[00:00:03]
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND, UH, WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 10TH, UM, REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.
I'M ED BAILEY, I'M THE VICE CHAIR, AND I'LL BE ACTING AS CHAIR TODAY AS OUR CHAIR.
DANIEL RONAN IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY FROM PARTS I, I BELIEVE, UP NORTH.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, DAN WEBB, OUR OTHER COMMISSIONER JOINING US.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE, UH, SOMEONE FROM THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TODAY, HER CHRIS FLORES.SHE'S A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10, AND SHE IS HERE.
SHE HAS A FEW COMMENTS, I BELIEVE, RELATED TO OUR, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, AND SHE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE, UM, MS. FLORES TO COME ON UP TO THE MIC AND LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT MR. CHAPEL HAS ARRIVED AND, UH, HE'LL BE JOINING US SHORTLY ON THE DIOCESE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10.
I'M A DAILY SWIMMER IN OUR SPRING FED POOLS, AND, UH, I'M ON A PARKS ENTHUSIAST, UM, FROM MY OUTDOOR PURCHASE.
I HAVE OBSERVED AUSTIN'S TOURISM GROW OVER THE DECADES.
I RECENTLY ORDERED THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO AUSTIN, A MAGAZINE FUNDED BY THE CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT, I BELIEVE, PRODUCED BY VISIT AUSTIN, A NONPROFIT AND A SUBCONTRACTOR CALLED MILES PARTNERSHIP, WHO IS A GLOBAL MARKETING PR FIRM.
THIS IS, I READ ALL THIS IN THIS MAGAZINE.
I FOUND IT DOES NOT REFLECT OUR FAIR CITY, AND IT APPEARS TO BE TRYING TO ATTRACT THE WRONG TOURISTS, I THINK.
ANYWAYS, THESE ARE MY OBSERVATIONS FROM THE MAGAZINE ITSELF.
I COUNTED 386 IMAGES OF PEOPLE.
19 OR 5% WERE CHILDREN, 10 OR 2% HAD GRAY HAIR, 0% HAD ASIAN EYE FEATURES, 15 OR 3% HAD BROWN SKIN.
AND OF THESE SIX WERE PERFORMERS.
THE MAGAZINE PAINTED THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY AS WHITE YOUNG, AND OUR ATTRACTIONS WERE 70% ALCOHOL RELATED.
THE VISITORS APPEARED TO BE IN THE SAME COHORT, ONLY TWO OF THE 27 PAGES, FEATURED PARKS AND OUTDOOR SPACES.
HERE'S MY SUGGESTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY.
UH, PLEASE, IF YOU WOULD TRY AND EXPERIMENT, CONTRACT THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE TO PRODUCE AUSTIN INSIDER GUIDE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CLOSED.
MAKE IT REFLECT OUR REAL CITY, OUR HUMOR, OUR SPICY PEOPLE, OUR CREATIVE GOOFINESS, AND MOST OF ALL THE PARKS AND WATERS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF, UM, FAMILY PARK TOURISM IS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY IN OUR COUNTRY, AND ALCOHOL PARTY TOURISM IS SHRINKING.
I, WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.
I'M CERTAIN THAT SOME OF OUR COHORTS AT, AT SOME OF THE ENTITIES THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER TO VISIT AUSTIN, ARE TRACKING, UH, THESE DISCUSSIONS.
AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY REVIEW YOUR COMMENTS AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, TO LOOK THAT CLOSELY AT ANYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING TO PROMOTE THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WITH THAT.I, I AM GOING TO, UH, ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR JULY 9TH MEETING MINUTES.
I, I DO WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE TOOK THE MONTH OF AUGUST OFF.
SO WE ARE GOING BACK, UH, IT IS SEPTEMBER 10TH AND WE'RE JUST NOW REVIEWING THE NOTES FOR FINAL APPROVAL FOR JULY 9TH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE MOTION TO APPROVE.
COMMISSIONER PENOC HAS GIVEN FIRST.
YES, DO I HAVE A SECOND? MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
UH, LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER MASTERS HAS PROVIDED A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES, PLEASE? DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION? MM-HMM.
SEEING AS THERE ARE NO DISCUSSION, UH, I'D LOVE TO, UH, TO EVERYONE WHO IS IN FAVOR TO SAY, AYE.
AND PASS THIS AND WE WILL MOVE ON.
AYE? I, I, UH, I UNDERSTAND DANNY, YOU, I, I UNDERSTAND.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS.
I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY GOT THEIR HAND UP WHO'S ON THE VIDEO.
I'VE NOTICED THAT DANIEL HAS DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF HIS PARTICIPATION, BUT HE'S OFF CAMERA RIGHT NOW.
FELICIA, YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT?
[00:05:03]
OKAY.THE MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES HAS PASSED.
[2. Staff briefing from Staff Liaison, Felicia Burleson, regarding commission board recent vacancy, deadlines, resources, and updates.]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.UH, WE'RE RECEIVING A STAFF BRIEFING FROM FELICIA BURLESON.
UM, I AM GOING TO REMIND THAT IN OCTOBER NEXT MONTH, THAT WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT IN THE AGENDA TO VOTE FOR OUR 20 2026 CALENDAR, UM, FOR THE MEETING SCHEDULE.
SO WE NEED TO PUT THAT IN OCTOBER.
UM, ANOTHER REMINDER THAT WE DO STILL HAVE TWO VACANCIES, BUT WE, I DO KNOW THAT WE'RE IN THE WORKS AS WE SPEAK, SO THAT IT WILL HOPEFULLY GO DOWN TO ONE BY NEXT MEETING.
AND THEN IN YOUR PACKET, I'VE INCLUDED THE ROSTER OF THE BOARD, WE NOW HAVE A NEW ONE WHO WE WILL INTRODUCE IN THE NEXT SEGMENT.
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING, LET ME KNOW.
ALRIGHT, THANK, THANK YOU, FELICIA.
[3. Introduction of Dani Pruitt, newly appointed Tourism Commissioner for District 3.]
WITH THAT, I, WE WILL MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION NUMBER THREE.AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, DANNY, WOULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOURSELF AND, AND, UH, WHY YOU'RE HERE? WE, WE, WE WELCOME YOU.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SEAT TO BE FILLED, SO WE'RE, WE'RE THRILLED YOU'RE HERE.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
UM, MY BACKGROUND, UH, MOVED TO AUSTIN IN 2003.
SO I'VE BEEN HERE FOR, UM, OVER 20 YEARS NOW.
UM, DID MY UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE EDUCATION, SO HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, SPENT 15 YEARS IN ARTS AND CULTURE, UM, MOSTLY WORKING AT THE LONG CENTER.
BASS CONCERT HALL WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING PRODUCERS FOR FUSE BOX FESTIVAL HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, I'M NOT DOING THAT ANYMORE, UM, BUT I STILL WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND VERY MUCH, UM, ENJOY AND LOVE THE ARTS AND CULTURE SEEN HERE IN AUSTIN, AND I WANNA CONTINUE TO SEE IT THRIVE.
SO THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO USE THAT, UM, PASSION AND SKILLSET.
WELL, WELL WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND, AND WE'RE, WE DEFINITELY, UH, APPRECIATE HAVING, UH, A LOT OF COMPLEXITY AND WHAT WE ALL REPRESENT UP HERE.
AND SO WE'RE HAVING THE CULTURAL ARTS STRENGTH THAT YOU HAVE IS GONNA BE SOLID FOR SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE WILL HAVE THIS YEAR AND NEXT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND WELCOME AWARD.
[4. Presentation by Julie Davis, President and CEO of the Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau, regarding the organization’s economic impact on tourism in the Texas Hill Country and the City of Austin, and its effect on hotel occupancy tax revenues.]
WE ARE GONNA KEEP MOVING ONTO, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH BRINGS US TO, UM, OUR, ONE OF OUR GUEST PRESENTERS TODAY.JULIE DAVIS, WHO'S, OH, WAIT, THAT'S, IS THAT CORRECT? IS CORRECT.
PRESIDENT AND CEO, THE KERRVILLE COMMISSION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
AND, UH, SHE'S GONNA SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE FINDINGS AND LEARNINGS OF HOW OUR, ONE OF OUR CLOSEST NEIGHBORS, UH, UH, PARTICIPATES IN HOW WE MARKET THE REGION.
AND WE'RE GONNA GET A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT OF, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW, HOW THEIR AREA OF TOURISM EXPERTISE BLENDS INTO THE WHOLE REGION.
SO WITH THAT, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M JULIE DAVIS WITH THE KERRVILLE CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAU.
UM, APPRECIATE YOU GUYS GIVING ME SOME TIME TO COME TALK ABOUT OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY AND SOME OF WHAT WE DO AS A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
UM, JUST A LITTLE REGIONAL CONTEXT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY SOME, NOT EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE WE ARE, BUT, UH, ABOUT 90 MILES FROM AUSTIN, JUST NEXT DOOR TO OUR NEIGHBOR HERE WHO WILL BE UP NEXT.
UM, WE SEE AUSTIN AS AN ANCHOR IN TEXAS TOURISM AND FEEL THAT AS A REGIONAL DESTINATION TO AUSTIN, WE ADD, AS WELL AS FREDERICKSBURG, WE ADD AN ENRICH TO THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY REGIONAL TOURISM STRENGTHENS ALL OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND IT GIVES US A SHARED OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER DEPTH TO THE VISITOR, ADDITIONAL CULTURE AND SOME HISTORICAL TEXTURE TO STRENGTHEN ALL OF CENTRAL TEXAS TOURISM.
UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KERRVILLE AND, UM, OUR TOURISM PRODUCT AND WHAT WE PROMOTE AS A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
UM, IT'S A REALLY DIVERSE TOURISM PRODUCT.
WE HAVE A CRAFT FOOD AND BEVERAGE SCENE THAT'S GROWING.
UM, WE HAVE MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES, SOME THINGS THAT SURPRISE PEOPLE.
HONESTLY, FOR A TOWN OF OUR SIZE, UH, WE HAVE THREE PERFORMING ART THEATERS, UH, IMMENSE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND RELATED AMENITIES.
AND THAT'S, I WOULD SAY PRIMARILY WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF CURVILLE.
AND THEY, THEY FORGET ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER PRODUCTS THAT WE OFFER.
SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KNOWN FOR MORE THAN JUST ONE THING.
UM, CULTURAL EVENTS AND LIVE MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, OUR UNIQUE LANDMARK BUSINESSES BEING HOME OF HEB AND THEN JAMES AVERY, ARTISAN JEWELRY.
AND THEN WE HAVE REALLY WELL KNOWN AND ESTABLISHED ANIMAL EVENTS LIKE OUR VILLE FOLK FESTIVAL.
THAT'S HAPPENED OVER 50 YEARS.
[00:10:02]
WE ALSO PROMOTE OUR HOTELS AND UNIQUE STAYS.UM, WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF LODGING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF VISITORS.
SO WE HAVE 15 TRADITIONAL HOTEL PROPERTIES WITH, UM, LITTLE OVER 1100 HOTEL ROOMS. WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO CONFERENCE CENTER HOTELS WITH OVER 32,000 SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE, WHICH TENDS TO BE A SURPRISE AS WELL, UM, FOR A CITY OUR SIZE.
AND THEN WE PROMOTE OUR UNIQUE TYPE STAYS SUCH AS THE YOGI BEAR JELLYSTONE OR SOME OF THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES RESTORED MOTOR COACH ENDS, THINGS LIKE THAT, OR MOTOR ENDS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS.
UM, ANOTHER VENUE THAT WE HAVE THAT'S, UH, A LITTLE UNIQUE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A 20,000 SQUARE FOOT, UH, MEETING SPACE EVENT CENTER.
IT DOES NOT HAVE A HOTEL PROPERTY, SO IT'S PRIMARILY JUST A MEETING SPACE.
UM, ONE OF OUR PILLARS THAT WE PROMOTE IS OUR OUTDOORS AND OUTDOOR WELLNESS.
UM, THE HILL COUNTRY LANDSCAPE OBVIOUSLY LENDS PERFECTLY TO THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE GOT OVER 20 PUBLIC PARKS IN WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS ITSELF, ONE OF WHICH IS RIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN CENTER OF TOWN AT 64 ACRES.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE VILLE SHRINER PARK WITH OVER 500 ACRES, UM, IMMENSE HIKING, BIKING, CAMPING, WILDLIFE VIEWING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
A SIX MILE RIVER TRAIL, WHICH IS VERY POPULAR.
THAT ROCK GOES RIGHT THROUGH DOWNTOWN, UM, A SPORTS COMPLEX AS WELL AS OUR TENNIS AND OLYMPIC POOL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY IN RENOVATION.
WE HAVE THREE GOLF COURSES AND OUR CITY GOLF COURSE, SCOTT SHRINER JUST REOPENED LAST WEEK.
UH, MAJOR RENOVATIONS THIS PAST YEAR.
UM, I WOULD SAY WILDLIFE AND BIRD VIEWING IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AS WELL.
WE RECENTLY WERE NAMED A BIRD CITY FRIENDLY.
I HAVE THAT WRONG, UH,
AND THEN ONE OF OUR PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THAT IS OUR RIVERSIDE NATURE CENTER.
UM, WE HAVE A REALLY DIVERSE CULTURAL, UH, PRODUCT AS WELL.
ARTS AND CULTURE ARE VERY BIG IN KERL.
WE ACTUALLY, UM, ATTRACT A LOT OF ARTISTS TO MOVE THERE.
IT'S PART OF, IT'S THE SCENIC BEAUTY PART OF IT'S JUST, UM, THE CULTURE OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY FEEL THEY FIT IN.
UM, WE HAVE THE MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART, WHICH HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE 1983.
THE COMING KING SCULPTURE PRAYER GARDEN WITH OVER 24 ACRES AND 11 SCULPTURES.
UM, THE THREE VENUES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND SYMPHONY OF THE HILLS ORCHESTRA.
IT'S AN AMAZING ORCHESTRA, ESPECIALLY FOR A TOWN OF OUR SIZE.
UM, JAMES AVERY, ARTISAN JEWELRY, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, BUT THEY'VE ALSO ADDED A HISTORY CENTER.
UM, ONE OF OUR UNIQUE BUSINESSES IS GIBSON'S.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEM, BUT THERE'S ONLY TWO LEFT IN TEXAS.
AND SO, UM, IT'S ONE OF THOSE UNIQUE BUSINESSES THAT ACTUALLY DRAWS PEOPLE INTO TOWN AND THEY GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, AND WE HAVE A KURTZ AND CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH IS, UM, HELPS A LOT OF OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
AND THEN, UH, SHRINER MANCHIN AND HISTORIC SITE.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE A VERY BIG PUBLIC ART SCENE FOR A TOWN OUR SIZE.
UM, WE HAVE OVER 40 PIECES OF PUBLIC ART NOW, UM, INCLUDING MURALS.
AND THAT'S A FAIRLY, THE, THE ARTS STARTED LONG AGO, OF COURSE, BUT A NEW PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF CURVILLE.
WE, UH, STARTED A COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM AND IT LIVES WITHIN THE CBB AND THE PE, THE PUSHING MORE PUBLIC ARTISTS PART OF THAT PROGRAM AND SUPPORTING ART IN GENERAL.
UM, HERITAGE TOURISM, A LITTLE ABOUT THAT OBVIOUSLY IS IMPORTANT TO OUR PRODUCT MIX.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE FRONT OF THE CHARLES SHRINER HOME SHRINER MANSION.
UM, THEY HAVE ADDED HISTORIC TOURS.
THEY'RE SELF-GUIDED TOURS NOW.
UM, QUITE A BIT HAS BEEN EXPANDED, EXPANDED DIGITALLY FOR, UH, VISITORS TO DOWNLOAD THROUGH OUR APP.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY, OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER NOW DOES A GHOST WALKING TOUR AS WELL AS A HISTORY TOUR.
AND THEN THE MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART IS KNOWN FOR PRESERVING AND PROMOTING THE HERITAGE OF THE AMERICAN WEST.
AND, UM, THEIR NEWEST FEATHER IN THE CAP.
LAST WEEK THEY WERE VOTED THE NUMBER ONE WESTERN ART MUSEUM IN THE US BY TRUS MAGAZINE.
UM, AND THEN WE, UH, HAVE OUR CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED FOR OVER 50 YEARS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE KERBEL FOLK FESTIVAL AND THE TEXAS STATE ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE HAVE NUMEROUS OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THEN OUR MOST EXCITING NEW THING COMING UP IS THE HEART OF THE HILLS HERITAGE CENTER IS OPENING IN THE SPRING OF 2026 IN A RESTORED, UM, HISTORIC HOME.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHRINER FAMILY, BUT CAPTAIN CHARLES SHRINER BOUGHT AND BUILT HOMES FOR HIS CHILDREN AS THEY GOT MARRIED.
SO WE HAVE ALL THESE HOMES AROUND THAT ARE OTHER SHRINER MANSIONS.
BUT, SO THIS ONE WILL NOW HOST, UM, BOTH HERITAGE AND HISTORY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT HOSTS JUST THAT, UM, RIGHT NOW.
[00:15:01]
OPEN UP A LITTLE ABOUT OUR VISITOR IMPACT.UM, I GUESS THE BENEFITS OF WHAT WE DO AS A CVB OBVIOUSLY, UM, IS GENERATING MORE OF THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SO I TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PRODUCT MIX AND WHAT WE TALK ABOUT.
AND THEN NOW IT'S A LITTLE ABOUT HOW IT HELPS OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE OVER 1100 DIRECT TRAVEL JOBS IN KERRVILLE.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE JOBS OUT IN OUR COUNTY, WHICH IS A LARGER NUMBER.
THOSE JOBS ARE OVER $35 MILLION IN EARNINGS.
UH, OUR LOCAL SALES TAX RECEIPTS, IT GENERATES OVER 3 MILLION.
THE TRAVEL SPENDING IS CLOSE TO 83 MILLION.
UM, AND THEN LAST YEAR WE HAD A LITTLE OVER 1.6 IN HOTEL TAX GENERATED.
UM, AND THEN THE REVENUE, WE, WE NEVER SEEM TO TALK ABOUT THE REVENUE SIDE OF HOTELS.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE JUST TALK ABOUT HOT TAX.
BUT, UM, THOSE STAYS GENERATED 22 MILLION IN HOTEL REVENUE.
UM, I WAS GONNA MENTION SOMETHING THAT'S NOT UP THERE NOW.
I LOST IT, IT'LL COME TO ME LATER.
BUT, UM, IT, OH, I REMEMBER THE WORKFORCE.
IT IS ACTUALLY A HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM IS THE SECOND LARGEST EMPLOYER IN KIRK, KIRK COUNTY.
UM, IT'S JUST BEHIND THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY AND IT'S NOT EVEN A FULL PERCENT.
SO IT'S A VERY CLOSE, UM, RACE THERE.
AND REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR ECONOMY.
UM, ANOTHER THING WE TRY TO TELL PEOPLE IS THIS TAX SAVINGS PER HOUSEHOLD FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, GENERATES THIS INFORMATION AS WELL AS SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON THE PRIOR SLIDE.
BUT OUR HOUSEHOLDS ARE SAVED $573 IN PROPERTY TAXES BECAUSE OF VISITORS ANNUALLY.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE THAT.
WE WANT TO GENERATE MORE VISITORS TO SAVE OUR LOCAL, UM, TAXPAYER MORE MONEY.
A LITTLE BIT OF THE TYPE OF VISITOR THAT COMES TO KERRVILLE AND WHERE THEY COME FROM.
87% OF THEM, UM, ACTUALLY COME FROM TEXAS.
AND THAT'S INCREASED SLIGHTLY LAST YEAR, BUT IT, IT LITERALLY STAYS AROUND 85% TO 87%.
UM, THE BIGGEST DROP I SAW WAS ACTUALLY DURING COVID AND WE HAD A LARGER OUT-OF-STATE NUMBER COME IN.
SO SAN ANTONIO POPS UP AT THE TOP WHEN I TAKE OUT DAY TRIPS.
UH, HOUSTON IS ACTUALLY NUMBER ONE.
AND THEN DALLAS FORT WORTH IS OUR NUMBER FOUR.
AND THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN THIS YEAR, WHICH IS EXCITING FOR US.
'CAUSE IT'S A, A DESTINATION THAT'S A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY, WHICH TYPICALLY GENERATES A LITTLE MORE OVERNIGHT STAY AND A LITTLE MORE, UM, MONEY FOR THE TOWN.
AND THEN SAN ANGELO, I FIND INTERESTING, THEY'RE NUMBER FIVE, IT SEEMS SAN ANGELO AND CORPUS CHRISTI VIE FOR THAT NUMBER FIVE SPOT.
UM, THE NEXT ONE, THERE WE GO.
OVERNIGHT VISITORS, UM, THAT BREAKS DOWN.
WHO TENDS TO STAY THE NIGHT SO THAT NOW YOU SEE THE CORPUS CHRISTI, UM, WHICH I CAN'T IMAGINE DRIVING TO CURVILLE FROM SAN ANGELA JUST FOR THE DAY, BUT PEOPLE DO IT.
SO HOUSTON, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, FORT WORTH.
AND THEN CORPUS ARE OUR TOP OVERNIGHT STAYS, UM, OUT OF STATE ORIGIN MARKETS.
THE TOP STATES ARE LOUISIANA, COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA.
WE, WE TYPICALLY SAY THE STATES THAT TOUCH US OR SOMETHING THAT RUNS ALONG I 10.
UM, FLORIDA TYPICALLY, UM, FALLS IN THERE PRETTY IN THE TOP FIVE TO TOP SIX, JUST SHIFTS EVERY SO OFTEN.
UM, MR. RONAN HAD ASKED ME TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REGIONAL COLLABORATION BENEFITS AND, UM, SO I JUST KIND OF PUT MY BRAIN TO IT TO TRY TO THINK OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, I FEEL LIKE IT ENCOURAGES MULTI-DAY TRIPS FROM AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN ENCOURAGE THAT, IT WOULD BOOST THE OVERNIGHT STAYS FOR EITHER COMMUNITY WHERE THEY HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO DO, SOMETHING TO ADD TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, WE FEEL THAT REGIONAL COLLABORATION COULD, UH, COMPLIMENT AUSTIN'S URBAN DRAW WITH HILL COUNTRY HISTORY AND NATURE.
AND THEN WE WOULD KEEP THE VISITORS IN CENTRAL TEXAS LONGER CREATING A STRONGER REGIONAL ECONOMY.
AND SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT JUST POPPED UP WAS, UM, SOME SORT OF HERITAGE TRAIL PASS OR CROSS-PROMOTING AT OUR VERY, YOU KNOW, AT OUR VARIOUS EVENTS OR EVEN SOME SHARED STORYTELLING WHERE WE TALK ABOUT EACH OTHER.
UM, THERE IS SOMETHING SIMILAR.
AND YOU'RE ON THE SAME BOARD FOR THE HERITAGE TRAIL PASS.
I THOUGHT OF IT ON THE WHITE DRIVING HERE THAT I DIDN'T THINK TO PUT IN THE SLIDESHOW, BUT THERE IS.
UH, A HILL COUNTRY TRAIL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IN AUSTIN'S IN THE HILL COUNTRY DRILL.
SO, UM, POSSIBLE IDEAS FOR COLLABORATION, WE COULD FILL, FACILITATE SOME INNER CVB TALKING, UM, ORGANIZE SOME ROUND TABLES AND, UM, PROMOTE THE REGIONAL HERITAGE ASSETS AND AROUND EACH OTHER.
SO, UM, SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANTED MORE DATA AND SO I APOLOGIZE, I MIGHT HAVE GONE THE WRONG DIRECTION ON THIS, BUT, UM, HAPPY TO GET MORE DATA IF PEOPLE WANT MORE.
I THINK KAREN DID MORE DATA, BUT, UH,
AND I THINK TOGETHER WE ALL WORK TO BUILD A STRONGER ECONOMY FOR TEXAS.
[00:20:01]
THAT'S ALL I HAVE.IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO QUESTIONS, IF NOT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MY FRIEND.
OH, WE DO QUESTIONS? WE DO QUESTIONS.
WE'RE, I'M GONNA START, I'M JUST GONNA KICK IT TO THE COMMISSIONERS PLEASE.
SO, UM, I THINK YOUR, UM, OCCUPANCY TAX NUMBERS HERE WERE FROM LAST YEAR.
HOW ARE YOUR OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUES HOLDING UP FOR THIS YEAR? UH, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN PRIMARILY FLAT.
AND THEN, UM, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT CATASTROPHIC EVENT.
SO, UM, AUGUST REMAINS TO BE SEEN THOSE, THAT THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T DUE UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
UM, JULY ACTUALLY WAS AN INCREASE JUST BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY PERSONNEL IN TOWN.
BUT, UM, WE'RE ANTICIPATING A DROP AT THIS POINT JUST BASED ON THE IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT AS A WHOLE, IT'S BEEN PRIMARILY FLAT THIS PAST YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A WEIRD EBB AND FLOW, IF I'M HONEST.
SOME MONTHS ARE UP AND SOME MONTHS ARE DOWN, BUT WHEN YOU COMPILE ALL TOGETHER, IT'S ABOUT FLAT.
UH, ANYONE ELSE HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR GUESTS? UM, DON'T LET ME DOWN.
OKAY, WELL LET, LET'S LET, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL ASK THIS QUESTION.
AND DANIEL, YOU'RE ON, YOU'RE ON DECK.
THANK YOU MS. DAVIS FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.
UM, IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR KIND OF YOU TALKING ABOUT TELLING THE BROADER STORY ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, PARTICULARLY.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LIKE THE HERITAGE TRAIL THING THAT YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT? SURE, YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE, I KNOW THAT THIS PANEL FOCUSES ON A LOT OF HISTORICAL PROPERTIES HERE IN AUSTIN.
I THINK THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE EASIER AVENUES TO MAYBE GO DOWN.
SO IF YOU COULD ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UM, LITERALLY ON THE WAY DRIVING HERE, I THOUGHT, OH, I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THAT WITH ME.
SO THERE IS A HILL COUNTRY TRAIL PROGRAM THROUGH THE THC.
UM, YOU KNOW, EACH REGION OF TEXAS HAS ITS OWN TRAIL PROGRAM.
UM, AUSTIN AND KERRVILLE FREDERICKSBURG ALL FALL WITHIN THE HILL COUNTRY TRAIL.
AND THAT PROGRAM HAS CREATED A PASSPORT.
AND SO, UM, COMMUNITIES OR ENTITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, UM, PAY A FEE TO GET INTO THAT PASSPORT, I THINK.
DO YOU KNOW HOW BIG, IS IT 40 OF 40 SPOTS IN THERE? I THINK? UM, GET A STAMP.
YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY SEND YOU ONE.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO LIKE FOR KERRVILLE, UM, MY CBB, WE, UM, PAID THE FEE FOR OUR HERITAGE SITES TO BE IN IT TO HELP THEM.
UM, IT'S A WAY TO HELP THEM WITH MARKETING, UM, AND IT DRIVES TOURISM TO THEIR BUILDING.
SO WE DID THAT AND, UM, I THINK WE HAVE FIVE IN THERE.
YOU GET YOUR LITTLE STAMP, YOU TURN YOUR PASSPORT IN, YOU GET A PRIZE.
UM, IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM TO GET PEOPLE TO MOVE AROUND WITHIN THE HILL COUNTRY.
UM, QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT CITIES ARE IN THERE, AND SO IT JUST HELPS, YOU KNOW, GET, ENCOURAGE THEM TO MOVE AROUND.
I SEE WINTER TEXANS USING IT THE MOST, HONESTLY, IN MY OFFICE, BUT I, JOANNE WOULD HAVE TO SPEAK TO THE REAL NUMBERS ON THAT.
I JUST WANTED JUST MORE OF AN OVERVIEW, SO, RIGHT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GO, YOU GO TO THE COUNTY, YOU GET YOUR TRAIL SEPARATELY AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAYBE COMBINE THEM INTO, YOU CAN NOW GO OUTSIDE WITH ONE.
SO THE HILL COUNTRY TRAIL HAS 19 COUNTIES IN IT, AND THEN WE WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO CROSS PROMOTE EACH OTHER A LITTLE, AND IT'S BASED ON HERITAGE TOURISM.
UH, COMMISSIONER RONAN, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? THANK YOU.
VICE CHAIR BAILEY, AND, UH, WELCOME MS. DAVIS.
UH, SORRY I COULDN'T BE THERE IN PERSON TODAY.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE AND, UM, THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE, THE COMMISSION.
UM, UH, I'D LIKE TO ECHO, UM, UH, VICE CHAIR BAILEY'S WELCOME.
AND, UH, I THINK TOGETHER WE CAN LIFT ALL BOATS, SO AS IT IS FOR, UH, BOTH AUSTIN AND HILL COUNTRY.
UM, A QUICK QUESTION IN TERMS OF, UH, THE WINERY INDUSTRY, UH, MAYBE DISTILLERIES AND BREWERIES ALONG IN THAT, UM, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO HOW YOUR POSITIONING YOURSELF AS A BROADER, UH, ATTRACTION FOR HILL COUNTRY AND IF THAT OVERLAPS AT ALL WITH, I IMAGINE FREDERICKSBURG, UH, AND ALSO AUSTIN, AND IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT, OR CURRENT INITIATIVES THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY THAT, UM, THAT THAT'S BEING PROMOTED.
YEAH, SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF WINERIES.
I THINK WE'RE UP TO FOUR, MAYBE A FIVE, UM, AND SOME CRAFT BREWERY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE DISTILLERY.
WE DO NOT PROBABLY PROMOTE IT TO THE LEVEL OF FREDERICKSBURG BECAUSE THEIR PRODUCT IS SO MUCH BIGGER AND MORE DIVERSE.
AND IT'S, I THINK FOR OUR BUDGET, WE'D BE LOST A LITTLE IN THE SAUCE.
[00:25:01]
WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE USING OUR DOLLARS IN THE BEST WAY.UM, SOME THINGS, SOME OF OUR WINERIES COLLABORATE WITH THE FREDERICKSBURG WINERY, SO THEY HAVE A WINE TRAIL PROGRAM TO CROSS PROMOTE EACH OTHER AND TO ENCOURAGE GOING FROM FREDERICKSBURG TO KERRVILLE, UM, WHETHER IT'S SOME OF THEM, THERE'S EVEN THE LITTLE VANS, THE BUSES THAT TAKE YOU.
UM, AND THEN WE TRY, WHEN WE DO TALK ABOUT OUR BEVERAGE SCENE, WE TRY TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM FREDERICKSBURG'S, RIGHT? UM, WHETHER IT'S QUIETER, CALMER, THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
NO OFFENSE, KAREN, IT'S ALL GOOD.
BUT, BUT THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT APPROACHES, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE TARGETING DIFFERENT PEOPLE TYPICALLY.
UM, WE TEND TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF AN OLDER DEMOGRAPHIC IN OURS.
AND SO THEN WE JUST FOCUS THAT DIRECTION AND TRY TO JUST DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES FROM THEM THAT ANSWER IT.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUESTS BEFORE I JUMP IN? NOPE.
UH, I HAVE TWO RADICALLY DIFFERENT AREAS.
THAT I, I JUST TOOK NOTE IN HERE.
ONE OF THEM IS, UM, I, I NOTED THAT YOU, UH, LIST YOUR, UH, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT SHORT TERM RENTALS.
THAT'S AN AREA OF INTEREST THAT THIS BODY HAS SPENT SOME TIME WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN WORKING ON COLLECTIONS.
AND I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY, ANYTHING TO OFFER ABOUT INSIGHTS ON HOW IT'S WORKING FOR YOU OR YOU SEEING HOT TAX GENERATED FROM THESE PROPERTIES? OR ARE YOU STILL WORKING THROUGH DETAILS? UM, I THINK WE ARE, WE DID, I THINK LIKE MANY COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WE DEFINITELY HAD A TIMEFRAME WHERE WE KNEW THEY EXISTED, BUT THEY WEREN'T ON PAPER.
AND THEN OUR, UM, I GIVE CREDIT TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AT OUR CITY.
THEY, UM, REALLY KIND OF PUT PENCIL TO PAPER AND THOUGHT, WAIT A MINUTE, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THIS A LITTLE HARDER.
AND SO THEY HIRED A FIRM TO AUDIT THAT AND PAY MORE ATTENTION TO IT.
AND WE HAVE APPROACHED IT WITH A, UM, YOU KNOW, A, HEY, WE REALIZE YOU NOW HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL AND WE'D LIKE TO GET YOU UP THROUGH THE PERMIT PROCESS AND, AND GET YOU, UH, LEGAL IF YOU WILL, VERSUS A, HEY, WE'RE FINING YOU 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT YOU.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN WELL RECEIVED, UM, IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
THEY CHANGED THE PERMITTING AND THEY CHANGED A LOT OF THE RULES RELATED TO THAT.
WE DID ADD ZONING, UM, TRYING TO PRESERVE RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, THIS PAST YEAR IN HOT TAX, UM, MY, THE BIGGEST DECREASE THAT I'VE SEEN IN COLLECTIONS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN IN THE SHORT TERMINAL RENTAL MARKET.
THEY'RE, UM, THE ONES FEELING THE PINCH RIGHT NOW THE MOST, I THINK, UM, AS FAR AS HOT TAX REVENUE, REVENUE.
BUT, UM, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T CRUNCHED THE NUMBER THIS YEAR, BUT LAST YEAR IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 10% OF OUR TOTAL HOT TAX WAS SHORT TERM RENTAL, HOT TAX GENERATED.
SO, UM, THE MAJORITY OF OUR HOT TAX ACTUALLY COMES FROM HOTELS.
ANY FOLLOW UP FROM OUR COMMITTEE? OUR HOT TAX COM? I'M JUST ASKING.
I'M JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL THAT COVERED.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT I'M LOOKING AT YOUR, THE STATES THAT MM-HMM
AND I'M, I, I WISHED I COULD REMEMBER WHAT VISIT AUSTIN TOLD US THERE'S WERE AND HOW MUCH OF THIS LINES UP WITH THAT? I I THINK WE, I MEAN, LIKE, OKLAHOMA'S NOT ON HERE, SO I'M, I'M USUALLY IT'S CONTIGUOUS.
I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF CONTIGUOUS.
SO NEW MEXICO'S NOT SURPRISING.
I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY INSIGHTS IF, IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC DRIVER FOR THINGS LIKE LOUISIANA, COLORADO, IS IT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES? IS IT THE MUSIC FESTIVAL? I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHTS.
UM, LOUISIANA HAS TENDED TO BE IN THERE.
I THINK IT'S THE, UM, FOR US, THE I 10 CONNECTION.
UM, IT'S TENDS TO BE THAT AREA OF LOUISIANA.
UM, WE ACTUALLY SAW AN INCREASE IN OKLAHOMA THIS PAST YEAR AS WELL, UM, COLORADO, UM, AND NEW MEXICO BOTH.
UM, BUT OKLAHOMA WAS A SURPRISE TO ME, UM, BECAUSE IT HAD NOT POPPED UP IN THE TOP 10 BEFORE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I ATTRIBUTE IT TO, WE IN THE PAST PROBABLY THREE YEARS, HAVE ADDED SHOWS IN DENVER, ALBUQUERQUE, AND TWO IN OKLAHOMA TRAVEL SHOWS, UM, PROMOTING KURBO.
AND SO, UM, ALBUQUERQUE, DENVER AND, UM, OKLAHOMA CITY ACTUALLY CAME IN LAST YEAR AS MY TOP EMERGING MARKETS.
SO THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY A TOP 10 STATE, BUT THEY WERE SHOWING THE BIGGEST SHIFT IN CHANGE IN TRAVEL.
AND SO THAT SPOKE TO ME THAT THE SHOWS WE'VE BEEN PUTTING OUR MATERIALS OUT AT AND SENDING PEOPLE TO ARE SHIFTING TRAVEL.
AND SO I'LL CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO PUT 'EM
[00:30:01]
IN MY BUDGET.I MEAN, I LOVE SEEING, IT WAS INTENTIONAL.
IT'S PART OF STRATEGY AND IT'S PAYING OFF.
SO I'M GLAD WE HAD THIS EXCHANGE.
I, I NOTICED THAT YOU'VE GOT THE CURVE OIL SPORTS COMPLEX ON HERE AS, UH, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE IS, THERE'VE BEEN PLENTY OF DISCUSSION IN THE, AND WE HEARD THIS WHEN VISIT AUSTIN CAME TO TALK TO US ABOUT, UM, STRATEGIES AND, AND TARGETS WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER'S DOWN.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S ON THE LIST OF BRINGING IN MORE, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S MORE OVERNIGHT WHEN YOU GET CAUGHT COMPETITIONS THAT COME IN FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
SO I'M, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, IS THAT HOW THE CURVILLE SPORT, IS THAT A HOST SITE FOR A LOT OF STATE LAY LEVEL COMPETITIONS THAT CREATE OVERNIGHT STAYS AS A IT DOES.
SO OUR SOCCER SIDE TENDS TO BE MORE, UH, REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND DOES NOT DO THAT.
THE BASEBALL SOFTBALL SIDE IS MANAGED BY AN OUTSIDE ENTITY WHO RECRUITS THOSE TEAMS. IT IS TYPICALLY, UH, YOUTH SPORTS, UM, LIKE THE CLUB BALL TYPE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL THAT USE IT.
UM, THERE WAS A DECLINE THIS PAST YEAR, BUT, UM, IN PRIOR YEARS IT WAS, UM, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE DECLINE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING INTO THAT.
SO, UM, YES, IT DOES GENERATE OVERNIGHT STAYS 'CAUSE YOU'RE GETTING THEM FOR THE COMPETITION FOR THE FULL WEEKEND.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THAT IS, UM, LIKE AS A PARENT, IF YOU BOOK IT FOR THREE NIGHTS AND THEN YOUR CHILD'S TEAM DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD IN THE TOURNAMENT, YOU THEN END UP CANCELING YOUR STAY.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO WORK WITH, UM, AT A CBB LEVEL IS GETTING OUR HOTEL PROPERTIES AND OUR SPORTS SPORTS COMPLEX TOGETHER TO WORK, YOU KNOW, GET 'EM IN THE SAME ROOM TO TALK THAT THROUGH.
'CAUSE IF NOT, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE THEIR, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ON HOW THAT APPROACH SHOULD BE, AND THEY JUST NEED TO TALK IT OUT.
SO IF I HEARD YOU RIGHT, THERE'S A THIRD PARTY PROMOTER THAT'S, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR A PERCENTAGE OF, OF WHAT HAPPENS AT THAT FACILITY.
SOME OF IT'S GENERATED BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, OR I GUESS YOU WILL.
AND THEN THERE'S A THIRD PARTY PROMOTER THAT ROUNDS IT OUT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
IT'S A CITY OWNED FACILITY AND THEY HAVE A HIRED A, A, A FIRM, IF YOU WILL, THAT PROMOTES IT AND BOOKS.
I BELIEVE THE CITY PROVIDES THE MAINTENANCE ON IT.
THE SOCCER SIDE IS COMPLETELY RUN BY OUR CITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT THERE'S AN ENTITY OVER HERE ON THE BASEBALL SOFTBALL SIDE PROMOTING IT MORE.
THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT, WELL, I HOPE IT BOUNCES.
UM, SO I, I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUEST AND OH, OKAY.
UH, WE HAVE ONE MORE FROM COMMISSIONER CHAPEL OR TWO.
SO I JUST WANNA KNOW IF YOU COULD TELL US, UM, SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IS DRAWING IN TOURISTS TO YOUR TOWN THAT ISN'T BEING PROMOTED, SOMETHING YOU COULD DO BETTER, AND THEN SOMETHING THAT YOUR AREA IS MISSING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MOVE IN.
WHAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN AND, AND HELP? UM, AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I THINK WE DON'T HAVE, THAT PEOPLE WANT, UM, IS MORE INDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IT'S WHEN IT'S HOT IN TEXAS.
AND, UM, NOW I POINT BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED TO US ON JULY 4TH, UM, AT THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO OUR RIVER TRAIL.
WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF OUR, UM, BIG DRIVERS FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION.
AND SO IF WE HAD OTHER RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, I DO THINK THAT WOULD HELP.
UM, SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T PROMOTE, UM, OR WE'RE NOT PROMOTING WELL, OR JUST LIKE YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT THIS, IT'S SO MAD.
UM, I THINK I WISH PE MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT HONESTLY OUR CRAFT, CRAFT BEVERAGE, UH, KRAFT FOOD SCENE, SORRY.
I FEEL LIKE, UM, WHILE WE TALK ABOUT IT, IT TENDS TO BE THAT PEOPLE THINK OF KVE AS ONLY THE RIVER AND OUTDOOR RECREATION.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT HOLDS TRUE WITH OUR LOCALS AS WELL.
AND THEY, THEY FORGET WHAT'S IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.
WELL, WE HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, BUILDING OFF, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF COMMISSIONER CHAPEL'S QUESTION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A HECK OF A SUMMER AND WE SEND OUR, UH, BROADEST CONDOLENCES AND, UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A PATH TO RECOVERY THAT'S GONNA TAKE MONTHS IF NOT YEARS.
UM, IS THERE ONE, OF COURSE, YOU'D LIKE MORE TOURISM RIGHT, TO HELP YOU IN THAT RECOVERY, BUT ALSO, UM, WHERE MY QUESTION LIES IS, WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU LEARNED, UM, IN TERMS OF PROMOTING TOURISM OR
[00:35:01]
HELPING, UM, GET, UH, BACK TO NORMAL AS MUCH AS YOU CAN THAT, UH, YOU COULD SHARE FOR SUPPORTERS OF TOURISM IN AUSTIN? YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID WE HAVE ANOTHER CATASTROPHE, BUT LIFE HAPPENS.UM, WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES THAT YOU'VE LEARNED OR HAVE EMPLOYED IN THE WAKE OF, UH, THE DISASTER? SURE.
SO I THINK IN A STRANGE WAY, ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED WAS HOW CLOSE, UM, DESTINATION MARKETING IS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? AND THEY, THEY CHECK IN ON YOU, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM FREDERICKSBURG, WHATEVER.
BUT I ACTUALLY HAD, UM, CEOS FROM ASHEVILLE AND ALL OF THESE OTHER DESTINATIONS REACHING OUT TO ME AND SAYING, HOW CAN I HELP YOU? HEY, HERE'S MY CRISIS HANDBOOK.
I USED, HEY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS? AND SO, IN THE MOMENT OF DEALING WITH A CRISIS IN YOUR HOME AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, WORRY ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS AND ALL OF THAT, YOU HAD STRANGERS COMING TO HELP YOU.
AND SO I THINK I LEARNED THE VALUE OF BEING A PARTNER IN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE BELONG TO ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE JUST A, A CHECK YOUR'RE WRITING.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST LIKE, I'M PAYING MY INDUSTRY DUES.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS, YOU KNOW, SAME ENTITY WITH ME ARE REACHING OUT TO HELP ME.
WE'VE USED A LOT OF THEIR INFORMATION TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD ON MARKETING.
UM, AND THEN SOME OF THEM EVEN STARTED THEIR OWN FUNDRAISERS.
YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION IN ASHEVILLE CREATED SPECIAL DRINKS TO SELL FOR A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME IN JULY AND SENT ALL OF THE MONEY TO FLOOD RECOVERY.
SO, UM, I THINK I MOSTLY LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS IN THE INDUSTRY.
UM, AND SO LEANING ON THAT AND REMEMBERING TO ASK PEOPLE FOR HELP.
BUT AS FAR AS WITHIN OUR TOWN, I THINK COMMUNICATION, IT, THE, THE, THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE WE'VE HAD IS, UM, ALL OF US BEING ON THE SAME PAGE AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION'S VERY BROKEN.
JUST LIKE IN MARKETING
AND YOU'RE LIKE, IT'S ON A WEBSITE AND ON A TV, RIGHT? AND SO THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING IN THIS, LIKE, WHERE DO I GO TO GET HELP? WHERE DO I GO TO GET THIS ANSWER? AND, AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE PUT IT EVERYWHERE AND SOMEONE STILL DOESN'T HAVE THE ANSWER.
SO THAT'S BEEN OUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE FIGURED IT OUT YET, BUT WE'RE TRYING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MY HOPE IN, IN HAVING BOTH VILLE AND FREDERICKSBURG HERE TODAY WAS TO START BUILDING MORE OF THAT COMMUNITY ACROSS, UH, OUR BROADER REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY AND, UM, SHARE THOSE RESOURCES AND, UM, BEST PRACTICES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO BEST OF LUCK IN THE RECOVERY.
I HOPE, I HOPE TO GET OUT THERE THIS FALL, PLEASE.
AND I HOPE EVERYONE WILL COME JOIN ME.
WELL, I WANNA, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR, YOU DID HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR AND WE APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME TO COME SIT WITH US AND, UH, SHARE, UM, THE INSIGHTS THAT YOU'VE PICKED UP THIS YEAR.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO, FOR THOSE WHO ARE VIRTUAL, DANIEL, IT WARMS WARMS MY HEART TO SEE TWO SPEAKERS SITTING SIDE BY SIDE.
THE WAY THE ROOM HAS BEEN SET UP ALL THIS TIME, IT'S USUALLY EVERYBODY'S SITTING OUT THERE, YOU COME UP TO THE DAAS, IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT YOUR PART, YOUR TRUE PARTNERSHIP IS ACTUALLY YES.
PHYSICALLY HAPPENING FOR OUR EYES.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I I DO HAVE TO TELL YOU, YOU, YOU ARE NOT COMPELLED TO STAY.
YOU'VE MADE YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
BUT WE WILL, I'LL STAY FOR THIS LADY.
I, I, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE IMPRESSED BY THE, THE SHOW OF SOLIDARITY.
[5. Presentation by Karyn Mayo, Vice President of Sales, Services, and Strategic Alliances of the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau regarding the organization’s economic impact on tourism in the Texas Hill Country and the City of Austin, and its effect on hotel occupancy tax revenues.]
GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, AND I WANNA INTRODUCE OUR NEXT PRESENTER, KAREN MAYO, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND SERVICES AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES FOR FREDERICKSBURG.I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THIS TO GET, UM, MY SLIDES UP.
UM, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS, VICE CHAIR, BRALEY AND, AND GUEST.
UM, IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE FREDERICKSBURG CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, EVERYBODY HERE FOR THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP THAT AUSTIN AND FREDERICKSBURG HAS.
TOURISM IS NEVER A SOLO ENDEAVOR.
IT THRIVES WHEN DESTINATIONS COLLABORATE.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IS THAT WHEN AUSTIN AND FREDERICKSBURG DO COLLABORATE AND JOIN FORCES, WE CREATE A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT, MORE APPEALING TOURISM ECOSYSTEM FOR THE ENTIRE HILL COUNTRY.
UM, TODAY I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ON HOW FREDERICKSBURG AND GILLESPIE COUNTY COMPLEMENT AUSTIN'S TOURISM, UM, PROMOTIONS, HOW WE FIT INTO THE REGIONAL TOURISM LANDSCAPE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW BY CO-BRANDING TELLING A SHARED STORY AS JULIE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, BUILT ON CULINARY LIVE MUSIC, THE GREAT OUTDOORS, AUTHENTIC TEXAS AND HISTORY AND HERITAGE,
[00:40:01]
WE CAN DRIVE LONGER STAYS, HIGHER SPENT, AND GREATER VISIBILITY FOR BOTH OF OUR DESTINATIONS.UM, AUSTIN IS A VITAL PARTNER TO US IN FREDERICKSBURG.
YOUR RESIDENTS ARE AMONG, AMONG OUR MOST LOYAL VISITORS THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN.
AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS MY DOMESTIC AND OUR INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY.
UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT ABOUT FREDERICKSBURG FOR A SENSE OF PLACE.
UM, WE HAVE OVER 10, JUST ALMOST 11,000 RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE 26,720 RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY.
SO ONE OF YOUR AUTHENTIC SMALL TOWN TEXAS EXPERIENCE.
BUT WE HAVE SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY UNIQUE IN OUR CITY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE A QUICK 30 MINUTE DRIVE TO KERRVILLE, SO IF YOU'RE STOPPING AT ONE, YOU GOTTA GO TO BOTH FOR SURE.
UM, BUT WE ARE A QUICK AN HOUR DRIVE TO AUSTIN.
AND SO BY CO-BRANDING ON OUR SHARED, UM, SIMILARITIES, WE CAN EXTEND VISITOR DAYS IN AUSTIN AND WE CAN ADD SOME EXTRA ECONOMY THROUGHOUT THE HILL COUNTRY.
UM, FREDERICKSBURG IS HOME TO OVER 75 WINERIES AND VINEYARDS.
UM, WE GROW INCREDIBLE SPANISH VARIETALS.
UM, IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, UH, REGION.
WE'VE BEEN NAMED AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 MUSSY WINE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD.
UM, BY BUYING ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE, WE DO A REALLY, REALLY BEAUTIFUL PRODUCT THAT YOU CAN SEE IN TOWN.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE VINEYARDS, YOU WANNA GO TO FREDERICKSBURG.
THERE'S TASTING ROOMS SO YOU CAN TASTE ALL OVER TEXAS.
AND WE DRINK THE MAJORITY OF THE PRODUCT BEFORE IT LEAVES THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH IS WHY SOMETIMES YOU DON'T SEE 'EM ON MENUS LIKE YOU WOULD SEE CALIFORNIA WINES OR YOU WOULD SEE IT AS MUCH INTERNATIONALLY.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT A LACK OF THE QUALITY OR THE INCREDIBLE PRODUCT THAT IS THE WINE REGION IN FREDERICKSBURG.
JUST THE, THE NUMBER OF GRAPES THAT WE'VE GOT GOING AT THE MOMENT.
UM, WE ALSO, UM, HAD THE CONNECTION TO FREDERICKSBURG WINE ROAD TWO 90.
SO THE CORRIDOR THAT YOU'RE GONNA GO STRAIGHT FROM HERE TO FREDERICKSBURG OR KERRVILLE, IT'S JUST LINED WITH VINEYARDS, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL.
UM, WE'RE HOME TO ENCHANTED ROCK, THE SECOND LARGEST PINK GRANITE DOME IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO REALLY THAT'S A VIEW THAT YOU'RE SEEING FROM THE PARK, A PORTION OF IT THERE.
UM, IT'S REALLY A GREAT ATTRACTION.
ONE OF THE TOP, UM, STATE PARKS I BELIEVE IN TEXAS, BUT IT REALLY SHOWS OUR WIDE OPEN SPACES, WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO HOME TO THE LARGEST WORKING WILDFLOWER FARM IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE STATE OF TEXAS WANTED TO MAKE ITS ROADWAYS BEAUTIFUL.
THEY HIRED A GENTLEMAN TO SEED THE STATE, UM, THE ROADS IN THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND FREDERICKSBURG GOT THE CONTRACTED GENTLEMAN THAT LIVES THERE.
SO WHEN YOU GO THERE, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT VARIETALS THAT ARE BEING SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE, THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE HAVE THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR.
IT'S NOW A SMITHSONIAN AFFILIATE.
IT HAS, UH, REENACTMENTS THAT GO ON IN SOME WEEKENDS, AND WE ALSO HAVE A SUBMARINE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU CAN DO NOW.
OUR PIONEER MUSEUM TELLS THE STORY OF OUR, OUR HERITAGE.
WE LIKE TO SAY WE HAVE A TEXAS HEART AND A GERMAN SOUL.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE GERMAN HERITAGE IN OUR, IN OUR DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS, THE LIMESTONE THAT GOES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AND THEN OUR DOWNTOWN ITSELF OVER 150 SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, UH, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN TOWN, NO CHAIN STORES IN OUR HISTORIC MAIN STREET, SO YOU'RE GONNA GET UNIQUE SHOPPING AND BOUTIQUE SHOPPING.
OUR RESTAURANT AND CULINARY SCENE IS REALLY ELEVATED TIES IN PERFECTLY WITH A GREAT AUSTIN FOOD SCENE THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
UM, FREDERICKSBURG AND GILLESPIE COUNTY, WE WELCOME OVER, UM, 3 MILLION VISITORS ANNUALLY.
THESE VISITORS GENERATE OVER $190 MILLION IN DIRECT LOCAL SPENDING.
UH, THE SPENDING SUPPORTS 1,200, OVER A HUNDRED, 2050 JOBS.
UM, FUELS HUNDREDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND PRESERVES THE CULTURE AND HISTORIC ASSETS THAT MAKE FREDERICKSBURG UNIQUE.
UH, MOST OF OUR VISITORS, AS KERRVILLE SAID, OR IS DRIVE MARKET THROUGHOUT TEXAS, BUT AUSTIN IS ONE OF OUR STRONGEST FEEDER MARKETS.
INTERNATIONAL VISITATION IS GROWING STEADILY HERE.
AUSTIN'S ROLE AS A GATEWAY TO ME IS INDISPENSABLE.
UM, AND A WAY THAT TRAVELER VISITOR JOURNEY KIND OF LOOKS FOR ME IN FREDERICKSBURG IS THEY WILL START OFF IN AUSTIN.
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS WILL LAND IN AUSTIN AND THEY SPEND A COUPLE OF NIGHTS, THREE NIGHTS IN AUSTIN, GET TO KNOW THE CITY REALLY WELL.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS, AS Y'ALL KNOW, HAVE A LONGER STAY THAN OTHER THAN DOMESTIC TRAVELERS.
SO IT COULD BE TWO WEEKS TO 20 DAYS AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO KEEP SOMEBODY POSITIONED IN THE CITY FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME.
SO WHEN IT'S MIDWEEK AND CORPORATE BUSINESSES FILLING SOME OF THE AUSTIN HOTEL ROOMS, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNE SEASON.
OPPORTUNE TIME FOR FREDERICKSBURG.
SO THE VISITOR WILL COME TO US AND VISIT US.
UM, IN, UM, MIDWEEK, WHEN AUSTIN'S HOTELS FILLS WITH CORPORATE TRAVEL, THEY VENTURE TO FREDERICKSBURG OUR PEAK OPPORTUNITY WINDOW.
THEY CAN VISIT VINEYARDS, HISTORIC MAIN STREET, SCARLET STARLET SKIES, SMALL TOWN AUTHENTICITY.
[00:45:01]
TO SPEND A COUPLE OF MORE NIGHTS BEFORE, UM, TRAVELING ON THIS RHYTHM WILL EXTEND THE STAY, MAXIMIZE HOTEL YIELD IN BOTH MARKETS AND SPREADS VISITORS SPENDING ENTIRE REGION INSTEAD OF JUST IN ONE AREA.UM, ANOTHER PILLAR THAT WE REALLY KIND OF FOCUS ON IS OUR SHARED CULINARY AND WINE EXPERIENCE, OR TITO'S DRINK EXPERIENCE.
UM, FREDERICKSBURG IS CELEBRATED FOR GERMAN, TEXAS CULINARY FUSION AND AWARD-WINNING FOOD.
FOOD AND WINE NAMED US THE TOP SMALL US CITY FOR FOOD AND DRINK, VINEYARDS, CHARCUTERIE TRADITIONS, FARM TO TABLE DINING ORCHARDS AND LAVENDER FARMS REALLY SHAPE OUR IDENTITY.
CULINARY WISE, AUSTIN COMPLIMENTS THIS BEAUTIFULLY.
UM, FROM THE FOOD TRUCKS TO THE TRUCKS TO JAMES BEARD, HONORED CHEFS, AUSTIN IS COMP, UM, CONSTANTLY REINVENTING THE FOOD STORY.
SO THE RESULT IS VISITORS EXPERIENCE A COMPLETE TEXAS CULINARY JOURNEY.
THEY GET TO VISIT ALL THE FUSION THAT AUSTIN HAS AND THEN YOUR FARM TO TABLE IN FREDERICKSBURG.
UM, WE HAVE SHARED LIVE MUSIC AND CULTURAL RHYTHMS. AUSTIN KNOWN AS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, ACL IN AN UNMATCHED MUSIC SCENE.
FREDERICKSBURG CAN COMPLIMENT THAT WITH OUR LOCAL LUKE AND BUCK TEXAS POPULATION THREE HOME TO WILLIE NELSON, WAYLAND JENNINGS, AND ALL THE BOYS WITH LIVE MUSIC EVERY DAY AN ENTIRE YEAR.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE LIVE MUSIC OFFERED AT WINERIES, TASTING ROOMS, RESTAURANTS, THEATERS, AND MORE.
SO TOGETHER WE CAN GET INTERNATIONAL SCALE FESTIVALS IN AUSTIN AND WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE INTIMATE, AUTHENTIC UNDER THE STARS PERFORMANCES IN FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS.
SO THAT'S A SHARED STORY FOR US.
THIS IS WHERE OUR GREAT OUTDOORS KIND OF LEANS IN THE PARKS, UM, ALSO, BUT, UH, TRAVELERS ARE CRAVING AUTHENTICITY, UM, AND BOTH CITIES DELIVER 'EM.
IT DELIVERS IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT IN DIFFERENT, BUT THEY COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER.
UM, AUSTIN SHOWS TO BE BOLD, CREATIVE, COSMOPOLITAN, TEXAS MUSIC MURALS, GREAT OUTDOORS, FOOD INNOVATION, CULTURAL ENERGY.
FREDERICKSBURG IS ROOTED SMALL TOWN TEXAS, LIMESTONE STOREFRONTS, BOUTIQUE SHOPS, ZONING ORDINANCES THAT KEEP CHAINS OUT.
AND WE TRY TO CREATE REALLY UNIQUE EXPERIENCES IN EACH OF OUR BOUTIQUES TOGETHER, VISITORS GET TO EXPERIENCE LAYERED AUTHENTICITY, URBAN AND RURAL DYNAMIC, TIMELESS, COSMOPOLITAN AND AGRARIAN.
SO WE JUST KIND OF FILL EACH OTHER'S.
UM, YOU CAN GET BOTH EXPERIENCES IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH LIVE MUSIC.
FINALLY, WE FOCUS ON HISTORY AND HERITAGE.
BOTH COMMUNITIES ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN BELIEVE IN OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE.
THE GERMAN, SPANISH AND TEXAS INFLUENCES.
FREDERICKSBURG WAS FOUNDED IN 1846.
WE PRESERVED OUR MAIN STREET, OUR BRIAN'S CARE, OUR CITY CENTER, THE PIONEER MUSEUM, AND THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR WITH AUSTIN'S CULTURAL DISTRICTS, THE TEXAS STATE CAPITAL, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT, AND ICONIC MUSIC VENUE, EVEN LIKE THE CACTUS CAFE.
TOGETHER WE SHARE A STORY OF OUR FRONTIER PRESERVATION, IMMIGRATION STATEHOOD, AND ARTISTIC INNOVATION.
OUR DESTINATION MARKETING STRATEGY, BLENDING BOTH CITIES.
WE LIKE TO SHARE, UM, STORYTELLING.
FREDERICKSBURG IS A HILL COUNTRY IMMERSION, ADD-ON CO-BRANDING CAMPAIGNS.
WE HAVE CULINARY TRAILS, LIVE MUSIC ITINERARY AND HERITAGE PASSPORTS AS SHE MENTIONED EARLIER.
SO A BEAUTIFUL THING ON THAT HERITAGE PASSPORT IS, UM, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE OUR COUNTRY SCHOOLS IN GILLESPIE COUNTY WAS JUST NEEDING A LITTLE EXTRA VISITATION IN LOVE AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THEM IN ON THE PASSPORT RIGHT ALONGSIDE THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OR PLACES TO VISIT IN AUSTIN.
AND THE GUEST GETS THE PASSPORT AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO DRIVE AND SEE ALL OF THE SPOTS.
AND ONCE THEY GET ALL THE SPOTS SET IN AUSTIN AND KERRVILLE AND FREDERICKSBURG, THEN WE AS A GROUP PROVIDE A GIFT FOR 'EM.
USUALLY AN OVERNIGHT STAY OR SOMETHING.
IT'S REALLY GREAT FOR US FOR HERITAGE, UM, FOR US.
MIDWEEK SOLUTIONS, POSITIONING FREDERICKSBURG AS A COMPLIMENT TO AUSTIN'S CORPORATE, HOTEL DEMAND, MIDWEEK, AND THEN FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, IN FREDERICKSBURG, WE WERE AWARDED THE VERY FIRST, UM, WALDORF ASTORIA IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THAT WILL OPEN IN 2027, ALONG WITH A KIMPTON BRANDED FULL SERVICE HOTEL CALLED THE MUSE, WHICH WILL ALSO OPEN IN 2027.
UM, AT THE HEART OF DESTINATION MARKETING, UM, IS PRESERVATION OF TRADITIONS, OF FLAVORS OF MUSIC, AND OF WAYS OF LIFE.
AUSTIN AND FREDERICKSBURG ARE STRONGER TOGETHER AND KERRVILLE BY ALIGNING OUR CO UH, OUR CULINARY, OUR LIVE MUSIC, OUR AUTHENTIC TEXAS AND HISTORY AND HERITAGE.
WE DON'T JUST SHARE VISITORS, BUT WE MULTIPLY IMPACT, WE CREATE LONGER STAYS, DEEPER ENGAGEMENTS, GREATER ECONOMIC RETURN FOR BOTH DESTINATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE FREDERICKSBURG'S STORY
[00:50:01]
AS PART OF THE BROADER STORY OF AUSTIN AND THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY.I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD A TOURISM BRAND THAT IS WITH KERRVILLE THAT IS BIGGER, RICHER, AND MORE COMPELLING, UH, MORE APPEALING AND COMPELLING THAN ANY OF US COULD ACHIEVE ON OUR OWN.
AND I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER PHOTOS I DIDN'T DO GREAT.
UM, TASTING ROOMS. WE HAVE, UM, MANY TASTING ROOMS ALONG MAIN STREET, SO IF YOU GO TO TO SHOP IN FREDERICKSBURG, YOU COULD ENJOY A TASTING ROOM OR A VINEYARD.
THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE QUESTIONS, SO, UH, WHO'S FIRST? ANYBODY HERE? I'M LOOKING, I'M NOW LOOKING AT YOU, DANIEL.
'CAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT I'M STARING AT THE SCREEN, MAKING SURE I HAVE AN EYE UP.
ALRIGHT, CHRISTINA, THANK YOU.
UM, WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO AUSTIN, FREDERICKSBURG WAS I THINK PROBABLY THE FIRST KIND OF DAY TRIP I I TOOK.
IT'S CHANGED A LOT, AND YET NOT AT ALL IN THE, IN THE SAME VEIN.
AND, UM, YOU BROUGHT UP THE WALDORF WALDORF ASTORIA, I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED TO SEE THAT NEWS.
UM, IN BOTH KIND OF IN, IN, IN BOTH PARTS, I'M THINKING WHAT SORT OF THOUGHTS ARE GOING BEHIND THE, THE, THE DRIVE FOR THE, FOR THIS LUXURY BEAUTIFUL HOTEL, UM, IN THE JUXTAPOSITION OF KEEPING, UM, FREDERICKSBURG KIND OF AFFORDABLE.
UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET A HOTEL OR AN AIRBNB THERE, I'VE STAYED AT, UM, SOME MOTELS WITH AN M FOR SURE.
SO I'VE, I'VE DEFINITELY SEEN BOTH SIDES OF IT IN FREDERICKSBURG AND, UH, JUST GENERALLY, WHO'S YOUR AUDIENCE? WHO IS OUT THERE, WHO ARE YOUR VISITORS, AND UM, WHAT, WHAT'S THE THOUGHT BEHIND THESE REALLY NICE HOTELS THAT ARE COMING IN? IF THAT MAKES SENSE? YEAH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND, AND, UM, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO, UM, OUR, OUR VISITORS COMING IN, AS JULIE WAS MENTIONING, A LOT OF THEM ARE REALLY WITHIN TEXAS.
THOSE WOULD BE MORE THE DAY TRIPS OR OUR WEEKEND VISITORS.
AND THEN THE CONT THE CONT STATES AS WELL.
THE, UM, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA, COLORADO ARE COMING IN STRONG.
WE'RE FOCUSING REALLY ON, UM, BEING ABLE TO HELP OUR CITY WITH MIDWEEK BUSINESS AND TO MAKE THE KIND OF LEVEL OFF THAT.
AND SO FOR THAT IT WOULD BE INTERNATIONAL STAYS PARTNERING WITH AUSTIN, OR IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA TOURISM THAT WE NOTICE IS COMING IN.
UM, WITH THE CULINARY SCENE THAT WE HAVE IN FREDERICKSBURG NOW, WE'VE GOT COOKING SCHOOLS AND REALLY WITH THE ELEVATED, UM, WINE REGION THAT WE HAVE, IT'S LEANING TO OFFER SOME REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LUXURY CLIENTS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BEING IN TOWN WITH US, WHICH LEAN LUXURY.
WE DO PROMOTE AT THE LUXURY SHOWS AT THE INTERNATIONAL LUXURY TOURISM MARKETPLACE.
AND, AND, UM, I KNOW THAT AUSTIN IS RECEIVING THEM IN AS WELL.
WE'VE GOT, UM, SOME GREAT LUXURY TOURISM PROGRAMS IN THROUGHOUT THE STATE, BUT WHERE WE ARE UNIQUE RIGHT NEXT TO BANDERA, RIGHT NEXT, LIKE ON THE KIND OF THE TRIANGLE WITH SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN VILLE BANDERA, WE CAN REALLY JUST HIGHLIGHT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL GUEST OR SOMEBODY OUTSIDE OF TEXAS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND THEN DRIVE THEM IN MIDWEEK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT THE WINE REGION DEFINITELY WAS THE, AS IT GREW, IT'S PART OF OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE.
AGRICULTURE IS PART OF OUR, OUR HERITAGE, BUT AS IT'S GOTTEN STRONGER AND AS THAT, UM, THE WINE REGION IS TAKING HOLD, IT IS JUST KIND OF ELEVATED OUR CULINARY, OUR SHOPPING, JUST A LOT OF OFFERING ON TOWN.
BUT MAN, WE LOVE THE MOTELS AND HOTELS TOO.
I MEAN, WE LOVE EVERYTHING IN TOWN AND, AND YOU CAN STILL GET A GREAT ROOM AT A GREAT AFFORDABLE PRICE.
YOU CAN GET WHATEVER SPEND YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE CITY.
COMMISSIONER HESTERS HAS ANOTHER QUESTION, PLEASE.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DAYS WHERE I'VE GONE PARTICULARLY ON THE WEEKENDS, WHERE YOU CAN'T WALK ON THE SIDEWALKS BECAUSE IT IS SO BUSY ON MAIN STREET.
AND I WAS WONDERING, UM, IF THE CITY IS LOOKING AT DOING ANYTHING TO ADDRESS THE, THE HUGE CROWDS, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL PROBLEM TO HAVE THAT, THAT Y'ALL Y'ALL HAVE GOING ON THERE.
WE DO HAVE, WE, WE HAVE MANY FOCUS GROUPS, UM, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN TOWN, OUR RESIDENTS, PEOPLE OUT OF TOWN, THE CITY'S DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB REALLY OF TRYING TO GET, UM, A GOOD GRASP ON.
WE, WE HAD, UM, A STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM THAT WE PUT IN PLACE POST COVID WHEN, UM, IT SEEMED LIKE TOURISM WAS GETTING TO THAT POINT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO RESPECT OUR, OUR, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN TOWN AND THE VISITOR, AND KIND OF PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT IS,
[00:55:01]
UM, MAYBE IT'S A STORY OF, UM, WE HAD, UM, SOME ORCHARDS MAYBE THAT WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO DRIVE THEIR TRUCK DOWN MAIN STREET, THE BIG TRA UH, THE TRACTOR AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE HONKING AND STUFF LIKE THAT GOING ON.SO WE DID A CAMPAIGN SPECIFIC TO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOVING FREDERICKSBURG AND, AND WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE.
HELP US KEEP IT WHAT WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT IT.
AND IF YOU SEE A TRACTOR GOING DOWN THE STREET, REMEMBER THAT MIGHT BE YOUR DINNER, LIKE ON THE PLATE, YOU KNOW, LATER AND LET'S GIVE IT LOVE.
AND WE REALLY STARTED WORKING WITH FIRST AND FOREMOST OUR, OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN TOWN TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THEY WERE SEEING AND FEELING.
SO IT IS, IT'S AN ONGOING SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, AND IT IS, IT LEANS INTO THE MIDWEEK AS WELL.
ANY, ANY, IF WE CAN LEVEL IT OFF, THEN THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
PLEASE KEEP COMING BACK THOUGH.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. COMMISSIONER WEBB? AYE, UM, MY, MY QUESTION, SO YOU BOTH SPOKE ABOUT THE DYNAMIC OF VISITORS SPENDING TIME IN AUSTIN AND IN AND IN, UH, KERRVILLE AND FREDERICKSBURG.
I'M CURIOUS, DO WE HAVE FORMAL DATA SHARING ARRANGEMENTS WITH VISIT AUSTIN TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT OR HOW, HOW ARE WE TRACKING INSTANCES AND, AND UNDERSTANDING WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING? SPEAKING ON FREDERICKSBURG, WE HAVE OUR OWN DATA SOURCES.
I THINK A LOT OF US PROBABLY USE THE SAME COMPANIES, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A DATA SHORT, UH, SHARING SERVICE.
SO IT'S JUST THAT THE, THE VENDORS THAT WE'RE ALL USING OR ALLOW US TO SEE THAT LEVEL OF GRANULARITY WHEN IT'S HAPPENING? YEAH, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE ARRIVALS AT THE AIRPORT, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HELP ME IN FREDERICKSBURG AS MUCH TO KNOW THE POOL THAT'S COME IN.
SO THEN I NEED TO DO, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN ADDITIONAL DATA GROUP THAT'S WORKING ON MY CITY NUMBERS AND THEN TO GET INTERNATIONAL NUMBERS IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT AS WELL.
SO THEN WE WORK WITH A DIFFERENT PLATFORM FOR THOSE.
IS THAT THE SAME THAT YOU DO THE SAME THREE AND WE DO HAVE JOINT MEETINGS.
I DO HAVE JOINT MEETINGS WITH VISIT AUSTIN TO SIT DOWN.
I ALWAYS FOLLOW, I KNOW THAT, UM, A LOT OF TIMES THEY LOOK WHEN THEY'RE SUPPORTING AUSTIN BERGSTROM AND MAYBE DIRECT LIFTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT THAT IS WHERE I WILL LEAN AS WELL IF I KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING IS A GOOD FEEDER THAT'S COMING THROUGH FROM GERMANY.
THEN I'M GONNA WORK WITH MY MARKETING TEAM TO SUPPORT AUSTIN'S FLIGHTS ON THAT.
AND THEN TO ALSO PUT MONEY INTO THE MARKET TO HELP PROMOTE A CAMPAIGN IN GERMANY, IF THAT'S THE CASE.
SO, YEAH, SO THERE'S A, MAYBE A BLENDING OF BOTH.
AND IT, IT, ONE OF THE REASONS I ASKED THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD FIND USEFUL, OR IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF COLLABORATION THAT'S NOT HAPPENING TODAY WHERE YOU THINK WE COULD BE USEFUL? I TELL YOU WHAT, THAT THAT, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT TEAM OVER THERE IS JUST SO SOLID.
UH, AS FAR, I, I'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WORKING WITH ANYBODY ON THE VISIT AUSTIN TEAM.
THEY'RE JUST CRAZY CREATIVE AND ENERGY THROUGH THE ROOF, SO YEAH.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WEBB FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU, KAREN, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
ALSO HAVE ENJOYED MORE THAN, UH, ONE AFTERNOON IN FREDERICKSBURG.
YEAH, LET'S TALK ABOUT WEDDINGS.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT YOUR, YOUR WEDDING, UM, TOURISM, AND THEN I ALSO KNOW THE AIRPORT'S EXPANDING, WE'RE GETTING LIKE 15 MORE GATES.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE TRACKING WHEN IT COMES TO, LIKE INTERNATIONAL ROUTES OR CITIES KIND OF LIKE WHERE TO LOOK ABSOLUTELY.
MY, MY SUPPORT IS FULLY FOLLOWING AUSTIN AND, AND, AND THE NEW ROUTES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE CREATED AT ROUTES ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I, UM, JUST WANTED TO GIVE A, A, A KUDOS TO CITY OF FREDERICKSBURG FOR HOW THEY HANDLE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UM, AND THE WORKING GROUP THAT WAS A CITY THAT WE LOOKED AT AND THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THROUGH THEIR INTAKE AND THEN THE PROCESS AND KIND OF HOW THEY'VE BALANCED THAT ECOSYSTEM FOR THAT.
SO WE, WE SHARED THAT WITH COUNCIL.
I'LL LET THEM KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, IT'S JUST SUCH A BIG FOCUS FOR 'EM AND, AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
UM, WEDDINGS, UM, IT'S, IT'S A, WE'RE A POPULAR WEDDING DESTINATION FOR SURE.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO, UM, WE'VE CHANGED OUR STRATEGY ON GOING AFTER WE USED TO DO A LOT OF THE WEDDING SHOWS.
UM, THOSE TEND TO LEAN, IT SEEMS MORE, UM, UH, BACHELORETTE PARTY KIND OF, AND, AND BACHELOR PARTY INFORMATION, AND WE'RE REALLY GOING AFTER THE ENTIRE, UM, THE, THE WEDDING TAKEOVERS IN FREDERICKSBURG.
[01:00:01]
AND SO I THINK WE'RE LEANING MORE MARKETING THIS YEAR TOWARDS THAT AND REALLY GOING TO THE, THE ZIP CODES THAT ARE NATURAL FEEDERS FOR US AND REALLY BEING RELEVANT, LIKE ON THE PAGE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE.AND, AND, UM, SO WEDDINGS ARE, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T BRING THAT UP AS ONE.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY CO-BRAND WITH AUSTIN ON THAT, BUT, UM, BUT YEAH, NO, I JUST KNOW THAT IT'S QUITE THE DRAW AND, UM, FROM A PUBLICITY SIDE, RIGHT, WE'RE HEARING LIKE TOP 10 LIKE WEDDING DESTINATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO JUST WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT.
COMMISSIONER PENOC, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I, I LIKE THIS COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, UH, COOL CITIES.
UH, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION THAT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT.
UH, I ALSO MOVED HERE JUST A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS AGO, AND FREDERICKSBURG WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES WE, WE DROVE TO, AND IT WAS SUCH A CHARMING TOWN.
AND I REMEMBER THERE WAS MAYBE LIKE ONE OR TWO VINEYARDS.
I THINK BECKER WAS THE ONE THAT I REMEMBER.
AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN, WITHIN THAT 1520 OR TIME SPAN, WHEN DID IT EXPLODE? HOW DID, DID THESE DIFFERENT WINERIES COME IN KIND OF ALL AT THE SAME TIME? OR WAS IT, YOU KNOW, JUST STREAMLINED OVER THOSE YEARS? OR WHAT, WHAT KIND OF TRIGGERED ALL OF THAT? 'CAUSE YOU SAID 70 PLUS WINERIES, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY, YES.
UM, WINERIES AND VINEYARDS AND TASTING ROOMS. UM, WE HAD, UM, I STARTED WITH THE CVBI GUESS I'VE BEEN THERE 13, 14 YEARS, AND WE HAD 10, 15, 20.
AND SO THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, OVER, OVER TIME KIND OF BEEN TRICKLING.
IT'S JUST REALLY HAS, I'D HAVE TO GO AND GET Y'ALL SOME DATA, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT, TO GET LIKE, REALLY SPECIFIC ON IF THERE WAS A MAJOR, LIKE WHEN THE MAJOR POP WAS.
BUT I, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY WE WERE ALREADY AT, UM, 50 PLUS, UM, PRE COVID.
IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ALMOST SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK IN THE LAST 20 YEARS THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH GROWTH YEAH.
AND PEOPLE MOVING HERE, AND I THINK THAT'S TRICKLED INTO YOUR COUNTY AS WELL.
I I, I WOULD LOVE, I'D LOVE TO GET THE DATA FOR YOU, AND I ABSOLUTELY WILL.
BUT I HAD ALSO HEARD, UM, AT ONE POINT THAT OUR TRAJECTORY OR THE WAY THAT THE NUMBERS WERE COMING ON AT ONE POINT SEEMED KIND OF LIKE NAPA IN THE EIGHTIES, YOU KNOW? AND SO I KNOW IT SEEMED, BUT MAYBE THAT'S JUST TYPICAL FOR A REGION.
SO, UM, I'M NOT AS WELL VERSED ON THAT, BUT IT IS EXCITING THAT YES, VERY EXCITING.
I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU SAID THAT WE ARE THE COOL CITIES, AND I WOULD ABSOLUTELY AGREE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
COMMISSIONER PENOC, UH, COMM, UH, CHAIR RUNNIN PLEASE.
UM, AND THANK YOU, UM, MS. MAYO FOR COMING TODAY AS WELL FROM NOT TOO FAR AWAY, OUR OUR OTHER NEIGHBOR.
UH, I WANTED TO, UM, YOU'D MENTIONED GERMANY AS, UH, YOU KNOW, BRAND MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE HILL COUNTRY, AND I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UM, JUST GIVEN THE HISTORY OF THE REGION AND HOW WE'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU'VE, UH, FORMALIZED ANY, UM, SORT OF RELATIONSHIP OR, UM, BUSINESS WITH THE AUSTIN CO BLENDS SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE, UM, AS THEY ARE, UM, OUR SISTER CITY HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND IF KERRVILLE, EXCUSE ME, IF, UM, FREDERICKSBURG ITSELF HAS A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH ANOTHER GERMAN CITY, AND, UM, HOW, UM, HOW THE TWO OF YOU PERHAPS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CROSS PROMOTE, UM, YOUR, UH, DESTINATIONS.
SO WE DO HAVE A SISTER CITY IN GERMANY.
UM, AND OUR, OUR, UM, CITY HAS A DELEGATION AND THEY, THEY DEFINITELY GO BACK AND FORTH AND, AND WE COLLABORATE, UM, A LOT THAT WAY.
I'M, I AM, I'M DISAPPOINTED TO SAY THAT I HAVE NOT, UM, WORKED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON THEIR, UM, SISTER CITY.
I WILL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
I JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHY I HADN'T ASKED THAT QUESTION BEFORE, BUT, UM, OUR HERITAGE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO US IN FREDERICKSBURG.
UM, WE HAVE THE, THE PIONEER MUSEUM THERE.
I MEAN, I THINK I SAID IT EARLIER, BUT LIKE, WE REALLY, TEXAS HEART, GERMAN SOUL, ALL THE WAY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UM, WE, WE LOVE, UM, THE, THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE CITY, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ALL GETTING BUSIER AND MORE MODERN TIME, BUT IT STILL REALLY FEELS TRUE TO WHAT THE, THE GERMANS DEVELOPED IN TEXAS WHEN THEY CAME OVER.
YEAH, WE HAVE A GREAT OCTOBER FEST AS WELL.
[01:05:05]
C CERTAINLY.AND TO FOLLOW UP, I THINK ALSO CONNECTING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE GERMAN SCHOOLS IN TOWN.
AND, UM, I'VE TAKEN COURSES
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK KEEPING THAT, UH, RELATIONSHIP MORE ALIVE AND, UM, CONTEMPORARY AS WELL, I THINK IS THE, AN INTEREST OF GERMANY.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT, THAT LIKE, IT CAN ACTUALLY BE DEEPER THAN THE SORT OF LIKE LATER HOSEN AND, UM, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THIS THING ONE I NEVER REMEMBER TOO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
UM, I'M STEPHANIE MATHIS AND I'M ACTUALLY A HOTELIER HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO I, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO, TO SELL IS, UM, TOUR AND TRAVEL, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA HIT AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO AND THE, AND THE HILL COUNTRY.
UM, FOR TWO REASONS, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO LOVE IT BECAUSE EACH DESTINATION IS SO VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, AND THEY HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IF YOU GET TOUR AND TRAVEL, IT DOES THAT, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE, UM, MIDWEEK BECAUSE, UM, I'M GUESSING I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR MARKET.
YOU DON'T REALLY NEED TO TRY TO HAVE MORE WEEKEND BUSINESS BECAUSE IT'S TEXAS.
AND EVEN IN THE WINTER, UM, THE WEATHER IS GOOD ENOUGH WHERE YOUR DRIVE MARKET IS STILL STRONG AND YOU'RE SELLING OUT EVERY WEEKEND, DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY.
I KNOW, BECAUSE I MEAN, I CAN LOOK AND TRY TO SEE IF EMPLOYEE RATES ARE OPEN THERE AT, AT SISTER PROPERTIES, AND THEY NEVER ARE, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU ARE NEVER ON A WEEKEND BELOW, LIKE 90, 95% THERE.
SO, LIKE, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN, I CAN SEE WHY YOU DON'T MARKET WEDDINGS.
IT'S, IT'S ALREADY A STRONG, A STRONG MARKET FOR YOU.
UM, BUT I'M CURIOUS, DO YOU KNOW, LADIES, WHEN YOUR LARGEST HOTELS IN EACH OF YOUR MARKETS, HOW MANY ROOMS DO YOU HAVE IN THOSE? UM, THE LARGEST ONE IS 191 ROOMS, AND THEN THE SECOND LARGEST IS 150.
AND THOSE ARE THE TWO CONFERENCE CENTER HOTELS? YEAH, SAME.
AND I THINK THEY ALL KIND OF RUN BETWEEN LIKE 112 KEYS TO ABOUT 190 KEYS OR 125 KEYS.
UM, I, I DID WANNA JUST QUICKLY CLARIFY.
WE DO MARKET TO THE WEDDING INDUSTRY FOR SURE.
UM, IT'S JUST MAYBE WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WAY WE WERE MARKETING IT IN THE PAST.
UM, I DON'T THINK WAS REALLY, UM, HITTING WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, WHICH WAS FOR OUR VENUE SPACE OR FOR RESTAURANT TAKEOVERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT VERSUS, YOU KNOW, VERSUS MAYBE A BACHELOR PARTY.
LOVE ALL OF THE LOVE ALL OF THE BUSINESS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO, UM, TO HELP OUR PARTNERS OUT.
AND, AND THAT IS BY FEEDING THEM MIDWEEK.
AND I LOVE WORKING WITH AUSTIN HOTELIERS ON THE TRADE BECAUSE THEY LOVE AUSTIN.
AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO DO FREDERICKSBURG KERRVILLE AND THEN COME BACK, IT, IT, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT'LL LAST FOREVER, BUT ONCE YOU BUILD THE TRIP, IT JUST STAYS RIGHT.
AND I JUST RECENTLY HELPED PEOPLE PLAN A TRIP THERE BECAUSE, UM, ANOTHER GREAT THING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, YOU HAVE EXCELLENT CYCLING, AND SO CYCLISTS LOVE TO HAVE A TRIP AND STAY THERE.
UM, AND, UH, THE SPEAKER THAT WHEN I WALKED IN THAT WAS SPEAKING ABOUT ALCOHOL TOURISM, IT IS VERY TRUE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF TOURISM IS CHANGED COMPLETELY.
AND, UM, PEOPLE STILL WANNA HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCES.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, IT, IT'S MORE MEASURED AND THEY WANT SOMETHING VERY LOCAL.
AND EVEN THAT WHEN FAMILY CAN BE THERE AND INVOLVED TOO, UM, LIKE NIGHTCLUBS ARE NOT AS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE UNITED STATES ARE CLOSING, EXCEPT IF THEY HAVE MUSIC, YOU KNOW, LIKE MUSIC BRINGS PEOPLE OUT.
BUT LIKE DANCE CLUBS, THINGS LIKE THAT ARE KIND OF GOING AWAY AND TOURISM THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, THAT ELEMENT WHERE YOU CAN GO CYCLING OR DO SOMETHING AND THEN HAVE A WINE TASTING.
SO, SO, UM, SO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.
WHEN I HAVE MY CLIENTS, THEY'RE ASKING WHAT ELSE THAT WE CAN DO.
[01:10:01]
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.UM, AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, I SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ALL THAT SPACE THERE IN KERRVILLE BECAUSE FOR 30 YEARS MY FAMILY REUNION IS, IS ALWAYS AT ONE OF YOUR HOTELS THAT HAS THAT.
BUT, UM, AND I LOVE THE WAY THAT EACH OF THE TOWNS HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FEEL.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT YOU CAME ALL THIS WAY TO SEE US TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY HOMETOWN AND I, I LOVE AUSTIN AND I ALWAYS SAY LIKE, I'M SO BLESSED BECAUSE I LOVE OUR HILL COUNTRY AREA, BUT I LOVE MY CITY, BUT I LOVE AUSTIN AS WELL.
IT WAS SUCH A FUN, FUN PLACE TO PROMOTE, AND, UM, ESPECIALLY THAT WE HAVE AUSTIN SUCH A GREAT JOB HERE IN AUSTIN.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE FILL MOVIES IN TEXAS BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THIS AND THEN YOU CAN GET THE HILL COUNTRY AND YOU CAN GET THE BEACH AND YOU CAN GET MARFA AND YOU CAN GET THE DESERT.
AND TEXAS HAS IT ALL, BUT YOU ARE THE HILL COUNTRY SPECIAL.
UH, ANYONE ELSE? ANY, ANY LAST QUESTIONS FOR OUR SPEAKER? OKAY, I WILL, I'LL THROW ONE OUT THERE.
I WAS, I'M, I KNOW THAT YOU NAME DROPPED, UH, THE TWO, THE KIMPTON AND, UH, THE WALDORF, BUT IT'S, AND, AND GOING BACK TO AN EARLIER COMMENT, UM, ABOUT MOTELS, I, I'VE BEEN COMING SINCE I MOVED.
SAME THING WHEN I MOVED HERE ALMOST 28 YEARS AGO.
I STARTED REGULARLY DOING WEEKEND DRIVES DOWN TO FREDERICKSBURG WHEN I NEEDED A LITTLE, I'VE BEEN IN CHAN ROCK'S TAKING SO MANY PEOPLE TO ENCHANTER ROCK THAT COME TO VISIT ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, A FEW OBSERVATIONS, OBVIOUSLY OVER 25 PLUS YEARS, I USED TO BE ABLE TO JUST DRIVE DOWN IN CHAN ROCK AND GET IN.
I'VE BEEN TURNED AWAY WHEN GET THERE.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A RESERVATION.
AND I USED TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T TELL HOW MANY TIMES I'VE FLOPPED AT THE BEST WESTERN JUST BECAUSE I DECIDED I'M HAVING A GOOD TIME.
I'VE HAD ENOUGH TO DRINK, I'M NOT DRIVING BACK TONIGHT, AND I JUST GO GRAB A ROOM AND I WAS ALWAYS ABLE TO DO IT.
AND THEN THAT GOT TO BE REALLY HARD.
SO MY QUESTION LEADING UP TO IS YES, THE TWO LUXURY DESTINATIONS ARE GONNA ADD SOMETHING SPECIAL TO WHAT'S ALREADY SPECIAL, BUT WHAT HAS BEEN, I MEAN, I KNOW THE ALBERT OPENED, BUT IF YOU START ADDING AIRBNBS THAT HAVE PROBABLY MICRO POPPED ALL OVER THE PLACE IN THE PAST, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE ACTUAL ACCOMMODATION NUMBERS ARE.
WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE TRAJECTORY OF ROOM ADS IN THAT MARKET IN THE LAST 10 YEARS EVEN, OR SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN QUANTIFY? LOOSELY IT'S, WE'RE NOT GONNA HOLD YOU TO IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN BIG.
I, I'LL I'LL SAY FOR THE NUMBERS, WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, OVER 1200 HOTEL KEYS IN THE CITY, AND THEN WE HAVE OVER 1500, UM, SHORT TERM STR THAT CAN SLEEP OVER THREE THAT LIKE, MORE THAN MORE THAN THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, MORE, UH, ROOMS INSIDE OF THE PROPERTIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME OF THE UNIQUE PROPERTIES, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE, UM, TRUE HEART HOTEL, WHICH IS IT, IT'S IT, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CABIN CASITA, BUT IT'S IN ONE UNIT.
SO WE'VE REALLY GOT QUITE, QUITE A GOOD NUMBER OF, UM, OF GOOD PLACES TO STAY.
WHERE WE WERE SHORT, UM, PRIOR WAS WE HAD, UM, ONLY LIMITED SERVICE PROPERTIES, WHICH ARE FANTASTIC.
AND, AND I, I LOVE THE BEST WESTERN AND FREDERICKSBURG AND SUITE ALBERT.
I MEAN, I LOVE ALL OF THEM, BUT TO HAVE THAT ALBERT COME IN AS A FULL SERVICE PROPERTY REALLY HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER, UM, IN A LOT OF WAYS FOR BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT MAYBE A DIFFERENT CLIENTELE AS WELL.
SO, UM, HOW ABOUT YOU? WE, I AGREE WITH YOUR GROWTH NUMBERS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU'RE UP TO 1200 ROOMS. UM, SO FOR, I'VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 20 YEARS, SO IT MAKES ME FEEL OLD.
BUT, UM, FOR MANY YEAR WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF ROOMS, THOUGH WE'RE STILL AT THE SAME NUMBER OF ROOMS. WE'LL SEE, WE PROBABLY HAVEN'T HAD A HOTEL IN MAYBE 18 YEARS.
SO THAT'S OUR STRUGGLE, IF I'M HONEST WITH YOU.
SO NOW SHE HAS SURPASSED ME ON ROOMS, RIGHT.
UM, WHEREAS BEFORE WHEN I STARTED, IT WAS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
UM, THEY HAD A LOT OF AIRBNB, SHORT-TERM RENTAL TYPE ROOMS, LESS STANDARD ROOMS. AND SO NOW THEY'VE SURPASSED BOTH.
TO SAY TO YOUR COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT THE COMRADERY, UM, THE, THE THING IN THE HILL COUNTRY AREA, AUSTIN AND THESE CITIES, WE REALLY DO TRY, AND ANYTIME WE CAN LEAN AND SUPPORT, I WILL, UM, STAY ALL DAY IF I'M JUST PROMOTING AUSTIN FOR SOMETHING, BECAUSE I KNOW IF THEY COME HERE, THEN THEY GO TO A DRIVE THROUGH FREDERICKSBURG AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK.
OR THE SAME WITH KERRVILLE AND STUFF.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY A GREAT CONVERSATION AND IT'S REALLY EASY TO HAVE.
UM, WE'RE REALLY OPEN TO IT BECAUSE THIS IS AN AREA WHERE IT'S MM-HMM
UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A COMPETITIVE FIELD, WE ALL WORK
[01:15:01]
TOGETHER REALLY, REALLY WELL.WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PARTNERSHIP THAT'S BANDERA, FREDERICKSBURG, AND KERRVILLE, AND WE ALL COMMUNICATE OFTEN AND SELL THE, SELL THE THREE TOGETHER, KNOWING THAT IF THEY STAY IN ONE, THEY'RE GONNA COME VISIT THE OTHER.
UM, AND THEN, UM, IT IS NOT BEYOND MY CONVENTION VILLAGE BUREAU OR THEIRS TO CALL EACH OTHER AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE SOLD OUT THIS WEEKEND.
YOU GUYS GOT ROOMS OVER THERE BECAUSE WE GET THOSE CALLS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES ERNIE OVER THE YEARS WOULD REACH OUT.
SO WE DO TRY TO CROSS PROMOTE EVEN, YOU KNOW, IF OCTOBER FEST IS FULL, COME STAY THE NIGHT IN KERRVILLE AND DRIVE OVER TO OCTOBER FEST AND VICE VERSA, WHEN OUR TRIATHLON FILLS UP KERRVILLE, THEY'LL STAY IN FREDERICKSBURG.
I JUST, I JUST WANNA DOUBLE CHECK ON THOSE STATS.
YOU, YOU SAID 1500, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS OF A POPULATION OF 11,000.
SO AS A PERCENTAGE OF MARKET, I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, IS THERE ANOTHER TOWN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS THAT KIND OF RATIO OF, I, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND PROBABLY A LOT OF THESE MIGHT BE SECONDARY HOME INVESTMENTS, OR IS THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL IF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION WHERE PEOPLE VACATE THEIR HOUSE, BUT THAT SEEMS LIKE A STARTLING NUMBER INVESTMENT.
UM, SO, UM, GROUPS THAT WILL PACKAGE US THE RECEPTIVES, UM, KIND OF THAT WE'LL PACKAGE, UM, LEAN TO BE SOME THAT ALSO DO LIKE THE HAMPTONS OR THE THING WHERE, WHERE THAT IS JUST A NORMAL KIND OF A RATIO FOR US.
BUT YEAH, WE CAN, ON A GOOD WEEKEND, WE CAN TRIPLE OUR POPULATION REALLY EASILY.
UH, I'LL, I'LL GIVE OUR CHAIR, UH, PROPS FOR CONCEIVING THIS, PULLING THE TWO MARKETS TOGETHER, UH, IN SHORT ORDER.
AND, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR MAKING YOURSELF AS AVAILABLE AND BEING QUICK TO RESPOND.
WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT AND, AND WE WERE STRONGER TOGETHER TO HEAR YOU DO IT BACK TO BACK.
IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I THINK, UH, WE'RE, YOU ARE FREE TO BE OR HANG OUT AND WATCH US CONCLUDE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR, OUR NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH, UH, WAS, UH, CERTAINLY REFERENCED BY OUR GUEST SPEAKER WHO'S STILL WITH US, WHICH IS AMAZING AS WELL.
WE DON'T TYPICALLY HAVE, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, PARTICIPANTS STICK IT OUT AND WATCH US.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE YOU SEEN THE PARKS THAT WE HAVE? AND DO YOU KNOW INTERNATIONALLY WHENEVER, UM, AUSTIN IS AT? I HEAR YOU, DAN.
SORRY, I, COMMISSIONER WEBB IS ANNOUNCING THAT HE HAS, HE NEEDS TO LEAVE.
UM, WE STILL HAVE QUORUM, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY.
COMMISSIONER WEBB, ARE YOU GONNA STICK ON DANIEL, I SAW YOU WAVE.
ARE YOU JUST WAVING TO DAN? YEAH.
THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
FEEL FREE TO HANG OUT IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE THERE.
[6. Discussion and possible action to set road map for 2025 Tourism Commission Meetings.]
SO MOVING ON TO, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ROADMAP THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US FOR THE BALANCE OF THIS YEAR.AND, UM, I GUESS, DO WE HAVE ANY, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION THAT TO, UH, WE'RE NOT MAKING A MOTION HERE, ARE WE? EXCUSE ME, DAN, ARE WE MAKING A MOTION ON, UH, CODIFYING THIS OR ARE WE JUST DISCUSSING IT? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
WE'RE NOT, THIS, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.
UM, WITH THAT THEN, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR, CLEAR WHETHER WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE.
SO, UM, IF YOU, WE WANT TO, IS THIS
IS THIS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2025? THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE, YES.
IT'S JUST THE REST OF THIS YEAR.
SO OUR ROADMAP, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE CHECKED THE BOXES ON MOST OF THE REST OF THE ROADMAP MATERIAL FOR THIS YEAR, AND IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, THE ROADMAP HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN KEEPING US GOING FORWARD.
AND IT'S ALSO BEEN HELPFUL, I WILL SAY ABOUT THE ROADMAP THAT WE'VE BEEN WILLING TO SWITCH, UM, MONTHS WHEN REQUIRED AS HAPPENED THIS MONTH.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING, WE WANT TO HAVE THE TOPIC, BUT WE CAN'T GET THE PEOPLE WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
SO THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN WILLING TO MOVE THE DATES ON TOPICS HAS BEEN HELPFUL AS WELL.
BUT HAVING THE ROADMAP AND HAVING BACKUP AND CLARITY ON WHAT OUR BACKUP ALLOWS US TO MOVE QUICKLY TO DO THAT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS PROCESS, HAVING BEEN ON THE COMMISSION A WHILE, I THINK WE'VE NEVER HAD ONE THAT REALLY WORKED LIKE THIS, EVER.
UM, ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS? THE, THE REMAINING DATES? THANK YOU COMMISSIONER
[01:20:01]
MA, NOT MATT MASTERS.UM, AT OUR JULY MEETING, I BELIEVE IT WAS JULY, UM, WE HAD A PRESENTATION, UM, FROM THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
AND SOME OF Y'ALL WHO WERE HERE MIGHT REMEMBER ME VERY SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFYING, UM, CERTAIN BUSINESSES IN RED RIVER THAT WERE OF INTEREST THAT I THOUGHT WERE IMPORTANT TO AUSTIN.
UH, ONE OF THAT BEING CHAIR OF CHARLIES.
AND THEN YOU MAY HAVE ALSO SEEN IN THE NEWS THAT ALTHOUGH WE GOT A LOT OF, UH, NODDING AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE BEING INCLUDED AND THOUGHT OF AS PART OF LONG-TERM PLANNING, THAT THEY WERE ALMOST $60,000 BEHIND IN RENT, UM, WHICH WAS ABOUT TWO MONTHS RENT.
UM, SO THIS KIND OF TRIGGERED ME INTO LOOKING FURTHER.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE FUNDRAISING THAT THEY DID, UM, IS THEY NOTED THAT THEY WERE LOOKING INTO BECOMING A LEGACY BUSINESS THROUGH THE CITY.
UM, WHICH I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT, SO I LOOKED IT UP AND IT, IT LOOKS TO ME THAT PRESERVATION AUSTIN IS, IS THE ENTITY THAT HELPS WITH THIS GRANT PROCESS.
SO I AM PERSONALLY INTERESTED, AND I HOPE THIS ISN'T SOMETHING Y'ALL DID BEFORE, IMMEDIATELY BEFORE MY TIME HERE IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEGACY BUSINESS IN AUSTIN, UH, WHAT THAT PROCESS IS.
UM, AND JUST TRYING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT, UH, GIVEN THE EXTREMELY RECENT, UH, UH, CONTEXT, UH, THAT FELT A BIT PERSONAL AT THE TIME.
SO, UM, IF THAT CAN BE UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
I KNOW OUR OCTOBER MEETING, UH, IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND TOURISM, AND MAYBE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT SOON.
UM, BUT IF AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LOVE IF WE COULD, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM, FOR THAT OBSERVATION AND COMMENT.
AND I ACTUALLY DO THINK, I MEAN, DANIEL, IT'S A CONVERSATION.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT STILL BE AVAILABLE IN TERMS OF GUESTS WE COULD INVITE OR HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TILT THAT CONVERSATION TO BE INCLUSIVE OF, OF THE LEGACY.
I, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I SAY OUT LOUD THAT ONE OF THE PRESENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN BEFORE OUR BODY BEFORE WILL BRIDGES, WHO OWNS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DEEP EDDIE CABARET, CISCO'S ANTONES TO NAME A FEW, AND HE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN INVOLVED.
THEY JUST CELEBRATED THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CISCO'S THIS WEEKEND.
AND I BELIEVE THAT HE HAS SOME INSIGHTS INTO THE PROCESS.
I ALSO KNOW THAT STEVE HEIMER, WHO AND CONTINENTAL CLUB AND SEA BOYS HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN DOWN THIS PATH.
AND SO I I I WOULD JUST SAY, I'M SAYING IT OUT LOUD THAT IF WE ARE INTERESTED IN DIVING IN AND LEARNING FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY MADE THE TRIP, THOSE MIGHT BE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER INVITING TO ILLUMINATE US ON THE PATH OF THE PROS AND CONS AND WHAT GOES WITH THAT.
BUT I, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM IN BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
SO, UM, ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER, ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? COMMISSIONERS? NO.
YEAH, I'M SEEING A LOT OF NODDING.
SO, DANIEL, I'M, I'M SAYING, AND FELICIA, I'M JUST SAYING IT OUT LOUD THAT WALK AWAY FROM THIS MEETING, I'LL BE IN THE NOTES, BUT THAT MIGHT BE WHERE YOU WANNA POINT YOUR ARROWS, UH, IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL, UH, SPEAKERS FOR, FOR OCTOBER.
UM, ANY OTHER, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS OR THOUGHTS? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS IT? SHE SAID HIS OCTOBER HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND SO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UM, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE REST OF THE ROADMAP OR, UH, ITEMS THAT WE SHOULD BE STARTING TO GET ON THE MAP AS WE GET? WE'RE GONNA BE PLANNING FOR 26 AS WELL.
THOUGHTS? UH, COMMISSIONER PENOC, IAN, SOMETHING TO ADD TO THIS.
I, UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT I THINK THE DECEMBER MEETING, THE REASON WE LEFT IT ON, BECAUSE GENERALLY I THINK PEOPLE WERE SAYING TO CANCEL THE DECEMBER MEETING, BUT I THINK THE REASON WE LEFT IT ON WAS TO DISCUSS THE 2026, UH, CALENDAR GOING FORWARD.
MY RECOLLEC, MY, MY RECOLLECTION IS TRACKS WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND I THINK THAT ALSO HELPED US MAKE THIS THE DECISION WHEN WE DECIDED TO CANCEL AUGUST, IT WAS IN THAT NEXUS WHERE WE WERE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE LOOKING, I, YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE PLANNING TO CANCEL IT IN, IN DECEMBER AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE'RE ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO CANCEL IF WE CANCELED AUGUST.
SO, FELICIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHTS ON HOW MANY WE, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CANCEL IT, BUT IS THERE ALSO LIKE A, A PENALTY TO PAY IF WE CANCELED TWO MEETINGS JUST OUTRIGHT
[01:25:01]
OF OUR CALENDAR? IS THAT BAD BEHAVIOR? YES.THERE, YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THREE OR FOUR AT THE MOST.
YOU DO NOT WANNA DO THAT BECAUSE THEN WE GET INTO THAT BIND WHERE WE WERE BEFORE ABOUT IF YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU MAY BE, UM, SUNSET AS A, A COMMISSION BOARD AS A WHOLE.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT THE, THE, THE, THE PROBLEM BE PRIOR TO WAS THAT WE WEREN'T GETTING TO QUORUM.
WE WEREN'T CANCELING MEETINGS, WE WERE UNABLE TO MEET, UH, CHAIR RONAN, JUMP IN, PLEASE.
UM, THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR BAILEY.
WHAT I WANTED TO JUST EMPHASIZE WAS THAT WHEN WE PLANNED OUR MEETINGS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR, WE DID NOT PLAN A MEETING FOR AUGUST.
WE JUST NEVER PLANNED A MEETING FOR THAT MONTH.
UM, UNLIKE JANUARY'S MEETING, FOR INSTANCE, IN WHICH WE COULDN'T GET THE AGENDA JUST TOGETHER GIVEN, UM, EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO WHAT I WOULD ADVISE IS TO KEEP DECEMBER FOR PLANNING FOR 2026 AGENDA, TOPIC, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MOVING ON FROM THERE IN TERMS OF, ITS, UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE OUR FUTURE MEETINGS BY I BELIEVE OCTOBER, UH, UH, MS. BURLESON WILL HAVE HAD OUR, UM, IS THAT THE, IS THAT THE MONTH THAT WE DECIDE THE DATES? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA ON FOR OCTOBER.
WELL, I THINK WE'VE EXHAUSTED THIS.
I DON'T SEE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM.
[7. Discussion about Tourism Commission Board vacancies.]
UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS, UH, AND I, I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER RONAN, IF YOU WANT TO JUST DOWNLOAD, UH, I I'VE BEEN TRACKING, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT YOU'VE BEEN HAVING WITH, UM, EXCUSE ME, SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR LIAISONS ON THIS TOPIC.AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE'RE ANNOUNCING DANNY TODAY, WHICH WAS AWESOME.
SO THAT'S A NET POSITIVE OF THE EFFORTS TO GET ALL OUR, TO GET THIS BODY FULLY SEATED.
DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU WANNA JUST GIVE A REPORT OF WHAT YOU'VE, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING BACK CHANNEL TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION? SURE.
AND, UM, UH, JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW AS WELL, I, I AM KEEPING, UM, BOTH VICE-CHAIR BAILEY AND, UH, UH, MS. OJEDA IN THE LOOP WITH ALL OF THE COMMUNICATIONS.
BASICALLY IT'S JUST, UM, TOUCHING BASE WITH OUR, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO'VE YET TO, UH, PROPOSE, UM, A, AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE VACANCY.
SO JUST THIS MEETING, WE'RE FORTUNATE NOW TO HAVE OUR NEW, UH, COMMISSION MEMBER, DANNY PRUITT, WHO, UM, HAS JOINED US THIS MEETING.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO ALSO, UM, HAVE SOME MOVEMENT FOR DISTRICT ONE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON'S, UM, SEAT, UH, SHE, HER STAFF IS WORKING ON TWO PROPOSED MEMBERS.
THEY'RE GAUGING INTEREST IN SEEING, UH, WHAT MIGHT BE THE BEST FIT FOR THE COMMISSION.
UM, SO THAT'S UNDER, UNDER WORKS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE, UM, I'M SORRY, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, UH, UH, MS. OJALA OFFHAND.
EXCUSE ME, MS. BURLESON, COULD YOU, UM, DETAIL, WHICH I, I CAN'T FIND IT OFFHAND.
UM, THE OTHER SEAT THAT'S MISSING, I THINK IT'S TWO THREE AND FOUR.
AND THAT IS, UM, I CAN NEVER REMEMBER THE NUMBERS.
I NEED TO KNOW THAT THE, THE ACTUAL PERSON, WHICH IS NOT LISTED THERE EITHER.
UH, OR IT'S, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHILA.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER, UM, UH, OUTSTANDING SEAT IN TERMS OF APPOINTMENT.
AND SO I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THEIR OFFICE, UM, THEY'VE ASKED FOR SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHO TO APPOINT.
SO IF ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION HAS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PUT THAT FORWARD.
UM, BECAUSE WE DO EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE REALLY WANT A FULL UP
SO IF YOU COULD SEND YOUR, UM, SUGGESTIONS OF
[01:30:01]
MY WAY AND CC UH, VICE CHAIR BAILEY, AS WELL AS, UM, OUR STAFF LIAISON, MS. MS. BURLESON, UH, WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.UM, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OR ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON? I HAVE ONE.
COMMISSIONER PENOC, UM, BECAUSE OF THIS DISCUSSION I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA BRING UP, SINCE WE HAVE TO, UM, COME UP WITH THE DATES FOR OUR MEETINGS FOR 2026, UM, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT KEEPING 'EM THE SAME TIME AS WE'VE DONE IT IN FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AT LEAST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE EVERYONE HERE.
I THINK THE ONLY PI, UH, PERSON WE'RE MISSING IS, UH, DAN WHO HAD TO, UM, JUMP OFF THE, THE MEETING.
I'M WONDERING IF IT'S MAYBE A GOOD TIME TO GO AHEAD AND JUST VOTE ON THE DAY, THE DAYS AND 26 THAT WE CAN KEEP THE MEETINGS.
I'M JUST MAKING THE SUGGESTION 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL BE HERE FOR NEXT MONTH OR WE ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, TWO MONTHS LEFT.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A MOTION OR STILL DISCUSSION.
I, I SEE, UH, I SEE DANIEL'S HANDS UP.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER IAN FOR THE QUESTION.
AND THANK YOU CHAIR, VICE CHAIR BAILEY.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE UNABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT IS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD TO PUT ON THIS AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION THIS MEETING.
BUT WE ARE ABLE TO PUT THAT ON NEXT AGENDA, UM, FOR OCTOBER AND, UH, ENSURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE NEED THEIR AVAILABILITY.
SO EVEN IF THEY'RE UNABLE TO ATTEND NEXT MEETING, WE'LL HAVE THEIR AVAILABILITY AND BE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE A DECISION.
AND HOPEFULLY, I'M HOPING AT LEAST ONE OR TWO MORE MEMBERS TO THE COMMISSION.
GREAT SUGGESTION, COMMISSIONER IAN.
AND, UM, NOW, NOW WE'VE GOT A NEW AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT MEETING.
UM, I, I SEE MOVING ON, WE'RE, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THIS MEETING A LITTLE BIT EARLY TODAY.
[8. Update from the AISD Facilities Working Group on new agenda reports regarding the focus of the working group and efforts for recommendations.]
WE HAVE, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, ANYBODY WORKING GROUP COMMITTEE UPDATES.AND SO PLEASE, UH, COMMISSIONER MASTERS, PLEASE, UM, PROVIDE AN UPDATE, IF YOU WILL, ON WHERE WE ARE ON THE A ID FACILITIES WORKING GROUP.
UM, YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM OUR LAST MEETING THAT THE WORKING GROUP, UM, LEARNED THAT, UH, WITH THE ISSUE OF, UM, FACILITY RENTALS, THAT YOU CAN HAVE ALCOHOL ON THE PREMISES THAT, THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A STATE LAW.
SO SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS TEAM, UM, TO TALK ABOUT IF THERE ARE ANY POTENTIAL WORKAROUNDS OR OUTTA THE BOX CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
THEY MADE ME AWARE OF A JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE THAT IS COMPOSED OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND AUSTIN, ISD.
AND THEY THOUGHT THAT THIS SUBJECT COULD BE A GOOD, UM, UH, POINT FOR, FOR THEM TO LOOK AT.
UM, AND SO THEY ASKED FOR KIND OF PERMISSION IN WRITING TO SUBMIT THIS AS AN ITEM FOR, UH, THAT JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO THIS AS A LARGER SCOPE AS, AS A TEAM OF, UM, WHAT IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN PROACTIVELY DOING, UH, TO LOOK INTO ANY POTENTIAL ORDINANCES, UH, TO MAKE AUSTIN ISDS, UH, LIFE EASIER.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THEY ARE GOING TO GET BACK TO US ON.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO ALSO NOTE, UM, IN CASE THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE'VE ENGAGED IN BEFORE, IS THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL BE DOING A CALL HOPEFULLY IN DECEMBER FOR ANY POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, UM, FOR THE NEXT STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH IS NOT UNTIL JANUARY OF 2027, BUT I GUESS THEY GET THEIR DRAFT GOING REALLY EARLY.
UM, SO AS A TOURISM COMMISSION, WE SHOULD BE AWARE AND KIND OF LOOK OUT FOR THAT, UH, FOR OUR PLANNING PURPOSES OF WHAT WE MAY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE, UH, THE CALL COME OUT IN DECEMBER AND THEY'LL LEAVE IT OPEN UNTIL AROUND FEBRUARY OR MARCH.
UM, SO AS WE'RE, UM, DOING THESE MEETINGS, IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN KEEP IN MIND THAT WE MAY WANT TO, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO THAT REQUEST.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MASTERS.
I MEAN, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE NOW BEARING DOWN ON HOW TO GET OUR AGENDA TOGETHER FOR NEXT YEAR, SO THAT'S SUPER HELPFUL THAT YOU HAVE, HAVE THAT UPDATE TODAY.
IT'LL, IT'LL HELP US STAY IN FRONT OF IT, SO THANKS.
COULD YOU REMIND ME ALSO, I, WHO, WHO ELSE MIGHT BE ON, ON
[01:35:01]
THAT? A ISD WORKING GROUP IS I, UH, SO IT'S AUSTIN, ISD, CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND THEN THEY HAVE, UH, THREE A ISD MEMBERS, OR THREE TRUSTEES I SHOULD SAY.UH, MAYOR WATSON IS THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY, AND THEN TWO OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UH, SHAY AND IAN.
AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE APPOINTED BY MAYOR WATSON TO THE COMMISSION, RIGHT? SO TO THE, YEAH, SO TO THE DEGREE THAT WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE HIM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
[9. Update from the Short-Term Rental Working Group on any new reports regarding the STR’s new focus and efforts for recommendations.]
WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM.UH, WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE SHORT TERM RENTAL WORKING GROUP WHO'S SITTING TO MY RIGHT.
SO WHAT DO WE HAVE? DO WE HAVE UPDATES? WE HAVE UPDATES.
SO AS WE MIGHT RECALL, THE PLATFORMS HAVE NOW STARTED PICKING UP THE HOT TAX.
I'LL JUST REWIND A LITTLE BIT.
SO, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED NEW RULES REGARDING REGARDING SHORT-TERM RENTALS FEBRUARY, 2025.
MOST OF THESE REGULATIONS WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, BUT THE PLATFORMS, UM, HAVE STARTED COLLECTING ON THE HOT TAX.
ADDITIONALLY, UH, TOMORROW, UH, CITY COUNCIL IS GONNA BE VOTING ON ANYONE OWNING MORE THAN ONE STR IN A PROPERTY WILL NEED TO BE AT LEAST 1000 FEET APART.
UH, FOR SITE WITH MORE THAN FOUR UNITS, LIKE AN APARTMENT, ONLY 25% COULD BE USED FOR AN STR, UH, HOST SITES MUST PUT THIS CITY STR LICENSE IN THE ADVERTISEMENT.
UM, THERE IS SOME CONVERSATION AROUND BEING DELISTED.
UH, WE'VE HAD MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE REALLY THAT PROCESS WILL LOOK LIKE.
RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THE LANGUAGE OF DELISTING, BUT THAT, UH, OPERATIONAL PIECE STILL NEEDS TO BE IRONED OUT.
GOOD NEWS, THERE ARE 2,413 ACTIVE LICENSES, SO COUNT IS CLIMBING.
UH, BUT BETTER NEWS OVERALL, THE PLATFORMS WILL ABLE TO COLLECT FOR HOT, UH, 5 MILLION, 208,000, UH, IN WHAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL HOT REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO THEN I ASKED THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR SOME FOLLOW UP ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE THE ADOPTION COUNT WAS STILL RELATIVELY LOW, CONSIDERING WHERE IT WAS, UH, THEY LOOKED BACK AND SAW THAT THE, THEY WERE USUALLY GETTING AROUND 6 MILLION IN HOT TAXES.
THIS YEAR WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER, BUT WE ARE SEEING A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN HOT TAXES AHEAD.
SO GOOD NEWS ON THAT FRONT THAT WE'RE COLLECTING THE HOT TAX AND THEN THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AS WE GET LICENSE ADOPTION.
ANY QUESTIONS? I WAS JUST GONNA ASK THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR
I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO OUR BIGGER CONVERSATION OR QUESTION AROUND, RIGHT, WHERE DO THE HOT TAXES FLOW AND HOW DOES THAT LAND OUT? I DO KNOW THAT PLATFORMS HAVE AN ADDITIONAL MONTH TO SUBMIT.
SO THERE IS, WE'RE IN EFFECT GIVING 'EM A, A MONTH OF FREE CAPITAL, UM, BEFORE THEY PAY OVER.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY, I GUESS, GAP.
AGAIN, THANKS FOR THAT REPORT.
UM, WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR AGENDA, SO, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ANYBODY, UH, FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? THIS COMMISSIONER RONAN, ANYTHING FROM YOU? YES.
I, I DO WANNA SAY, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, VICE, EXCUSE ME, VICE CHAIR BAILEY, UM, WANTED TO THANK YOU.
I, I KNOW WE HAD SOME COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES, BUT THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TODAY TO CHAIR THIS MEETING.
UM, SO WITH THAT, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CONCLUDE OUR MEETING TODAY? WE'VE GOT 'EM, COMMISSIONERS, MA, MASTERS AND MATHIS HAVE BOTH.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I GUESS I CAN CONCLUDE THE MEETING AND I DON'T HAVE THE GAVEL TO DO IT, BUT THAT WORK.