Feb 09, 2026 Tourism Commission Special Meeting

THAT'LL BE IT.

ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, OUR ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF OUR TOPIC TODAY, WHICH, UH, WE'RE CALLING IT WORKING TOWARD A MORE BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN.

THAT, THAT WAS, UH, EASY, EASY ONE.

I, I DO WANNA MENTION, UH, ABOUT, UH, COMMISSIONER PRUITT.

HE, HE WAS VERY FAIR MINDED.

HE, HE'S LEAVING BECAUSE HE HAD A JOB CHANGE IN HIS JOB.

COMMISSIONER WEBB, I'M SORRY, SORRY, , SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

COMMISSIONER PRUITT, UH, COMMISSIONER WEBB, UH, SAID IN HIS RESIGNATION TOO THAT HIS COUNCIL MEMBER AND TO, THAT HE WROTE TO FELICIA AND I, THAT HE'S JUST HAD A NEW JOB APPOINTMENT AND IT'S GONNA BE, REQUIRE A LOT MORE OF HIS TIME AND HE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CARRY THIS FORWARD.

SO, UH, IN THE OTHER NEWS ON THE FRONT OF OUR OPEN VACANCIES, I DID RECEIVE A, A NOTE FROM OUR PREVIOUS CHAIR, DANIEL RONAN, THAT SAID THAT, UH, THERE'S ONE OF HIS CANDIDATES THAT HE PUT FORWARD TO COMM TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, HAS BEEN APPROVED.

AND SO WE SHOULD BE SEEING HER, UH, MAKE THE ROUNDS AND JOINING US SOON.

SO WE LOST ONE, BUT WE GAINED ONE.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD.

[3. Presentation by the Austin Convention Center regarding design concepts for the new Austin Convention Center footprint/pad and discuss how the redevelopment will transform integration with surrounding areas. Presentation by Katy Zamesnik, Interim Director.]

AND WE HAVE, UH, THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE, ARE DEFINITELY CATALYST IN RESHAPING DOWNTOWN.

CERTAINLY THE MUCH OF OUR CONVERSATION AT THE TOURISM COMMISSION HAS BEEN AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND OF COURSE THE BIG PICTURE THERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT IT MEANS TO OUR BUSINESS CLIMATE AND TO OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A BIG ASPECT OF THE PROJECT, UH, THAT WE NEED TO TALK MORE ABOUT, AND THAT'S PLACEMAKING AND HOW THE SHAPE THAT THAT PART OF TOWN IS GOING TO HAVE.

AND I THINK THAT THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE DRAWINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES, THERE MIGHT BE SOME UPDATES THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT OR AT LEAST UPDATE TO ME AND US IN TERMS OF WHATEVER WE'VE HEARD LAST ON, ON THAT MATTER.

SO, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE KATIE NIK, WHO'S THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER RIGHT NOW, AND

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SHE'S GOING TO, UH, GIVE US WHERE THEY ARE AND, AND WHAT THEY CAN SHARE AT THIS TIME.

MY NAME IS KATIE MESNICK.

I AM THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.

UM, AND I'M HERE, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION THAT MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE FAMILIAR TO SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A WHILE, BUT I KNOW THERE'S SOME NEW FACES.

SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GO THROUGH, UM, TO KIND OF GIVE YOU THE FULL COMPREHENSIVE BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT.

AND I DO HAVE SOME UPDATES.

I DON'T HAVE NEW RENDERINGS TODAY, BUT THEY ARE COMING SOON.

UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK AND DO A VERY SHORT UPDATE ONCE I HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE TO SHARE, UM, WITH YOU.

GREAT.

SO, UM, WE ARE THE 13TH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S CHANGED RECENTLY.

UM, BUT OUR CONVENTION CENTER WAS ONLY THE 61ST LARGEST BEFORE WE, UM, MADE THE DECISION TO TEAR IT DOWN.

UM, WHAT THIS MEANT FOR AUSTIN IS THAT WE WERE LOSING A LOT OF BUSINESS, A LOT OF REVENUE.

UM, WE HAD TO TURN AWAY ABOUT 50% OF THE BUSINESS LEADS THAT WE WERE RECEIVING.

UM, AND SO THAT MEANT THAT WE WERE NOT GETTING, UM, EVENTS AT THE BUILDING THAT WOULD BE SPENDING MONEY IN THE BARS AND THE RESTAURANTS AND THE LOCAL RETAIL HERE IN AUSTIN.

SO AS A RESULT, WE MADE AFTER NEARLY A DECADE OF CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION AND A LOT OF VERY HARD CONVERSATIONS, THE DECISION TO TEAR DOWN THE EXISTING FACILITY IN ORDER THAT WE MAY BUILD IT BACK UP BIGGER AND BETTER WITHIN THE SIX EXISTING, UM, BLOCKS THAT WE OCCUPY IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.

UH, SO ONCE WE'RE COMPLETE, WE'LL JUMP TO ABOUT THE 35TH LARGEST.

UM, AND THEN WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT AND THE WAY THAT WE ARE DOING THIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA ALSO BE ABLE TO DO AN ADDITIONAL EXPANSION IN, UM, LATER YEARS THAT WILL JUMP US UP TO SOMEWHERE IN THE TWENTIES AS WELL.

UM, SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BUILD AS BIG AS WE CAN FOR AUSTIN AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR CITY AS WE GROW AND GENERATE, UM, A LOT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT AND DRIVE REVENUE INTO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER IS GONNA BE LARGER THAN THE CITIES THAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN.

UH, I REALLY LIKE TO POINT OUT NASHVILLE, THEY ARE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST COMPETITORS.

UM, AND SO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE VERY NERVOUS ABOUT OUR PROJECT AND WE LIKE, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR THAT.

UM, BUT BEYOND BEING BIGGER THAN OUR CURRENT COMPETITIVE SET, WE ACTUALLY GET TO START COMPETING WITH A WHOLE NEW SET OF CONVENTION CENTERS AND THAT MAKES US EXCITED AS WELL.

OUR SALES TEAM IS, HAS BEEN CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO GET AT SOME OF THESE, UM, CONVENTION CENTERS, AND SO THEY'RE ALREADY OUT THERE DOING A REALLY FANTASTIC JOB.

UH, TWO, I DO WANNA POINT OUT SEATTLE AND DENVER THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE HAVE ACTUALLY JUST COMPLETED EXPANSIONS OF THEIR OWN AS WELL.

SO THIS SCREEN, I THINK, UM, IS JUST A REALLY GOOD HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.

I THINK IT JUST REALLY DEMONSTRATES WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING.

UM, SO AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE A TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF $1.6 BILLION.

UH, THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT COMES FROM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX CONVENTION CENTER REVENUES THAT WE'VE BEEN SETTING ASIDE FOR ABOUT THE PAST 10 YEARS, AND THEN SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED A PROJECT FINANCING ZONE.

UM, THIS IS AN ECONOMIC TOOL THAT WAS, UM, WE WERE MADE ELIGIBLE FOR BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT SETS ASIDE AN INCREMENT OF THE STATE'S SHARE OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, SALES TAX AND MIXED BEVERAGE TAX FROM THE HOTELS IN A THREE MILE RADIUS AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR A PERIOD OF 30 YEARS.

AND THAT WILL ALSO GO TOWARD HELP FUNDING.

UM, THIS IS A TOOL THAT'S USED BY A LOT OF THE CONVENTION CENTERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE STATE FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON THIS.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE, FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE WE'RE LOOKING FROM, WE CLOSED OUR DOORS IN APRIL OF 2025, AND WE'RE AIMING TO REOPEN IN DECEMBER OF 2028.

UM, WE ARE SAYING BY IN TIME FOR THE SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON OF, OF, UM, 2029, UM, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE RECEIVING OUR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AT THE END OF 2028.

UM, THE EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER HAD 365,000 SQUARE FEET OF RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE.

THE NEW FACILITY WILL HAVE 620,000 SQUARE FEET IN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR, UH, RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE.

AND THEN IF YOU RECALL, I MENTIONED THAT WE WILL BE HAVING THE ABILITY TO EXPAND IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 140,000 SQUARE FEET TO THE FACILITY AS WELL.

ALL TOLD THAT'S GONNA ADD AN ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT WHEN COMBINED WITH THE EXISTING CONVENTION CENTER OF ABOUT $750 MILLION A YEAR.

ONE THING I DO LIKE TO PAUSE AS I'VE BEEN GIVING THIS PRESENTATION TO SOME OF OUR REAL ESTATE FOLKS, IF YOU JUST DO 1.6 INTO SIX 20, THAT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A PRETTY EXPENSIVE NUMBER.

UM, BUT THAT IS JUST THE RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE.

THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE OVERALL FACILITY WILL BE WELL OVER A MILLION SQUARE FEET.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT 1.5 MILLION.

WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR PARTNERS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR PROJECT.

SO OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN JE DUNN AND TURNER.

UM, THEY HAVE DEEP EXPERIENCE IN THE AUSTIN MARKET AND IN URBAN MARKETS AS WELL.

UM, THE PROJECT IS BEING DESIGNED BY LM N AND PAIGE, ALSO A JOINT VENTURE.

ELEMENT N IS OUT OF SEATTLE.

AND THEN PAIGE IS A HOMEGROWN FIRM RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN.

UH, WE'RE BEING ADVISED BY CONVENTIONAL WISDOM,

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THEY ARE THE EXPERTS ON CONVENTION CENTERS AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST, I THINK 40 YEARS AT THIS POINT.

UM, OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT IS BEING DONE AS A TEAM WITH OUR IN-HOUSE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AS WELL, AND IS AUGMENTED BY PROJECT CONTROLS A TEAM OUT OF SAN ANTONIO.

AND THEN OFF, WE CERTAINLY ALWAYS WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE, UM, ARTS CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, WHICH IS FIELD, WHICH IS SUPPORTING OUR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, UM, PROGRAM, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE.

SO, CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY WE ARE NOT ONLY ON BUDGET, BUT WE ARE ALSO VERY MUCH ON TIME.

UM, WE HAVE COMPLETED DEMO, WHICH ALSO I HAVE SOME PICTURES FOR YOU.

UM, AND WE ARE IN ACTIVE EXCAVATION END BUILDING.

UM, BECAUSE OF THE TIGHT TIMELINE OF THIS PROJECT AND THE SHEER SIZE OF IT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN AT VARIOUS TIMES IN ALL THREE PHASES, WE WERE DEMOING, EXCAVATING, AND CONSTRUCTING AT THE SAME TIME.

UM, SO WE'VE COMPLETED THE ABOVE GROUND DEMOLITION.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PIERS THAT WE HAVE TO STILL REMOVE FROM THE SITE.

SO I CAN'T SAY THAT WE HAVE COMPLETELY, TOTALLY FINISHED.

ABSOLUTELY A HUNDRED PERCENT ALL OF DEMOLITION.

IT'S 99.8% DEMO, BUT THE ABOVE GROUND STRUCTURAL PIECE OF IT IS GONE.

UM, AND THEN, UH, WE ARE IN ACTIVE EXCAVATION AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

SO JUST A QUICK REVIEW OF THE PROJECT GOALS.

UM, SO THIS IS A COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED IN 2021 WHEN WE APPROVED OUR PROJECT METHODOLOGY.

UM, AND WE JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED IN PINK THERE, JUST SOME OF THE MAIN THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF THIS.

SO LOOKING AT A WORLD CLASS DESIGN, TALKING ABOUT HOW WE REALLY WANTED THIS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE CONVENTION CENTERS IN THE WORLD, UM, AND SOMETHING THAT REALLY DRAWS LOCALS AS WELL AS AUSTINITES.

UM, WE GAVE THIS TO THE DESIGN TEAM AND THEY REALLY RAN WITH IT.

AND I THINK THAT THE BUILDING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR DESIGNING ACTIVELY TODAY REALLY REFLECTS THAT.

UM, I THINK IT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A LANDMARK OF GREAT DISTINCTION AND SOMETHING THAT I REALLY BELIEVE THAT OUR LOCAL AUSTINITES ARE GOING TO LOVE JUST AS MUCH AS OUR VISITORS DO.

AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF SOMETHING THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER OF HOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S A UNIQUELY AUSTIN PROJECT.

UM, CERTAINLY TEARING DOWN A CONVENTION CENTER IS KEEPS AUSTIN WEIRD.

I DON'T KNOW.

NOBODY ELSE REALLY DOES WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, AND I THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE A TREND OF OTHER PEOPLE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S, THAT IS THE MOST AUSTIN THING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE.

UM, BUT THIS KIND OF JUST REPRESENTS THE REST OF AUSTIN AS WELL AND HAS MADE ITS WAY INTO THE BUILDING.

UM, SPEAKING OF SUSTAINABILITY, THIS WAS ONE OF THE OTHER BIG PROJECT GOALS.

UM, SO WE'RE ON TRACK TO BE THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO CARBON CERTIFIED CONVENTION CENTER IN THE WORLD, UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF.

AND IT TOOK A, IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF CREATIVE THINKING.

UM, WE ARE CREATING A NEW LOW CARBON CONCRETE, SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE.

UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA CREATE A NEW MARKET IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THIS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE USED IN OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL.

I MENTIONED ART IN PUBLIC PLACES.

SO, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT NEARLY AN $18 MILLION INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC ART AS OF TODAY.

IT IS THE CITY'S LARGEST SINGLE INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC ART, ALTHOUGH WE KNOW CERTAINLY THE AIRPORT WILL OVERTAKE US, UM, AS THEY GET THEIR PROGRAM GOING.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE PLANT THAT FLAG AND WE PLAN IT PROUDLY.

UM, AND SO OUR FIRST PHASE IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING, UM, ARCHITECTURALLY INTEGRATED ARTWORK.

WE HAVE SELECTED 10 ARTISTS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE THROUGH A VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS.

AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING ARTWORK THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE A PART OF THE BUILDING ITSELF.

UM, WE HAVE CERTAINLY LEARNED FROM THE PROCESS OF CLOSING OUR EXISTING FACILITY AND THIS ARTWORK WILL BE ABLE TO BE REMOVED IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE TO EVENTUALLY TAKE THIS BUILDING DOWN, WHICH WE HOPE NEVER HAS TO HAPPEN.

AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO REVEAL SOME OF THOSE IN THE COMING MONTHS OF WHAT THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING FOR.

BUT OUR FIRST, UM, OUR FIRST LOOKS AT THEIR ARTWORK ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE COME UP WITH.

SO I'M GONNA QUICKLY RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE, UM, THE PICTURES THAT WE HAVE OF THE NEW SITE AND I'LL KIND OF SITE ORIENT YOU.

UM, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL NOTE WHERE WE HAVE SOME UPDATES, UM, ON THE RENDERINGS OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE, UM, COMING UP.

SO THIS IS OUR SIXTH CITY BLOCKS THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE.

UM, CAESAR CHAVEZ IS DOWN ON THE, THE BOTTOM, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT FOURTH STREET UP AT THE TOP.

UM, YOU CAN SEE WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN OUR EXHIBIT HALLS AND WE'VE PUT THEM COMPLETELY UNDERGROUND AS WELL AS OUR LOADING DOCKS.

AND THIS ALLOWS US TO OPEN UP THE STREET GRID.

SO THIRD STREET IS FULLY MULTIMODAL.

UH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE ABLE TO CLOSE IT DOWN IF WE WANNA HOLD LIKE A FESTIVAL TYPE ATMOSPHERE.

UM, IF AN EVENT WANTS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SECOND STREET'S GONNA BE, UH, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.

UM, IT WILL BE OPEN TO AUSTINITES WHEN IT'S NOT BEING RENTED BY AN EVENT.

YOU'LL SEE THE PICTURE HERE IN A MINUTE.

UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT'S JUST WAY MORE POROUS THAN THE OLD, THAN THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER WAS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WALK AROUND IF YOU'RE COMING THROUGH TO GET FROM EAST TO WEST ANYMORE.

OUR BALLROOM IS THAT RED, UM, BOX THAT YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM.

AND THEN THE TEAL BOXES ARE FLEX HALL, OUR MEETING ROOMS AND ARE KIND OF PRIMARILY IN THAT CENTER CORE UNDERNEATH THE FLEX HALL AS WELL.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT AN OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE UP THERE AT

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THE TOP.

AND THAT THE TOP AREA IS EVENTUALLY WHERE OUR FUTURE EXPANSION WILL OCCUR, UM, AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SO KIND OF GOING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, I MENTIONED THAT OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE.

YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HERE.

WE CALL IT THE BACKYARD.

UM, AND THEN THE WAREHOUSES OVER IN THAT YELLOW, THAT IS WHERE THE TRUCKS WILL ENTER IN TO GET DOWN TO THE LOADING DOCKS.

UM, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY ALSO WHERE ONE OF OUR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES WILL BE.

UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING IT A VERY PRETTY LOOKING WAREHOUSE.

I THINK IT'S A MISNOMER TO CALL IT THAT IN SOME RESPECTS.

UM, BUT IT'S, WE'RE GONNA, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE CANOPY HERE THAT WE'VE GOT THAT NICHES CANOPY, SO YOU'RE PROTECTED GETTING ALL THE WAY INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER.

THIRD STREET NOW BECOMES THE FRONT DOOR OF THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER.

UM, AND SO WE'VE REOPENED CHE STREET, WHICH WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN THAT, THAT OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE THAT YOU SEE IN THERE.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT A RENDERING.

I WILL CAVEAT THAT THIS HAS ACTUALLY CHANGED QUITE A BIT AND SO I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW YOU THE UPDATED RENDERING.

UM, THE PLAZA HAS OBVIOUSLY STILL STAYED, BUT, UM, THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF REFINEMENT TO WHAT THIS ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.

AND I WANNA ALSO PREFACE, THOSE ARE NOT LED LIGHTS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD A LOT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED SHOWING THESE IMAGES.

THOSE ARE BANNERS.

UM, I THINK THEY JUST TOOK, TOOK SOME LIBERTY WITH THE GRAPHICS.

SO THEN LOOKING IN THE HUB, UH, THIS SORT OF THE, THE MOST DENSE AREA OF PROGRAMMING THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS SITE.

THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE MEETING ROOMS ARE.

THAT'S WHERE REGISTRATION ARE.

IT IS FOR, UM, WHEN YOU COME INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER.

SO THIS IS ON TRINITY, UH, LOOKING TOWARD RED RIVER AT SECOND STREET.

UM, SO IF ANY OF, IF ANYONE REMEMBERS THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER, WHAT WAS RIGHT HERE IS WHAT WE AFFECTIONATELY CALLED THE DEATH STAR.

UM, IT WAS A ROUND CIRCLE WINDOW.

AND NOW THIS IS MUCH O MUCH MORE OPEN.

WE'VE GOT MASS TIMBER UP ON THE TOP, WHICH GOES TOWARD OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.

WE HAVE, THAT IS AN ART REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF OUR ARTWORK THAT'S GONNA BE ON THERE.

UM, YOU'VE GOT RETAIL ON THE GROUND FLOOR, YOU'VE GOT MEETING ROOMS, AND IT JUST GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT POEO GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UM, OVER TO RED RIVER.

AND THIS IS COMING THROUGH.

YOU'VE COME OUT TO THE OTHER SIDE AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THE ARTWORK CONTINUES.

AND THEN YOU'VE POPPED OUT.

SO NOW I'M ON RED RIVER, YOU CAN SEE WALLER CREEK, WHICH I THINK YOU ARE GETTING A PRESENTATION ON HERE SHORTLY, UM, DOWN IN THE FOREGROUND.

AND YOU SEE HOW WE'VE SORT OF TRIED TO BLEND IN WITH THE NATURE OF WALLER CREEK, THAT SOFTNESS WITH THE DESIGN AS WE'VE, AS WE'VE APPROACHED THE CREEK ON THIS PART OF THE, OF THIS SITE.

UM, ALSO AS PART OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS ON THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER, THE BLUE FINS WE HAD UP ON FOURTH STREET, UM, ON THE, THE NEWER PART OF THE CONVENTION CENTER IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND SIDE.

I DON'T KNOW IF I, THIS THING WILL DO.

I DON'T KNOW, IT DOESN'T TRANSLATE TO THAT.

UH, THOSE ARE RE WE'VE SALVAGED THOSE, UM, FROM THE OLD CONVENTION CENTER AND THOSE ARE ACTUALLY GONNA GO UP.

AND THAT'S THE FLEX HALL, THAT'S THAT YOU SEE UP THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.

AND THEN, SO LASTLY, COMING DOWN TO THE HALL AND THE PORCH, THIS WAS INSPIRED BY A TEXAS DANCE HALL AND IT WAS ALSO INSPIRED BY THIS CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE, UH, A TRIO OF LANDMARKS, UH, IN THE CITY.

UM, BECAUSE OUR BALLROOM IS ON CAESAR CHAVEZ CITY HALL IS ON CAESAR CHAVEZ, AND THE NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY IS ON CAESAR CHAVEZ.

SO AS THEY WERE DESIGNING IT, THEY TOOK INSPIRATION FROM BOTH OF THOSE TWO BUILDINGS, UM, AND INCORPORATED INTO THAT.

SO AS YOU ARE KIND OF COMING ALONG CESAR CHAVEZ, YOU'RE TYING INTO THE, THE LIKENESS OF THOSE OTHER TWO ICONIC STRUCTURES AS WELL.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT IT CURRENTLY LOOKS LIKE.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT THIS NICE WIDE PORCH.

UM, IT'S A VERY NICE TEXAS DANCE HALL.

UH, THIS WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WHEN IT'S NOT RENTED BY, UH, BY OUR CLIENTS.

UH, WE DO HAVE THIS CO THIS WALKWAY THAT WINDS ITS WAY THROUGH THE SITE WHERE YOU CAN LOOK DOWN ONTO WALLER CREEK.

WE'LL HAVE THESE, THESE NICE TREES THAT WILL ALWAYS BE OPEN TO PEDESTRIANS.

THAT'S OUR A DA ACCESSIBILITY RAMP, UM, THAT WILL ALWAYS BE OPEN.

UM, AND SO YOU CAN ALWAYS GET THROUGH THE SITE THROUGH THAT WAY AS WELL.

SO CONSTRUCTION UPDATES.

SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR, OH, AND WHAT, 10 MONTHS? UM, SO WE ARE PRETTY FAR ALONG.

EXCAVATION IS NEARLY HALFWAY DONE.

UM, AND THEN I MEN AND WE'VE GOT, WE ROUGHLY AROUND 500 TRUCKS, FOUR TO 500 TRUCKS DEPENDING ON THE DAY THAT LEAVE THE SITE.

UM, SO IT'S ABOUT ONE EVERY 90 SECONDS OR SO IS WHAT THEY TELL ME.

UM, AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BOTTOMED OUT ON ONE PART OF THE SITE.

SO WE'RE, WE'VE DUG DOWN ABOUT AS DEEP AS WE'RE GONNA GO FOR ONE PART OF THE SITE, AND IT'S ABOUT 50 FEET ON AVERAGE IS WHAT WE, WHAT WE'RE DIGGING DOWN TO.

UM, AND SO I JUST THOUGHT YOU CAN, IT'S HARD TO SEE, BUT THAT BULLDOZER IS, I THINK STANDS LIKE MAYBE 15 FEET TALL.

UM, I'VE GOTTEN TO CLIMB UP ON IT, AND IT IS, YOU CAN'T, I MEAN, YOU GET DWARFED WHEN YOU ARE STANDING ON TOP OF IT.

IT'S PRETTY, SO IT'S,

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IT'S HARD TO SEE THE SCALE OF THIS, BUT WE, WE'VE, THEY'VE DONE, THEY'VE REMOVED A LOT.

UM, SOME OF THE DIRT HAS GONE OUT TO DELL VALLEY TO GO HELP BUILD A HIGH SCHOOL OUT THERE, WHICH WE THINK IS PRETTY COOL.

UM, AND I SAW A STAT THEY WERE TRYING TO EQUATE THE CUBIC YARDS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, THAT WE'VE TAKEN OUT.

AND IT WAS SOMETHING, I CAN'T REMEMBER, THEY PUT IT IN TERMS OF HOW MANY BARTON SPRINGS POOLS AND I THINK IT WAS LIKE 20 BARTON SPRINGS POOLS THAT WE'VE REMOVED OF DIRT OUT OF THE SITE ALREADY.

SO DEMOLITION OBVIOUSLY, UM, HAS OCCURRED AND THIS WAS THE FINAL PIECE OF THE, UM, STRUCTURE COMING DOWN, UM, BACK IN OCTOBER, WHICH IS A PRETTY FUN DAY TO BE ON SITE.

AND THEN CONSTRUCTION, I MENTIONED CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN.

SO WE ARE ACTIVELY, UM, BUILDING THAT'S CALLED THE DIAPHRAGM WALL.

AND SO ITS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO HOLD BACK THE WATER TABLE, BUT ITS SECONDARY PURPOSE WILL BE PART OF IT IS, IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE THE FOUNDATIONAL WALLS FOR THE NEW EXHIBIT HALLS UNDERGROUND.

UM, AND SO THEY ARE, I BELIEVE ABOUT 70% COMPLETE WITH THE DIAPHRAGM WALL AND SHOULD BE ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLETE WITH THAT BY MAY.

SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THEY, THEY DIG DOWN AND THEN THEY POUR THE CONCRETE AND THEN THEY CAN START PULLING THE DIRT OUT FROM AROUND IT.

UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SHOW YOU THAT THIS FIRST ONE OVER HERE WITH THE WALL, THAT'S THE MARRIOTT BEHIND IT ON SECOND END, CAESAR CHAVEZ.

SO IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE'RE CLOSED, UM, OUR TEAM AT VISIT AUSTIN AND OUR SALES TEAM IN-HOUSE HAS BEEN REALLY HARD, UM, AT WORK, BOOKING NEW EVENTS.

UH, WE'VE GOT, I BELIEVE, 24 ALREADY BOOKED WITH ANOTHER 70 THAT ARE, UM, CONTEMPLATING US.

40% OF THE BUSINESS THAT ARE EITHER TENTATIVE OR BOOKED WOULD NOT HAVE FIT IN THE OLD FACILITY.

SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT INFORMATION AND, AND OF THE TEAM FOR WORKING REALLY HARD.

UM, INTEREST IS REALLY HIGH.

WE WERE JUST AT, UH, PCMA, WHICH IS SORT OF THE SUPER BOWL FOR OUR INDUSTRY.

AND OUR BOOTH WAS PACKED, UM, THE ENTIRE TIME THAT WE WERE THERE.

SO WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD.

OUR SISTER FACILITY, THE PALMER EVENT CENTER, IS OPEN AND, AND BOOKING HARD AND TRYING TO TAKE IN CLIENTS THAT WE CAN.

UM, AND THEN VISIT THE VISIT AUSTIN TEAM IS ALSO WORKING REALLY HARD TO RECOUP SOME OF THOSE ROOM NIGHTS THAT ARE LOST BECAUSE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER AS WELL.

I THINK I JUST HAVE A COUPLE MORE SHOTS.

UM, AND LIKE I SAID, I WILL HAVE SOME MORE RENDERINGS.

UM, WE'RE FINALIZING THOSE RIGHT NOW, AND SO I'M HOPING IN MARCH THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO GET YOU GUYS SOME NEW, WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT INTERIOR SHOTS OF THE BALLROOM, OF THE FLEX HALL, OF SOME OF THE PRE-FUNCTION SPACE OF THE INTERIOR OF THE PEO AS WELL, UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF, OF WHAT WE HAVE.

UM, BUT WITH THAT, I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

UM, I DO THINK THIS IS UPDATED FROM THE LAST TIME WE'VE SEEN IT.

OH, WONDERFUL.

I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF, A LOT OF GRAPHIC AND IMAGES HERE THAT ARE I, I THINK, FEEL NEED TO ME, SO EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THERE'S MORE COMING, THAT WAS THAT'S GREAT.

UM, LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.

UM, TEAM, ANYBODY, UH, I'LL KEEP AN EYE UP THERE ON YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAP AND, AND IF I MISS YOU, COMMISSIONER PENOC, I'LL MAKE SURE I DON'T ANYBODY.

QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUESTS? ANYONE? I'M GONNA TAKE IT AND RUN.

IF YOU DON'T, I ALWAYS GET FIRST.

UP IN LITIGATION RIGHT NOW.

SO I, I NOTICED, UM, A LOT OF GREAT LANDSCAPING SHOTS IN, IN THIS ITERATION, UH, OUTDOOR.

HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE EXISTS RIGHT NOW, OR, OR CONVERSELY, HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE TO BRING IN TREES, UH, IN A WAY THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE BOOKS TO BRING IN TREES, BIG TREES? UM, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG THEY'RE GONNA BE ON DAY ONE.

THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH.

AND THAT'S A QUESTION I'VE, THAT I ASK AS WE GO THROUGH THESE.

WE'RE STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE LANDSCAPE DESIGN ON A LOT OF THIS.

UM, SO I THINK SOME OF THOSE ARE PROBABLY ASPIRATIONAL DAY ONE PHOTOS.

UM, BUT YES, WE WILL BE BRINGING IN ALL OF THE LANDSCAPING THAT, I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S A BLANK CANVAS AT THIS POINT, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE HAD TO DIG OUT EVERYTHING, SO WE'LL HAVE TO BRING IN ALL THE VEGETATION.

THAT'S GREAT.

I, IT, IT LOOKS LOVELY.

UM, THE, I KNOW THIS ISN'T TOTALLY IT, IT'S NOT EVEN IN YOUR SCOPE, BUT YOU'RE ADJACENT TO, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE PROPERTY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU.

THERE'S PEOPLE, UH, CIRCLING I THINK, HAVE YOU HAPPENED TO HEAR POSSIBLY ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN ON, OR WHAT CAESAR CHAVEZ IS FACING WITH, I MEAN, THEY ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS AND IT'S THE ENTRY POINT FOR THE PLACE.

I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY, ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE HAPPENING TO THE CAESAR CHAVEZ CORRIDOR AND IF AT TIMES, WITH THE OPENING OF THE BUILDING OR NOT? YOU MEAN THE WATERLINE PROPERTY? WHICH ONE? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S ALREADY THERE.

I MEAN, THE, I GUESS IT WAS THE, THE WAREHOUSES THAT ARE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU.

IT SOUNDS WORLD CLASS.

THEY'RE IN A LAWSUIT THAT WE THINK SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY.

I THINK IN, IN THE IHOP THAT'S DOWN THERE ON THE CORNER, THOSE ARE JUST CAUGHT

[00:25:01]

BUT IT SEEMS THAT THERE'LL BE, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OR MIGHT KNOW THAT SOONER OR LATER THERE'S PROBABLY SOME MORE DEVELOPMENT COMING TO THE CAESAR.

SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A, TRYING TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE, AGAIN, TO THAT SECTION AND HOW IT TIMES WITH THE OPENING OF THE CONVENTION CENTER IF, IF IT DOES.

YEAH, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING, UM, EXCEPT FOR WHAT, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE NEWS, UNFORTUNATELY.

UM, IDEALLY WHATEVER IS GONNA HAPPEN THERE WOULD HAPPEN IN TIME FOR THE OPENING OF THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

BUT, UM, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.

WELL, IT'D BE NICE IF THEY FIGURED OUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THE STREET AND JUST GET AHEAD OF IT.

YES.

BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE DEFINITELY GONNA NEED TO BE RETHOUGHT, I THINK.

'CAUSE HOW IT OPERATES NOW IS EVEN PRETTY TIGHT.

SO, UM, ONE MORE CHANCE ANYONE HAVE, OH, COMMISSIONER PRUITT HAS A QUESTION.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER PRUITT.

UM, I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO USE THE SPACE WHEN IT'S NOT BEING BOOKED.

DO YOU, UM, ARE THERE ANY KIND OF SPECIFIC, UM, NUMBER OF DATES THAT YOU'RE EXPECTING FOR LOCALS TO HAVE, OR WHO IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE IN THE SPACE OR MAYBE TRYING TO TARGET TO COME INTO THE SPACE TO USE IT SO THAT WE, YOU HAVE A FULL CALENDAR? ARE YOU TRYING TO HAVE A 100% CAPACITY CALENDAR? LIKE WHAT, WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS KIND OF LOOK LIKE BETWEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, TOURISM AND RENTALS AND THEN, AND THEN LOCAL RENTALS? YEAH, THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY FANTASTIC QUESTION.

SO THAT'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO, I THINK THE OCCUPANCY QUESTION FIRST.

SO, A CONVENTION CENTER IS CONSIDERED FUNCTIONALLY, FUNCTIONALLY FULL WHEN IT'S ABOUT 60 TO 65% OCCUPIED, BECAUSE YOU THINK ABOUT THE DARK DAYS WHEN YOU'RE MOVING IN AND MOVING OUT.

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS WITH THIS BIGGER CONVENTION CENTER THAT WE ARE EXPLORING AND, AND THINK WE'LL BE VERY SUCCESSFUL AT IS THE IDEA THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO LAYER IN BUSINESS.

UM, SO A BIG PART OF WHY WE WERE HAD TO TURN AWAY SO MUCH OF THE BUSINESS IN THE OLD BUILDING IS THAT THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY REALLY LIMITED US ON THE EVENTS.

AND SO WE'D GET AN EVENT IN AND THEY WOULD TAKE UP THREE QUARTERS OF THE BUILDING, AND THEN YOU CAN'T REALLY SELL THAT OTHER QUARTER WITH THIS NEW BUILDING, WE WERE GONNA HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, YOU CAN HAVE THIS HALF AND THEN WE'LL SELL THIS OTHER HALF AND WE CAN LAYER 'EM IN.

SO THOSE DAYS YOU MIGHT HAVE AN EVENT MOVING IN WHILE AN EVENT IS MOVING OUT.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO PUSH THAT ENVELOPE TO MAYBE WE'RE FULL 70% OF THE TIME, THAT KIND OF THING.

UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, ONE OF THAT'S NEW TERRITORY FOR US.

AND SO WE ARE TAKING A VERY SLOW APPROACH.

THANKFULLY WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE WE REOPEN, UM, AND WANT TO WORK WITH ALL OF THE EXPERTS AND THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO COME UP WITH, WE DON'T HAVE A TITLE FOR IT YET, BUT A, A NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY PROGRAM, UM, RENTAL PROGRAM THAT IS THOUGHTFUL, KIND OF TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THOSE, UM, TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE CONSIDERATIONS OF NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT NOT HAVE THE FUNDING THAT A LARGER ORGANIZATION DOES, THAT KIND OF THING.

SO WE'RE STILL IN THE VERY, VERY EARLY STAGES.

UM, WE ARE DESIGNING, WE HAVE TWO MEETING ROOMS ON THE GROUND FLOOR, EACH OF WHICH THAT ARE ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS WHAT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY HAS IN AN AS ITS SPECIAL EVENT SPACE.

AND SO WE ARE DESIGNING THAT KIND OF WITH THE IDEA IN MIND THAT THAT IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, SOME UNIQUE FEATURES, THAT KIND OF THING.

THAT WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY SPACE, BE IT SOMETHING LIKE A COMMISSION MEETING, GATHERING SPACE, WHATEVER, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, WHEN IT'S NOT BEING RENTED BY OUR CLIENTS.

AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.

UM, BUT THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S STILL A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE, WE STILL NEED TO GATHER IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT PROGRAM'S GONNA END UP LOOKING LIKE.

YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE CONSIDERATIONS.

AND, UM, AS A FORMER EVENTS AND PERFORMING ARTISTS, I'LL JUST SHARE THAT.

LIKE THE, WHEN THEY BUILT THE ROLAND STUDIO AT THE LONG CENTER MM-HMM .

THAT WAS LIKE MAGIC TO A LOT OF US.

THE WAY THAT THEY BUILT IT AND DESIGNED IT, IT SEATS LIKE 200 PEOPLE AND IT'S NOT THAT LARGE.

SO WHEN YOU'RE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT THOSE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY, THEY MIGHT HAVE A GOOD FLOOR PLAN BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S THIS KIND OF MAGICAL PLUG AND PLAY SPACE, UM, FOR MEETINGS OR PERFORMANCES OR DANCE GROUPS OR, OR WHATEVER.

SO, UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPACES IN AUSTIN.

SO IF WE HAD ANOTHER ONE LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD JUST BE AMAZING.

BUT THAT'S A PERSONAL OPINION.

SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

PROJECT, BECAUSE IT'S MOVING FORWARD, THAT WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE YOU HERE TWO OR THREE TIMES THIS YEAR FOR ABSOLUTELY, PROBABLY FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES FOR, FOR DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MISS ZA, MS. NICK.

MY PLEASURE.

IT WAS, UM, LAW, IT, IT'S ONE OF OUR FAVORITE AND BIGGEST, UM, ITEMS. UH, EACH YEAR WE, WE, WE, WHEN WE DID OUR ROADMAP MEETING AND IN DECEMBER AND STARTED, WE, WE KNEW THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER

[00:30:01]

BUT THIS ONE WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A, A NICE FUN WAY TO START.

'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING OUR CITY AND THAT'S, THAT'S EXCITING FOR ALL OF US.

YEAH, MY PLEASURE.

AND AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE NEW RENDERINGS, I'LL MAKE SURE TO AT LEAST GET THEM DISTRIBUTED ELECTRONICALLY AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO COME AND, AND WALK YOU THROUGH THEM AS WELL.

SUPER.

WE APPRECIATE, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND YOUR POINT THAT YOU MADE EARLIER ABOUT, UM, SHARING THIS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE NEW, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UH, YOU HEARD IN OUR OPENING, UH, OUR BUSINESS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE NEW PEOPLE.

COMING.

SO AGAIN, THIS, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT.

IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE STARTED WITH THE TOPIC, UM, OPENING THE YEAR AND TALKING ABOUT HOT TAX AND TALKING ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STATE AND HOW THEY LOOK AT IT AND THE LEGAL LEGALITIES AROUND IT SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALL, UM, WORKING FROM THE SAME FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE.

SO, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, APPRECIATE THE PROJECT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK.

ALRIGHT, WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, ITEM AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

[4. Presentation by the Downtown Austin Alliance regarding the Downtown Austin Alliance’s role in the planning process for creating a smarter, more integrated downtown. Presentation by Davon Barbour, Executive Director.]

AND, UH, WE ARE EXPECTING OUR NEXT PRESENTATION.

WE HAVE, UH, DEVON BOR FROM, HE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, AND THEY ARE DOING A LOT OF COOL THINGS IN TOWN.

AND I'M NOT SURE EVERYTHING THAT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED TODAY AND WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE FOCUSING ON, BUT WE'VE, WE DEFINITELY KNOW THAT, UH, CHANGE IS AFOOT AND THAT YOU GUYS ARE, ARE LEADING, UH, THE CHARGE IN TALK, HELPING OUR CITY THINK FORWARD.

SO THANKS FOR AGREEING TO BE HERE TODAY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, DAYON BARBOUR.

OH, THERE WE GO.

APOLOGIES.

UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE, UH, OF THE COMMISSION.

DAVON BARBOUR, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.

UH, IN ADDITION TO MY FULL-TIME DUTIES MANAGING DOWNTOWN, I ALSO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF VISIT AUSTIN, AS WELL AS THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.

SO THIS AFTERNOON, AND REALLY WHAT I WANT TO DO IS USE MY TIME TO TALK ABOUT HOW DOWNTOWN, UH, DAA IS REALLY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS, THE CONVENTION CENTER, OUR PARTNERS AT WATERLOO GREENWAY, AND OTHERS, TO REALLY ADVANCE DOWNTOWN TO CREATE THIS VIBRANT ENTERTAINMENT AND VISITATION DESTINATION.

UH, MY PRESENTATION WILL ESSENTIALLY PROVIDE A MARKET SNAPSHOT OF THE CONDITIONS AS IT RELATES TO TOURISM IN DOWNTOWN.

I'LL REINTRODUCE THE ORGANIZATION AND ALSO JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR TACTICAL INITIATIVES, AGAIN, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CREATING A VIBRANT, A TOURIST DESTINATION.

SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE.

I NEVER LIKE TO ASSUME THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHO WE ARE.

UH, OUR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE, PROTECT THE, THE VIBE VITALITY OF ENHANCED DOWNTOWN.

IN SHORT, OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN, A WELCOMING DOWNTOWN FOR EVERYONE.

WE'RE ACTUALLY ONE OF 2,600 PLACE MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT WORK TIRELESSLY TO PRESERVE AND CREATE THESE VIBRANT URBAN DESTINATIONS.

UM, JUST BY WAY OF OF CONTEXT, BEFORE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING, THE MAP ON THE SCREEN SHOWS OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

AND SO WE MANAGE THE DOWNTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

YOU CAN SEE THE BOUNDARY THERE IN RED, THAT'S OUR MANAGEMENT AREA.

AND SO SPECIFICALLY PROPERTIES WITHIN THAT BOUNDARY, CERTAIN PROPERTIES PAY AN EXTRA ASSESSMENT THAT FUNDS OUR OPERATIONS, WHERE WE FOCUS ON CLEANING, SAFETY, HOSPITALITY, AND A HOST OF OTHER INITIATIVES, WHICH I WILL, UM, HIGHLIGHT AS WELL SOME OF OUR, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES.

THIS REALLY IS THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF OUR WORK.

UM, WE ARE GOVERNED BY A 23 MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE SET ABOUT TO CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND THIS REALLY PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK FOR ALL OF OUR WORK THAT WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION.

PUBLIC SPACE EXPERIENCE REALLY PO IT REALLY POINTS TO THE PUBLIC SPACE EXPERIENCE.

CLEANING, SAFETY, HOSPITALITY, ACTIVE URBANISM REALLY POINTS TO, UM, I WOULD SAY PLACEMAKING.

I LOVE HOW THE CHAIR BROUGHT THAT TERM UP.

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AROUND PLACEMAKING, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING THESE INSTAGRAMMABLE MOMENTS.

MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, ART, CULTURE.

THAT'S WHAT REALLY MAKES THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT REALLY FOCUSES ON, UH, PLACE, EXCUSE ME, FOCUSES ON, UM, SORT OF PLANNING INITIATIVES.

HOW THOSE, HOW DOES THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT SUPPORT TOURISM IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING RETAIL, UH, NEW DEVELOPMENT, HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, AND THE LIKE, MOBILITY.

HOW DO PEOPLE GET INTO DOWNTOWN? HOW DO THEY ACCESS DOWNTOWN? AND LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE REALLY POINTS TO ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWN REMAINS VIBRANT.

SO A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF MARKET SNAPSHOT, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME COLLECTING DATA, UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MARKETPLACE SO THAT WE CAN DEPLOY OUR PROGRAMS AND MARKETING INITIATIVES, INITIATIVES ACCORDINGLY.

AND YOU HEARD FROM OUR, YOU KNOW, PRESENTER, KATIE ZAKI FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER BEFORE.

LET ME MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.

THE CONVENTION CENTER IS SO IMPORTANT TO DOWNTOWN ECONOMY AS WELL AS THE CITY'S ECONOMY.

UM, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF HOTEL MARKET ACTIVITY, UH, FROM OUR Q2, UH, DOWNTOWN, UH, STATE OF DOWNTOWN REPORT, CERTAINLY ACL, UM, AS WELL AS, UM,

[00:35:01]

AS, AS, AS WELL AS FORMULA F1 REALLY FUELED, UM, THE GROWTH WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR FROM OUR HOTELS, WE MEET WITH THEM PRETTY REGULARLY.

WE KNOW THAT IT'S CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW WITHOUT A CONVENTION CENTER.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN POUNDING THE PAVEMENT ALONG WITH THE CO WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH VISIT AUSTIN, MEETING WITH MI, UH, MEETING PLANNERS, CONVENTION CONSULTANTS.

UH, WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN ARE JUST A COUPLE OF PHOTOGRAPHS FROM SOME OF OUR RECENT WORK.

THIS WAS BACK IN THE FALL.

WE WERE MEETING WITH PLANNERS BACK IN DALLAS, AS WELL AS ATLANTA.

AGAIN, SINGING THE VIRTUES OF OUR CITY, TOUTING WHY DOWNTOWN IS IMPORTANT, ALL THE AMENITIES, THE ATTRACTIONS, AND NEW DEVELOPMENT AGAIN, TO SUSTAIN, UM, THIS VIBRANT TOURISM DESTINATION.

NOW, ONE STAT THAT I REALLY LOVE IS WHEN WE LOOK AT VISITOR TRAFFIC.

UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, WE COLLECT DATA, ANALYZING FOOT TRAFFIC, AND ONE OF OUR TOOLS IS CALLED PLACER AI.

IT ESSENTIALLY USES MOBILE PHONE DATA, UH, TO UNDERSTAND VISITATION.

IT'S USED BY HOTELS, RETAILERS, A NUMBER OF MAJOR, UH, PLAYERS IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY.

WHAT YOU CAN SEE OVER HERE ON THE SCREEN IS THAT 94% WE'VE RECOVERED 94% WHERE WE WERE IN TERMS OF 2019 FOOT TRAFFIC VISITATION.

THAT'S REALLY STRONG NUMBERS I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO EVEN BETTER.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR WORK RIGHT NOW IS REALLY FOCUSED ON AMENING DOWNTOWN, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT FURTHER IN THE, INTO THE PRESENTATION.

ANOTHER, UH, STAT THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT AGAIN, DOWNTOWN REMAINS STRONG IN TERMS OF DINING AND NIGHTLIFE.

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LOVE TO DINE, THEY LOVE TO EAT, THEY LOVE TO HAVE FUN THAT IS PLAYING OUT.

WHEN WE LOOK AT EXPENDITURES WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

AND AS WE WORK WITH MANY OF OUR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS TO ATTRACT MORE RESTAURANTS, NEW DINING.

THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS RECENTLY IN THE PRESS.

THESE AMENITIES ARE NOT, ARE NOT ONLY ATTRACTIVE TO VISITORS, BUT ALSO TO OUR LOCALS.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, WHEN YOU VISIT A COMMUNITY, YOU WANT TO GO WHERE THE LOCALS GO.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON BRINGING AMENITIES INTO OUR DOWNTOWN THAT SERVE NOT ONLY VISITORS, BUT ALSO RESIDENTS.

SO WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION AT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE? AGAIN, WE DO A LOT TO SUPPORT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

NUMBER ONE, WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A CLEAN AND SAFE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE.

UM, IF YOU VISIT DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS UNIFORM.

THESE ARE OUR AMBASSADORS.

THESE, THESE MEN AND WOMEN WORK TIRELESSLY, UM, AROUND THE CLOCK, ENSURING THAT DOWNTOWN IS ATTRACTIVE, REMOVING LITTER, UH, MAIN, THEY'RE PRESSURE WASHING SIDEWALKS, THEY'RE ADDRESSING LANDSCAPING, JUST ENSURING THAT OUR DOWNTOWN, UM, LOOKS ATTRACTIVE.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE A SAFETY, UH, TEAM AS WELL THAT WORKS, UH, SUPPORTING, UH, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS WELL.

WE, UH, AGAIN, FOCUSING ON PLACEMAKING AS WELL.

A NUMBER OF OUR INITIATIVES ARE ACTIVE URBANISM PILLAR.

WHEN YOU'RE AT ABOUT DOWNTOWN, YOU PROBABLY SEE A LOT OF MURALS.

THAT'S NOT BY HAPPENSTANCE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, NUMBER OF FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER, UH, CONTRIBUTORS HAVE SUPPORTED THAT WORK.

AGAIN, WE WANT TO CREATE THESE VISUALLY STUNNING EXPERIENCES, THESE INSTAGRAMMABLE MOMENTS.

WHEN YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THIS TREE, YOU WANNA STOP AND TAKE A PICTURE IN FRONT OF A MURAL.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

MUSIC IS CERTAINLY SO IMPORTANT TO THE CULTURE OF THIS CITY.

UM, AND WE DO A LOT WORKING WITH, WITH MUSIC, UH, MUSICIANS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, I WOULD SAY STAY TUNED AS WE PREPARE TO LAUNCH A NEW DAYTIME CONCERT SERIES.

AGAIN, ENGAGING THE LOCAL ARTISTS, THE MUSICIANS THAT REALLY POWER AUSTIN PARKS.

UM, WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH, UM, WITH THE SEA IN TERMS OF DEPLOYING PARKS.

WATERLOO GREENWAY AND OUR PARTNERS, YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM SOON.

UM, OUR AMBASSADOR SERVICE, WATERLOO GREENWAY.

WE ALSO, UH, MANAGE REPUBLIC SQUARE AS WELL.

AND THEN CULTURAL PARTNERSHIPS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH A METE MUSEUM AS WELL AS THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD.

A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WE CELEBRATED THE STATE'S DESIGNATION OF FIFTH STREET AS THE MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CULTURAL CORRIDOR.

THAT IS IMPORTANT FROM A TOUR, FROM A TOURISM STANDPOINT, IT AVAILS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS STATE FUNDING AND OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

SO SOME OF THE KEY INITIATIVES THAT I'M, UH, LIKE TO ADDRESS.

SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY, REALLY BUSY AS AN ORGANIZATION.

AGAIN, BEING TACTICAL, BEING NIMBLE, UM, AS A DOWNTOWN ORG ORGANIZATION, IT'S REALLY INCUMBENT UPON US TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE OUT THERE, BUT ALSO THE OPPORTUNITIES AND MOVE QUICKLY WITH MANY OF OUR PARTNERS.

SO FIRST OF ALL, CONGRESS AVENUE, URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE.

UM, IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PRESS, THIS IS A BIG, BIG PROJECT, UM, THAT'S UNDERWAY BY THE CITY OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, WE JOINED MAYOR WATSON, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, UH, AND RICHARD MENDOZA OF THE, UH, TPW, AGAIN, FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY OF CONGRESS AVENUE.

UM, AS MAYOR WATSON STATES, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN IS THE LIVING ROOM FOR EVERYONE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ENVISION CONGRESS AVENUE BEING THIS SPECTACULAR DESTINATION FOR NEW RETAIL, NEW ENTERTAINMENT, NEW DIETING.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE CITIZENS IN AUSTIN CAN BE REALLY PROUD OF THIS.

WHEN THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETED AT THE END OF 2017, YOU'LL SEE EXPANDED SIDEWALKS, NEW BIKE LANES, UH, NEW PROGRAMMABLE SPACES WHERE MU MUSICIANS AND, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES CAN TAKE PLACE.

AGAIN, CREATING THIS VIBRANT DESTINATION, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL TO ENJOY

[00:40:01]

AND EVOLVING.

SIXTH STREET, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT SIXTH STREET MEANS SO MUCH, UM, TO THIS COMMUNITY.

UM, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AS AN ORGANIZATION AND WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF EAST SIXTH STREET.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT EAST SIXTH STREET FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, WORKING WITH PRIVATE OWNERS, AND ALSO THE EAST SIXTH STREET PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

JUST IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, AGAIN, ANALYZING EVERY ASPECT OF EAST SIXTH STREET, LOOKING AT THE HISTORIC, UH, CHARACTER OF BUILDINGS, UNDERSTANDING, UNDERSTANDING TREE CONDITIONS, LIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.

YOU KNOW, WHAT BEGAN AS A PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, INITIATIVE WHEN EAST SIXTH STREET WAS REOPENED TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC HAS REALLY BECOME AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

HOW DO WE REINFORCE THIS AS A VIBRANT ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT? AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE OPENING OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT EAST SIXTH STREET AS A COMPANION TO THAT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN VISITORS COME INTO DOWNTOWN EAST SIXTH STREET ALSO NEEDS TO LOOK SPECTACULAR.

UM, RECENTLY THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT A NEW BUSINESS OPENING, A RELOCATING TO EAST SIXTH STREET.

AND SO STAY TUNED FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES THERE AS WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING ARTISTS UNDERTAKING IMPROVEMENTS.

AND RECENTLY, UH, WE LAUNCHED A NEW COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE PROVIDING FUNDING TO EXISTING BUILDING OWNERS TO MAKE UPGRADES TO THEIR BUILDINGS.

AGAIN, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN PROGRAMMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AS WELL.

ALONG EAST SIXTH STREET BACK IN THE FALL, WE DID SOMETHING CALLED VIBE WEEKEND.

WE ESSENTIALLY PROVIDED GRANTS TO LOCAL ARTISTS TO ACTIVATE SPACES ALONG EAST SIXTH STREET.

BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

UM, WE'VE CREATED A REPORT ON THIS.

UM, WE HAD OVER 500,000 ONLINE IMPRESSIONS.

UM, WE HAD FIVE COMMUNITY EVENTS, UH, WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

IT WAS SO GREAT TO HEAR FROM SOME STAKEHOLDERS SAYING, YOU KNOW, I HAD NEVER THOUGHT TO COME DOWNTOWN, COME TO SIXTH STREET WITH MY FAMILY, BUT THAT'S WHAT OCCURRED.

AND SO WE WANT TO SEE THAT INCREASINGLY MORE AND MORE WITH EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AS THEY PRO, AS THEY PROGRAM OUT.

AND SO HERE, HERE ARE SOME OF THE POSTERS FROM THAT ACT ACTIVITY.

AGAIN, WE HAVE AWARDED OVER 30,000, UM, DOLLARS TO LOCAL, UM, LOCAL ARTISTS TO CREATE THESE ACTIVATIONS ALONG EAST SIXTH STREET.

AND SO, AGAIN, THIS ALL IS ABOUT NOT ONLY TOURISM FOR VISITORS, BUT ALSO FOR OUR LOCALS AS WELL.

FROM A MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION STANDPOINT, WE'VE GOTTA, AGAIN, TOUT AUSTIN AS A PLACE TO VISIT, A PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.

UM, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING A NATIONAL AD AD CAMPAIGN WITH SHOPPING CENTER BUSINESS MAGAZINE, A TEXAS REAL ESTATE BUSINESS, AND GET, AGAIN, GETTING THE WORD OUT WHY AUSTIN IS A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.

THIS IS IMPORTANT WHEN WE VISITED A TOURIST DESTINATION.

WE WANT TO SHOP, WE WANT TO DINE, WE WANT TO TAKE PLA UH, TAKE PART IN ENTERTAINMENT.

AND SO I'M REALLY PROUD THIS, UM, IN THIS, UH, UPCOMING SPRING, WE'LL BE PARTNERING WITH RIKA, THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH, UH, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OTHERS TO REALLY, UM, PROMOTE AUSTIN AS A PLACE TO DO BUSINESS AT A MAJOR RETAIL SHOW COMING UP IN THE SPRING.

AND SO, UH, STAY TUNED ON THAT.

WE'VE BEEN WELCOMING NEW BUSINESSES WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

AGAIN, OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, CERTAINLY WE SAW ALL THE CRANES AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

NOW WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON AMENITIZE DOWNTOWN.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN CELEBRATING A NUMBER OF NEW BUSINESS OPENINGS, NEW ATTRACTIONS HERE ON THE SCREEN, OR JUST A LISTING OF SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES.

UM, AND SO WE ENCOURAGE ALL AUSTINITES TO COME INTO DOWNTOWN, SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO INVEST INTO DOWNTOWN.

YOU KNOW, THEY COULD OPEN THEIR BUSINESS ANYWHERE, BUT THEY'VE CHOSEN TO BE IN DOWNTOWN, AND SO WE WANT THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

UM, WE ALSO RAN A BIG HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN AS WELL.

WE KNOW THAT THE HOLIDAY SEASON WAS PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING FOR MANY OF OUR, OUR HOTELS AND SOME OF OUR SMALLER BUSINESSES.

AND SO AS A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, WE WANT TO BE TACTICAL, AGAIN, IDENTIFYING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND MOVING NIMBLY.

ONE OF THE, THE CAMPAIGNS, UM, THAT WE DO, UM, IN TERMS OF JUST ENGAGING RESIDENTS AS WELL AS VISITORS, IS OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN APP.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT LOCAL, UM, LOCAL AUSTINITES CAN, UH, DOWNLOAD THIS APP.

YOU'LL STAY ATTUNED IN TERMS OF ALL THE UPCOMING EVENTS THAT ARE IN DOWNTOWN CULTURAL HAP HAPPENINGS, CONSTRUCTION UPDATES.

AGAIN, QUICK INFORMATION.

UM, AND SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO, TO DOWNLOAD THIS APP.

UM, WE HAVE LOTS OF DEALS AND GIVEAWAYS AS WELL.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL CONNECTED TO DOWNTOWN.

AND SO OUR MARKETING AND EVENTS TEAM ARE FREQUENTLY OUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, FREE PROMOTION FOR, UM, COFFEE AT STARBUCKS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A, A A A CRE AT ONE OF OUR LOCAL DOWNTOWN DESTINATIONS.

AND SO, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, SO DON'T MISS OUT AGAIN, SIGN UP FOR OUR TEXT ALERT, SIGN UP FOR OUR APP.

THIS IS A WAY FOR YOU TO STAY IN THE KNOW, UH, CONSTRUCTION UPDATE.

YOU HEARD KATIE FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION AS AN ORGANIZATION.

WE HAVE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWN REMAINS OPEN FOR BUSINESS OPEN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD DESTINATION OPEN AS A PLACE TO LIVE AS WELL.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER, WITH OUR PARTNERS AT WATERLOO GREENWAY, UM, WITH TPW AS WELL.

AGAIN, ADDRESSING AND MAKING SURE THAT DOWNTOWN REMAINS ACCESSIBLE.

A LOT OF PROJECTS WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

UM,

[00:45:01]

I OFTEN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN IS PREPARING FOR OPEN HEART SURGERY.

AND SO WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REMOVING ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS FOR VISITORS.

SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I, I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO INTO DOWNTOWN.

I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH CONS TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, IMPACTS AS IT RELATES TO I 35 OR CONGRESS AVENUE.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, IN A, YOU KNOW, VERY METHODICAL MANNER WITH ALL OF THE IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS ARE UP TO DATE, AS WELL AS DEPLOYING, UH, PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT, UH, DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AND DESTINATIONS.

SO ONE OF THE PROGRAMS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THIS ONE I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.

OUR MARKETING TEAM, I THINK DID A GREAT JOB.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEEDED TO REMOVE SOME BARRIERS.

CERTAINLY TOURISM HAS BEEN IMPACTED.

UM, YOU KNOW, WITH INTEREST RATES BEING HIGH, A LOT OF CONSUMERS ARE REALLY TIGHTENING THEIR BELT.

AND SO WE'RE IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO REMOVE, REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS TO GET CONSUMERS INTO DOWNTOWN.

AND SO DURING THE HOLIDAY, WE LAUNCHED A ONE MONTH PILOT PROGRAM WITH UBER, WHERE WE PAID FOR 50%, UM, OF THE 50% DISCOUNT FOR RIDES TO AND FROM DOWNTOWN WITHIN A 30 MILE RADIUS.

AND WE OFFERED 5,000 VOUCHERS.

THOSE VOUCHERS WERE SNATCHED UP WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

UM, AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE, THE AVERAGE COST OF THAT VOUCHER WAS UP TO $40.

UM, $40.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SCREEN HERE, THIS SHOWS THE EXPANSE IN TERMS OF VISITATION INTO DOWNTOWN.

SO WE HAD, YOU KNOW, USERS TRAVELING FROM AS FAR AS SAN MARCOS, GEORGETOWN, CEDAR PARK, AGAIN, TO, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A STAYCATION TO STAY IN A HOTEL WITHIN DOWNTOWN TO VISIT A RESTAURANT.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE.

UM, I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY WHEN WE CREATED THE PROGRAM, WE THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN WORKERS WOULD USE UP THE PROGRAM AS A WAY TO GET TO AND FROM WORK.

UH, FOR, FOR COMMUTING.

THAT WASN'T THE CASE AT ALL.

IN FACT, IT WAS JUST ABOUT 11% OF THOSE RIDES WERE DOWNTOWN COMMUTERS.

IT WAS REALLY VISITORS COMING INTO DOWNTOWN, LOCAL, UH, LOCAL VISITORS AS WELL AS AS OUT OF MARKET VISITORS.

ANOTHER KEY PROGRAM THAT WE'RE, UM, WE'RE LAUNCHING RIGHT NOW IS A NEW PATRON PARKING, UH, PILOT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE UP TO 40 BUSINESSES WILL PROVIDE DISCOUNTED PARKING, UH, TO THEIR CUSTOMERS FOR TWO HOURS OF FREE PARKING WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

UM, AS OF LAST FRIDAY, WE HAVE 31 BUSINESSES THAT HAVE NOW SIGNED UP.

AND SO, AGAIN, REMOVING THOSE BARRIERS, WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME INTO DOWNTOWN, SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE, UM, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANT, UH, LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION.

AND SO WE'LL BE CONTINUING PROGRAMS LIKE THIS CONSTRUCTION RELIEF IMPACT, UH, GRANT PROGRAM.

AND THIS IS ANOTHER TACTICAL PROGRAM THAT WE'VE CREATED, AGAIN, IN RESPONSE TO A LOT OF THE CONSTRUCTION WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT CONSTRUCTION CAN BE PAINFUL, BUT HOW DO WE REMOVE THOSE PAIN POINTS? AND SO WE'RE PROVIDING A REIMBURSABLE GRANT UP TO $10,000 TO IMPACT THEIR BUSINESSES WITHIN DOWNTOWN ALONG CONSTRUCTION CORRIDORS.

IT MAY BE SOMETHING, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PURCHASING A BANNER TO INSTALL ON THE FRONT OF A DOOR OR FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESS SAYING, OPEN FOR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, WHILE THE SIDEWALK IS, IS, UH, UH, UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

AND SOME CASES IT MAY BE HELPING A BUSINESS PIVOT TO PURCHASE NEW EQUIPMENT TO BRING IN A NEW CUSTOMER.

BUT ALL OF THESE LITTLE TACTICAL MOMENTS REALLY ALLOW US TO ENSURE THAT OUR BUSINESSES STAY OPEN THROUGHOUT THIS CONSTRUCTION.

AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY WE DO HAVE AN OPEN COMMUNITY SURVEY OUT AS WELL.

UM, AND SO WE ENCOURAGE AUSTINITES TO, UM, TAKE PART IN THE SURVEY.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW DOWNTOWN CAN BETTER SERVE YOU, WHAT'S MISSING, UM, WHAT AMENITIES AND ATTRACTIONS, UH, WE CAN TO SUPPORT YOU.

SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THAT WAS A LOT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT WAS THE MOST INFORMATION WE'VE EVER SEEN.

AND, AND I, I DON'T, I DIDN'T CLOCK HOW LONG YOU WERE DOING IT, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE.

IT WAS GREAT.

THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS THAT, THAT GOT MY ATTENTION, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I OPEN IT UP TO, UH, THE REST OF OUR COMMISSIONERS.

UH, COMMISSIONER SHANNON.

WELL, PATROL DOWNTOWN, UM, FROM 6:00 AM TO 10:00 PM AGAIN, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH ALL THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AND ATTRACTIONS, BUT BY ALL ACCOUNTS, DOWNTOWN IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFE PLACE.

UM, CAN YOU ADDRESS IN MORE PARTICULAR DETAIL THE, UM, THE IMPROVEMENT AND CHALLENGES WITH PUBLIC SAFETY DOWNTOWN, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CONCERN TOWARDS TOURISTS? I MEAN, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WOULD MORE ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY IF WE HAD, YOU KNOW, A TOURIST THAT, YOU KNOW, ROBBED OR PHYSICALLY INJURED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

UH, FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT, WE WORK IN COLLABORATION AND CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PARTNERS.

UM, AT A PDI WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, FIR FERVENTLY SAY THAT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS ONE OF THE SAFEST DOWNTOWNS IN AMERICA.

I HAVE WORKED IN COMMUNITIES THAT BEG FOR INVESTMENT.

THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.

UM, AND THE NUMBERS REFLECT THAT AS WELL WHEN YOU SPEAK TO A PD AS WELL.

UM, WE PRODUCE ON A MONTHLY BASIS A DOWNTOWN SAFETY FORUM WHERE MEMBERS OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE HAVE, UH, DOWNTOWN HOTELS, BUSINESSES, ATTRACTIONS, WE PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

OUR DOWNTOWN SAFETY AMBASSADORS AS

[00:50:01]

AND I, IT'S DOWN FIRM IN THAT.

UM, I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN COMMAND, UM, UNDER LIEUTENANT, UH, COMMANDER CHADAR IS ALSO FANTASTIC.

UM, YOU'RE WORKING WITH US TO DEPLOY INITIATIVE SAFETY.

IT'S NOT ONLY JUST OFFICERS ON THE GROUND, IT'S ALSO HOW WE ARE ATTRACTING NEW AMENITIES TO DOWNTOWN THE EVENTS THAT WE PRODUCE MORE EYES AND EARS, MORE ACTIVATION.

AND SO I THINK THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY CAN BE, BE PROUD OF THAT.

CERTAINLY, I RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THERE MAY BE PERCEPTIONS AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY WITH RESPECT TO HOMELESSNESS.

I WILL SAY THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT'S A CHALLENGE.

WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS ON A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES, MANY OF THE, IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, UM, CONSORTIUM AS WELL, UM, AS IT RELATES TO SAFETY IN DOWNTOWN.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHA.

COMMISSIONER PRUITT, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE UBER PILOT PARKING PROGRAM, OR I GUESS THE RIDESHARE PROGRAM, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU, THE CURIOSITY AND LIKE, HOPEFULLY IT'S DOWNTOWN COMMUTER, COMMUTER COMMUTERS, SORRY.

MM-HMM .

UM, AND LOCALS THAT MIGHT USE THAT SERVICE.

AND IT TURNS OUT THEY DIDN'T.

I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S ALSO, UM, PARKING HELP AND ASSISTANCE FOR LOCALS IN REGARDS TO THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE NOW CREATED WITH THE DISCOUNT, UM, AND THE LOCAL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE KIND OF CONVENTION CENTER, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A, UM, COMMISSION HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RECENTLY.

IT'S LIKE, WELL, THERE'S ALL THESE CHANGES AND WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TOURISTS AND REMOVING THOSE OBSTACLES.

BUT WHAT ARE THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING DOWN THERE AND PROVIDING SERVICES? SURE.

NO, GREAT QUESTION.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER PILOT PROGRAM THAT I MENTIONED THAT'S ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR LOCALS, UM, YOU KNOW, LOCALS, THE UBER PROGRAM THAT WE CREATED THAT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE A COMMUTING PROGRAM, BUT AGAIN, TO SUPPORT VISITATION WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.

IS THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT, THANK YOU.

THANK, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER PRUITT.

I'M LOOKING AT YOU.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, DO YOU HAVE YOUR FINGER UP SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE? NO.

UM, YOU GUYS KIND OF COVERED THE TOPICS THAT, THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT MORE, LET'S SAY, TOPPING ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY.

I WOULD SAY STREET FIGHTS.

I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN.

I KNOW WE HAVE A BIG POLICE PRESENCE, BUT I'D SAY THE STREET FIGHTING AND ASSAULTS SEEM TO BE MY OPINION, STILL VERY HIGH ALONG SIXTH STREET AND RAINY STREET.

UM, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A PD, HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS AROUND ENFORCEMENT OR REGULATION OR GUIDANCE TOWARDS BUSINESS OWNERS AND PRIVATE SECURITY IN, IN THIS AREA? YES.

GREAT QUESTION.

SO, OUR DOWNTOWN SAFETY FORUM DOES INCLUDE SECURITY PROVIDERS WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

AND SO THEY'RE UP TO DATE IN TERMS OF INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A PDI WOULD SAY SIXTH STREET.

UM, I FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS AN ORGANIZATION SIXTH STREET AND PRIORITIZING THAT WE ABSOLUTELY MUST CHANGE THE PERCEPTION AROUND THAT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK MANY THINK YOU HEAR THE, THE MONIKER DIRTY SIXTH.

WE'RE WORKING HARD TO GET RID OF THAT MONIKER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AS WELL.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SPOKE TO THE, WHAT BEGAN AS A, UM, INITIAL PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE BY REOPENING SIXTH STREET TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC HAS GROWN INTO A FULL-BLOWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

IT'S HOW DO WE WORK WITH THE EXISTING BUSINESSES TO STEP UP THE CURB APPEAL? HOW ARE WE CHANGING THE MERCHANDISE MIX SO THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN MORE, UM, CONSUMERS, UM, THAT, THAT SUPPORT RESTAURANTS, THAT SUPPORT THAT 18 HOUR AND ENVIRONMENT.

WE ABSOLUTELY MUST CHANGE THAT CHARACTER.

AGAIN, EVERY DETAIL MATTERS.

THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED OUR WORK AS AN ORGANIZATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG, A BIG FAN.

I SHOULD, UH, WELL, I SUBSCRIBE TO THE BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN A COMMUNITY, WHEN AN AREA LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNATTRACTIVE, IT LOOKS LIKE NO ONE CARES.

IT KIND OF LEADS TO PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC SAFETY OR IN SOME CASES PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES.

AND SO WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE EVERY STOREFRONT IS ATTRACTIVE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE QUALITY, THE CHARACTER OF THE BUSINESS MIX THAT'S THERE, THE LIGHTING CONDITIONS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

ALL OF THAT CONTRIBUTES TO SAFETY.

NO, APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE.

AND I, I THINK YOUR, YOUR, YOUR GUIDANCE IS, IS RIGHT ON.

UM, YEAH.

NO, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

GREAT EFFORT, AND WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.

CAN DO, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, I, I THINK I ECHO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS ON, UM, ON THIS BOARD, IS THAT WE WANNA HELP.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, ANYONE, COMMISSIONER PENOC, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND A GREAT PRESENTATION.

UM, JUST TO, UH, TACK ON THE END OF WHAT, UM, THE COMMISSIONER SAID, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO AS A TOURISM COMMISSION TO HELP YOUR EFFORTS? BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE IN SYNC WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

OUR COMMISSION IS TRYING TO HAVE TOURISM, AND THE WAY TO ATTRACT THE MOST TOURISM IS TO HAVE A HEALTHY, SAFE MM-HMM .

ATTRACTIVE DOWNTOWN.

SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE

[00:55:01]

NO, THANK YOU.

I, I APPRECIATE THAT.

CERTAINLY.

I THINK OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS AN ORGANIZATION, IT'S TO REALLY ARM YOU WITH THE INFORMATION SO THAT AS A TOURISM COMMISSION, YOU CAN TOUT HOW DOWNTOWN IS CHANGING, HOW THE TOURISM ENVIRONMENT, UM, IS STRONGER THAN EVER.

AND SO CERTAINLY WE WANT TO ARM YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION.

I WOULD ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW, KEEP YOUR EYES, PARTICULARLY ALONG SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO TRANSFORM EAST SIXTH STREET.

THAT IS A MAJOR FOCUS.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, AGAIN, THE CONVENTION CENTER OPENING, WE HAVE TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO FOCUSED ON EAST SIXTH STREET, RED RIVER CULTURE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS THESE MAJOR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.

AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN, MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CULTURAL CORRIDOR ALONG FIFTH STREET.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE, AGAIN, TO ENHANCE THE VIBRANCY FROM A TOURIST DESTINATION STANDPOINT.

COMMISSIONER PENOC, I'M GONNA JUMP IN BECAUSE IT, I WANNA RIFF OFF YOU, YOU CAME BACK TO SIXTH STREET AND THAT WAS WHERE I WAS GONNA GO.

AND I, I, I WANNA SAY I'VE BEEN ON THE BODY SINCE THIS COMMISSION WAS FORMED, AND SO WE'VE, IT'S ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW OR SO.

SO I, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE PREVIOUSLY HAVE HEARD, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT SIXTH STREET AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SIXTH STREET, AND THIS WAS BEFORE THE CONVENTION CENTER WAS APPROVED FOR RECONSTRUCTION.

I MEAN, BEFORE IT FINALLY WENT THROUGH COUNCIL AND DID ALL THAT IT, UM, AND CERTAINLY BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT AND ARRIVAL TO THIS POSITION, WHICH I THINK YOU'RE DOING A MASTER JOB AT, I I WANNA SAY THAT WE HAD PLENTY OF FEEDBACK THAT GREAT COMMUNITY CONCERN ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, WHAT SIXTH STREET WAS GONNA BE, AND IF WE FIX THE CONVENTION CENTER, I MEAN, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO TO FIX SIXTH STREET? IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.

SO I DO ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT YOU'VE ALIGNED AND SAID SIXTH STREET IS REALLY, IT'S KIND OF LIKE PART OF THE CONVENTION CENTER DISTRICT, AND IT'S THE FIRST PLACE TOURISTS ARE, ARE HEARING ABOUT.

THEY'VE ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT IT.

THEY WANNA CHECK IT OUT.

IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN A, A, A GREAT DELIGHT WHEN THEY FIND OUT WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

SO I THINK IT'S, UM, GREAT THAT, UH, THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY HAVING STREAM COME MAKE A PRESENTATION TO US BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY HAVE A HEAVY HAND AND WHAT'S COMING.

AND, UH, SO WE WANNA HEAR FROM ALL THE VESTED PARTNERS THE, SORRY, THAT WAS A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION.

THE, THE, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, YOU ALSO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, TRANSPORTATION AND YOU MENTIONED TRANSPORTATION, AND YOU GAVE US A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THINGS YOU'RE DOING WITH THE PARK, THE PILOT PARKING PROGRAM, AND THE UBER PROGRAM.

AND WE'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS THAT IT'S JUST DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU AIRLIFT IN HERE TO GET AROUND, IT'S NOT ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE WHAT YOU HAVE OUTLINED AS THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR.

BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A TOURIST EXPERIENCE IN AUSTIN, THEN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS, BECOMES A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

WHAT I WANNA ASK YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, THOUGH, IS THE I 35 CORRIDOR AND THE PROJECT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, NOT SPEAKING FOR THEM, BUT WHAT YOU ARE SEEING FROM YOUR PERCH OF HOW THAT PROJECT AND THE, THE WHATEVER THE BUILD OVERS MM-HMM .

HOW THOSE THINGS ARE TRACKING AND WHAT YOUR ROLE IS IN THAT.

AND, AND EVEN SPEAKING BACK TO US, WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT.

WE THINK THAT IS VERY CONNECTED TO TOURISM AND EGRESS AND ALL THE THINGS.

SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ON IT.

UM, AS MUCH AS I KNOW IT'S NOT YOUR PROJECT NO, NO.

SO IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT GETTING IN AND OUT OF THERE IN A MAJOR WAYS RIGHT NOW.

UH, MR. CHAIR, CERTAINLY THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, WE WERE A BIG ADVOCATE OF THE CAP AND STITCH PROJECT, RECOGNIZING THAT TCO TXDOT WAS GONNA UNDERTAKE THIS MA MAJ, UH, MAJOR PROJECT WITHIN OUR DOWNTOWN.

WE ALSO WANTED TO ENSURE THAT FROM AN URBAN DESIGN STANDPOINT, A PLACE MAKING STANDPOINT THAT THE PROJECT ALSO, UM, CONNECTED COMMUNITIES WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

AND ALSO ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE VISITATION FOR OUR LOCALS AS WELL AS TOURISM WITHIN DOWNTOWN.

AND SO, CERTAINLY A COUPLE MONTHS, UH, LAST YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL DID APPROVE $104 MILLION, UH, TO BACKFILL, UH, THE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE CAPS PROJECT.

UM, WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

OUR WORK, WORKING ALONGSIDE THE CITY AS WELL AS OTHERS, IS TO REALLY IDENTIFY PHILANTHROPIC RESOURCES AS WELL, TO BRING TO THE TABLE.

AND SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF MORE WORK TO DO.

I CAN SEE IN TERMS OF CREATING THAT CAPITAL STACK, CREATING A FUNDING PLAN FOR EACH CAP.

YOU KNOW, EACH CAP ITSELF, UM, HAS A UNIQUE IDENTITY, A UNIQUE CHARACTER, THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT ARE SURROUND, THAT CAP MIGHT BE ATTRACTIVE TO A, A CERTAIN FUNDER AS WELL.

SO A LOT MORE WORK TO DO ON THAT FRONT.

WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU'RE JUST AT THE TABLE AND, UH, IT'S, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE REQUIRED.

I, I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHAT THEY, THEY CHANGED THE ON-RAMPS THIS WEEKEND, AND IT'S QUITE CRAZY DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW.

SO I HAVE TO GET ON CESAR CHAVEZ AND GET, I LIVE IN THE HOLLY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD,

[01:00:01]

I, I WATCH IT WEEKLY SHIFT WITH, AND IT'S ALL BASED AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE, TO I 35.

SO, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S AFFECTING ALL OF US AND IT JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO NAVIGATE THIS WEEKEND.

SO I'M, I'M, I'M GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA KEEP OUR EYE ON IT, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL, BECAUSE IT IS THE ENTRY POINT OR ONE OF THE MAIN ENTRY POINTS INTO THE DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE, SO, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, ANYONE ELSE HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR GUEST? UM, JUST A LAST, LAST QUESTION.

COMMISSIONER CHAP, PLEASE.

ON, ON, ON MOBILITY.

I NOTICED THAT WE HAD SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS WITH THE RIDESHARE PROGRAM.

DO YOU THINK THAT A SIMILAR EFFORT USING REGIONAL OR METRO TRAINS WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT? COULD YOU BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF, YEAH, SO, RIGHT.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? ENGAGING COMMERCE IN DOWNTOWN.

UM, AND I THINK YOUR DATA SHOWED THAT PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO TAKE RIDE SHARE EITHER RIGHT, AT A DISCOUNTED RATE TO GET DOWNTOWN MM-HMM .

AND SO FOR ME, I LOOK AT THAT AND I SEE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINS, UM, COMING INTO THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACTUALLY FURTHER CREATE THE DOWNTOWN VIBRANCY THAT WE ALL ARE LOOKING FOR.

UM, SO ANY OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE TRAINS IN THE PLANS VERSUS CARS, I THINK CAN ONLY, UM, AID EVERYONE'S DAY.

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

CERTAINLY WE'RE BIG SUPPORTERS OF AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.

WE THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CAP METRO AS WELL.

A NUMBER OF OUR, UM, EMPLOYEES AND WORKERS ARE WITHIN DOWNTOWN UTILIZING THAT SERVICE.

SO PUBLIC TRANSIT IS ALSO PART OF OUR MOBILITY PLATFORM.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.

UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED, AND IT WAS, AGAIN, AMAZING PRESENTATION.

I'M SURE I'M GONNA HAVE THOUGHTS, UH, AFTER THIS.

I'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU MAYBE ONE-ON-ONE.

BUT, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND THE COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW YOU PROVIDED AND THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS DOING, UH, TO SERVE OUR CITY, US AS RESIDENTS, AND CERTAINLY THE TOURISTS THAT COME HERE.

I, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK LATER AND WHERE, WHERE WE'RE CHECKING BOXES OF SOME OF THE, THE THINGS INITIATIVES YOU LAID OUT HERE TODAY.

AND WE CAN CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO MAKE IT ALL BETTER.

SO THANKS AGAIN FOR COMING AND, UH, GOOD LUCK OUT THERE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

HAPPY TO RETURN.

HEY, WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FIVE AND THE, THE FINAL OF OUR THREE PRESENTATIONS OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS TODAY.

[5. Presentation by the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy regarding the Waterloo Greenway Project - Phase II: The Confluence, exploring the role of planning in shaping a smarter, more integrated downtown, with a focus on the new Austin Convention Center design and tourism initiatives. Presentation by John Rigdon, Chief Planning & Design Officer.]

WE HAVE, UH, JOHN RIGDON, THE CHIEF PLANNING AND DESIGN OFFICER FOR WATERLOO GREENWAY.

ARE, ARE YOU, UH, DR. BURNETT? YOU ARE GONNA JUST WATCH OKAY.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER YOU MIGHT COME UP AND JOIN.

UH, SO AGAIN, WE HEARD FROM BOTH OF OUR PREVIOUS SPEAKERS ABOUT HOW THE WATERLOO GREENWAY PROJECT INTERSECTS, UH, TO, TO ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE SEEING.

AND, AND IT'S BEEN, UH, SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING, UH, AS A RESIDENT UNFOLD.

AND IT'S CERTAINLY EXCITING TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS REALLY FOCUS THEIR ENERGIES.

I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN THAT, AND I THINK THIS IS A, IS A STANDOUT PROJECT FOR US TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES OF CHANGE HAPPEN BECAUSE WE FIGURE OUT NEW MODELS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP US, UH, BUILD BETTER THINGS.

SO, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION AND, UH, TAKE IT AWAY.

I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR AND COMMISSION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU AND FOR REALLY TEEING UP, UH, THE EXACT CONVERSATION I'D LOVE TO HAVE WITH YOU, WHICH IS WALOO GREENWAY IS MUCH MORE THAN A PARK.

UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THE PRESENTATIONS BEFORE ME FROM DAVON AND KATIE REALLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WAYS THAT I WANNA TOUCH ON DURING THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WATERLOO GREENWAY CAN DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR VISITORS.

UM, SO I'M GONNA WALK Y'ALL THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND.

UM, I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE PRESENTED TO Y'ALL BEFORE, SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF ALL THIS MAY BE VERY FAMILIAR, BUT GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECT AND HOW WE GOT HERE.

UH, AND REALLY FOCUS IN ON THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WE ARE OPENING ON JUNE 6TH OF THIS YEAR.

WE CALL IT THE CONFLUENCE.

UM, AND THEN HIGHLIGHT ON A FEW THEMES THAT MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE ME ALSO TOUCHED ON THAT REALLY I HOPE DRIVE HOME, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT BEYOND, UH, A GREEN SPACE, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS OF THIS PROJECT IS CREATING THIS URBAN PARK.

SO, UH, THE BIG IDEA, WATERLOO GREENWAY IS 35 ACRES OF PARKS AND OPEN SPACE HERE ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.

SO I'D LIKE TO START WITH THIS IMAGE.

'CAUSE IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THOSE 35 ACRES, IT'S ABOUT HOW WE CONNECT TOGETHER A DISTRICT AND STITCH TOGETHER VARIOUS DIFFERENT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ASSETS AND AMENITIES THAT EXIST ARE BEING BUILT ON THIS EASTERN SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.

AND

[01:05:01]

UH, BUT IT'S 15TH STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LAKE, UH, RIGHT ALONG I 35.

SO, UH, HOW DID WE GET HERE? WELL, REALLY THIS GOES BACK TO KIND OF THE, UH, FOUNDING OF, OF MODERN AUSTIN.

SO WALLER CREEK WAS THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF THE FRONTIER CITY.

UH, AND AS THAT IT IS THE MOST, UH, CONSISTENTLY DEVELOPED, UM, AND BY RESULT, UH, IMPERVIOUS WATERSHED IN THE ENTIRE CITY.

SO IT'S HAD GENERATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT, UM, GENERATIONS OF STORM EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

UM, SO IF YOU SEE IN THIS PREVIOUS IMAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY GREW UP AWAY FROM WALLER CREEK, AND MUCH OF THAT IS DUE TO THE DRAMATIC FLOOD EVENTS THAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THAT GROWTH AND THE ASSOCIATED STORM WATER THAT WOULD COME FLOWING DOWN THE CREEK.

SO, YOU KNOW, ON THE LEFT THERE, THAT'S BY, UM, SIXTH STREET WHERE OLD EASY TIGER LOCATION WAS.

THE WATER LEVEL COULD RISE RAPIDLY, UH, CAUSING, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE.

DOZENS OF LIVES WERE LOST ALONG THE CREEK OVER THE GENERATIONS, AND IT CREATED A REAL PROBLEM, UH, ON THAT FRONT.

BUT ALSO AS WE LOOKED FORWARD TOWARDS KIND OF THE GROWTH DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA OF THE CITY, UH, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE, UM, THAT'S KIND OF BETWEEN THE CONVENTION CENTER PARKING LOT AND, UH, WHAT'S NOW PLACEMAKER, UM, THE APARTMENTS THERE, THAT'S NOT A FUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPE.

UH, ON THE LEFT YOU CAN SEE A, A ACTUALLY WASTEWATER PIPE THAT'S BEEN ERODED ABOUT 40 FEET.

UH, AND ALL OF THE PARK AMENITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY THERE ARE LONG GONE DUE THOSE FLOOD EVENTS.

SO FORTUNATELY, UH, IN THE NINETIES, THE CITY REALLY STARTED THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE FLOOD CONTROL ISSUE.

SO THEN BY THE, THE TS, THE CITY HAD A PLAN IN PLACE, UH, AND INVESTED AROUND $150 MILLION IN BUILDING A FLOOD CONTROL TUNNEL THAT'S ABOUT 70 FEET BELOW THE CITY, CONNECTING FROM 12TH STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LAKE.

SO THAT FLOOD CONTROL TUNNEL'S ABOUT 70 FEET BELOW THE CITY, IT'S BETWEEN 26 AND 32 FEET IN DIAMETER.

AND YOU CAN SEE A, A PHOTO THERE ON THE, THE UPPER LEFT OF, OF THE TUNNEL.

I GOT TO GO DOWN IN THERE.

IT'S REALLY COOL AND A LITTLE BIT SPOOKY, UH, BUT THAT CONVEYS ALL OF THAT STORM WATER FROM ABOUT 28 ACRES OF DOWNTOWN.

YOU CAN SEE IN THE BLUE HATCH THERE, THAT USED TO BE IN THE 100 YEAR FEMA FLOODPLAIN WERE, ARE NOW NO LONGER IN THE FLOODPLAIN BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD CONTROL TUNNEL.

SO THAT HAS SOME DRAMATIC IMPACTS ON THE CITY.

UH, OVERNIGHT, WHEN THAT FLOOD CONTROL TUNNEL WAS, UH, ONLINE AND WORKING, ALL OF THAT LAND SUDDENLY BECAME DEVELOPABLE BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER, UH, RESTRICTED BY BEING IN THAT 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.

SO FORTUNATELY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS THEY UNDERTOOK THAT EFFORT ALSO SAID, UH, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO DO SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL WITH THE PUBLIC SPACE ALONG HERE AS WELL.

WE HAVE THIS KIND OF ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ALL OF THIS LAND OUTTA THE FLOODPLAIN.

HOW DO WE PUT TOGETHER A MODEL THAT WILL LEVERAGE THE INVESTMENT IN THE TUNNEL, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THAT GROWTH IN THE TAX SPACE, BUT ALSO DIRECTLY PROVIDE A BENEFIT, UH, TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE CREATION OF A PUBLIC SPACE.

UH, SO THAT LED TO REACHING OUT TO OUR FOUNDERS, UH, TOM MEREDITH, MELBA WATLEY, AND MELANIE BARNES, AND WORKING WITH THEM TO COME UP WITH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL, UH, WITH A NONPROFIT CONSERVANCY, WHICH IS NOW WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY.

SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, I WON'T READ ALL THE BULLETS, BUT THE WAY WE WORK WITH THE CITY IS THROUGH A PUBLIC, A TRUE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL.

WE HAVE OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, TOGETHER.

WE FUND THE CAPITAL PROJECT.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE WORK ON DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COLLABORATIVELY, AND WE CAN BOTH HOLD CONTRACTS DEPENDING ON WHAT'S THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS SCENARIO FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.

AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WATERLOO GREENWAY MAINTAINS AND OPERATES AND PROGRAMS THESE PUBLIC SPACES IN PERPETUITY.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT REALLY ENABLES US TO DO IS WE HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE GOING INTO CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN WE KNOW THAT THOSE INVESTMENTS WILL BE MAINTAINED AND OPERATED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE THIS IS ALL WE DO IS FOCUS ON THIS PUBLIC SPACE IN DOWNTOWN.

WE ALSO HAVE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS A QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL BODY, UM, SIMILAR IN SOME WAYS TO Y'ALL WHO HELPS PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OVER THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO EXECUTION OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, AND SPENDING WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

AND SO THAT THAT BODY HELPS APPROVE PROJECTS, UM, AND COMMUNICATES TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL.

SO THIS ALL BEGAN, UH, AFTER THE FORMATION OF THAT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, THE FOUNDERS REALLY WORKING TO SAY, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY WE CAN EXECUTE AN EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SPACE, UH, FOR AUSTIN, FOR OUR LOCALS, FOR OUR VISITORS? AND THEY LOOKED AROUND THE COUNTRY TO DIFFERENT MODELS, AND THE MODEL THAT REALLY STOOD OUT, UH, WAS A DESIGN COMPETITION.

SO WE HAD A DESIGN COMPETITION IN 2012.

40 TEAMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD SUBMITTED, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIAL DOCUMENTATION, UM, TO CREATE A PUBLIC SPACE.

AND FOUR FINALISTS WERE SELECTED TO CREATE REALLY ROBUST PRESENTATIONS.

UH, THERE WAS A ROAD SHOW AROUND THE COMMUNITY, YOU CAN SEE IN THE TOP RIGHT THERE.

UH, WE TOOK THESE BIG A-FRAME BOARDS TO, YOU KNOW, TONS OF DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE COMMUNITY TO GET GENERAL PUBLIC INPUT.

WE DID OPEN HOUSES AND WORKSHOPS, ONLINE SURVEYS, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, AN INDEPENDENT JURY OF EXPERTS,

[01:10:01]

AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UM, MICHAEL VANVALKENBERG AND ASSOCIATES OUT OF NEW YORK, THE DESIGN FIRM, UH, WAS THE TEAM THAT WAS SELECTED.

UH, THEY'VE DONE KIND OF CITY SHAPING PARKS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

UH, BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK IN NEW YORK, UH, THE GATHERING PLACE IN TULSA, WHICH IS A NEWER, REALLY BEAUTIFUL PARK IN TULSA.

ALSO, THE RE-IMAGINING OF THE ST.

LOUIS ARCH GROUNDS.

UM, LOTS OF REALLY CITY SHAPING PROJECTS IS KIND OF THE UNIFYING THEME.

AND SO THE BIG IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WON THE DAY FOR THEM WITH THE, YOU KNOW, LOCAL COMMUNITY.

AND THE JURY WAS USING WATERLOO GREENWAY AS A CONNECTOR, UM, OF THE SURROUNDING CITY.

SO YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THESE ORIGINAL DIAGRAMS THAT REALLY SHOWS HOW IT'S TRYING TO STITCH TOGETHER, GLUE TOGETHER THIS AREA.

AND AS I'LL GO A LITTLE FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION, BE A MULTIPLIER OF THE EXISTING AND ONCOMING ASSETS IN THIS AREA.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF THAT IS REALLY CENTERED AROUND THIS ROBUST NATIVE, CENTRAL TEXAS LANDSCAPE.

SO IT'S NOT EITHER OR, IT'S KIND OF THE, AND THAT REALLY HAS THE VALUE HERE, UH, AND WHY MVVA, UH, THEIR FIRM WAS SELECTED FOR THIS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEN WE TOOK OVER.

AND SINCE, UH, THE AFFIRMATION OF THAT DESIGN IN 2013, WE'VE REALLY BEEN WORKING TO EXECUTE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, FUNDRAISE.

UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO TACKLE THIS IN PHASES BECAUSE IT IS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT PROJECT.

SO THE FIRST PHASE WAS WATERLOO PARK AND THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER.

UM, WE COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION ON THAT IN AUGUST OF 2021.

IT'S 10 AND A HALF ACRES.

IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST TRADITIONAL PARK SPACE YOU'LL FIND ALONG HERE.

KIND OF A SINGLE, UH, LARGE SCALE PARK SPACE, UH, WITH A CENTRAL LAWN IN AMPHITHEATER.

UM, WE PLANTED 90,000 PLANTS AND 500 TREES AND EXTENSIVE RESTORATION, AND AGAIN, REALLY CENTERED THAT ON THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER.

UM, SO SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN OPERATING AND, AND MAINTAINING THE PARK AND PROGRAMMING IT.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT OUR PARK SPACES, THESE ARE HEAVILY PROGRAMMED SPACES.

WE WANT DAILY ACTIVITY OF ALL DIFFERENT SIZES AND SCALES.

WE WANT TO ENGAGE WITH PARTNERS FROM AROUND THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND BRING PEOPLE INTO DOWNTOWN WHO DON'T OTHERWISE SEE THEMSELVES HERE.

SO SINCE 2021, UH, WE'VE PASSED 1.25 MILLION VISITORS, UH, JOINING US IN WATERLOO PARK.

UM, AND WE'VE, THIS PAST YEAR, WE WELCOMED OVER 200,000 AUSTINITES TO OUR PROGRAMS, WHICH WITH OVER 200 PARTNERS.

SO ONE OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OR OR OPPORTUNITIES ABOUT WATERLOO PARK AS IF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISLAND.

UM, IT'S SURROUNDED BY PARKING GARAGES AND OFFICES.

UM, IT'S KIND OF BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND UT AND THE, AND THE CAPITAL.

UM, AND SO WE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PROGRAM WORK TO GET FOLKS OUT AND GIVE THEM REASONS TO JOIN US.

SO YOU CAN SEE THERE FROM OUR LARGE SCALE FITNESS CLASSES, LIKE YOGA TO OUR KIDS EDUCATION PROGRAMS, TO ONE OF MY FAVORITES ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE, OUR BIRDS OF PREY SHOW, WHERE WE HAD, UH, YOU KNOW, RAPTORS FLYING ALL AROUND THE PARK.

THE KIDS LOVED IT.

UM, BUT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD TIME.

SO A WIDE RANGE.

AND THEN CENTERING THAT.

WE HAVE THE LARGE, UH, GREAT LAWN AND MOODY AMPHITHEATER.

UH, WE DO AROUND 35, UH, CONCERTS, UH, TICKETED CONCERTS THAT HELP GENERATE REVENUES TO SUPPORT THE PARK.

SO AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE PARTS OF THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE MODEL THAT CAN HELP US MAINTAIN THINGS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THIS AS KIND OF A HUB FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS.

SO, UH, WE DO MAKER'S MARKETS, DI DE LOS MUERTOS, THE URBAN MUSIC FEST.

WE CAN HAVE ALL TYPES OF PROGRAMS IN THIS PURPOSE BUILT SPACE TO HOST THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. UH, AND YOU GET A GOOD SNAPSHOT OF WHAT KIND OF A LITTLE PRE-CON LOOK RIGHT THERE.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE GARDENS AND PLAY SCAPES AND OTHER SPACES.

SO WILEY PARK GIVES YOU KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A TASTE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE GREENWAY.

BUT AS YOU'LL SEE, THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A COLLECTIVE GREEN SPACE, UH, TO MEET ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF, OF COMMUNITY NEEDS.

AND OTHER AREAS WILL HAVE MORE CONNECTIONS AND MORE PLAY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE KITTY KING POWELL LAWN, WHICH IS OUR PLAY AREA WITHIN WATERLOO PARK.

SO I WANTED TO UPDATE Y'ALL IN MORE DETAIL ON PHASE TWO THAT WE CALL THE CONFLUENCE.

SO THIS IS THE AREA, AS YOU CAN SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE MAP HERE FROM FOURTH STREET DOWN TO LADY BIRD LAKE.

UM, IT'S ACTUALLY BIGGER THAN WATERLOO PARK, UH, BUT IT'S REALLY DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICALLY.

SO IT'S 13 AND A HALF ACRES, BUT IT'S KIND OF 13 AND A HALF ACRES THAT WEAVE BETWEEN SOME OF THE LARGEST PROJECTS AND DENSEST DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO YOU HEARD FROM KATIE WE'RE WORKING EXTENSIVELY WITH HER TEAM ABOUT CONNECTING WATERLOO GREENWAY IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.

UH, WE'RE RIGHT NEXT TO THE WATER LINE, THE TALLEST BUILDING IN TEXAS.

WE'VE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THAT TEAM.

SO IT'S STITCHING THINGS TOGETHER, AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT MOBILITY, UM, AND, UH, CONNECTIVITY ON THE SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.

SO AGAIN, NOT JUST A PARK, THIS IS A MOBILITY CORRIDOR.

IT'S A PART OF THE SOLUTION TO ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CONGESTION, UH, TRAFFIC CLOSURES AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN.

AND I'LL TALK TO Y'ALL A LITTLE ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN, JUST FOR A SCALE COMPARISON, WE ARE PLANTING MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY PLANTS AND MORE THAN THREE TIMES AS MANY TREES AS IN WATERLOO PARK DOWN HERE.

SO THE TREES ALONE, UH, THE 1500 TREES ARE AN OVER $5 MILLION

[01:15:01]

INVESTMENT IN THE CITY'S URBAN TREE CANOPY.

SO DRAMATICALLY ADDRESSING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, CREATING A MASSIVE CARBON SINK FOR DOWNTOWN.

AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING MASSIVE COOLING EFFECTS FROM THE TREES WE'VE PLANTED SO FAR.

UH, AND AGAIN, OPENING JUNE 6TH, 2026.

SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IS ON ALL OF YOUR CALENDARS.

UH, BUT THAT IS OUR OPENING DATE.

SO I'M GONNA WALK Y'ALL THROUGH A LITTLE KIND OF BEFORE VISION CURRENT, UM, IMAGERY OF, OF AREAS OF THE PROJECT THAT I THINK REALLY HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

SO I SHOWED YOU ALL THIS IMAGE BEFORE REALLY TO HIGHLIGHT THE KIND OF DEVASTATION OF FLOOD EVENTS.

SO ZOOMED IN, YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE THE SCREEN THERE, THAT WASTEWATER PIPE THAT'S EXPOSED ABOUT 40 FEET.

UH, THERE'S NO PLANTS LEFT, THERE'S NO BANKS LEFT.

YOU CAN SEE THE SLOW OR THE, UH, BANKS OF THE, THE STABILIZING THE BRIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND HAVE COMPLETELY FALLEN APART AND ARE COLLAPSING INTO THE CREEK.

THIS WAS THE RESULT OF DECADES OF FLOOD EVENTS.

SO THE VISION, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WAS HOW TO CREATE THIS KIND OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE FOR THE EASTERN SIDE OF DOWNTOWN THAT CENTERS ON REGIONAL NATURE, UH, BUT STITCHES TOGETHER ALL THESE DESTINATIONS AND AMENITIES WITH AN ACCESSIBLE OFF STREET TRAIL.

SO HERE WE HAVE OUR CYPRESS GROVE.

AND YOU KNOW, UNSURPRISINGLY, KINDA THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS IS THE BALD CYPRUS, ONE OF THE ICONS OF OUR REGION.

AND BEFORE DEVELOPMENT, IF WE HAD A TIME MACHINE BACK 250 YEARS, THIS AREA OF WALLER CREEK WOULD'VE BEEN SURROUNDED BY TOWERING BALD CYPRUS, MUCH LIKE YOU MIGHT SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, OUT IN WIMBERLEY OR DRIPPING SPRINGS.

UH, AND ALL OF THAT WAS, UH, TAKEN DOWN BY FLOOD EVENTS AND DEVELOPMENT.

SO BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD CONTROL TUNNEL, WE HAVE THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THAT LANDSCAPE BACK INTO THE HEART OF THE CITY.

SO HERE WE ACTUALLY JUST RECENTLY STARTED PLANTING MORE OF THE BALD CYRUS, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE BRIDGE HAS BEEN POURED.

I ALSO LIKE THE SHOT 'CAUSE IT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF HOW ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND COORDINATED WE ARE WITH ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PLANTED A, A SEVERAL DOZEN BALD CYRUS NOW AND TAKEN DOWN THESE OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES.

SO, YOU KNOW, NOT DAY ONE, BUT IN 15, 20 YEARS, UH, SOMEONE WILL BE ABLE TO WALK FROM WHERE THEY PARK THEIR CAR, MAYBE TO THEIR JOB AT THE HOTEL THROUGH A ROBUST CENTRAL TEXAS CREEK ECOLOGY, DOWN IN THE SHADE AND OFF OF THE BUSY STREETS, UH, A FULLY OFF STREET NETWORK THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS.

AND ONCE YOU STEP DOWN HERE AT FOURTH STREET, YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO INTERACT WITH A CAR TO GET DOWN TO BUTLER TRAIL, RAINY STREET OR THE LAKE HERE.

MOVING A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH, UH, THIS IS LOOKING OFF OF THE RED RIVER STREET BRIDGE, UH, DOWN TO THE CREEK.

SO IRONWORKS BARBECUE WOULD BE JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE WORD CREEK.

AND THEN THE CONVENTION CENTER IS UP THERE ON THE KIND OF SLOPE TO THE RIGHT.

THIS AREA WAS OVERGROWN.

UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER WAS KIND OF THE FORTRESS UP ON THE HILL AND REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A, UH, INTERFACE WITH THE CREEK LANDSCAPE BELOW.

AND, UH, ALL OF THE TRAILS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE HAD FAILED.

SO IF PEOPLE WERE BEING FORCED TO WALK ON THE REALLY BUSY AND DANGEROUS STREETS, AND I THINK THIS CAME UP EARLIER, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS AND CONFUSING OF A CROSSING IT IS GETTING FROM RAINY STREET TO DOWNTOWN AT RED RIVER AND CAESAR CHAVEZ.

SO ONE OF THE BIG GOALS HERE WAS TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THAT, UH, BY BUILDING A FULLY OFF STREET BOARDWALK TRAIL THAT GOES UNDER CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET, UNDER RED RIVER STREET AND TAKES YOU UP TO PALM PARK AND ULTIMATELY CONNECTS YOU UP TO FOURTH STREET WHERE THERE'S THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY AND THE DOWNTOWN RAIL SYSTEM.

SO HERE YOU SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, A SHOT OF THAT, A RENDERING, THE CONVENTION CENTER.

THIS WAS BEFORE WE KNEW ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE RENOVATION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.

UH, BUT I'LL SHOW YOU AN IMAGE.

WE'VE AGAIN, BEEN WORKING EXTENSIVELY WITH KATIE AND HER TEAM ON THIS BANK TO THE RIGHT.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT BOARDWALK TRAIL, A MINIMUM 12 FEET WIDE LIT AT NIGHT BIKING, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY THAT MOVES DOWN UNDER THERE.

SO SOMEONE WILL BE ABLE, INSTEAD OF WALKING ON THOSE BUSY, DANGEROUS SIDEWALKS AND, YOU KNOW, TAKING THEIR LIVES INTO THEIR OWN HANDS, CROSSING A REALLY DANGEROUS STREET, UH, WILL BE ABLE TO WALK UNINTERRUPTED ON A WELL-LIT, UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE TRAIL FROM RAINY STREET INTO DOWNTOWN.

AND HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE RECENTLY WALKING ON THAT TRAIL.

UH, SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE BACKGROUND THERE THE SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENED EVEN SINCE OUR RENDERING.

UM, AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PLANTED THE BANKS AND THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS DOWN THERE ON THE RIGHT.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING A LOT AGAIN ON COORDINATING WHAT THAT BANK LOOKS LIKE LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH.

AS YOU MOVE UNDER CESAR CHAVEZ STREET, THERE WAS THIS KIND OF SECRET GARDEN DOWN BELOW THAT WAS THRIVING ECOLOGICALLY DESPITE ALL OF THE INVASIVE SPECIES, BUT UP ABOVE, YOU KNOW, 25, 30, EVEN 40 FEET ABOVE WHERE THE SIDEWALKS, MANY OF THEM KIND OF DEAD ENDING, UH, WHEN THEY HIT WALLER CREEK.

UM, AND IT WAS A VERY CONFUSING AND UNSAFE LANDSCAPE TO NAVIGATE, PARTICULARLY IF YOU WERE A VISITOR AND YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN RAINY STREET AND WE'RE LIKE, HOW DO I GET DOWNTOWN? SO WE WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ROBUST, UH, ECOLOGY, BRING IN THE NATIVE SPECIES AND REMOVE THE INVASIVES, BUT DRAMATICALLY CHANGE VISIBILITY AND CONNECTIONS.

SO THE BIG IDEA HERE IS WHAT WE CALL OUR LATTICE BRIDGES.

THIS IS A SERIES OF THREE, KIND OF THREE OF A KIND BRIDGES THAT STITCH TOGETHER, EAST AND WEST, CONNECTING RAINY STREET, UH, AND BUTLER TRAIL ACROSS TO DOWNTOWN AND TO EACH OTHER.

SO THESE THREE BRIDGES ARE ACCESSIBLE.

UH, THEY NAVIGATE ABOVE THIS BEAUTIFUL RESTORED LANDSCAPE.

UH, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF

[01:20:01]

THOSE 1500 TREES AND 200,000 PLANTS.

YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE WE'VE OPENED UP THE BANKS, SO THERE'S GREATER VISIBILITY.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING THIS, THE SURRENDERING DOES A NICE JOB OF SHOWING IS WE WANT PEOPLE TO SEE EACH OTHER, UH, AS WELL AS THE NATURE AROUND THEM, WHICH IMPROVES THE OVERALL SAFETY.

AND I'LL, I'LL TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND HERE'S A SHOT RECENTLY.

I ALSO LIKE THIS ONE 'CAUSE IT HIGHLIGHTS THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE'VE DONE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS THERE AT THE WATER LINE TO REALLY ORIENT THE FRONT OF THEIR BUILDING ON WATERLOO GREENWAY.

SO YOU SEE THEIR HOTEL COMPONENT AND BALCONIES REALLY LOOK OUT ONTO THE GREENWAY.

AGAIN, PEOPLE SEEING PEOPLE, UH, THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY CREATES SAFETY.

UH, AND THEN THE LOWER LEVEL THERE HAS AMENITIES LIKE CAFE'S, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, THAT'S WELL CONNECTED TO THE GREENWAY.

THIS IS STANDING ON ONE OF THE BRIDGES.

YOU CAN SEE ANOTHER BRIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND THERE.

AND THEN THE CONVENTION CENTER BEYOND.

AND THEN LASTLY, OF THE KINDA THE TOUR STOPS, BEFORE I KIND OF ZOOM OUT AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, BIG PICTURE FOR THE PROJECT, UH, WE HAVE OUR LAKEVIEW TERRACE.

SO THIS WAS KIND OF A, A, A SUN BAKED FIELD WITH, WITH FIRE ANTS, UH, RIGHT BY BUTLER TRAIL, UH, PARKLAND.

THAT'S A REAL MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE PROGRAM.

SO OVER THE YEARS, SOME OF Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE VISITED, UH, ART INSTALLATIONS WE DID HERE.

SO WE DID IWAY WAVES FOREVER, BICYCLES, UH, THAT LARGE CLOUD OF STAINLESS STEEL BICYCLES.

UH, WE HAD A KIND OF REALLY COOL LOBSTER ROPE INSTALLATION BY AN ARTIST NAMED ORLI GANGER, UH, THAT KIND OF HAD THESE UNDULATING MOUNDS OF LOBSTER ROPE.

AND THROUGH THAT WE REALIZED HOW MUCH PEOPLE WERE CRAVING THE ABILITY TO STEP OFF THE TRAIL, UH, HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SHADE, TAKE A BREAK, AND SOMETHING THAT'S FREE AND ACCESSIBLE, AND MAYBE SOME PROGRAMS AS WELL, LIKE FITNESS CLASSES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO OUT OF THAT CAME THIS IDEA TO CREATE THIS ELEVATED TERRACE THAT WE CALL OUR LAKEVIEW TERRACE.

SO THERE'S BUTLER TRAIL TO THE RIGHT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE LAKE JUST OFF TO THE RIGHT THERE.

AND SO THIS KIND OF ELEVATED VIEWPOINT PROVIDES GREAT SHADE FROM ALL THESE NEW TREES.

WE'RE PLANTING AREAS YOU CAN SIT, UH, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SECRETLY ONE OF THE BEST AREAS TO ACTUALLY WATCH THE BATS.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND THREE DEEP ON THE BRIDGE.

YOU CAN COME HANG OUT HERE AND HAVE A, A MUCH CALMER, QUIETER EXPERIENCE.

AND THEN THE BACKGROUND, WE HAVE AN ELEVATED, UH, TERRACE, UH, WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE COFFEE CARTS, FOOD CARTS, CAFE SEATING, UH, SO FOLKS CAN, YOU KNOW, STEP OFF THE TRAIL.

AND MAYBE THAT'S ALSO WHERE YOU MEET UP WITH YOUR RUN GROUP IN THE MORNING.

AND HERE IT IS, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

SO WE'RE PRETTY FAR ALONG HERE.

YOU CAN SEE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PLANTINGS.

AND THEN JUST OFF TO THE LEFT, WE HAVE THIS, UM, DRY CREEK BED LANDSCAPE THAT'S A PLAY AREA FOR KIDS, UH, THAT WE HAVE KIND OF RECREATED THAT BOTH MANAGES STORM WATER AND IS A MAJOR POLLINATOR GARDEN.

SO ZOOMING OUT A LITTLE BIT, THAT'S KIND OF THE TORCH, I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE MAJOR BENEFITS, YOU KNOW, BEYOND, UH, JUST THE PARK OR GREEN SPACE BENEFITS.

SO THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO AUSTIN, THIS PROJECT, THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT REAL ESTATE PREMIUMS AND REAL ESTATE VALUES.

BUT BASED ON, UH, OTHER PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, SIMILAR TO THE HIGHLINE OR CLYDE WARREN OR BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK, UM, WE WORKED WITH HR AND A ADVISORS AND CONSERVATIVELY 10 TO ONE TO 40 TO ONE ROI FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THIS PROJECT.

AND A LOT OF THAT IS DRIVEN BY, UH, THE, THE WELL-KNOWN, WELL-RESEARCHED ADJACENCY TO PARKLAND, INCREASING PREMIUMS FOR PROPERTIES, BUT ALSO THE WAY IT SPEEDS UP AND DENSIFIES ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT, THE KNOWLEDGE OF, AND THE PRESENCE OF PARKLAND.

SO WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THAT PLAY OUT SO CONSERVATIVELY, THIS IS A TWO TO $10 BILLION, UH, ECONOMIC BENEFIT JUST LOOKING AT THOSE PROPERTY TAX VALUES AND REAL ESTATE VALUES, NOT EVEN TOUCHING ON THE TOURISM VALUES.

AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THAT PLAY OUT AND ACTUALLY EXCEED SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE WALLER CREEK TAX INCREMENT FINANCE ZONE, UH, WHICH HELPS FUND THIS PROJECT.

UH, ONE OTHER THING I'LL POINT OUT AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANKS VERY MUCH TO OUR, OUR FRIENDS OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, WHO BOTH AS DAVON POINTED OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH US ON THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WHICH THEY PROVIDE AN IN KIND SERVICE THAT HELPS MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THESE SPACES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

BUT THEY ALSO SHARE DATA WITH US, WHICH HELPS US, UH, BETTER MANAGE AND OPERATE OUR PUBLIC SPACES.

AND SO THROUGH PLACER, UH, PLACER LABS DATA HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE PATTERNS OF VISITATION TO JUST WATERLOO PARK IN THIS PAST YEAR.

SO EVEN WATERLOO PARK NOW, UH, WE SEE TREMENDOUS SPREAD OF REGIONAL VISITATION.

UH, THIS IS 400,000 VISITORS WE HAD IN 2025.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S THE SAN ANTONIO AREA, THAT'S HOUSTON.

AND OBVIOUSLY ALL OVER AUSTIN, WE SEE REPRESENTATION FROM ALL AREAS OF AUSTIN.

UH, AND WE'VE SEEN YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES THIS PAST YEAR, ABOUT 7% INCREASE IN VISITATION FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

UM, ONE OTHER THING JUST TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUES AND, AND, AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT CREATING THIS SAFE, CONNECTED, AND WELCOMING DISTRICT, UM, ZOOMING OUT, THIS IS LOOKING DOWN AT THE CONFLUENCE FROM KIND OF HOVERING ABOVE THE CONVENTION CENTER IN THE YELLOW SORT OF ORANGE THERE.

THOSE ARE ALL THE NEW ACCESSIBLE TRAIL CONNECTIONS WE'RE CREATING WITH THE CONFLUENCE.

SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT STITCHES TOGETHER, AGAIN, IMMERSED IN THIS, YOU KNOW, ROBUST LANDSCAPE THAT'S COOLER, SAFER, LIT AT NIGHT, SHADED.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO INTERACT WITH A CAR ONCE.

ALL OF THAT IS STITCHED TOGETHER BY THE CONFLUENCE WHEN WE OPEN IN 2026 OR JUNE OF THIS YEAR.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW DRAMATICALLY THAT WILL CHANGE THE MOBILITY PROPOSITION

[01:25:01]

FOR THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN.

THE OTHER THING THIS IMAGE SHOWS IS ALL THE AREAS IN RED.

WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH OUR NEW NEIGHBORS WHO ARE PLANNING AND DEVELOPING PROJECTS TO PUT ACTIVE FRONTAGES OF THEIR BUILDINGS ON THE GREENWAY.

SO YOU HAVE CAFES, HOTELS, BALCONIES, RETAIL, UM, ARTIST STUDIOS, THOSE THINGS FACING ON THE GREENWAY SO PEOPLE SEE EACH OTHER.

AND THAT CREATES A, A MORE, UH, GENEROUS AND WELCOMING PUBLIC SPACE.

UH, I LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, I'M AN URBAN PLANNER, SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, THE PEOPLE I LIKE TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE TRY TO CREATE SAFE PUBLIC SPACES IS JANE JACOBS, THE FAMOUS KIND OF AUTHOR WHO WROTE A LOT ABOUT PLANNING IN NEW YORK.

UH, AND SHE HAD THIS, UH, THEORY CALLED EYES ON THE STREET, WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HANGING OUT ON THE STOOPS, ON THE BALCONIES WHO ARE OUT IN THE PUBLIC REALM ALL THE TIME, THEY'RE A SELF-POLICING FORCE FOR A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO I TURNED THAT A LITTLE BIT AND CALL THIS EYES ON THE CREEK.

WE'RE CREATING THESE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE SEEING PEOPLE AND HELPING US BE BETTER PUBLIC SPACE MANAGERS AND PROVIDING DESTINATIONS AND REASONS FOR PEOPLE TO COME DOWNTOWN AND VISIT US.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE, AND ONE YOU CAN'T SEE BECAUSE OF THE ANGLE, BUT I HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT, IS THAT ENTIRE EASTERN FRONTAGE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, AS KATIE POINTED OUT, IS REALLY BEING ACTIVATED IN NEW WAYS THAT ENGAGE, NOT JUST VISITORS, BUT ALSO ALL AUSTINITES.

SO AGAIN, A WAY WE'RE CREATING THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PUBLIC DOMAIN.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST HIGHLIGHTING FOR THIS GROUP RIGHT HERE, THESE ARE JUST HOTELS IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY, HOTELS AND SHORT TERM RENTALS ALL SURROUNDING THE CONFLUENCE.

AND THEN THE CONVENTION CENTER, YOU SEE THERE, I HIGHLIGHTED KIND OF THEIR NEW EAST WEST CONNECTIONS AND OPENINGS THERE REALLY DRAMATICALLY CHANGING MOBILITY.

AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LOO GREENWAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF HAVE A SAFETY VALVE FOR THE CLOSED SIDEWALKS AND STREETS.

IF SOMEONE CAN GET DOWN HERE, UH, AND PARK THEIR CAR OR TAKE TRANSIT, ONCE YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE GOOD.

YOU CAN WALK AROUND AND VISIT ALL OF THESE DESTINATIONS, UH, SAFELY AND ON OFF STREET TRAILS THAT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, WELL LIT AT NIGHT.

SO ZOOMING OUT, YOU KNOW, THE BIG IDEA HERE, WE'RE ESTABLISHING A NEW DISTRICT AND WE SEE WATERLOO GREENWAY AS KIND OF A CONNECTIVE TISSUE, A MULTIPLIER, A WAY WE CAN LEVERAGE THE VALUE OF THESE OTHER GENERATIONAL INVESTMENTS THE CITY IS MAKING.

SO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAYBE ONE OR TWO THINGS ON HERE, THESE ARE ALL PUBLIC INVESTMENTS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS MAKING IN THE EASTERN SIDE OF DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW.

WE KIND OF DECIDED TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE.

UH, BUT FORTUNATELY WE HAVE THIS ALWAYS OPEN, ALWAYS PUBLIC GREEN SPACE THAT CAN STITCH THESE THINGS TOGETHER, UM, AND HOPEFULLY MULTIPLY THEIR VALUE, UH, THEIR VISITORSHIP, UM, THE ACCESS THEY HAVE TO EACH OTHER.

AND OUR VISION IS, YOU KNOW, THE SUM IS GREATER THAN THE PARTS.

SO IF YOU COME DOWNTOWN, YOU PARK YOUR CAR UP, UH, NEAR THE CAPITAL COMPLEX, MAYBE YOU VISIT US IN THE MORNING FOR A FREE COMMUNITY FAMILY PROGRAM IN THE PARK, THEN YOU CAN WALK DOWN AND HAVE AN AFFORDABLE LUNCH ON RED RIVER.

THEN YOU WALK DOWN TO PALM PARK, UH, AND PLAY IN THE PARK.

MAYBE YOU VISIT THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, OR MAYBE YOU'RE A TOURIST WHO'S JOINING US FOR A CONVENTION.

ALL OF THIS IS RIGHT AT YOUR DOORSTEP.

IF YOU STAY IN ANY OF THOSE DOZENS OF HOTELS, I POINTED OUT OR VISIT THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A 15 TO 20 MINUTE WALK.

UM, AND ON A SAFE OFF STREET NETWORK OF TRAILS THAT ARE SHADED AND COOLER AS YOU MOVE ALONG.

SO AGAIN, CREATING THIS NEW DISTRICT AND STITCHING TOGETHER THESE, UH, GENERATIONAL INVESTMENTS.

AND SO AGAIN, CONFLUENCE GRAND OPENING, THAT'S JUNE 6TH, 2026.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL OF THIS CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENING TO THE EASTERN SIDE OF OUR DOWNTOWN.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE.

THAT WAS, UM, WOW.

IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.

IT'S HAPPENING IN, YOU CAN'T, I LOVE THE AERIAL VIEWS.

IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE IT, YOU'RE RIGHT, A LOT OF THESE POCKET AREAS WE, WE HAVEN'T NAVIGATED.

I MEAN, YOU LIVE HERE, BUT YOU DON'T GET INTO THOSE SPACES.

SO THIS IS EXCITING, EXCITING.

UM, COMMISSIONER CHANIN.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT YOU SAID.

CONGRATULATIONS ON, UM, THIS PROJECT.

UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS OR MORE, I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE NEED TO IMPROVE WALLER CREEK.

IT NEVER SEEMED TO QUITE GET, GET OFF THE GROUND.

AND, UM, IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE IT COMING TOGETHER FINALLY.

LOOKING, LOOKING, LOOKING.

COMMISSIONER SHANNON.

OH, GREAT.

COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

I USED TO LIVE IN DOWNTOWN WHEN I WAS DATING THAT GUY THAT I'VE BEEN MARRIED TO MORE THAN 20 YEARS NOW.

AND YOU ARE RIGHT.

THERE WERE SO MANY PLACES, LIKE IF I WANTED TO GO RUN ON THE TRAIL, I WOULD RISK MY LIFE LIKE IN THESE WEIRD LITTLE TRAILS UNDERNEATH, LIKE BACK BEHIND, YOU KNOW, WHERE SHO CLE SALOON IS.

I LIVED OVER THERE AND I GOT ON THERE SOMETIMES DOWN WHERE LIZANNA ROSA WAS.

I WOULD SPOOKY CRAZY.

AND IF IT WOULD RAIN, IF I WOULD GET OUT THERE AND KNEW IT WOULD RAIN, I'D BE LIKE, OH MY GOD, I GOTTA GET BACK.

YOU GUYS HAVE CHANGED DOWNTOWN SO MUCH.

'CAUSE I'M, IT WOULD JUST FLOOD.

[01:30:01]

WELL, THERE'S JUST NOT THOSE LITTLE WEIRD NOOKS AND CRANNIES ANYMORE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'D BE LIVING ON A PRAYER TO GO DOWN IN THERE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THIS IS PAGE AFTER PAGE OF JUST ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO DOWNTOWN.

IT'S OUTSTANDING.

I MEAN, I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE, THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

AND YOU THANK YOU.

AND I, I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED FOR ME THAT I, I WISH I TOUCHED ON IS PREDICTABILITY.

VISIBILITY.

THOSE ARE COMPONENTS OF A REALLY SUCCESSFUL TRAIL SYSTEM OR PUBLIC SPACE.

AND SO WE HOPE TO EXTEND THAT KIT OF PARTS, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED IN WATERLOO PARK TO ALL THESE AREAS.

SO IF YOU ARE RUNNING, YOU'LL KNOW YOU WON'T FIND YOURSELF IN A FLOOD, YOU WON'T FIND YOURSELF IN THE DARK, UH, YOU WON'T FIND YOURSELF AT A DEAD END.

AND THAT WILL MEAN MORE PEOPLE WILL USE THIS AND VISITORS WILL ALSO HAVE A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE OF USING OUR TRAIL.

SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT.

WELL, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THAT'S SAD ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT LIMIT, UM, HOW AUSTIN HAS CHANGED.

AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BITTERSWEET THAT TO SEE THEM GOES.

BUT LOOKING AT THE AWESOME PRESENTATION THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER AND THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER, UM, I THINK THAT WHERE WE'RE GOING IT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT OUTWEIGHS SOME OF WHAT WE'VE LOST BECAUSE WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE BECOMING SUCH A JEWEL BOX CITY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE AND TO ALSO THE, UH, WATERLOO GREENWAY PROJECT.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

THAT THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE STRONG WORDS AND I THINK WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT.

UM, I'M LOOKING UP AT, I'M CHECKING IN WITH YOU.

YOU'RE GOOD.

YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

THAT WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO BEING A PART OF.

NOTHING, UH, ANYONE ELSE? UM, LET'S SEE.

I, I ALWAYS HAVE, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE, SO BASICALLY, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU REFERENCED CLYDE WARREN PARK.

I'VE BEEN THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES, SO, AND I'VE SEEN WHAT, I MEAN, IT'S AN INTERESTING CASE.

I THINK THIS IS MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL, MUCH MORE ORGANIC, UH, IT FEELS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I, I DID NOTICE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, I GUESS THE CROSSOVER, HAVING A CAFE AND HAVING, YOU COULD DRINK WINE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I'M WONDERING, WITHIN THIS PROJECT SCOPE, DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY WITHIN THIS SYSTEM TO DO MORE PRIVATE PARTNER TYPE RETAIL EXPERIENCES WITHIN THIS THAT YOU COULD GO SIT DOWN AT A CAFE AND IT BE, IS THAT PART OF HOW THIS IS BUILT OUT? OR IS IT INTENDED THAT POTENTIALLY SOMEDAY THAT SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF AMENITIES MIGHT FIND THEM WHERE ADJACENT TO, NOT THAT IT DOESN'T CUT RIGHT THROUGH ALL OF THAT ANYWAY, SO YOU'VE GOT IT RIGHT OFF THE TRAIL.

I SEE THAT, BUT, OR MAYBE IT EVEN ONE OF THOSE PARTNERS COULD BRING AMENITIES CLOSER TO THE TRAIL, IF, IF THAT'S, I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT'S LINED INTO THE DESIGN PROCESS IF THERE IS SUCH A THING.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S KIND OF BOTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE WANT TO CONNECT AUSTINITES AND VISITORS TO ALL OF THE GREAT PRIVATELY OWNED BUSINESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES AROUND US AND, YOU KNOW, BRING NEW VISITORS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF VISITORS, UM, CONNECTING PEOPLE WHO MAYBE WOULDN'T OTHERWISE SEE THEMSELVES IN DOWNTOWN VISITING A DOWNTOWN BUSINESS.

I THINK THERE'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY THERE TO LEVERAGE THOSE EXISTING AMENITIES.

THAT SAID, WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND, AND THE NEED, UH, THROUGH OUR PUBLIC-PRIVATE SHIP TO GENERATE REVENUE IN CERTAIN AREAS.

SO THE AMPHITHEATER IS ONE OF THOSE BIG OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, UM, THAT HELP SUPPORT OUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PARKS AND THE FREE PROGRAMS WE CAN PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK STRATEGICALLY WE'D LOOK FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL, WHETHER THAT'S RENTALS OR FOOD SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES THAT POP UP ALONG THE WAY.

BUT I THINK AS WE'VE KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT DAVON HIGHLIGHTED AS WELL AS WHAT, WHAT KATIE EXPRESSED WITH THE FUTURE FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, WE ALSO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RESHAPE THE AREAS THAT MIGHT BE BETTER SUITED FOR THAT AROUND US.

WE HAVE KIND OF SENSITIVE BANKS THAT NEED EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, UH, BUT THERE'S FLAT OPEN SPACES THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE, YOU KNOW MM-HMM .

THE LARGER SCALE RETAIL OPERATION OR THE CAFE, RIGHT? AND SO WE WANT TO CONNECT TO THOSE.

AND I WOULD SAY THE OTHER THING THAT WE REALLY HAVE THOUGHT HARD ABOUT IN THE DESIGN PROCESS IS HOW DO WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON THE GREENWAY BE FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT KIND OF THE PUBLICNESS OF BEING IMMERSED IN A CITY AND IN NATURE, AND THEN CONNECTING TO AREAS WHERE YOU CAN CONNECT TO RETAIL OR RESTAURANTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA LEARN LESSONS FROM INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL TOURISM DESTINATIONS LIKE THE RIVERWALK, BUT NOT HAVE KIND OF THE COMMERCE AND RETAIL NECESSARILY OVERWHELM THE PUBLIC SPACE.

SO KIND OF MANAGING THAT, THE VISIBILITY, THE CONNECTIONS, AND THEN PARTNERING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND ORGANIZATIONS, UH, LIKE THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND ADJACENT BUSINESSES.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF A BOTH AND TO YOUR QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S, THERE'S KIND OF A EVOLVING KIND OF PROCESS OF CREATING THIS SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT

[01:35:01]

THAT'S GREAT.

YOU KNOW, AND, AND I KNOW THAT KATIE MENTIONED THIS IN HER PRESENTATION AND SHE MENTIONED SHE CALLED OUT NASHVILLE BEING ONE OF THE CHIEF COMPETITORS.

AND I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN IN, IN THAT CENTER AND IN THAT CITY MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES.

AND WHAT I, AND SHE SAID, WHAT WE'RE DOING SOME THINGS THAT, THAT ARE VERY SPIRIT OF AUSTIN LIKE, AND I THINK THIS PROJECT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF NASHVILLE HAS COMMERCIALIZED EVERYTHING AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND IT'S NICE TO HAVE THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME THERE.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE HAT SHOW PRINT DOWN.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE DESTINATIONS THAT TOURISTS WANNA SEE THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.

I, I THINK THAT'S A NET PLUS.

BUT I THINK THAT WE ARE A, A PARK KNOWN CITY.

WE DO HAVE GREAT OUTDOOR SPACE.

WE DO LEAD WITH BARTON SPRINGS AND OTHER AMENITIES THAT WE THINK THE PEOPLE COME HERE AND ENJOY.

SO I THINK THE IDEA THAT WE'RE DESIGNING THIS IN CONCERT WITH, AND, AND CUTTING RIGHT THROUGH THE HEART OF REALLY EXPENSIVE REAL ESTATE IS, IS A TESTAMENT TO WHAT THE CITY CAN DO.

AND, AND IT WILL PROVE, I'VE BEEN TO VANCOUVER MANY TIMES AND STANLEY PARK IS, IS A DESTINATION.

IT JUST IS THERE, YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF VANCOUVER THERE, AND I CERTAINLY THINK NOW THAT WE'RE, THE TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION ON THIS AND WE'RE BUILDING IT OUT, THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WITH THIS PARK.

I MEAN, ZILKER IS AN OUTDOOR AREA AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED THERE, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT IT HAS THE RICH HISTORY AND THE INDIGENOUSNESS THAT THE STORYLINE THAT THIS PIECE OF LAND HAS.

SO VERY EXCITED TO SEE IT COME TO LIFE.

AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING US THE INSIGHT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO OUR WORK.

AND WE'LL SAY THE SAME TO YOU THAT WE, WE SAID TO DEVON, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE PROJECT? YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE, WE'RE RESOURCE, WE WE'RE HELPING THE CITY AND HELPING OUR COUNCIL TRY TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO APPROPRIATE HOT TAX AND HOW TO BUILD, SIT, BUILD THE CITY AND MAKE MORE TOURISTS WANNA ENJOY OUR CITY.

YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WHAT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK AND DISCUSS MORE WAYS THAT Y'ALL CAN HELP US.

I THINK HIGHLIGHTING OUR PROJECT IN THIS CONVERSATION AND RAISING THE THINGS LIKE YOU JUST DID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS BEING A DRIVER OF TOURISM AND LOOKING TO PEERS AROUND THE COUNTRY, THAT HELPS US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA CREATE A WORLD CLASS PARK, BUT WE WANT THE COMMUNITY IN OUR LEADERS TO SEE THIS AS MORE THAN A PARK.

AND I THINK THE VOICES THAT Y'ALL HAVE CAN HELP RAISE THAT PROFILE AS A TOURISM DESTINATION, AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THE ADJACENT AND SURROUNDING TOURISM DESTINATION.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND Y'ALL INVITING US HERE TO BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION TODAY IS A, IS A GREAT STEP THAT SUPPORTS THAT DIRECTION.

WELL, GREAT, IT'S GREAT.

WIN-WIN.

SO, AND THAT'S WHAT STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE.

IF THEY'RE WORKING RIGHT, THEY WIN-WIN.

SO, TOTALLY AGREE.

WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND KEEP GOING.

ALRIGHT, THANKS.

ALRIGHT, THIS CONCLUDES, UH, THESE ITEMS FROM, UH, FROM OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS AND WE HAVE, UH, OUR WORKING GROUP UPDATE ITEM NUMBER SIX.

Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO HANG OUT IF YOU WANT.

WE'RE GONNA COME, WE'RE GONNA BE WRAPPED UP HERE IN 10 MINUTES.

I'M SURE SOME OF OUR FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH YOU, BUT WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE BUSY DAYS TOO.

SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

ALRIGHT, SO MOVING ON TO NUMBER SIX.

[6. Update from the Short-Term Rental Working Group on any new reports regarding the STR’s new focus and efforts for recommendations.]

DO WE HAVE A, A, AN UPDATE FROM THE SHORT TERM RENTAL WORKING GROUP TODAY? I, I SEE YOU COMMISSIONER CHAP.

UH, YES.

I'M, I SHOULD BE LOOKING AT YOU .

SO, UM, WE DO HAVE AN UPDATE FOR THIS JR GROUP.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO ENJOY SOME OF THESE SPACES THAT WE'VE SEEN TODAY.

UM, GREAT CONVERSATIONS, GREAT PRESENTATIONS.

I ASKED THE FINANCE TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER THE NUMBERS FOR THE REST OF 2025.

SO I THINK LAST TIME WE REPORTED FOR THE FIRST COLLECTION, WHICH WAS ALMOST A QUARTER.

AND SO NOW I WANT TO SEE WHAT THE END OF 2025 LOOKS LIKE.

SO I'VE REQUESTED THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM.

SO WE'LL DISTRIBUTE THAT ONCE I HEAR BACK FROM THE FINANCE TEAM AND EVERYONE ELSE ON TR FRONT, SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

WE'LL KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA.

I MEAN, WE'LL KEEP THIS AS A, ON THE AGENDA, UH, AS IT HAS BEEN SO THAT YOU CAN SHARE THAT GOOD NEWS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

AND, AND IF THERE'S ANY, YOU KNOW, WORK THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING OUTLINING FOR, UM, JUST ACTION ITEMS, UM, ON THAT REGARD, WE SHOULD PROBABLY IDENTIFY THOSE SOON TOO BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO OUR ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, ACCOMPLISHED A FEW THINGS AND I KNOW THAT WE WERE VERY, VERY ENERGIZED BY THE SUCCESS OF, OF SEEING THE HARD WORK OF THE STR GROUP FINALLY MAKE IT IN 2025.

SO I, HOPEFULLY THERE'S MORE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UM, AS A DELIVERABLE IN 26.

GREAT TOPIC.

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]