Apr 10, 2024 Tourism Commission

UM, I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXTRA MINUTE 'CAUSE YOU ARE TWO PEOPLE AND YOU'RE LISTED TWICE ON THE AGENDA.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, AND WE'RE THRILLED TO SEE SO MANY UNDER UNDERSERVED ORGANIZATIONS FINALLY GET THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT THEY DESERVE.

SO, UM, EVEN THOUGH OUR SHOWS ARE FREE, THE QUALITY IS AMAZING, AND YET NONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT TODAY ARE WEIGHTED CONSIDERATIONS UNDER THE CURRENT CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING MODELS.

UM, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE CITY FINANCIALLY BACKED US TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 20% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

AND WITH THE NEW GUIDELINES, UM, WE WEREN'T EVEN READ FOR THE THRIVE APPLICATION AS IT FOCUSES ON VERY SPECIFICALLY ON GROUPS THAT QUOTE FROM THEIR FOUNDING EXPLICITLY SERVE GROUPS THAT ARE OF IMMEDIATE RISK, OF CULTURAL ERASURE AND DISPLACEMENT.

WITHIN AUSTIN, THE SIZE AND INTERSECTIONALITY OF OUR BROADLY INCLUSIVE AUDIENCE SIMPLY WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

UM, WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY EMBRACED THE CITY'S LONG OVERDUE DECISION TO ADDRESS HISTORIC INEQUITIES IN FUNDING.

[00:05:01]

BUT A SOLELY FOCUSED APPROACH HAS PLACED IN JEOPARDY ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ZILKER THEATER PRODUCTIONS, AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE, AND OTHERS WHO FOCUS ON MAKING THE ARTS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.

WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE LISTED ON, UH, OUR LIST HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, ALEX ALFORD, AS WELL AS SHANAE WOODBRIDGE FROM AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE.

YOU DID THAT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

YEAH, OF COURSE.

, UH, BOTH WILL BE SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, I'M ALEX ALFORD.

PERFECT.

NOW I'M ALEX ALFORD, THE, UH, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE.

SINCE 1985, WE HAVE BEEN PRODUCING FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK.

UM, IT IS OUR MOST EXPENSIVE PRODUCTION WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF REVENUE RETURN.

SO WE'VE TRADITIONALLY USED CITY OF AUSTIN FUNDING TO UNDERWRITE THE COST OF THAT.

HOWEVER, UH, DUE TO THE CITY FUNDING CUTS WE'VE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THE PAST.

UM, IN 2022, THAT WAS OUR LAST FULL PRODUCTION.

WE DID 17 PERFORMANCES OF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT STREAM OVER FOUR WEEKS.

WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING IN 2023, SO WE DID ONE WEEK OF FOUR PERFORMANCES OF SOMETHING CALLED SHORT SHAKESPEARE, AND WE DID IT WITHOUT EQUITY ACTORS.

WE DID IT WITH VERY MINIMAL SETS AND COSTUMES.

UM, AND IT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF EXPERIENCE FOR US, BUT NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO.

UM, WE COLLECT ZIP CODES AND WE'VE ALSO LIKED THE SUMMER MUSICAL.

IT'S ABOUT 25% OF OUR AUDIENCE COMES FROM OUTSIDE OF THE AUSTIN AREA, YOU KNOW, AND MANY OF THEM COME BECAUSE THERE'S THE POOL.

SO WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO JUST WALK UP BECAUSE THIS IS GOING ON.

AND THEN A LOT OF THEM SPEND THE DAY POOL PICNIC, WATCH THE SHOW.

UM, BUSES OF KIDS COME UP FROM THE VALLEY.

WE HAVE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS.

SO I'LL JUST GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS FOR MIDSUMMER.

IN 2022, WE HAD ABOUT 5,500 PEOPLE ATTEND.

780 CAME WITHIN A 50 MILE RADIUS.

302 CAME FROM WITHOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN TEXAS 181 WERE NATIONAL AND 75 WERE INTERNATIONAL.

WHEN WE DID SHORT SHAKESPEARE IN 2023, WE HAD 729 PEOPLE COME.

115 WERE IN THE 50 MILE RADIUS.

22 WERE OUTSIDE THAT.

WE HAD 24 NATIONAL AND FOUR INTERNATIONAL.

THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE, UH, IN ANY NUMBER OF WAYS.

WE DIDN'T REALLY GET TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE WANTED TO DO ARTISTICALLY, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE REALLY FULFILLED OUR POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM, UH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE DO COME FROM OUT OF TOWN AND THEY STAY HERE.

SO, UM, I REALLY WANNA SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION SEVEN.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS NOT ONLY A BOARD MEMBER, BUT FOR, AS A VOLUNTEER FOR YEARS AND YEARS, IT IS, IT IS A PLEASURE TO SEE PEOPLE COME IN FROM NOT ONLY THE EXISTING AREA, BUT FROM OUTSIDE AND GO, OH MY GOD, THIS IS WONDERFUL.

THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN DALLAS, SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK, OR HOUSTON, SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK.

THIS IS AS GOOD AS NEW YORK'S SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK IN CENTRAL PARK.

BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SITUATION, BUT NORMALLY WE HAVE A FABULOUS CAST WITH, WITH THE FULL PRODUCTIONS AND, AND A LONGER TIME AT ON ON THE HILL.

UM, YOU FIND THAT PEOPLE COME TO THE, COME TO THE HILLSIDE AND THINK, OH, IT'S GOING TO BE TOO HOT.

AND AS SOON AS THE SUN GOES DOWN BEHIND THE TREES, NOT EVEN ALL THE WAY DOWN, JUST BEHIND THE TREES, THE BREEZE COMES UP OVER THE, OVER THE, UM, OFF THE, THE POOL AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH MY GOD, I WANNA COME OUT HERE MORE OFTEN.

WE ARE NOT ONLY A DRAW TO THE, TO, TO AUSTIN, BUT AN ALSO A DRAW TO THE PARK.

AND IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE COME OUT BECAUSE, SORRY, AUSTIN HAS GOTTEN SO WHITE.

THAT'S ALL YOU SEE ANYMORE IF YOU'RE GOING TO DIFFERENT FESTIVALS.

SO IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE ARMENIAN, HISPANIC, UM, CENTRAL AMERICAN PEOPLE, PEOPLE FROM ITALY COME TO OUR SHOWS AND ENJOY THEIR TIME IN AUSTIN, AND ONE WEEK WON'T

[00:10:01]

DO IT.

AND YOU CUT OUR FUNDING TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH Y'ALL.

AND IT'S REALLY SAD BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS NOW, AND PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

THEY PLAN THEIR VACATIONS AROUND IT, SO.

TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD REGULAR MEETING ON MARCH 13TH, 2024.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

UM, CHAIRS PRIVILEGE.

I DID PLAY KING OBERON IN MY SEVENTH GRADE PLAY, UH, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.

UH, MOVING ON

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CHA.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

SO SECONDED BY, UH, VICE CHAIR BAILEY.

UH, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A VOTE.

THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

COMMISSIONER REY, I WASN'T HERE.

UH, COMMISSIONER REY ABSTAINS, UH, THE REST OF COMMISSIONERS VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

MOVING ON TO AGENDA

[2. Staff briefing from Staff Liaison, Felicia Ojeda, regarding city clerk’s response to amount of recommendations per board, importance of Officer Elections, deadline for training requirements, and upcoming schedule changes for upcoming meetings. ]

ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, STAFF BRIEFING, BRIEFING FROM STAFF LIAISON FELICIA OA.

HELLO.

HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO ENJOY YESTERDAY'S FESTIVALS.

UM, WE WANT TO FIRST, UM, CONGRATULATE YOU FOR FINDING US TODAY OVER HERE AT THE BOYS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM.

UM, NEXT, NEXT MONTH, WE'LL BE BACK IN THE CHAMBERS ROOM.

JUST AS A REMINDER, UH, I'LL MAKE SURE TO PUT THAT ON THE EMAIL.

UM, ANOTHER REMINDER, MAY 10TH IS THE FINAL DAY FOR THE TRAINING THAT YOU NEED TO DO.

UM, IT IS IN YOUR BC ACCOUNT.

IF YOU NEED ME TO TRY TO EMAIL YOU OR FORWARD IT TO YOU, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

I'LL DO THAT.

TODAY'S VERY IMPORTANT DAY.

WE ARE DOING ELECTIONS FOR OFFICE, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH THAT TODAY, UM, ABOVE ALL.

AND THEN ON THE, ON THE INFORMATION SHEET I GAVE YOU, THERE ARE THE ROLES AND DUTIES FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, UM, TO THINK ABOUT.

AND THEN, UM, ON THE BACKSIDE, I JUST KIND OF MENTIONED ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT IS IN YOUR PACKET TODAY.

MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, PRESENTATION BY NEIL, UH, MORRIS, I BELIEVE IT'S HOW YOU PRONOUNCE IT.

THANK YOU, MS. OJEDA.

[3. Presentation by Neil Maris, General Manager of the Hot Luck Festival regarding the collaboration with the community and restaurant industry and how they are impacting and creating initiatives for tourism. ]

UH, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE HOT LUCK FESTIVAL REGARDING THE COLLABORATION, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTING AND CREATING INITIATIVES, UH, FOR ENHANCED TOURISM HERE IN IN AUSTIN.

UH, JUST A, UH, YES, CLARIFICATION.

YOU HAVE, UH, 10 MINUTES ABOUT, AND WE'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

OKAY, COOL.

WORK WITH AND WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.

UH, I'M NEIL MARIS.

UH, I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER SLASH FESTIVAL DIRECTOR OF HALUK FOOD AND MUSIC.

UM, WE ARE A, JUST A LOCAL, UM, FOOD FESTIVAL.

UH, SO IT STARTED ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO, UM, AS KIND OF AARON FRANKLIN WANTED TO CREATE A FOOD FESTIVAL FOR CHEFS.

AND SO IT KIND OF HAS TURNED INTO JUST THE FOOD AND MUSIC, UH, FESTIVAL.

THAT'S, UH, A LOVE LETTER TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, WE KIND OF TAKE A TWO-PRONG APPROACH TO IT.

ONE IS LIKE THE CUSTOMER FACING SIDE, AND THEN THE OTHER IS KIND OF LIKE THE INDUSTRY FOCUS PORTION OF THE EVENT.

UM, AGAIN, BECAUSE AARON WAS TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING FOR CHEFS, UM, IT, WE TRY TO DO A LOT MORE FOR THE CHEFS THAN JUST KIND OF WHAT MAYBE YOU SEE, UM, ON THE SERVICE.

UH, AND THIS ALSO KIND OF TALKS TO THAT, BUT, UH, SO FOR OUR ATTENDEES, UM, MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE FROM TEXAS.

UM, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, UH, THE REST OF THE 30% IS EITHER FROM THE CITY OF NEW YORK, CHICAGO, OR LA.

UM, SO WE ARE HAVE SOME TRACTION OUTSIDE OF THE STATE, UM, WITH KIND OF THE BIGGER FOODIES.

UM, OUR, THE FESTIVAL FOR ATTENDEES IS, UH, DURING THE DAY THERE ARE, UH, FOOD EVENTS AT VARIOUS VENUES AROUND TOWN AS WELL AS AT, UH, AT RESTAURANTS.

AND THEN THAT TURNS INTO MUSIC AT NIGHT TO WHERE THERE WILL ACTIVATE INSIDE OF MUSIC VENUES IN TOWN LIKE MOHAWK OR HOTEL VEGAS OR THE CORAL SNAKE.

UM, AND YEAH, THAT'S BASICALLY IT.

SO THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY IS THE MAIN PIECE OF THE FESTIVAL FOR ATTENDEES.

UM, FOR CHEFS, I THINK THE, THE, THIS KIND OF SHOWS LIKE HOW ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES AND PARTS THAT WE, UM,

[00:15:01]

IT'S KIND OF TONGUE IN CHEEK ON SOME OF THE STUFF LIKE 42 FRIARS, 59 PLANCHES.

BUT WE DO WORK WITH LIKE PFG, UM, WHO IS A DISTRIBUTOR IN TOWN FOR VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FOOD AS WELL AS THE DISPOSABLES.

AND THEN WITH LIKE, PREMIER EVENTS WHO SUPPLIES ALL OF OUR RENTALS.

UM, BUT I THINK LIKE THE, THE MAIN THING HERE IS THE, THAT KIND OF CENTER PIECE WHERE LIKE LAST YEAR WE HAD 14 JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNERS AT OUR FEST.

UM, I THINK THE, THE, WHAT WE KIND OF TRIED TO DO WITH HOT LUCK, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UM, IS THAT WE WERE KIND OF TRYING TO BE LIKE A DISCOVERY FESTIVAL.

SO A LOT OF OUR CHEFS ARE AWARD-WINNING CHEFS, EITHER BY BON APPETIT OR JAMES BEARD.

UM, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE LIKE A HOUSEHOLD NAME.

SO THE IDEA IS KIND OF LIKE HOW WE HAD, WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER ABOUT LIKE SEEING, UH, A, A MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHO THE NEW BANDS WERE.

IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING, LIKE TRYING TO GET EXPOSURE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LOCAL, BUT ALSO WE DO BRING CHEFS IN FROM, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY.

UM, THE, YEAH, I THINK THE ALSO OUTSIDE OF THAT, WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS TO HAVE CHEFS, UH, EVENTS FOR CHEFS SOLELY.

SO THE, ON LIKE THURSDAY NIGHT WE'LL HAVE A CHEF WELCOME PARTY THAT IS FOR INDUSTRY FOLKS AS WELL AS THE CHEFS, CHEFS THEMSELVES.

SO, UH, WE INVITE KIND OF LIKE OUR SPONSORS AS WELL TO TALK TO THE CHEF.

SO THERE'S NETWORKING HAPPENING AT THOSE EVENTS.

UM, AS WELL AS, UH, WE'LL DO CHEF SPECIFIC EVENTS LIKE, UM, UH, THERE IS, WE'RE DOING ON SATURDAY OF HALUK, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR BENEFACTOR SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION FOR A MENTAL HEALTH, UM, DISCUSSION PANEL THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE STATE THEATER, WHICH I'LL GO INTO MORE IN A BIT.

UM, BUT ALSO LIKE OUTSIDE OF JUST ACTUAL CHEFS, WE DO TRY TO WORK WITH CULINARY STUDENTS IN TOWN AS WELL AND TO PAIR THOSE CHEFS SO THAT THEY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THEM AT THE EVENTS AND GET LIKE, ACTUAL EXPERIENCE.

AND WE DO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST LIKE TAKING OUT THE TRASH, THAT THEY'RE DOING ACTUAL THINGS WITH THE CHEFS.

UM, IN TERMS OF MEDIA, UH, WE DO HAVE A FAIRLY GOOD AMOUNT OF MEDIA THAT COMES FROM OUTSIDE OF THE STATE.

UM, OUR LOCAL KIND OF LIKE PARTNERS, OUR STATE PARTNERS.

UM, OUR MAIN ONE IS TEXAS MONTHLY.

UM, THEY'RE LIKE OUR, OUR PROPER, UH, MEDIA PARTNER, BUT WE ALSO WORK WITH TEXAS TRIBUNE, PBS SLASH KT, UH, CULTURE MAP, AUSTIN 365, THE CHRONICLE.

UM, AND WE ALSO THIS YEAR STARTED WORKING WITH CREAM, UM, MAGAZINE, WHICH IS AN OLD, UH, SEVENTIES, UH, MUSIC PERIODICAL THAT'S KIND OF COMING BACK.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO KIND OF EXPAND WHO WE'RE TALKING TO THERE.

UM, AND THEN OUTSIDE FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE, LIKE IN TERMS OF MEDIA, UH, WE WORK WITH ESQUIRE, FOOD AND WINE, NEW YORK TIMES, LA TIMES, UH, SOUTHERN LIVING BON APPETIT EATER.

I THINK WE'VE WORKED WITH THE TODAY SHOW IN THE PAST, AND WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO KIND OF GET MORE INTO, UH, THE VISUAL MEDIAS AS WELL.

UM, AND WHEN WE DO, LIKE, WE WORK WITH VISIT AUSTIN TO SOME EXTENT AND GIANT NOISES LIKE OUR PR FOLKS LOCALLY.

UM, BUT WHEN WE, WHEN WE ASK CHEFS OR CHEFS, WHEN WE ASK THE MEDIA TO COME IN FROM OUTTA STATE, WE, WE GIVE THEM HOTEL ROOMS AND FLIGHTS THAT ARE LONGER THAN JUST THE FEST DATES SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE THE CITY AND TALK ABOUT THE CITY.

UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO HAVE THEM FOCUSED ON HOT LUCK, BUT ALSO AGAIN, LIKE TALK ABOUT THE CITY THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD OF.

UM, SO AGAIN, SOUTHERN SMOKE IS OUR BENEFACTOR.

UH, IT STARTED IN 2015 BY CHRIS SHEPHERD, WHO IS A CHEF IN HOUSTON.

UM, IT, IT FUNCTIONS VERY MUCH LIKE HAM AND SIMS DOES LOCALLY.

UM, THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY A SAFETY NET FOR INDUSTRY WORKERS.

UM, SO IF YOU BREAK YOUR HAND AND YOU CAN'T WORK, THEY WILL HELP OFFSET COSTS.

UM, THEY ALSO, DURING THE PANDEMIC STARTED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

SO IF, IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING, UM, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AND THEY'LL PAIR YOU WITH SOMEONE TO TALK.

UM, AND THEY ALSO EXTEND OUTSIDE OF JUST THAT PERSON.

SO A LOT OF, I THINK IT'S LIKE 55% OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HELP, UH, ALSO ARE, HAVE AT LEAST ONE CHILD.

AND SO THE SERVICES THAT PROVIDE ALSO EXTEND TO THEIR KIDS AND HELP WITH.

SO THEY TRY TO COVER COSTS FOR DAYCARE OR MEDICAL COSTS TOO, FOR INDUSTRY WORKERS CHILDREN.

UM, THE, WHAT WE'RE DOING ON SATURDAY IS, AGAIN, IT'S AT THE, THE STATE THEATER.

IT'S SOLELY FOR INDUSTRY WORKERS IN THE CITY.

UM, BUT IT IS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME THE, THERE'S A PANEL, UH, THEY'LL BE DISCUSSING, UH, HOW TO KIND OF, TO PREPARE FOR A CRISIS, UH, FINANCIAL PLANNING THAT GOES INTO PREPARING FOR THAT CRISIS.

THEN ALSO JUST HOW

[00:20:01]

TO, UM, REACH OUT FOR HELP AND TO GET FREE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS.

UM, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN, A QUICK SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, SO WE KIND OF HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HOT LUCK IS.

UM, THURSDAY WE JUST HAVE THE, THE KICKOFF PARTY AT MOHAWK, UH, THAT IS SOLELY FOR OUR, LIKE WHOLE ENCHILADA OR VIP TICKET HOLDERS.

UM, IS THAT ONE'S FOCUS IS, IT'S ALL KIND OF LIKE LOCAL TACOS.

UM, SO IT'S, UH, I DON'T NEED TO GO SPECIFICS, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT IS, IT IS JUST AT THE MOHAWK.

IT'S A THREE HOUR EVENT THAT WILL THEN LEAD INTO, UH, A MUSIC PERFORMANCE.

UM, AND THEN ALSO THAT NIGHT WE DO HAVE THE INDUSTRY WELCOME PARTY.

UM, FRIDAY, UH, IS AT FAIR MARKET IN TOWN WE DO, IT'S THIS YEAR WE'RE CALLING IT SEPARATE CLUB, SO IT'S KIND OF SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE A, AN OLD, LIKE A THIRTIES, FORTIES LIKE STEAKHOUSE MIDWEST VIBE EVENT.

UM, AND THEN AGAIN, UH, MUSIC PROGRAMMING THAT NIGHT.

SATURDAY IS WHEN WE HAVE OUR BIG KIND OF MAIN EVENT OUT AT WILD ONION RANCH, WHICH IS JUST KIND OF IN SOUTH AUSTIN.

UM, IT'S ALL LIVE FIRE COOKING.

UM, IT'S WHERE A LOT OF CHEFS KIND OF DO EXPERIMENTAL STUFF THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO DO, UM, AT THEIR RESTAURANT.

UH, THEN ALSO WE HAVE ON SATURDAY ALONE, I THINK WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE, ARE JUST SPECIFIC TO CHEFS AND INDUSTRY FOLKS.

AND THEN SUNDAY IS JUST KIND OF OUR, OUR REP, UM, FOR THE DAY.

AND IT'S A BRUNCH OUT AT WILDLAND RANCH AND WE ALSO HAVE MUSIC THAT NIGHT.

UM, BUT THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF HOT LUCK IN A NUTSHELL.

UM, BUT YEAH, WELCOME TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

UH, JUST FOR PEOPLE IN GENERAL AND LIKE THAT WILL HAPPEN, NA, NATIONWIDE, HOUCKS THE ONLY OTHER EVENT THAT I'VE HAD A SIMILAR SENSE OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING, UM, LIKE WE CAN, LIKE I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, JUST IN DIFFERENT STATES WORKING ON DIFFERENT EVENTS AND LIKE SOMEONE MENTIONS LIKE HOW MUCH THEY LOVE HOT LOOKING INTO THEIR FAVORITE FOOD FESTIVAL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. MEEZ.

UM, I REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE LUNCH AND IT'S LIKE THE WORST MEETING FOR TWO HOURS TO SIT THROUGH, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND, UH, WITH THAT, UH, I DID ACTUALLY WANNA FORMALLY SAY THAT THIS MONTH'S THEME HERE AT THE TOURISM COMMISSION IS ALL ABOUT CULINARY FOOD AND BEVERAGE HERE IN AUSTIN.

SO, UH, THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW, UH, THE CULINARY, UH, SECTOR INTERFACES WITH TOURISM MORE BROADLY.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PROVIDING THESE DETAILS ABOUT THE HOT LUCK FESTIVAL.

UH, WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, UH, FOR OUR SPEAKER TODAY? UH, COMMISSIONER CHOP? SO, UH, YOU MENTIONED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES QUITE A BIT.

ARE THERE OTHER BENEFITS THROUGH SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALSO EXTENDED TO INDUSTRY RIGHT, AND CHEFS AS WELL AS THEIR DEPENDENTS, OR IS IT JUST MENTAL HEALTH? NO, SO SOMETIMES SMOKE WILL, THERE KIND OF TWO, TWO KEY COMPONENTS.

ONE IS THE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, ASPECT OF IT SO YOU CAN REACH OUT.

UH, THE OTHER IS KIND OF LIKE THE MONETARY SAFETY NET.

SO, UH, LIKE SAY IF YOU WERE A DISHWASHER AND YOU BROKE YOUR HAND AND YOU COULDN'T WORK FOR TWO WEEKS, UH, THEY WOULD HELP SUBSIDIZE YOUR TIME AWAY FROM, FROM WORKING.

UM, BUT THAT, THOSE ARE KIND OF LIKE THE TWO MAIN, UH, PARTS OF YEAH.

SELLING A SMOKE.

COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UM, EXCUSE ME, TWO QUESTIONS.

YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SEPARATE, BUT I'M JUST GONNA THROW 'EM BOTH AND YOU CAN ADDRESS 'EM BOTH.

THE FIRST ONE IS JUST MAYBE COMMENTING ON HOW YOU MIGHT WORK WITH ANY HOTEL PARTNERS OR YEAH.

HOW THAT OPERATES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF OPERATING THE FESTIVAL.

SECOND QUESTION IS MORE ABOUT, SINCE YOU'VE BEEN ON THE GROUND FOR A BIT, UH, SOMETHING ABOUT REPEAT CUSTOMERS OR SOMETHING YOU'RE TRACKING IF PEOPLE COME BACK.

SO YOU KNOW, THAT POTENTIALLY THAT THIS IS CAUSING PEOPLE TO COME BACK AND, AND, AND REPEAT AND PARTICIPATE.

AND THAT COULD BE ON THE CHEF LEVEL AND IT CAN ALSO BE WITHIN THE, UH, JUST GENERAL FAN, YOU KNOW, TICKET HOLDER FOR SURE.

SO, UH, WE DO WORK WITH, UH, A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE LIST OF HOTELS IN TOWN.

I, OUR, OUR PREMIER PARTNER IS THE FAIRMONT.

UM, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST LIKE, THAT'S ALSO WHERE LIKE ALL THE CHEFS PREP.

SO LIKE A LOT OF LIKE MAJORITY OF OUR CHEFS TIME WHEN THEY'RE WORKING IS SPENT AT THE FAIRMONT.

UM, WE ALSO WORK WITH LIKE, UH, SOUTH CONGRESS HOTEL, THE MORNE, UH, THE DRISCOLL'S NEW FOR US THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, UH, ALL OF THE BUNKHOUSE PROPERTIES, UH, EAST AUSTIN HOTEL AND THE COLTON HOUSE.

I THINK THOSE ARE THE EXTENT OF, OF WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH.

UH, AND AGAIN, WE, WE PUT CHEFS IN ACROSS ALL THOSE HOTELS.

WE, WE PUSH PEOPLE.

THE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK OUT THIS YEAR, UM, IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT IS JUST LIKE HOW WE CAN CREATE A PACKAGE SO THAT WE CAN JUST PUT LIKE FOUR X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS YOU CAN COME, UM, UH, STAY HERE, GO TO THESE EVENTS.

UM, SO YEAH, WE, WE DO WORK WITH A TON OF, UH, PARTNERS, UH, HOTEL PARTNERS.

UM, AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WAS, PEOPLE COMING BACK, I DON'T HAVE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I WILL SAY, LIKE, I ALSO USED TO DO, UH, A MUSIC FESTIVAL IN TOWN CALLED FUN, FUN, FUN FEST.

UM, I STILL TO THIS DAY GET COMMENTS ABOUT LIKE, HOW GREAT THAT WAS FOR LIKE A CERTAIN,

[00:25:01]

UM, SO I KNOW LIKE CHEF WISE, WE GET A TON OF PEOPLE THAT COME BACK EVEN THIS YEAR.

LIKE WE HAVE EXTENDED INVITES TO PEOPLE.

AND THIS KIND OF GOES BACK TO LIKE US TRYING TO LIKE CHEF FORWARD TRYING TO BECOME LIKE A HUB FOR THE INDUSTRY.

LIKE WE'VE INVITED CHEFS TO COME AND JUST HANG OUT THIS YEAR.

UM, AND LIKE PEOPLE ARE TAKING US UP ON THAT.

SO LIKE, WE DO WORK WITH A BUNCH OF THE SAME FOLKS, BUT LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE NOW TO A POINT TO WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE A BUNCH OF TIMES I'VE HAVE BEEN AT THE FESTIVAL ARE WORKING ARE, WE'RE HOPING JUST TO GET THEM TO COME BACK AND HANG OUT AND PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING IT.

COMMISSIONER REALLY CONTINUE, I WAS JUST GONNA FOLLOW FOLLOW UP AND, AND FOLLOW UP.

SO MY, WHAT I TAKE AWAY FROM THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE CHEFS ARE CULTURAL INFLUENCERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THEY COME HERE SO THAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE THEM, BUT THEY TAKE THE MESSAGE OF WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING HERE BACK AND THAT THAT BECOMES A CYCLICAL EFFECT THAT, THAT GETS PEOPLE COMING BACK.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION I WAS GONNA HAVE, 'CAUSE I HOW MA WHEN YOU LOOK AT AN AVERAGE TICKET BUYER, AND I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO BREAK IT OUT FROM OUTTA MARKET, BUT HOW, HOW MANY DAYS WOULD YOU SAY THEY PARTIC WHAT, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE, ARE THEY IN FOR ONE EVENT, TWO DAYS, THREE DAYS? BECAUSE WE LOOK AT THAT THROUGH TOURISM LENS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

LIKE THEY'RE STAYING IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, NOT ONE NIGHT OR ONE DAY EVENT, BUT THEY'RE HERE FOR TWO NIGHTS, THREE NIGHTS, THAT KIND OF THING.

I THINK SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND.

WHETHER THAT'S LIKE SPONSORS OR JUST PEOPLE LIKE WANT TO CONVERSE WITH DIFFERENT CHEFS.

SO I THINK IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SAY, BUT LIKE IT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HERE ARE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK.

AND SO FOUR DAYS IF NOT LONGER.

COMMISSIONER PEN, THANKS FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND, UH, SPEAKING WITH US.

I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS EVENT UNTIL YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT NOW I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT AND, UM, I'D LOVE TO ATTEND.

UM, I HAD A QUESTION SIMILAR TO, UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.

I WAS WONDERING THAT 12,000 ENTERTAINED, THOSE ARE TICKETED FOLKS, NOT THE CHEFS, CORRECT? CORRECT.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S ACROSS ALL EVENTS.

THAT'S AWESOME BECAUSE ADDITIONALLY YOU HAVE ANOTHER LIKE THREE TO 6,000 OR CHEFS THAT ARE HERE WORKING AND THEY COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE AREA.

CORRECT.

YOU'D SAY MAJORITY OF THE CHEFS ARE COMING FROM OUTSIDE? UH, IT'S PROB THE, THE, THE CHEFS THAT ARE COOKING, IT'S PROBABLY 50 50.

UM, BUT YEAH, ATTENDING FOR SURE.

UH, AND ALSO, I DIDN'T MENTION THIS BEFORE, BUT LIKE THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING NOW TOO IS TRYING TO FIND DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS FOR JUST DIFFERENT EVENTS.

SO LIKE THIS YEAR WE'RE DOING A POPUP, UH, AT UPTOWN SPORTS WITH THE OUT OF TOWN CHEF.

UM, AND SO THAT'S TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE HOT LUCK, BUT NOT HAVING TO BUY A FULL TICKET AND JUST BEING ABLE TO GO AND LIKE, HAVE BASICALLY A MEAL AND KIND OF STILL EXPERIENCE THE, THE FESTIVAL.

OKAY, GREAT.

I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, SO THE WAY YOU'RE TICKETING WORKS, YOU COULD BUY LIKE A ONE EVENT ONE DAY OR A MULTI-DAY, CORRECT.

YOU HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

YEAH, EITHER LIKE THE FOOD EVENTS, YOU CAN EITHER GET ONE FULL PACKAGE THAT'S THE ENTIRE EVENT, UM, OR YOU CAN BUY PER EVENT AND THEN ALSO LIKE THE MUSIC SHOWS BY THEMSELVES.

SO LIKE EVERYTHING IS KIND OF ALL APART.

LET'S CALL IT WHAT IT IS.

IT'S THE WHOLE ENCHILADA CORRECT.

EXACTLY.

THAT'S THE ALL IN ALL EVERYTHING TICKET.

YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S RIGHT.

A A VERY FITTING PUN.

COMMISSIONER BAILEY , ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

SO ARE YOU MOSTLY MANAGING THIS AND CONTRACTING WITH THE HOTELS THEMSELVES? AND YOU HAVEN'T, HAVE YOU UTILIZED LIKE THE RESOURCES THAT VISIT AUSTIN OR TOM NUN AND ANY OF THOSE CREWS? UH, SO TO HELP RIGHT.

MOST OF THE HOTELS, UM, FOR CHEFS ARE JUST ONE-ON-ONE, IT'S KIND OF A MIX.

SO LIKE THE HOTELS FOR CHEFS ARE PRETTY MUCH JUST ONE-ON-ONE LIKE US REACHING OUT AND THEN MAKE CREATING SOME SORT OF DEAL WITH THEM.

THE, WE DO WORK WITH VISIT AUSTIN FOR A SELECT FEW OF THE NATIONAL MEDIA, UM, TO COME IN TO WHERE THEY WILL HELP COVER COSTS.

UM, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE ABOUT FIVE MAYBE PER YEAR.

NO, AND, AND I MISS THE FUN, FUN, FUN FEST.

IT WAS AMAZING.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

SEEING NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MR. MAYORS FOR COMING THIS AFTERNOON.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

AND, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION WILL BE UPLOADED TO OUR WEBSITE.

SOME MORE FOLKS WILL HEAR ABOUT THE HOT LUCK FESTIVAL COMING.

THANK YOU TO AUSTIN.

THIS, UH, MAY 23RD TO 26TH.

NEXT UP WE'RE MOVING ON TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER

[00:30:01]

[4. Presentation by Katie Dorflinger, Brand Partnerships and Festival Producer, of C3 Presents regarding the Austin Food & Wine Festival and how this event engages with practitioners in the culinary industry of Austin creating tourism impact and initiatives. ]

FOUR, A PRESENTATION BY KATIE DOLINGER, UH, BRAND PARTNERSHIPS AND FESTIVAL PRODUCER OF C3 PRESENTS REGARDING THE AUSTIN FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL AND HOW THIS EVENT ENGAGES, UH, WITH PRACTITIONERS IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY OF AUSTIN, CREATING TOURISM IMPACT, UM, RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY.

WE LOVE MS. DORF FLINGER.

HI, WELCOME.

I'M KATIE DOLINGER FROM C3 PRESENTS.

I'M THE, UH, FESTIVAL PRODUCER FOR AUSTIN FOOD WINE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE, UH, CHANCE TO JUST TALK THROUGH THE FESTIVAL AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, UM, UH, OUR FANS THAT COME YEAR OVER YEAR.

SO, UM, I'LL JUST START ROLLING THROUGH.

WE'RE COMING BACK, UH, FOR THE 13TH YEAR THIS NOVEMBER.

UM, IF, IF YOU REMEMBER THE, UM, THE HILL, TEXAS HILL COUNTRY FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL IS REALLY HOW IT STARTED, UM, OUT IN THE HILL COUNTRY.

AND, UM, CHARLIE JONES STARTED WORKING WITH THE, THE GROUP THERE AND BROUGHT IT, UH, INTO AUSTIN AND IT IS WHAT IT IS TODAY OUT AT, UH, AUDITORIUM SHORES.

SO, UM, A LONG HISTORY THERE.

IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT.

OUR, UH, A BENEFICIARY IS THE TEXAS FOOD AND WINE ALLIANCE, AND WHAT THE ALLIANCE DOES IS THEY OFFER, UH, GRANTS TO THE CULINARY INDUSTRY, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN AND HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR JUST REALLY, UH, INNOVATIVE CULINARY PRODUCTS THAT HAVE COME TO THE MARKET, UM, OFFERS, UH, GRANTS TO FARMS, UH, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO I'M SUPER, YOU KNOW, PLEASED TO WORK WITH THEM.

THEY, THEY, THEY PUT A LOT OF, UH, OTHER GREAT EVENTS ON IN AUSTIN, BUT AUSTIN FOOD AND WINE IS, IS KIND OF THEIR MONEY MAKER.

SO WE'RE HAPPY TO KEEP GOING AND TO KEEP THE, THE TEXAS FOOD AND WINE ALLIANCE GOING.

UM, THIS IS A, I'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT IN.

I'M JUST GONNA, UH, GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME TALENT THAT WE BRING INTO AUSTIN.

UH, THIS IS LAST YEAR'S, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING THROUGH 2020 WAS ROUGH AND, UH, REALLY KIND OF WAS A RESET FOR US TO, UH, AND REALLY SINCE THE, THE, THE BEGINNING OF 13 YEARS AGO, AUSTIN AS A CITY CHANGED SO MUCH IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY.

SO WE REALLY HAD TO, WE, WE WENT FROM BRINGING IN HUGE KIND OF NAMES IN THE FOOD NETWORK SCENE, AND THAT WAS A REALLY BIG THING FOR THAT HEYDAY.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF STARTED LOOKING AROUND, ESPECIALLY TRYING TO UPLIFT OUR, OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR CHEFS HERE IN AUSTIN AND WE HAVE WORLD CLASS TALENT HERE.

UH, SO WE DIDN'T OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO LOOK FAR.

IT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

IT'S CHANGED SO MUCH OVER THE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST DECADE.

SO SUPER EXCITED TO GET TO, UH, WORK WITH AUSTIN LOCAL CHEFS.

WE REALLY PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS IN THAT AND FINDING THOSE, UH, THAT TALENT HERE, UH, THAT ARE INTERESTED IN COMING OUT TO THE FESTIVAL AND BROADENING THEIR NAME ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND WE STILL OBVIOUSLY BRING IN, UH, NATIONAL CHEFS AS WELL THAT, YOU KNOW, COME IN FROM NEW YORK, CHICAGO, LA UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO PAIR THEM UP WITH CHEFS HERE, UH, SO THEY CAN KIND OF WORK AND COLLAB AND WE REALLY FIND THAT THAT'S A BIG REASON WHY THEY WANNA BE INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVAL.

SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF NAMES FROM LOCAL, UM, FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND, UH, NATIONALS AS WELL.

SO, UH, WE'RE TWO DAYS, UM, WE'RE 6,000 FANS OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEKEND AND WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF PROGRAMMING, WHICH I'LL BREAK OUT HERE IN A MINUTE.

UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, THE BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE GET TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH AN ICONIC, UH, PARK THAT WE GET TO BE IN.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE SUPER HAPPY WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PART AND THANKFUL FOR THAT.

UM, UM, I'LL GO IN A LITTLE BIT TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS HERE.

WE'RE SO, WE'RE SO HEAVY FEMALES.

IT IS, IT'S LIKE PARTY TIME, WINE TIME, AND ALSO FOOD AND WINE.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY THE DECISION MAKERS OF BUYING THE TICKET, COMING OUT, BEING, YOU KNOW, BRINGING A GROUP OF GIRLS YOU DON'T REALLY NOTICE.

IT'S ALSO, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT BASED OFF OF A, A POST ACTION FESTIVAL SURVEY.

AND SO THE, THE FEMALES ALSO WANNA WEIGH IN AND, AND, AND RIGHTFULLY SO, WE MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS BASED ON THAT SURVEY.

UM, SO WE DO, I, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S LIKE FEMALE FEST DOWN THERE.

WE DO SEE A LOT OF, UH, MEN TOO THAT COME OUT, UH, AND WE'RE TRYING TO UP OUR BEER AND WHISKEY OFFERINGS TO ENTICE THEM EVEN MORE.

UM, BUT YEAH, SO IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY, IT'S SKEWED PRETTY WIDELY THERE.

UM, OUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS PRETTY HIGH.

UM, OUR, OUR TICKET RUNS FOR ANYWHERE FROM TWO 50 TO SEVEN 50.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SOMEONE THAT HAS MORE DISCRETIONARY INCOME, UH, MORE OF THAT ENTERTAINMENT BUDGET TO, UH, TO DIP INTO.

AND, UH, WE PULL, YOU KNOW, FROM DIFFERENT MARKETS, WHICH WILL BE, UH, ON THIS NEXT PAGE.

BUT, UM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S ALL OVER THE MAP ON AGES, HONESTLY.

I SEE EVERYBODY OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO COME OUT AND WATCHES, UM, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN FOOD SHOWS AND THEY WANNA SEE THEIR FAVORITE CHEFS TO PEOPLE THAT JUST WANNA DISCOVER.

SO, UM, IT'S REALLY ALL OVER THE MAP AS FAR AS AGE GOES, OBVIOUSLY 21 AND UP.

UM, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE DIGITAL DATA.

THIS IS JUST OUR REACH.

WE LIKE TO SHARE THIS WITH BRANDS, WITH CHEFS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, HOPING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BE INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVAL AND KIND OF SHOWCASE THIS IS WHAT AUSTIN CAN, YOU KNOW, COME TO AUSTIN.

THIS IS A GREAT CITY AND THIS IS WHAT, HOW WE CAN BACK YOU UP ON THE MARKETING SIDE.

UH, SO WE HAVE A NICE DIGITAL REACH THERE.

UM, REALLY BACK TO, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S INTERESTING FOR YOU GUYS IS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE BRINGING IN FROM, YOU KNOW, OUT OF, OUT OF THE STATE? WE, WE HAVE A VERY SIMILAR OVERLAP OF JUST KIND OF METRO AREAS.

UM, ILLINOIS, IOWA, CALIFORNIA, UM,

[00:35:01]

NEW YORK DIDN'T MAKE THIS, BUT I KNOW I'VE SEEN IT ON THE LIST.

UM, AND PEOPLE REALLY DO CREATE A WHOLE WEEKEND OF COMING OUT TO THE FESTIVAL.

SO THEY'LL COME OUT ON FRIDAY AND THEN HEAD OUT ON MONDAY.

UM, SO THEY'RE, SO THEY'RE HERE OVER THE WHOLE COURSE OF THE WEEKEND.

UM, AND YET IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 25% AND WE'RE LOOKING TO KEEP GROWING THAT.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT BY, IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE WHERE WE'RE KIND OF GOING BACK TO TALENT AND WHO WE'RE BOOKING AND HOW WE LOOK AT THAT.

WE WANT A GOOD MIX OF AUSTIN CHEFS 'CAUSE WE WANT THEM TO COME IN AND EXPERIENCE AUSTIN, RIGHT? IT'S KIND OF A ONE STOP SHOP FOR GETTING ALL OF THAT CULINARY EXPERIENCE, BUT WE ALSO WANNA CREATE A DRIVE SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN GET CHICAGO IN THERE, THEY CAN GET ATLANTA IN THERE, AND YOU HAVE SOME OTHER CULINARY HOTSPOTS.

UM, SO YEAH, SO WE HAVE A, UM, WHILE WE'RE ON THE MARKET SPREAD, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, HOW WE, HOW YOU BOOK A HOTEL.

WE DO HAVE A DIRECT LINK THROUGH OUR WEBSITE.

SO IF YOU GO ON TO THE WEBSITE, THERE IS A BANNER THAT SAYS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BOOK A HOTEL? SO WE'RE TRYING TO HELP FACILITATE THAT FOR THEM AND MAKE THAT KIND OF A ONE-STOP SHOPPING EXPERIENCE ALSO OF BUYING YOUR TICKET ONLINE, BOOKING YOUR HOTEL ONLINE.

WE WORK WITH, UM, QUINT ROOMS ON MOST OF OUR, UM, HOTEL BOOKINGS.

AND SO THAT COMPANY HELPS US FACILITATE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND GETS GREAT RATES.

UH, IT'S A SIM A SIMILAR MECHANISM AS ACL FESTIVAL.

UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIT ON HOW WE KIND OF LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, HELP AT LEAST CREATE THAT.

YOU'RE COMING IN, YOU'RE BUYING THE TICKET, WE'RE GONNA HELP FACILITATE ALL THAT FOR YOU.

AND THEN WE'RE TAKING CARE OF ALL OF YOUR ENTERTAINMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEKEND.

SO I CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET ONSITE AT AUSTIN? FOOD AND WINE? OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT TO, TO LOOK, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT TO TASTE, A LOT TO TRY.

UM, WE HAVE OUR LARGEST KIND OF CENTRAL TENT ARE CALLED THE GRAND, UH, GRAND TASTE TENTS.

AND IT'S FULL OF WHERE YOU'RE GONNA FIND MOST OF YOUR, UM, LOCAL RESTAURANTS.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA TRY EVERYTHING FROM, UH, LOCALLY MADE BUTTER TO CERTAIN RESTAURANTS THAT ARE HERE.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF OUR WINES AND OUR WINE TENTS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE CENTRAL PART OF THE, UM, OF THE FESTIVAL.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS ON, ON THIS SATURDAY DOWN AT AUDITORIUM SHORES.

AND SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, ALSO DEMOS AND SEMINARS THAT ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, EITHER WINE OR SPIRIT BASE.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE BEER, UM, BREWERS COME IN, BUT THEY, UM, THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

IF YOU COME TO THE FESTIVAL, WHICH YOU SHOULD, IT IS, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE A PLATE IN FRONT OF YOU AND SEVERAL POS IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU REALLY GET TO HEAR FROM THE EXPERT ON WHO YOU KNOW.

IT'S EITHER SOMEONE THAT'S MADE IT OR, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE A BRAND REPRESENTATIVE THAT IS TALKING ABOUT KIND OF THE HISTORY OF IT, HOW TO TASTE IT, HOW TO PAIR IT WITH FOOD.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION HERE.

UH, THE WINE TENTS ARE SOME OF OUR MOST POPULAR, UM, ACTIVITIES.

WE ALSO HAVE THE CHEF DEMO TENT, WHICH IS, UM, MORE OF JUST KIND OF WATCHING AND OBSERVING AND THEY TEACH YOU TIPS AND TRICKS ON HOW TO MAKE CERTAIN FOODS.

SO THERE IS A, JUST A BIG KIND OF EDUCATIONAL PIECE.

UM, IT'S REALLY FUN TO LISTEN TO THE STORIES ABOUT THE CHEF AND HOW THEY GOT THEIR START AND THEY'LL CHAT AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE FOOD AND IT'S, UH, IT'S A GOOD TIME.

THE FIRE PIT IS A BIG, UM, KIND OF DRAW FOR THE FESTIVAL AS WELL.

IT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK AND IT IS, IT'S WILD.

YOU HAVE ALL SORTS OF GIRLS SET UP CUSTOM TO, DEPENDING ON WHICH CHEFS COMING IN TO DO IT.

WE'LL HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A GROUP OF CHEFS THAT KIND OF WANNA GET TOGETHER AND DO IT ALL TOGETHER.

SO THEY'LL, THEY'RE OUT THERE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, DAYLIGHT TO LIGHT THEIR FIRES TO GET THINGS GOING.

AND, UM, IT'S SUPER HARD WORK 'CAUSE IT GETS HOT AND, BUT IT'S SUPER FUN.

UH, THEY HAVE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THEY JUST GET TO TAILGATE ALL DAY .

SO, UM, YEAH, THEY, THEY, THEY GET TO JUST, UM, COOK, YOU KNOW, ANY SORT OF PROTEINS OUT THERE.

THEY DO A TON OF VEGETABLES AND THEY HAVE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT APPARATUS TO GET TO COOK THIS, WHICH IS SUPER COOL TO WATCH.

UM, AND THEN PEOPLE GET TO WALK UP AND ASK HOW, WHAT THE GRILLING TECHNIQUES ARE LIKE, AND THEN TO GET TO TRY THE FOOD.

SO YOU WALK AWAY WITH FOOD, UM, YOU ARE TRYING FOOD, REALLY FOOD AND DRINK AT EVERY, AT EVERY TURN, AND IT'S ALL INCLUSIVE IN THE TICKET.

I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, SO YOU'RE NEVER OPENING YOUR WALLET UNLESS YOU'RE PURCHASING MERCH.

UH, HANDS-ON GRILLING IS KIND OF ONE OUR, UH, OF OUR KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BIG PIECES OF THE FESTIVAL THAT'S NOT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE DO.

SO IT IS, UH, WITH CHEF TIM LOVE WHO'S OUT OF FORT WORTH, HE COMES IN AND BUILDS OUT A, UM, A KIND OF A HUGE AREA.

YOU EACH GET YOUR OWN WEBER GRILL, SO IT'S SETTING UP 200 GRILLS, UM, AND LIGHTING 'EM ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S QUITE A FEAT TO GET IT JUST GOING JUST RIGHT.

AND, UM, AND EVERYBODY GETS TO FOLLOW ALONG.

HE'S UP THERE ON THE STAGE, HE'S TELLING YOU HOW TO COOK A STEAK OR WHATEVER, PROTEIN HE'S DECIDED FISH SOMETIMES.

UM, AND THEN, UH, HE, UH, TAKES YOU THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH AND THEN YOU SIT AND GET TO ENJOY IT AND EAT.

SO, UM, IT'S A SUPER FUN EVENT AND IT KICKS OFF NOW WE'VE MOVED IT TO THE MORNING BEFORE, SO YOU STARTED ABOUT 11 AND THEN YOU CAN ROLL OVER TO THE FESTIVAL AFTER YOU'RE DONE.

UM, IN TEXAS IS OUR SATURDAY NIGHT EVENT.

UM, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A PIVOT.

WE, WE USED TO DO TACOS AND SO IT WAS KIND OF A TACO COMPETITION, SUPER FUN.

WE JUST THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO CHANGE IT AND HAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT NEWER.

[00:40:01]

SO THIS LAST YEAR WE CAME OUT WITH MAID IN TEXAS AND IT IS, UH, REALLY ALL ABOUT, UH, THE CHEF'S INTERPRETATION OF THE HISTORY OF TEXAS AND THE CULINARY HISTORY OF TEXAS, WHICH IS KIND OF FUN TO SEE EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, IDEA OF, OF WHAT THAT IS.

UM, THESE ARE JUST SOME KIND OF PICTURES OF WHAT GOES ON JUST TO GIVE YOU A BETTER VISUAL OF, UM, OF WHAT YOU KNOW OF THE FESTIVAL.

UM, WE HAVE A TON OF AMAZING SPONSORS.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND I, I'LL KIND OF GET INTO SHARED GOALS HERE IN A MINUTE OF KIND OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT YOU GUYS DO.

UM, BUT JUST REALLY BIG BRANDS THAT, THAT I THINK REALLY NEED TO HAVE A PIECE OF AUSTIN AND BE A PART OF AUSTIN.

I THINK THAT'S A PART OF, UH, KIND OF WHERE WE HAVE SOME OVERLAP OF HAVING BRANDS THAT COME IN LIKE A DELTA OR YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME OF THESE LARGER COMPANIES THAT MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR, UM, EVENTS CAN'T HAPPEN IN AUSTIN WITHOUT SPONSORS, RIGHT? IT'S JUST PART OF IT.

AND SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE HERE AND SHOW THEM AUSTIN AND SHOW THEM THAT THERE IS A PAYOUT THERE, I THINK THAT IS, THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR EVERYBODY.

UM, I WOULD, A COUPLE JUST NOTES ON THE SHARED GOALS.

I THINK FOR US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE BOTH TRYING TO ELEVATE THE AUSTIN FOOD SCENE.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS KIND OF IS ALL ABOUT AND GETTING PEOPLE HERE TO ENJOY THAT.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF OUR BRINGING TOP TALENT REALLY IS KIND OF TOP OF MIND FOR US.

AND, UM, THIS COULD RESULT IN OPENING A RESTAURANT.

CHEFS COULD COME IN AND OPEN A RESTAURANT JUST BASED ON, AND WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE JUST BASED ON COMING TO ONE OF OUR FOOD EVENTS.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING, THAT BRINGS IN MORE PEOPLE.

UH, IT GROWS THE CITY AND KIND OF JUST THE, UM, THE CULINARY CACHET THAT WE HAVE JUST BECOMING A PREMIER CULINARY DESTINATION REALLY.

UM, I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BIG BRANDS, UH, JUST OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE GROWTH AND BRINGING IN THOSE BIGGER BRANDS, UH, THAT SOMETIMES THAT RESULTS INTO AIRLINES ADDING ON AN EXTRA, YOU KNOW, LAG THAT IT JUST KIND OF CASCADES THE MORE THAT WE GET THOSE BIGGER BRANDS IN THERE, UM, I THINK THAT REALLY THE BETTER FOR, FOR EVERYBODY.

AND I THINK WE'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO SHOWCASE AUSTIN TALENT TO GET PEOPLE TO TRAVEL HERE, UM, FOR THE FESTIVAL AND HAVE A GREAT ONE-STOP AUSTIN EXPERIENCE.

UH, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER SHANNON.

THANK YOU MS. DOLINGER.

SO EXCUSE ME, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT HOW MANY HOTEL ROOMS DO YOU THINK YOU SELL OR, OR SOLD FOR THE FESTIVAL? UM, WELL, WE GO DIRECTLY WITH OUR HOTEL ROOMS FOR, WE, WE PUT THE CHEF TALENT UP AT THE LAUREN THIS YEAR, RIGHT? AND SO A LOT OF OUR STAFF, WE USUALLY USE UP AT LEAST TWO HOTELS FULLY.

UM, BUT I WAS REALLY TALKING ABOUT OUT OF TOWN TICKET PURCHASES.

I DON'T KNOW THE THE ANSWER FOR, FOR YOU ON THAT, SPECIFICALLY ON THE NUMBER OF ROOMS THAT, UH, WE BOOK, BUT WE DON'T WE DON'T GET AS MUCH AS OF THE, UH, OF, OF OUR, UH, STAFF LOOKING INTO THAT AS ACL GETS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER LIKE THAT.

UM, BUT YEAH, WITH 6,000 OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEKEND, ABOUT 25% COMING OUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COUPLE, I WOULD SAY 200, 300.

AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHAT DO Y'ALL DO IF IT RAINS? YEAH, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

IT'S RAINED BEFORE.

UM, IT DEPENDS ON WHEN IT RAINS.

UM, IF IT RAINS, UH, RIGHT BEFORE WE'RE GOING TO SET UP, UH, AND WE CAN'T SET UP, IT TAKES ABOUT A WEEK TO BUILD THE FESTIVAL.

UM, SO, UM, THEN WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND SEE WHAT THE BEST, UH, WAY FORWARD IS.

UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY LEND ITSELF TO AN INDOOR FESTIVAL AND SO WE WOULD AT THAT POINT MAKE THE DECISION THAT'S BETTER FOR THE FAN OF REFUNDING THE FAN, UH, SO THEY CAN COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE.

A CLOSER CHEF EXPERIENCE OF LIKE COOLER PROTEINS OR, YOU KNOW, UM, SOME AMAZING WINE DINNERS THAT YOU GUYS COULD DO.

COMMISSIONER SHANNON.

OTHERS? COMMISSIONERS? QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER SHEEY? I WAS WONDERING, UH, SO CHEFS ARE KIND OF A HIGHLIGHT OF THIS EVENT AS WELL AS THE, THE LAST EVENT THAT WAS HERE.

UM, I WAS WONDERING HOW MANY OF THE CHEFS COME FROM INSIDE OF THE AREA AND HOW MANY OF THEM COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE AREA? BECAUSE I, I HEAR YOU'RE TRYING TO GET SOME TYPE OF REPRESENTATION OR BOTH.

YEAH, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK THAT IT DEPENDS ON THE EVENT, BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF OUR CHEF DEMOS OR OUR KIND OF MORE PREMIER NIGHT EVENTS, I WOULD SAY IT'S ABOUT, UM, 80% OUT OF TOWN, 20% LOCAL.

AND THEN IF YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE GRAND TASTE AREA, IT'S PROBABLY MORE CLOSER TO 90% LOCAL.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHICH PART OF THE FESTIVAL IT'S, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SHAY.

OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS? WELL, I LOVED HEARING ABOUT THESE FESTIVALS.

THERE'S A FESTIVAL THAT I GO TO EVERY YEAR, UM, BECAUSE I LOVE IT AND BECAUSE OF IT ALSO JUST HAPPENS TO ALWAYS BE LIKE ON MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND, BIG SERVE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL.

AND I'D LOVE TO SEE, UM, YOU GUYS GET LARGER TO WHERE YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, THAT FESTIVAL, 'CAUSE IT'S IN SUCH A SMALL AREA OVER THE YEARS, IS HAVE ALL THESE LITTLE POPUP THINGS THAT ARE IN THE EVENING WHERE IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S A PRICEY TICKET, BUT LIKE WITH, UH,

[00:45:01]

SO I THINK YOU GUYS ARE JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY STARTING TO GET YOUR STRIDE AFTER COVID AND I THINK THAT WE COULD SEE SOME REALLY COOL POPUPS FOR THESE ALL OVER THE CITY FOR THESE EVENTS.

SO, UM, I LOVE HEARING ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS WITH THESE AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT YOU WERE SO MALE DOMINANT AND YOU WERE SO FEELING I SAW THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, CHARLESTON DOES A REALLY NICE JOB OF, UH, ACTIVATING THE CITY AND I THINK THEY'RE A REALLY INTERESTING KIND OF, UM, A, UH, JUST A, A CASE STUDY OF DOING A FESTIVAL WELL WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CITY AND ROLLING IT OUT TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS.

UM, THEY JUST HAD REALLY BAD LUCK WITH WEATHER, BUT MM-HMM.

, HOPEFULLY THEY MAKE A FULL COMEBACK.

OH, I HATE IT WHEN THE WEATHER COMES AND MESSES WITH THE FESTIVALS.

YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LIONEL RICHARD A C YEAR LA FEW YEARS AGO? SAD.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER MATHIS, VICE CHAIR BAILEY.

UM, I'M WONDERING TWO THINGS.

ONE, I KNOW THAT YOU USED TO HOLD THE FESTIVAL IN THE SPRING AND NOW IT'S IN THE FALL.

CURIOUS ABOUT THE DYNAMICS AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES MAYBE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW DID THAT POSSIBLY CREATE GROWTH OR ENRICH, YOU KNOW, THE EVENT OPERATED FINANCIALLY OR WHATEVER.

I ASSUME IT WAS FINANCIAL OR NOT, BUT, OR IT COULD BE CHEF DRIVEN.

I DON'T KNOW.

THE SECOND QUESTION WAS KIND OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD YOU SAY ARE KIND OF EMPLOYED, YOU KNOW, DURING THE FESTIVAL WEEK, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, DO YOU PUT TO WORK AND THAT ARE GETTING PAID OR EARNINGS FROM THE WORK OF THE FESTIVAL? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

UM, SO THE, THE FESTIVAL MOVED TO NOVEMBER DUE TO COVID.

IT WAS A, IT WAS A DELAY, UH, FROM WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE ENOUGH TIME AT THE TIME, UH, FROM UH, APRIL TO NOVEMBER.

AND THEN WE, WE MADE IT THROUGH A FULL NOTHER YEAR OF WAITING, UH, TO BEGIN TO HAVE IT AND HAD IT SUCCESSFULLY, UH, IN 2021.

AND THEN REALLY SETTLED IN AND THOUGHT, MAN, THE WEATHER'S NICE, AND, UH, IT GETS HOT IN APRIL.

IT WAS 90 YESTERDAY, RIGHT? SO, UM, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT MOVING IT OFF WAS, UH, JUST A KIND OF A, LIKE, IT, IT WAS A UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE TO, TO START, BUT I THINK IT ENDED UP, UH, BEING GREAT TIMING.

UH, SECOND, UH, QUESTIONED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED, UM, CONTRACTORS, ET CETERA, ABOUT 200 PLUS.

UH, AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING, UH, TENT COMPANIES IN THEIR OWN, THAT'S WHO WE WE'RE CONTRACTING DIRECTLY WITH.

TAKES A VILLAGE.

VICE CHAIR BAILEY, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

OH, THANKS SO MUCH.

I THINK THESE ARE GREAT FESTIVALS AND I LOVE RIGHT, THE SPIRIT AND ENJOYING AUSTIN.

JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON THE CONTRACT WORK, DO YOU WORK WITH ANY LOCAL LABOR UNIONS OR IS IT ALL PRIVATE NEGOTIATIONS? UH, CONTRACT TO CONTRACT? IT IS JUST PRIVATELY NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS TO OPEN THAT UP TO INCLUDE LOCAL LABOR UNIONS FOR STAFFING? UM, I, I'M SURE THAT WE HAVE AS A COMPANY AS A WHOLE, NOT SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO AUSTIN FOOD AND WINE.

I THINK THAT COULD BENEFIT.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS RELATED TO THE AUSTIN FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL? I HAVE ONE.

UM, FIRST OFF, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WINE AT THE FOOD WINE FESTIVAL? I, I, I LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THE TEXAS WINES.

I WANNA FEATURE MORE OF THE TEXAS WINES THERE.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOCAL THAT CAN COME OUT FROM THE HILL COUNTRY, THAT MEANS THAT'S MEANINGFUL, RIGHT? VERSUS KIND OF THE ONES THAT YOU'LL SEE AT THE, AT THE LARGER WINE SHOPS.

UM, BUT THEY OFTEN, UH, IT'S HARD.

SO WE TRY TO BE COGNIZANT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO LEAVE THE SHOP, TO LEAVE THE RESTAURANT.

I KNOW IT'S THE SAME FOR NEIL.

LIKE IT IS A LOT FOR US TO ASK AND WE TRY TO OFFSET THAT WITH, UM, WITH A STIPEND.

SO, UM, I'M NOT REALLY ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA FAVORITE, BUT I DO LOVE THE TEXAS WINES AND, UM, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THOSE MORE AND BRINGING THEM ON .

AND, UM, I NOTICED THE PRICE POINT OF THE FESTIVAL DURING YOUR PRESENTATION AT TWO 50 IS SOMEWHAT HIGH.

AND, UM, NOTING THE HOT LUCK FESTIVAL'S PRICE POINT IS A LITTLE LOWER.

UM, I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE, THE CONSIDERATION FOR MAKING THE EVENT A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS WITH, YOU KNOW, NOT THE HIGHEST INCOME, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LITTLE TO THROW AROUND AND WANT TO PARTAKE.

YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THAT'S, UH, TICKETS THAT ARE JUST FOOD ONLY TO CUT DOWN ON COST THAT WAY.

I, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE THOUGHT OF THAT.

YEAH, I THINK WE'LL KEEP THE, WE'LL KEEP THE FESTIVAL IN PLACE AS WE REALLY LIKE THAT IT'S ALL INCLUSIVE, THAT YOU WALK IN AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANOTHER THING THAT'S REALLY NICE.

BUT WHAT WE WILL ADD ARE MORE A LA CARTE EVENTS THAT DON'T HAVE TO BE BUNDLED WITH A TICKET PACKAGE, RIGHT? SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE EITHER GOING SATURDAY, SUNDAY, OR YOU'RE GOING, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NIGHT EVENTS, YOU'RE KIND OF BUYING INTO EVERYTHING, WHICH IS ALSO A LOT WITH CHILDCARE, RIGHT? LIKE YOU'RE HAVING TO FIND ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER FOR THE WEEKEND

[00:50:01]

AND I GET IT.

UM, SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OFFERING THOSE DINNERS, THE A LA CARTE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DO SOME OF THOSE AS WELL.

SO WE'LL WORK WITH A CHEF THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HA HOSTS ANOTHER CHEF FROM OUT OF TOWN IN THE RESTAURANT AND THEY GET TO HAVE ONE OFF DINNERS.

THOSE ARE A LITTLE MORE, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE KIND OF IN THE ONE 50 RANGE, 1 75, UM, THAT SOMEONE, IT'S DEFINITELY A SPLURGE FOR PEOPLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE ACCESSIBLE.

NO, CERTAINLY.

AND I, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION.

MAYBE I MISSED IT, BUT I THINK THAT'S A, A REALLY GREAT OFFERING AND I'M GLAD YOU OFFER IT.

ANY LAST THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SOUNDS LIKE PLANS ARE MADE FOR THE SPRING FOR HOT LUCK AND FOR THE FALL.

AND AWESOME FOOD, WINE.

YOU'RE COVERED ON CASTLES.

DEFINITELY.

NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH THIRD.

NO, I'VE DEFINITELY ALREADY BOOKED TWO TICKETS.

AWESOME.

ON THE DIET NOLES, LOOK AT YOU.

UM, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. UH, DOLINGER.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE TODAY.

AND, AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR COMING OUT TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CULINARY SECTOR HERE, UH, THROUGH THIS FESTIVAL COMING TO AUSTIN MAY FIRST THROUGH, EXCUSE ME, NOVEMBER, UH, FIRST THROUGH FOURTH.

DID I READ THAT RIGHT? THANK YOU.

THROUGH THIRD, THAT'S, EXCUSE ME, 20, 24TH.

WE'LL STILL BE PARTYING ON THE FOURTH.

I APPRECIATE EVERYONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE, A PRESENTATION BY MADISON GESNER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL SOUTH TEXAS REGION OF THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.

UH, WITH THAT WE ARE MOVING ON TO AGENDA

[5. Presentation by Madison Gessner, Executive Director of the Central-South Texas Region, Texas Restaurant Association, regarding food and beverage and the culinary industry in Austin to present about different aspects of the industry and importance it creates for tourism impact and initiatives. ]

SHE'LL BE SPEAKING IN REGARD TO FOOD AND BEVERAGE AND THE CULINARY INDUSTRY HERE IN AUSTIN.

UH, AND ALSO TO PRESENT ON THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE INDUSTRY AND, UH, THE IMPORTANCE, UH, IT HAS FOR, UM, BROADER TOURISM IMPACT HERE IN AUSTIN.

MY NAME'S MADISON GESNER.

UM, I AM THE CENTRAL SOUTH REGION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.

IT'S A VERY LONG TITLE, UM, , BUT IT JUST MEANS THAT I REPRESENT, UM, A PORTION OF OUR GREAT STATE, WHICH INCLUDES AUSTIN, WHICH IS ALSO WHERE IS MY HOME.

SO I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO REPRESENT THE PLACE THAT I LIVE.

SO JUST TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE TEXAS RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.

I'LL DIAL DOWN INTO SOME AUSTIN SPECIFICS, SOME DATA.

I'LL TALK ABOUT WHO THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION IS, AND THEN I'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT WHY WE'RE IMPORTANT, WHAT WE DO, KIND OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT TIE TOGETHER.

PERFECT.

SO TO TOUCH ON THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, UM, OUR INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE ACROSS TEXAS, WE HAVE 57,000 FOOD AND BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE ABOUT $106 BILLION IN REVENUE GEN GENERATED ANNUALLY, AND WE EMPLOY ABOUT 11% OF THE WORKFORCE.

SO THAT'S 1.5 MILLION EMPLOYEES ROUGHLY THAT WE EMPLOY.

AND SO THAT MAKES US ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYEES OR EMPLOYERS IN THE STATE.

AND THEN WE ALSO KIND OF KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE HAVE SO MANY BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE.

WE ALSO OPERATE AS A HUGE ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE STATE IN EACH OF THOSE AREAS.

SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S SPENT IN A TEXAS RESTAURANT, THAT'S $2 AND 35 CENTS THAT GOES BACK TO THE STATE ECONOMY.

SO WE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE THAT RESTAURANTS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE, THE GREAT ECONOMY OF TEXAS.

SO, UM, AND WE WERE ALSO THE ONLY STATE IN 2023 THAT HAD NET POSITIVE RESTAURANT GROWTH ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TRACK IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER STATES AS AN ASSOCIATION.

AND WE KNOW, UM, THAT WAS IN SPITE OF, YOU KNOW, RISING COSTS WITH INFLATION, LABOR SHORTAGES, AS WELL AS SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS.

SO IT'S REALLY A GREAT YEAR FOR TEXAS RESTAURANTS AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM.

SO, TO DIAL DOWN MORE INTO AUSTIN, UM, AUSTIN HAS ABOUT ROUGHLY 5,100 RESTAURANTS IN THE MSA AND ABOUT ANOTHER 3,400 IN TRAVIS COUNTY.

AND SO THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 9% OF THAT 57,000 THAT I TOUCHED ON.

SO WE'RE RIGHT UP THERE WITH SAN ANTONIO.

I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A FRIENDLY RIVALRY WITH SAN ANTONIO.

UM, THERE'S ALWAYS AN ARTICLE EVERY YEAR ABOUT WHO HAS THE BEST BREAKFAST TACO.

I WILL GLADLY SAY IT'S AUSTIN.

UM, BUT THAT JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU WHERE WE ARE IN PACE WITH THE OTHER LARGE METROS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND WE EMPLOY ABOUT 132,000 WORKERS IN THIS SECTOR WITHIN AUSTIN.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF A GOOD WAY TO KIND OF SET THE STAGE FOR YOU.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AUSTIN BEING A FOODIE CITY, BEING A CITY, A DESTINATION CITY, PLACES THAT PEOPLE COME TO ENJOY THE FESTIVALS THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S BECAUSE YOU WANNA COME HERE, YOU WANNA STAY HERE, YOU WANNA ENJOY THE LIVE MUSIC HERE, AND YOU WANNA EAT HERE.

SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD REPRESENTATION ACROSS SECTORS.

AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM FINE DINING TO YOUR MOM AND POP ON THE CORNER.

UM, ANOTHER GOOD POINT TO MAKE TO YOU IS THAT EVEN THOUGH, UM, WE HAVE 57,000 RESTAURANTS AND, YOU KNOW, 9% OF THE, UH, STATE'S RESTAURANTS IN AUSTIN, ABOUT 91% OF ALL RESTAURANTS IN THE STATE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES, MEANING THAT THEY EMPLOY 50 EMPLOYEES OR LESS.

SO WE REALLY ARE THE SECTOR IN THE INDUSTRY THAT S SUPPORTS SMALL ENTREPRENEURS, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANNA CREATE A BUSINESS AND

[00:55:01]

START A PLAN AND HAVE THEIR VISION IN THEIR DREAM.

SO NEXT I'LL KIND OF TALK TO YOU ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE.

SO WE ARE THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, AND OUR THREE MAIN PILLARS THAT WE STAND ON ARE WE PROTECT VANCE AND EDUCATE THE INDUSTRY.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE WHOEVER PUT THE AGENDA TOGETHER TODAY BECAUSE IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE THE KIND OF THE, THE FESTIVALS TALKED ABOUT.

TALK ABOUT THAT CHEF DRIVEN CULTURE, ALL THE WONDERFUL, UH, CHEFS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE SO CREATIVE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE ASSOCIATION THAT COMES IN, AND WE'RE NOT CHEFS, BUT WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THEM.

WE'RE WE ARE HERE TO HELP THEM RUN THEIR BUSINESSES SO THEY CAN BE MORE SUCCESSFUL TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR CREATIVITY IN THEIR RESTAURANTS AND BRING THOSE PEOPLE TO AUSTIN.

SO WE OFFER SUPPORT IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS AS AN ASSOCIATION.

WE ARE A FIVE OH C SIX.

WE HAVE A FIVE OH C3 FOUNDATION THAT WE WORK WITH, AND WE OPERATE IN THREE MAIN AREAS.

SO WE HAVE OUR FOUNDATION WORK, WHICH I'LL TOUCH ON FIRST, AND THAT IS OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ARM.

WE DO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE CURRENT WORKFORCE THAT WE HAVE DOES NOT MEET THE DEMAND.

SO WE WORK WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH OUR PROSTART CURRICULUM, WHICH IS A CURRICULUM THAT FOCUSES ON BOTH CULINARY AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

WE HAVE ABOUT 255 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE WITH ABOUT 27,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED.

AND THOSE STUDENTS, UM, COMPETE IN WHAT'S CALLED A PROSTART INVITATIONAL EACH YEAR WHERE WE AWARD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO THESE STUDENTS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS. WE ALSO WORK WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

WE HAVE A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH A CC HERE, AS WELL AS ESCO TO KIND OF HELP THOSE STUDENTS GET THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR EDUCATION.

AND THEN WE'RE STARTING TO EXPAND OUR OTHER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING AROUND SECOND CHANCE HIRING.

SO PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE JUSTICE SYSTEM WHO ARE NOW LOOKING FOR A CAREER, WE ALWAYS SAY HOSPITALITY IS THE INDUSTRY THAT WELCOMES EVERYONE.

AND IT'S VERY TRUE.

WE WELCOME EVERYONE.

AND SO FINDING A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN HAVE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND FIND AN OUTLET FOR THEIR CREATIVITY.

AND WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK INTO SOME PROGRAMMING AROUND, UM, EDUCATION AND FOSTER CARE AS WELL AS THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

SO THOSE ARE THE SOME WAYS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE OUR INDUSTRY IS THE INDUSTRY OF OPPORTUNITY.

AND NEXT I CAN TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST WHAT OUR MEMBERSHIP IS.

WE HAVE 23 CHAPTERS ACROSS THE STATE.

WE DIVIDE THAT INTO FOUR REGIONS.

EACH REGION IS, UM, AGAIN, HAS A TEAM THAT ANCHORS IT.

AND SO I COVER THE CENTRAL SOUTH REGION.

SO MY TERRITORY IS WACO CEX, WHICH IS THE TEMPLE AREA, AUSTIN VICTORIA CORPUS CHRISTI, AND THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.

AND MY ROLE IS TO WORK WITH A BOARD.

AND EACH CHAPTER, THESE ARE, UM, ALL VOLUNTEER BOARDS THAT REPRESENT THE INDUSTRY.

AND THAT'S EVERYTHING ACROSS THE SECTOR.

SO WE'LL HAVE FOOD TRUCK OWNERS TO FINE DINING, TO PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT RESTAURANTS.

SO WE CONSIDERED THEM AN ALLIED MEMBERSHIP.

SO IT'S, THINK OF INSURANCE SUPPLIERS, ANYBODY THAT I ALWAYS DESCRIBE IT AS, ANYBODY THAT SUPPLIES EQUIPMENT OR, UM, TECHNOLOGY FROM THE GROUND TO THE CEILING IN A RESTAURANT.

THEY ARE PART OF OUR INDUSTRY AND HELP SUPPORT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THEY HAVE A ROLE AT THE TABLE WITH US.

AND SO ALL OF THOSE BOARDS, I WORK WITH THEM TO DO THEIR LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING.

WE DO FUNDRAISING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AS WELL AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND ADVOCACY.

SO WE ALSO PROVIDE A MYRIAD OF EDUCATION BENEFITS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF REGULATORY THINGS THAT GO INTO PLACE WHEN YOU LOOK AT RESTAURANTS, EV EVERYTHING FROM SERVICE ANIMALS TO FOOD REGULATIONS TO LABOR LAWS.

AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH OUR, UM, FRIENDS, UH, ASSOCIATES AT THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO KIND OF CUT THROUGH ALL OF IT.

IT'S A LOT OF LEGALESE.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT A LAWYER, AND MOST OF THE TIME THESE RESTAURATEURS ARE THE HR, THEY'RE THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT.

LIKE THEY WEAR SO MANY HATS.

SO WE TAKE BASICALLY, OKAY, WE TAKE ALL OF THIS LEGALESE AND SAY, OKAY, THIS BIG LAW JUST PASSED.

HERE ARE THE THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL, TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS LAW.

AND SO WE PROVIDE EDUCATION IN THAT AREA.

WE HELP THEM NAVIGATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF A BIG CORNERSTONE OF WHAT WE DO.

WE ALSO HELP THEM O OFFER, UM, BENEFITS TO THEIR EMPLOYEES.

WE TO ONE OF THE PREVIOUS PRESENTERS TALKED, TOUCHED ON MENTAL HEALTH.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS A CORNERSTONE OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT SOCIETY IS FACING, ESPECIALLY GENERATIONALLY RIGHT NOW.

AND SO WE'VE JUST BROUGHT IN A BENEFIT WHERE WE HAVE TELADOC THAT'S AVAILABLE TO OUR EMPLOYERS THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE FOR 9, 9 99 A MONTH, AND AN EMPLOYEE IN THEIR ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD HAVE ACCESS TO TELADOC WHERE THEY CAN GET PRESCRIPTIONS, THEY CAN DO PHYSICAL, UH, DO LIKE, UH, PHYSICIAN APPOINTMENTS AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH THEIR PHONE.

AND WE HAVE A CROSS SECTOR OF GENERATIONS WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY.

AND THERE'S DEFINITELY A GENERATION THAT'S MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE UTILIZING THEIR PHONE FOR THOSE SERVICES.

AND SO IT'S ENABLING OUR OPERATORS AND OUR RESTAURATEURS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

AND IT'S KIND OF THAT, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A FAMILY.

EVERY RESTAURANT IS A FAMILY AND IT HELPS THEM PROVIDE BENEFITS AND WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TO THEM AS WELL.

SO, LIKE I SAID, WE PROTECT, WE ADVANCE AND EDUCATE.

AND THE LAST THING THAT I'LL TOUCH ON IS A LITTLE BIT OF OUR ADVOCACY.

UM, WE PROVIDE ADVOCACY SUPPORT AT THE STATE, THE LOCAL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO DEPENDING ON WHICH MEMBER OF STAFF, UM,

[01:00:01]

I HAVE THE UNIQUE BENEFIT OF BEING THE LOCAL ADVOCACY PERSON, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY.

IT'S KIND OF ONE OF MY FUN PARTS OF MY ROLE.

'CAUSE IT'S, IT CHANGES DAY TO DAY.

SOME DAYS IT'S GREASE TRAPS, SOME DAYS IT'S PERMITTING, SOME DAYS IT'S TALKING TO Y'ALL.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, AND AT THE, AT THE STATE LEVEL, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE CAPITOL BEING HERE, WE HAVE A HUGE ROLE.

AND WE GO IN AND WE WORK WITH, WE BRING IN OPERATORS FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE TO COME TO THE CAPITOL TO TALK ABOUT BILLS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT IMPACT OPERATORS.

AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES HEARD WITH THESE LEGISLATORS.

'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT LAWMAKERS ARE OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SPECIALISTS IN WHATEVER FIELD THEY CAME FROM, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND HOW A RESTAURANT OPERATES.

AND WE WANNA BE GOOD PARTNERS AND BRING AND BE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND KIND OF SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY.

AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT RESTAURANTS ARE NON-PARTISAN BECAUSE EVERYONE GOES OUT TO EAT.

SO WE TALK WITH AND WORK WITH EVERYONE.

UM, ONE OF SOME OF OUR BIGGEST ADVOCACY INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE COMPLETED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OR THAT WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY, WERE CALL TO GO.

SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WORKED ON DURING COVID TO HELP OPERATORS HAVE ANOTHER SOURCE OF INCOME BECAUSE IT WAS SO HARD WHEN THE SHUTDOWNS CAME AND A LOT OF RESTAURANTS WENT UNDER.

AND SO WE TRIED TO FIND WAYS TO HELP THEM PROVIDE SERVICES AND STILL MAKE REVENUE.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON, UM, WE HAVE OUR EMPLOYERS FOR CHILDCARE TASK FORCE.

SO WE'RE CREATING CROSS COALITION, UM, BUSINESS TASK FORCE WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESS INDUSTRIES TO GO BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE NEXT SESSION TO SAY, HEY, CHILDCARE IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE.

IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.

TRAVIS COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST COST OF CHILDCARE IN THE STATE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN PROVIDE ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS.

LOOK AT FUNDING MODELS.

WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREA LOCALLY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A PILOT FOR NON-TRADITIONAL HOUR CARE, MEANING THAT MOST CHILDCARE IS BETWEEN EIGHT AND FIVE, WHICH IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE WORK.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, YOU WORK BEFORE THOSE HOURS AND AFTER THOSE HOURS.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE FINE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS WHO'D BE WILLING TO DO THAT AFTER HOUR OR BEFORE OUR CARE.

AND WE KNOW THAT IF SHOULD WE BE SUCCESSFUL.

THERE ARE OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY SHIFT WORK AS WELL.

I THINK FIRST RESPONDERS, ANYBODY IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY.

SO THIS REALLY IS A CROSS SECTOR NEED AND WE'RE EXCITED TO TAKE THE LEAD AND REALLY WORK ON THIS CRITICAL ISSUE TO HELP EMPLOYEES IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL REALLY TOUCH ON IS ONE OF THE BIG WINS THAT WE CAME OUT OF LAST SESSION WITH WAS PROPERTY TAX REFORM.

UM, A LOT OF YOU, IF YOU WENT TO, UM, VOTE LAST NOVEMBER, PROBABLY VOTED FOR PROPERTY TAX REFORM.

AND WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S TWO SIDES TO PROPERTY TAXES.

THERE'S THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE AND THERE'S THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.

IT KIND OF BALANCES OUT.

AND SO WE MADE SURE THAT WE WERE A STRONG VOICE IN THE ROOM TO SAY, HEY, WE WANT HUNDRED PERCENT APPRECIATE AND KNOW THAT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY CUTS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT SO ARE COMMERCIAL ONES.

'CAUSE OUR BUSINESS OWNERS ALSO NEED THAT HELP.

SO THOSE ARE JUST, UH, KIND OF SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE ARE HERE TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY.

LIKE I SAID, IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO BE ABLE TO GO AFTER THE FESTIVALS BECAUSE YOU HEAR ABOUT SUCH CREATIVITY, A LOT OF, I EQUATE A LOT OF CHEFS IN THESE PEOPLE THAT OPERATE IN THIS FIELD AS ARTISTS.

AND THEY'RE CREATING THEIR ART.

AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP THEM DO THAT.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP THEM BE MORE SUCCESSFUL TO HELP THOSE ENTREPRENEURS BRING THEIR ART TO PEOPLE AND HAVE THAT HOSPITALITY.

SO ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WONDER? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. UH, NER, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.

I SEE A HAND FROM COMMISSIONER SHAY.

AUSTIN HAS THE BEST FOOD IN THE WORLD, IN MY OPINION.

UM, SO I, I'M WONDERING HOW CAN WE GET AUSTIN RECOGNIZED, UM, WITH THAT TITLE? UM, WE DON'T HAVE MICHELIN STAR HERE.

HOW, HOW DO WE GET MICHELIN TO RECOGNIZE AUSTIN? SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IN THOSE CROSS PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF JAMES BEARD NOMINEES THAT COME HERE, BUT MICHELIN IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON AS AN ASSOCIATION TO LOOK AT, TO BRING THEM TO TEXAS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SO MUCH TALENT.

AND I WILL RIGHTFULLY SAY THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH TALENT HERE IN AUSTIN.

SO YES, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SHAPEY.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

MADISON, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK, PARTICULARLY AROUND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES.

I THINK THOSE ARE HUGE AVENUES, UM, GOING FORWARD.

UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHILDCARE AS MENTIONED, LIKE MY BACKGROUND IS IN ME IN MEDICINE, HEALTHCARE.

AND SO THOSE SHIFTS, UH, ARE DEFINITELY NEEDED.

IF GOING ON OF CHRISTIANS COMMENT, IF YOU WERE ON THIS D HOW WOULD YOU HELP EXPAND FOOD TOURISM IN AUSTIN? OBVIOUSLY WE NEED THE, THE NOTORIETY, BUT PEOPLE COME HERE, RIGHT? THE REDDIT THREADS ARE, I'M GOING TO AUSTIN, WHERE CAN I EAT? RIGHT? AND SO HOW, FROM YOUR OPINION, HOW CAN WE INCLUDE FOOD WITH OUR MUSIC AND ARTS IN THAT ECOSYSTEM? TO BE HONEST, I THINK TO SOME EXTENT IT ALREADY IS.

UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE AWARD-WINNING CHEFS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN, I THINK THE BIGGEST MAIN PART OF

[01:05:01]

THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT A COMMISSION LIKE YOU CAN PROVIDE, AS WELL AS THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THESE RESTAURANTS.

BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAT ARE FACED BY A RESTAURANT.

SO YOU MAY HAVE AN AWARD-WINNING CHEF WHO WANTS TO COME TO AUSTIN TO OPEN A RESTAURANT, BUT TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, WE, THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CITY.

SO YOU LOOK AT THE PRICE OF REAL ESTATE, UM, YOU'LL LOOK AT INSURANCE COSTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, ALL THE FUNDING THAT GOES INTO SUPPORTING A RESTAURANT.

SO IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO ONE, PATRONIZE THEIR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS, RIGHT? GO OUT, GO EAT AT THOSE RESTAURANTS 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU HELP THEM STAY SUCCESSFUL.

AND THEN ALSO WORKING TO KIND OF STREAMLINE SOME PROCESSES WITH THE CITY, WHICH WE'RE VERY LUCKY THAT WE HAVE VERY GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH LIKE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO LOOK AT EFFICIENCIES TO HELP THINGS MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR OPERATORS.

SO THAT WAY THEY'RE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THEIR FOOD, WHICH IS WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO THE CITY.

SO MY RESPONSE TO YOU WOULD BE, ONE, TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE VISIT AUSTIN, WHO DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB KIND OF ADVOCATING FOR THE FOOD SCENE HERE, REALLY LEVERAGING THESE FESTIVALS, WHICH HIGHLIGHT OUR FOOD SCENE.

I LOVE THAT BOTH FESTIVALS ARE CONCENTRATING ON LOCAL TALENT.

UM, I'M, LIKE I SAID, I'M COMPLETELY BIASED.

UM, BUT I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO FEATURE AUSTIN TALENT AND THEN KIND OF PUTTING US OUT ON THAT MAP.

ACL ALSO HAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, LOCAL AUSTIN RESTAURANTS THAT PARTICIPATE.

AND SO LOOKING AT THE WAY WE MARKET AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THE WAY WE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAKE THE OPERATIONAL SIDE FOR OPERATORS EASIER.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO WORK WITH THE CITY, LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES.

THINK EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS MAKING A PAPERLESS PROCESS CAN SAVE SOMEBODY SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY.

'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THESE OPERATORS, THEY WEAR FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT HATS, YOU KNOW, AND IT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM BE MORE SUCCESSFUL SO THEY CAN CREATE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE THAT HAS THE GUESTS WANTING TO COME BACK IN AGAIN AND AGAIN.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

COMMISSIONER CHAPO COM, VICE CHAIR BAILEY.

UM, YOU MENTIONED EARLY IN THE PRESENTATION THAT TEXAS WAS ONE OF THE STATES THAT BASICALLY HAD A GROWTH GROWTH METRICS WHERE OTHERS DIDN'T.

I'M WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS OR RATIONALE ON WHY THAT IS AND, AND MAYBE IT IT'S IN CONTRAST TO WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT BEYOND THE BORDERS OF TEXAS, THAT, SO WHAT'S OUR SECRET SAUCE? WHAT'S, WHAT'S HELPING DRIVE US FORWARD WHERE OTHERS OR WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING OTHERS TO FALL BEHIND? I I THINK THAT IT COULD BE A LOT OF THINGS.

SO LIKE I SAID, WE WERE THE ONLY STATE TO HAVE NET POSITIVE GROWTH IN 2023.

YOU, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE FACING THE OPERATORS.

I TOUCHED ON THEM BRIEFLY, YOU KNOW, INFLATION, UM, LABOR SHORTAGES AS WELL AS SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS.

WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE HAVE A VERY STRONG ECONOMY IN TEXAS.

AND SO WE, WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF RELY ON OUR LAWMAKERS TO BOLSTER THAT ECONOMY AND ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THAT RELIEF.

SO WE WORKED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO PROVIDE GRANTS DURING COD AND HELP GET OUR OPERATORS THAT RELIEF MONEY.

SO THEY WERE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THEIR OPERATIONS COMING OUT OF COVID AND KIND OF RECOUP THOSE SALES.

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO PIVOT VERY QUICKLY, LIKE I SAID, ALCOHOL TO GO.

WE ARE, WE ARE VERY LUCKY AND BLESSED TO HAVE A CEO WITH A GREAT VISION FOR THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.

AND SO SHE WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SAY, OKAY, LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO SAFELY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR OPERATORS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEIR FOOD.

AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT WE P WE PLAY IN THE FOOD ECOSYSTEM.

UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, PLACES THAT HAVE FOOD DESERTS WHERE THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A GROCERY STORE WHERE YOUR RESTAURANTS BECOME A CRITICAL PART OF THAT FOOD INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND SO THAT WAS SOMETHING WE REALIZED DURING COVID AND WE MADE SURE TO WORK WITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND OUR STATE LAWMAKERS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR OPERATORS TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, WHICH IS FEED PEOPLE.

SO WE WERE KIND OF THE WAY WE CAME OUT OF COVID, THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE STATE, WORKING WITH LAWMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE TO KIND OF CLEAR THE WAY TO ALLOW OPERATORS TO OPERATE SUCCESSFULLY.

I BELIEVE ALL OF THOSE FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO US BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST YEAR.

STAY WITHIN COMPLIANCE AND STAY OPEN.

VICE CHAIR BAILEY, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, .

AND JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF THAT, UH, AUSTIN AS A CULTURE SPENDS MORE MONEY GOING OUT TO EAT THAN NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO.

AND SO WE ARE PEOPLE THAT LIKE TO GO OUT AND ENJOY RESTAURANTS.

AND I THINK A COMBINATION OF THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT GREAT.

AND SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN TEXAS DESIGNATION AND FORGET MICHELIN STARS.

MAYBE IT'S NOT.

I'M ALL FOR IT.

I LIKE IT.

I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

SORRY.

UM, I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE AND THANK YOU, BUT YOU, YOU ALREADY ACTUALLY TOUCHED ON IT.

UM, IN PARTICULAR, WHAT, UH, THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION DID FOR RESTAURANTS DURING COVID, THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DID AS FAR AS, UM, HELPING THEM TO STAY OPEN AND FROM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, THE LIQUOR LICENSE WHERE PEOPLE COULD TAKE LIQUOR TO GO TO WHERE HELPING PEOPLE DECIDE, HEY, WE CAN HAVE MORE SEATING OUTSIDE.

AND THEN EVEN WITH SMALL, UM, RESTAURANTS THAT, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T REALLY HAVE STAFF MAKING IT VERY EASY TO UN FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO

[01:10:01]

UM, AND I THINK THAT HAD A LOT OF REASON, REASON, UM, TO WHY THAT EVEN IN 2020 WE'RE DOING SO WELL BECAUSE SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS, UM, WE KNOW LIKE, YOU KNOW, SAN FRANCISCO, UM, STILL, YOU KNOW, IN A VERY TERRIBLE SPOT WHEN IT COMES TO THE RESTAURANTS THERE.

AND NEW YORK AND TEXAS HAS DONE VERY WELL WITH THEIR RESTAURANTS AND I BELIEVE FLORIDA AS WELL.

AND MANY OF RESTAURANTS, UM, IN THOSE STATES ACTUALLY RECODED, UH, RELOCATED TO TO HERE.

UM, AND IN FLORIDA AS WELL, SOME OF THE LARGER, UM, RESTAURANT GROUPS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DID.

UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF A BUSINESS CLOSES, WE'RE ALL VERY SAD NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.

BUT WHEN IT'S A RESTAURANT THAT CLOSES, I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONLY TIME YOU'RE GONNA SEE LISTS OF WHAT CLOSED AND BROKE YOUR HEART THIS YEAR.

IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING BUT RESTAURANTS BECAUSE THAT'S PEOPLE'S WHAT THEIR PASSION AND WHAT THEY LOVE, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, MY KIDS COULD GET INTO ARGUMENT WITH SOMEONE BEFORE THEY WERE EVEN IN SCHOOL OVER WHO HAS THE BEST QUESO IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE AUSTINITES.

SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR, FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR VERY IMPORTANT, UM, CULTURE HERE IN AUSTIN.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

COMMISSIONER IAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY, UH, UH, VERY, UH, VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.

APPRECIATE IT.

I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY ON ONE THING YOU SAID THAT YOU SAID TRAVIS COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST CHILDCARE IN THE STATE.

YES, MA'AM.

IS THAT CORRECT? WOW.

YES, MA'AM.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HEARD THAT CORRECTLY.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KANATI.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER IAN.

BRIEF COMMENT ON THE LAST THREE PRESENTERS, AND I OFFER THIS PERSPECTIVE ZEAL CADRE ON THE COMMISSION.

I MEAN, WE, WE ALL MISS OUR OLD PLACES.

WE'RE PART OF AUSTIN'S CULINARY SCENE LIKE SPAM ORAMA, RIGHT? BUT BOY, THE NEW THINGS THAT ARE HERE ARE REALLY AMAZING.

AND I'M JUST, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THE UPSIDE OF AUSTIN'S GROWTH BEING IN THE FOOD SPACE THAT WE ALL LOVE IN.

I LOVE TODAY'S PRESENTATION TO FOCUS ON THAT.

SO GREAT JOB, Y'ALL.

MINDFUL OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS NEXT YEAR? CAN WE BRING SAMPLES FOR THE QUESTION? ? I ACTUALLY HAVE A A COUPLE OF QUICK, UH, ONE A RECOMMENDATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING UP THE HEALTHCARE ISSUE.

I THINK THIS IS CROSS SECTORS HEALTHCARE IS OUT OF CONTROL IN THIS COUNTRY IN TERMS OF COSTS AND, UH, THE MORE THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER TO TRY AND SOLVE THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR NOT ONLY OUR RESTAURANT WORKERS, BUT AS YOU WERE SAYING, OUR EMERGENCY WORKERS, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS, THERE'S SO MANY UNINSURED PEOPLE IN TEXAS, RIGHT? AND, UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK ALL OF US CAN WORK TOGETHER TO HELP RESOLVE.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.

UH, I WANTED TO GO BACK.

I SAW THAT, UM, YOU'VE HAD A HUNDRED PERCENT SUCCESS IN BLOCKING HARMFUL BILLS IN YOUR PRESENTATION.

I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT TYPES OF BILLS THOSE WERE AND, AND WHAT WERE THE NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN THAT PROCESS FOR THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY? ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, THE SESSION COMES EVERY TWO YEARS.

THERE'S A THOUSANDS OF BILLS, UH, THAT ARE FILED AND THERE'S ABOUT A 14% PASS RATE WITH THE LEGISLATURE.

AND SO I LOOK AT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE IS THAT LAWMAKERS ARE PERHAPS SPECIALISTS IN WHATEVER FIELD THEY CAME FROM.

SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET A LAWYER, YOU'LL GET A, YOU'LL GET A DOCTOR, BUT THEY AREN'T PERHAPS SPECIALISTS IN RESTAURANTS.

THEY DON'T OWN OR OPERATE RESTAURANTS.

SOME OF THEM DO.

AND THEY WILL FILE, UH, BILLS WITHOUT NECESSARILY THINKING ABOUT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN.

WE HAVE A, A GREAT, UH, CHIEF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, KELSEY ERICKSON REFOR, ALONG WITH THE LOBBY TEAM THAT KIND OF ARE THERE TO THINK ABOUT THOSE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE SOMETIMES THINGS CAN HAVE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, BUT THE RIPPLE EFFECTS ARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR.

AND SO WE COME IN TO KIND OF MONITOR AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT IS THE INTENT BEHIND THIS BILL? AND WHERE DO WE THINK IT'S GONNA ACTUALLY LAND? AND WE COME, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF DEFENSE.

AND TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, MAJORITY OF WHAT WE DO WITH THE LEGISLATURE IS THAT DEFENSE VERY THOUGHTFULLY, VERY, UM, GRACEFULLY.

BUT IT IS IN, IN ESSENCE HELPING TO EDUCATE.

AND THE MORE TIMES THAT WE CAN WORK WITH OUR LAWMAKERS AND HELP EDUCATE THEM ON THE NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRY AND REALLY BRING OUR OPERATORS THERE TO THE TABLE TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, I, I ALWAYS USE A BAGEL SHOP, IS MY EXAMPLE.

I OWN MADISON'S BAGELS.

UM, HERE'S WHAT REALITY IS FOR ME OR FOR ME.

HERE'S HOW MUCH I ACTUALLY SPEND IN THESE CATEGORIES.

IT HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SO WE'LL BRING THAT REAL PERSPECTIVE.

BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT'VE LOOKED AT, UM, HAVE TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT POTENTIAL.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO THINK LIKE PERMITTING OR ADDITIONAL FEES ON RESTAURANTS THAT ARE PERHAPS BEING CHARGED BY OTHER ENTITIES.

SO LOOKING AT DUPLICATIVE PERMITTING, THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO SAY, HEY, WE UNDER, LIKE, WHAT'S THE INTENT AND IS THERE SOMETHING ALREADY THERE? SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, IT'S A LOT OF DEFENSE AND BEING

[01:15:01]

ONE LAST QUESTION.

UM, BEFORE I HIT IT TO THE FINAL QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, I WANTED JUST TO ADD, UM, AS A POINT OF INFORMATION, THE TEXAS TREASURER HISTORIC BUSINESS DESIGNATION THAT'S MANAGED BY THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.

I WANTED TO KNOW IF PERHAPS YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

I KNOW THEY DESIGNATE HISTORIC, UM, BUSINESSES, SOME OF THEM ARE RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE STATE.

WAS WONDERING IF YOU'VE EVER HAD ANY, UH, INTERSECTION WITH THAT PROGRAM? I HAVE NOT.

PERSONALLY.

I CAN DEFINITELY CHECK WITH STAFF TO SEE IF WE HAVE, I KNOW THAT WE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, HONORED TO HAVE MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN OPERATING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO FOR YOU.

LAST QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

THIS IS THE LAST ONE, UM, FROM A TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OR PERSPECTIVE OR POSITION ON TIPPING CULTURE AND, UM, WAGE INCREASES WITHIN RESTAURANTS? DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE A, DO THEY HAVE A VOICE ON THAT? WE, WE DEFINITELY, WE PARTNER WITH THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO LOOK AT THAT.

UM, WE, THE MARKET SOMEWHAT DRIVES TIPPING.

AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT TIPPING VARIES DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF RESTAURANT THAT IT IS.

AND SO YOUR TIP AT A COUNTER SERVICE RESTAURANT MAY PERHAPS LOOK AT, UM, LOOK DIFFERENTLY THAN YOUR FINE DINING.

AND WE ARE VERY AWARE THAT THERE IS A ONGOING CULTURE OF KIND OF TIPPING FATIGUE, UM, GOING ON.

YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF ARTICLES THAT ARE COMING OUT ON DIFFERENT PERIODICALS ABOUT TIPPING FATIGUE.

AND SO REALLY WE WORK WITH OUR OPERATORS TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY DO BEST, WHICH IS THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN SOMEBODY COMES INTO YOUR ESTABLISHMENT, THEY'RE THERE TO ENJOY YOUR DINING AND YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

AND A LOT OF THE OPERATORS REALLY WORK WITH THEIR STAFF TO PROVIDE THAT.

AND THAT THEY DO OFFER, UM, WAGES WHEN THEY CAN.

MARGINS ARE VERY SLIM.

AND SO OUR OPERATORS, LIKE I SAID, TREAT THEIR STAFF LIKE FAMILY.

AND SO WE WORK WITH THEM TO KIND OF PROVIDE THAT BENEFIT.

BUT WE, WE DO NOT MANDATE OR LOOK AT ONE STANDARD WAGE BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S KIND OF, THERE'S NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL WITH THIS INDUSTRY.

AND SO IT'S ALLOWING OPERATORS TO WORK WITHIN THE LEAD THE LAWS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.

AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WITHOUT EMPLOYEES WE WOULD NOT HAVE RESTAURANTS.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP'S IMPORTANT.

SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT THEM TO HELP THEM FIND COST SAVINGS SO THEY CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.

SURE.

LIKE TELADOC.

WELL, KNOWING A LOT OF RESTAURANTS IN AUSTIN MIGHT HAVE A, A SURCHARGE OR A WRITE LIKE, UH, AN EMPLOYEE CHARGE ON, ON THE BILL IN LIEU OF TIPPING IN ORDER TO HELP SUPPORT WAGES.

SO I JUST HOPE THAT'S PART OF YOUR FUTURE ADVOCACY WORK.

'CAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE TO LIVE HERE.

IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO LIVE HERE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAP.

AND INDEED IT, I THINK IT IS A QUESTION AND A TOPIC THAT MERITS FURTHER DISCUSSION AND EXPLORATION.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR CONTINUED, UH, ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF OUR BELOVED RESTAURANTS IN, UH, AUSTIN, AS WELL AS THE ALDEN REGION, CENTRAL SOUTH TEXAS REGION OF TEXAS.

IT'S A MOUTHFUL.

THIS IS A INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION FROM KARA BERTRAN, THE PROGRAM MANAGER OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, REGARDING THE EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. UH, GESNER, UM, FOR COMING THIS AFTERNOON, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

UM, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER SIX.

[6. Presentation by Cara Bertron, Program Manager of the Planning Department regarding the Equity-Based Preservation Plan and requesting the Tourism Commission Boards feedback on their recommendation to city council. ]

AND, UH, UH, IN WHICH HE WILL SEEK BROADER FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN, UH, FROM THE TOURISM COMMISSION.

AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, I'VE WORKED WITH, UH, KARA IN SEVERAL CITIES, , AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT SHE BRINGS TO THANK YOU, UH, TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION HERE AND, AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE OFFERED SPACE ON TODAY'S AGENDA TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THIS COMMISSION WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UH, FOR THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN BEFORE IT CLOSES AT THE END OF MAY.

SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO PASS THE BATON OVER TO MS. BERTRAN.

THANK YOU, DANIEL.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

SORRY WE HAVEN'T KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

UM, MY NAME IS KARA BERTRAN.

I'M HERE WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL MAKING SPACE ON THE AGENDA.

THIS IS, I'M NOT GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT FOOD, SO YOUR STOMACHS ARE SAFE, BUT, UM, THIS, THIS PLAN, I JUST WANNA START BY, WELL, AND I'LL GET INTO THE, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS VERY QUICKLY.

UM, BUT JUST TO, TO MAKE THE CONNECTION VERY CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN A VERY PRAGMATIC WAY, UM, Y'ALL INTERSECT WITH THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDS THAT SUPPORT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND AND THE

[01:20:01]

HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANTS, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, USED FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES.

AND IN A BIGGER PICTURE, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE, LIKE THE HISTORIC RESTAURANTS THAT THE CHAIR MENTIONED, LEGACY BUSINESSES, THE THINGS THAT MAKE AUSTIN, AUSTIN, THE THING.

NOT ALL OF IT THERE.

THERE'S SOME REALLY WONDERFUL NEW, NEW THINGS HAPPENING, BUT, UH, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT DRAW PEOPLE TO THE CITY ARE, ARE OLDER AND HISTORIC BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO, UM, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING MORE ABOUT THE PLAN WITH YOU.

WE HAVE THE PLAN VISION, UM, WHICH I THINK IT'S, I LIKE TO READ IT OUT LOUD 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY, I JUST THINK IT'S SO GREAT.

UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN ACTIVELY ENGAGES COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTING AND SHARING IMPORTANT PLACES AND STORIES.

PRESERVATION USES THE PAST TO CREATE A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING AND TO SHAPE AN EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FUTURE FOR ALL.

YOU CAN SEE THAT PLACES RIGHT THERE AT THE CENTER, ALMOST AT THE GEOGRAPHIC CENTER OF THAT STATEMENT, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE ABOUT WHO IS DOING THAT WORK AND THE BENEFITS THAT IT HAS FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

UM, THIS PLAN WAS DEVELOPED IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN MOST CITY PLANS.

TYPICALLY, THE CITY HIRES A CONSULTANT AND THEY HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AT THE BEGINNING, AND THEY PRESENT A DRAFT TO THE COMMUNITY SORT OF TOWARDS THE END, AND THEN THEY FINALIZE IT.

UM, WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS IT, IT IS A DRAFT PLAN AND IT WAS DEVELOPED BY A COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP, 26 PEOPLE WHO WERE APPOINTED BY OUR HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND WORKED OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR TO PUT TOGETHER THIS DRAFT PLAN.

IT WAS SO MUCH WORK THAT THEY PUT IN THAT I ALWAYS WANT TO INCLUDE THEIR NAMES THERE BECAUSE IT IS JUST A, A REALLY HEAVY LIFT.

AND THAT GROUP CONTINUES TO GUIDE OUR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE DRAFT PLAN, AND THEY WILL BE WORKING WITH THE LANDMARK COMMISSION TO REVISE THE DRAFT PLAN BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET.

SO THEY CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED MORE.

SO WE ARE THE WORKING GROUP.

THEY HEARD FROM FOCUS GROUPS, THEY HEARD FROM CITY STAFF, THEY HEARD FROM A ULI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL.

THEY HEARD FROM A COMMUNITY SURVEY.

THAT'S WHAT ACTUALLY, THAT'S THE LANGUAGE, UM, FROM THAT SURVEY THAT LED TO THE DRAFT VISION.

SO THEY HEARD FROM, I THINK ABOUT 275 PEOPLE IN DEVELOPING THIS DRAFT PLAN.

AND NOW WE ARE BRINGING IT TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND SAYING, WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS REFLECTS, UH, AS MANY VOICES AS POSSIBLE? OKAY.

SO I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DRAFT PLAN NOW.

UM, THE DRAFT PLAN INCLUDES 108 RECOMMENDATIONS ARRAY UNDER 14 GOALS.

I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS, CERTAINLY NOT EVEN ALL THE GOALS, BUT I'LL PAUSE HERE TO MENTION THAT THEY'RE VERY BROAD, THAT THIS IS PRESERVATION.

UM, PEOPLE OFTEN THINK OF IT AS, LET'S KEEP THIS BUILDING STANDING, FOUR WALLS A ROOF.

THERE IT IS.

THE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY RECOMMENDATIONS IN HOW WE COULD DO THAT BETTER IN THIS PLAN.

BUT IT ALSO, UM, SAYS, WELL, OKAY, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

BUT ANYWAY, IT'S, THESE ARE, ARE, IT'S VERY, IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST, UM, HOW CAN WE HELP HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE IDENTIFY POTENTIALLY HISTORIC PROPERTIES? SO THE 14 GOALS ARE, UH, SPLIT INTO THREE THEMES.

THE FIRST THEME IS WHAT WE PRESERVE, AND THIS IS THE REAL BIRD'S EYE VIEW.

UM, THE BIG IDEA HERE IS TO THINK BROADLY ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT'S SIGNIFICANT IN AUSTIN TO BETTER RECOGNIZE OUR CITY'S, UH, RICH AND COMPLICATED HISTORY, UM, THROUGH BETTER LISTENING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, MORE, UH, INCLUSIVE RESEARCH AND THEN SHARING BACK WHAT WE'VE HEARD THROUGH INTERPRETATION, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE A LOT IN THE PAST, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF A LACK OF RESOURCES.

I THINK BECAUSE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BOTH FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FOR VISITORS TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE PUTTING A TON OF RESOURCES AND TIME INTO PRESERVING PLACES TO BETTER RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT CULTURAL HERITAGE, LIKE LEGACY BUSINESSES LIKE MURALS, UM, AND TO, UH, PUT MORE RESOURCES TOWARDS ARCHEOLOGICAL, UM, IDENTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION.

AND FINALLY, TO USE PRESERVATION TOOLS TO SUPPORT BIGGER COMMUNITY GOALS LIKE DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE END ALL, BE ALL, YOU KNOW, THE TOOL THAT SOLVES THESE ISSUES, BUT IT IS A TOOL THAT CAN HELP WITH SOME PRESSING COMMUNITY CHALLENGES.

THE SECOND THEME IS, WHO PRESERVES WITH THE IDEAS? BIG IDEAS HERE BEING REALLY TO INVITE AND SUPPORT PEOPLE IN PARTICIPATING MORE ACTIVELY IN PRESERVATION THROUGH MAKING DECISIONS AS PART OF CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIKE THE LANDMARK COMMISSION TO JUST HAVE, UH, FOR US TO DO A BETTER JOB AT MAKING OUR PROCESSES ACCESSIBLE IN TERMS BOTH IN WHAT THEY ARE AND IN HOW WE EXPLAIN THEM.

IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE FOR CITY, CITY PROCESSES.

SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING HANDS-ON WORK, CRAFTSPEOPLE, LANDMARK COMMISSIONERS, THE CITY STAFF, AND TO ENGAGE NEW PARTNERS AND AUDIENCES, RECOGNIZING THAT, THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, HAVE HAVE, UM, SOME, UH, DEEP ROOTED DISTRUST OF THE CITY IN A WAY THAT TOTALLY, THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND SO FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN, AS WE'RE WORKING TO MOVE THIS PLAN FORWARD AND ENGAGE COMMUNITIES, UM, HOW WE CAN WORK WITH TRUSTED PARTNERS TO, TO BRING, BRING COMMUNITIES ALONG AND, AND PARTNER WITH THEM.

THE LAST THEME IS, IS HOW WE PRESERVE.

IT'S REALLY THE KIND OF NUTS AND BOLTS.

LIKE, HOW ARE WE DOING THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING IN REGULATING CHANGE TO HISTORIC PROPERTIES? WE WANT TO BE MORE STRATEGIC.

WE WANT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE.

WE HAVE A VERY, VERY SMALL STAFF IN THE

[01:25:01]

HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, WHICH IS PART OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

UM, AND WHILE I THINK WE COULD CERTAINLY USE MORE STAFF, WE, WE, WE MAKE, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE AN ENORMOUS, UH, GROUP OF FOLKS.

SO MAKING, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE USING OUR LIMITED STAFF TIME WISELY.

UM, I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO GREAT, GREAT DETAILS HERE, BUT, UM, NEXT GO TO THIS SLIDE.

I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL A SENSE OF SOME OF THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UM, MAY BE A PARTICULAR INTEREST TO YOU.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NUMBER AFTER EACH RECOMME AFTER EACH LINE IS THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION NUMBER IN THE, IN THE DRAFT PLAN.

SO TO CREATE A CULTURAL MAPPING PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANT PLACES IN BUILDINGS, UM, THAT'S IN ADDITION TO HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEYS.

JUST HOW CAN WE, UH, BETTER FIND OUT WHAT WE HAVE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, DESIGNATED OR PRESERVE IN ANOTHER WAY SO WE CAN COLLECT THOSE STORIES AND SHARE THEM BACK OUT TO BENEFIT, UM, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO, UM, AGAIN, USING CREATIVE INTERPRETATION, UH, REACHING OUT TO OWNERS OF POTENTIAL HISTORIC PROPERTIES.

FOLLOWING UP WITH THE CULTURAL MAPPING AND FOLLOWING UP WITH HISTORIC, UH, RESOURCE SURVEYS TO STRONGLY SUPPORT OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES.

UM, WE WERE REALLY PROUD TO SUPPORT PRESERVATION AUSTIN'S FIRST LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH LAST OCTOBER, UM, TO HIGHLIGHT SOME REALLY LONGSTANDING BUSINESSES.

I THINK THAT WILL BE AN ANNUAL THING.

IT'S SO THINKING HOW CAN WE AS THE CITY, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, AND, UM, WORKING WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT BETTER SUPPORT OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES, UM, TO CONSIDER, UH, VARIOUS DISTRICT DESIGNATIONS.

SO, UM, CULTURAL DISTRICTS, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS WORKING ON, AND THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT, UM, HOW DOES THAT DOVETAIL WITH HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND, AND, UH, COMMUNITY HERITAGE THAT'S NOT TANGIBLE TO DEVELOP ACCESSIBLE MATERIALS ABOUT PRESERVATION AND COMMUNITY HERITAGE THAT ARE, THAT CAN BE USED BY, BY VISITORS AND, AND RESIDENTS TO DEFINE PRESERVATION AUDIENCES MORE BROADLY.

SO, UM, UH, AGAIN, FOR, FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, KIND OF SHARING OUT LIKE, WHAT ARE THE HISTORIC PLACES, WHAT ARE THE STORIES THAT MATTER IN AUSTIN AND HOW, HOW PEOPLE CAN LEARN MORE.

UM, AND FINALLY TO PROACTIVELY IDENTIFY IMPORTANT PLACES, THAT'S KIND, THIS IS KIND OF A SUMMARY, ONE FROM SOME PAST, UH, FROM SOME OF THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS HIGHER UP.

SO KNOWING WHAT'S IMPORTANT, BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND THEN TAKE THE STEPS TO PRESERVE IT, SUPPORT OUR HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THEN SHARE OUT SO THAT, THAT IT, IT IS, UM, THOSE PLACES HAVE A BROADER BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT IS PERMANENT IN THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT IS JUST COMING THROUGH.

THE CITY ORGANIZES OR THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, UM, ARE PUTTING TOGETHER.

SO THAT IS, THAT IS LIKE A BIG NUTSHELL, BUT A PRETTY, A PRETTY GOOD NUTSHELL I THINK FOR THIS DOCUMENT.

I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE FULL PLAN BECAUSE THOSE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I PULLED OUT.

BUT, UM, I'M, I HOPE, I THINK I GOT THE BIG ONES, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT I GOT WHAT, WHAT MATTERS TO Y'ALL.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE PLAN.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOUR MONTH ENGAGEMENT WINDOW, UM, THAT IS THE CHAIR SAID ENDS ON MAY 31ST FOR GETTING FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT.

WE'RE DOING SOME BIG MONTHLY EVENTS.

UM, THE NEXT EVENT THAT WE'RE DOING IS A BLOCK PARTY IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, THAT'S ON APRIL 20TH.

AND THEN ON MAY 23RD, OUR LAST BIG EVENT IS GOING TO BE AN OPEN HOUSE OF THE BROKEN SPOKE, WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN.

THERE MAY BE LIVE MUSIC STILL TO BE CONFIRMED, BUT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR.

UM, WE'RE DOING, UH, PRESENTATIONS AT, AT MEETINGS LIKE THIS ONE, A LITTLE BIT OF A ROAD SHOW TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

UM, WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, WE'RE TALKING TO STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, WE DID A TRAINING LAST WEEK FOR AIS D'S PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WHO WORK IN TITLE ONE SCHOOLS WITH LOW INCOME FAMILIES.

SO, UM, TRYING TO GET THEIR HELP SHARING OUT, UH, WITH THE FAMILIES THEY WORK WITH.

AND WE'RE ALSO SHOWING UP AT COMMUNITY EVENTS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND SIX EVENTS EACH MONTH, UH, TO, UH, FARMERS' MARKETS AND COMMUNITY FESTIVALS TO SAY, HEY, THERE'S THIS THING YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED, UH, AND HERE'S WHY.

SO IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.

UH, WE'VE BEEN LUCKY TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THIS OUTREACH.

SO WE ARE, WE HAVE 10 PAID COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AND WE HAVE FIVE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT WE HAVE AWARDED MINI GRANTS TO, TO HELP REACH OUT TO THEIR NETWORKS.

AND THE AMBASSADORS AND THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON REACHING HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN, UM, INVOLVED IN POLICYMAKING OR PLANNING IN THE PAST.

UM, SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF DELIBERATE DECISIONS BY THE CITY.

SO TRYING TO PUT EXTRA RESOURCES TOWARDS, TOWARDS THEM.

PEOPLE CAN GIVE INPUT AND FEEDBACK IN A LOT OF WAYS.

WE HAVE THE DRAFT PLAN, OF COURSE, IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE PAPER COPIES IN ALL BRANCH LIBRARIES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

UM, WE HAVE A, SO THIS IS, AGAIN, THIS IS A GREAT DOCUMENT.

IT'S GREAT READING.

YOU MIGHT WANNA SPREAD IT OUT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD, IT COULD BE A PLEASURE TO READ.

UM, BUT WE HAVE A FIVE MINUTE COMMUNITY SURVEY IF PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TO READ THE FULL PLAN.

AND, AND THAT ASKS BASICALLY WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.

AND WE WILL USE THOSE RESPONSES IN HELPING TO PRIORITIZE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE PLAN.

UM, UH, FOLKS CAN ALSO COME TO EVENTS THAT

[01:30:01]

ONE REALLY NEAT THING ABOUT THE THE PLAN WEBSITE THAT, THAT I HOPE YOU'LL CHECK OUT, IS THAT YOU CAN JUMP DIRECTLY TO GOALS THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO YOU.

SO WE HAVE THESE 14 GOALS, AND IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE, THEN YOU CAN JUMP TO THAT GOAL AND PROVIDE DIRECT FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS THERE.

WITH THESE, THERE'S KINDA A SCREENSHOT THERE.

THERE'S THESE LITTLE SLIDERS.

SO FOR EACH RECOMMENDATION YOU CAN SAY, I REALLY SUPPORT THIS, OR I REALLY OPPOSE THIS, AND THEN GIVE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK BELOW.

SO WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT EASY, UM, TO GO THROUGH THAT, OR YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE PDF AND SEND ME YOUR, YOUR EXTENSIVE THOUGHTS IN AN EMAIL.

THAT'S TOTALLY FINE TOO.

UM, BUT HOPE, I THINK THE, THE WEBSITE IS, IS AN EASIER WAY.

WE ARE DOING, AS I SAID, WE'RE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE END OF MAY, THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP, AND THE LANDMARK COMMISSION WILL BE REVISING THE PLAN THIS SUMMER, AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE FALL WITH THE FINAL PLAN AND OFFERING YOU ALL THE OPPORTUNITY OR INVITING YOU TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.

UM, AND OUR HOPE IS TO TAKE THE PLAN TO COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION IN DECEMBER.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.

ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. BERTRAN.

UH, ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION I SET AT THE TOP OF, UH, THIS AGENDA ITEM THAT FOLKS HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE ONLINE FEEDBACK UNTIL THE END OF MAY.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.

UH, WITH THAT, ARE THERE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER SHANNON, SO DOES THE PROPOSED PLAN CURRENTLY, UM, RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES IN DEALING WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION ON PROPERTIES WHERE AN OWNER OF THE PROPERTY DOESN'T WANT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION? IT DOES NOT.

IT DOES NOT.

AND THAT IS, IN TERMS OF DESIGNATION, THAT IT HAPPENS THAT A PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED AS A LANDMARK AGAINST THE OWNER'S WISHES.

IT IS EXTRAORDINARILY RARE.

SO OUT OF OUR 650 LANDMARKS, I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT NUMBERS.

I, I'VE NOT ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH THEM MYSELF, BUT I'VE HEARD SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND 11 PROPERTIES WERE DESIGNATED AGAINST THE OWNER'S WISHES OVER, YOU KNOW, THE LAST, UM, 50 YEARS OF THE, OF THE PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

UM, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE DRAFT ON THE DRAFT PLAN WEBSITE TO SUGGEST ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, BUT THAT ISN'T CURRENTLY ADDRESSED IN THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHANNON.

UH, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER CHAPO, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS LARGE EFFORT AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

I LOOK FORWARD TO READING THE, THE WHOLE MANUAL.

UM, WONDERING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFINED PRESERVATION AUDIENCES MORE BROADLY.

IS THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR ZIL OR THEATER PRODUCTION AND SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK AS AUDIENCES TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT DEFINITION? CERTAINLY, I THINK, I THINK PEOPLE WHO ATTEND, UM, ATTEND PERFORMANCES IN, IN HISTORIC VENUES OR, UH, AT SORT OF LONGSTANDING THEATER COMPANIES, MAYBE FANS OF PRESERVATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T THINK OF THEMSELVES LIKE THAT, RIGHT? SO I THINK WE, WE DO WANT TO CAST A VERY BROAD NET AND SAY SOMETHING THAT, AND I'M HELPING TO LOOK FOR OTHER AVENUES OF FUNDING SINCE THE SWITCH UP, RIGHT? SO, YEAH.

MM-HMM, , THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, ANY ADDITIONAL THINGS TO ADD? VICE CHAIR BAILEY? BOOM.

FIRST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, AS AN ASIDE, I LOVE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO, TO THE, UH, CREATIVE ACTION ORGANIZATION.

I THINK THEY DO REALLY IMPORTANT WORK, AND THEY'RE NOT RECOGNIZED ENOUGH FOR WHAT THEY DO, SO I'M GLAD YOU SEE THEM.

UM, JUST TO BRING IT BACK TO THIS ROOM OR WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT MOST OF THE DAY IN TERMS OF RESTAURANTS AND FOOD, I, I WAS MAKING A LIST HERE BECAUSE I NOTED ONE OF THE, UM, PEOPLE ON THE, THAT WORKED ON THIS WAS NOELLE BRIDGES, WHO I KNOW AND HER HUSBAND AND I WAS STARTING TO TICK OFF SOME THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING CISCO'S GOING ON THESE SIDE THAT I THINK THEY RECENTLY GOT THE DEEP EDDIE CABARET GOT A A, A RECENT DESIGNATION, AND, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE POOL BURGER.

AND WHO DOESN'T LOVE POOL BURGER? I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT AD.

SO THAT'S THE OLD AND THE NEW COMING TOGETHER, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT I THINK THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS IMPORTANT FOR, TO CREATE THOSE KIND OF INTERSECTIONS AND OPPORTUNITY.

BUT I THINK LAMBERTS, THE BUILDING THAT THEY'RE IN HAS A HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

SO THE LAMBERT'S DOWNTOWN AND OF COURSE VICTORY GRILL, CONTINENTAL CLUB, OUR DESTINATIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT MATTERS FROM A TOURISM PERSPECTIVE AND THEIR LEGACY, THE COMMUNITY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IS THE UPTOWN SPORTS CLUB? IS THAT DESIGNATED OR NOT DESIGNATED? I CAN'T QUITE REMEMBER.

IT IS DE I KNOW IT'S DESIGNATED AT SOME LEVEL, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A NATIONAL REG, IF IT'S LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTRAR OR A LOCAL LANDMARK.

WELL, I JUST, AS, AS AN EXAMPLE, I MEAN THAT ONE OF OUR PRESENTERS TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE HOT LUCK FESTIVAL, HOW THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THE PRODUCERS OF HOT LUCK, SOME OF THEM ARE, HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN REBUILDING AND REOPENING UPTOWN.

SO I JUST LOVED HOW THIS PRESENTATION DANIEL ACTUALLY CENTERED BACK TO, AND IT DID CONNECT.

YOU DIDN'T DRAW THOSE DISTINCTIONS BECAUSE IT'S MUCH MORE IMPORTANT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO

[01:35:01]

CREATE A BETTER FAIR PROCESS AND MAKE, YOU KNOW.

BUT I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT I THOUGHT THE WORK THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE HAS CONTRIBUTED, UH, TO THE FOOD ECOSYSTEM AS WELL AS OUR ENTERTAINMENT ECOSYSTEM HERE.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CONNECTION SO CLEAR.

THANK YOU VICE CHAIR BAILEY, UH, LAST COMMENT, 'CAUSE WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER SHAPEY, UH, I WAS WONDERING WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT THIS PLAN ADDRESSES SOME OF THE HISTORICAL INEQUITIES ON THE EAST SIDE? UH, BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT THIS, UH, THIS PLAN, IT'S EQUITY BASED, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS SOME OF THE SPECIFICS THERE.

YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT'S A BIG QUESTION FOR THE LAST QUESTION.

UM, SO I THINK IT IS EQUITY BASED IN, IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

SO, UM, JUST VERY QUICKLY, EXCUSE ME.

THE FACT THAT IT WAS CREATED BY A COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP, THAT, THAT GENERALLY REFLECTS THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DEMOGRAPHICS OF AUSTIN, UM, THAT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF FOLKS WITH DEEP TIES AND DEEP ROOTS IN EAST AUSTIN AND INCLUDES, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE FULL WORKING GROUP DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED A THIRD RENTERS, WHICH IS PRETTY NOT AS HIGH AS THE CITY'S 55%, BUT IS REAL GOOD FOR A PRESERVATION PROCESS AND PRETTY GOOD FOR AN INTENSIVE YEAR LONG CITY PROCESS TO HAVE A, A RELATIVELY HIGH PROPORTION OF RENTERS.

UM, WE WENT THROUGH, WELL, AS THE WORKING GROUP WAS DEVELOPING DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEY USED AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK.

UM, THEY, IT WAS A SERIES OF 10 QUESTIONS ASKING HOW EACH, EACH DRAFT RECOMMENDATION MAY MIGHT HARM OR BENEFIT HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

A LOT OF THAT, A LOT OF THAT IS IN THE, HOW SOMETHING IS IMPLEMENTED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS BEST AS WE COULD, THE WORKING GROUP WENT THROUGH AND, AND ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS OF EACH OF THE, THE 108 RECOMMENDATIONS AND IF SOMETHING, UH, IF SOMEONE FELT LIKE SOMETHING WOULD HARM THOSE COMMUNITIES, THAT THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS REVISED OR TAKEN OUT.

SO IN THAT, THERE'S A, A COPY OF THAT, UM, EQUITY FRAMEWORK IN THE, IN THE DRAFT PLANS, YOU CAN SEE THAT.

AND THAT WAS THAT WE BUILT ON THE, UM, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN FOR THAT.

THAT WAS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR US.

THEY'RE ALSO, SO PROCESS WISE THINGS, WE ALSO OFFERED COMPENSATION TO WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, UM, UH, BOTH FOR MEETING TIME AND PREPARATION TIME, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTOOD THAT SOME FOLKS, UM, WE PROVIDED BACKGROUND BRIEFS AND SOME FOLKS WOULD NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME ON THAT COMING IN WITHOUT A PRESERVATION BACKGROUND.

UM, IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK THE MOST OBVIOUS ONES ARE UNDER THE STABILIZED COMMUNITIES GOAL, WHICH SAYS, YES, BUILDINGS ARE IMPORTANT.

THIS PLAN IS ABOUT PLACES IN A BIG WAY, BUT ALSO PEOPLE ADD MEANING TO PLACES.

AND SO IT, IT, IT TALKS ABOUT, IT HAS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR KEEPING PEOPLE IN PLACE.

AGAIN, NOT A PANACEA, BUT, BUT SOME STEPS.

UM, IT TALKS ABOUT THE VALUE OF OLDER BUILDINGS, NOT EVEN, NOT NECESSARILY CAPITAL H HISTORIC BUILDINGS, BUT OLDER BUILDINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MORE MARKET AFFORDABLE.

UM, ADDING ADU, ADDING DENSITY IN OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE OFTEN MORE WALKABLE AND MORE CENTRAL AND JUST A MORE, UH, OFTEN A REALLY GOOD PLACE FOR ALL INCOMES TO LIVE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

UM, THERE ARE ALSO, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND, UM, OH, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THINGS KIND OF EQUITABLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING THAT CONTINUE THE, THE IDEAS FROM THIS PROCESS THROUGH, UM, SOME, UH, POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND CHANGES TO THE HISTORIC INCENTIVES, UH, CREATING A BROADER SUITE OF INCENTIVES THAT BENEFIT MORE PEOPLE, UM, WHILE STILL SUPPORTING OUR HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS IN A ROBUST WAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

I THINK THOROUGH ANSWER TO, UH, COMMISSIONER SHAY'S QUESTION, THE PLAN IS FASCINATING.

I WILL BE READING IT ALL, SO, OKAY.

THANK YOU MS. BERTRAN.

AND, UH, IF THERE ARE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, UH, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE CAN GET THOSE TO, UH, MS. BERTRAN AND HER TEAM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THE GRAND ENCHILADA TO BRING IT BACK, I GUESS , UH, TODAY APPROVING A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE FUNDING FOR THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT AND OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ZILKER THEATER PRODUCTIONS AND LONGSTANDING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES AND PERFORMERS.

NEXT, MOVING ON TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN,

[7. Approve a recommendation regarding the funding for Red River Cultural District, and other similar organizations like Zilker Theatre Productions, and other Long-Standing Cultural Institutions in Our Community with Diverse Audiences and Performers. ]

AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BOTH COMMISSIONERS KDI AND REI, UH, AUTHORED CO-AUTHORED THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION BEFORE YOU TODAY.

UM, AND I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO SAY PER PERHAPS, COMMISSIONER KANATI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS OR COMMISSIONER REEDY? WE DIDN'T PREP FOR THIS PART.

, DO YOU WANNA, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THE LEAD, JOHN? WELL, UH, MIKE AND I BOTH TOOK AN INTEREST BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE CULTURAL STUFF, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO PARKS AND PUBLIC EVENTS.

I'M INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT FOR ARTISTS AND AND SUCH, AND WE FOUND FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE'D BEEN RECEIVING PRIOR TO THIS THAT BOTH WERE IMPACTED NEGATIVELY BY CHANGES IN THE ARTS FUNDING.

[01:40:01]

SO, UM, YEAH, WE GOT, WE SAT DOWN WITH THE DOWNTOWN RECOMMENDATION FOR RED RIVER AND A COUPLE OTHER SOURCES, AND WE DRAFTED THIS TO GIVE YOU THE PREMISE IN THE EZ.

UM, AND THEN SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE RESOLVED.

AND I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH IT SECTION BY SECTION IF NECESSARY.

YES, THANK YOU.

IN FACT, CAN YOU READ IT FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? THE ENTIRE THING? YES.

DO WE WANNA STOP AFTER EACH SECTION FOR QUESTIONS OR JUST GO? I WOULD RATHER WE HAVE 25, 20 MINUTES.

LOVE TO FINISH ON TIME TODAY.

, GO AHEAD.

IF, UH, COMMISSIONER PRONUNCIATE, EXCUSE ME.

IF WE DO HAVE QUESTIONS, YES, WE'LL WAIT TO THE END.

WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE AC BUT ARE WE TRYING TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS CASE? THAT IS THE GOAL TODAY, YES.

UM, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 2 0 2 4 0 4 1 0 DASH 0 0 7.

UM, BUT WE WILL, UH, JUST READ IT IN FOR THE RECORD, FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE'LL, WE'LL DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDATION IN FOLD.

DOES THAT SOUND ALL RIGHT TO FOLKS? THANK YOU.

YEP.

I WOULD NOTE COMMISSIONER REEDY, I HAVE A PERSISTENT COUGH AND ALSO THAT IT IS POSTED AS PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD, BUT HERE WE GO.

THIS SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TOURISM COMMISSION IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT WILL SUPPORT LONGSTANDING TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN AUSTIN WITH HISTORIES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

WHEREAS CITY OF AUSTIN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS VIBRANT CULTURAL SCENE IN A DIVERSE AND CREATIVE COMMUNITY WITH A DECADES LONG HISTORY AS THE CULTURAL AND COUNTER-CULTURAL CAPITAL OF TEXAS, WHICH ENJOYS THE COMPETING MANTRAS OF KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD AND THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

AND WHEREAS ON JUNE 25TH, 2018, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 1 8 0 6 4 DASH SIX SEVEN, ESTABLISHING THE TOURISM COMMISSION QUOTE, TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL CONCERNING HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX REVENUE COLLECTED BY THE CITY, AND ISSUES RELATED TO AND THAT PROMOTE TOURISM AND TO QUOTE, ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE ALLOCATION INVESTMENT, EXCUSE ME, AND BUDGETS FOR THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE.

AND WHEREAS TEXAS TAX CODE CHAPTER 3 51, SECTION 3 51 1 0 1 A, STATES THAT REVENUE FROM THE MUNICIPAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX MAY BE USED ONLY TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN THE CONVENTION AND HOTEL INDUSTRY.

AND WHEREAS AUSTIN'S TOURISM INDUSTRY ACTIVELY USES OUR CULTURAL ARTS AND LIVE MUSIC EVENTS TO PROMOTE TOURISM TO AUSTIN AS READILY SEEN FROM VISIT AUSTIN'S WEBSITES, CULTURAL EVENTS, LISTINGS, INCLUDING THE RED RIVER CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT, THE ZILKER THEATER PRODUCTIONS AND OTHER LONGSTANDING GROUPS THAT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ARTISTIC JOBS GENERATE TOURISM AND SERVE AUDIENCES OF BOTH VISITORS AND RESIDENTS.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING GRANT PROGRAMS HAVE MADE NECESSARY CHANGES IN RECENT YEARS TO ADDRESS HISTORIC INEQUITIES.

AND WHEREAS THESE CHANGES TO CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING ALLOCATIONS DO NOT FULLY ACCOUNT FOR A RANGE OF EQUITABLE CONSIDERATIONS SUCH AS THE DIVERSITY OF THE AUDIENCE WHO ENJOY THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS OR THE ARTISTS, ARTISTS WHO PERFORM IN THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTIONS TO LONGSTANDING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAVE A DEMONSTRATED HISTORY OF POSITIVE TOURISM IMPACT AS WELL AS DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, AND EQUITABLE CURATORIAL HIRING AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES.

AND WHEREAS ON FEBRUARY 15TH, 2024, CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO INVESTIGATE WAYS TO PRESERVE ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EVENTS AND TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE COMMUNITY EVENTS WHICH ARE COMPLETELY FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE EVENTS PRODUCED BY ZKO THEATER PRODUCTIONS, AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE, AND THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, AMONG MANY OTHERS.

AND WHEREAS NUMEROUS CULTURAL ARTS GROUPS HAVE PROVIDED PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION ABOUT HOW THE RECENT CHANGES IN CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS HAVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THE OPERATION OF CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS AND EVENTS INCLUDING TO THEIR TOURISM IMPACT.

AND WHEREAS CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS IN OTHER CITIES SUCH AS SAN ANTONIO, BALTIMORE, DETROIT, AND OTHERS HAVE IMPLEMENTED FUNDING ALLOCATION MODELS, WHICH DELINEATE DIFFERENT FUNDING CATEGORIES WITH DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, INCLUDING PROVIDING FUNDING CATEGORIES INTENDED TO ADDRESS HISTORIC INEQUITIES, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING FUNDING CATEGORIES WHICH CONSIDER TOURISM IMPACT, ARTISTIC MERIT, PROFESSIONAL ARTS, JOBS CREATED AND HISTORY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THEIR SCORING.

NOW THEREFORE, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN MAINTAIN AN ARTS FUNDING CATEGORY THAT ADDRESSES HISTORIC INEQUITIES, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM

[01:45:01]

COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL ARTS FUNDING CATEGORIES THAT PRIORITIZE IN THEIR APPLICATION SCORING TOURISM IMPACT, ARTISTIC HISTORY AND MERIT SUPPORT FOR PROFESSIONAL ARTS, JOBS AND DIVERSITY OF ARTISTS IN THE AUDIENCE SERVED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT LONGSTANDING ARTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO PROVIDE FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMMING SUCH AS THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, ZILKER THEATER PRODUCTIONS, AUSTIN, SHAKESPEARE AND OTHERS, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION ENDORSES THE MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 4 0 1 0 8 3 AND THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 4 0 3 2 0 2 TO ALLOCATE IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE FUNDING IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 4 25 BUDGET TO THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT CONSISTENT WITH AMOUNTS ALLOCATED TO OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS THROUGH ITS MANAGING ENTITY, RED RIVER MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ANY AVAILABLE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOCATED FROM FISCAL YEAR 2023 SHOULD BE DIRECTED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO FUND LONGSTANDING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAVE A PROVEN HISTORY OF BROADLY DIVERSE AUDIENCE ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES SUCH AS THE RED RIVER CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT, ZUCKER THEATER PRODUCTIONS, AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE, AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL, AND OTHER ESTABLISHED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC AND VISITING TOURISTS WITH FREE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.

COMMISSIONER REEDY.

UH, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE THIS RECOMMENDATION FORWARD? SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

IS THERE A SECOND? .

SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KANATI DISCUSSION.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER SHANNON? SO, UM, JOHN, MY, MY QUESTION IS, I GOT, I WOULD SUPPORT THE FIRST RESOLVED AND THE THIRD RESOLVED, BUT MY, MY QUESTION REVOLVES AROUND THE LANGUAGE IN THE SECOND ONE, WHICH TALKS ABOUT ALLOCATE IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE FUNDING FOR THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.

AND MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT INTENDED TO ALLOCATE, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS OUT OF THE OCCUPANCY TAX? OR IS IT TO JUST RE RECAP, REALLOCATE THE FUNDS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO TO THE CULTURAL DISTRICT? SO THAT CULTURE THAT THE, UM, RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT IS INCLUDED, THE, AND MY, MY CONCERN IS IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I'VE RAISED THIS BEFORE, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL MONEY OUT OF THE OCCUPANCY TAX HOTEL, OCCUPANCY TAX TO CULTURAL, UM, DISTRICTS, UM, THAT AFFECTS OTHER ALLOCATIONS, AND THAT'S A MUCH BIGGER QUESTION, UM, THAT WOULD NEED BIGGER FOCUS.

COMMISSIONER REDY, I, I DID PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS CITED HERE, BUT THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT INTO THE BACKUP.

BUT WE, COMMISSIONER KANATI AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD ENDORSE THE OTHER COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WERE, AS FAR AS I RECALL, AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR, BUT I BELIEVE THEY WERE JUST ASKING FOR ANY RESOURCES AVAILABLE BECAUSE AS I'VE NOTED, UM, IT IS THE ONLY CITY DESIGNATED CULTURAL DISTRICT THAT HAS NO FUNDING.

UM, AND IT IS ARGUABLY THE ONE THAT BRINGS THE MOST TOURISM IN.

SO THESE OTHER COMMISSIONS, WE JUST WANTED TO ELEVATE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ALREADY WERE PASSED AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ANY RESOURCES, WHETHER THAT BE GENERAL FUND OR HOTEL TAXES, AND LEAVING THAT UP TO COUNCIL TO DECIDE.

SO MY, MY THOUGHT AND THE WAY I, AND JUST QUICKLY LOOKING AT THIS AND HOW I WOULD WORD THIS, THE SECOND ONE IS WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, ALLOCATE A MEDIA AND FUTURE FUNDING AND FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 25 BUDGET TO THE RED RIVER CULTURE DISTRICT DISTRICT OUT OF FUNDING OTHERWISE, AND ON THE SAME BASIS ALLOCATED TO THE OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UM, CONSISTENT WITH AMOUNTS.

WELL, I TAKE OUT THAT LANGUAGE THROUGH ITS MANAGING ENTITY, RED RIVER MERCHANT ASSOCIATIONS.

I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ALLOCATING ANY MONEY OUTTA THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX OTHER THAN THAT WOULD NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THE, THE CITY, UM, DIVIDES THAT UP.

WELL, I DID PULL THE COMMISSION READING, I'M SORRY, UM, I PULLED THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION AND THIS LANGUAGE IS LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM IT.

DOESN'T SPECIFY WHERE THE FUNDS WOULD COME FROM.

AND IT

[01:50:01]

SO I THINK THE ATTEMPT BY THE OTHER COMMISSIONS AS I READ IT, AND THAT WE ENDORSE IS TO LET CITY COUNCIL SORT OUT WHERE IT WOULD FIND THE RESOURCES FOR THIS DISTRICT.

WELL, AND SO THAT'S WHY COMMISSIONER CHEN, BUT I, I DON'T AGREE WITH RECOMMENDING CHANGES TO THE WAY THE CITY ALLOCATES HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.

UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A, WOULD BE A MUCH BROADER, UH, DISCUSSION AND MAYBE SOME OPPOSITION TO THAT.

UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH ALLOCATING FUNDS THAT ARE OTHERWISE GONNA BE ALLOCATED TO CULTURE DISTRICTS TO GO TO THE RED RIVER CULTURE DISTRICT, BUT TO THE EXTENT THEY'RE CHANGING THE ALLOCATION OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE MADE, UM, OR THAT THE FUND, YOU KNOW, ONE FUNDING FORM WOULD'VE DONE IN THE PAST.

UM, YEAH, I, I WOULD NOT GO ALONG WITH THAT.

COMMISSIONER 10.

AND COMMISSIONER KANATI.

I TRY TO RESPOND AT LEAST IN PART TO THIS, AND I, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE AT THE MEETING WHEN WE HAD A SPEAKER COME, MAYBE YOU WERE FROM THE RED RIVER CULTURE DISTRICT, BUT THEY DID TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT BASICALLY THEY GOT SHUT OUT AND THE OTHER DISTRICTS WERE TREATED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

SO I THINK THIS RESOLUTION IS REALLY TRYING TO RESPOND TO A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY INPUT WE RECEIVED AND BOTH FROM THE, THE SHAKESPEARE GROUP AND THE GROUP.

UH, AND I THINK THIS WAS JUST TRYING TO SAY HOWEVER THE OTHER GROUPS ARE BEING TREATED, LET'S TREAT THEM ALL THE SAME WAY IN THE CULTURAL DISTRICT AREA.

AND I HOPE I DIDN'T GET THAT WRONG, COMMISSIONER REDY, BUT COMMISSIONER REDY.

NO, I WANT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

AND THAT CLARIFIES SOMETHING FOR COMMISSIONER CHA IN THAT THE OTHER TWO CULTURAL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY DID NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.

THEY JUST GOT FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.

THE RED RIVER DISTRICT WAS TOLD IT MUST COMPETE WITH AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE AND ALL THE OTHERS FOR HIGH TAXES.

SO AS COMMISSIONER KANATI POINTS OUT, I THINK WHAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IS DOING, AND WE LIFTED THAT RESO RESOLUTION FROM THEM, WAS TO SAY, HEY, ALL CULTURAL DISTRICTS SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT HOT TAXES, ACTUALLY, IT'S ABOUT GENERAL FUND FUNDING, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE OTHER TWO CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE FUNDED.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REDI.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER IAN? I, I SEE BOTH.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER TI JUST SAID 'CAUSE HE USED SIMPLER LANGUAGE.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS IS SAYING THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE, MY MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, OH, I HAVEN'T SEEN THESE OTHER TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.

I HAVEN'T READ THEM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT LANGUAGE IS IN IT.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, USING LANGUAGE LIKE ALLOCATE IMMEDIATELY OR FUTURE FUNDS, IT SOUNDS A LITTLE STRONG.

UM, SO I KIND OF LIKE WHAT COMMISSIONER KANATI, HOW HE STATED IT, AND IF, IF WE CAN MAYBE WORD IT DIFFERENTLY, I'M OKAY WITH IT.

BUT, BUT AS IS I'M NOT ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I SAID IT.

, THANK APPRECIATE THAT.

WELL, I WOULD, COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

NO, I WOULD AGREE IN THAT I WASN'T CLEAR ON THIS.

IF YOU'RE PROPOSING CHANGES TO HOT TAX, HOW YOU KNOW WHO IS GETTING THAT AND WHAT PERCENTAGES? I DON'T EVEN THINK WE CAN THINK WE CAN, SO CAN YOU.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S ECHOING LIKE WHERE I FEEL LIKE I AM ON THIS.

SO, BUT UM, OR SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE GENERAL FUND, I'M, I'M POINTING TO SOMETHING HERE IN ONE MR. I'M SORRY.

UM, WE DO, WE, WE WERE ASSIGNED AS A TOURISM COMMISSION A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONAL THINGS, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO ADVISE COUNSEL ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE ALLOCATION.

INVESTMENT IN BUDGET.

SO WE, I KNOW THIS WAS A LONG RESOLUTION, BUT WE, THAT WAS PART OF OUR, WHAT WE FOUND WAS THE BASIS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNSEL ABOUT THE ALLOCATION OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES, IF THAT, AND MATTERS OF TOURISM CLARIFICATION.

YOU'RE SAYING IT'S THE CURRENT ALLOCATION, NOT A RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE ANY SORT OF PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, AWARE THAT HOW TO THE, UM, THE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED, IT'S JUST WHO GETS IT.

COMMISSIONER MATHIS, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC PLEASE? OKAY.

SO, AND I'M SORRY IF I'M, IF I'M, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HEARD YOU, BUT CLEAR AND I'M, YOU KNOW, AND I'M HAVING A MOMENT.

I'M GETTING IT.

BUT YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE ENTITIES ARE PART OF THE PIE THAT'S ALREADY THERE.

YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THE PIE.

UM, COMMISSIONER REEDY, I WOULD FIRST SAY THAT, UM, WE ARE ALLOWED TO RECOMMEND TO CHANGE THE PIE.

AUTHORIZED BY ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE PIE.

, UM, I WAS ON THE COALITION THAT CREATED THE TOURISM COMMISSION AND IT WAS VERY SPECIFIC IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT WE ARE THE ONLY COMMISSION

[01:55:01]

SO, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING HERE IS NOT TO CHANGE THE PIE JUST FOR RED RIVER.

WE'RE SAYING EQUITABLE EQUITY BETWEEN RED RIVER AND THE OTHER EXISTING CULTURAL ART DISTRICTS.

SO TAKE IT FROM WHO? COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TAKEN FROM ANYONE.

IT COULD COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

COMMISSIONER KANATI, COMMISSIONER REEDY.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, YOU HAD A COMMENT.

SO WHEN I READ THIS, IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE IT'S NOT ABOUT SCARCITY, IT'S MORE ABOUT ABUNDANCE AND BEING ABLE TO GIVE THESE DISTRICTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN WITHHELD FUNDING DUE TO HISTORIC PROCESSES TO BRING THEM BACK INTO FUNDING.

THAT'S HOW I READ IT.

I DO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER, UM, ANNA ABOUT RIGHT.

I HAVEN'T READ THESE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THEM, BUT I DO SUPPORT THIS POINT OF ORDER.

THE, THIS RESOLUTION BEFORE US IS ACTUALLY A COPY.

MANY OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THOSE TWO ORDINANCES.

CAN YOU CONFIRM? UM, ONLY A HANDFUL OF THINGS.

WE STARTED WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION'S, UH, RESOLUTION AS A BASIS, AND I'M LOOKING AT IT NOW.

THE ONLY THING WE LIFTED WHOLESALE WAS THE RESOLUTION IN QUESTION WITH THIS DISCUSSION, WHICH IS THE, WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY A THIRD OF FOUR RESOLUTIONS.

THE ONE ENDORSING THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING WHOLESALE LIFTED.

AND I WOULD WELCOME A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO STRIKE IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE FUNDING.

UM, AND JUST KEEP IT AS WE ENDORSE THE OTHER COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

CAN YOU RESTATE THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER ANDREY? WELL, I WOULD WELCOME A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BUT I WON'T MAKE IT COMMISSIONER CHEN.

SO MY PROBLEMS, JOHN WITH THAT IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.

UM, AND AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FUNDING THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, BUT IF IT CHANGES THE PIE AS TO HOW HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES ARE GONNA BE ALLOCATED AMONG THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT IT IS, AND I AGREE, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RECOMMEND THAT, BUT I WOULD NOT AT THIS TIME BE WILLING TO SAY IT NEEDS TO BE REALLOCATED JUST FOR THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.

I'M FINE WITH MONEY THAT'S OTHERWISE GONNA BE ALLOCATED TO CULTURAL DISTRICTS.

ALSO BE ALLOCATED TO RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT ON THE SAME BASIS AS THE OTHER DISTRICTS GET IT.

BUT TO THE EXTENT WE ARE CH YOU KNOW, YEAH.

I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR ANYTHING THAT WOULD CHANGE THE PIE BECAUSE WE TAKE MONEY AND APPLY IT TO THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, COULD COME OUTTA MONEY THAT GOES TO PARKS.

UM, UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SHANNON.

I'M NOTING THE TIME.

DO I HAVE PERMISSION TO EXTEND THIS MEETING? MY 10 MINUTES? YEAH.

THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT AND THE, AND TO OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS, OR LET MAKE AN AMENDMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE AMOUNTS ALLOCATED.

LIKE, I'M GONNA TRY REALLY QUICKLY HERE.

UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? ARE WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? ARE COMMISSIONER PEN, ARE WE ABLE TO BRING THIS BACK NEXT MEETING WHILE THAT WAY WE CAN, THE VOTING FOR THIS, THIS ACTUALLY IS SET TO TAKE PLACE.

THERE'S A COUNCIL VOTE ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN MAY AT WHICH THIS WOULD BE BEFORE OUR MEETING.

I BELIEVE SO.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS, WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER MEETING I HAVE .

SORRY.

WE, WE NEED I HAVE A COMMENT.

COMMISSIONER, UH, CHAPO.

SO I THINK AS THIS COMMISSION, RIGHT, AND AS OUR, OUR DUTY TO ADVISE COUNSEL ON THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED AND WHERE ERRORS HAVE BEEN MADE AND WHERE FUNDING AND MISSTEPS HAVE HAPPENED, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A DUTY, UM, TO PUSH THIS FORWARD TO, TO COUNSEL AS IS SO THAT THAT GETS ADDRESSED.

I THINK AS WE TRY TO LIMIT DOWN WHAT WE WANT TO DO OR INCREASE THE PIE.

UM, THERE ARE WAYS TO GET THINGS DONE AND I DON'T WANNA HOLD OURSELVES BACK BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE EXACT MESSAGING THAT WE'RE DELIVERING.

COMMISSIONER IAN? UM, YES, WE HAVE A DUTY.

UH, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE EDUCATED BEFORE WE TAKE ANYTHING TO COUNSEL.

AND I THINK WE'RE JUST KIND OF DIGESTING SOME OF THIS.

AND BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE RECOMMENDATION NUMBERS THERE, I'M A LITTLE HESITANT TOO ON THE LANGUAGE, EVEN THOUGH I'M HEARING THAT THERE'S DUPLICATE LANGUAGE IN HERE FROM THOSE OTHER TWO RESOLUTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, HOW ABOUT IF WE JUST STRIKE THE REFERENCE TO THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS AND PUT IN MORE OF A BROADER STATEMENT OF, UM, WE SUPPORT ALLOCATION OF FUNDING TO

[02:00:02]

WHAT'S THAT? SORRY, THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE TALKING.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

WHAT IF I MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO REMOVE THAT PARAGRAPH? BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY THIS PARAGRAPH SAYS, WE ARE AGREEING WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS AND DOWNTOWN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN SET FORTH OR WILL BE SET FORTH TO COUNCIL.

SO MIMICKING IT HERE IS MAYBE MORE PAGEANTRY THAN NECESSARY.

AND SO IF WE REMOVE PARAGRAPH, IS THAT A MOTION PARAGRAPH? YEAH.

SO STATE IT AGAIN PLEASE.

UH, I MOTION THAT WE REMOVE, UM, THAT BE IT RESOLVED OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION ENDORSES A MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT PARAGRAPH IN ITS ENTIRETY.

COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? THIS IS A SECONDARY MOTION TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, A CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE EXTENDED FUNDING FOR THE RED RIVER CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT AND LONGTIME, UM, CULTURAL GROUPS, UH, ZKO THEATER PRODUCTIONS AS WELL AS AS SHAKESPEARE.

IS THERE A SECOND? I NOT SECOND.

I HAVE A COMMENT.

COMMISSIONER.

CHAIRMAN.

WELL, ACTUALLY A MOTION'S ON THE TABLE.

THIS IS AN AMENDED MOTION.

THERE NEEDS TO BE A SECOND OR THE MOTION DIES.

IS THERE A SECOND? I AM, I CAN WE DO DISCUSSION? WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T DISCUSS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE THE MOTION TO DISCUSS IT.

I'LL, I'LL I'LL SECOND IT.

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CH.

DISCUSSION COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.

THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT.

SO DISCUSSED.

SO EVEN THOUGH I MOVING FORWARD WITH COMMISSIONER 10, EVEN THOUGH I SECONDED IT, I DO THINK THAT FUNDING THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT ON THE SAME BASIS AS THE OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE FUNDED IS AN IMPORTANT GOAL.

UM, AND WHICH SOMETHING I WOULD SUPPORT.

I JUST DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX BEING REALLOCATED TO PROVIDE MORE MONEY TO CULTURAL DISTRICTS.

'CAUSE THAT'S GOTTA COME OUT AS, UH, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES GOING TO OTHER THINGS.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHEN.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER KANATI, I WOULD LIKE TO PROBABLY VOTE AGAINST THIS IN THE COMEBACK AND, AND, AND PRO SOME LANGUAGE THAT COMMISSIONER POSI SUGGESTED THAT MIGHT BE THE HAPPY MEDIUM HERE, WHERE WE CAN GET SOMETHING THAT, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE THAT MY SUGGESTION TO GET THERE.

I LIKE THE IDEA, BUT WE CAN INCLUDE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT JUST TRYING TO GET IT DONE.

YEP.

, ARE WE VOTING, ARE WE READY TO VOTE ON THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT? UH, THE MOTION ON THE TABLE? YES.

SO, FORWARDED, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND TO STRIKE THIS SECOND TO LAST BE IT FOR THE RESOLVE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.

PARAGRAPH FROM THE RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL.

THOSE IN FAVOR? ONE COMMISSIONER IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED THOSE ABSTAINING? UH, THE MOTION DIES.

THE EXISTING MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO PASS THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION MOVING FORWARD.

2 2 0 2 4 0 4 1 0 0 7.

COMMISSIONER TI IS, THIS WILL BE TIME TO MAKE ANOTHER AMENDED MOTION ON THIS.

I CAN DO IT QUICKLY.

YES, YOU MAY.

ALRIGHT.

I WOULD REVISE THIS SECOND TO LAST FURTHER RESOLVE TO READ AS FOLLOWS, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT COUNCIL ALLOCATE FUNDING IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET 25 BUDGET TO THE RED RIVERFORD CULTURAL DISTRICT CONSISTENT WITH THE AMOUNTS ALLOCATED TO THE OTHER, OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS.

IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH THAT? I'M LOOKING, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.

SO I SECOND IT BY COMMISSIONER VADE.

THOSE IN FAVOR? OKAY.

PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 2 0 2 4 0 4 1 0 0 7.

WE ARE, UM, WE WILL GO BACK INTO THE RECORD.

COMMISSIONER TI WILL SHARE THE RESULTS OF THAT.

IS THERE, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ENTIRE RECOMMENDATION ON THE TABLE? DO WE HAVE A MOTION SECOND READY? I THINK WE DO.

WE ALREADY HAD IT.

THAT WAS WHAT WE JUST DID, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, I'M GETTING LIKE REALLY CAUGHT UP.

UH, PERFECT.

SO CHAIR WITH THE WITH THIS AMENDMENT, WE HAVE SO PASSED THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE TABLE.

MOVING ON TO THE LAST, UH, WE HAD, WAIT, I THINK POINT OF OUR ORDER.

THAT VOTE WAS TO PASS THE AMENDMENT.

WE NEED AND I, I BELIEVE WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL VOTE TO PASS THE RECOMMENDATION.

I WAS RIGHT.

OH, I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID, .

THAT MOTION HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN AS FAR AS TO LET'S PASS THIS AMENDMENT SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START VOTING.

OH, OKAY.

GOTCHA.

AS, AS WAS STATED PREVIOUSLY BY YOURS.

SO WE CAN VOTE NOW ON THE FULL RECOMMENDATION

[02:05:01]

TRULY.

IS THERE, UM, THERE, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SECONDED.

LET'S, UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? NO, WE'RE MOVING TO VOTING.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS THE AS AMENDED, UH, AS AMENDED MOTION AS AMENDED MOTION WITH THE AMENDMENT BY COMMISSIONER TI FOR RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 2 0 2 4 0 4 1 0 0 7.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

NOW MOVING

[8. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. ]

CON, UH, CONDUCTING OFFICER ELECTIONS FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, DO WE HAVE NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? YES.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE NOMINATIONS? COMMISSIONER IAN.

I I I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE, UM, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TO SAY STAY THE SAME AS WE HAVE NOW.

SO DANIEL WOULD BE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER BAILEY WOULD BE VICE CHAIR.

UM, THANK YOU.

IS THAT A RECOMMENDATION OR MOTION? WE'RE WE'RE PUTTING THAT, WE'RE JUST MAKING A SLATE SO THAT THERE'S NO RECOMMENDATION OR RATHER MOTION NEEDED.

UM, COMMISSIONER CHAN, I SAW YOUR HANDS.

NO, I WAS GONNA NOMINATE ED.

YOU I WAS GONNA DO THE SAME THING.

SO NOTED.

ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR? COMMISSIONER SHAY? I'D LIKE TO, NO.

UM, NOMINATE CHAPEL FOR VICE CHAIR.

UH, SO NOTED.

UH, AND COMMISSIONER MATHIS STAYING THE SAME.

STAYING THE SAME.

ALL RIGHT.

SO FIRST OFF, WE, UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR? SEEING NONE, UH, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH VICE CHAIR NOMINATIONS.

UH, WE HAVE TWO NOMINATIONS ON THE TABLE.

ONE FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL AND THE OTHER FOR, UH, CURRENT VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER BAILEY FOR BAILEY .

UH, MOVING ON TO I'LL, I MEAN, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT REALLY A MOTION.

IT'S MORE OF A, I THINK CONVERSATION, BUT IS THERE, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO PROVIDE A QUICK CONVERSATION? UM, DOES THIS SEEM AN OFFICIAL MOTION? YEAH, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND MOTION TO VOTE.

FOR A CHAIR OR CHAIR? UH, I WOULD LIKE A MOTION TO, I WILL MOVE AS CHAIR TO, UH, CREATE A MOTION TO VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS, UM, CHAPEL AND BAILEY.

IS THERE A SECOND? SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER REEDY DISCUSSION.

COMMISSIONER REDI, I WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM EACH NOMINEE, UM, IN PARTICULAR, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, I RECALL YOU PERHAPS ACCEPTED RELUCTANTLY, SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU WOULD BE RELIEVED TO NOT BE THE VICE CHAIR.

THE RELUCTANCE IS BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY LIKE ROBERT'S RULES OF WATERS AND ALL THIS STUFF.

NOT, NOT THE PURPOSE OR MISSION OF DRIVING THE COMMISSION OR I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ON IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO AFTER YEARS OF A YEAR OF SERVICE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, I JUST KIND OF FEEL LIKE WE DIALED IN PRETTY WELL THIS YEAR.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING A NEW CHAIR LAST WITH DANIEL COMING ON, AND I THINK THE ROADMAP PROCESS, WE'VE, AS A COMMISSION, I THINK WE'VE OUTPERFORMED PROBABLY THREE YEARS OF THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION WORK.

AND SO I THINK THE COMMS COMBINATIONS WORKING AND MY COMMITMENT IS TO SUPPORT THIS TOURISM INDUSTRY.

SO I FEEL LIKE IF, IF I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IN A MORE THOUGHTFUL AND, UM, EFFECTIVE WAY BEING A PART OF THE VICE CHAIR POSITION, THEN I WILL, I'M HAPPY TO MAINTAIN AND HONORED TO DO IT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

COMMISSIONER BAILEY.

UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPPA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE WORDS ABOUT YOUR CANDIDACY? SURE.

I KNOW THAT I'M NEW TO THE GROUP, BUT I THINK THAT I'VE KIND OF PROVEN MYSELF OF BEING CAPABLE OF THESE POSITIONS.

UM, I ALSO FEEL AS A DUTY TO, TO SAFEGUARD THE TOURISM, UH, COMMISSION AND THE INDUSTRY OVERALL.

ALSO, HAPPY TO BE IN THE SEAT AND CONTINUE LEARNING WITH OTHERS TO, UH, TO COMMISSIONED, UH, BAILEY'S POINT.

LIKE I THINK WE ARE IN A GOOD FLOW RIGHT NOW.

AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THE NOMINATION AND ENDORSEMENT FROM MY LEADERSHIP FOR VICE CHAIR, I, I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE GROUP THAT WE'RE IN NOW AND WE'RE ALL CAPABLE OF, OF DOING, UH, THE WORK.

AND SO I ALSO KNOW THERE'S SOME HESITATION AROUND MY OPINION ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER.

SO I JUST WANNA PUBLICLY SAY THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF THE CONVENTION CENTER IN FAVOR OF THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE DECISIONS THAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO ME, AND SO I HAVE NO INTEREST IN, IN STOPPING THAT.

I THINK IT'S A POSITIVE THING FOR AUSTIN AND NEEDED, UH, FINANCIALLY FOR THE CITY.

SO THAT'S KIND OF MY STANCE ON THAT.

UM, WITH THAT, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO A VOTE.

SEEING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WELL, THE MOTION IS TO VOTE.

[02:10:01]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF VICE CHAIR BAILEY REMAINING AS VICE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL ADD MY VOTE TO THAT.

I WANNA STAY FURTHER AWAY FROM ROBERT'S RULES OF AWARD.

, UH, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

COMMISSIONER PIAN, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES.

I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT.

UM, I DO AGREE, BISHOP, YOU DID A GREAT JOB, UH, WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE.

AND I, MY COMMENT IS REALLY TO SAY THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME.

I THINK AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD IS GONNA BE ASKED TO STEP UP INTO A CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR POSITION.