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ALRIGHT, I AM GOING TO GET THIS
[CALL TO ORDER ]
THING KICKED OFF.WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 9TH MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION, AND, UH, WE HAVE A REAL EXCITING, UH, AGENDA TODAY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM LITERALLY TWO OF OUR, THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO THE, THE TOURISM ECONOMY OF AUSTIN.
AND WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS SCHEDULED BY SOUTH, BY SOUTHWEST AND, UH, CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS.
SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA OFFICIALLY BANG THE GAVEL, WHICH MEANS WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN SESSION.
AND I'D LIKE TO START BY BRINGING, UH, THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ASKING IF WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU TO COME SPEAK TO US PUBLIC.
ANYONE WATCHING? THIS IS A RECRUITING, UH, MESSAGE.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
NUMBER ONE.THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING IN JULY, WHICH WE WERE OFF IN AUGUST.
SO IS, DOES ANYBODY, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO GIVE ME A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES, OR WOULD YOU LIKE A MINUTE TO REVIEW? UH, SO MOVED CHAIR.
UH, COMMISSIONER PENOC HAS, UH, GIVEN ME MY FIRST AND DID I SAY MR. CHAN SECONDING? UH, ALL.
ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MEETING MINUTES? NO DISCUSSION.
THEN I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE JULY MINUTES.
PLEASE, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND AND AFFIRM.
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE UNANIMOUS ON THE MEETING MINUTES.
[2. Presentation by SXSW regarding SXSW’s Economic Impact, Opportunities and Challenges related to the Convention Center construction, insights into SXSW Global Expansion, and Media Acquisition Benefits. Presentation by Peter Lewis, Chief Commercial Officer. ]
NUMBER TWO.WE'RE REAL EXCITED TO HAVE PETER LEWIS, WHO'S THE CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
AND, UH, AS ANYBODY KNOWS, THE SOUTH BY, LIKE THE REST OF US IN THE CITY ARE, ARE, ARE HELPING RETHINK HOW THEY DO THEIR WORK BECAUSE OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING TO REDEFINE OUR CONVENTION CENTER, UH, EXPERIENCE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE, THEY'VE JUST COMPLETED THEIR FIRST YEAR WITHOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WE ASK THEM TO AT LEAST SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW IT'S ALSO BEEN A VERY MUCH A CENTERPIECE OF THE SOUTH BY EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR ATTENDEES AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO HE'S, UH, MR. LEWIS IS HERE TO GIVE US A KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S BEEN EVOLVING WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, INCLUDING HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER FACTORS IN CURRENTLY AND IN THE FUTURE.
SO, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
IT'S A HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, WHAT TRANSPIRED THIS PAST MARCH IN 2026, AND THEN ALSO WHAT WE ARE SEEING AND EXPERIENCING FOR, FOR 2027.
UM, SOME OF THIS MAYBE IS A LITTLE PEDANTIC, UH, AND YOU ALL ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THE EVENT.
AND, UH, SO HOW IT'S SHAPED UP.
UH, I BELIEVE THIS WAS SENT AROUND PRIOR TO THE MEETING, BUT AS YOU, I THINK NO, UM, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TRIES TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF CONVERGENCE.
UH, PART OF THIS IS TO CREATE MAXIMUM IMPACT FOR OUR ATTENDEES AND THEIR BUSINESS OUTCOMES BY, UH, COMING TO SOUTH BY EACH YEAR.
BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT DRIVING IMPACT FOR THE CITY ITSELF.
AND ALL THE VARIOUS, UH, INDUSTRIES REPRESENTED SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARE REFLECTED IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AS WELL.
UH, SO GENERAL SHAPE OF THE EVENT.
UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, WE'VE INNOVATION CONFERENCE, MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND CONFERENCE, FILM AND TV AND A COMEDY FESTIVAL.
UM, THE GENERAL IDEA IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE HERE FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE TO SHARE IDEAS, UH, UH, PRODUCE, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL MOMENTS, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LEARN NETWORK, UH, AND HELP DRIVE SOCIETY FORWARD ON, ON SOME LEVEL, UH, NEW FOR 2027.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING A PODCAST FESTIVAL, WHICH IS, UH, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BESIDE THE POINT FOR THIS, UH, INSTANCE.
BUT, UH, WANTED TO SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO DRIVE MORE VALUE, UH, CONTINUE TO ADAPT THE FESTIVAL TO STAY RELEVANT AND CREATE THE MAXIMUM IMPACT, UH, FOR, FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND OUR ATTENDEES AS WELL.
UM, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, 2026 WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGING YEAR LOGISTICALLY WITHOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, AND OUR STARTING POINT FOR, UH, THINKING ABOUT THE EVENT WAS ESSENTIALLY HOW ARE WE GOING TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, GOING TO SHOWCASE THE BEST OF AUSTIN, UH, TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY THAT IS, UH, DESCENDING HERE EACH, UH, EACH MARCH.
UM, WHILE IT WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES, WE FOUND THE EVENT TO BE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
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UH, YOU KNOW, ATTENDEES CONVERGING ON AUSTIN ACROSS OUR CONFERENCES AND FESTIVALS.WE HAD ATTENDEES FROM OVER 75 COUNTRIES.
UH, THERE WERE OVER 2000 CONFERENCE SESSION SESSIONS HAPPENING IN THAT FULL WEEK OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
AND, UH, ESTIMATING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT RIGHT NOW AROUND 375 MILLION, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN YEARS PAST.
UM, AND I THINK IS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, UM, GIVEN THE, UH, SORT OF ABSENCE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, REPLICATE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE, THE IMPACT OF PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
UM, SO, UH, THIS, THIS POLL QUOTE IS, UH, FROM, UH, THE NEW YORK TIMES, UH, FROM A FEW YEARS AGO.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO UNDERLINE THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT WHERE IT'S, UH, SOUTH BY IS ESSENTIALLY, UH, AKIN TO HOSTING THE SUPER BOWL EVERY YEAR.
UM, WE ARE VERY, UH, PROUD OF THE IMPACT IT'S HAD ON THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR THOSE AROUND US.
BUT I THINK PART OF THAT PRIDE IS COMING FROM THE FACT THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
WE LIVE HERE, WE HAVE, UH, SPOUSES, FRIENDS, ALL IMPACTED BY THE EVENT THAT BENEFIT FROM IT, WHETHER PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, DRIVING THESE RESULTS, UH, TO THE BETTERMENT OF OUR, OUR OUR, UH, CIVIC BRETHREN AS IT WERE, IS A, A VERY, UH, IMPORTANT PIECE FOR US AND A POINT OF PRIDE.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, AS IT RELATES TO, TO THIS GROUP AND, AND FOR TOURISM, UM, COVID WAS A, A PARTICULAR CHALLENGE AS I'M, I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE AND GALS ARE ALL WELL AWARE.
UM, OUR INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEE BASE, UH, DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS COMING OUT OF COVID.
UM, PRIOR TO COVID, WE WERE CLOSER TO ABOUT 29 TO 30% OF OUR AUDIENCE COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE US AND WE'VE SLOWLY WORKED OUR WAY BACK UP TO, UH, A 25 75 SPLIT BETWEEN THE US AND INTERNATIONAL.
UM, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT, UH, ON A FEW LEVELS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, FOR A LOT OF OUR INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE HEARD OF OR EXPERIENCED AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE ABLE, AS AN EVENT TO GIVE THEM A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CULTURE.
UM, I WAS IN BOGOTA A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND I WAS JUST INUNDATED WITH POSITIVE PRAISE.
NOT ONLY ABOUT THE EVENT, BUT ABOUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT THEY MET FROM AUSTIN, HOW WARM, HOW WELCOMING, UH, THEY, THEY FELT, UH, HAVING CONVERSATIONS FOR FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, UM, CITIZENS AS IT WERE.
UM, DELEGATIONS ARE LARGEST AS BRAZIL, UM, UK, GERMANY, CANADA, UM, JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA ARE KIND OF ROUND OUT THE NEXT, UH, LARGEST AND MEXICO OF COURSE, AS WELL.
UM, THIS, UM, CONTINUES TO BE A POINT OF FOCUS FOR US GIVING THE, UM, TUMULT I'LL SAY IN THE WORLD AND MAKING SURE THAT WE AS AN EVENT CONTINUE TO BE A WELCOMING, UH, PLACE FOR INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES TO CONVENE.
I KNOW IT'S A POINT OF PRIDE AS WELL FROM A, A CIVIC LANDSCAPE AS, AS WELL.
UM, I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL THIS, I KNOW YOU ALL SAW THIS IN ADVANCE, BUT, UM, OUR ATTENDEE BASE IS GENERALLY SPEAKING, WELL EDUCATED, UH, FAIRLY AFFLUENT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FALLING WITHIN THE BROAD RANGE OF, YOU KNOW, 26 TO 55.
UM, WE ARE BRINGING, UH, INDUSTRY DEMOGRAPHICS FROM ACROSS FILM AND TELEVISION, MUSIC MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, ET CETERA, AS, AS I THINK YOU WOULD IMAGINE GIVEN THE, THE SCOPE AND THE, UH, PERSPECTIVE OF THE EVENT OVERALL.
UH, BUT LASTLY, IN TERMS OF ATTENDING ROLES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO LIKE TO POINT OUT, UH, IS THE, UH, THE ROLE OF OUR ATTENDEE BASE SKUS HIGHER LEVEL WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION.
AS WE THINK ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPEN IN AUSTIN DURING SOUTH BY EVERY YEAR, THEY LEAD TO TANGIBLE BUSINESS RESULTS.
THEY LEAD, UH, TO DIRECT IMPACT FOR PEOPLE'S LIVES PROFESSIONALLY.
AND THIS IS A, A HUGE, UH, POINT OF PRIDE FOR US.
BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, WE ARE ALSO VERY COGNIZANT OF THE COSTS THAT IT TAKES TO GET TO AUSTIN AND THE COST THAT IT, UH, IT TAKES TO BE HERE DURING THE EVENT ITSELF.
AND SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO WORK WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE, UM, EARLIER IN THEIR CAREERS, UH, THOSE COMING FROM UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS AS WELL, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE EVENT, UH, BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY AND COURSE OF THEIR LIVES AS WELL.
UM, LASTLY, UH, WE BRING, UH, A WHOLE PANOPLY OF, UH, DIFFERENT BRANDS AND ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH, UH, FROM A TOURISM STANDPOINT IS MAYBE A LITTLE LESS SALIENT.
BUT I DID WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE NAMES BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF THEM CONTINUE TO COME BACK TO DO BUSINESS, WHETHER IT'S FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, LOCATION SHOOTS FOR A TELEVISION PRODUCTION
[00:10:01]
OR DOING BUSINESS WITH OTHER LOCAL COMPANIES.THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, RETURN, UH, SORT OF REBOUND BUSINESS AND, AND TRAVEL THAT GETS GENERATED, UH, OUT, OUT, OUT AS AN OUTCOME FROM SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE, AGAIN, THE TIME AND THE ATTENTION.
UH, I'M SURE THERE MAY BE SOME QUESTIONS, SO, UH, THANK YOU AS WELL.
I HAVE NO DOUBT, UM, WHO WOULD LIKE, WHO'S THE FIRST OF THE COMMISSIONERS? I'D LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR GUESTS.
ANYONE, ANY COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, KIND OF A UNIQUE QUESTION HERE, JUST FROM THE LENS OF THE VOLUNTEER, UH, ELEMENT.
SO I VOLUNTEERED, UH, FOR SOUTH BY THE LAST TWO YEARS AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL, I WAS GONNA SAY THANK YOU.
WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT OUR VOLUNTEERS FROM HERE, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I MOSTLY ALWAYS GO IN IT FROM THE FILM AND TV BADGE PERSPECTIVE.
THIS, UH, I LIKE THE WAY THAT YOU KIND OF HAVE REWORKED THE, THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
I THINK OVER THE LAST YEAR, THE CHANGE OF LIKE, THE AMOUNT OF HOURS VERSUS, UM, WHAT KIND OF BADGE YOU CAN USE.
UM, I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST CURIOUS ABOUT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS TRACKING THIS PAST YEAR AT THE ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE, WHEN I VOLUNTEERED THERE, I ACTUALLY WAS ASKING THE VOLUNTEERS THEMSELVES, LIKE, WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHERE ARE YOU STAYING? BECAUSE THAT WAS SUPER INTERESTING TO ME TO GATHER THAT DATA.
SO I GUESS AS A FESTIVAL, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU LOOK AT THE, LIKE WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS COME FROM AND HOW THEY'RE ALSO GENERATING HOTEL STAYS, AIRBNB STAYS, ET CETERA? UM, THAT JUST SOMETHING I NOTICED THAT MOST OF THE VOLUNTEERS WERE COMING FROM OUT OF AUSTIN AND THEY WERE SUPER EXCITED 'CAUSE IT WAS A WAY TO NETWORK AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ENJOY THE INDUSTRY.
BUT JUST YOUR THOUGHTS ON, ON THAT.
YEAH, NO, IT, IT'S, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING 'CAUSE WE, WE TRULY, TRULY COULD NOT PRODUCE THIS EVENT WITHOUT OUR VOLUNTEERS.
AND AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THAT ARE COMING, UH, FROM OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN BECAUSE, UH, THERE IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK, DEVELOP THEIR CAREERS, AND IT'S, UH, A BIT OF A HACK TO TRADE YOUR TIME AND HOURS TO, TO, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT FROM THE, THE CREDENTIAL.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I'VE GOT THE DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT WE ARE TRACKING THAT.
UM, AND CERTAINLY CAN, UH, PRODUCE SOME DATA AROUND, UH, THOSE NUMBERS AND, AND, AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, IF IT'S IMPORTANT OR HELPFUL FOR, FOR Y'ALL'S WORK.
YEAH, IT JUST WAS INTERESTING TO ME TO KNOW THAT NOT ONLY ARE THERE VISITORS COMING FOR THE FESTIVAL, THERE'S ALSO VOLUNTEERS.
SO THE FARTHEST, UH, FIELD THAT I'VE SEEN, UH, PERSONALLY HAS BEEN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN, IN JAPAN.
SO IT'S, UH, THEY TRULY ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE TOO.
I MIGHT HAVE A FOLLOW UP, BUT LATER.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
I WANTED TO NOTE, UM, COMMISSIONER PRUITT HAS JOINED US, UH, VIA A LINK.
UH, IS, WAS THAT YOU WAVING YOUR HAND? YOU'D LIKE TO JUMP IN OR YOU JUST WAVING TO US? JUST, JUST SAYING HELLO.
UH, WHO ELSE? OH, THERE IT IS.
COMMISSIONER PENOC, OUR VICE CHAIR.
AND YOU'RE NEXT, RIGHT? DID YOU RAISE YOUR, OKAY, SORRY.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, YOU COMING TO SPEAK TO OUR, UH, TOURISM COMMISSION.
I, I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAD SOME, UH, INSIGHTS FOR US ON WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FOR 2027.
UM, WHAT KIND OF ACTIVATIONS OR NUMBER OF DAYS, LIKE WHAT WILL BE CHANGING? SURE.
IF YOU CAN GIVE US A LITTLE PEEK INTO 2027, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
UM, WELL IF, IF THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER WASN'T ENOUGH, UH, WE, WE'VE ALSO THIS YEAR ARE GONNA BE DEALING WITH THE, UH, RENOVATION OF THE PARAMOUNT THEATER.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME MAJOR CHANGES TO THE FILM FESTIVAL, UH, FILM AND TV FESTIVAL, EXCUSE ME, FOOTPRINT.
UM, AND, UH, THAT IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY A BIT MORE SHORT TERM THAN THE CONVENTION CENTER, SO THERE'LL BE SOME CHANGES THERE.
UH, WE WILL BE USING THE ACL MOODY, UH, THEATER FOR SOME OF OUR BIGGER RED CARPETS.
UM, THAT, UH, IS ONE MAJOR CHANGE.
WE ARE ALSO, UH, HAVE IS YOU MAYBE ARE AWARE WE CHANGED THE, THE DATE FORMAT AS WELL.
UM, SO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, EDU IS GONNA BE KICKING THINGS OFF YET AGAIN, BUT STARTING ON A SATURDAY RATHER THAN A MONDAY AS IT HAS IN YEARS PAST.
SO WE WILL BE RUNNING THAT EVENT SATURDAY THROUGH, UH, TUESDAY.
UM, AND THE, THE NUMBERS, UH, I'M BLANKING, IT'LL BE THE, WHAT IS THAT? THE 12TH THROUGH THE 15TH, I BELIEVE, UH, SATURDAY THROUGH THE TUESDAY.
UM, AND, UH, AND THEN THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FILM AND TV INNOVATION, MUSIC, COMEDY PODCAST FESTIVALS WILL START ON MONDAY.
UM, SO THIS IS A NEW SH NEW DYNAMIC FOR US.
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UM, SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF, I THINK, UH, LEARNING, BUT MOST OF THESE CHANGES WERE BUILT OFF OF REGISTRANT FEEDBACK, UM, AND OUR ATTENDEES ON A COUPLE DIFFERENT LEVELS.NUMBER ONE, UH, THE OSCARS, UH, FOLLOWING DURING THE MIDDLE OF OUR FILM AND TV FESTIVAL HAS, HAS BEEN A BIT OF A, A CHALLENGE LOGISTICALLY GETTING PROJECTS PEOPLE HERE.
SO WE ARE NOW, UH, MISSING OR STARTING AFTER THE OSCARS FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, IN A WHILE, WHICH WE THINK WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, SECONDARILY, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR, UH, AUDIENCE AROUND, UH, ATTENDING THE EVENT OVER A WEEKEND.
UM, A LOT OF FOLKS IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREER HAVE GOT, UH, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBILITIES, FAMILIAL OR OTHERWISE, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA LOSE, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THEIR WEEKEND TO ATTEND A BUSINESS EVENT.
AND SO WE THINK SHIFTING THE MAIN, UH, FOCUS OF THE CONFERENCE, UH, FOOTPRINT FROM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY IS GONNA HELP IN THAT REGARD.
UM, LASTLY, THE INTENTION HERE WITH RUNNING MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR THE FESTIVAL COMPONENTS IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD INTO A BIT MORE OF A CRESCENDO MOMENT, UH, OVER THE WEEKEND WITH THE FESTIVALS, UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UH, LARGER MUSIC PERFORMANCES AND ALSO OUR RED CARPET, UH, FILM AND TV PREMIERES AS WELL.
UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIGGER CHANGES.
AND THEN I, I NOTED THE PODCAST FESTIVAL AS WELL, WHICH WERE VERY, UM, EXCITED ABOUT.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITY AROUND THE PODCAST INDUSTRY FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT IT'S NOT BEEN, UH, UNIFIED.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT A CENTER OF, UH, GEOGRAPHY THAT IS, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK IN TOO MUCH DETAIL RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE STILL FINALIZING A COUPLE OF, UH, LOGISTICAL POINTS ON THE VENUE.
BUT, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE IT, UH, AS A DEDICATED HOME, UM, AND GIVE A LOT OF, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR FOLKS TO CONVENE IN THAT INDUSTRY AS WELL.
I HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, I KNOW LAST YEAR, BECAUSE THE CONVENTION CENTER BEING CLOSED, UM, I KNOW IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR YOUR EVENT.
DO YOU THINK THIS, UH, IN 27 THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, THE ACTIVATIONS A LITTLE CLOSER TOGETHER, OR IS IT GOING TO BE SPREAD OUT LIKE IT WAS THE PRIOR YEAR? I KNOW IT'S A CHALLENGE AND YOU'VE GOT TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, CONGESTION, BUT MM-HMM
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND THAT? WE HEARD THE FEEDBACK LOUD AND CLEAR IN TERMS OF IT BEING A LITTLE TOO SPREAD OUT.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES FOR 2027 IS PULLING OUR MUSIC CLUBHOUSE, UH, INTO THE MORE OF THE CENTER OF, UH, DOWNTOWN, SO TO SPEAK, MOON FROM THE DOWNRIGHT HOTEL WHO WERE WONDERFUL PARTNERS, UM, UH, TO THE THOMPSON HOTEL.
UM, SO THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO SHRINK THE FOOTPRINT A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO FROM VENUE TO VENUE.
THE OTHER PIECE TO THAT IS ALSO AROUND MESSAGING, UH, BOTH, UH, PRE-EVENT, BUT, UH, DURING THE EVENT ITSELF AS WELL.
SO IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IN LINE OR UNABLE TO MAYBE ATTEND A CONFERENCE SESSION, DOING BETTER IN TERMS OF, UH, EDUCATION AROUND WHAT'S NEARBY, HOW QUICK, UH, OR NOT SO QUICK, MAYBE THE, THE WALKING DISTANCE OR TIMES ARE, UM, AS YOU WELL, ARE WELL AWARE, I THINK THE TRAFFIC SITUATION IS GENERALLY SPEAKING A BIT OUT OF OUR CONTROL, AND THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A, A CHALLENGE.
UM, SO FOR, FOR US IT'S REALLY AROUND, UH, KEEPING OUR FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN CONTROL IN TERMS OF THE WALKABLE FOOTPRINT AND, UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, HAVING IT A BIT MORE CONDENSED THIS YEAR COMPARED TO 2026.
COMMISSIONER PENOC, WHO'S NEXT? MM-HMM
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT OVERVIEW.
UM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO 2027 PARAMOUNT CLOSING, UM, AND ALSO THE LOSS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
OBVIOUSLY, UM, I MIGHT BE PREVIEWING WHAT WE'LL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THIS MEETING, BUT WITH THE NEWS AROUND SEVERAL RED RIVER VENUES CLOSING, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ANTICIPATE AFFECTING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST? IS THAT OF CONCERN OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT IN OVERCOMING? UM, I WOULD SAY PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY I'M CONCERNED, UH, IN THE SENSE THAT I THINK THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT IS HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR US AS AN EVENT AND US AS A CITY, UM, I, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF OR, OR PRETEND TO REPRESENT THEM OR THEIR INTERESTS.
BUT THAT, UH, DISTRICT IS HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR US FROM A MUSIC FESTIVAL LANDSCAPE.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, IT IS, UH, AN AREA IN WHICH, UH, OUR ATTENDEES AND THE PEOPLE COMING TO OUR CITY FOR SOUTH BY OR OTHERWISE KNOW THAT THEY CAN HEAR FANTASTIC MUSIC AND GET GREAT CULTURAL EXPERIENCES.
UM, SO ANY MORE, YOU KNOW, VENUE CLOSURES OR, OR, UH, CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE,
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I THINK WOULD BE IMPACTFUL.UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE UH, BEEN DOING THE EVENT FOR 40 YEARS, UH, AND I THINK THAT, UM, ADAPTING TO CHANGE IS PART OF THE DNA AS AN EVENT OVERALL.
SO IT'S, UH, NOT A FATE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THEORIZE ON NECESSARILY, OR, OR, OR THINK ABOUT TOO MUCH, UH, IN THE MOMENT.
UH, OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US AND THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT SUPPORT FROM THE VENUES ON RED RIVER OVER THE YEARS, AND THEY'VE BEEN FANTASTIC PARTNERS AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM AS WELL AND, AND, UH, DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE FACING ARE ON THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYBODY'S MIND HERE LOCALLY.
AND I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION ON THE SUBJECT OF CHANGE, UM, SOUTH BY WAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED WHOLLY, I GUESS, BY THE PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WILL AFFECT THE 2027 ITERATION OR IS IT BUSINESS AS USUAL, JUST NEW OWNERS, UH, BUSINESS AS USUAL? UM, UH, DON'T HAVE THE EXACT STATISTIC OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WELL OVER 90% OF OUR YEAR-ROUND FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES ARE LOCAL AUSTINITES, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WOULD NOT BE WHAT IT IS WITHOUT AUSTIN.
AND, UM, THERE'S NO, UH, CHANGES IN THAT REGARD, NOR ARE THERE CHANGES IN VISION.
UM, THIS WAS A CONTINUATION OF A PROCESS THAT STARTED, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS AGO COMING OUT OF COVID.
UM, AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, CHANGE NO MATTER THE, THE ASPECT OF THE TENOR IS ALWAYS CHALLENGING.
BUT, UM, THEY'VE BEEN, PMC HAS BEEN GREAT PARTNERS AND, AND REALLY, UH, HELPED, UH, US AS AN ORGANIZATION A TON COMING OUT OF COVID AND HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE IN DRIVING, I THINK, UM, ICONIC MOMENTS FOR US AS AN EVENT, UH, THROUGH ROLLING STONE FUTURE MUSIC, BILLBOARDS, THE STAGE, UH, SO AS, AS PARTNERS AND, AND NOW, UH, PART OF THE, THE FAMILY SO TO SPEAK.
IT'S BEEN A, A VERY FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIP AND WE DON'T EXPECT ANY, UH, MAJOR CHANGES FOR 2027 OR BEYOND.
COMMISSIONER WHITE, UM, VICE CHAIR MASTERS.
ARE YOU READY TO STEP UP? ALRIGHT.
'CAUSE I WAS ALSO THINKING ABOUT VENUES AND THINKING ABOUT VENUE SPACE AND TRENDS IN AVAILABILITY AND RENTAL COSTS.
UM, AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE JUST ATTENDED THE EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL LAST MONTH, AND I WAS PUT IN LIKE CHURCH ATTICS AND CHURCH BASEMENTS AND ALL SORTS OF PLACES.
AND IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT, UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING KIND OF LIKE ORDINANCE WISE THAT WOULD, THAT COULD BE A PERMITTING CHANGE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE ANY RENTAL.
I MEAN, EDINBURGH IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CITIES IN THE WORLD, AND THEY MANAGED TO SQUEEZE 1400 SHOWS THERE.
AND IT MADE ME THINK IF THERE WAS ANYTHING KIND OF HOLDING BACK THE CITY FROM MAKING MORE SPACE AVAILABLE TO YOUR, UM, PERFORMERS MM-HMM
UM, AND ALSO WITH ALL THE CHANGEOVER FOR, UH, VENUE RENTALS, A LOT OF PLACES BECOMING BARS AND RESTAURANTS, UM, HOW THAT'S IMPACTING YOUR AVAILABILITY.
YEAH, UH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I THINK THAT THE, UM, UH, COSTS, UH, IN TERMS OF OVERNIGHT STAYS, UH, FOR OUR ATTENDEES IS, IS A VERY REAL CHALLENGE, PARTICULARLY FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, UPWARD OF, OF ALMOST A THOUSAND, YOU KNOW, ARTISTS THAT WE'RE INVITING EVERY YEAR, UM, MOST OF WHOM ARE INDEPENDENT AND, UH, DON'T EXACTLY HAVE BUDGETS TO, YOU KNOW, SHELL OUT A TON OF MONEY, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR A NICE HOTEL ROOM OR OTHERWISE, UM, THAT EXTENDS TO OTHER PARTS OF OUR EVENT AND OUR ATTENDEE BASE.
AND I THINK IT'S A VERY REAL CONCERN, UM, SEPARATELY AS IT RELATES TO, UH, VENUE SPACE FOR OUR OWN OPERATIONS, FOR PERFORMANCES, CONFERENCE SESSIONS, ET CETERA.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS A VERY, UH, DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE.
UH, PART OF WHY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, STARTED IN MARCH IN 1987 WAS BECAUSE IT WAS THE CHEAPEST TIME OF YEAR TO PRODUCE AN EVENT.
AND THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY CHANGED A TON IN 40 YEARS.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT A CRY CRIMEY A RIVER MOMENT BY ANY MEANS, BUT IT IS, I THINK, AN ONGOING CHALLENGE.
UH, PRODUCING EVENTS IS A VERY TOUGH BUSINESS FOR SURE.
UM, AND SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO, YOU KNOW, HELP SUPPORT VENUES, HELPS SUPPORT THE EXECUTION OF EVENTS LIKE OURS, UH, THAT ARE, I THINK ARE A POSITIVE IMPACT CULTURALLY, UH, FOR TOURISM AND OTHERWISE, I, WE WOULD CERTAINLY, UM, UH, SUPPORT AND, AND, AND BE, UH, YOU KNOW, WELCOME, UH, AS AN ORGANIZATION.
AH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BACK AROUND.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, ONE QUESTION SURROUNDING, UM, YOUR HOTEL PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE, AND THIS IS JUST A COMPARISON, ACL USES THE WEBSITE CREW FAIR TO KIND OF FACILITATE IF BADGE HOLDERS OR FESTIVAL GOERS WANNA BOOK AT A
[00:25:01]
RATE, A SPECIFIC RATE THROUGH THE FESTIVAL, THROUGH THEIR BADGE.UM, I KNOW WE'RE COMING UP HERE EVERY SIX MONTHS IN AUSTIN.
IT'S LIKE YOU PLAN FOR THE MAY, THE MARCH TRIP IN OCTOBER AND MM-HMM
YOU PLAN FOR THE OCTOBER TRIP IN MARCH, ET CETERA.
UM, SO COMING UP HERE IN OCTOBER, I KNOW FOLKS ARE GONNA START BOOKING ROOMS FOR SOUTH BY JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY.
UM, I'M ON A TEAM THAT'S OPENING A BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN EAST AUSTIN HERE SHORTLY.
AND ARE THESE LISTED HOTEL PARTNERSHIPS JUST CENTRALIZED AS, YOU KNOW, VENUE PLACES OR, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE AGREEMENTS THAT MAKE, UM, THEIR LISTINGS ACTIVE? JUST KIND OF OUTTA CURIOSITY, WHAT WOULD OTHER HOTELS IN THE CITY WHO DEFINITELY HAVE THE ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, NEED TO DO TO GET LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE POTENTIALLY? SURE.
UH, WE, WE DO HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH ALL THE LISTED HOTELS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, ANOTHER GOOD THING TO POINT OUT IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, HAS CHANGED IN AUSTIN FROM, YOU KNOW, SHOOT 10 YEARS AGO IN, IN TERMS OF INVENTORY AND AVAILABILITY OF HOTEL ROOMS. IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND, UH, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE'VE GOT DIRECT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THOSE, UH, HOTELS AND OR MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THEREOF.
UM, WE TEND IN TERMS OF, UH, PRIORITIZATION ARE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH US ON MULTIPLE LEVELS, NOT ONLY SLEEPING ROOMS, BUT ALSO CONFERENCE AND MEETING ROOM SPACE BECAUSE, UH, PARTICULARLY WITHOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, UH, EAT UP A LOT OF, UH, MEETING ROOM SPACE FOR OUR CONFERENCE PRODUCTION, UH, WORK ROOMS FOR OUR STAFF, UM, OUR SPONSOR PARTNERS, UH, ET CETERA.
UM, SO IT IS, UH, AGAIN, IT KIND OF TAKES A VILLAGE TO PUT ON AN EVENT AND, AND WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT OUR HOTEL PARTNERS.
AND THEY'VE BEEN, UH, I THINK VERY, UM, GREAT TO WORK WITH OVER THESE LAST FEW YEARS, GIVEN ALL THE, UH, VARIOUS CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE COLLECTIVELY FACED.
AND THEN I JUST CLICK THE, UH, LOOK AT THE FULL LIST HERE BUTTON, AND IT TOOK ME TO THE MX RESERVATION, SO I SEE NOW, UM, HOW THE PORTAL WORKS, BUT THIS IS GREAT.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME AND COMING AND SPEAKING WITH US AND FIELDING OUR QUESTIONS.
EVEN OUR INTERPERSONAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
I THINK YOU COVERED CAMPUS STYLE, YOU COVERED, UH, KIND OF GAPS.
UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT THE MAYBE, UM, YOU GUYS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING SPECIFICALLY, UH, FOR MUSICIANS.
I THINK THAT'D BE A GREAT TOPIC TO CIRCLE BACK ON.
UM, WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER OPENING? AND THEN I THINK WE'LL WRAP UP WITH THAT.
UM, MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, OPENING.
I THINK, UH, HAVING A, A HANDFUL OF, UH, FEWER HEADACHES AS IT RELATES TO SPACE IS, UH, PRETTY BIG ON THE LIST, BUT IT TRULY, UM, I THINK THE OPTIONALITY IT PRESENTS FOR US AS AN EVENT ORGANIZER IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PRODUCE, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO ENVISION THE SPACE, I THINK IS, IT'S GONNA BE VERY COMPELLING.
UH, THE, THE PREVIOUS SPACE WAS OBVIOUSLY, UH, VERY USEFUL AND IMPACTFUL FOR US AS AN EVENT, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE NOTICED IN OUR REGISTRANT FEEDBACK IS THAT HAVING A ANCHOR POINT IS A SOURCE OF ORIENTATION AND IN A LOT OF WAYS COMFORT FOR OUR ATTENDEES.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE, UH, A LOT OF THEM HAVE NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN AUSTIN PRIOR TO THIS POINT.
AND SO HAVING SOMETHING THAT THE, UH, SORT OF THE GRAVITATIONAL POOL OF THE EVENT IS, UH, HUGELY HELPFUL FROM AN ORIENTATION STANDPOINT AND, AND MAKING PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHERE TO GO.
UM, SO THERE'S, THAT'S SORT OF MAYBE A BIT MORE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, UH, A BIT MORE HYPOTHETICAL OR SORT OF, UH, A MENTAL, UH, EXCITEMENT.
UM, BUT THEN, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE EARLY IN THE PROCESS, I SUPPOSE, OF WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA LOOK LIKE.
BUT SEEING THE DESIGNS, I THINK, UM, SPEAKING MORE AS A CITIZEN THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I'M EXCITED JUST TO SEE, UH, THAT REIMAGINED SPACE.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A FANTASTIC BUILDING FOR OUR PURPOSES, BUT ALSO JUST VIS VISUALLY AND AESTHETICALLY AS WELL.
AND I HOPE THAT THE, MAYBE YOU RETAIN SOME OF THAT CAMPUS STYLE AND IT LOOKS LIKE KIND OF SHAKING IT UP WAS VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE CON THE CONFERENCE AND THE ATTENDEES.
SO WISH YOU GUYS ALL THE BEST.
AND YES, IT WAS, UH, THE, THE FORCE CONSTRAINT MECHANISM AND RETHINKING THE EVENT, IT'S, IT WAS A NICE, UH, A CHALLENGING BUT NICE REFRESH.
AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF POSITIVE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GLEAN FROM THAT.
SO, UM, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BE, UH, UH, DOING ALL WE CAN TO REALLY IMPACT THE CITY AND, AND OUR ATTENDEES, BUT, UH, THE LOCAL ECONOMY AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.
ANYONE ELSE? I'M CHECKING IN ON YOU,
[00:30:01]
DANNY.NO ONE ELSE I'LL, I'M JUST GONNA THROW IN REAL QUICK THEN, BECAUSE, UM, I DON'T THINK I SAW ANYTHING IN THIS PRESENTATION, AND I'M NOT SURE I HEARD ANYTHING.
BUT, UH, ONE OF YOUR EXPERIMENTS OF LAST YEAR, IN ADDITION TO DEALING WITHOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER WAS TO, TO TRY A SOUTH BY IN ANOTHER LOCATION.
THAT BEING LONDON AND, YOU KNOW, LIVING HERE, WE ALL HEARD IT.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A, A BIG O SCARE WENT DOWN LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THEY'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA MOVE IT AND DO ALL THESE THINGS.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY HEALTHY FOR THE ASSESSMENT THAT EVERYONE, IT MADE EVERYBODY LOOK AT THE EVENT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO AUSTIN AND OUR IDENTITY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I I, I HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE OVER, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY NOT TRY THIS? AND WHAT THE OUTCOMES? SO I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE JUST AT LEAST, UH, ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU GUYS DID IT, HOW YOU'VE DECIDED WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM IT, WHY YOU'RE GONNA TRY IT AGAIN, I THINK IS GONNA CONTINUE.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S WORTH BEING PART OF THE DISCUSSION, UH, AS FAR AS WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS TRYING NEW THINGS.
AND, AND JUST FOR, FOR, FOR CLARITY FOR EVERYBODY, WE ACTUALLY DID AN EVENT IN SYDNEY FROM, UH, 20 23, 24, AND 25 OCTOBER OF, UH, THOSE YEARS.
UM, AND THEN HAD LONDON IN JUNE OF 25, AND THEN AGAIN HERE IN 2026.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE, UH, LONDON AGAIN, UH, NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND THE, YOU KNOW, RATIONALE, UH, I WOULD SAY IS, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, A RECOGNITION THAT EVERYBODY THAT, UM, MIGHT WANT TO EXPERIENCE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO, TO DO SO WHETHER, UH, TIME FINANCE OR OTHERWISE.
UM, AND SO FOR US, IT WAS REALLY ABOUT, UM, UH, EXTENDING THE BRAND IN A WAY THAT WAS THOUGHTFUL.
IT WOULD, AND NOT DILUTE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE HERE IN AUSTIN.
AUSTIN CONTINUES TO BE, UH, WHAT I WOULD TERM THE CROWN JEWEL OF, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST EVENTS.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN CONTINUES TO BE THE CENTER, UH, PIECE, UH, FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION.
UM, BUT THE REALITY IS, UH, FLYING TO AUSTIN, FROM EUROPE, FROM JAPAN, FROM WHEREVER ELSE IS, IS, UH, CHALLENGING.
AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE COULD THOUGHTFULLY, UM, CREATE MORE TOUCH POINTS, UM, UH, TO EXPOSE PEOPLE TO WHAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS, UM, TO CREATE MORE OF A PLATFORM FOR OUR CREATIVE, UH, BROADLY SPEAKING COMMUNITIES, UM, IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE.
AND I THINK THAT THE, UM, BALANCE THAT WE NEED TO WALK IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS THOUGHTFULLY AND NOT IN A, A WAY THAT'S GONNA DILUTE WHAT HAPPENS HERE.
AND SO, UM, THERE YOU WILL NOT SEE US, UH, IN EVERY CITY EVERY MONTH BY ANY MEANS.
IT'S A VERY, I THINK, UM, STRATEGIC AND THOUGHTFUL PROCESS IN TERMS OF HOW AND WHERE WE MIGHT, UH, DO, UH, YOU KNOW, A THIRD CITY OR ANOTHER EVENT VENT.
I MEAN, I, I SEE HAVING WORKED IN BRAND BUILDING IN MY CAREER, I SEE THE NECESSITY THAT IF YOU'RE GOING, YOU NEED TO STRETCH YOUR BOUNDARIES BEFORE SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND STEALS THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO I, I SAW IT AS A FAR REACHING, FAR THINKING, YOU'RE A GLOBAL BRAND.
WE'RE GRATEFUL AND LUCKY TO HAVE THAT REACH FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, AND I, I SAY THAT OF ALL OF OUR BIG TOURISM ENTITIES, WHETHER IT BE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, SOUTH BY, AND I THINK ACL HAS BECOME IN THE SIMILAR VEIN, IT'S A HOMETOWN PRODUCT, BUT IT'S, IT'S GOT GLOBAL REACH NOW.
AND CERTAINLY THE COMPANY THAT HAS HELPED CREATE THE FESTIVAL HAS GONE ON TO BECOME, UH, AN INTERNATIONAL PLAYER AND THAT'S NOTHING BUT GOOD FOR AUSTIN.
SO I THINK THAT WHEN SOUTH BAY'S STRETCHING ITS WINGS AND TRYING, YOU KNOW, NEW THINGS, IT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHARP PEOPLE DO.
THEY GET OUT IN FRONT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COVERING AND CREATING NEW MARKETS BEFORE SOMEONE STEALS THEIRS.
SO, JUST JOINING YOU IN THE FRAY THAT I THINK IT'S SMART AND WELL, THANK YOU.
AND, AND SEEING MORE WITH, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD RATTLE ME TO SEE MORE, I, I, I SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS AS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR AUSTIN.
UM, WITH THAT, IF WITHOUT ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS, I THINK WE CAN THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO DIG IN SURE.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF IT AND WISHING YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS AND WE'RE ALL EXCITED FOR WHAT COMES NEXT IN 27.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
IT WAS, UH, GREAT QUESTIONS AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UH, TIME AND OPPORTUNITY HERE.
ALRIGHT, WE ARE, NOW I FIND MYSELF, I GOTTA FLIP BACK TO MY, I HAVE TO ADMIT, I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THIS.
I HAVE TO TURN THE BOOK AROUND TO LOOK AT THE THING AND THEN I'LL GET YOU.
[3. Presentation by Circuit of the Americas regarding COTA’s Economic and Visitor Impact, and Expansion Opportunities. Presentation by John Villarreal, Director of Government Relations. ]
MOVING ON TO OUR SECOND PRESENTATION[00:35:01]
ITEM NUMBER THREE.AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO, TO WELCOME BACK, UM, MR. JOHN VIAL WHO IS JOINING US.
UH, HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND HE HAS THE DISTINCTION OF THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM CODA, UM, THAT HE WAS HERE.
AND HE GAVE A SNAPPY ONE, AND I REACHED OUT AND I SAID, COULD, COULD WE HAVE YOU AGAIN? 'CAUSE YOU WERE ENGAGED US ALL AND IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN.
AND SO, UM, I'M GRATEFUL THAT HE'S HERE TODAY, AND I'M LIKE, THE REST OF US LOOKING FORWARD TO, THERE'S SO MANY NEW STORIES COMING OUT OF CODA AND THERE'S A BIG ONE.
I'M NOT GONNA STEAL YOUR, YOUR HEADLINES, SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND TELL US WHAT'S NEW AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE.
THANK YOU, ED, AND APPRECIATE IT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
REALLY EXCITED TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AT AT CODA.
UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE HAVE A, A WORLD CLASS, UM, MOTOR MOTORSPORT TRACK THAT ATTRACTS SOME MAJOR EVENTS, BUT WE'RE ALSO DEVELOPING, UM, A LOT OF OUR CAMPUS TO BE A YEAR-ROUND TOURIST DESTINATION.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY SHOW YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED RUNNING MOTORSPORT EVENTS OUT AT CIRCULAR AMERICAS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF GREEN SPACE, A LOT OF SPACE AROUND THE TRACK, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT IT'S PREDOMINANTLY JUST A, A MOTORSPORT VENUE.
UM, THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER AMENITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED SINCE AND OTHER AMENITIES THAT WILL BE ADDING, UM, SHORTLY.
LEMME SHOW YOU KIND OF WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT.
SO THIS IS OUR, OUR CODE OF CAMPUS PLAN.
AND YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, OF THE 1500 ACRES WE HAVE OUT THERE, MUCH OF, MUCH OF IT'S BEEN SPOKEN FOR WITH REGARD TO DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
UM, AND SOME OF IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, PUT IN OUR CARTING TRACK, OUR MINI GOLF AND ZIP LINE, WHAT WE CALL SPEED CITY.
UH, SPEED CITY IS AN AMENITY THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE, UH, YEAR ROUND, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH SEVEN DAYS A WEEK UNLESS THE, IF THE WEATHER'S COOPERATING, UH, WE'LL HAVE CARTING MINI GOLF AND ZIPLINE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE INSTALLED THE AMPHITHEATER, OF COURSE, UM, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY, UM, UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH THE THEME PARK.
THE THEME PARK IS VERY, VERY CLOSE TO COMPLETION.
UM, SO THAT, THAT WILL BE UP AND RUNNING, NO TIME, NO TIME AT ALL.
UM, YOU CAN SEE TOO, UH, WE'VE ALSO INSTALLED A PARKING GARAGE TO KIND OF HANDLE A LOT OF THE PARKING AND, AND SOME OF THE TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING IN.
UH, WE'VE ALSO ENVISIONED A SPORTS COMPLEX AND FIELDS, AND THAT'S BEEN, UM, REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE THAT WILL ENABLE US TO HOST TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA AND BRING THESE FOLKS INTO AUSTIN, INTO OUR CAMPUS TO ENJOY SOME OF THE OTHER AMENITIES.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE GOLF COURSE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S NOT LISTED ON HERE, UM, IS A, IS A HOTEL CONVENTION CENTER THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT DEVELOPING.
IT'S, IT'S BEING DEVELOPED, UH, AND IT'S PART OF AUSTIN'S, UH, QUALIFIED CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL PROJECT, OR ONE OF THEIR QUALIFIED CONVENTION CENTER AND HOTEL PROJECTS WILL BE OUT AT CIRCUIT THE AMERICAS.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE, YOU KNOW, THE BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, CHEER, GYM, YOU KNOW, AND THIS, THE IDEA WITH THIS IS THAT THESE AMENITIES AREN'T UNIQUE TO OUR CAMPUS, BUT YOU KNOW, AS YOU, BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO DALLAS OR SAN ANTONIO OR ANY OF THE LARGE CITIES, THEY'LL HAVE AMPHITHEATERS, THEY'LL HAVE SPORTS COMPLEXES, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY EVEN HAVE A, A THEME PARK, UH, OR A RACETRACK NEARBY, BUT THEY'RE ALL KIND OF SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE METROPLEX AREA, SO THEY COULD BE A GOOD, YOU KNOW, 30, 45 HOUR BETWEEN EACH LOCATION.
WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO IS PUT ALL OF THESE AMENITIES IN ONE PLACE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR TO, TO COME TO AN AREA FOR A SHOW OR A MOTOR SPORT EVENT, OR, UH, A COMPETITION OF SOME SORT, WE'LL HAVE THE VENUE SPACE AVAILABLE TO HOST THESE TYPES OF EVENTS AND BRING THOSE TYPES OF TOURISTS TO, UH, TO OUR AREA.
AND I WANTED TO SHOW TOO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LITTLE BOX TO THE, TO THE LOWER RIGHT, YOU, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ESTIMATES WITH REGARD TO ANNUAL VISITORS.
AND RIGHT NOW WITH THE CIRCUIT AMPHITHEATER, CARTING AND RV PARK, WE BRING IN, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY 1.3 MILLION A YEAR JUST WITH THOSE.
AND, AND THAT MIGHT BE ACTUALLY A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE LAST YEAR'S F1 EVENT, WE BROUGHT IN AROUND 450, UH, THOUSAND VISITORS OVER THE THREE DAYS.
UM, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT YOU CAN SEE TOO ALL OF THE OTHER AMENITIES THAT WE'RE ADDING, LIKE THE AMUSEMENT PARK, UM,
[00:40:01]
THE HOTEL DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CONVENTION CENTER IN THIS ONE.AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DEVELOP A, AN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR WATERPARK EVENTUALLY, THE SPORTS COMPLEX, ALL OF THOSE AMENITIES COMBINED, UM, I WOULD SAY CONSERVATIVELY WILL DRIVE ABOUT 3.6 MILLION VISITORS TO OUR CAMPUS PER YEAR.
UM, SO IT'S SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, UM, AND A LOT OF, A LOT OF FUN TO BE HAD OUT AT CIRCUIT THE AMERICAS.
UM, NEXT SLIDE I JUST WANNA SHOW IS THE 15 YEAR IMPACT OF, AND THIS IS, THIS IS JUST OF, UM, THE F1 RACE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT F1, UM, FROM THE TIME IT STARTED IN 2012 TO LAST YEAR, AND I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS ACTUALLY INCLUDES LAST YEAR, BUT WE HAVE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ALMOST $14 BILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND THAT'S DIRECT, INDIRECT AND INDUCED, UH, IMPACT FROM THE, FROM THE RACE OVER THOSE, OVER THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND YOU CAN SEE TOO, THE LITTLE BAR CHART DOWN AT THE LOWER LEFT, HOW ATTENDANCE TO JUST CONTINUE TO GO UP AND UP AND UP.
AND THIS WAS, THIS IS FROM LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, WE HAD ROUGHLY, YOU KNOW, 450,000 VISITORS, UM, AND THE TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ABOUT 970 MILLION.
AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE, BUT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE LIKE TO DO OUR NUMBERS.
YOU CAN SEE TOO THE EFFECT ON HOTEL, UM, TITLE V, UH, A, B, C AND MIXED BEVERAGE SALES AND USE TAX.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S A REAL IMPACT THAT CAN BE FELT, NOT JUST IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, IN THE REGION, BUT YOU KNOW, HOTEL TAX THAT'S ALSO COLLECTED IN SAN ANTONIO, IN DALLAS, IN HOUSTON.
WE RENT MORE BUSES THAN WE CAN FIND IN TEXAS.
WE HAVE TO GO TO SEVEN DIFFERENT STATES TO GET THE AMOUNT OF BUSES TO HANDLE ALL OF THE TRAFFIC THAT COMES INTO OUR CAMPUS.
WE HAVE TO PUT OUR BUS DRIVERS UP IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE THAT'S AS CLOSE AS WE CAN FIND SPACE FOR THEM.
IT DRIVES A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL EYES AND MOST OF OUR EVENTS ARE, ARE VERY INTERNATIONAL.
OF THE FOUR MAJORS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THREE OF THEM ARE VERY INTERNATIONAL.
WE JUST HAD ONE LAST WEEKEND, THE WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS, LONE STAR LAMO THAT BROUGHT IN.
I THINK THEY HAD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LITTLE JUST SHY OF 70,000 GUESTS OVER THE WEEKEND.
UM, AND, AND MUCH OF THOSE ARE, MANY OF THOSE ARE INTERNATIONAL GUESTS.
WE DO HAVE SOME GUESTS FROM WITHIN THE STATE.
UM, BUT A LOT OF GUESTS COME FROM OUTTA STATE AND EVEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
AND THOSE OUT OF THE COUNTRY GUESTS, WE ESPECIALLY LOVE THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE THEY TECH TEND TO STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, AND THEY TEND TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
AND I THINK WITH LAST YEAR'S F1, I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 60% OF THE VISITORS WERE FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WERE SPENT HERE.
THAT, BUT FOR THAT EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE COME HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A TREMENDOUS, UH, ECONOMIC DRIVER.
AND THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST ONE WEEKEND.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE ADDING A, AN EXTRA DAY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THURSDAY, UM, TO HIGHLIGHT THE SKILLS OF THE FEMALE DRIVERS AT F1 ACADEMY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE F1 ACADEMY ON THURSDAY.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE A BIG EVENT CALLED GRAND PREVIEW DAY, SO THAT THURSDAY PEOPLE CAN COME OUT FOR A VERY LOW PRICE, $20 AND GET ACCESS TO PIT ROW.
$20 ACCESS TO PIT ROW DURING AN F1 WEEKEND IS LIKE UNHEARD OF, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A TON OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, BUT WE WANNA GIVE BACK A LITTLE SOMETHING TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AS WELL.
GIVE THEM A TASTE OF, OF F1 BEFORE IT ALL KICKS OFF.
SO WE'LL HAVE GRAND PREVIEW DAY ON THURSDAY OF F1 THIS YEAR.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS OUR NEXT BIG THING.
THIS IS, THIS IS COLAN THEME PARK.
UH, COLAN THEME PARK WILL BE SET TO OPEN AT THE END OF THIS MONTH ON THE 26TH.
UM, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THIS WILL, YOU KNOW, BRING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VISITORS, UH, EVERY DAY.
IT'S OPEN, IT WILL BE OPEN, UM, MOSTLY YEAR ROUND, AGAIN, WEATHER PERMITTING.
UM, BUT IT'S ONE OF THESE AMENITIES THAT WILL CONTINUALLY DRIVE TRAFFIC TO OUR CAMPUS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, ANOTHER AMENITY FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.
AND KIND OF LIKE THE, THE THEME WITH OUR OVERALL CAMPUS AND HOW NO MATTER IF YOU'RE INTO MOTOR SPORT, MUSIC, CARTING, UM, THEME PARKS, THERE'S SOMETHING THERE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY OR FRIEND GROUP WITH OUR THEME PARK, WE WANNA KEEP EVERYBODY TOGETHER AS WELL.
WE DON'T WANNA SPLIT PEOPLE UP.
SO OUR THEME PARK WAS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A KITTY RIDE AREA.
[00:45:01]
KITTY RIDES ARE KIND OF INTERSPERSED THROUGHOUT THE PARK NEXT TO THE BIG RIDES.UH, I'LL SHOW YOU A SLIDE LATER SO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE MAYBE A BIG RIDE NEXT, WHICH YOU'LL HAVE A SMALL RIDE.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT THE FAMILY CAN MOVE TOGETHER.
NOBODY HAS TO SPLIT OFF WITH THE KIDS AND SOMEBODY CAN GO RIDE THE, THE BIG RIDES.
EVERYBODY STAYS TOGETHER AND MOVES THROUGH.
AND IT'S ALSO DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT ONCE YOU GET OFF OF ONE RIDE, THE ENTRANCE TO THE NEXT RIDE IS RIGHT THERE.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF WORK YOUR WAY THROUGH THE PARK, UM, TOGETHER AND, AND COMPLETELY THIS BEING TEXAS, WE NEED, WE NEED A WATER RIDE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FEW WATER, WATER FEATURES AND WATER RIDES.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR WATER RIDES.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING, COMING, DEVELOPING AN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR WATERPARK AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS ONE OF OUR WATER RIDES AT CODA LAND.
THIS IS OUR LOG FLUE, UM, ALSO CALLED THE SOGGY LAGGER.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE LAGER RIGHT NEXT TO IT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, GREAT, GREAT RIDE, HELP KEEP, KEEP YOU COOL DURING THOSE HOT MONTHS.
LAST ONE IS OUR TURN 20 BUILDING.
I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THIS OFF BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE ONE OF OUR IMMERSIVE RESTAURANT AND RETAIL EXPERIENCES.
YOU CAN GO IN AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANY, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CHOICES WITH REGARD TO FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
UH, WE'LL HAVE NA WE'LL HAVE A FULL BAR AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN THERE'LL BE SEATING, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR.
AND THAT'S THE IDEA IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHATEVER YOU'RE INTO, WHETHER YOU WANNA, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME FOOD HERE, THE T 20 BUILDING AND ONE OF THE OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE THERE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
WE ALSO HAVE, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD, UH, KIND OF CONCESSION KIOSKS AROUND THE PARK.
AND EACH KIOSK WILL BE SPECIALIZED.
SO ONE WILL SERVE WINGS, ONE WILL SERVE NACHOS, ONE WILL SERVE LOADED FRIES, UM, EUROS OR DIFFERENT OTHER DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOODS THAT WILL BE ALL THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
SO REGARDLESS IF YOU WANNA EAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE STANDARD FARE AT LIKE THE T 20 BUILDING OR YOU WANT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIALIZED, UH, WE'LL HAVE THOSE OFFERINGS FOR PEOPLE AS WELL.
SO THIS, THIS RENDERING, IT SHOWS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THE INITIAL VISION WAS FOR THE PARK.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE WHERE THE, THE SOGGY LOGGER IS AND THE LITTLE LOGGER OFF TO THE SIDE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BIG PIRATE SHIP WITH THE LITTLE PIRATE SHIP OFF TO THE SIDE AGAIN, THAT, THAT IDEA THAT THE FAMILY CAN STAY TOGETHER, EXCUSE ME, THE KIDS CAN, CAN MOVE THROUGH THE PARK WITH THEIR PARENTS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAVE A, HAVE A GREAT TIME.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, CHAP, YOU WIN.
IT'S ALWAYS EXCITING TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CAMPUS AND ALL THE NEW, UM, ADDITIONS THAT YOU'RE ADDING TO IT.
JUST GOING BACK TO THE BUS DRIVERS, UM, IS IT BECAUSE THERE WERE NO HOTELS AVAILABLE IN AUSTIN? THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GOING TO SAN ANTONIO? YES.
I'M JUST HEARING WE LOST SOME HOT TACKS, SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT
I MEAN, PART OF IT IS AVAILABILITY.
PART OF IT IS WE WANT TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, THAT AVAILABILITY FOR OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS.
BUT PART OF IT TOO IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S AN EXPENSE AND, AND PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION, UM, DURING THE EVENT CAN BE A LITTLE EXPENSIVE.
AND SO WE LOOK FOR PLACES WHERE WE CAN PUT THE BUS DRIVERS IN THE MOST ECONOMICAL, UH, PLACE, BUT, BUT ALSO THEY HAVE TO BE SOMEWHAT CLOSE, RIGHT? WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T KEEP 'EM TOO FAR.
RIGHT? SO IT'S KIND OF THAT BALANCING ACT OF, OF FINDING THE BEST LOCATION, THE CLOSEST LOCATION FOR OUR BUS DRIVERS AT, AT A GOOD PRICE POINT AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT MORE IMMEDIATE, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR, FOR VISITORS AND GUESTS FOR SURE.
SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED THAT LIGHT RAIL.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE Y'ALL ARE AT IN ON YOUR HOT TAX REBATE AGREEMENT FOR HOTEL? DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? I DO NOT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UM, LET ME, UH, LET ME LOOK INTO THAT.
IF YOU COULD GIVE ME A QUESTION AND I CAN, I CAN RESEARCH THAT AND GET BACK WITH YOU.
COMMISSIONER HAN, WHO'S NEXT? AH, COMMISSIONER PRUITT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
[00:50:01]
THE AMUSEMENT PARK AND TRYING TO BE A YEAR ROUND DESTINATION, UM, ARE YOU HAVING ANY OBSTACLES WITH STAFFING? UM, I KNOW THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT MIGHT LIVE IN AUSTIN, I MEAN, I LIVE ON THE EAST SIDE, I LIVE CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT, AND I ALSO FEEL LIKE GETTING OUT TO DAKOTA FOR A CONCERT IS A BIT OF AAND, AND I DID SEE THE PARKING GARAGE, BUT WHAT ARE SOME, UM, EITHER OBSTACLES OR EITHER, YOU KNOW, BEING, BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT HOW TO, TO STAFF AND MAKE IT, UM, WORTHWHILE FOR FOLKS TO, TO GO OUT THERE AND TO TO WORK THERE? OH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO ARE MAKE THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE CREATING AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMMEDIATELY CLOSEST TO US.
SO THAT WOULD BE DELL VALLEY, UH, PRIMARILY, BUT ALSO TOO, LOOKING AT PLACES LIKE, YOU KNOW, SAN MARCUS IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD.
BASTROP IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, SO WE ARE REACHING OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES SPECIFICALLY, UM, EVEN THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE ARE, WE ARE CONNECTING WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR MORE SPECIALIZED SKILLS THAT WE NEED, LIKE AUTOMOTIVE OR GRAPHIC DESIGN OR CULINARY.
BUT ALSO TOO, WE'RE JUST REACHING OUT TO THE GENERAL POPULATION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR SOME OF THOSE CODA LAND JOBS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT DON'T REQUIRE ANY KIND OF SPECIALIZED SKILL, BUT WE DO NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOKED AT ALL THE AMENITIES THAT WE HAD SHOWN, I THINK ON AVERAGE WE'LL NEED ABOUT 8,000 WORKERS PER QUARTER TO, TO HANDLE ALL OF THOSE AMENITIES THAT, THAT WE DISCUSSED.
SO WE'LL NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND SO WE ARE REACHING OUT TO, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT, UH, UH, INDUSTRY GROUPS, UH, GROUPS THAT WORK WITH, UH, SKILLED TRADES PERSONS, UM, HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE ALSO WANT TO BE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER, NOT ONLY THE LARGEST EMPLOYER OF HIGH SCHOOL KIDS IN THE AREA.
WE WANNA BE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER OF SENIOR CITIZENS IN OUR AREA TOO.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC IN THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN REACH OUT TO THESE CERTAIN GROUPS AND INCLUDE THEM IN THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE CREATING.
UM, BUT YOU BRING UP A VERY VALID POINT IN THAT THE, THE TWO GROUPS THAT WE WANNA REACH OUT TO THE MOST, THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND THE SENIOR CITIZENS NEED TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS MORE THAN THE GROUP IN THE MIDDLE, RIGHT? THE GROUP IN THE MIDDLE HAVE CARS OR THEY HAVE WAYS THAT THEY CAN GET THEMSELVES TO AND FROM, BUT HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND SENIOR CITIZENS MAY NOT HAVE THOSE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN LOOKING AT, UM, TRANSPORT AND, YOU KNOW, LOVE TO, TO EXPLORE HOW TO IMPROVE TRU PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN IN DELL VALLEY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I WORK ON SPECIFICALLY.
NOT, NOT NECESSARILY JUST TO CONNECT WITH OUR CAMPUS, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN DELL VALLEY COMMUNITY, WE ARE DELL VALLEY, UM, AS WELL AS AUSTIN.
AND, YOU KNOW, SEEING HOW HARD IT IS TO MOVE THROUGH THAT COMMUNITY, UM, THAT THE POPULATION DENSITY IS IN ONE AREA AND WHERE WE ARE AS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY NECESSARILY TO MOVE WHERE THE DENSITY IS TO WHERE WE ARE.
AND, AND EVEN BEYOND THAT, JUST LIKE I SAID, MOVING, MOVING INSIDE DELL VALLEY PROPER, THERE ARE SOME MOBILITY ISSUES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT, IT'S KIND OF A, AN ALL, ALL HANDS ON, ON BOARD APPROACH.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF FROM, YOU KNOW, GETTING CREATIVE WITH, UH, WITH SHUTTLES OR PUBLIC TRANSPORT OR THE HOLY GRAIL, UH, THE TRAIN, YOU KNOW, THE TRAIN FROM THE AIRPORT TO DOWNTOWN, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
UM, AND IT WOULD REALLY, REALLY BOOST, I THINK THE TOURISM THAT WE WOULD SEE AND, AND OUR CAMPUS, UM, YOU KNOW, ROADS ARE, ARE SOMETHING ELSE, AND ROADS WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE AS WELL.
UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR, UH, STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO IMPROVE THE ROADS AND, AND WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN GET TO OUR CAMPUS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE WHEN OUR TRACK WAS PUT, WHERE IT IS, THERE WAS REALLY NOT MUCH OUT THERE.
UM, AND NOW WE ARE DRIVING, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE EVERY YEAR.
AND, UM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, QUITE FRANKLY WAS NOT DESIGNED OR BUILT FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS OCCURRING, THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE OCCURRING, UH, BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME AND IT WILL TAKE SOME PAIN.
UM, AND, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN IN TERMS OF BEING SMART ABOUT INGRESS AND EGRESS DURING EVENTS, UM, DESIGNATING MORE LANES, UM, WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO COME IN AND MORE LANES WHEN PEOPLE ARE READY TO LEAVE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE GETTING ALL OF THE WORKERS THAT WE NEED AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO VISIT OUR CAMPUS
[00:55:01]
OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS THEY'D LIKE TO GET OUT THERE.AND I ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE I LIVE AS, AS PART OF THE DE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEN I ALSO, YOU KNOW, I, I BORDER, UH, WORKING IN THE DE VALLEY AREA AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD REMINDER FOR US TO LIVING IN AUSTIN THAT THERE ALSO, YOU KNOW, IS, IS DE VALLEY IS CERTAINLY A HUGE PART OF THAT AREA AS WELL.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND, UM, FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL APPROACH, UM, TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND, UM, YEAH, I HOPE THAT THE GROWTH OUT AT CODA WILL ALSO HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, PUSH OUR, OUR CITY COUNCILS TOWARDS, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE, THE TRAIN OUT THERE OR, UH, SHUTTLE SYSTEM OR MORE BUSES OR, OR WHATEVER IT TAKES, UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY CAN BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, WHETHER THEY'RE WORKING OR JUST ENJOYING IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I SAW YOU DOWN THERE.
HI, I AM STEPHANIE MATHIS AND I'M A DIRECTOR OF SALES AT ONE OF THE HOTELS DOWNTOWN.
I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT ALL OF THE CHANGES HERE IN CODA BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE THAT'S SPECIAL LIKE THIS, UM, REALLY HELPS US SELL THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF CONVENTIONS WITH HILTON AND IT'S, UH, LARGE, LIKE 10,000 PEAK, AND THAT ISN'T EVEN ALL OF HILTON BRANDS, THAT'S JUST A FEW OF THEIR SEGMENTS WE'VE BEEN TO, UM, VEGAS.
AND FOR ONE NIGHT WE WENT, UM, TO WHERE THEIR FOOTBALL TEAM PLAYS.
THE LAST ONE WE HAD IN ORLANDO, THEY RENTED OUT ONE OF, UM, ORLANDO'S, UM, UNIVERSAL'S THEME PARKS FOR THE WHOLE THING FOR US TO BE THERE.
SO WHAT THIS DOES IS GIVES THE CITY AVAILABILITY TO SAY, ARE YOU COMING HERE FOR CONVENTION ONE NIGHT? UM, WILL BUS YOU OVER THERE AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE THE WHOLE PARK ONE EVENING FOR AN EVENT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL FIT, UM, IN YOUR THEME PARK? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, I, I WANT TO SAY, AND, AND RIGHT NOW I THINK IT'S, UM, THE NUMBER THAT'S IN MY HEAD IS AROUND 5,000.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE HOSTING, WE'RE GONNA HOST, UM, A COMMUNITY DAY AND BRING OUT A BUNCH OF, UH, KIDS WHO OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A PLACE LIKE CODA LAND.
AND WE'RE SHOOTING FOR AROUND TWO, TWO TO 3000.
UH, WE, WE KIND OF WANNA, WANNA HAVE THE PARK AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, HALF TO TWO THIRDS FULL, UM, TO, TO JUST, YOU KNOW, PRESSURE TEST EVERYTHING, SEE HOW EVERYTHING WORKS, UH, MAKE SURE THAT OUR HOSPITALITY IS UP TO SNUFF AND THAT EVERYBODY WHO'S ON THE TEAM UNDERSTANDS, UM, HOW, HOW GUESTS SHOULD BE RECEIVED AND TREATED WHILE THEY'RE THERE.
SO, UM, YEAH, I I WANNA SAY IT'S ABOUT FIVE COMFORTABLY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOUR, THE HOTEL THAT THAT'S THERE THAT YOU MENTIONED, THAT'S BEING BUILT IN THE CONVENTION CENTER, WILL, WILL, YOU KNOW, ENHANCE THAT AND SEE A LOT OF THAT BUSINESS.
BUT THAT WILL HELP THE, THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AND, AND, AND SELLING THAT EVENT, YOU KNOW, TO COMPANIES, WHAT'S NICE IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME IN AND SQUEEZE OUT, YOU KNOW, A WEEKEND.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA COME IN, MAYBE EVEN, YOU KNOW, WE GOT STUCK AT THE OR IN ORLANDO, LIKE ON A TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT WAS HOT ON, WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU CAN LAYER IN THAT BUSINESS IN, IN A WAY THAT IS JUST PERFECT.
WHEN ARE YOU GETTING READY TO GET THE REST OF IT DONE THEN? UM, YEAH, SO THE, THE REST OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE WATER PARK, WHEN IS ALL THE, THE WATER PARK AND ALL THAT, ALL THOSE OTHER AMENITIES.
I KNOW RIGHT NOW ALL THE OXYGEN HAS BEEN, UM, CONSUMED BY THE THEME PARK MM-HMM
AND A MOTORSPORT CLUB THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING AT THE TOP OF TURN ONE.
THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE READY FOR F1 THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT THEN I THINK WE'RE GONNA PIVOT, UM, BACK TO THE WATER PARK.
UM, WE'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT A SECOND PHASE OF THE THEME PARK.
UM, THE WHOLE IDEA IS THAT BY 2028, WE'VE COMMENCED PUSHING DIRT OR PERMITTING OR SOME SET SOME VARIATION OF CONSTRUCTION ON, ON THOSE AMENITIES.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UM, CAN'T, CAN'T COMMENCE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION WORK AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
OR YOU, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY'RE AT A PREMIUM RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE WOULD WANT TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN ON ALL OF IT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY WITHIN THE NEXT, UH, TWO TO THREE YEARS, ALL OF THESE PROJECTS WILL BE COMMENCED IN SOME FORM.
WELL, WE, WE KNOW THE PAIN INVOLVED.
ANY OF US THAT GOES TO THE AIRPORT KNOWS THAT WE HAVE TO STAY POSITIVE HALFWAY THERE LIVING ON A PRAYER.
[01:00:01]
THAT AIRPORT WILL BE WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.THAT'S HOW OUR INTERNATIONAL GUESTS GET HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT EVENTS THAT NEED TO HAVE A HOME FROM LIKE CHEER COMPETITIONS TO, UM, SO THAT'S FANTASTIC.
UM, REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE TO GET THIS UPDATE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
SHE HAS A WAY OF GETTING US ALL EXCITED.
AND JUST ONE FOLLOW UP, CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT FOR THE HOT TAX AGREEMENT, RIGHT, FOR THE PROPERTIES OUT ON CAMPUS THAT THE DEVELOPER WILL RECEIVE, WAS IT LIKE 8.25% BACK FOR 30 YEARS? SO THERE IS A RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP GOING ON NOW WITH THAT CONTINUE, OR YOU'RE LOOKING LIKE THAT'S NOT HAPPENING, SO PLEASE CORRECT ME.
YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M NOT INFORMED AS TO, UM, THE RATES ON THOSE AGREEMENTS AND EXACTLY HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK.
UM, SO I CAN LOOK INTO THAT FOR YOU.
BUT, BUT, UM, I WOULD BE SPECULATING AND I DON'T WANNA SPECULATE IN FRONT OF THIS CROWD.
I JUST KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ONGOING.
I JUST WASN'T IN THE PRESENTATION, SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAP, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD TO PASS IT TO COMMISSIONER PENOC THAT QUICK.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
COMMISSIONER PENOC, I'M SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
I JUST, YOU MENTIONED THERE WAS THE TOP FOUR EVENTS AT CODA A YEAR, OBVIOUSLY THE BIG ONE, FORMULA ONE.
LAYMAN'S, WHAT ARE THE OTHER TWO? I I'M NOT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I'M SORRY I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T SAY THAT EARLIER.
UM, SO WE HAVE F1, WE HAVE MO GP, WHICH IS LIKE THE F1 OF MOTORCYCLES.
WE HAVE, UH, WC OR WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP LOS LA MALL, AND THEN WE HAVE NASCAR AND NASCAR, YOU KNOW, IS IS OF COURSE, IT'S MORE OF AN AMERICAN EVENT.
UM, BUT WE STILL DO SEE A FAIR NUMBER OF VISITORS FROM NASCAR AS WELL.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING BACK AND, UM, THE CAMPUS IS GROWING SO QUICKLY, SO I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO COME AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR TO TALK TO OUR COMMISSION SO YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY UPDATE US ON EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SINCE INCEPTION OF CODA AND THE, UM, RACING EVENTS, THAT THERE'S BEEN A INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST FROM LAST YEAR OVER 13 BILLION.
THAT'S WITH A B OF IMPACT THAT'S JUST ON A HANDFUL OF EVENTS.
SO WHEN YOU ADD IN ALL OF THESE OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT ARE, THAT'S GONNA BE THE FUTURE HOTEL, AND I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A TBD STILL ON HOW THAT'S GETTING DONE BECAUSE IT'S A DEVELOPER THAT'S OUTSIDE OF CODA DOING IT, THAT'S WORKING WITH THE CITY, UM, RIGHT.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TPI, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE'RE A TOURISM COMMISSION AND WE WANT HEADS AND BEDS.
UM, BUT I, I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT ALL OF THE, UM, STAFFING THAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED AND THE JOBS YOU'RE GONNA CREATE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY HELPS PEOPLE LIVING IN AUSTIN TO AFFORD TO EVEN LIVE HERE AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOBS.
UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF ASK YOU WHAT, UH, WE CAN DO AS A COMMISSION TO HELP CIRCUITED THE AMERICAS AND MAYBE, MAYBE NOT AT THIS MOMENT OR IN THE FUTURE OF LIKE, IS IT, UM, HELPING TO MESSAGE ABOUT THE ROADS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO SUPPORT NOT JUST CODA, BUT I HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST 10 PLUS YEARS OF ALL OF THE HOUSING THAT'S BEING BUILT UP IN DELL VALLEY.
I KNOW IT'S STILL A BIT OF A FOOD DESERT, SO THAT'S KIND OF AN ISSUE.
SO WE NOT ONLY NEED THE ROADS BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING THESE HOMES AND WE NEED TO HAVE SUPPORT FOR THAT, BUT ALSO THE, YOU KNOW, MARKETS THERE, UH, FOR THE RESIDENTS, WHICH I THINK ALL TIES INTO THE FACILITY OUT THERE.
UM, SO I KNOW COMMISSIONER PRUIT KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS IS WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COMMISSION, IF NOT NOW, MAYBE LATER, TO HELP TO HELP CODA GROW? THAT'S A GREAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPORTATION PIECE IS, IS A PIECE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING ON.
AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT JUST FOR CIRCUIT AMERICAS, BUT THAT COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE REALLY NEEDS SOME, SOME TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS TO HELP THEM MOVE THROUGH THEIR COMMUNITY AND MOVE OUT TO WHERE WE ARE.
UM, NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE A FOOD DESERT OUT THERE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A BANKING DESERT.
UM, THAT IS ANOTHER CONVERSATION
[01:05:01]
I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH SOME OF THE OTHER, WITH SOME FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, IS TO SEE ABOUT INTEREST IN, IN GETTING, UH, A BRANCH PUT IN DELL VALLEY.YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M A LIFELONG AUSTINITE.
I'VE LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE, UM, AND I KNOW THAT DELL VALLEY HAS NOT SEEN MUCH IN THE WAY OF OPPORTUNITIES INVESTMENT, UM, HISTORICALLY, BUT THAT IS CHANGING AND, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THAT CHANGE.
AND I DO THINK MORE MESSAGING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, UH, NEEDS WITH REGARD TO TRANSPORTATION, WITH REGARDS TO FOOD SECURITY, BANKING.
I MEAN, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE GONNA, THESE ARE THINGS THAT A COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE VIABLE.
AND, AND THIS IS DEFINITELY A VIABLE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S LACKING THOSE, THOSE NECESSARY RESOURCES.
SO I THINK THE MORE THAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT HOW TO INCLUDE THAT COMMUNITY OF DELL VALLEY AND RIGHT THERE NEXT TO OUR AIRPORT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SUCH A BIG PLAYER IN, IN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS REGION.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY FILL A LOT OF THOSE JOBS IN TOWN.
THEY FILL THOSE JOBS AT THE AIRPORT AND, AND DELL VALLEY RESIDENTS, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WOULD LOVE TO STAY OUT AND WORK IN DELL VALLEY.
SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN HELP, UM, THAT COMMUNITY MOVE BANK AND GET FED, UH, WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
WHO ELSE? ANYONE? OOH, MY TURN.
UM, I, I WANTED TO, I, I'M GLAD COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ ASKED THE QUESTION SHE DID, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE 1.3 THAT YOU REPRESENT AS THE TRACK, UH, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO ATTENDANCE.
AND I KNEW THAT THERE'S BASICALLY FOUR PRINCIPAL EVENTS CURRENTLY, AND THAT'S GROWN TO FOUR FROM WHERE YOU STARTED.
AND MY QUESTION, IT, IT KIND OF MIXES THE, THE, THE EMPLOYMENT AND THE WORKING WITH THE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE MORE BIG EVENTS, LIKE ONE MORE BIG EVENT EVERY TIME YOU ADD AN EVENT, IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE MINIMUM.
I THINK, I MEAN, I'M JUST ROUGHLY, I MEAN, IT COULD BE HIGHER THAN THAT.
YOU SAID THAT LAST WEEKENDS WAS 70,000.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT THE REALITY IS TO BRING AN ONE MORE EVENT OR TO SOLICIT OR FIND AND, AND THEY'RE OUT THERE.
I, I GUESS I'M LOOKING AS IS PART OF THE CHALLENGE OPENING UP THOSE LEAGUES IN, IN SELLING THE TRACK TO THESE LEAGUES THAT COULD BRING A NEW EVENT HERE, BUT IT'S, IT BACKED UP WITH THE WORKERS.
I MEAN, FOR YOU TO SAY YES TO A BIG EVENT LIKE THAT, I'VE TALKED TO THE WORKERS OUT THERE WHEN I'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FROM TAMPA, THEY'RE FROM MICHIGAN.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T MEET ANYBODY FROM AUSTIN IN MY CONVERSATIONS, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY I KNOW THEY'RE EVERYWHERE, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT I KNOW A LOT OF THE WORKERS HAVE TO BE BROUGHT IN TO, TO PULL OFF SOME OF THESE MAJOR EVENTS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE BUS DRIVERS, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD IN THERE TO, TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE SUITES AND ALL THE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL POSITIONS.
SO I, I'M JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT LIKELIHOOD IS OR, OR THE CHALLENGES OF GETTING ANOTHER BIG EVENT, ANOTHER MAJOR EVENT TO HAPPEN OUT THERE THAT WILL, AGAIN, JUST BEEF UP HEADS AND BEDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I, I, I, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER AND, AND WE, WE, WE HAVE ADDED, UM, A NEW EVENT FOR FEBRUARY OF 2027.
WE WILL NOW INCLUDE FORMULA E.
SO THESE ARE THE ELECTRIC FORMULA ONE CARS.
UH, THEY'LL BE VISITING OUR CAMPUS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK EVENTS LIKE THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMMODATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR F1, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED 8,000 WORKERS TO MAKE F1 GO.
THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND, UH, TO YOUR POINT, MANY OF THEM, YOU KNOW, ARE GIG UH, WORKERS THAT COME FROM OTHER STATES.
UM, AND THEY GIG AROUND AND THIS IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT THEY WORK AND, AND THEY LOVE, THEY LOVE WORKING IT BECAUSE THEY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, UH, COMING TO, TO THESE F TO THE F1 EVENT.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE PER EVENT, UM, AND THEN ADDING AN EXTRA EVENT, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT 1.3, I THINK WAS REALLY CONSERVATIVE WHEN YOU CONSIDER HOW MOTO GP HAS GROWN.
UM, AND THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS, I MEAN, THE EVENT JUST SEEMED BIGGER.
UM, IT SEEMED A BIT BETTER PUBLICIZED.
SO THESE EVENTS ARE GONNA GROW OVER TIME.
AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT CAN, F1 PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW TOO.
UM, AND WE'RE, UM, DEVELOPING EVEN A SECOND TRACK SO THAT SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO, UM, WOULD NORMALLY COME OUT AND TRY AND, UH, DO DRIVER EDUCATION AND TRAINING, WE'LL HAVE A SECOND TRACK FOR THEM.
SO WE'LL EVEN HAVE EVEN MORE TRAFFIC COMING OUT, BUT TO A, TO A SEPARATE TRACK, NOT, NOT TO THE F1 TRACK.
UM, I THINK THE MORE PREMIER EVENTS THAT WE CAN ATTRACT TO THE F1
[01:10:01]
TRACK, WE'LL CERTAINLY TRY AND ACCOMMODATE, UM, IT, IT'LL DRIVE MORE TOURISM AND THEN DRIVE MORE ECONOMIC IMPACT.AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, YOU ELEVATE OUR PROFILE A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
WELL, I'M, I'M SURE THAT, UH, VISIT AUSTIN, WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT IN A NEW SPORTS MARKETING, UH, A NEW HEAD OF THE SPORTS COMMISSION, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, IS THEY'RE DOUBLING DOWN ON MAKING SURE THAT THEY, THAT SPORTS IS, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN AND SPORTS IS GROWING.
AND SO I WOULD THINK THAT THE FACILITY WITH THE FIELDS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YES, THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE COMPETITIONS ALONG WITH THEY WOULD LOVE TO BAG ANOTHER BIG RACE HERE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND HAVING HEARD THEIR PRESENTATION OF THEIR STRATEGY AND THE, THE OBJECTIVES OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR THE FOUR YEARS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS REMODELING.
THEY'RE PUTTING EXTRA ORDERS IN THE WATER TO BRING MORE SPORTS ACTIVITIES HERE.
SO THAT SEEMS LIKE YOU'VE GOT A NATURAL SALES PARTNER TO HELP YOU AND YOU'VE BUILT THE FACILITY.
UM, THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS JUST ABOUT, UM, WITH THE AMUSEMENT PARK OPENING AND YOU HAVE THE RV PARK, I ARE YOU LOOKING TO HAVE OVERNIGHT STAYS FOR PEOPLE TO, I MEAN, MOST AMUSEMENT PARKS HAVE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS.
THIS IS MORE OF A, THE FACILITY'S JUST EMERGING.
SO I KNOW THAT LONG TERM OR SHORT TERM IS THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE STAYING OUT THERE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND OR IN THEIR RV AT MINIMUM.
DOES THE RV PARK OPERATE 365 OR DO YOU REALLY TURN IT ON AROUND THE BIG EVENTS? OH, NO, IT OPERATES 365 AND, AND IT'S, IT'S A PREMIUM OF REPAR, YOU KNOW, IT HAS A SWIMMING POOL.
UM, IT'S A REALLY NICE RV PARK.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I, I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG PIECES TOO IS THAT THAT HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER, ONCE THAT GETS INSTALLED, THAT'LL REALLY ENABLE QUITE A FEW MORE PEOPLE MM-HMM
TO STAY OUT THERE AND ENJOY THE AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE AND STAY FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT IN THE INTERIM, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND EVEN BEYOND THE RV PARK, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL CAMP DURING SOME OF OUR MAJOR EVENTS.
THEY, YEAH, I MEAN, EVEN IN THE HEAT, THEY BRING TENTS, UM, COOLERS AND THEY WILL CAMP ON CAMPSITES ON OUR CAMPUS, UM, AND STAY OUT, YOU KNOW, ALL WEEKEND.
AND SOME OF THEM WILL GET THERE AS EARLY AS, YOU KNOW, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, UH, FOR THE EVENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BIG EVENT THAT HAPPENS ON SUNDAY MM-HMM
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S OUTSTANDING.
AND, AND THAT'S REALLY INTEGRATION OF ITS FINEST.
THAT'S HOW YOU GET EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, MAXIMIZED.
UM, I'LL, I'LL MENTION, UH, THAT ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COMMISSIONER POSI AND SAID, WE DID HAVE PROJECT CONNECT COME SPEAK TO US ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT MOST OF US QUESTIONED THEM PRETTY FIERCELY ABOUT WHY THERE WASN'T A PLAN, KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT AND HOW, WHAT THE IMPACT IS OF, OF WHAT CODE IS PRODUCING OUT THERE AND WHAT IT'S GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE WERE A LITTLE AGHAST THAT IT WASN'T IN THE PLAN, AND WE LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY HAD THE RIGHT PLAN AND THAT THEY, WE OUGHT HOPE THEY WERE GONNA CONTINUE TO RETHINK IT.
AND THE, AND THE, I THINK THE TEAM THAT WAS HERE FELT LIKE THEIR HANDS WERE A LITTLE TIED.
I MEAN, I COULD, I THINK THEY KIND OF AGREED WITH US.
WELL, AND I WOULD SAY FOR PROOF OF CONCEPT, LIKE WE'RE 3.5 MILES FROM THE SOUTH ENTRANCE OF THE AIRPORT, UM, THE EASEMENT, UH, BETWEEN US, UH, OUR CAMPUS AND THAT SOUTH ENTRANCE, UH, IS INFINITELY MORE AFFORDABLE THAN EASEMENT THROUGH ANYWHERE, UH, COMING INTO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO IF WE NEED TO DO PROOF OF CONCEPT OF A TRAIN AND, AND HOW IT WOULD WORK, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT, UM, PERFECT WAY TO PROVE THAT CONCEPT.
WELL, I THINK THAT WE STAND READY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT BECAUSE WE, I THINK WE UNDERSTAND, AND IN OUR FOCUS IS ON HER HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX CREATION, AND GROWING THE TOURISM ECONOMY, AND WE GOT BEHIND THE CONVENTION CENTER AND WE WANT MORE PEOPLE COMING.
AND I, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO EVENTUALLY ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WITH THE, THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, SITUATION OUT THERE.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK I'M OVER SPEAKING TO SAY THAT I THINK WE ALL HAVE SEEN AND ALL, WE'VE ALL PARTICIPATED.
SO WE WANNA, WE WANNA SUPPORT IT NOT ONLY TO GROW THE COMMUNITY AND, AND TO MAKE OUR TOWN MORE VIABLE IF, BUT TO, TO ALSO PROVIDE A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR OUR GUESTS.
SO, ALL RIGHT, WELL, WITH THAT, I THINK WE CAN RELEASE YOU AND CARRY ON WITH THE REST OF OUR BUSINESS UP HERE TODAY.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THE GOOD NEWS AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A FABULOUS OCTOBER.
AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE, OF THE, OF THE PARK LATER.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR STORY AND, AND GET EXCITED WITH YOU.
UM, AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK.
YOU, YOU KNOW, KEEP INVITING ME.
WE'LL KEEP TELLING YOU GUYS EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING AND GETTING EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE TO DRIVE.
IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE BACK OUT THERE.
[4. Update from Hotel Occupancy Tax (H.O.T.) Grant Programs Working Group. ]
NOW, UH, IN OUR AGENDA.[01:15:01]
NUMBER FOUR, WORKING GROUP UPDATE.I SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER PRUITT, ARE YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR IS SOMEONE HERE, SOMEONE ELSE PERHAPS WANTS TO GIVE A REPORT ON WHAT THE, UH, HOTEL BOX OF THE WORKING GROUP, UH, IS
UM, YEAH, WE'VE BEEN, UM, MEETING WEEKLY AND WE HAVEN'T QUITE GOTTEN TO OUR, UH, INTO ANY PARTICULAR DISCOVERIES YET.
UM, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE'VE GONE OVER IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IS BEING ABLE TO FIND THE METRICS FOR WHICH APPLICANTS ARE BEING GRADED IN ORDER TO GET GRANT FUNDING.
UM, AND THEN GOING THROUGH THOSE, UH, TO SEE HOW HEAVILY WEIGHTED, UM, HOTEL AND TOURISM, I'M SORRY, SEEING HOW HEAVILY WEIGHTED TOURISM IMPACT IS, UM, AND GETTING FOLKS TO COME VISIT AUSTIN.
AND THEN NOT ONLY HOW HEAVILY IS THAT WEIGHTED, BUT LIKE WHAT, WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING AND ARE THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THOSE RELATED TO TOURISM? UM, AND THEN ALSO THEN ON THE BACK END OF THAT, UM, STARTING TO DIG INTO, UM, WHEN GRANTEES ARE REPORTING BACK THEIR DATA OF HOW THEY'VE GOTTEN TOURIST INTO AUSTIN OR WHO IS COMING TO SEE THEIR EVENTS AND, UM, WHAT THE IMPACT IS.
IT'S LIKE HOW ARE WE ASKING THEM THOSE QUESTIONS? ARE THEY ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? AND THEN AGAIN, HOW IS THAT, UM, DATA BEING REPORTED? SO THOSE HAVE BEEN KIND OF OUR TWO BIG THINGS.
UM, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO ACME.
UM, THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF GOING THROUGH ALL OF THEIR
UM, I BELIEVE FOR THE ELEVATE GRANT THAT OPENS, UM, OR CLOSED RECENTLY, MY APOLOGIES.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO MEET WITH THEM IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, AND THEN I'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE, UM, COMMISSIONER THE CHAIRS FOR THE LIVE MUSIC COMMISSION AND THE ARTS COMMISSION, UM, IN REGARDS TO THAT, WHAT THEY'RE REPORTING ON TO ACME AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A MONTHLY CONVERSATION WITH ACME.
UM, SO CURIOUS, UM, HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE THREE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, FOCUSING ON AND ARE KIND OF REALLY DIGGING INTO IN THE LAST MONTH.
WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS AND, UH, AND, AND THE EARLY FINDINGS.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S A COMPLEX, UM, WHICH IS WHY, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'VE TAKEN ON THE TASK, SO WE CAN BREAK IT DOWN AND TRY TO GET A LITTLE MORE STREAMLINED IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.
COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE.
HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN ABLE TO GET YOUR HANDS OF THE WORKING GROUP ON ANY SCORED APPLICATIONS? LIKE FROM PREVIOUS CYCLES? WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN SCORED APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE RUBRICS.
UM, THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY, THERE WERE LIKE PROBABLY 10, UM, OF EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL RUBRICS JUST TO EVEN SEE WHAT THE QUESTIONS ARE WE'RE ASKING ABOUT IT.
AND THE FIRST WORKING GROUP MEETING THAT WE DID WITH THAT, WE WERE LIKE, WHOA, THIS IS KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD'VE ASKED THAT THAT WAY, YOU KNOW? SURE.
OR MAYBE WE NEED MORE QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO TOURISM IN THIS SECTION AND NOT JUST AS ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN KIND OF DIGGING INTO THAT.
I'M HOPING THAT WHEN WE HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ACME IN SEPTEMBER, THAT THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE CAN ASK THEM IS LIKE WHAT THE, I GUESS THE, THE AN EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED RUBRIC LOOKS LIKE.
AND, AND I, THE, I THINK REVIEWING A SCORED APPLICATION WOULDN'T, IS ON THE BACKSIDE OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY WORKING ON.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU LIKE THAT FRONT END KIND OF THAT APPROACH.
THE REASON THAT I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS IF I WERE TO LOOK AT A SCORED APPLICATION, I WOULD WANNA SEE VARIABILITY AMONGST THE COLUMNS.
ARE THEY TIGHT GROUPINGS? HOW DO THE, HOW ARE THE JUDGES OR THE, WHEN THEY'RE BEING REVIEWED, UM, ANYTHING THAT JUMPED OUT.
SO THAT'S, I WOULD ASK THEM IF THEY COULD PROVIDE SOME SCORED APPLICATIONS.
I THINK THAT WILL HELP YOU ON THE BACKEND FROM WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, FIRST I WANNA SAY DANNY'S DOING A GREAT JOB LEADING THIS GROUP, UM, PULLING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM ACME AS FAR AS THE RUBRICS, UM, KIND OF REINFORCES MY CONCERN THAT TOURISM IS, ALTHOUGH MENTIONED, IT'S MENTIONED WITH OTHER THINGS AND IT'S KIND OF, IT'S VERY MUCH DILUTED AS PART OF THE, UM, GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS.
AT LEAST THAT'S THE INITIAL IMPRESSION.
AND SO WE'VE FOCUSED ON THAT AND WANT TO GIVE BACK TO ACME AS WAYS
[01:20:01]
TO TO IMPROVE THAT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE DIRECT FOCUS ON, UH, TOURISM, YOU KNOW, ITS IMPACT IN, IN, IN THE GRANTS.THANK YOU FOR THE ADDING INTO THE DISCUSSION ON THAT TOPIC.
UM, I'LL JUST MENTION SINCE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS, I DID HAVE A LUNCH WITH THE CHAIR OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND, UM, NAGA VALLEY.
AND I TOLD HER THAT, YOU KNOW, REFINED FOR HER WHAT OUR CORE PURPOSE WAS, WHAT OUR BYLAWS STOOD FOR, AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT WE'RE TASKED TO MEASURE AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON TO COUNCIL.
AND IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEIR GUIDANCE AND WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE.
AND I COULD TELL THAT IT, WHEN I TOLD HER, LIKE, WE WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FACTOR IN THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL GROWTH.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL AND MUSIC MUSIC IS ONE OF THE CALLING CARDS THAT DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND IT REALLY INFORMS A LOT OF OUR TOURISM EXPERIENCES ARE BEING BUILT AROUND MUSIC.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE, BUT THAT WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY CLEAR ON HOW TOURISM IS BEING WEIGHTED.
AND I COULD TELL THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM HER, YOU KNOW, THEY STRUGGLE THEMSELVES.
I MEAN, HOW DOES A MUSICIAN DRIVE TOURISM? YOU KNOW, MUSICIANS MAKE MUSIC.
MUSICIANS ARE COMPOSERS, MUSICIANS ARE WRITERS, MUSICIANS ARE FILM OR, OR, OR YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CREATING SCORES FOR FILMS AND YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T LIVE ON THE EDGE OF STRATEGY OF HOW DO THEY PUT A HEAD IN THE BED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT I SAID TO HER IS THAT'S, IT'S OUR JOB TO WORK WITH YOU.
WE WANT TO HELP YOU MAKE THAT EASIER.
WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT, MORE NATURAL.
WE'RE NOT, AND WE ARE NOT, OUR INTEREST ISN'T MAKING IT HARDER.
OUR INTEREST IS JUST BEING CLEAR ON, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF OUR MUSIC ECONOMY THAT CREATES TOURISM ECONOMY.
AND, AND SHE WAS VERY OPEN TO MORE CONVERSATION.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO POSSIBLY MOVE INTO A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE REV RIVER DISTRICT HERE, BECAUSE MANY OF US HAVE BEEN CHATTING ABOUT IT.
AND I GAVE HER THAT AS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF WE BOTH MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL FOR, FROM A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINTS, BUT FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, TO ENCOURAGE THE RECOGNITION THAT THE RED RIVER DISTRICT PLAYS A, YOU KNOW, AN IMPORTANT PART.
AND I WAS GLAD TO HEAR, UM, OUR GUEST SPEAKER FROM SOUTH BY TODAY REITERATE THAT.
AND 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, FOR THE YEARS THAT I ATTENDED SOUTH BY, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A BIG EPICENTER HAPPENING AT RED RIVER ALMOST ANNUALLY THAT I SPENT AS MUCH TIME ON RED RIVER AS I DID ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY.
SO I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, FROM THE TOURISM PERSPECTIVE, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THAT WE DO HAVE A STAKE IN THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE IT, IT AFFECT NOT, NOT JUST HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT, YOU KNOW, THE RECIPIENTS OF PEOPLE GETTING HOT GRANTS IT FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION, BUT WHAT IT'S DOING TO FORCE SOME OF OUR BIGGEST EVENTS IN THE CITY TO RETHINK HOW THEY'RE DOING THE WORK AND, AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO DRIVING, UH, YOU KNOW, NEW VISITS.
BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DO FADE AWAY SOUTH BY, HAS TO REGENERATE.
I MAY HAVE GONE MANY YEARS, BUT I LIVED HERE MANY YEARS, SO IT WAS EASIER FOR ME.
I CAME A FEW YEARS WHEN I DIDN'T LIVE HERE.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT CHANGES OVER NEW BLOOD.
AND SO WE NEED, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOUTH BY IS NOT STATIC AND IT HAS TO GROW NEW, NEW ATTENDEES.
THEY CAN'T RELY ON RE REPEAT BUSINESS.
SO, AT ANY RATE, UM, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE FROM THE WORKING GROUP.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS IF YOU, I'M SURE OUR LIAISONS ARE WATCHING YOU DO IT, BUT, UM, I, I DO WANNA OPEN IT UP.I, I SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAD THINGS, UH, COMMENTS BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT RED RIVER, SO I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE WENT ON RECORD AS RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNCIL, UM, FUND AND SUPPORT RED RIVER DISTRICT IN EQUAL WAYS THAT THEY DO SOME OF THE OTHER MUSIC DISTRICTS.
AND IT'S BEEN, I DUNNO, A YEAR AND A HALF WHENEVER WE DID THAT.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT YEAR Y'ALL, I MEAN, Y'ALL HAVE TO HELP US DO THE HOMEWORK.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN WE MADE THAT RESOLUTION, BUT IT WAS, WE'LL FIND IT 24.
YOU'VE BEEN DOING THE RESEARCH.
YOU DO, YOU HAVE, I MEAN, WHO WANTS TO SPEAK? OH, DO WE, DO I HAVE TO CALL ON PEOPLE TO SPEAK OR CAN WE HAVE AND WE'RE ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? JUST, OH, SORRY.
WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE ON FUTURE GENERALIZED AND I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RED RIVER SPECIFICALLY.
RED RIVER AS A, AS AN ITEM THAT WE, FOR NEXT MEETING THAT PEOPLE ARE, WERE KEYED UP ABOUT AND WE WANNA FIGURE OUT.
I'M GONNA GO COMMISSIONER SHANNON.
AND JUST ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ABOUT SUPPORTING RED RIVER DISTRICT IS IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME EXACTLY WHAT FORM OF SUPPORT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, OTHER THAN YOU HEAR THIS GENERAL
[01:25:01]
NOTION OF, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL NEEDS TO SUPPORT THE RED RIVER DISTRICT.YOU KNOW WHAT IT UM, I, I'M GONNA, I THINK I'M GONNA LET VICE CHAIR MASTERS ANSWER THIS, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT HOT TAX COMING UP IN ANY OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK IT HA HA BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT HOT TAX, SOMEBODY COULDN'T TRY TO SUGGEST THAT HOT TAX BE USED AS A, A VEHICLE TO HELP DO SOME OF THE FINANCIAL MODELING, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT THEY'RE ASKING.
THEY'VE GOT SOME, SOME IDEAS ABOUT FINANCIAL MODELING THAT SUPPORTS PEOPLE DOWN THERE.
DO YOU, DO, DID YOU GET DEEPER INTO THAT? SO I JUST WANNA PAUSE REAL QUICK.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT HAVING LIKE A FULL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ITEM 'CAUSE AH, POSTED FOR IT SO WE CAN POST IT ON THE NEXT MEETING AND DISCUSS MAYBE WHAT WE WANNA TALK ABOUT IN THAT MEETING.
WE'LL CONSIDER THIS NARROWING THE FOCUS THEN.
THANK YOU FOR THAT ENCOURAGEMENT.
UM, I DID SOME PRELIMINARY RESEARCH WHEN I HAD A COUPLE OF HOURS TODAY.
AND SO THE LETTER AT LARGE THAT WENT OUT WAS TO SUPPORT, UH, TWO ORDINANCES THAT WERE PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE WAS THE AUTHOR OF BOTH OF THOSE.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SECOND ONE.
I KNOW I PRINTED THEM BOTH OUT AND I'M PROMPTLY FOR FORGOT THEM, BUT ONE OF THEM, UM, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT WAS TO SUPPORT THE OVERLAY THAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED.
UM, AND SO THESE WERE BOTH ORDINANCES THAT HAD PASSED TO TRY TO SUPPORT THAT DISTRICT THAT HAVE JUST NOT BEEN ACTED ON SINCE THEY PASSED.
UM, SO IF YOU GO TO THE RED RIVER, UH, WEBPAGE, THEY HAVE THE OPEN LETTER, THEY HAVE LINKS TO BOTH OF THE ORDINANCES.
THEY ALSO HAVE A REALLY HEALTHY, LONG, UM, TIMELINE.
UM, GOING BACK PROBABLY 20 YEARS OF WORK, UH, FROM CITY COUNCIL, UM, AND THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED AND COMPLETED.
UM, SO I MESSAGED ONE OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO COME UP AT OUR MEETING TODAY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE KIND OF BE SUPPORTIVE? COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE HAS COME FORWARD AND SUBMITTED A LETTER SAYING THAT HE WANTS TO WORK WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT CAN GET DONE, UM, AND HOW TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCES THAT ALREADY PASSED AND WHAT'S KEEPING THEM FROM BEING ENACTED.
AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH BOTH THAT OFFICE AND WITH MY OWN, I REPRESENT D 10, UM, TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WE COULD DO AS A COMMISSION POTENTIALLY ALSO TO ECHO, SINCE WE TO, UM, THE CHAIRMAN'S POINT HAVE, UM, ISSUED LETTERS OF SUPPORT IN THE PAST TO COUNCIL AND NOW THAT WE HAVE TWO ACTIONABLE ITEMS, UH, TO, UM, ALSO REINFORCE SUPPORT FOR THAT THE 2024 ACTION WAS, UM, SUPPORTED BY, UM, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND THE MUSIC COMMISSION BOTH ALSO TICK ACTION.
SO PERHAPS THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO THOSE CHAIRS.
PERHAPS THERE'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A JOINT SIGN ON OPPORTUNITY.
I'M SURE THEY ARE ALSO, UM, READY TO DO SOMETHING.
SO PERHAPS, UM, AT OUR NEXT MEETING, IF THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE DRAFTED OR I WOULDN'T MIND WORKING ON THAT, UM, IN THE BACKGROUND.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, IF, IF EVERY, IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN THAT, I'M HAPPY TO WORK ON IT.
I WAS GONNA LET YOU, SO I ASSUME DO, DO WE NEED TO SEEK A MOTION TO ADD AN AGENDA ITEM FOR RED RIVER FOR THE NEXT MEETING? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE I WANNA START.
'CAUSE I THINK, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING THAT WE WANNA DO.
SO, UM, CAN I GET A MOTION, UH, THAT FOR IN OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING, UH, I HAVE FIRST MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SHANNON.
UM, DO I HAVE SECOND COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? AYE.
UM, THEN I GUESS ALL IN FAVOR OF US, UH, PUTTING THE RED RIVER DISTRICT AND RENEW REVIEWING OUR LAST, UH, COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
EVERYBODY'S ENGAGED IN THIS TOPIC, SO, UM, WE'LL PROBABLY POST THAT AS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
I WAS GONNA, I THINK WE NEED BOTH.
I THINK WE NEED, AND I THINK THAT MEANS, THAT MEANS THEN THAT IT GIVES, UH, VICE CHAIR MASTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT OUR LAST RESOLUTION AND PERHAPS DO A, A MODIFICATION UPDATE AND COULD PRESENT IT FOR US FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION IN THE NEXT MEETING WHILE WE ADD TO THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE INITIATING HERE.
WOULD, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO EITHER LIKE DRAFT A LETTER URGING THEM OR DRAFT A NEW RESOLUTION? TO YOUR POINT, WOULD WE GO DO THAT NEXT WEEK
[01:30:01]
OR NEXT MONTH? EXCUSE ME.SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN? WOULD WE BE ABLE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION AS PART OF THAT MEETING? IF, IF, IF YOU ARE DOING DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION YES.
SO WE'RE GONNA A RECOMMENDATION I THINK, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL? RIGHT.
YEAH, SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA CODE THE, THE, THE ITEM TO INCLUDE, PUT A POTENTIAL ACTION, WHICH GIVES A, WHICH GIVES US THE ABILITY TO PUT ON THE TABLE OF, OF RESOLUTION FOR REVIEW AT THAT MEETING.
AND YEAH, WE'LL PROVIDE THE OLD ONE AS AS A REFERENCE, BUT YEAH, YOU'D BE PROBABLY CREATING A NEW ONE.
YEAH, I I THINK THAT THAT VICE CHAIR MASTERS HAS ALREADY LOOKED AT THAT AND WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MAKE SURE, AND, AND THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, DANNY AS WELL, IF YOU HAPPEN, I MEAN I, I KNOW WE, IF YOU HAPPEN TO REACH OUT TO OR GET A RESPONSE FOR YOUR OUTREACH THAT YOU'VE REPORTED ON TO, TO, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE MUSIC COMMISSION, I, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO ASK THEM IN WHAT MANNER ARE YOU, UM, THE COMMISSION LOOKING AT THE RED RIVER SITUATION AND SEE WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE WE GET.
AND I THINK IT'S FAIR FOR YOU TO SAY IN THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE PUTTING IT ON OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH WITH A POTENTIAL ACTION, UH, RELATED TO SUPPORTING.
YES, I'M
BUT YEAH, I, I AGREE THAT'S WORTH, UM, IF I'M ALREADY IN A CONVERSATION WITH THEM TO, YOU KNOW, ADD THAT, UM, TO OUR AGENDA, UM, FOR MEETING WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONS.
AND THEN ALSO I JUST WANTED TO, I'LL PUT OUT THERE, UM, I, I STILL HAVEN'T, I MEAN, AS THE WORKING GROUP, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO SORT OUT LIKE KIND OF WHAT EACH FUNDING PROGRAM IS AND THERE IS NOW A CREATIVE ASSISTANCE SPACE PROGRAM.
SO I'M CURIOUS, WHILE WE HAVE THE TIME BETWEEN THIS MONTH AND NEXT MONTH FOR FOLKS TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT PROGRAM MEANS AND WHAT THAT PROGRAM DOES AND THAT, HOW THAT RELATES TO THE POTENTIAL OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE, THE RED RIVER.
'CAUSE I KNOW, UM, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO IT ENOUGH.
UM, BUT UM, I'M ASSUMING SOME OF IT, PART OF IT IS RENT RELATED AND, AND LEASE RELATED.
AND, UM, I JUST, I'M CURIOUS EVERYONE'S KIND OF THOUGHTS ON LOOKING AT THAT AND THEN HOW THOSE TWO THINGS MIGHT RELATE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE OUR HOT FUNDING GOES RIGHT NOW FOR SPACE.
UM, FEEDBACK AND, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAN WOULD LIKE TO JUMP IN THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL.
DOES ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A SPOKESPERSON ON BEHALF OF THE RED RIVER DISTRICT THAT COULD COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT THEIR PROBLEMS ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? GREAT.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE LAST YEAR, YES, WE, I THINK WE HAD THE DIRECTOR COMMISSIONER SHANNON THERE IS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO TO SEE IF SHE'S AVAILABLE TO COME TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
SO IN, AS PART OF THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, WE ARE ALSO, WE'RE POTENTIALLY CONSIDERING INVITING REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE RED RIVER DISTRICT TO ADDRESS US AS PART OF THE MEETING AND AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, IF Y'ALL WANT, WE COULD ASK FOR THAT.
WELL, I, I WAS GONNA MOVE ON TO, I WAS LOOKING AT OUR, THE ROADMAP AND I WAS GONNA START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT OUR NEXT MEETING THEME LOOKS LIKE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN STILL BRING SOMEONE IN FROM RED RIVER, WE CAN ADD THAT, IT MAY NOT BE ON THE TOPIC, BUT IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ESSENTIALLY A TOPIC THAT WE, WE ARE STAKED INTO AND WE'VE ALREADY GONE ON RECORD ON.
WE CAN STILL HAVE THAT ADDRESS EVEN IF WE ARE BENDING THE MEETING ANOTHER DIRECTION, UM, FOR SOME OF OUR OTHER GUESTS.
BUT, SO I THINK WE SHOULD PLAN TO DO THAT.
DO YOU, DO YOU WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, ARE YOU GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO THEM VICE CHAIR MASTERS BEFORE YOU KNOW THAT YOU MAY WANT TO JUST HAVE A INFORMAL AND THEN SAY WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH AN OFFICIAL INVITE OR YEAH.
UM, I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD, WHICH IS IF I DRAFT SOMETHING, IT'S GONNA BE HARD FOR ME TO DRAFT SOMETHING AND THEN WE HAVE THAT PERSON THERE.
IT DEPENDS HOW URGENT THE ACTION IS.
IF WE CAN WAIT TWO MONTHS TO TAKE AN ACTION, THEN YES, IT MAKES A HUNDRED PERCENT SENSE FOR SOMEBODY TO COME.
BUT IF I DRAFT SOMETHING AND THEN EVERYBODY KIND OF WANTS TO TEAR IT UP BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION, I'M GONNA BE LIKE, OH, THAT'S KIND OF A WASTE.
SO I GUESS I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING OUT LOUD AND THAT'S NOT VERY HELPFUL.
BUT, UM, I GUESS IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE URGENCY, WHICH I THINK I CAN TRY TO SUSS OUT A LITTLE BIT.
WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON ALREADY INVITED TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ALL THREE, WHICH IS A LONG RIGHT.
AND, AND SO JUST TO PIVOT OVER THAT, THE, THE, THE NEXT MEETING WE WERE, WE'RE BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT, UM,
[01:35:03]
FOOD TOURISM IS ONE OF THE MAJOR AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT AN AGREEMENT FROM THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO SEND, I, UH, FIRED OFF AN EMAIL TODAY TO TOM NEWNAN, WHO'S THE, THE CEO OF VISIT AUSTIN, SPECIFICALLY ON THE PROCESS OF, UH, GETTING, LETTING HIM KNOW THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN DIVING INTO THE IMPACT OF THE MICHELIN AWARDS AND THE IMPACT OF THE BEARD AND THE GROWING, UM, EVEN AMOUNT OF, I SAW IT IN THEIR, THE MARKETING WHEN THEY CAME FORWARD AND SHOWED US THE MARKETING PLAN WHERE THEY WERE PUTTING EXTRA SPENDING AND EXTRA MESSAGING AROUND AND VISIT AUSTIN, MADE IT CLEAR THAT FOOD TOURISM AND BARBECUE AND EVEN SOME OF THE PRODUCTIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE FOR FOOD SHOWS IN THEIR AROUND HERE.AND I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO, IF THEY CAN DO A FULL PRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO FOOD TOURISM AND WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.
UM, SO IF THOSE TWO THINGS HAPPEN, THEN THAT'S KIND OF THE DIRECTION OUR NEXT MEETING'S GONNA GO.
AND I CER AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE, WE CERTAINLY HAVE ROOM TO ADD THE RED RIVER ELEMENT.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TOPICAL TO THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S TIMING.
UH, COMMISSIONER FOSI, JUMP IN.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE ASK STAFF TO CONTACT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RED RIVER TO SEE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO COME FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
I WOULD STILL SAY IT'S PROBABLY PRODUCTIVE IF, UH, VICE CHAIR MASTERS WOULD LIKE TO DRAFT, UM, SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION LANGUAGE THAT AT LEAST WE'VE GOT A, UH, STARTING POINT ON.
UM, I THINK THAT'LL BE HELPFUL 'CAUSE WE CAN THEN CHANGE IT OUT.
AND I KNOW IN PAST RESOLUTIONS WE'VE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ALWAYS SOME, SOME INPUT TO ADD, BUT THAT COULD GIVE US THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE SO WE GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
WE'VE GOT SOME FRAMEWORK FOR THE LANGUAGE OF A RESOLUTION, WHICH THEN WE CAN TAKE ACTION ON IN THE FOLLOWING MEETING.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD FRAMEWORK TO, IS THAT MOTION COMMENTS
I JUST, IF IF THERE'S, I I, THAT'S MY MOTION THAT WE HAVE STAFF CONTACT FOR THEM TO COME IN AND IF WE HAVE TO STAY A LITTLE LONGER FOR THE OTHER PRESENTATIONS, I MEAN, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT.
I I THINK IT'S GOOD TO PUT THEM ON.
SO JUST SAME AS WE HAD TODAY, RIGHT? LIKE IT WOULD BE FITTING TO HAVE THEM AS THE TOPIC.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF ACTION ITEMS, WHAT ARE THEY MAKING OUT HERE? UM, WE ALREADY HAVE OUR GRANT PROGRAM WORKING GROUP, RIGHT? SO WE COULD JUST, IF THAT GROUP, AND I THINK YOU TALKED TO DANNY ABOUT IT ALREADY, IF THEY COULD LOOK INTO HOT CULTURAL ART GRANTS COULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS LEGACY VENUE PRESERVATION OR OVERLAY IMPLEMENTATION COSTS.
AND THEN WHAT RED RIVER DISTRICT IS REALLY NEEDING US TO DO, AND REALLY JUST NUDGE COUNCIL, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY REQUESTED THEM DO, IS FINISH THE OVERLAY AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION LANGUAGE IN PHASE TWO AND CITE THE TOURISM DATA.
SO THERE'S NOT ANY NET NEW ACTION THAT THEY WOULD NEED.
GOING BACK TO VICE CHAIR'S POINT ABOUT DRAFTING A RESOLUTION AND HAVING IT DONE, OUR ACTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE AND OUR WORKING GROUPS ARE ALREADY SET UP.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT RECREATING NEW THINGS ON THIS TOPIC, WHICH I THINK COMMUNITY-WISE WOULD BE HELPFUL, THAT WE COULD DO IT VERY TIMELY.
AND I, I SEE, I SEE WHAT, WHAT WHAT WE'RE SETTING OURSELVES UP TO MOVE QUICK, MORE QUICKLY BECAUSE THIS IS TIMELY.
SO I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WAS THAT THE COMBINATION OF THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL AND POSI AND FOR LEADING ON THIS PIECE OF THE DISCUSSION, I BELIEVE THAT COMMISSIONER POSIION MADE A MOTION THAT WE INSTRUCT STAFF TO, TO INVITE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RED RIVER TO THE NEXT MEETING.
I SEE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER CHANIN.
SO, UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ANYONE? SO JUST TAKE A VOTE THEN.
ALL IN FAVOR OF INVITING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO THE NEXT MEETING.
I, DANNY, MS. COMMISSIONER PRUITT, ARE YOU, UH, ABSTAINING? ARE YOU VOTING IN? MY APOLOGIES.
SO THAT THEN THAT MAKES A HUNDRED PERCENT UNIVERSAL.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A, YOU GOT A FLAVOR.
I'LL FOLLOW UP MY DISCUSSION AND WE WILL, YOU'LL SEE WHEN THE AGENDA COMES OUT.
IF WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN PULLING THE CAST TOGETHER, WE WANT TO HAVE THE, THE FOOD TOURISM DISCUSSION AND UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PR PARTICIPATION TODAY.
AND THEN JUST FOR OUR CLARITY, WE'RE STRIKING THE A BIA BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE, WE'RE
[01:40:01]
PLANNING TO HAVE THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION VISIT AUSTIN AND THEN NOW ADDING RED RIVER.IS THAT CORRECT OR ARE WE STILL INVITING A-B-I-A-I, UM, I GEN I GENERALLY WAIT UNTIL I SEE HOW WE'RE DOING WITH THE OTHERS OKAY.
OF WHETHER I CAN DROP, I MEAN I, I ALMOST, I I I WANT TO HAVE A BIA AND I CAN BASICALLY TELL EVERYONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD MIX A BIA AND THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR OUR, I WAS GONNA RECORD NOVEMBER MEETING.
AND THAT'S KIND OF, TO ME, I FEEL LIKE THOSE BELONG TOGETHER 'CAUSE IT'S ABOUT BUILDING OUR NEW AIRPORT, ABOUT BUILDING OUR NEW CONVENTION CENTER.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE WE'RE FORGETTING, OR WE DON'T WANT TO FORGET THAT THE FORMULA ONE EVENT IS A WEEK THE NEXT WEEK, THE 22ND, 23RD, 24TH, AND THE AIRPORT'S GOING TO BE SLAMMED WITH ALL THE VISITORS.
SO IT MAKES SENSE TO MOVE THAT TO NOVEMBER PERFECT FEEDBACK, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE, THIS IS WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IN THIS FORMAT WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEXT MEETING AND GETTING THIS STUFF ORGANIZED.
WE LAID OUT THE ROADMAP AS A ROUGH OUTLINE TO HELP GUIDE US, BUT I AGREE WITH ALL THE SENTIMENTS HERE.
AND SO TO YOUR ANSWER, I THINK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LEANING TOWARDS MOVING A BIA TO NOVEMBER.
AND I THINK JUST FOR Y'ALL'S RECORDS, WE DID FIND YOUR PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU DID SUPPORTING THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
WE CAN SEND THAT TO THE FULL COMMISSION, BUT JUST IF ANYBODY WANTED TO LOOK AT THAT NOW OR GO CHECK IT APRIL 10TH, 24.
IS IT STILL ATTACHED AS AN ATTACHMENT TO THAT MEETING? IF YOU JUST, YES.
I MEAN, MY POINT IS, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO SEND IT TO EVERYBODY UNLESS EVERYBODY, THEY COULD JUST GO BACK TO THAT MEETING AND YEP.
AND THIS LEAVES COMMISSIONER MASTERS KIND OF TO PROCEED HER DOWN THE PATH THAT SHE'S LOOKING AT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THEN? CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SO MOVED.
COMMISSIONER CHAPEL AND COMMISSIONER PENOC.
IT'S A ONE AND TWO SAID WHAT? WAIT, I, I'M, I MOVED THAT WE ADJOURN.
WE ADJOURN AND YOU MOVED THE ADJOURN AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I'M TAKING YOU BOTH ONE AND TWO.
EVERY ANY ALL IN FAVOR OF AJO THE MEETING? SAY AYE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
OH YES, PLEASE PUT YOUR LITTLE NAME TAG IN.