[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
UH, WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO ORDER.UM, IT'S CLOSE TO 6:40 PM HERE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATIONS, WE HAVE, UH, SHIWANA JOHNSON, REPRESENTING SUNDAY'S SESSIONS, A TX.HI, MY NAME IS SHAVANA JOHNSON AND I'M REPRESENTING SUNDAY SESSIONS, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING THE TIME OF TODAY TO LET ME SPEAK.
UM, IN A RESPONSE TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BACK IN FEBRUARY, IN THAT RESOLUTION 23, IT STATES THE CITY MANAGER IS TO SEEK INPUT FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY PARTNERS FOR, UH, FOR CITY CO-SPONSORED FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE LIVE MUSIC AND ARTS SPACE.
THAT CENTER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY SUNDAY SESSIONS IS THE ANSWER TO THAT.
WHAT IS SUNDAY SESSIONS? SUNDAY SESSIONS IS A WELLNESS EXPERIENCE THAT CONNECTS THE MIND, BODY, AND SOUL.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELAX FREELY, EXPRESS REGULARLY, CONNECT TO MOTHER EARTH, UM, AND ALSO TO LISTEN TO MUSIC THAT, UM, FREE LISTEN TO MUSIC THAT, UM, FUELS YOUR SOUL.
I'VE ATTENDED MANY BLUES ON THE GREEN, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EVENT, AND I'VE ACTUALLY WORKED IT.
AND WHAT MAKES SUNDAY SESSIONS DIFFERENT FROM THAT IS THAT WE FOCUS ON DIVERSITY.
WE FOCUS ON THE UNSEEN, THE UNHEARD, AND THE UNDERPRIVILEGED, BRINGING THAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
OUR MISSION IS TO SERVE OUR DIVERSITY COMMUNITY BY EMBRACING, COLLABORATING, SHARING IDEAS AND INFORMATION PRACTICES AND SERVICES THAT UPLIFT OUR WELLNESS AND CREATIVITY.
AND THERE ARE A FEW, UH, PERMITTING AND FINANCIAL HURDLES THAT WE RUN INTO WITH TRYING TO HOST THIS EVENT IN THE PARK.
UM, WHICH KIND OF WOULDN'T MAKE IT FOR, IT WOULD BE HARD TO MAKE IT A FREE EVENT GOING THAT ROUTE.
UM, AND ALSO WE'VE BEEN DI DENIED EVENTS BECAUSE I QUOTE, UM, THEY WANTED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE CROWD THAT'S BEING ATTRACTIVE.
AND I QUOTE, DJ EVENTS ARE DISRUPTIVE TO THE PARKS AND SUNDAY SESSIONS IS NOT A DJ EVENT, IT'S A WELLNESS EXPERIENCE.
WE WORK WITH DJS, WE WORK WITH YOGA TEACHERS, AND WE WORK WITH SOUND HEALERS.
UM, AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICATION FEE, SOUND, PORTING FEE, UM, PAYING ARTISTS, LIGHTING, EQUIPMENT, MARKETING, JUST TO NAME A FEW, IT ALL ADDS UP AND IT, UM, IT MAKE, MAKES IT REALLY HARD TO PUT THIS THING ON, ESPECIALLY IN THE PARK.
AND SUNDAY SESSIONS IS REALLY ABOUT BEING IN THE PARK WITH COMMUNITY AND JUST BREATHING FRESH AIR AND CONNECTING WITH ONE, ONE ANOTHER.
DUE TO THIS, WE'VE HAD TO MOVE THIS INTO, UM, PRIVATE SPACES.
I'M HERE BECAUSE, UM, WE ARE SEEKING A CO-SPONSORSHIP TO HELP WITH PERMITTING, BUT ALSO FUNDING SUNDAY SESSIONS.
UH, MS. JOHNSON, UH, I, UH, WELL WE CAN'T HAVE A Q AND A IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, BUT IS THERE A WEBSITE OR ANYTHING ONLINE THAT YOU COULD SHARE? UM, UM, YES, YOU CAN GO TO, UM, IF YOU GO TO OUR SUNDAY SESSIONS, S UM, A TX AND OUR WEBSITE IS LINKED RIGHT ON THERE.
MOVING ON, UM, APPROVAL OF, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF MINUTES.IF EVERYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW, UH, THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE LAST MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING, IF SOMEBODY COULD MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER CARVALHO A SECOND.
DO I TAKE YOURS AS A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GOULD, DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND BY ANY CHANCE? OH, I JUST, MY FAVOR.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? COMMISSIONER PRICE.
DO WE HAVE A YAY FROM YOU AS WELL? YEAH.
UM, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Presentation on musical performance by ChicoSelfie Music Commission Live Performance participant and Shelbi Mitchell, Program Coordinator, Music & Entertainment Division. ]
PRESENTATION ON MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY CHIRA SELFIE, UH, MUSIC COMMISSION.THIS PART OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE, UH, THAT'S ALSO BEING, UH, SUPPORTED BY SHELBY MITCHELL, PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
YEAH, JUST SUPER BRIEFLY, THIS WAS, UM, COMMISSIONER AGUILAR'S NOMINEE FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME SHOOTING.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE VIDEOS FAIRLY, FAIRLY QUICKLY, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY MORE.
ACTUALLY, OUR LAST TWO DATES WE'LL HAVE ONE IS AUGUST 19TH, WHERE WE WILL HAVE ANASTASIA HARA.
[00:05:01]
META CHARLIE FOR THAT.AND WE ALSO HAVE BUDDY, I MEAN, BUBBA LUCKY.
UM, AND SO MOVING FORWARD, OUR NEXT TWO WILL BE COMMISSIONER GOLDS AND DAVILA, WHO COULD NOT BE HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, SO YES, PLEASE ENJOY CHICO SELFIE.
AND COMMISSIONER AGUILAR JUST JOINED.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING.
I'M TRYING TO TEXT HIM AND SEE, BUT YES.
[00:10:01]
I THINK HE'S, I THINK HE SAW THEM.IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
I KNOW YOU JUST HOPPED ON, BUT HI GUYS.
YEAH, NO, I JUST, UH, I GOT TO CATCH A, A LITTLE BIT HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH, UH, LOGGING ON CURRENTLY.
IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT IMPORTANT, BUT YEAH, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE A CHICO SELFIE, UH, UH, A LOCAL, UH, LATIN BAND.
IT'S, UH, UH, STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND, UH, THE GUITAR PLAYER IS, UH, ACTUALLY BECOME A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT, HAVE ROOTS IN, UH, OSA, UH,
AND WE WERE JUST THERE IN JUNE.
HE TOOK ME OUT THERE AND I WENT TO SEE FAMILY AND STUFF.
BUT WE HAVE A GREAT CONNECTION AND LOVE HIS MUSIC AND I'M GLAD, UH, FOLKS GOT TO, UH, HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF IT.
BUT, UH, ALEX, ED AND, AND CHICO SELFIE FOR SURE.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, TO CHICO SELFIE, UH, EVERYONE IN THE BAND.
UH, I THINK THIS IS QUITE THE JOY TO, UH, SEE THESE PERFORMANCES.
THANK YOU SHELBY, FOR, UH, COORDINATING ALL OF THIS.
UH, I ARE VERY THRILLED ABOUT IT.
UH, ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? ALRIGHT.
OKAY, THANK YOU EVERYONE AGAIN.
UM, MOVING, GO ON TO THE THIRD,
[3. Live Music Fund collections update by Kim McCarson, Program Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Economic Development Department. ]
UH, AGENDA ITEM HERE.LIVE MUSIC FUND COLLECTIONS UPDATE BY KIM MC CARSON, PROGRAM MANAGER, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION, EDD.
MCC CARSON, PROGRAM MANAGER, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE, A PRESENTATION WITH THE ONE, I THINK IT'S THREE SLIDES WITH ALL THE LITTLE GRAPHS ON IT.
HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
AND SO OUR NEW NUMBER FOR JUNE IS 35,256.
OF COURSE, THAT WOULD CORRELATE WITH ACTUAL MAY ACTUAL ACTIVITY, BUT, UH, THAT'S THE JUNE NUMBER.
SO 35,256 DID A COMPARABLE LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A JUMP.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE, UH, THOSE NUMBERS REFLECTED AT THE TOP FOR A TOTAL YEAR TO DATE.
AND THEN THAT LAST SLIDE IS JUST LAST YEAR DOESN'T ACTUALLY, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE ONE BEFORE.
SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, COURSE.
WELL, LAST YEAR WE WERE REALLY, WE WERE REALLY SURPRISED TO SEE THAT SOME MONTHS, UM, HAVE A LOT OF MONEY COMING IN.
AND SOME HAVE VERY SMALL THAT MM-HMM.
RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BIGGEST ONE, RIGHT? UH, SO WE, WHAT YOU SAID WAS THAT THEY COME IN LIKE BUNCHES AND BATCHES, AND I'M INTERESTED IN THAT THE SAME MONTHS THAT WERE BIG LAST YEAR ARE THE SAME MONTHS THAT ARE BIG THIS YEAR.
SO WE STILL DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHY THERE'S THIS LUMPINESS.
WELL, SO IT'S, WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THIS SORT OF, UH, TWO MONTHS LAG TIME.
SO THIS NUMBER FOR JUNE IS THE NUMBER THAT WE RECEIVED IN JUNE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY REFLECTIVE OF, OF LIKE MAY.
UM, SO IT'S NOW, YOU KNOW, AUGUST, BUT I'M ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE ACTIVITY THAT WAS HAPPENING WAS, IS ACTUALLY A COUPLE MONTHS FROM LATER.
SO IT'S JUST NOT, BUT IT, IT CORRELATES THE SAME WITH LAST YEAR.
WHY ARE THERE BIG BUMPS? WELL, IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE MONTH THAT WOULD REPRESENT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A BIGGER, YOU KNOW, BIGGER CHUNK.
AND THEY SEEM TO BE THE SAME, UM, FOR SOME OF THOSE BIGGER EVENTS.
BUT FOR SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED FOR THIS PARTICULAR NUMBER, I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM 19,000 TO 35,000.
IT'S, UH, IT, BUT I, WHAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT IS THIS IS NOT, UH, EACH THING CANNOT REPRESENT AN ACTUAL CALENDAR MONTH.
THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE MAKING SOME OF THESE MONTHS MUCH BIGGER THAN OTHERS.
UH, AND IT'S NOT RIGHT BECAUSE NO, NO MONTH, EVEN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MONTH IS NOT 30 TIMES MORE TRAP, MORE, MORE VISITORS THAN ANY OTHER MONTH.
THAT'S JUST SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S MY POINT.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
THE FACT THAT YEAR OVER YEAR IT'S THE SAME IS NICE.
I MEAN, IT TELLS US SOMETHING, BUT IT'S STILL VERY CONFUSING.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT ME TO ASK ABOUT? LIKE,
[00:15:01]
YEAH, COULD, COULD ARE IS, ARE YOU SAYING THAT MAYBE IT'S, IT'S THAT THIS, UM, LARGER AGGREGATIONS VERSUS SMALLER AGGREGATIONS OR NOT REALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT MONTH OF THE ACTUAL MONTHS? IF YOU COULD ASK WHY JANUARY'S NUMBER IS, UH, IN BOTH 23 AND 24 IS, UH, 20 TO, UH, 40 TIMES MORE THAN WHATEVER THIS MOST RECENT MONTH THAT THAT CAME IN.UH, I GUESS, I GUESS THAT'S THE AUG.
THE, UH, WELL, I CAN GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.
UH, ERICA CHALEY, MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER, A LOT OF TIMES THESE COLLECTIONS ARE ALSO DEPENDENT ON WHEN THE HOTELS PAY, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST A ROLLING SYSTEM OF INVOICING AND PAYMENTS GOING INTO THE TILL, AND THEN THE PROCESS OF IT GETTING OVER TO THE FUND THAT GOES INTO THE FUND THAT WE SEE HERE TODAY.
SO A LOT OF TIMES IT, THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON, IT'S JUST WHATEVER'S HAPPENING WITH GETTING THE TAX MONEY INTO THE ACCOUNT FIRST.
UM, AND THEN ALSO DIFFERENT INTEREST PAYMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN MONTH TO MONTH.
AND THERE, THERE JUST COULD BE REASONS, BUSINESS REASONS FOR LAGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH REALLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
WHAT'S GOOD IS THAT WE'RE KIND OF ON PAR WITH THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UH, WHERE, UH, IF YOU COULD REMIND ME WHERE DO WE GET THIS REPORT FROM AGAIN? UH, HOW DO WE SOURCE THIS IN DATA? HERE? HERE.
UM, IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT ERICA SAID.
THIS REPORT FOR JULY ACTUALLY ARE COLLECTIONS FROM THE HOTEL STATE IN MAY THAT WE COLLECTED IN JUNE.
AND IT'S REPORTED AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF WHEN THEY PAY IT IS THE CONTROLLER WHO RECEIVES THE MONEY FROM THE STATE AND THEN DISPERSED TO THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER IT.
BUT AGAIN, THE GREAT THING IS IT'S CONSISTENT.
I THINK, UH, THE CURIOSITY IS, UM, WELL IF, IF, UM, I GUESS IT'S NOT EVEN REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE ACCOUNTING AT ANY, ANY LEVEL OF DEPTH, BUT, UH, UH, I THINK JUST LIKE UNDERSTANDING THE TRAINING, LIKE WHAT, WHAT EVENTS IN TOWN COULD POSSIBLY, UH, LIKE SOUTH BY SEEMS VERY OBVIOUS.
LIKE WHAT ARE THESE, YOU KNOW, SOME KEY PERIODS IN TOWN AND HOW DO THEY RELATE TO MUSIC THAT MIGHT BE TRIGGERING THESE BUMPS IN, UH, THE HOTEL TAXES THAT ARE SO SIGNIFICANT.
AND, UM, AND LIKE, WHEN I THINK OF LIKE THE TIMINGS OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN LIKE RECEIPTS, ET CETERA, THE FACT THAT THE TRENDING IS CONSISTENT SAYS THAT THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT DIFFERENT TIMES THAT ARE SYSTEMATICALLY HAPPENING IN, YOU KNOW, IN A CERTAIN WAY.
RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THE CURIOSITY IS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IN, ESPECIALLY I GUESS FOR OUR COMMISSION, JUST WHAT IN MUSIC IS CONTRIBUTING, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, THIS UPTAKE.
WHAT OTHER EVENTS, KEY EVENTS IN TOWN ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE UPTAKE.
I THINK THAT'S THE CURIOSITY AND THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY COME FROM JUST A REMINDER.
JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS HOTEL STAYS PERIOD, NOT JUST MUSIC EVENTS.
SO PERHAPS VISIT AUSTIN CAN COME AND TALK ABOUT THE TRENDS THAT THEY SEE, BECAUSE AGAIN, I KNOW OF TWO CONFERENCES THAT HAPPEN THIS YEAR THAT HAVE NOT HAPPENED IN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
AND SO EVERY YEAR THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT NEW CONFERENCES, BUT IT MAY NOT DIRECTLY CORRELATE WITH A MUSIC EVENT.
BUT WE MAY HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT CONFERENCE THAT VISIT AUSTIN WAS ABLE TO ATTRACT.
SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST A MUSIC, IT'S BASED ON HOTEL STAYS PERIOD.
AND SO WE COULD HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT CONFERENCE COME.
NO, ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THAT DIRECTOR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, TO WHAT COMMISSIONER ROSENTHAL, UH, POINTS OUT LIKE THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SOME WONDERING ABOUT IS IT REALLY AT A ONE MONTH INTERVAL EACH TIME WE ARE SEEING A NUMBER OR IS THERE A, UH, A DIFFERENCE IN THAT INTERVAL? UH, WHEN WE SEE A 35,000 VERSUS 7 81 VERSUS 2288, IS THAT, IS EVERY BIT OF THAT JUST ONE MONTH? OR IS THAT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME? ONE, ONE IS 45 DAYS AND ONE IS MAYBE REFLECTING 30.
SO JUST SOME HIGH LEVEL INFORMATION ON THAT IN THAT REGARD.
IF ANYBODY COULD, UH, THE NUMBERS COME FROM THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, RIGHT? SO OLIVIA JUST SAYING, SO THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S THE HIGH LEVEL INFORMATION THAT
[00:20:01]
WE CAN GET YOU EVEN FROM OUR CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.SO LET ME TALK TO VISIT AUSTIN TO TALK ABOUT THE HIGH LEVEL TRENDS ON WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, WHO'S COMING, UH, WHAT THEY COULD BE DOING.
A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THE SUMMER, SO THEY WOULD BE BETTER TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE ACT OVERALL ACTIVITIES, NOT JUST MUSIC, BUT WHAT ARE THEY SEE YES.
ACROSS THE REGION THAT, THAT WORKS.
I THINK THAT, THAT, LIKE I SAID, THAT IS, YEAH, THAT'S THE CURIOSITY.
UH, UM, SOME OF US, AND, UH, I'M, I SAY THIS IN A VERY FRIENDLY WAY, MIGHT HAVE A DEEPER INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY ABOUT THE DATA AND THE, AND THE CALCULATIONS, BUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE TRENDING WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
I'M REALLY GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
AND I THINK, UH, IT JUST HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THIS CAVEAT THAT THESE, UH, THE CORRELATION OF, OF, OF THE RECEIPTS DOESN'T NECESSARILY COR IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY CORRELATE WITH, UM, WHEN THOSE TAXES CAME INTO THE HOTELS.
SO I, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S NEW INFORMATION FOR US, THAT THIS IS JUST WHEN, WHEN THE HOTELS ARE, ARE TURNING IN THESE TAXES AND THAT, THAT, THAT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY CORRELATE WHEN THE VISITS TO THE HOTELS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
SO SINCE THIS IS AN ONGOING REPORT, MAYBE IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT CAVEAT AS KIND OF PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, A KEY ASPECT OF THE PRESENTATION, JUST SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND MOVING FORWARD THAT THESE, THESE NUMBERS ARE ATTACHED TO THESE MONTHS BASED ON THE RECEIPTS AND NOT NECESSARILY BASED ON THE HOTEL ACTIVITY.
'CAUSE I THINK, I THINK WE DIDN'T, WELL I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS THE CASE BEFORE.
NOW, I THINK HEARING FROM VISIT AUSTIN WOULD BE HELPFUL, BUT MAYBE WE COULD JUST SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO KIND OF REHASH THIS QUESTION AGAIN EVERY TIME ABOUT LIKE, WHY WAS THIS MONTH BIGGER THAN, THAN THE OTHER.
UM, MAYBE WE COULD INCLUDE THAT CAVEAT IN THE, IN THE REPORT AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND WE CAN PUT A LINK IN THE REPORT TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE THAT ACTUALLY STATES THAT IT'S ALL, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE ON HOW IT'S COLLECTED.
SO WE CAN INCLUDE THAT LINK SO PEOPLE THEN CAN JUST GO AND READ IT.
UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR, COMMISSIONER CARVALHO.
SORRY, UH, DID I ASK, DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE? UH, AND YEAH, PLEASE, COMMISSIONER CARVAL, ARE YOU SURE? UM, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.
UM, MY QUESTIONS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, DIRECTION IS, HOW MUCH OF THIS IS FROM STR AND AIRBNBS? IS THERE A NUMBER THAT, OR DO WE GET ANY, IS THERE ANY KIND OF CONTRACT WITH THE CITY? 'CAUSE WHAT I'VE HEARD IS AIRBNB'S PUSHBACK REAL HARD ON COLLECTING HOT TAX FOR THE CITY, AND THERE COULD BE UP TO LIKE 10 TO $12 MILLION IN HOT TAXES THAT COULD BE COLLECTED FROM STR OR SHORTTERM SHORT TERM RENTALS.
IS THERE AN AVENUE WHERE WE CAN KIND OF PURSUE THAT, THOSE FUNDS TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE THE TEXAS MUSIC MUSEUM AND ALL THOSE PLACES? OR IS THIS EVEN THE RIGHT CONVERSATION TO HAVE RIGHT NOW? I DUNNO HOW TO DISTINGUISH THOSE.
SO, OLIVIA, IS THERE A WAY TO DISTINGUISH THOSE THINGS IN THE NUMBERS? I NO, NO.
AND WE HAVE HAD SOMEONE COME TO DO THE PRESENTATION ON SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, THAT IS HANDLED AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL.
UH, SO WE CAN EITHER GET SOMEONE FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT OR THE CONTROLLER, OUR CONTROLLER TO COME IN AND, BUT WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION BEFORE AND SO WE'LL WORK ON, UH, HAVING THAT PERSON COME BACK.
SO WE ARE COLLECTING HOT TAXES FROM AIRBNB ONLY IF THEY ARE REGISTERED AND THEY'RE PAYING.
BUT WHAT I HEAR YOU SAY ARE PERHAPS THOSE WHO ARE UNREGISTERED AND, AND HOW WE TACKLING THAT AND AT THE AIRBNB CORPORATE LEVEL.
AND THAT IS, UH, THAT IS BEYOND US.
AND SO I WILL HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STAFF COME AND SPEAK TO THAT.
UH, I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD AROUND S STRS.
YEAH, SO THAT WE HAVE, UH, THE TOURISM COMMISSION HAD, THEY HAD A WORKING GROUP SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW TO TACKLE SOME OF THESE ISSUES ABOUT THE NON COLLECTION OF HOT FROM UNLICENSED SDRS AND THE LAND USE WORKING GROUP, YOU KNOW, MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO THEM ALSO THAT THEY INCORPORATED IN A REMARK.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO MAYBE HAVE, UM, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THEIR WORKING GROUP COME OUT AND LET US KNOW HOW THAT'S BEEN BECAUSE, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK THROUGH
[00:25:01]
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND COUNCIL OFFICES TO GET SOME FORWARD MOVEMENT IN THAT.SO, UH, WE COULD MAYBE HAVE THAT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THE ANALYSIS OF WHAT COULD BE AVAILABLE OUT THERE AND WHAT WE THINK THERE IS, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE A PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE NOT GETTING FROM THESE UNREGISTERED, UM, S STRS AND AIRBNB USERS.
BECAUSE THAT COULD BE A LOT OF MONEY TO HELP A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT.
SOMEONE, UH, ONE OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE LAND USE WORKING GROUP DID AN ANALYSIS, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS JUST ONE PERSON.
I MEAN, HE IS, HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING, BUT I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL, BUT HE ESTIMATED IT TO BE POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS $3 MILLION THAT COULD BE GOING TO ARTS AND MUSIC.
SO IT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT EVEN THE WHOLE BATCH OF HOT, BUT JUST WHAT COULD BE COMING IN, IN THE YEAH.
UNOFFICIALLY I'VE HEARD 10 TO 12 OUT THERE.
NOT THAT IT ALL GO TO MUSIC OR ANYTHING, BUT LIKE, BUT YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE IT BACK UP AS A COMMISSION AND SEE WHERE THINGS ARE AT.
UM, COMMISSIONER GOLD, DO YOU WANT TO SHARE FURTHER THOUGHTS? UH, I'LL JUST SAY, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP AGAIN, BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE, THE FIRE NEEDS TO BE STOKED.
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT BEFORE.
WE EVEN HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM AIRBNB COME HERE AND, AND GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT HOW THEY WANTED TO TAKE CHARGE OF, OF THOSE COLLECTIONS THEMSELVES.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AND IT NEEDS TO BE CONTINUOUSLY REVISITED.
SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP, AND I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY CONTINUE THAT STOKING OF THE FIRE.
BECAUSE I THINK, UH, SOME US WHO PARTICULARLY FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS TOPIC, UH, YOU KNOW, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS TO DO WOULD BE TO, AGAIN, REMIND OUR OWN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM, UH, TO KEEP, KEEP THE AGENDA ITEM ALIVE.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOME INTEREST, UH, IT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT, UM, BUT NOT QUITE SURE, UH, WHERE IT'S LANDED OFF LATE.
UM, CAN WE POTENTIALLY, WAS THERE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS OFFICIALLY YES.
SO MAYBE WE CAN, CAN WE MAYBE RESEND THAT OUT TO THE CURRENT, ALL THE CURRENT COMMISSIONERS SO THAT WE CAN, EVERYBODY CAN GET UP TO SPEED ON IT AND WE CAN YEAH.
MAYBE USE THAT TO, WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REFERENCE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MADE AND KIND OF ASK FOR AN UPDATE ON IT.
ONE THING, DIDN'T WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN, IN, IN, IN OUR JOINT MEETING WITH ARTS, RIGHT? DIDN'T WE, DIDN'T WE, DID WE DISCUSS THIS ON THE RECORD WITH, WITH, WITH, UH, WELL, I GUESS THAT WAS, I THINK SPRING.
DID WE TAKE IT UP HERE AS A COMMISSION? DID WE DECIDE PASSED RECOMMENDATION? THERE'S BEEN RECOMME WE PASSED A RECOMMENDATION ALREADY.
I THINK ESSENTIALLY THE LICENSE, THE LICENSING MECHANISM, UH, HOW IT'S DONE, IT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED AT THAT LEVEL FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR TACKLING ALL THE UNREGISTERED, UH, UM, AIRBNBS AND OTHER SDRS.
UM, I THINK IT HAS TO BE DONE AT THAT LEVEL.
IT'S NOT JUST AT ARTS AND MUSIC LEVEL, RIGHT? SO, UH, IT'S GONNA NEED, UH, MORE ACTION FROM COUNCIL ON THAT FRONT.
SO I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT I REPRESENT, LIKE THIS IS THE CONVERSATION.
I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE I, I REACHED OUT TO HIM THIS WEEKEND, CHEETO VELA FOR DISTRICT FOUR, AND THE REASON I REACHED OUT TO HIM WAS BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING OUT THE TEXAS MUSIC MUSEUM.
AND I WAS LIKE, HOW CAN WE HELP? CAN YOU HELP ME EVEN COME UP WITH IDEAS, LIKE ANYTHING? AND HE BROUGHT THIS UP AND HE IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE, HE DOESN'T HAVE THE, THE DATA OR THE ANALYSIS, THE PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS TO REALLY GIVE ME A NUMBER.
BUT HE SAID THAT IF WE AS A CITY CAN PUSH BACK ON AIRBNB ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THESE PEOPLE REGISTER TO PAY THESE HOT TAXES, THEN A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT DO COME UP TO US FOR HELP CAN BE HELPED AND THE FUNDS ARE THERE.
SO, AND I, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER.
I JUST KNOW THAT THE MONEY IS THERE AND PEOPLE AREN'T GIVING IT TO, OR THEY AREN'T PAYING THEIR, THEIR BILLS.
IF WE THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
UM, IF WE WANT TO TALK FURTHER ABOUT THIS TOPIC, THEN WE'LL NEED TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
GOING BACK TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND COLLECTIONS UPDATE, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
[4. Update on the FY24 Austin Live Music Fund by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, Music & Entertainment Division.]
UPDATE ON[00:30:01]
THE FY 24 AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND BY ERICA SHAMLEY, DIVISION MANAGER, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.HELLO, ERICA SHAMLEY, MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGERS.
SO, HAD A GREAT CATCH UP CALL WITH A LONG CENTER TODAY.
I JUST WANNA COMMEND THEM FOR WORKING VERY, VERY HARD FOR PROPERLY EVALUATING AND TRIPLICATE, UH, NEARLY 1200 APPLICATIONS.
IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME AND WITH THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE EXPECT AND THAT THEY OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS GIVE US, SO, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FINAL LIST, MAKING SURE, CHECKING IT TWICE.
AND SO IT'S OUR HOPE HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE, TWO, THREE WEEKS THAT, UH, APPLICANTS WILL HEAR ABOUT THEIR STATUS.
UH, AND SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE ON SCHEDULE TO GET IT DONE, DEFINITELY BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S, UH, PATIENCE WITH THE PROCESS.
I MEAN, TO HAVE NEARLY 1200 APPLICANTS IS A LOT.
AND, UH, SO AGAIN, COMMENDING THE LONG CENTER FOR THE BIG LIFT THAT THEY JUST DID.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT IS AFTER AWARDEES ARE ALERTED, WE'LL START THE PRE AGREEMENT MEETINGS WITH THE LONG CENTER AND THE AWARDEES SO THAT, THAT WE CAN QUICKLY GET THEM INTO THEIR GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GET, GET ROLLING FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, I DO WANNA JUST SAY THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT WE HAD, $3.5 MILLION FOR PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND FOR PROMOTERS AND A MILLION FOR THE VENUES, THAT WE STILL HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT FUNDED THAT WERE AMAZING.
AND SO WE WILL SHOW YOU THE DATA OF WHO DIDN'T GET FUNDED, WHO JUST 'CAUSE THERE JUST WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY AND TELL YOU WHAT THE NEED IS OUT THERE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING, NOT ONLY FROM WHO IT IS, BUT ALSO THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PRIORITIZE SO THAT WE CAN LET YOU GUYS KNOW OUR, UM, CITY COUNCIL OR MAYOR KNOW WHAT THE NEED IS OUT CURRENTLY IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? I DO, I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
I JUST, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT NEXT YEAR WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE MONEY IS GOING TO, WELL, THE FUNDS ARE GOING TO MORE PEOPLE, THAT, THAT JUST NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M GONNA SAY ON IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK WE, UH, WE'LL BE VERY KEEN TO SEE THE OUTCOMES FROM, UH, THIS ROLLOUT.
UM, UM, I SEE THAT, UH, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF CHANGES WERE MADE, UH, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
UM, AND THE SOFTWARE PLATFORM ITSELF.
UM, I THINK IT'LL BE GREAT TO SEE THE OUTCOMES, UH, SEE WHAT KIND OF TRENDS WE SEE THIS TIME, UM, AMONGST USERS, AMONGST THE KIND OF, UM, PARTICIPANTS, UH, CURIOUS ABOUT VENUES, UM, HOW THAT ROLLOUT, UH, GOES.
AND, UM, I WOULD REALLY WELCOME, UM, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, UM, PRE ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY SEE THE OUTCOMES, UH, I WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO COME AND, UH, SHARE, UM, FEEDBACK AND THEIR, THEIR INPUTS ABOUT THIS APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO, UH, WE CAN ONLY IMPROVE IT FROM HERE, HERE ON.
AND, UH, DEFINITELY AGREE ON THE FUNDS, UH, UH, NEEDING MORE FUNDS FOR THE MUSIC COMMUNITY GIVEN, UH, JUST, JUST EVEN KNOWING THAT MORE THAN A THOUSAND APPLICANTS ACTUALLY APPLIED.
UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK I, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE IT, IT'S GONNA BE LESS THAN 200 APPLICANTS WHO WILL GET, RIGHT.
THERE'S LIKE SOME, LIKE 800 OR SO PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA GET DENIED AND THERE'S LIKE A HUNDRED OR SO PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA GET AWARDED.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S 2024 WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LIKE JUST ALL OF THE EXORBITANT COST INFLATION, EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, THERE ARE, THERE ARE REALLY FAMOUS ACTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE OUT THERE TOURING, AND THEY'RE TOURING SOLO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE A BAND.
I MEAN, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW IT'S FOR THE LITTLE GUY, AND ACTUALLY I'M THE LITTLE GUY AND I KNOW HOW IT IS.
AND IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE JUST NEED MORE OF THE POT TO GO AROUND TO PEOPLE UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO STABILIZE, UM, THIS THING WITH MORE PRO PROGRAMS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND, AND, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE, UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
AND I, I, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED MORE MONEY.
THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND WE NEED TO TALK IT UP.
WE NEED EVERYBODY TO KNOW ABOUT THESE SHOWS IN THAT LIGHT.
I WENT TO A PERFORMANCE AT THE OH FOUR CENTER.
IT WAS THE BAND NORI, THEY HAD A NINE PIECE STRING ORCHESTRA.
IT WAS A TRIBUTE TO NINA SIMONE, AND AINA.
ALEY GAVE US A SHOUT OUT FOR THIS.
SO WHEN WE SEE THESE ACTS, UH, TALK IT UP, TELL EVERYBODY WE NEED, YOU KNOW, WE NEED EVERYBODY TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SO THAT MORE PEOPLE WANT THESE GRANTS AND THAT MORE PEOPLE REALIZE THE NEED FOR THEM.
AND THEN, WE'LL, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S GOTTA BE A BOTTOM UP KIND OF THING, NOT JUST A TOP DOWN TRICKLE DOWN.
[00:35:02]
YEAH.I MEAN, I, I THINK, UM, ANY, ANY GRANT PROGRAM, UM, OF THIS KIND AT SOME LEVEL IS ALSO GONNA BE VERY COMPETITIVE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS, UH, NOT ENOUGH FUNDS COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF, UH, YOU KNOW, VIABLE, YOU KNOW, DESERVING APPLICANTS.
UM, AND, AND IF, IF THIS IS ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON WHAT TAXES, UM, AND SO WE'LL, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY, UH, LOOK INTO AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE CITY AS TO HOW THIS CAN SCALE BECAUSE, UM, IT MIGHT NOT SCALE BEYOND A POINT, UH, IF WE ARE ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON WHAT TAXES TO, TO FEED INTO THIS PROGRAM.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLORED AS WELL, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AS TO HOW TO INCREASE THE POT BEYOND A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, LER, JUST WANT CHECKING IN WITH YOU.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, I, I, I THINK, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP OF LIKE, THE POTENTIAL FOR GROWING THIS POT, UM, AND EXPLORING WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT WAY BACK WHEN WE WERE FIRST GETTING THIS OFF THE GROUND, UM, OF EXPLORING HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, CREATE SOME PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OR WHATEVER.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION BEFORE THE NEXT ROLLOUT OF LIKE, WHAT IS REALLY POSSIBLE FOR US TO GROW THIS POT BEYOND HOT TAXES? 'CAUSE I KNOW WE, WE REALLY TRIED, UM, AT THE OUTSET, AND I KNOW IT WAS REALLY ABOUT GETTING THIS OFF THE GROUND AND GETTING THIS MONEY OUT THE DOOR AND GETTING IT IN PEOPLE'S HANDS.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF DOING THAT, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US DISCUSS WHAT THE PO POSSIBILITIES ARE REALISTICALLY FOR, FOR GROWING THAT.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GUILD.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, THE FACT THAT MORE PEOPLE APPLIED ALSO SPEAKS TO BETTER AWARENESS OF THE GRANTS.
SO THAT IS A POSITIVE, UH, THAT THERE IS A LARGER POOL OF APPLICANTS.
AND, UH, WE HOPE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS MORE AWARENESS OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THESE GRANTS, UH, AMONGST THE VAST DPO THAT EXISTS IN AUSTIN.
SO, UM, THAT IS DEFINITELY A POSITIVE.
BUT YEAH, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS TO THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.
PLEASE, UH, COMMISSIONER CARVALHO AND COMMISSIONER PATTERSON, I'LL GET TO YOU NEXT.
I'M STILL PRETTY NEW, SO THIS MIGHT BE AN IGNORANT QUESTION.
UM, IS THERE A WAY TO GET FUNDS TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO CREATE FUNDRAISING EVENTS? IS, IS THERE EVER A POT WHERE, 'CAUSE I THINK TO BE ABLE TO GO GET, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE EQUITY AND PRIVATE FUNDS, YOU NEED SOME MOMENTUM BEHIND IT AND, AND FUNDRAISING, AND THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, OR EVEN FOR EVENTS TO BE ABLE TO BRING PRIVATE PARTNERS INTO IT.
IS, HAS THERE EVER BEEN TALKED ABOUT BEFORE I WAS HERE? THAT IS, I THINK THAT'S A COMPLICATED QUESTION.
OH, WELL, ERICA'S ABOUT TO TELL US THAT.
THAT'S A COMPLICATED QUESTION.
AND I, I CAN'T THINK, AND I'LL TALK TO, SO I MEAN, I'LL ASK SOVIA.
I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR FUNDRAISING.
UM, BUT BRINGING UP AN EXCELLENT POINT, WE NEED SOMEONE FUNDRAISING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO HELP REALLY BOLSTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY JUST WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH GRANT FUNDS BECAUSE IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE.
YOU SEE, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HEARTENED TO SEE THE NEED IN THESE, UH, REALLY WONDERFUL APPLICATIONS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FUND.
I THINK IT'S GONNA GIVE US ALL A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION AND THE INFORMATION, A REALLY GOOD FUNDRAISER NEEDS TO GO OUT THERE AND FUNDRAISE, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, CORPORATIONS, PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, FOUNDATIONS AND SUCH.
UH, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON, YOU HAD, YOU HAD SOME COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
UH, WELL, JUST QUICKLY, I WANTED TO SAY, UH, I KNOW THAT PART OF THE REASON THAT, THAT WE HAVE SO MANY APPLICATIONS IS BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESSFUL IMPROVEMENTS THAT STAFF WORK TO MAKE TO THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
SO I DID WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, TO STAFF, UM, AND THE LONG CENTER FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID.
UM, AND YEAH, IN TERMS OF, UM, INCREASING THIS POOL OF FUNDS, I DO THINK THAT THAT, UH, SOMETHING THIS, THIS COMMISSION COULD TAKE UP AND CHEERLEAD FOR, I MEAN, WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY LEAD IT, BUT IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IDEA OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WORKS IN A, AS A CONSERVANCY MODEL OR SIMILAR.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING I, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO LOOK AT FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
[00:40:01]
YEAH, AND I THINK, I MEAN, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, OBVIOUSLY IT DOESN'T ALLEVIATE EVERYTHING.UM, BUT THE FACT THAT IT'S A TWO YEAR, UH, ROLLOUT, UM, AND, UH, THE SAME FOLKS CANNOT APPLY NEXT YEAR, WILL KIND OF AT LEAST BRING IN A NEW SET OF FOLKS WHO GET THE GRANTS NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT WILL HELP SOME DEFINITELY.
UM, AND YEAH, SO, OR EVEN FROM A SCORING MECHANISM, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA EXIST IN THE FUTURE AFTER TWO YEARS, BUT THIS TIME I THINK THERE WAS A HEAVY PENALTY FOR FOLKS WHO GOT GOT THE FUNDS LAST YEAR.
WELL, I, I'M USING THE WORD PENALTY, MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE BEST WORD.
UH, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET LIKE 15 POINTS IF THEY GOT THE FUNDS LAST YEAR.
SO, BUT THAT OPENS IT UP FOR, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER FOLKS TO GET THE GRANTS.
UM, NOT EVERYBODY WAS SUPER THRILLED ABOUT THE 15 POINTS.
UH, BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A DIFFERENT, THAT'S FOR A DIFFERENT DAY.
UH, PLEASE, COMMISSIONER PRICE ARE THE, EXCUSE ME IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
IS IT STILL THE THREE DIFFERENT TIERS, 10, 20, 30,000? HAS THAT GONE UP OVER THE YEARS? OR IS IT JUST ONE AMOUNT THAT'S BEING ISSUED? IT'S 15 TO 30.
AND IS THAT, IS THE PLAN TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT, OR IS THAT KIND OF FIXED? AND THEN TALK ABOUT BRINGING MORE MONEY IN THOSE AMOUNTS STAY THE SAME.
AND SO ULTIMATELY YOU COULD SPREAD IT OUT FURTHER.
UH, SO THEIR SET AMOUNTS 15 AND 30.
WE STARTED OFF WITH, UH, FIVE AND 10, UH, LAST YEAR JUST WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY, ESPECIALLY GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
IT'S A LABOROUS PROCESS TO GO DO THESE GRANTS.
AND ALSO, THIS IS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS CULTURAL BENEFITS FOR AUSTIN.
SO WE WANTED TO HAVE PRACTICAL, IMPACTFUL AMOUNTS THAT FOLKS COULD INVEST INTO THEIR BUSINESS SO THAT THEY REALLY COULD GROW AND EARN MORE REVENUE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST TO HELP ACTUALLY BUILD THE BUSINESS TO MAKE MORE MONEY.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA STICK WITH THE 15 AND 30.
WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT THE OUTCOMES WERE.
WE'LL HEAR FROM FOLKS FROM LAST TIME AND THIS TIME TO SEE WHAT WAS MOST EFFECTIVE FOR YOU.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO TWEAK AS WE GO, BUT I THINK WE'RE ONTO SOMETHING HERE.
WE HAVE THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT TO MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY WELL DESERVING.
UH, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GOOD USE AND MORE IMPACTFUL USE OF THE FUNDS THAT WE DO HAVE TO GO WITH THESE LARGER GRANTS AND STICK WITH THAT TRULY IS INVESTMENT.
COMMISSIONER PRICE, JUST TO, JUST TO ADD TO THAT QUICKLY, IS, UH, THAT, THAT, NOW THOSE FUNDS CAN BE USED OVER TWO YEARS, UNLIKE LAST YEAR, THE FIRST TIME ROLLOUT.
SO THE SAME FOLKS CANNOT APPLY NEXT YEAR.
SO THE 30 WILL BE DISTRIBUTED OVER.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL CYCLE THROUGH THAT A THOUSAND PEOPLE OVER TIME, BECAUSE YOU, WE ARE GONNA TRY TO PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED YET IN THE NEXT, UH, CYCLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND, HOW DO WE GET TO 2% BETWEEN ARTS AND HERITAGE AND, AND MUSIC? HOW DO WE GET TO 2% VERSUS THE 1% THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY GETTING? UH, 2%.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY HOTEL OCCUPANCY? OH, THE TAX DOLLARS.
HOW DOES IT BY ORDINANCE? IT'S FROM THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER OPENED UP A NEW WAY OF TAKING FUNDS FROM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR THAT.
AND COUNCIL MADE THAT, UH, POSSIBILITY, UH, AVAILABLE TO LIVE MUSIC AND HER, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S A WAY TO RAISE THAT, UH, OVER THE PERCENTAGES THAT ARE THERE.
I BELIEVE THERE'S STATE LAW, BUT I'M GONNA DEFER TO SO NOVIA OF HOW THE ACTUAL PROPORTIONS OF FRACTIONS COME, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY COME FROM.
RIGHT? SO NOVIA VOTE AGAN BY STATE STATUTE, THE MAXIMUM WE CAN DO FOR HERITAGE IS 15%, AS WELL AS AROUND CULTURE, WHICH MUSIC IS CONSIDERED A PART OF.
AND SO AS PART OF THE EXPANSION, THEY INCREASE THAT BY 2 CENTS.
AND FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND IS 15% OF THAT TOO.
AND IT'S IN THE ORDINANCE, AND WE CAN SEND YOU A LINK TO IT.
NO, I, I, I HAVE THE, I MEAN, IF ANYONE ELSE NEEDS THE ORDINANCE, I, I'M, I'M GOOD WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT I THINK THE QUESTION IS, IS THE MAX, SO WE'RE GETTING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED MAXIMUM IS, YEAH.
AND, AND YOU CAN ALSO, MUSIC CAN APPLY TO CULTURAL ARTS FUND IF THEY PREFER, RIGHT.
FOR THOSE LARGER, MORE IMPACTFUL GRANTS.
SO THAT'S, SHE'S CORRECT THAT THE, THE TOTAL IS STILL, MUSIC IS INCLUDED, BUT THE DEDICATED FUND OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND IS NEW.
THAT WAS, AS YOU KNOW, STARTED BECAUSE OF THE EXPANSION TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA OUTTA STATE STATUTE AND FOCUS ON MUSIC.
AND THEN, AND I THINK JUST IN, IN TERMS OF THE BACKGROUND, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS A PRETTY LONG-TERM EFFORT AND ASKED TO BRING THESE FUNDS TO THE COMMERCIAL MUSIC INDUSTRY FROM, UH, UM, THE HOTEL TAXES ESSENTIALLY BEING ON THE ODD SIDE FOR, FOR, UH, I THINK A COUPLE OF DECADES.
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, IT WAS, UM, DURING MAYOR ALAS TERM THAT, UM, THAT THESE, UH, ACTUALLY CAME TO FRUITION, UM, WITH, WITH THE LIKES OF, UH, UH, LOLA FLORES, GAVIN GARCIA, AND OTHERS, UH, WORKING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.UM, SO IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A PRETTY, I THINK, DECADES LONG EFFORT TO BRING THESE FUNDS TO FRUITION AND BRING THEM TO THE, UH, COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY, MUSIC INDUSTRY.
UM, MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS.
[5. Update on live musical performances for Music Commission meetings by Vice Chair Patterson]
UPDATE ON LIVE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES FOR MUSIC COMMISSION MEETINGS BY VICE CHAIR PATTERSON.SO, UM, SHELBY AND SCOTT AND I ARE WORKING THROUGH THE, THIS MAZE WITH, UM, THE CLERK'S OFFICE ABOUT WHAT'S ALLOWED
THAT'S A MEETING OR AN EVENT THAT'S A SOCIAL EVENT WHERE THE MUSIC COMMISSION CAN, IN A MORE RELAXED ENVIRONMENT OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL CHAMBERS ARE A MEETING, UH, INTERFACE WITH THE PUBLIC AND HAVE LIVE MUSIC THERE.
FIRST WE THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE A MEETING, AND THEN THERE WERE CERTAIN RULES AROUND THAT.
NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE IT SHOULDN'T BE A MEETING, BUT WE COULD DO IT AS A, A COMMISSION SPONSORED EVENT.
THERE'S ISSUES WITH QUORUM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO SET UP A MEETING WITH STEPHANIE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE THIS WEEK.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, SCOTT? LIKE, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH NO.
WE'D LOVE TO DO IT AT THE LIBRARY THAT THEY'VE BEEN REALLY ACCOMMODATING ABOUT THE, THE SPACE, THE ROOFTOP SPACE, UH, WHEN WE TOURED IT.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE, HAVE IT CATERED AND HAVE LIFE BANDS AND, UH, SO WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW ALL THE RULES, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT IRONED OUT REALLY SHORTLY.
UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THE TOPIC? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PATSON.
[6. Update from Land Use Working group by Vice Chair Patterson.]
VICE CHAIR PATSON UPDATE FROM LAND USE WORKING GROUP.I'M GONNA POP BACK INTO THE LAST TIME WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME, UH, FOR US TO TALK ABOUT OUR CONVENTION CENTER RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, BUT THERE IS A PRESENTATION THAT WILL POP THROUGH.
UM, SO WE, THE, THE LAND USE WORKING GROUP, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT WE WANTED TO DISCUSS AS A GROUP WHEN WE FORMED, UH, WITH, WITH MEMBERS OF THE ARTS COMMISSION WAS, UM, HOW TO UTILIZE, UH, THE BRAND NEW EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER IN A WAY THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKES IT ITSELF A, A TOURISM DESTINATION REFLECTIVE OF THE CULTURE HERE AND HOW IT CAN PROVIDE PUBLIC BENEFITS AND BENEFITS, UM, TO THE ARTS AND MUSIC LANDSCAPES.
SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
JUST REAL QUICKLY, YOU CAN SEE THERE, UH, WHO'S IN THE WORKING GROUPS.
SO YOU SEE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S FOUR COMMISSIONERS INCLUDING, UH, LAUREN AND MYSELF REPRESENTING MUSIC.
AND THEN, UH, THEN THERE'S FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, THREE OF THOSE, UH, WORK IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN ONE PERSON IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IS A INDEPENDENT PROMOTER WHO'S, UM, DEALING WITH DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES ADJACENT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD MIX OF, OF CITY AND CULTURE AND, AND THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF TEXT HERE.
I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF IT, BUT I DO WANNA HIT A COUPLE OF, UH, KEY POINTS.
UH, THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER IS A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT OF OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC FUNDS.
SO THIS IS ALL FUNDED BY HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES, AND, UM, A LANDMARK DOWNTOWN PROJECT.
UH, THIS ENDEAVOR HOLDS, UM, INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS TO AUSTIN, INCLUDING INCREASED TOURISM REVENUE AND EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SPACES.
UM, AND, UM, THIS TOURISM THAT IT WOULD, UH, HOPEFULLY DRIVE INCREASED TOURISM.
THAT MEANS MORE MONEY FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND OTHER, UH, OTHER PROGRAMS FUNDED BY HOT TAXES.
UH, THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER IN ITS EXPANSION HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SET ITSELF APART AND ABOVE COMPETING FACILITIES BY LEVERAGING AND STRENGTHENING AUSTIN'S STATUS AS A THRIVING MECCA FOR CREATIVITY, ARTS, MUSIC, AND DIVERSE CULTURE.
SO I DO THINK AUSTIN, UM, YOU KNOW, KIN CONVENT CENTERS, THERE ARE MANY CITIES, UH, THERE'S LOTS OF CHOICES FOR, UM, CONVENTION ORGANIZERS.
AND SO WE REALLY, WE REALLY WANT THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER TO FEEL LIKE AUSTIN FEEL LIKE MUSIC.
WE THINK THAT THAT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR BOTH, UM, THE SUCCESS OF THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER AS WELL AS FOR JUST PUBLIC BENEFIT IN GENERAL
[00:50:01]
AND, AND A WAY TO SUPPORT THE MUSIC SCENE.UM, SO THERE'S A PORTION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT'S CALLED THE P THREE THAT STANDS FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A PHYSICAL SECTION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT, UM, IS GONNA BE DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES.
AND THERE WILL BE A LOT OF, UM, GROUND FLOOR, POSSIBLY EVEN SECOND FLOOR, BUT SPACES, UM, WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATIVE PROGRAMMING AND SPACES THERE.
SO ABOVE THAT IS GONNA BE PROBABLY OFFICE, HOTEL, UH, HOUSING, POSSIBLY.
UM, BUT THE GROUND FLOOR IS SOMETHING THAT OUR GROUP WAS ASKED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT, WHAT, WHAT COULD BE IDEAL IN THAT SPACE.
UM, SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AND HAVE OUTLINED IN THIS RECOMMENDATION IS, UM, A COHESIVE MASTER PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT.
THESE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WE HAVEN'T CREATED THESE, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE SUGGESTING TO CONVENTION CENTER.
THE PLANNERS, UH, DESIGNERS, ARCHITECTS, AND STAFF, A COHESIVE MASTER PLAN, UM, FOR THE DISTRICT THAT INTEGRATES THE BUILDING GROUND FLOOR USES WITH THE STREET SCAPE AND PUBLIC REALM.
UM, SOMETHING THAT'S FEELS VERY EXPERIENTIAL.
IT'S, UH, REALLY A DELIGHT TO BE THERE.
IT INTEGRATES WELL AND BRINGS IN PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE, UM, CONVENTION ATTENDEES, BUT IT CAN DRAW TOURISTS AND, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND RAINY STREET ALONG THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, UM, THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
AND SO IN, IN THAT SENSE, IT SUPPORTS ALL THOSE AREAS AND THOSE TOURISTS SUPPORT THE WHAT'S PRESENT THERE IN THOSE SPACES.
SO WE BROKE THIS DOWN INTO SPEC, SOME SPECIFIC, UM, BUCKETS.
SO ONE THING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THERE IS MUSIC SPACES.
SO THAT COULD BE, UM, A RECORD STORE THAT PROMOTES AND FEATURES LOCAL ARTISTS AND BANDS THAT ARE TOURING THROUGH AUSTIN THAT WEEK.
UM, MUSIC STAGES FOR PERFORMANCE, ESPECIALLY, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE MUSIC DURING THE DAY AND THE SORT OF THE AIRPORT MODEL.
AND THEN IT, THAT HELPS PROMOTE, UM, AND DRIVES INTEREST TO SEE PEOPLE SEEING LIVE MUSIC THAT NIGHT.
UM, EVEN A RECORDING STUDIO AND ALSO USING THE OUTDOOR AREAS FOR PUBLIC STAGING.
ON THE ART SIDE, UM, FLEXIBLE SPACE FOR POPUP MAKER MARKETS, FEATURING LIKE LOCAL ARTISTS AND DJS IN LIVE MUSIC.
SO THAT'S A SIMILAR MODEL TO FRIDA FRIDAYS BLUE GENIE.
UM, POSSIBLY A COCKTAIL LOUNGE AREA.
OF COURSE, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE LOTS AND LOTS OF PUBLIC ARTWORK IN THIS SPACE AND, AND THROUGHOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER GENERALLY.
UM, ALSO A, A DANCE STUDIO THAT COULD BE RENTED, UH, AT REASONABLE RATES.
AND, UM, SO FOR BOTH THE RECORDING STUDIO AND THE DANCE STUDIO, WE HAD A THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF THERE ARE WINDOWS AND PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT'S TAKING PLACE.
SO AUSTIN BALLET, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER WALKED PAST THERE, BUT YOU CAN LOOK IN AND YOU CAN SEE PR PEOPLE PRACTICING, AND IT REALLY, IT'S REALLY COOL TO KIND OF INTEGRATE THAT CULTURAL LIFE, UH, THAT'S TAKING PLACE WITH THE STREETSCAPE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY RETAIL WOULD BE A GREAT SUPPORT IN THESE AREAS, SO WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, LOCAL ARTISTS AND MAKERS FEATURED IN THOSE STORES, UH, BOOKSTORES FOR FEATURING TEXAS ARTISTS LOCALLY OWNED COFFEE AND COCKTAIL LOUNGES.
AND ALSO, UM, WE'D LOVE TO THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF A ROTATING EXHIBIT SPACE THAT COULD POSSIBLY FEATURE, UM, AMONG OTHER THINGS, LOCAL ARTISTS, BUT ALSO CURATED ITEMS FROM THE TEXAS MUSIC MUSEUM, WHICH WE'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT LATER IN THE MEETING.
UH, SO A FEW OTHER SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE STAFF TO THINK ABOUT, UM, HOW THE CITY CAN USE AND IMPLEMENT ECONOMIC INCENTIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE TENANTS.
UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF, UM, TOOLS LIKE TAX REIMBURSEMENTS, GRANTS, AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE, UH, DESIRED COMMUNITY OUTCOMES OR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS TO MAINTAIN AFFORDABLE PRICES ON SPACE.
SO, I MEAN, BASICALLY THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN A LITTLE BRENT BREAK ON RENT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GONNA BE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE REAL ESTATE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE CITY TO THINK ABOUT TOOLS THAT THEY CAN USE TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL BUSINESSES
[00:55:01]
AND HELP THE DEVELOPERS IN THIS SPACE MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.UM, ALSO THE WHOLE SPACE IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR PROMOTION OF LOCAL MUSIC AND CULTURE.
SO THAT CAN BE FLAT SCREENS PLACED THROUGHOUT ALL.
IF YOU CAN THINK OF ALL THE WAYS THAT, UM, A SPACE CAN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE AIRPORT, FOR EXAMPLE, I MEAN, THERE'S LOTS OF ADVERTISEMENT IN THAT SPACE, BUT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE THAT ADVERTISEMENT TO BE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, VISIT THIS GALLERY, COME TO THIS LIVE SHOW TONIGHT, CHECK OUT THIS BAND, LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ARTIST.
UH, AND ALSO, UH, SPECIFICALLY WE WANNA HELP VISITORS TO AUSTIN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, HOW TO BE A COOL TOURIST IN AUSTIN, LIKE, REALLY HOW TO ENJOY PART OF THIS.
AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TO THE BAND VISIT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE REALLY TREASURE IN AUSTIN, WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SHARE THAT AND EDUCATE OUR VISITORS ABOUT THAT.
AND ON THE NEXT FEW PAGES WE HAD, UM, WE, UM, FOR OUR EXTRA CREDIT, WE DID SOME THINKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE SITE.
SO THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACES, UM, A WAY TO USE THE PARKING SYSTEMS THERE SO THAT, UH, THERE CAN BE SOME LOW COST AND FREE PARKING FOR MUSICIANS, FOR EXAMPLE.
THERE, UH, WORKSPACES, FITNESS SPACES.
UM, SOME SUPPORT FOR SURROUNDING, THERE ARE SOME SURROUNDING, UM, SPACES CLOSE TO THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT ARE REALLY COOL AND REALLY UNDERUTILIZED RIGHT NOW.
SO WE WOULD LOVE FOR CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION STAFF AND PLANNERS TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE THOSE SPACES.
YEAH, SO AN UPDATE ON THIS, UH, I KNOW I, SO THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS HIRED A CONSULTING TEAM THAT'S DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
SO I THINK, UH, THEY'VE REACHED OUT TO ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OF US ON THE, ON THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
THEY'RE ALSO REACHING OUT TO THE ARTS COMMISSION.
SO, UM, THE CHAIR CHARLA, AND I CAN SPEAK TO, LIKE, WE HAD WHAT WE FELT LIKE WAS A REALLY PRODUCTIVE MEETING WHERE, UM, EX CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION STAFF IS REALLY RECEPTIVE TO THESE IDEAS.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S, THERE'S FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AND THERE'S RULES ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHAT, AND, UM, BUT THEY, THEY WANT IT TO BE REALLY GOOD TOO.
SO I THINK THE UPSHOT OF THIS IS, UM, THIS, THIS COMMISSION DID PASS A RECOMMENDATION A WHILE BACK THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION HAVE SOME SORT OF COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP, AND THEY ARE TAKING UP THAT SUGGESTION.
AND THEY, THEY DID TELL US THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD FORM SOME SORT OF CITIZEN COMMUNITY COMMITTEE TO HELP GUIDE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THESE SPACES.
UM, YEAH, SO DID, I WANTED TO ASK, DID ANY OF MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT SPOKE WITH CONVENTION CENTER STAFF, DID THEY, DID YOU TALK TO 'EM OR, I THINK THEY REACHED OUT TO YOU.
I THINK COPIED BACK IF, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF ANYBODY HAD ANYTHING TO ADD.
LAUREN'S BEEN PART OF THIS WORKING GROUP ALSO.
UM, YEAH, I, I JUST WANTED TO ADD, YEAH, WE DEFINITELY HAD A GOOD MEETING.
UM, I THINK THEY'VE BEEN, I THINK THEY WERE GONNA MOVE WITH THEM SEPARATELY.
BUT THEY DID, THEY DID REACH OUT.
UH, NOT TO EVERY COMMISSIONER.
UH, THAT'S NOT WHAT I THINK
BUT, UM, I THINK THEY'VE BEEN REACHING OUT, UM, TO DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS TO GET SOME INPUTS, UM, INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, UH, CONSULTANTS THAT ARE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ESSENTIALLY.
AND I KNOW FROM THIS COMMISSION, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON AND COMMISSIONER GOLD, YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE LAND USE AND IN, IN THIS, THIS, THIS SPECIFIC DISCUSSION AS WELL.
UM, JUST WANNA SHARE FROM OUR MEETING THAT, AND, AND IT'S NOT, WELL, IT KIND OF IS BUILT IN INTO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, BUT, UM, WE SHARED, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER PATSON SHARED THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN THE, UH, IN THE DECK THAT SHE JUST SHARED.
UM, AND, UM, I THINK THE, WHAT I ALSO ADDED WITH, ALONG WITH THE, THE, THIS IDEA OF HAVING PHYSICAL ASPECTS, RIGHT? I MEAN, PUTTING IN A, A RECORD STORE, ET CETERA, IS, UH, WHAT KIND OF A STRATEGY WOULD THEY HAVE, UM, AROUND THE CONVENTION TO, UH, TO SUPPORT MUSIC AND THE MUSIC VENUES AND MUSIC BUSINESSES AROUND, UM, IN, ESPECIALLY IN DOWNTOWN, BUT IN AUSTIN, BUT REALLY ESPECIALLY AROUND THAT AREA.
UM, SO I FEEL LIKE IT NEEDS, IT NEEDS THE PHYSICAL SPACES, BUT ALSO FROM A PROGRAMMING AND STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO TO, UH, HELP THE, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE BUSINESSES AROUND? UH,
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SO YEAH, I, I, I AGREE THAT IT WAS, UM, IT FELT LIKE A PRETTY GOOD, UH, PRODUCTIVE FIRST MEETING, UM, TO HAVE WITH, UH, THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM.AND I THINK THERE WILL BE FURTHER, FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THE SAME.
UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, MAY I ADD SOME SOMETHING THAT, UH, YEAH, COMES TO MIND? YOU MENTIONED THE RECORD STORE.
UM, WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST, UH, SORT OF THIS, UH, THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND I'M THINKING LIKE, COULD WE, THAT RECORD STORE, MAYBE IT'S A PERMANENT, YOU KNOW, TO ANO ANOTHER RECORD STORE THAT THAT COMES INTO TOWN THAT WE HAVE.
UH, BUT I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD HAVE ROTATION OF THE LOCAL RECORD STORES THERE, THAT THEY'RE IN THAT SPACE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A BREAKOUT ONE MONTH OR, OR EVERY OTHER.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WOULD WORK BREAKAWAY RECORDS OR LOVE WORLD RECORD OF VENEER, EVEN WATERLOO, THINGS LIKE THEY COULD COME IN AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO KIND OF LIKE THE MUSICIANS, YOU KNOW, IN THAT SPACE.