME.

THAT'S FOR JUNE.

FOR APRIL, WE'RE JUST MOVING ACROSS THE HOUSE FOR APRIL.

WE'RE MOVING ACROSS THE WAY.

SAME TIME, EXCUSE ME, FOR JUNE.

UH, WE HAVE A PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE TO CHANGE THE TIME OF THE MEETING FROM

[01:30:01]

THAT WILL BE ACROSS THE WAY IN THE BOARD AND COMMISSION IF WE HAVE IN JUNE.

UH, AN OKAY TO DO THAT BY CTM.

DISCUSSION, EVERYONE AGREEMENT? UH, OKAY.

SO, PENDING, UH, APPROVAL BY CTM, IT DOES THIS BODY WISH TO CHANGE THE TIME OF THE MEETING ON JUNE 12TH, TWO, THREE TO 5:00 PM AND TO MOVE TO THE COMMISSION ROOM ACROSS THE LOBBY? I, I, I'M AGREEABLE TO THAT.

DO WE HAVE TO MOTION OR JUST ALL AGREEABLE? TECHNICALLY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MAKE MOTIONS ON THIS, BUT, UH, FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER IS THERE SECOND TO COMMISSIONER IAN'S MOTION.

SECOND.

SO SECOND IT BY COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

IT'S, UH, ANYONE, UM, AGAINST ABSTENTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

WE WILL ACCEPT OUR NEW MEETING TIME ON JUNE 12TH, 2024, UH, TO THREE TO 5:00 PM UH, ACROSS, UM, THE LOBBY IN THE COMMISSION ROOM PENDING APPROVAL OF CTM.

NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS, POTENTIALLY MOVING THE JULY MEETING FROM JULY 10TH TO EITHER MONDAY, JULY 8TH, OR MONDAY JULY 15TH.

UM, DO I HAVE, I MEAN, OPEN DISCUSSION.

WHAT, WHAT DO WE THINK HERE? FINE FOR BOTH DATES.

IS THERE A PREFERENCE FOR MONDAY? THE EIGHTH IS CLOSER TO, UH, IT IS, IT IS A LITTLE CLOSER TO 4TH OF JULY.

SO WOULD FOLKS BE ALL RIGHT IF WE MOVED IT TO JULY 15TH? ANY OBJECTIONS BY, WHAT'S THAT? COMMISSIONER KANATI BY CLAIM.

UH, HEARING NO OBJECTIONS, WE ARE OPEN TO MOVING THE DATE OF OUR COMMISSION MEETING TO JULY 15TH, AND THAT ACTUALLY RETURNS US TO COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT OUR SAME MEETING TIME FROM TWO 30 TO FOUR 30.

ANY OBJECTIONS? NONE.

THAT HAS BEEN DECIDED.

THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE DONE AT THAT POINT.

SO IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THEN THAT THERE, WE'VE RESOLVED ALL OF THE QUESTIONS REGARDING DATES AND TIMES FOR THE COMMISSION, FOR THE REST OF THE, THE CURRENT, UM, FOR THE CURRENT DATES ON THE CALENDAR.

IS THAT CORRECT, MS. OJEDA? YES.

AND THEN YOU HAD MENTIONED TALKING ABOUT AUGUST DATE, CORRECT.

UH, SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WITH REGARD TO TOURISM COMMISSION DATES IS THE QUESTION AROUND OUR AUGUST MEETING CURRENTLY.

THERE IS NO AVAILABLE SPACE FOR THIS DATE IN THE ENTIRE CITY THAT HAS THE AV CAPACITY OR CAPABILITY FOR US TO MEET AND TO HAVE OUR MEETING BE RECORDED.

DO FOLKS HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO CANCELING THAT MEETING? AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST.

IT'S KIND OF A TIME WHEN FOLKS ARE TRAVELING ANYWAY.

UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY THAT ON THE MIC? .

THINK ABOUT CANCELING THE AUGUST MEETING, AUGUST 14TH, 2024? HEARING NO OBJECTIONS? WE ARE CANCELING THE MEETING FOR AUGUST 14TH, 2024 AND TAKING IT OFF OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION'S LIST OF MEETING DATES FOR THE YEAR.

UM, I'D LIKE TO POINT YOUR ATTENTION DURING THIS CONVERSATION AND THIS GEORGE W. BUSH SAID AUGUST IS FOR VACATION .

SO I'D LIKE TO CANCEL THAT MEETING.

UM, CANCEL, THIS IS GETTING INTO DISCUSSION TOPIC NUMBER SEVEN A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT MIGHT HELP TO ALSO REVIEW THE WORKING DOCUMENT OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION ROADMAP THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE PROPOSED TOPICS AS, AS WE SORT OF LAID THEM OUT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

UM, IN YEARS PAST, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE, WE'VE RATHER, WE'VE CANCELED MARCH, UM, BECAUSE OF SOUTH BY.

WE'VE DECIDED THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE KEEPING MARCH.

UH, AND WE'VE ALSO, UM, INCLUDED A DECEMBER DATE.

HOWEVER, WE SAID WE WOULD REASSESS COME MIDYEAR, WHETHER WE WANTED TO KEEP THAT DATE.

IT'S ALSO ANOTHER BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR.

UH, WHAT DO WE

[01:35:01]

WE ALSO HAVE PROPOSED, UM, RATHER AS I HAVE PUT IT ON THE WORKING ROADMAP, UH, TO CANCEL OUR DECEMBER 11TH, 2024 MEETING.

DID WE WANT TO REVISIT THAT AND MAKE A DECISION OR WAIT UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR TO SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR AGENDA TOPICS? COMMISSIONER PENOC, I'D RECOMMEND WE WAIT.

ALRIGHT.

DO FOLKS AGREE WITH THAT? WONDERFUL.

SO WE'LL LEAVE THAT FOR, UH, A DECISION AT A LATER DATE, BUT WE HAVE SINCE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD IN CANCELING THE AUGUST 11TH, 2024 MEETING DATE.

AUGUST 14TH, EXCUSE ME, 2024 MEETING DATES.

PERFECT.

ALRIGHT, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR THE DATES THEMSELVES.

NOW, MOVING ON FORMALLY TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THE WORKING DOCUMENT FOR THE TOURISM COMMISSION ROADMAP.

WHAT TO, OH, OH, EXCUSE ME.

ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T, YOU HAD A COUPLE MORE ITEMS FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX? YEAH, I DID.

UH, MS. OJEDA, COULD YOU COVER THOSE FOR US? YEAH, NO, I DIDN'T, DIDN'T SEE WHAT Y'ALL DECIDED FOR JULY.

DID Y'ALL MAKE THAT DECI DECISION? WE DECIDE ON JULY 15TH HEARING IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS TWO 30 TO FOUR 30.

AND I WANTED TO CALL OUT AS WELL THAT WE HAVE, UH, A MANDATED SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING THAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN EMAILED TO COMPLETE VIA OUR CITY EMAIL.

SO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU COMPLETE THAT BEFORE THE DATE THAT'S LISTED.

UH, AND IT IS LISTED HERE, UH, AS MAY 10TH.

IT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES TO COMPLETE.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? MS. OJEDA? PERFECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE TALKING DOWN FOLKS IN VENUES TO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN.

MOVING BACK TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER

[7. Discussion and possible action regarding upcoming Agenda topics for the 2024 calendar year for editing or approving of agenda topics.]

SEVEN.

WHAT DO WE ALL THINK ABOUT THE ROADMAP AS PROPOSED? SO A COMMISSIONER MAP THIS, IS THERE ANY WAY WE, WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU NEED IN ORDER TO REVISIT THE, THE RED RIVER'S, UM, PROPOSAL TODAY? LIKE, SHOULD WE, DO WE WANNA TAKE THAT UP ON ONE OF THE OTHER DATES? WHAT WOULD WE NEED FOR THAT? 'CAUSE I CAN SAY THAT AS FAR AS A HOTEL'S PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS A, A, A DISTRICT THAT DOES DRIVE OCCUPANCY AND IT'S, IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT.

COMMISSIONER MATHIS? UH, SO TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, WE, WE NEED TO PUT IT ON A FORTHCOMING AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND, AND POTENTIAL ACTION.

SO WE HAVE ASKED COMMISSIONER REEDY TO, UH, DRAW UP A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMISSION, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT RECOMMENDATION TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION IN MARCH.

UM, TOURISM AND ITS IMPACTS, UH, HOW THEY RESPOND TO VISITORS COMING IN FOR CONFERENCES, UM, CULTURAL MUSIC EVENTS, ET CETERA.

AND WE'RE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE, UM, A, WE CAN STICK IT IN THERE SOMEWHERE ON WHETHER OR NOT TO ADOPT THAT RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNSEL.

I LOVE THAT.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE ROADMAP OR THE PROPOSED TOPICS? I'M HA ACTUALLY HAPPY TO GO THROUGH IT REAL FAST.

JUST TO LET Y'ALL KNOW KIND OF THE, THE FLAVOR OF EACH MONTH, UH, THE FIRST MONTH ON THIS LIST, MARCH 13TH, UM, AT OUR MARCH MEETING, THE TOURISM OUTLOOK MORE BROADLY FROM GREEN SPACE TO OUTER SPACE, AS MANY OF US MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, UM, WE HAVE A FORTHCOMING ECLIPSE, UH, SOLAR ECLIPSE COMING TO AUSTIN ON, IS IT APRIL 8TH? UM, YES, VERY SOON.

AND WE HAVE THE HEAD OF THE ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT COMING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS TO TALK ABOUT THIS ONCE IN REALLY MULTIPLE GENERATIONAL EVENT.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A REAL, UM, GREAT PRESENTATION AND, AND TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF SUCH AN EVENT HERE IN AUSTIN AND THE, UH, IMPACTS ON TOURISM THEREIN.

WE ALSO, UM, ARE LOOKING TO INVITE VISIT AUSTIN TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE TI AND THE FORTHCOMING CONVENTION CENTER CONSTRUCTION, UH, WITH POTENTIAL COMMUNITY PRESENTERS, UM, AS WELL HERE, LAID OUT POTENTIALLY THE AUSTIN PARK FOUNDATION, UH, AND IS THE ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT AS SO MENTIONED.

THIS BODY IN THE PAST HAS SPOKEN TO ITS DESIRE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY.

UH, SO POTENTIALLY INVITING INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS TO COME AND TALK ABOUT,

[01:40:01]

POTENTIALLY INVITING THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATIONS OF TEXAS AND AUSTIN FOOD JOURNALISTS.

MAY 8TH.

IT'S NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK AGAIN, AND IT'S GONNA BE AWESOME BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE AN .

YES, WE'LL ALL GET FLOWERS, AND WE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING IN OUR MUSIC MAKERS WHO, YOU KNOW, REALLY HELP MARKET, UH, AUSTIN, UH, MORE BROADLY, BUT ALSO GETTING INTO, UH, THE OTHER FACETS OF PROFESSIONS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, WHICH INCLUDE THE PROMOTERS AND MARKETERS OF MUSIC, I THINK WOULD BE, UH, SOMETHING TO EXPLORE, MAYBE, UH, LESSER KNOWN BUT VITAL PROFESSION IN THE INDUSTRY.

UH, AND MOVING TO JUNE, LOOKING MORE, UH, SPECIFICALLY AT MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL SITES AND HOW THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE BROADER MAKEUP OF AUSTIN TOURISM, INCLUDING, UH, POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS TO THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION MUSEUMS AND THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION WHO PROVIDE, UH, ORGANIZATION AND RESOURCES FOR THESE COMMUNITIES.

UM, AND THESE VITAL SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND TOURISM ANCHORS IN AUSTIN, JULY 10TH, 2024 COMING TOGETHER, CONVENTIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE PAST.

THIS COMMISSION HAS REALLY WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT GOES INTO CREATING, UH, OR RATHER PLANNING AND MANAGING A CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN.

WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES, UM, VENUES, UH, ASPECTS OF A CITY LIKE AUSTIN OR COMPETITORS THAT THESE ORGANIZERS ARE LOOKING FOR? UM, HOW CAN WE MAKE AUSTIN MORE COMPETITIVE AND POSITION THE CITY AS, UH, MORE OF A CENTER FOR TOURISM, PARTICULARLY AS THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AND, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CLOSING AND THERE ARE OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, POLLS ON, UM, AUSTIN TOURISM FROM A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE STANDPOINT.

UH, AUGUST, AS WE'VE JUST APPROVED, WE ARE CANCELING THE MEETING SEPTEMBER 11TH, UH, REALLY DRILLING DOWN INTO THE CITY HOT TAX TODAY.

I THINK WE HAD A, YOU KNOW, REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW, UH, THE STR, UM, REVENUES FOR HOT TAX CAN REALLY ASSIST IN HELPING ENLARGING THE PIE FOR AUSTIN ARTS, UH, CULTURE AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO ALSO HAVE A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE COLLECT THIS REVENUE, HOW IS IT BEING SPENT? AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD PRESENTATIONS FROM THE CITY IN THE PAST WITH REGARD TO THIS.

UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK AN UPDATE ON THIS WOULD BE, UH, IN, IN DUE TIME AT THIS POINT, THAT WOULD BE ALMOST A YEAR SINCE OUR LAST PRESENTATION WITH REGARD TO THE SPENDING OF THE HOT TAX, UH, WITH POTENTIAL SPEAKERS, AGAIN, BEING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, CFO, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, AND, UH, SOME PRESENTERS THAT COULD COME AND SPEAK TO, UH, THE IMPACTS OF THE HOT TAX COMMISSIONER.

REY, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO PUT IN YOUR MIND, MR. CHAIR, THAT, UM, MAYBE INCLUDE THE AUDITOR.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE FIVE COUNCIL OFFICES REQUESTED AN AUDIT OF HOTEL TAX FUNDED PROGRAMS, AND THAT AUDIT REPORT SHOULD BE COMING OUT PRIOR TO THE BUDGET SEASON, SO YOU MIGHT GET A BRIEFING FROM THE AUDITOR.

NO, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RADI.

AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE MOVE UP THE SEPTEMBER TOPIC TO THE JUNE MEETING AND SWITCH THE TWO TO ALLOW FOR SOME TIME, UH, FOR THIS TOPIC TO BE DISCUSSED AND EXAMINED BEFORE THE BUDGET IS PASSED LATER IN THE YEAR.

WHAT DO FOLKS THINK ABOUT THAT CONSIDERATION? SWITCHING THE TOPICS FOR THE JUNE AND SEPTEMBER MEETINGS? I WOULD, COMMISSIONER REEDY, UM, IF I MIGHT TABLE THAT UNTIL I GET A TIMELINE FROM THE AUDITOR.

BY THE CITY AND ALSO THE STATE.

I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T WANT TO PRESUME THAT THEY'LL BE DONE BY JUNE.

THEY SHOULD BE DONE BY AUGUST.

SURE.

NO, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

AND JUST, JUST TO GIVE FOLKS A SENSE HERE, I I IMAGINE WE'LL REVIEW THIS EVERY MEETING JUST TO GET A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE AND SORT OF CENTER OURSELVES AS A COMMISSION AND BRING UP IDEAS, TRYING TO BE AS FLEXIBLE, BUT ALSO WITH SOME SORT OF PLAN, UM, AS WE ARE ABLE MOVING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

LASTLY, UH, WE HAVE, UH, OUR OCTOBER MEETING ACROSS THE TOWN FROM DISTRICTS TO DOWNTOWN.

WE, WE KIND OF GOT A LOT OF, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TODAY, RATHER WITH THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, BUT GETTING A SENSE OF NOT ONLY WHERE THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THREE HERE IN AUSTIN THAT ARE DESIGNATED

[01:45:01]

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT IN, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, BRINGING, BRINGING TOURISM DOLLARS HERE TO AUSTIN, UM, AND, AND BRINGING LONG, LONG-TERM COMMUNITY GROUPS AND THEIR EFFORTS TO COME AND SPEAK AT THE COMMISSION BETWEEN THE PALM DISTRICT SCHOOL AND, AND, AND OTHER PALM DISTRICT CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL TOUR GUIDES, UH, FOR THE MORE LOCALIZED, UH, DISTRICT EXPERIENCE THAT VISITORS TO AUSTIN, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

IN ADDITION TO, UH, OTHER SPEAKERS THAT TAKE A LOOK MORE BROADLY AT THE CULTURAL VITALITY OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, UH, PRESERVATION AUSTIN, WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE HISTORIC DISTRICTS.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIST TO GIVE A, UH, BROADER VIEW OF TOURISM AND ECONOMIC IMPACT.

NOVEMBER, WE HAVE IT AS AN O OPEN TOPIC.

UH, SO WE'RE ABLE TO SORT OF FLOAT THIS AGENDA A LITTLE BIT, UH, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THERE'S MORE TOPICS WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.

UM, IF SOMETHING COMES UP, WE CAN BE MORE TIMELY.

WE CAN PUSH AGENDA TOPICS TO, TO NEXT MONTH IF THAT'S, IF THIS BODY SO DECIDES.

UM, BUT IT ALLOWS US SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THIS AGENDA.

MS. OJEDA, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? YES.

IN APRIL, THERE'S THE VOTING OF ELECTIONS FOR THE BOARD ITSELF, UM, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, WHATNOT.

AND THEN IN JULY, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE ANNUAL REPORT READY TO BE VOTED ON AND APPROVED.

THANK YOU, MS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON THIS WORKING DOCUMENT? THE TOURISM COMMISSION ROADMAP? COMMISSIONER BAILEY, I'M JUST WANTED TO DO IT WHILE IT'S FRESH, BECAUSE I MIGHT FORGET TO DO IT LATER.

SO I WANNA DO IT NOW.

WE'LL CAPTURE IT IN THE RECORD AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP.

I WANTED TO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE, I WANTED TO ALSO JUST MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT WE THINK ABOUT THE TEXAS PARKS FOUNDATION.

I THINK WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THE ROLE THAT THE, OUR, THE BIG STATE PARKS, THE BIG BENDS, THE BIG DESTINATION.

I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY SEE.

I MEAN, THAT IS DEFINITELY A PLACE WHERE TOURISTS ARE COMING FROM OUTTA STATE, AND I THINK THAT BLENDING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS LOCALLY WITH GETTING A SCOPE OUT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF TRAVELING AND DESTINATION, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE.

AND I WANTED TO MENTION WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MUSIC MAKERS AND, AND THINKING ABOUT EVENT PROMOTERS, DEPENDING ON HOW WE SHAPE THE CONVERSATION, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT C3, WHICH IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST FESTIVAL PROMOTERS, PERIOD, THEY JUST HAPPEN TO BE HERE TO SCOPE BEYOND THINGS LIKE ACL, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXTENSIVELY.

THEY'RE, THEY ARE CREATING FESTIVALS AND COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME LEARNINGS ABOUT CONSISTENCIES OR THINGS THAT YOU LEARN WHEN YOU START UP A FESTIVAL AND ANOTHER, AND WHY OTHER COMMUNITIES? I MEAN, WHY DID FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS DECIDE TO CREATE A DESTINATION FESTIVAL? WHY, WHY DID GEORGETOWN CREATE THE TWO STEP? I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE GETTING INTO THE FESTIVAL BUSINESS FOR A REASON, AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING THESE BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND TOURISM.

SO I THINK STEPPING OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN AND GETTING SOME OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES WHERE, WHERE WE CAN, THAT CAN ONLY ENRICH WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M SUGGESTING THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? NONE.

UH, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, AN UPDATE FROM WORKING

[8. Update from the Short-Term Rental Working Group.]

GROUPS.

AGENDA ITEMS EIGHT AND NINE.

UH, WE HAVE OUR STR WORK GROUP, UM, THAT WE ACTUALLY DID A LOT.

SO, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE A BRIEF, UH, UPDATE OR, WELL, I WOULD SAY JUST GIVING YOU THE SPACE TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS FOR THE, THE, THE GROUP AS NOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, RECOMMENDED THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNCIL.

SURE.

NO, UM, AND I THINK, SO FOR NEXT STEPS, OBVIOUSLY THE RECOMMENDATION WILL GO TO COUNCIL.

UM, THE DEEP DIVE DOCUMENT IS MEANT TO BE KIND OF A GUIDANCE DOCUMENT FOR CITY STAFF, SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL GET THEIR HANDS ON THAT.

I THINK THE NEXT STEPS FOR THIS GROUP WILL BE TO FIND A CITY COUNCIL CHAMPION WHO WANTS TO TAKE UP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND GET IT PASSED THROUGH COUNCIL.

SO I THINK WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON THE BACK END TO KIND OF KEEP THOSE CONVERSATIONS GOING AND SO THAT THIS EFFORT DOESN'T STOP WITH THIS BODY, THAT WE PUSH IT THROUGH ALL THE WAY THROUGH

[01:50:01]

AND HOPEFULLY GET IT ACCOMPLISHED.

MY GOAL IS TO GET IT ACCOMPLISHED IN 2024.

UH, WITH US TODAY WHO IS GOING TO GIVE AN, UH, AN UPDATE FROM THE PARKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP AND CAN GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND AS TO, UM, THIS WORK GROUP AND HOW IT WAS, UH, ESTABLISHED AND ITS WORK, UM, MOVING FORWARD.

COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

COMMISSIONER BAILEY.

I JUST WANTED, I, I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN REMINDED OF THIS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES, THAT THESE ARE, THESE WORKING GROUPS HAVE A LIFESPAN.

I MEAN, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO COME AND GO, THEY DON'T LIVE FOREVER.

AND SO I THINK ACTUALLY ASKING YOU WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE AND WHAT THE, WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION FROM THIS PHASE.

AND BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IT HAS TO SHUT DOWN OR WE HAVE TO FIND SOME JUSTIFICATION THAT WE'RE REAPPOINTING IT OR REESTABLISHING IT, MAYBE WITH NEW CRITERIA OR SOMETHING, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T GO ON.

I DON'T KNOW.

YOU WOULD PROBABLY REMINDED US OF THAT, WOULDN'T YOU? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.

UM, ON THAT NOTE, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, COMMISSIONER KANATI,

[9. Update from the Parks and Environment Working Group.]

UM, IN GENERAL, WORKING GROUPS ARE SHORT LIVED.

WE HAVE THIS WORKING GROUP THAT WAS SET UP TO ADDRESS FOUR TOPICS, TWO OF WHICH WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED, AND WE HOPE TO COME TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON THE THIRD TOPIC THAT WAS IDENTIFIED REGARDING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT COULD BENEFIT OUR PARKS IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE.

UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY A FOURTH TOPIC THAT THAT WORKING GROUP WAS ASSIGNED, WHICH NO ONE HAS REALLY TAKEN UP YET.

I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT RELATES TO, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE PALM DISTRICT PARK.

BUT, UM, AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS FOR THAT WORKING GROUP, WE DO HOPE TO COME TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE NEXT, UH, MEETING WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION.

WE'VE OBVIOUSLY HAD A VERY HIGH BAR SET WITH THE STR WORKING GROUP.

I HOPE WE CAN LIVE UP TO THAT.

BUT, UM, THAT IS OUR PLAN.

UH, THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP PLAN.

SO LOOK OUT FOR THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FROM THE PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT WORKING GROUP COMING FORTH IN MARCH.

WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER PENOC.

IS THERE A SECOND? SO SECONDED BY, I SAW, UH, COMMISSIONER K.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? A THANK YOU VOTES UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

HAVE A WONDERFUL VALENTINE'S DAY.

CUPCAKES ARE IN THE LOBBY.