[Call to Order] [00:00:12] APPRECIATE THAT. TURN ON THE MICROPHONE. HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE DONE THAT. THIS IS THAT TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND WE ARE PLEASED THIS AFTERNOON TO BE ABLE TO GO OVER A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH TOURISM HERE IN CLAY COUNTY . LET'S GET STARTED BY INTRODUCING OUR MEMBERS. DAVID, LET'S START WITH YOU. IF HE WOULD IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND WE WILL WORK OUR WAY BACK. >> MY NAME IS DAVID DIAZ. I HAVE BEEN CLAY COUNTY SINCE 98. AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. >> STEVEN KELLEY, CITY OF GREEN COVE SPRINGS. >> DEBBIE BEALS, KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, CITIZEN. >> K EVANS OR KIM EVANS, START -- SORRY I WAS TYPING IN A PASSWORD. HOTEL YOUR AND HOSPITALITY GROUP. >> NEIL PORTER, ACCOMMODATIONS. >> MY NAME IS MIKE CELLA, I WILL BE YOUR CHAIRMAN FOR THIS AFTERNOON. CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBIE , ANOTHER TERM EXTENDED TO YOU BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS . WE WELCOME YOU BACK HERE FOR ANOTHER TERM. I GET ANOTHER YEAR TO HANG OUT WITH YOU FOLKS AND HAVE FUN WITH TOURISM. KIMBERLY MORGAN IS OUR DIRECTOR OF TOURISM. SHE IS HERE. KIMBERLY, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE OUR OTHER FOLKS. ROOM. SHE IS OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AND WORKS WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. SHE IS OUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A NEW PROGRAM MANAGER. YOU WILL GET TO MEET HER AT THE NEXT MEETING AND THEN WE ARE ALSO SEEKING A MARKETING MANAGER . THAT JOB POSTING HIT YESTERDAY . IF YOU HAVE ANYONE IN THE MARKETING FIELD THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE A GREAT FIT FOR THE TEAM, WE ARE EXCITED TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY. >> WE DO HAVE OUR COUNTY MANAGER WITH US FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE SOMEBODY CALLS AND PULLS HIM AWAY TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. THAT'S ALWAYS THE WHAT HAPPENS. AND OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, COURTNEY. WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, CHRISTINE IS TAKING NOTES FROM [1.  Advance Tourism & Travel Update (A. Glass).] OVER THERE TODAY. THAT'S A GOOD THING. THANK YOU, CHRISTINE. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. LET'S GET FIRST TWO ARE PRESENTATIONS. IS AN UPDATE FROM ADVANCED TOURISM AND TRAVEL AND ADRIAN . >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU GUYS. WE ARE INITIATING A NEW LAYOUT. DO WE HAVE A CLICKER? WE HAVE A NEW LAYOUT FOR THIS , FOR OUR BOARD MEETINGS. WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO MONTHS VERSUS ONE MONTH BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE YOU AS OFTEN SO I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE GIVE YOU AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE AND FOR THIS ONE, IT'S REALLY EXCITING, WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME PROJECTS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WITH KIMBERLY AND THE TEAM THAT ARE LAUNCHING NOW AND SOON TO BE LAUNCHING AS WELL. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE A PROPER INTRODUCTION. WE POPPED IN AND I STARTED DOING THESE BOARD REPORTS BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AS THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR THAT YOU SAW SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ON YOUR ACCOUNT FOR CLAY COUNTY. IF YOU SEE MY FACE UP THERE ON THE FLORIDA PROJECT MANAGER. I HANDLE EVERYTHING FOR YOUR ACCOUNT. APRIL IS THE CAMPAIGN SPECIALIST. SHE PUTS TOGETHER ALL OF THE CAMPAIGNS FOR US, LOOK AT THEM, OPTIMIZES THEM, AND ENSURES THEY ARE WORKING PROPERLY ON THE BACK END. LAURA IS OUR TOURISM MANAGER. SHE WILL COME ONE DAY. SHE HAS BEEN ITCHING TO COME AND MEET EVERYBODY. HOPEFULLY, SHE WILL COME VERY SOON. JAMIE HUDGINS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HER ON SOME CONTENT. I WANT TO SHOW HER FACE. JACKIE BLACKWELL IS OUR STRATEGIST. TOURISM STRATEGIST, SHE DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB WITH VISITATION REPORTING, SO SHE IS REALLY SMART AND THE LAST PERSON I WANT TO INTRODUCE TO YOU IS TIM MYERS, THE CREATIVE PERSON ON THIS ACCOUNT. HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY. HE CAME WITH ME TO DO -- HE CAME AND VISITED HERE FROM MISSISSIPPI. HE CAME AND DID AN EMERGENT TRIP AND LEARNED ALL ABOUT CLAY COUNTY. HE GOT TO BE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND LISTEN TO SOME OF THESE TOPICS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AND HOW WE WANTED TO MOVE [00:05:05] FORWARD AND MARKET CLAY COUNTY. THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL MOVE TO OUR NORMAL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. WE TRIED TO MAKE THIS AS HIGH-LEVEL AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE NUMBERS AND IT IS HARD TO DIGEST. OVERALL FROM OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER WE HAD 3.1 MILLION IMPRESSIONS SERVING OR DRIVING MORE THAN 5000 VISITORS TO EXPLORE CLAY.COM. THE DISPLAY CAMPAIGN HAD OVER 1600 HOURS OF TOTAL EXPOSURE AND WE LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THEN VERSUS IMPRESSIONS OR SOME OTHER THINGS BECAUSE DISPLAY IS SUCH A BROAD AWARENESS TACTIC . WE LOOK AT THE 66 DAYS OF ADS BEING SEEN, WHICH IS A REALLY COOL DATA TO GIVE YOU. THINK ABOUT THOSE ADS BEING SEEN FOR 66 DAYS ON THOSE TOTAL EXPOSURE HOURS, WHICH HAS INCREASED 7% COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS PERIOD. WHITAKER ABOUT SPOTIFY EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT CONTINUES TO DO REALLY WELL. THE COMMISSION RATE IS HIGH. IT'S DOING REALLY WELL. SOCIAL CAMPAIGN , WE SWITCHED UP SOME OF THE CONTENT AND THAT HAS DONE REALLY FANTASTIC DURING THOSE COUPLE OF MONTHS , AND OVER 93 -- 930,000 IMPRESSIONS HAVE REACTIONS OF 175%. PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY INTERACTED WITH THOSE POSTS AS WELL. OUR PARKS ARE THE TOP SEGMENT FOR --. DURING THAT TIME, NOVEMBER, OCTOBER, YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT CAMPING, RV AS WELL AS EVENTS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SOME REALLY AMAZING EVENTS. IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE THOSE TWO KEYWORDS WERE COMING UP. AS NORMAL, WE USUALLY DRIVE ABOUT 99% NEW USERS TO THE WEBSITE BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO REACH A LOT OF A BROAD AUDIENCE. WE ACCOUNT FOR 19% OF THE TOTAL WEBSITE TRAFFIC. WE WILL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE A LITTLE BIT. DISPLAY CAMPAIGN HERE COME OVER 400,000 IMPRESSIONS, CLICKS, 611. TALK ABOUT EXPOSURE TIME , THAT'S WHERE YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THAT MORE THAN CLICKS BECAUSE IT IS ALL ABOUT GETTING EYEBALLS ONTO THESE. IT'S NOT ABOUT CLICKS TO THE SITE. THAT'S JUST THE WAY THIS TACTIC WORKS. PAID SOCIAL RESULTS, YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE THE THREE WE MOVED TO. I BELIEVE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME BUT WITH THE INCREASE OF MALE AUDIENCE INTERESTED IN SOCIAL WE MOVED THINGS TO OR WE DECIDED TO DO A BRO TRIP GUY TRIP KIND OF CONTENT EVENT AND THEN FOOD TO REALLY TALK ABOUT JUST THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS BESIDES OUTDOOR ADVENTURES , KIND OF CHANGE IT UP AND DO SOME DIFFERENT CONTENT HERE AND IT WORKED REALLY GREAT WITH ALMOST 2 1/2 MILLION IMPRESSIONS . THE REACH IS REALLY GOOD AS WELL, SO THEY ARE SEEING THOSE AS A COUPLE OF TIMES. REALLY GREAT CLICKS , A LITTLE OVER 2000 AND THOSE POST REACTIONS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER. PEOPLE REACTING AND ENGAGING WITH THE POST. SPOTIFY WON'T LINGER TOO LONG. IT'S DOING GREAT. I LIKE SPOTIFY. IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR PEOPLE TO REACH THAT AUDIENCE, THAT BROUGHT AWARENESS AUDIENCE. A LITTLE BIT LOWER OF A REACH SO THAT MEANS THAT FREQUENCY IS HAPPENING. IT IS REACHING THOSE PEOPLE BUT IT IS GIVING THEM MORE IMPRESSIONS AS WELL. THIS IS ALSO NOT A CLICK CHANNEL. YOU CAN SEE IT'S GETTING THOSE YEARS INSTEAD OF EYEBALLS ON THE ADS. PAID SEARCH RESULTS , WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER BUT YOU CAN SEE MORE OF A BREAKDOWN . IMPRESSIONS AT 33,000, CLICK THROUGH RATE, 17.7% ENGAGEMENT AT 17% AND SOME OF THOSE TOP KEYWORDS FOR THAT TIME. ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU CAN SEE SOME SAMPLES OF THOSE ADS AND WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE. THIS IS JUST TOP TRAFFIC SOURCES TO THE WEBSITE. WE JUST SQUARE OFF THE ONES THAT WE ARE DOING SO YOU KNOW WE ARE PAID CAMPAIGNS ARE COMING FROM AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO. WE ARE DRIVING ABOUT 19% OF THE TOTAL WEBSITE TRAFFIC AND 1700 ENGAGED SESSIONS WITH ENGAGEMENT RATE OF 49.7%. THAT REALLY WRAPPED UP WHAT WE DID IN NOVEMBER AND OCTOBER. AND I WANT TO START TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE LAUNCHED, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. WHEN I FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, KIMBERLY WAS ADAMANT ABOUT HAVING A LOCAL CAMPAIGN TO TELL THE STORY, GET PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH CLAY COUNTY A LITTLE BIT MORE, TO REALLY LET THEM KNOW WHAT THERE IS TO DO IN CLAY COUNTY AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE COUNTY LINES ARE , WHAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE REALLY IN CLAY COUNTY. WE LAUNCHED OUR CAMPAIGN , HEY NEIGHBOR, ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND THIS CAMPAIGN REALLY FOCUSES ON YOUR LOCAL AUDIENCE FROM CLAY COUNTY , DEUEL COUNTY, ST. [00:10:03] JOHN'S COUNTY, OF CIRCLE RADIUS OF CLAY COUNTY. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET HERE IS PEOPLE TO TELL US THEIR STORY . WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF STORIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO TELL ABOUT CLAY COUNTY , WHETHER IT IS THEIR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT, FAMILY STORY, THEY WENT CAMPING. ONE OF THE WONDERFUL STATE PARKS HERE OR ANYTHING ELSE. THIS LANDING PAGE HERE, WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH THEM TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO THAT AS WELL BUT THEN ALSO ASKING THEM TO TELL THAT STORY. THIS IS ALSO AN AD THAT WE HAVE HERE FOR EDIBLE MAGAZINE THAT WE HAVE PUT IN. WE WILL BE RUNNING AN EDIBLE MAGAZINE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. THERE ARE SOME LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANTS IN CLAY COUNTY, TO PUSH THAT NARRATIVE AND TELL PEOPLE THAT THERE ARE THINGS TO DO IN CLAY COUNTY. HERE ARE SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF THESE ADS. THEY ARE RUNNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SO YOU CAN SEE WE ARE REALLY BREAKING OUT THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS , AND TELLING THEM DIFFERENT THINGS TO DO AND HOW TO EXPLORE CLAY COUNTY IN THE BEST WAY. HOW WE ARE GOING TO WRAP THIS ALL UP, WE ARE WAITING ON -- WE WILL FILM THIS WEEK. YOU KNOW THE WEATHER DID NOT COOPERATE WITH FILMING SO WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING NEW 32ND COMMERCIAL THAT WE RUN ON OTT, WHICH IS OVER-THE-TOP CONNECTED TV STREAMING SERVICES. YOUTUBE AND HOME IN ORANGE PARK ITSELF FOR PRINT AND THIRD-PARTY STUFF WE ARE DOING EDIBLE MAGAZINE FOR THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA SECTION AND SOME PLACE MATS AT GRUMPY'S RESTAURANT. ONE OF THE THINGS -- I THREW IT ON THERE -- THE HASHAG LIKELY STORY AND THAT IS REALLY GOING TO PUSH HOW WE TALK TO THIS AUDIENCE BUT ALSO TALK TO OUR LEISURE AUDIENCE AS WELL. IT'S THE MERGE IN BETWEEN BOTH OF THEM. IF WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, THIS IS THE LEISURE CAMPAIGN. THE LEISURE IS, WE HAVE A STORY TO TELL . TAKING THOSE STORIES THAT THESE LOCALS ARE TELLING US AND USING THEM TO TELL A BIGGER NARRATIVE OF CLAY COUNTY . WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT STORIES WE ALREADY USE ABOUT CAMP LANDING, LEONARD SKYNYRD, AND OTHER STORIES WE ARE TELLING USING BLOGS TO TELL THAT BUT ALSO VIDEO BLOGS THROUGH SHORT BLOGS THAT KIND OF OUR VIDEOS THAT GIVE YOU A SAMPLE OF THESE BLOGS. WHAT WE WANT IS , ON THE HEY NEIGHBOR CAMPAIGN PAGE WHERE THOSE PEOPLE TELL US THOSE STORIES, WE WILL TURN THAT INTO LEISURE CAMPAIGN CONTENT , WHETHER IT IS BLOGS, SOCIAL MEDIA. WE WANT PEOPLE TO TELL THOSE STORIES , GET PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THERE IS TO DO IN CLAY COUNTY AND TELLING THAT LEISURE SIDE OF ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT STORIES. THIS AD , AND I HAVEN'T TOLD KIMBERLY THIS, THIS AD IS THE TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA AND AND WE JUST FOUND OUT WE HAVE THE BACK PANEL SLOT, WHICH IS A HUGE SLOT TO HAVE . WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT TO BE ON THE VERY LAST PAGE BEFORE EVERYONE CLOSES UP THE MAGAZINE. WE DON'T HAVE ANY ADS TO SHOW HERE. WE ARE WORKING ON THEM BASED ON THESE BLOGS. WE CREATED TWO BLOGS ALREADY. WE HAVE A THIRD ONE WE ARE CREATING AND A FOURTH ONE. OUR ADS WILL REFLECT WHAT THOSE STORIES ARE GOING TO BE. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO FILL A 30 SECOND COMMERCIAL ON OTT CTV STREAMING SERVICES, YOUTUBE, DISPLAY AS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I TALKED ABOUT THE TRAVEL GLIDE TO FLORIDA BUT WE WILL PUT SOME AS AN ATLANTA PARENT AND UNDISCOVERED FLORIDA THAT ALL WRAP INTO THE WE HAVE A STORY TO TELL CONTENT. LASTING ON JUST CREATIVE PURPOSES BUT THIS WAS ANOTHER PROJECT WE WORKED ON. THIS IS A MAP. WILL BE A TEAR AWAY MAP . IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO GET EVERYTHING IN A MAP BUT WHAT WE DID IS, BUT THE COUNTY ON ONE SIDE AND PUT OUT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENOUGH WHITE SPACE SO THAT TEAM COULD WRITE NOTES, CIRCLE THINGS, DRAW WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO GO , AND ON THE BACKSIDE IS THE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW TO EXPLORE THEM. AND WHAT YOU CAN BE LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU GO TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT IS ALL I HAVE. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS . WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CAMPAIGNS AND EXCITED TO HAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OUT THERE THAT IS TRYING TO TELL LEISURE TRAVELERS ABOUT CLAY COUNTY. >> DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> A QUICK QUESTION ON THE HEY NEIGHBOR. I WAS LOOKING AT IT AND IT JUST LAUNCHED DECEMBER 29TH? >> THE LANDING PAGE DID BUT OUR PAID ADS LAUNCHED ABOUT A WEEK AGO. >> HAVE PEOPLE PUT ANYTHING IN THERE YET? >> NOT YET. I KNOW FACEBOOK HAS BEEN GETTING SOME HIGH ENGAGEMENT AND IT'S DOING A GREAT JOB WITH ENGAGING WITH US PEOPLE THAT MAY BE LIKE IF THERE IS NOTHING TO DO AND JUST SENT, THERE IS THINGS TO DO IN TAGGING BUSINESSES. [00:15:03] >> HOW ARE WE GETTING THAT OUT? DID I MISS THAT? >> WE ARE GOING TO -- WE HAVE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL MARKETING. IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO GET SOMETIMES PEOPLE TO FILL IN A FELL FORM . KIMBERLY AND I TALKED ABOUT DOING HANDOUTS AND FLYERS THAT SHE CAN THEN SHARE AT LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH YOU TO GO IN THERE AND DO THAT. IT'S BEST TO PUT IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL FACEBOOK AND ASKED HER OWN FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO DO IT AND IT STARTS TO --. WHEN IT STARTS TO GET A ROLL GOING YOU CAN THEN SHARE THOSE STORIES ON FACEBOOK AND THEN SAY, SUGAR STORY HERE AND GIVE THEM THAT LANDING PAGE. I HAVEN'T CHECKED TODAY BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY STORIES YET. CROSSING OUR FINGERS FOR ONE VERY SOON. >> I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING -- . I MENTIONED IT IN OUR DIRECTORS MEETING , ANYTIME YOU GUYS ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES FOR YOU TO SHARE IT, WAS YOUR PROPOSAL IN CLAY COUNTY? TELL US ABOUT IT. WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO TAKE YOUR KIDS? WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO HIKE? TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE FISHING SPOT. IT IS WHATEVER IT IS. ON MY PERSONAL PAGE, I DID A CALLOUT FOR TALENT FOR OUR VIDEO SHOOT AND THE CLAY TODAY WROTE AN ARTICLE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING AS WELL. WE HAVE HAD A HUGE RESPONSE OF LOCALS THAT WANT TO SHOWCASE WHERE WE LIVE BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT. THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNITY PRIDE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS DISPLAYING AND THAT MEANS THEY WANT TO TELL THEIR STORY AND THEY JUST NEED AN OUTLET. THIS IS THE OUTLET. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS CAMPAIGN AS A WHOLE IS ANOTHER PART OF FILMING. IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY PAID BUT IT'S GOING TO BE ORGANIC FOR KIMBERLY. WE ARE DOING MAN ON THE STREET VIDEOS. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE CAN USE WHERE IT IS ASKING THAT QUESTION AND THEN SOMEONE'S RESPONDING TO THE QUESTION. JUST A DIFFERENT FORMAT BESIDES JUST COPY, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW VIDEOS IS QUEEN AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE VIDEO CONTENT AS WELL. WE ARE WORKING HARD . HOPEFULLY, WE WILL HAVE UPWARDS OF 20+ VIDEOS WHEN THAT GETS DONE AND CAN BE USED FROM HERE ON OUT ONCE WE GET THOSE DONE. >> ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE AN OVERALL QUESTION REGARDS TO -- YOU GAVE US A LOT OF RESULTS IN TERMS OF IMPRESSIONS, RICH, CLICKS. HOW ARE THOSE ON AN INDUSTRY STANDARD? ARE THEY AVERAGE, ABOVE AVERAGE, BETTER THAN AVERAGE? >> THEY ARE ALL AVERAGE. SOME OF THE BENCHMARKS FOR SPOTIFY IS ABOVE AVERAGE. CLICK THROUGH RATE FOR -- WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AROUND A SEVEN OR 8% BECAUSE WE KNOW WE ARE GIVING THOSE KEYWORDS. IT'S PRETTY GOOD. IT FLUCTUATES DURING THE TIME OF YEAR , PROBABLY WHEN WE LOOK AT DECEMBER IT IS DOWN . EVERYTHING IS DONE BECAUSE DECEMBER IS A HARD MONTH TO MARKET . THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON. OVERALL, WE ARE DOING REALLY WELL. WE ARE KIND OF MISSING OUT ON SOME OF THE ENGAGEMENT ON THE WEBSITE, WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON WITH THE NEW CONTENT, THESE VIDEOS ON THE WEBSITE AND NEW LANDING PAGES TO GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT AND BE ON THE WEBSITE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. >> TERRIFIC. ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYBODY? I GUESS WE ARE DONE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY. LET'S MOVE TO [2.  Airstream Ventures (L. Teitelbaum)] NUMBER TWO. WE HAVE AIRSTREAM VENTURES TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR --. >> LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WE GAVE A RECAP OF 2023 AND WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD YEAR LAST YEAR BRINGING IN SOME GOOD EVENTS AND SOME FIRST-TIME EVENTS THAT WILL SPILL OVER INTO THIS YEAR AS WELL. ALL OF THE WORK WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST NUMBER OF MONTHS , PROMOTING THE ORIGINAL SPORTS COMPLEX, THE NEW OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PARK AND THINGS LIKE THAT HAS REALLY GIVEN US A VERY GOOD RAMP UP INTO THIS YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE, A LOT OF THESE TRIPS AND CONFERENCES WE GO TO, THIS IS WHERE WE GENERATE A LOT OF LEADS BUT WE ALSO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS. ALL OF THE LEADS AND EVENTS THAT WE DO ARE FROM COMING AND GOING TO THESE CONFERENCES. THEY DON'T REALLY START UNTIL APRIL BUT WE WILL BE ATTENDING THESE TO EXPAND, NOT ONLY WHAT [00:20:04] WE ARE DOING NOW BUT TO EXPAND AND BRING IN DIFFERENT EVENTS AND FURTHER STRENGTHEN CLAY COUNTY WITHIN THE SPORTS TOURISM INDUSTRY. RIGHT NOW , ALL OF THE THINGS WE WERE DOING AT THE END OF Q3 AND Q4 HAVE REALLY OVERFLOWED INTO IT. WE ALREADY HAVE A BOOK EVENTS. THERE ARE ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE BOOK EVENTS. ONE OF THEM SHOULD BE -- KIMBERLY AND I FINALIZE THE DEAL ON MONDAY WITH FOUR FLEXIBLE. RIGHT NOW IT IS NOT IN THE DEFENSE BUT WE WILL START HERE AND THAT NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE FIRST EVENT IS THE WEEK IN FEBRUARY. WE ARE HAVING A REGIONAL CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT THAT WILL BRING IN HUNDRED AND 50 OR SO PARTICIPANTS AND IN FEBRUARY LATER IN FEBRUARY WE WILL HAVE THE GOLF TOUR HERE THAT WILL BE AT THE VERY LAST WEEK FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DAYS THAT WILL BE HERE IN TOWN. YOU CAN ALSO SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUTH LACROSSE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE BOOKED AS WE SPEAK. OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE THE ORIGINAL SPORTS COMPLEX AND MAKE IT A HOME FOR SOME OF THESE EVENTS. WE WANT THEM TO KEEP COMING BACK OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ESPECIALLY FROM THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE, WHICH BRINGS MOM AND DAD AND HOTELS AND EVERYTHING INTO THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL. KIMBERLY AND I ARE BRINGING SPRITE BALL BACK AGAIN. THEY BROUGHT A COUPLE OF HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS FOR EIGHT TWO DAY PERIOD. WE HAVE THAT GOING ON. THE CROSS-COUNTRY MEET IS ALREADY SET FOR THE FIRST WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER. THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT REALLY, WHEN YOU WORK AT IT AND YOU BRING THEM IN, MAKE IT A GOOD EVENT FOR THEM, THEY WANT TO COME BACK. THAT IS REALLY , INSTEAD OF WORKING HARDER, WE WANT TO WORK SMARTER. THAT THE GOAL WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS HERE THAT YOU WILL SEE WE ARE WORKING ON. WE ALSO DID SUBMIT A BID FOR USA CYCLING, LOOKING TO BRING IN THAT EVENT BACK OUT BY THAT CAMP LEHMAN AREA. WE JUST SUBMITTED THAT PROPOSAL ON JANUARY 1ST AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAK. WE WILL NOT HEAR BACK FROM THEM -- THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THEY RECEIVED THE BIG. WE WILL HERE BACK FROM THEM TOWARDS THIS MONTH. THAT'S ANOTHER BIG EVENT WE ARE LOOKING TO BRING IN AS WELL. AS WE NOW CAN MARKET THE EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE AT THE SPORTS COMPLEX, THAT REALLY GIVES US A LOT OF AMMUNITION GOING FORWARD BECAUSE NOW WHEN PEOPLE START TO SEE EVENTS COMING THERE, INSTEAD OF US GOING OUT AND REACHING OUT, WE WILL GET MORE INBOUND LEADS THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD FOR US AND I THINK THE SPORTS COMPLEX AS A WHOLE IS GOING TO BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS OUR GOALS , ARE RESET FROM LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE HERE IN Q4. I THINK WE GIVE YOU THE FINAL NUMBERS AND OF COURSE NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY NUMBERS TO SHOW YOU ON THE ACTUAL, BUT YOU CAN SEE OUR GOALS AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WITH ALL THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN AND WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUT IN, I THINK REACHING THOSE GOALS WILL BE ATTAINABLE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME --. MY PRESENTATION IS NOT AS GOOD AS YOURS. >> TO THE POINT AND CERTAINLY SING THE EVENTS START TO PILE UP AT THAT FOLKS ARE BRINGING HERE. ANYBODY WITH QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? I DID HAVE ONE THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. IT CAME TO ME ON FACEBOOK. IT WAS A CO-SPORTS COMPLEX WHICH IS IN NAPLES. A BIG SPORTS COMPLEX THAT HAS A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE THERE ARE THREE COUNTIES INVOLVED IN THAT. IT MIGHT BE A $68 MILLION COMPLEX ALTOGETHER. THEY INTRODUCED A FIRST PORTION OF THAT AND THEY ONLY HAVE NINE FIELDS. FLAT FIELDS. THEY HAVE 8+ THE MULTIPURPOSE FIELD PLUS THE STADIUM FIELD. IT'S SOMETHING WE WILL NEED TO DO. THEY HAVE SAND VOLLEYBALL. IT WAS HEARTENING TO SEE THEY ARE NOT AS BIG AND FORMIDABLE IN TERMS OF NUMBER THE FIELD. THEY HAVE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AROUND THAT SO THEY ARE DEVELOPING THAT FOR HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS AND THAT KIND OF THING. IN TERMS OF PURE ATHLETIC FIELDS, WHEN WE GET THIS COMPLEX DONE AND UP AND RUNNING, WE WILL BE A PRETTY FORMIDABLE PLAYER IN THE MARKETPLACE. SMOKE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAVE HAD WITH FOLKS IN GENERAL, THERE'S NOT TOO MANY TIMES WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO ME AND THEY SAID THEY NEED MORE THAN EIGHT FIELDS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THERE IS LARGER EVENTS AT 1215 FIELDS BUT THERE IS NOT TOO MANY EVENTS THAT WE ARE AFTER AND LOOKING FOR THAT WILL SAY, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FIELDS. [00:25:01] HONESTLY, AFTER WORKING WITH A COUPLE LOCATIONS THAT ONLY HAD TWO FIELDS, THIS IS A MAJOR GAME CHANGER. WHEN WE GO OUT INTO A TRACKING FOLKS, WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH. SOMETIMES IT WAS WE WILL PUT A COUPLE PLANTATION AT MOODY OR VICE VERSA. NOW, HAVING EVERYTHING INTO ONE LOCATION REALLY DOES ASSIST GREATLY. I THINK I KNOW WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR OR SO BOOKS EVENT BOOKS. I PLAN ON HOPEFULLY DOING THAT ANOTHER HALF A DOZEN TIMES HERE SHORTLY. >> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH AIRSTREAM VENTURES FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE SPORTS COMPLEX TO BRING IN AT LEAST -- MAXIMUM 10 TOURNAMENT ORGANIZERS TO SHOWCASE THE NEW COMPLEX WHEN IT OPENS AND HOPEFULLY CLOSE SOME DEALS AND MAKE SOME THINGS HAPPEN WITH THAT AS WELL. THAT WILL BE IN APRIL. >> WE ALREADY HAVE A TOURNAMENT THERE IN THE FIRST WEEKEND FOR LACROSSE ON THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH. >> ARE WE GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN ? WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY USING OUR FACILITY NOW? >> WE WILL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT IMAGERY AND EVERYTHING TO GO WITH THAT. >> OBVIOUSLY, IN OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS AS WELL, AS WE BRING EVENTS HERE, WE WILL BRING LIGHT TO THE NEW SPORTS COMPLEX BECAUSE WE WILL REACH DIFFERENT FOLKS. PEOPLE IN THE SPORTS INDUSTRY WILL SEE IT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL TOO. THAT WILL GREATLY ASSIST. >> I WISH I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT IT . I WOULD HAVE MADE COPIES OF IT AHEAD OF TIME. THE SPORTS COMPLEX JUST PUT OUT THE FIRST PAGE OF ITS LAYOUT. A NICE COLOR LAYOUT OF THEIR COMPLEX. IF YOU LOOK IT UP, GOOGLE PARADISE COAST SPORTS COMPLEX AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND IT AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT. >> ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON IS FINALIZING OUR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE AND VERIFYING IT AND MAKING SURE THAT IS GOOD. WE FEEL LIKE THAT IS A VERY NECESSARY PIECE. WE ARE WORKING ON FINALIZING THAT SO WE CAN START TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS. >> VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON. THRASHER-HORNE [3.  Thrasher-Horne Center Update (B. Olsen)] CENTER IS HERE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE AND AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A SHOW THAT THEY HAD BEGINNING OF DECEMBER, WHICH WAS GREAT. THEY HAD A BIG CROWD AND THE ACTUAL SHOW WAS GOOD. IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE IT WAS NIGHT. A LOT OF NICE 60S AND 70S HITS. THE LEASE -- YOU A 45-YEAR-OLD SON PLANE BASE IS TREMENDOUS. IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE WE RAN INTO SOME NEIGHBORS AND THEY TOLD THEIR TEENAGERS THAT THEY WERE HEADED TO SEE THREE DOG NIGHT AND THEY SAID, WHAT IS THAT? THEY DIDN'T KNOW. THREE DOGS, THAT'S ALL THEY CAN AFFORD? BUT IT WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL. BOB, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER. WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD NEI ALWAYS LIKE TO START THIS OFF BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE SOME RETHINKING AT THE THRESHER AND I LIKE TO ASK THIS QUESTION, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE PRESSURE HORNED CENTER? WHAT'S THE FIRST THING? CONCERTS OR SHOWS. >> LOCAL THEATER. I THINK LOCAL. >> STEVE? >> CONFERENCE CENTER. >> HE HIT IT. WE ARE AT THE, AND I USE THE WORD THE, TOTAL EVENT CENTER. WE REBRANDED OUR SELF ABOUT TWO AND HALF YEARS AGO AND I TOOK OVER AND WE HAD TO REORG THE FACILITY. I'M GOING TO TAKE US -- I DON'T MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM HAS BEEN AT THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER. I THINK THAT'S A BAD ASSUMPTION. I'M GOING TO TAKE US TO A QUICK TOUR TO SHOW YOU WHAT I USE THE WORD, THE, FOR THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE ARE ESTABLISHED IN 2004. THIS IS 2024, SO AUGUST WILL WILL BE CELEBRATING 20 YEARS. TO GO BACK AND LOOK THROUGH OUR SCRAPBOOK AND READ ARTICLES ABOUT WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING, LOOKING AT PICTURES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. IT WAS A REALLY COOL JOURNEY. IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. I'M NOT [00:30:02] SURE IF EVERYBODY KNOWS THE HISTORY OF HOW THAT THRASHER-HORNE CENTER WAS BUILT. IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE STATE, COUNTY, AND COLLEGE. THOSE WERE THE THREE PLAYERS IN GETTING THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER WORDS AT. THAT CONNECTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN SINCE ITS EXISTENCE. WE HAVE THREE PRIMARY BUSINESS FUNCTIONS AND I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THAT JOURNEY. OUR MAINSTAGE AS MANY OF YOU MENTIONED, MAINSTAGE, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE NORMALLY DO RESPOND TO . WE HAVE SHOWS . WE HAVE A LOT OF SHOWS. WE HAVE A LARGE-SCALE PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINMENT, THAT IS OUR TARGET AND WHAT WE TRY TO BRING IN. OUR FACILITY, BOTH AUDIENCE AS WELL AS ENTERTAINERS, THE VISITING ENTERTAINERS AND THE CRUISE WHO HAVE TO LOAD IN AND OUT OF THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER, IF YOU LOOK AT SOMEWHERE LIKE THE ONES DOWNTOWN , ONE HAS TO RUN OF AN ALLEY WAY TO BRING ALL EQUIPMENT IN. THEY BACK UP TO THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER, OPEN A DOOR AND THERE ON STAGE. OUR ENTERTAINERS TOO. BUILDING WELL LOVED US. THEY LOVED THE FACILITY. WE GET A LOT OF COMPONENTS FROM ALL AREAS. IT'S A GORGEOUS FACILITY. THOSE THAT WE PROGRAM THAT WAS THE LAST SLIDE. WE PROGRAM THOSE SHOWS. THRASHER-HORNE CENTER DOES THAT. WE RENT IT OUT . WE DO MENTAL EVENTS. THERE IS ALL KINDS . YOU CAN SEE THE LIST ON THE BOTTOM. THERE IS A VARIETY OF WHAT WE HOLD BUT THEY ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH COMMUNITY CENTRIC. THEY ARE VERY COMMUNITY CENTRIC RENTALS. I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU ONE ELEMENT THAT REALLY IS GROWING FOR US ON A LATER SLIDE. WE DO HAVE THE CONFERENCE CENTER. IT HAS A RANGE OF EVENT TYPES. WE GO FROM BABY SHOWERS TO FORMAL BANQUETS AND FORMAL WEDDINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WE CAN DO ANYTHING IN BETWEEN. IT ALL COMES, BOTH OF THOSE IN THE FACILITY, IT'S GENERATING AROUND THE VERSATILITY AND FLEXIBILITY OF IT , OF THE FACILITY, THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THAT. I LIKE TO SAY WHEN OUR CUSTOMERS COME IN, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN'T DO. WE ARE JUST LIMITED BY CREATIVITY. YOU LOOK AT IT AS A WHOLE, THE CONFERENCE CENTER HAS GROWN . IN 2012 WE WERE ABOUT 40 TO 50 EVENTS . NOW WE DO ABOUT 220 TO 230. THAT'S ABOUT A 340% INCREASE OVER THOSE FEW YEARS. THAT'S WHY WE ALSO CALL IT -- I CAN'T GO IN TOO EARLY IN MY SLIDE. WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER TREASURES IN THE HOUSE TOO. WE HAVE OUR GALLERY AND CIRCLE CLUB. THAT IS SOMETHING WE COMBINED RECENTLY . OUR ART GALLERY AND OUR CIRCLE CLUB ARE COMBINED INTO THERE. WHAT DID WE DO THAT? WE WERE FINDING OUT THAT THE GALLERY ACTUALLY WAS NOT GETTING A WHOLE LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC . THE ARTISTS LOVE TO DISPLAY THEIR ART BUT THEY ALSO LIKE TO SELL STUFF. THE OTHER THING IS, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL AREA. THAT GALLERY IS A BEAUTIFUL AREA. WE WANTED TO RAISE THE EXPERIENCE FOR FOLKS THAT WOULD WANT TO USE THE CIRCLE CLUB. MOST OF OUR MEMBERS . WE ALSO ADDED IN THAT YOU CAN BUY INTO THE CIRCLE CLUB. SOMEBODY CAN COME TO A SHOW AND BY IN IF THERE IS VACANCY , AND THERE IS, AND THEY CAN HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AS WELL. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, POSITIVE EXPENSE, OTHER THINGS HAPPENING. WE HAVE A STUDIO THEATER ABOUT 200 SEATS. THE MIDDLE PICTURE ON THE BOTTOM. THE GRAND LOBBY, MANY OF YOU PROBABLY HAVE BEEN IN THERE. THE GRAND LOBBY HAS THE OLD RUG . I HAVE TO UPDATE MY PICTURES. WE HAVE A DANCE STUDIO IN THE BACK. THAT GETS ME BACK TO WHY I USE THE WORD, THE. WE ARE UNIQUE IN NORTHEAST, FLORIDA. I HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO COMPARE AT ALL SOUTH TO SEE HOW FAR SOUTH IT IS I CAN SEE THAT HAS WHAT WE HAVE UNDERNEATH OUR ROOF. I DON'T USE A, I USE THE . THERE IS NO ONE ELSE LIKE US. LEE COUNTY SHOULD BE SUPER PROUD OF IT FOR IT BEING IN THEIR BACKYARD AND HAVING THE VERSATILITY THAT WE DO. YOU DID HERE , WE MENTIONED BACK IN JULY 212 -- 2021, WE HAD AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE CHANGE. I GOT THE CHANCE AND BLESSING OF BECOMING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BUT WE ALSO RETHOUGHT ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE. WE CREATED A NEW STRUCTURE. I GUESS WE DID IT UNDER THE GUISE I LIKE TO SAY CHANGE AND TRANSITION, SPRINGS TO OPPORTUNITIES.'S THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE GOT NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM . OUR PRESENT EXPERTS IN EACH AREA . WE ALL SAT DOWN AND [00:35:01] DID A TOTAL REFLECTION AND TOTAL LOOK. WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO. WE USED A TOOL, YOU SEE THAT LITTLE ORANGE BALL ON THE RIGHT CORNER, IT'S CALLED THE ENTREPRENEURIAL OPERATING MODEL OR OPERATING SYSTEM. IT'S BASED ON THE SIMPLICITY. THERE ARE SIX ELEMENTS , CRITICAL PARTS. WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT. IT'S A REALLY EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR A SMALL TEAM. WE HAVE ALL PROBABLY SEEN BIG STRATEGIES BEFORE. THESE BOOKS GET GENERATED WITH ALL OF THIS VERBIAGE AND GET PUT ON THE SHELF AND IF YOU WALK UP TO YOUR TEAM, DO YOU THINK THEY COULD CITE YOUR VISION? DO YOU THINK THEY CAN SITE YOUR MISSION? THIS IS THE SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT. IS A REALLY GOOD MODEL, ESPECIALLY IN THE SMALL BUSINESS WORLD. THAT'S WHAT WE USE. FROM THAT, WE CREATED OUR THREE STRATEGIC FOCUS IS. WE EMBRACE THESE DAILY. THE TOTALITY OF OUR CENTER, YOU ARE RIGHT. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT SHOWS, CONFERENCES, WHATEVER IT IS. WE WANTED TO CHANGE THAT. WE ALSO CHANGED HOW WE OPERATE INTERNALLY. NO ONE BUSINESS TRUMPS ANOTHER. WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR SCHEDULING SO WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE USE OF THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER. THAT'S WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT STRATEGY. WE ARE WHO WE ARE AND WE FOCUS ON OUR STRENGTHS. WE AVOID TRYING TO BE ALL THINGS BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE ALL THINGS. IT DILUTES US. BUILD AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MODEL . AT THE END OF THE DAY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE EXIST BASED ON A BUDGET. WE ROLLED OUT OUR VISION. OUR VISION IS TO BE A PREMIER EVENT CENTER. WHAT WE WANT TO BECOME . OUR FOCUS WAS 10 YEARS. OUR CORE FOCUS IS CREATING A POSITIVE, MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE FOR ANYBODY WHO COMES TO THOSE STORES. THAT IS OUR REASON FOR BEING AND IS OUR LASER FOCUS THAT WE ALL LOOK AT. WE MAKE EVENTS HAPPEN. I'M SURROUNDED BY SOME GREAT TEAM MEMBERS , AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THAT'S OUR SWEET SPOT AND THAT IS OUR PASSION. WE DO KNOW HOW TO HOLD EVENTS. HOW ARE WE DOING? THAT FIRST TOP BULLET MIGHT TELL YOU HOW WE ARE DOING. LAST YEAR WE HAD THE BEST YEAR ON RECORD SINCE 2004. WE DID A LOT OF ENHANCEMENTS. WE ARE GOING TO BE ONGOING WITH THAT. WE FINISHED PHASE ONE AND RE-CARPETED, REMODELED THE AUDITORIUM , GRAND LOBBY, CONFERENCE CENTER . WE DID A LOT OF UPGRADES. I CALLED AND TITLED IT PHASE ONE AFTER MIDWAY THROUGH IT AND WE ARE SEEING ALL THIS NICE STUFF AND THEN I COMPARED IT TO SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF WE HAD AND REALIZE, WE HAVE OTHER PHASES WE HAVE TO DO. WE HAVE PHASE TWO , WHICH IS BACKSTAGE. WE NEED TO REPAINT AND DO SOME THINGS BACK THERE AS WELL AND MOVE IT INTO THE AUDITORIUM ITSELF. IT WILL BE A REPAINT AND NOT A WHOLE OF CHANGE OF THE AUDITORIUM, BUT WE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE THAT. I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE GALLERY AND CIRCLE CLUB REMODEL AND SOME OTHER THINGS. COMMUNITY IS NOTICING AND TALKING. WE DO SURVEYS AND SO WE GET THAT. WHAT I LIKE IS THE UNSOLICITED FEEDBACK . WHEN I'M WALKING INTO A STORE, I DID IT AS A BATTERY PLACE UP ON FLEMING ISLAND. DIDN'T KNOW I WAS FROM THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER. WE GET TALKING ABOUT IT AND GLOAT ABOUT IT. THOSE ARE THE MOST VALUABLE FEEDBACKS, UNSOLICITED FEEDBACK AND WE ARE GETTING THAT ALL OVER THE PLACE . OUR KEY INDICATORS, I WILL SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE, AND I WANT TO KEEP EMPHASIZING THAT BOTTOM ONE. IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THEM. I FEEL SUPER BLESSED TO BE SURROUNDED BY A SUPERTEAM. THIS IS WHAT THEY DO. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD QUOTE BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES WE MAKE LIFE MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT NEEDS TO BE. WE SOMETIMES FORGET THE BASICS. YOU CAN DO THAT IN SPORTS AND I COACH FOR 19 YEARS. WHEN THINGS GET OFF THE TRACK, YOU REALIZE THEY ARE FORGETTING THE BASICS. JUST BRING THEM BACK TO THE BASICS AND THINGS START GETTING BACK ON TRACK. MY TEAM DOES THAT EVERY DAY, IN AND OUT, REALIZES OUR GOALS . YOU CAN SEE SOME THINGS ARE MOVING FOR US. WE USE THE BASELINE. WE RUN ON OUR FISCAL YEAR. IT RUNS AND ENDS IN JUNE. WE JUST CAME OFF [00:40:01] OF 2023 AND THE REDLINE IS GOING ON THIS YEAR. WE USED 2020 TO 2021 AS OUR BASELINE MEASUREMENT. THAT ALL SAID, WE HAVE HAD ABOUT A 272% INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIPS. IT IS AN ALL-TIME HIGH AND WHAT THE SLIDE DOESN'T SHOW YOU IS THE INCREASE IN OUR TEARS. MANY OF OUR EXISTING MEMBERS ARE MOVING UP IN THEIR TEAR AND MEMBERSHIP LEVELS. NOT ONLY ADDITIONAL MEMBERS BUT GROWING MEMBERS UPWARD INTO THE PROCESS, WHICH IS SUPER GOOD I ALWAYS LIKE TO TELL THE TEAM , PEOPLE DON'T BITE MEMBERSHIPS . WE MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. THAT IS MY QUOTE TO THE TEAM. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THESE. I WILL POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THEM BUT YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE ALL TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. JUST FROM A TDC PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S THE ONE I'M GOING TO JUMP TO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT $2.3 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT IS PROBABLY OF INTEREST TO THE TDC. THAT IS ONLY REFLECTIVE OF OUR DIRECT PAY, SO I'M ENGAGED WITH LAURA AND I AM TRYING TO DO AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS STUDY ON THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER. WE ARE WORKING WITH NORTHEAST FLORIDA REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THEY WILL DO A REPORT WHICH IS A MODELING IMPACT ANALYSIS . THERE IS A LOT OF INDIRECT AND I WILL SHOW YOU THAT AS WE GET FURTHER INTO THE PRESENTATION. THAT ISN'T ENCOUNTERED I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT AT MY LEVEL. WE ARE HAVING THEM BUILD AN OFFICIAL REPORT FOR US . I'M ANTICIPATING THAT NUMBER WILL GROW SIGNIFICANTLY. EVENT TYPES. I ALWAYS THINK IT IS KIND OF COOL TO KNOW THAT PORTION OF IT. WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD BALANCE OF THE TYPE OF EVENTS. YOU SEE A GOOD BALANCE OF COMMUNITY, CORPORATE, AND PRIVATE EVENTS. I SHOWED YOU THE ATTENDANCE BY FUNCTIONAL AREA. YOU CAN SEE WE ALWAYS SAID SHOWS AND LOOK AT WHAT OUR RENTALS, AUDITORIUM RENTALS ARE. LOOK FOR OUR CONFERENCE CENTER IS. YOU ARE RIGHT HIM HISTORICALLY, THE SHOWS WERE ALWAYS WHAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN THEY THOUGHT THRASHER-HORNE CENTER. I PUT THE NUMBER OF EVENTS BY FUNCTIONAL AREA. YOU CAN SEE 70 EVENTS FOR THE MAINSTAGE. MULTIPLY THAT BY TWO OR THREE DAYS. I DON'T SHOW THAT ON HERE. WE JUST SHOW A NUMBER OF EVENTS. THE CONFERENCE CENTER REALLY IS THE ONE WHERE YOU WILL SEE THAT. YOU INSTANTLY LOOK AT THE PRIVATE AND YOU LOOK UP AT THE CORPORATE . THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE LION SHARE. THAT ONE PIE UP TO THE LEFT , MOST OF THAT HAPPENS IN THE CONFERENCE CENTER. WHAT WE GET IN THE AUDITORIUM IS MOSTLY COMMUNITY, PUBLIC, OPEN EVENTS. A COUPLE SLIDES HERE. THE PERFORMANCE SHOW IS REFLECTIVE OF LAST YEAR AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE FROM THE OUTSIDE , NO ONE REALLY KNOWS IF IT'S AN IN-HOUSE PROGRAM EVENT OR A RENTAL EVENT. FOR US IN-HOUSE AT THE BIG DIFFERENCE . THE IN-HOUSE PROGRAM EVENTS, THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE ALL THE RISK. AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE TICKET SALES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE COVER THE EXPENSES. AND PLUS SOME. MAINSTAGE RENT, THOSE FOLKS COME IN AND PUT ON JUST LIKE ELVIS. ELVIS CAME IN DECEMBER . IT WAS A TRIBUTE. SOMEBODY LIKE ELVIS CAME AND THEY DID THEIR TRIBUTE IN DECEMBER AND IT WAS A RENTAL . FOR THE HOUSE, THAT IS GREAT. IT'S A DOUBLE YOU, AUTOMATICALLY. IT'S AN AUTOMATIC W. WE DON'T HAVE TICKET SALES. IT'S ALL ON THAT PERSON WHO IS RENTING THE PLACE. LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 28 EVENTS AND THAT'S WHAT THAT SLIDE IS. I WILL TELL YOU, THIS YEAR, WE HAVE PROGRAMMED 24. LAST YEAR WAS 19 AND RENTALS WERE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER. WE ARE LOOKING AT A TOTAL NUMBER THIS YEAR, RIGHT NOW OF ABOUT 32 SHOWS. WE DEFINITELY HAVE INCREASED FROM LAST YEAR. THE OTHER NOTABLE THING ABOUT THIS GRAPH IS THE AVERAGE TICKET SALES FOR SHOW. YOU CAN SEE , WE ARE AT ABOUT 600 SOME ODD BACK IN FISCAL YEAR 2021 /22. WE ARE AVERAGING ABOUT 1000 PRESHOW. WHICH IS REALLY GOOD FOR US. IT ALLOWS US TO EXPAND THE KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT WE BRING IN WHEN WE GET INTO THOSE [00:45:02] NUMBERS. THE OTHER SLIDES -- THIS IS WHERE THE OTHER ECONOMIC -- . THE OTHER ECONOMIC IMPACTS COME FROM THAT I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO CLEARLY DEFINE MYSELF. TICKET EVENTS, 50% OF OUR TICKETED EVENTS ARE FROM WITHIN CLAY COUNTY. 50% ARE ALSO OUTSIDE OF CLAY COUNTY. FOR YOU ALL, YOU CHARACTERIZE IT AS A DAY VISITORS, SOME CAN BE OVERNIGHT DEPENDING ON DISTANCE. THAT THE NUGGETS THAT I'M ASKING THIS REPORT TO HELP ME DEFINE WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE ON THE COUNTY ? DANCE COMPETITION. THIS IS A BIGGIE. WHEN I FIRST GOT TO THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER, IT WAS APRIL THROUGH MID-TO-LATE JUNE . WE WOULD HAVE DANCE RECITALS. A LOT OF THEM LOCALIZED, WHICH I WILL GIVE YOU A RUNDOWN ON THE DIFFERENCE. THAT HAS CHANGED. NOW IT RUNS . WE ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO ENGAGE WITH THIS MONTH , WHICH IS REALLY UNIQUE . AND WE WILL GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH JUNE. THERE ARE NOT MANY WEEKENDS OPEN AT THE THRASHER-HORNE CENTER FOR MAINSTAGE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. IT'S A BALANCING ACT FOR OUR SHOWS BECAUSE WHEN THESE COMPETITIONS COME IN, THEY ARE THREE OR FOUR DAYS. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF THE RENTAL. IT IS A GROWING ELEMENT FOR THE CENTER. DRAWS COMPETITORS AND PARTICIPANTS FROM ALL OVER THE LOCAL AREA AND OUTSIDE THE AREA NATIONALLY. THAT'S WHAT THAT ONE BULLET WAS. WE ARE WORKING FOR A NATIONAL EVENT AN WE DID GET IT. THAT'S A BIG DEAL. THE ATTENDANCE NUMBER YOU SEE, THOSE ARE THE SPECTATORS. DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE PARTICIPANTS ON THAT STAGE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PARTICIPANTS. THOSE NUMBERS ARE SHOWING OURSELVES THAT PERSPECTIVE. LOCAL EVENTS ARE MERRILY CLAY COUNTY WITH SOME DRAW FROM THE NEARBY COUNTIES . REGIONAL EVENTS ARE PRIMARILY OUTSIDE OF CLAY COUNTY, INCLUDING NEARBY STATES PARTICIPATION. WE GET HOTEL NIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT OUT OF THAT GROUP. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE GET 10 REGIONAL EVENTS. WORD IS SPREADING IN THIS INDUSTRY. THAT'S WHY WE ARE GROWING. THEY LOVE THE FACILITY. WE HAVE TWO NATIONAL EVENTS. THAT'S GOING TO DRAW FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY BRINGING AN EVEN MORE , AND THOSE ARE THE TWO ELEMENTS THERE, NATIONAL AND REGIONAL EVENTS THAT I'M HOPING THE REPORT CAN HELP ME FURTHER DEFINE TO SHOW OUR TRUE ECONOMIC IMPACT. I DO LIKE TO PUT THIS SLIDE UP BECAUSE THERE'S A HUGE MISPERCEPTION ABOUT EVENT VENUES. ESPECIALLY THE PROGRAM SIDE. THIS IS WHERE THIS POINT FOCUSES. BASED ON 24 THOUSAND I GOT THIS FROM A STUDY . THIS IS WHAT THEIR BUDGET MODELS LOOK LIKE . 49% ARE FROM EARNED INCOME. THAT'S TICKET SALES AND CONCESSIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 40% COMES FROM PRIVATE DONORS AND MEMBERSHIPS AND 11% FROM GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. WHAT WE GET FROM THE TDC COMES RIGHT INTO THAT PERCENTAGE. AND IT IS NEEDED. THE 40% PRIVATE DONORS AND MEMBERSHIPS , DONORS ARE SPONSORS AND MANY OF YOU ARE FROM CLAY COUNTY AND YOU REALIZE, WE ARE NOT IN THE SAME FORTUNATE SITUATION AS OUR FELLOW COMPETITOR IN THE HEART OF JACKSONVILLE SURROUNDED BY A TON OF CORPORATE COMPANIES , HEADQUARTERS AND SPONSORSHIP MONEY . OUR COUNTY IT'S TOUGH ON THE SPONSORSHIP FRONT. MEMBERSHIPS ARE MORE OF A RELIANT SOURCE BUT THAT IS LIMITED AND IT GROWS SLOWLY. I'M ALSO CITING THIS REPORT, NOT SURE WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE TDC I GOT A COPY OF THIS 50 PAGE REPORT. IT WAS THE TOURIST ANALYSIS AND STATUS REPORT OF CLAY COUNTY. IT WAS MARCH 2010 THAT IT CAME OUT AND THAT LINE IN THERE IS TRUE THEN AND IS TRUE TODAY. THE REALITY IS , PLACES LIKE US , PUTTING OUT SHOWS WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT SOME KIND OF SUPPORT FROM OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE OPINION OF THE PERSON THAT DID IT -- I DON'T HAVE IT ON THE SLIDE -- PUBLIC FUNDING SHOULD CONTINUE AND I CAN TELL YOU, I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS TO TRY TO COMPARE MYSELF AND I KNOW HOW MUCH [00:50:03] PUBLIC SUPPORT MIGHT FELLOW COMPETITOR DOWN TOWN AND HEART OF JACKSONVILLE IS GETTING AND IT IS SUBSTANTIAL, IN ADDITION TO THEIR PRIVATE DONORS. IS NEEDED . THIS MODEL IS WORKING FOR US SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. IT'S A BIG MISPERCEPTION. THE SHOW MODEL ITSELF IS NOT REALLY IN OUR FAVOR . THERE IS TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES AND I MAY BE GETTING TOO DEEP BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. WHEN A SHOW COMES TO US, THERE IS TWO APPROACHES. WE CAN DO A GUARANTEE. THAT MEANS WE TELL THEM WE ARE GOING TO PAY $20,000 TO PERFORM AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO COVER FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. EVERYTHING FROM THAT GOING FORWARD GOES TO US. THAT'S NORMALLY MORE OF YOUR TRIBUTE TYPE VANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WHEN YOU START GETTING INTO YOUR THREE DOLLAR NIGHTS AND THOSE KINDS OF FOLKS, THEY GO TO WHAT THEY CALL A SPLIT. IT'S CALLED REACHING THE BACK END IN THE INDUSTRY BUT IT IS A SPLIT. WE SIT DOWN AND THEY GIVE US OUR AGREED-UPON EXPENSES THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE . WE COLLECT REVENUE AND ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT, WE COVER OUR EXPENSES . THAT POINT FORWARD , THEY SPLIT. THERE IS A SPLIT. IT'S A SPLIT BETWEEN THE VENUE AND ENTERTAINER. MOST OF THEM ARE 85 /15. SOMETIMES 80/20. WHO DO YOU THINK IT'S THE 85? IT IS NOT US. NOT ONLY DOES THIS MODEL SHOW YOU HOW BIG OF A STRUGGLE IT IS FOR THESE VENUES, IT ALSO SHOWS YOU SHOW BY SHOW IT IS A STRUGGLE. FROM A POSITIVE END, IF WE HIT BACK AND OF GLUT IT GETS THE EYES OF THE INDUSTRY. THE PROMOTERS AND AGENTS BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THEY ARE GOING TO GET NOT ONLY THEIR GUARANTEE PLUS SOME. THEY REALIZE WE ARE BRINGING IN AUDIENCES. OUR VISION. WAY BACK WHEN , ONE DAY I WENT TO MY TEAM AND WE HAVE OUR ORDERLY MEETING AND I ASKED THEM, WE HAVE THESE COOL VISIONS . HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN WE HAVE ARRIVED? WE DON'T MEASURE HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN WE GET THERE? THEY HELPED ME FIGURE OUT SOME CRITERIA. WE ARE TOUCHING EVERY ONE OF THESE CRITERIA RIGHT NOW. WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF REACH OUT. YOU KNOW DANCING WITH THE STARS COME IN FEBRUARY? THAT WAS A RECHECK. THEY REACHED OUT TO US. IF YOU WANT TO BUY A TICKET, WE DON'T HAVE ANY AVAILABLE TODAY. WE HAVE ALREADY FILLED THE HOUSE. NOT A BAD THING. THAT WORD GETS FAST. THAT WILL GIVE US MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR BIGGER NAMES FOR BIGGER THINGS. THRASHER-HORNE CENTER PRESENTATION WITH --. THERE IS ARE LINEUP. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS. IF YOU COULD HELP PUSH IT, WE SIX YEARS AGO SAT DOWN AND SAID, WE SHOULD RUN OUR OWN EVENT. I CAN REMEMBER DOING THE RADIO INTERVIEW AND THE INTERVIEWER ASKED ME, WHY A BRIDAL SPECTACULAR IN CLAY COUNTY? I GO, WHY NOT? JACKSONVILLE DOESN'T HAVE THE MONOPOLY ON THESE KINDS OF THINGS. IT HAS GROWN EVERY YEAR. EVERY YEAR WE GET MORE VENDORS. THIS YEAR WE HAVE 41+ VENDORS . THAT'S MORE THAN WE HAVE EVER HAD. LAST YEAR'S ATTENDANCE WAS HIGHER SO I ASKED FOR YOU TO PUSH IT ON TICKET SALES. WE REALLY NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT TO COME TO THE SPECTACULAR. IT REALLY MIRRORS WHAT CLAY COUNTY IS ABOUT , PERSONAL TOUCH. YOU HAVE A LOT OF ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS , AND THAT'S HOW WE MODEL THIS ONE. MY SLIDE GOT OUTDATED. YESTERDAY WE ANNOUNCED THE SAWYER BROWN AND IT WENT OUT THE GET PRETTY GOOD. I LOVE THIS POINT. I REALLY LIKE THE LAST PORTION OF IT. IT'S SO TRUE . PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL. GOING BACK TO MY TEAM, WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING PEOPLE SMILE , AND THAT IS A FUN BUSINESS TO BE IN. THEY DO UNDERSTAND THAT. OUR TEAM'S PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO THAT, THEY REALLY DO -- THEY ARE SECOND TO NONE FOR SURE AND THEY DO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO COMES TO OUR PLACE HAS A POSITIVE, MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE SHOULD BE IT. IF YOU LOOK AT IT, FOR PEOPLE [00:55:02] WHO HAVE SEEN THE UPGRADES AND THE CORPORATE, THAT IS THE OLD CARPET. IF YOU HAVEN'T COME AND SEE THE NEW CARPET, YOU NEED TO PULL ME ASIDE AND LET ME GIVE YOU A TOUR OF THE FACILITY. IF YOU HAVE NOT IN THERE, YOU DO NEED TO GET THE TOUR. WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN. IT TAKES A WHILE, BUT THERE IS A LOT TO SEE. THAT'S IT. >> THAT'S GREAT. WE WERE THERE JUST BEFORE THE END OF LAST YEAR FOR THE PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE. IT WAS VERY NOTICEABLE. THE CARPET AND PAINT WAS A SHARP FACELIFT FOR THE FACILITY. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ? DISCUSS THE BUSINESS MODEL OR EVENTS? ANYBODY? >> GREAT PRESENTATION. GLAD TO SEE THAT 2023 WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR YOU GUYS AS WELL. I KNOW EVERYBODY HAD --. YOU GUYS EMPHASIZING HOW WELL-FOUNDED THAT FACILITY IS , IS ALSO GREAT. I DIDN'T REALIZE SOME OF THOSE THINGS YOU ALSO HAD. I'VE ONLY BEEN THERE FOR SHOWS AND MEETINGS AND CONFERENCE CENTERS. I DID REALIZE ALL THE OTHER AMENITIES. I THINK IT'S GREAT YOU ARE EMPHASIZING ALL EQUALLY. >> SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE INTERESTING. 50% OUT OF COUNTY THAT COME AND ATTEND. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. $2.3 MILLION FINANCIAL IMPACT IN TERMS OF THE COUNTY AND THEN ALSO THE 1100 ROOM NIGHTS AND TWO YEARS . >> ONCE THE RUMMY REPORT COMES OUT, --. KIMBERLY IS ONE OF OUR SPONSORS. >> THE IMPACT IS PRETTY HUGE FOR >> WE HAVE A DISCOUNT CODE AND WE TRY TO TRACK IT. IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY BECAUSE WE DO GET THAT OUT TO ANYBODY THAT COMES AS WELL, NOT JUST OUR DIRECT. MIGHT ENTERTAINERS WE BOTH AT THE HOTELS. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE FOLKS SITTING OUT THERE ARE SPECTATORS . THAT'S THE HARD THING TO GET YOUR ARM WRAPPED AROUND. >> IT'S A LOT OF GROUPS. WE GET A LOT OF GROUPS. IF YOU ARE AT THE FRONT DESK, SOME REGIONAL PEOPLE COME TO ATTEND AND STAY OVERNIGHT. WE ARE SEEING THAT. THAT'S HARD TO TRACK. IT'S GREAT. >> IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. >> VERY GOOD. APPRECIATE YOUR [4.  Tourism Team Update (K. Morgan).] TIME. WE WILL MOVE AHEAD TO OUR AGENDA. WE GO TO OUR TOURISM TEAM . WITH AN UPDATE FROM KIMBERLY. >> I WILL GIVE YOU GUYS THE QUICK 20,000 FOOT VIEW HERE. WE ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON STAFF TRAINING IN THE COMING WEEKS ONCE WE GET FULLY STAFFED AGAIN. YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT THE LEISURE AND LOCAL CAMPAIGN VIDEO SHOOT . WE HAD TO RESCHEDULE THAT AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WEEK. BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING THAT NEXT WEEK , NOT NEXT WEEK , THE WEEK OF THE 22ND. I JUST SENT THE EMAIL BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED. THAT'S WHEN WE WILL RESCHEDULE. WE GOT THE SPORTS TOURISM FAMILIARIZATION TOUR. WE ARE WORKING WITH AMERICAN CRUISE LINES TO PUT TOGETHER ADDITIONAL PACKAGES AND EXPERIENCES. SO THEY HAVE AMPLE TIME TO SELL THOSE NEW EXPERIENCES. VISIT WIDGET IS A NEW TOOL THAT WE WILL BE LAUNCHING ON THE WEBSITE AND IT WILL ACTUALLY BE APPS THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD TO YOUR CELL PHONE THAT WILL BE OUR TRAILS AND PASSPORTS THAT WE CAN NOW CREATE ON-DEMAND. AS WELL AS , YOU CAN CREATE -- . IF SOMEONE IS WANTING TO CREATE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, THEY CAN DO THAT, OR THEY CAN TAKE OUR ITINERARIES AND OUR GAME IF I'D PASSPORTS AS WELL. WE ARE WORKING ON BUILDING THOSE OUT NOW. AND THEN WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON OUR NEW TOURISM OFFICE ON THE FIRST FLOOR IN THIS BUILDING FACING THE HIGHWAY 17. YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT LATER THIS SPRING. SPECIAL PROJECTS, WE DO SERVE ON THE NORTH FLORIDA REGIONAL COUNCIL ECOTOURISM STEERING COMMITTEE . WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO BRAND NORTHEAST FLORIDA AS TOURISM DESTINATION. WE ARE LOOKING AT A LOT OF PRIORITIZING OF THE GAPS THAT ARE ENTRAILS AND HOW WE CAN PRIORITIZE FUNDING [01:00:02] FOR THOSE EFFORTS AND THAT'S CONNECTIVITY , BUT ALSO CELEBRATING AND MARKETING THE CONNECTIVITY THAT ALREADY EXISTS, WHETHER IT BE A BIKE TRAIL, HIKING TRAIL, OR THE RIVER. AND THE WATERWAYS. THOSE EXPERIENCES. WE DO HAVE -- AND COMMISSIONER CELLA, YOU SERVE ON THE BIKEWAYS ENTRAILS, WHICH IS A LOCAL ADVOCACY CITIZEN LED COMMITTEE . AND THEN WE ARE ALSO ASSISTING ON THE LIBRARIES WITH AN ARTS COUNCIL AND SOME ARTS INITIATIVES. SO, THAT INCLUDES ARTS AND CULTURE, MEETING HISTORY, HERITAGE , AND ANY TYPE OF SPECIAL INTEREST. WE ARE MEASURING NUMBERS TOO. WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF VISITOR GUIDES. THE GROUP LEADS, WE HAD SOME IN OUR TRANSITION, WE COULDN'T QUITE COUNT EVERYTHING SO YOU WILL HAVE THAT NUMBER AT THE NEXT MEETING. THE NEW UPDATED BUSINESS LISTINGS , SAMANTHA HAS BEEN WORKING HARD AND UPDATING AND ACTUALLY ENGAGING NEW BUSINESSES. WE HAVE A TON OF EVENTS THAT WE EITHER SERVICED OR LISTED ON THE WEBSITE. THERE IS A LOT HAPPENING. METRICS FROM THE SOCIAL MEDIA , JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, ALL THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS FAR AS OUR FOLLOWERS AND ENGAGEMENT , SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND THAT IS FOR OCTOBER TO DECEMBER. THOSE NUMBERS. THIS IS A LITTLE SMALL. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ARE GOING TO START TO SEE IS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TAX COLLECTIONS , THERE ARE SOME SHIFTS AND SOME OF THE MEASUREMENTS WE ARE DOING. TRADITIONALLY, WE HAD GIVEN YOU BETTER TAX COLLECTIONS TO GO WITH THE OCCUPANCY REPORTS. WE ARE GOING TO SHIFT THAT BECAUSE WE ARE STARTING TO MEASURE EVERYTHING ON A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS SO THAT WE CAN PUT THAT WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. WE HAVE RECONFIGURED THAT , THOSE NUMBERS IN ORDER TO REFLECT THAT. I JUST GOT THE NUMBERS TODAY FOR THE DECEMBER COLLECTIONS , SO WE WILL ADD ANOTHER 135,000 TO THAT. WE ALMOST -- WE HAD A LITTLE BUMP. I THINK WE FINISHED AT 1.7 MILLION WITH THAT 135. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A LITTLE HIGHER. >> IT WAS REALLY CLOSE TO 1.8. JUST REALLY CLOSE. SO, LIKE I SAID, WE GOT THAT RIGHT BEFORE WE CAME IN TODAY SO I DID SOME QUICK MATH. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THAT. YOU WILL START TO SEE -- WE WILL START A WHOLE NEW 2024 AT THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT WE CAN START TO COMPARE ACTUAL CALENDAR NUMBERS. I JUST DIDN'T WANT THERE TO BE CONFUSION IF YOU WENT BACK INTO A PREVIOUS MEETING AND YOU SAW DIFFERENT NUMBERS, BECAUSE IT MATTERS WHICH MONTH YOU COUNT WITH. ALL THE NUMBERS ARE THE SAME, JUST GROUPED TOGETHER DIFFERENTLY. ONE OF THE NEW THINGS WE ARE GOING TO BRING YOU IS AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT WE CALL THE STARR REPORT. OR THE OCCUPANCY REPORTS FOR THE HOTELS. IN THIS, WHAT WE HAVE IS , WE COMPARE OCCUPANCY INFORMATION WITH YEAR-OVER-YEAR. YOU WILL SEE THE BLUE LINE IS 2022 AND THE ORANGE LINE IS 2023. WE ARE A LITTLE DOWN ON OCCUPANCY, BUT THE TRENDS REMAIN THE SAME. THE OTHER THING IS, THE BEAUTIFUL THING AS A CHART, THE SECOND CHARGE, THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE IS ADR , THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE IS REALLY CLOSE . IT IS NOT DONE BY A WHOLE LOT, THREE DOLLARS. THAT'S REALLY GOOD. THAT MEANS WE ARE HOLDING RATE. THAT'S GOOD NEWS. THE REV PART IS THAT REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM. IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT NUMBER FOUR HOTEL YEARS. THAT'S IF THEY DON'T SELL OUT. DEMAND , THIS IS ONLY BASED ON --. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EXTENDED-STAY PROPERTIES IN OUR [01:05:03] MARKET . THIS IS JUST STRICTLY THE HOTELS . IT DOESN'T INCLUDE VACATION RENTALS. IT IS JUST 805 ROOMS THAT ARE IN OUR LIVES AS I THINK SEVEN OR EIGHT HOTELS. THAT FIT THAT. I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAVE PURCHASED SOME SOFTWARE AND IN THE NEXT MEETING YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A VACATION RENTAL REPORT THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO THIS, THAT GIVES YOU THE SAME INFORMATION THAT THIS HOTEL REPORT GIVES . WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE IT WORK WITH OUR PRESENTATION AND JUST MAKE SURE -- WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT VACATION RENTAL NUMBERS MIRROR THIS , THE SEASONALITY, THE RATE , THE AVERAGE RATE IS $152 FOR A VACATION RENTAL. AND THAT IS ON 198 PROPERTIES . IN CLAY COUNTY. CLAY COUNTY ONLY. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TAX COLLECTORS OFFICE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES --. THERE IS ACTUALLY MORE THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED . WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT AREN'T REGISTERED ARE INDEED PAYING THE TDT. WE KNOW WE ARE GETTING THE COLLECTION FROM THE AIRBNB WHICH IS THE MOST PLATFORM, BUT WE WILL BE WORKING ON THAT TO ADD TO YOUR REPORT. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TDT DOLLARS ARE AT WORK. ALL THE TIME. >> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> ON THE STARR REPORT, THE INFORMATION , ARE YOU GETTING THAT FROM THE STARR REPORT? >> YES. WHAT WE DO, WE GET TWO DIFFERENT REPORTS. WE GET A WEEKLY REPORT SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW AN EVENT MAY HAVE IMPACTED BUSINESS , AND THEN WE ALSO GET A COUNTY COMPARISON, WHICH I'M HOPING WILL HAVE A SLIDE THAT SHOWS YOU HOW CLAY COUNTY IS PERFORMING AGAINST DO BALL, ST. JOHN'S, AND PUTNAM COUNTIES . I CAN TELL YOU BASED ON LAST MONTH'S REPORT, WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTY THAT CONSISTENTLY IS POSITIVE IN ALL OF THE CATEGORIES OF MEASUREMENT. ADR , OCCUPANCY, AND REP PART. WITH NO ACTUAL SUPPLY GROWTH . OTHERS HAVE SEEN PROPERTIES CLOSE OR BRO. -- GROW. WE ARE REALLY COMPETITIVE, WHICH MEANS WE ARE RIPE FOR DEVELOPMENT. YOU WILL SEE THAT AS WELL. WE ARE GROWING THIS. THE OTHER THING IS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ANY PARTICULAR MEASUREMENT, LET US KNOW. WE ARE ALSO -- THE COUNTY HAS PUT TOGETHER A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE WILL BE TAKING THE KPIS THAT WOULD GET FROM THAT STRATEGIC PLAN AND INCORPORATING THAT INTO OUR REPORT SO THAT YOU KNOW HOW WE FIT INTO THE BIG COUNTY PICTURE , AS WELL. >> ANYTHING ELSE? ANYBODY WITH QUESTIONS? >> A QUICK AND ASIDE. I WAS AT THE REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON LAST WEEK AND ONE OF THE WINNERS WAS PUTNAM COUNTY. COMMISSIONER HARVEY THREW DOWN THE GAUNTLET AS HE SAID THAT THEY NOW HAVE A PORT , PORT PUTNAM . HE BROUGHT UP THE CRUISE LINES AND THREW DOWN THE GAUNTLET SANG ONCE THE NEW BRIDGE IS BUILT SO THAT WE CAN GET CRUISE LINERS UNDERNEATH THAT, THEY WERE GOING TO GO AFTER THE CRUISE BUSINESS. IMMEDIATELY, MY COMPETITIVE NATURE , I SAW THAT WE NEED TO GET GOING. THE BRIDGE ITSELF WON'T BE DONE UNTIL 2028. WE WILL HAVE A HEAD START THERE BUT WE HAVE TO LOVE THAT IN. BEFORE COMMISSIONER HARVEY COMES AFTER OUR BUSINESS. I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT. ALSO IN TERMS OF THE BLUE WAYS ENTRAILS MEETING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT, A MONTH OR SO AGO, [01:10:01] GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND -- TO ALL OF OUR STATE PARKS BY 50% FOR YEAR PASSES. THAT IS COMING UP FOR EXPIRATION ON JANUARY 13TH. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND YOU DO THOSE THINGS, INDIVIDUAL PASSES WERE $60 AND ARE NOW $30 PER FAMILY PASSES, SOMETIMES IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY AND THAT IS GOING TO GO AWAY AS OF JANUARY 13TH. KEEP THAT IN MIND. OTHERWISE, GREAT JOB ON THE UPDATE WE APPRECIATE THAT. ANXIOUS TO SEE THE NEW DIGS FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE NEW VISITORS CENTER . ONE THAT GETS OPEN, WE WILL SCHEDULE THAT FOR A TOUR WHEN WE GET THAT OPEN AND WE HAVE OUR NEXT TDC MEETING. >> WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO THE CHAMBER ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE AND A RIBBON-CUTTING AND ALL OF THAT. WE WILL CELEBRATE. [5.  Tourist Development Council Meeting Minutes November 1, 2023.] >> ANYTHING ELSE FOR BILLY AT THIS POINT? LET'S GO DOWN TO OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES. OUR LAST MEETING WAS NOVEMBER 1ST NUMBER 2023 . DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES , CORRECTIONS ? >> ALL FOR MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. >> MOTION TO APPROVE, SECOND? MOTION TO APPROVE BY MR. KELLY AND MOTION TO SECOND PORTER. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSE? MOTION CARRIES 6-0. [6.  Budget Review (K. Morgan)] WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BUDGET REVIEW WITH KIMBERLY. >> I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. YOU HAVE THE FINAL TRUE UP OF FISCAL YEAR 22-23. WE FINALIZED THAT AND TRUED EVERYTHING UP. I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A RECORD OF THAT. FOR 23-24, THERE IS A NEW PRACTICE AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE WHERE WE ARE INSTITUTING WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. ANYTHING OVER 25% , WE ARE GIVING THEM INFORMATION ABOUT WHY WE ARE AT CAPACITY BECAUSE WE ARE A QUARTER INTO THE FISCAL YEAR. MOST OF THAT COMES FROM OUR ADVERTISING EFFORTS. WHEN YOU SEE THAT BURN RATE OF ANYTHING MORE THAN 25%, EITHER THE CONTRACT HAS COME IN OR WE HAVE PULLED THE PURCHASE ORDER FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT . THAT MONEY IS ALLOCATED AND BEING USED CONSISTENTLY . I JUST WANTED YOU TO --. THERE IS A COUPLE OF LINE ITEMS THAT ARE ALREADY AT 100% IN THE FIRST QUARTER. THAT IS BECAUSE THE CONTRACT WAS DUE -- THE PROJECT IS ON POINT AND COMPLETED OR NEAR COMPLETION. I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT WHEN YOU SEE THAT. ARE VISITOR CENTER AT THE AIRPORT, THEIR CONTRACT IS DUE IN NOVEMBER. IT IS AT 94% . THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. IT IS KIND OF A NEW FORMAT REPORT, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THAT MADE SENSE YOU. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> NOTHING? ALL RIGHT. LET'S [7.  TDC Grant Requests (K. Morgan).] GO TO OUR NUMBER SEVEN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, TDC GRANT REQUESTS. I GUESS YOU HAVE A PUNISHMENT FOR THAT AS WELL? YOU GET TO BE THE QUEEN OF THE RENTS. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. BEFORE YOU HAVE A REVISE MEANT, THERE WAS A MISTAKE ENTERED INTO THE AGENDA. BEFORE YOU HAVE AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE GRANTS . ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, YOU ALL ARE AWARDING GRANTS QUICKER THAN WE CAN GET PURCHASE ORDERS AND EVERYTHING FLOWING IN AGREEMENTS SIGNED AND EVERYTHING. I WANT TO TELL YOU, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 188,000 AND THE BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR GRANTS . SO FAR, YOU ALL HAVE AWARDED 182,000 . SO, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, WE ARE GOING TO DO A BUDGET TRANSFER BECAUSE LAST MEETING YOU HAD REQUESTED THAT $50,000 THAT YOU HAVE TO AWARD GRANTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. TECHNICALLY, YOU HAVE $56,168. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? [01:15:15] $56,168. YOU HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE THE APPLICATION FOR THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES. THIS IS AN EVENT THAT YOU ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. THEY ARE SUMMONING A SPORTS GRANT AND THEY ARE REQUESTING $60,000 . THE STAFF SCORING OF THE GRANT , THEY SCORED 195 POINTS OUT OF THAT 250 POSSIBLE . THE RECOMMENDED GRANT AWARD IS $39,000, BECAUSE OF THE SCORING THAT GOES WITH THE SPORTS GRANT . THE SCORE ALLOWS FOR 65% OF THE REQUEST . SO, THAT IS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. HISTORICALLY, THAT TDC HAS AWARDED BETWEEN 20 AND $25,000 TO THEM FOR THEIR EVENT GRANT. SO, WE WILL TURN IT TO YOU. >> BEFORE WE DISCUSS , I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO GET HIM UP AND TALK TO US ABOUT THE FESTIVAL THIS YEAR AND MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEW THINGS YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOING WITH THE FESTIVAL. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU ARE PLANNING. >> THIS IS LIKE MY 12TH YEAR AS PRESIDENT MUSCLE I'M NOT A STRANGER UP HERE. PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE BEEN INCREASING OUR GRANT REQUEST, THE COST OF OPERATION HAS GONE UP QUITE A BIT FOR OUR GAMES. WE ARE EXPANDING THIS YEAR. WE WILL OFFER SOMETHING WE HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE, FIREWORKS. THAT WILL BE AT THE END OF OUR EVENING CONCERTS. WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO EXPAND SALES AND SOME OF OUR ITEMS TO THE PUBLIC LIKES. ONE THING THAT MR. CELLA HAS HELPED US WITH IS OUR BEER SALES . YOU TOOK -- YOU TOOK THE SHOT FOR AND HELPED US OUT. I APPRECIATED. BUT THAT ACTUALLY IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCOME FOR THE GAMES . WE GET A LARGE SPONSORSHIP AND ALSO OUR SALES . I APPRECIATE THE BCC AND TDC HELPING US OUT WITH THAT. PRIMARILY, IT IS BECAUSE OF THE COST OF EVERYTHING GOING UP. WE ARE HAVING TO -- WE HAVE TAKEN OUR ATHLETICS BACK IN-HOUSE TO SAVE US MONEY , I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY. BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE TO BUY ALL NEW EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT, AND THAT IS --. ANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH SCOTTISH ATHLETICS COME HEAVY ATHLETICS, WE HAVE STONES , WEIGHTS , SHEETS , BOXES, FENCES AND TELEPHONE POLES. THEY ALL HAVE TO BE MADE AT A EXACT WEIGHT BECAUSE ALL OUR COMPETITORS COMPETE WORLDWIDE , SO WE HAVE TO MAKE EVERYTHING EXACT . AS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING EXACT COSTS MORE MONEY. MATERIALS ARE COSTING MORE MONEY. THAT'S WHY WE RAISED OUR GRANT REQUEST . DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO THE GAMES? ALL RIGHT. >> IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THIS YEAR. >> THIS YEAR WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BLOWOUT YEAR BECAUSE THIS IS OUR 29TH YEAR OF WHICH WE HAVE SPENT 20 IN CLAY COUNTY. WHICH HAS BEEN VERY ENJOYABLE . NEXT YEAR WILL BE OUR 30TH AND WE WILL BE [01:20:09] PLANNING A TWO DAY EVENT , AN EVENING CONCERT AT THRESHER HORN AND THEN CONTINUE THE CONCERT THE NEXT DAY . FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION, WE ARE A 501(C)(3) ALL VOLUNTEER, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION . OVER AND ABOVE WHAT OUR BILLS ARE AND WHAT WE HAVE TO PUT ASIDE FOR OPERATING THE FOLLOWING YEAR, EVERYTHING GOES INTO CHARITY . ALL LOCAL CHARITIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS HERE IN CLAY COUNTY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL TRY TO ANSWER THEM. >> ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? THE MAIN REASON IS , WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS. MOST OF OUR COMMITTEE WORK . THERE IS A COUPLE OF US , I ONLY WORK PART-TIME AFTER 13 YEARS OF RETIREMENT. I WENT BACK TO WORK . THANK YOU, ECONOMY. BUT, WE ARE OUT THERE. LOST PRESIDENT AND I ARE OUT THERE ON THE TUESDAY PRIOR TO THE GAMES AND WE ARE OUT THERE UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. IT TAKES IS ABOUT FOUR DAYS TO SET UP AND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE CAN TIER EVERYTHING UP AND PACKED UP IN ONE DAY. IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER, COME OUT AND HELP BECAUSE WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU. >> WE HAVE ASKED HIM TO CONSIDER GOING TO TWO DAYS BECAUSE IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL WITH THE ONE DAY. WITH ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, WE ARE TOO TIRED TO DO A SECOND A. >> NOT ONLY ARE WE TOO TIRED BUT WE ARE ALSO TOO OLD. WITH THE COMMITTEE, I'M THE ONE THAT DOES ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING. THAT'S BECAUSE I OFFERED THE BIG FORKLIFT. >> YOU HAVE TO GET SOMEBODY TRAINED ON THAT THING. >> 20 YEARS AS A HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR FOR JJ. ANYTHING ELSE? >> IT'S ON THE 24TH OF FEBRUARY THIS YEAR. >> WE WILL BE HAVING OUR SPONSORS RECEPTION ON THE 23RD AT THE HILLTOP ALONG WITH A WHISKEY TASTING. >> OKAY. YOU ARE GOING TO HANG OUT FOR A FEW MINUTES IN CASE ANY QUESTIONS COME UP, RIGHT? >> YEAH. >> THE REQUEST WAS FOR 60,000 AFTER THE APPLICATION SCORED , THE RECOMMENDED GRANT AWARD WAS 39 FIVE . WE DID MAKE A CHANGE. AT SOME POINT GOING FROM A STRICT MARKETING GRANT TO THE SPORTS GRANT, RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. DISCUSSION? THOUGHTS? >> OUT-OF-STATE IT SHOWS 1500. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY THEY HAVE? LAST YEAR TOTAL? >> EVERYBODY. >> WE HAD ABOUT 20,000. THAT ALSO INCLUDES ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS, NOT JUST ENTRY . WE HAVE PIPE BANDS THAT COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY . WE HAVE ATHLETES THAT COME FROM AS FAR AS NOVA SCOTIA AND OUT WEST AM A COLORADO AND UTAH. WE COUNT ALL OF THEM AS COMING IN. THE ONLY PEOPLE I THINK WE DON'T COUNT IS THE COMMITTEE. WITH ALL OF OUR VENDORS , PARTICIPANTS , PIPE BAND COMPETITION AND DANCE COMPETITION, OUR CLANS, IT'S RIGHT AROUND 20,000 PEOPLE, WHICH ISN'T BAD FOR A ONE-DAY EVENT. ANYTHING ELSE? >> I UNDERSTAND WITH A VOLUNTEER RUN EVENT, THE TWO DAYS IS INTIMIDATING . DO WE THINK THAT SINCE THE BOARD IS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EVENT THAT THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT COULD OUTWEIGH IF WE WERE TO GO TO TWO EVENTS ? >> THE MAIN PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH GOING TO TWO DAY EVENTS , WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DISASSEMBLE IT THE FOLLOWING DAY. OUR COMMITTEE IS GROWING [01:25:04] SMALLER. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE . WE HAVE A LADY , SARAH TAYLOR , WHO IS WORKING AS OUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR AND SHE ACTUALLY DOES VOLUNTEER COORDINATION FOR BANK OF AMERICA. WE GET A PRETTY GOOD VOLUNTEER TURNOUT. IF YOU WANT TO MENTION IT TO ANY OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, ANY SCHOOLCHILDREN THAT ARE REQUIRED TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE, WE GIVE THEM DELI HOURS -- DOUBLE HOURS , BECAUSE WE DO WORK IN THEM. AS FAR AS GOING TO TWO DAYS , AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I REALLY DON'T SEE HOW WE COULD DO IT BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE TO HIRE PEOPLE TO HELP TAKE IT DOWN ON THE FOLLOWING DAY. >> IT'S JUST SOMETHING SITTING FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE NOTICING THAT WE UNDERSTAND OPERATIONAL COSTS AND RENTALS ARE GOING UP AND WITH EVERYTHING GOING UP, I WAS LOOKING TO SEE IF WE WERE TURNING OVER EVERY STONE WE CAN FIND TO TRY TO INCREASE OUR ROI. IF GRANT REQUESTS ARE GOING TO BE INCREASING, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THE EVENT IS ALSO KEEPING IN MIND THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THINGS LIKE WHAT THE TDC IS CONCERNED WITH, ROOM NIGHTS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR EVENT OBVIOUSLY HAS GOOD TRACK RECORD. IT DOES HAVE THE TRACK RECORD TO JUSTIFY . THAT IS SOMETHING I DEFINITELY THINK THAT IF THESE COSTS KEEP GOING UP , HAVING MORE REVENUE GENERATION TO OFFSET THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC IN THE FUTURE. >> WHAT WE HAVE DONE THIS YEAR, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR GAIT PRICES . WE HAVE HAD THE SAME PRICE FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER RAISED OUR RATE PRICES. THIS YEAR WE HAVE GONE FROM $15 AT THE GATE TO $20. CHILDREN 10 AND UNDER GET IN FREE. WE STILL HAVE A 25% DISCOUNT FOR SENIORS AND ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY. ALSO, WITH OUR TICKET OUTLETS AND ONLINE SALES, WE HAVE GONE FROM $12-$15, BUT ONE OF THE BEST-SELLING PARTS SINCE WE HAVE GONE UP TO $20 AT THE GATE , WE CAN TELL PEOPLE THAT $15 YOU ARE GETTING 25% OFF. >> IT'S TRUE. >> HAVE WE PUT HIM IN TOUCH WITH SOCIAL SERVICES AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS? WE HAVE PEOPLE REGISTERED TO HELP OUT SO WE SHOULD PROBABLY SEE IF WE CAN'T MAKE A CONNECTION THERE. OUR SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR NOW AND WE TAKE VOLUNTEERS AND WE KEEP THEM , WE REGISTER THEM AND GET THEM AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LET THEM KNOW TO SEE IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT, BUT MAYBE IS A WAY FOR US TO GROW YOUR VOLUNTEER. >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. IF YOU CAN SEND ME THE CONTACTS, I CAN PASS ALONG TO OUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR. >> PERFECT. >> I'M LEANING. >> ANYTHING ELSE? ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? IT'S ONE OF THOSE SIGNATURE EVENTS THAT THE COUNTY HAS BECOME KNOWN FOR AND CERTAINLY AS WE DISCUSSED, IT COULD BE A TWO DAY EVENT IF WE FIGURE OUT ALL OF THE LOGISTICS. IT'S THAT POPULAR AND WOULD CERTAINLY CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE EVENT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ATHLETES THAT COME IN FRIDAY BEFORE THE EVENT. SO, THAT WOULD HOLD THEM OVER A FOURTH DAY. THAT WOULD INCREASE >> REPORTER: COSTS FOR THE FESTIVAL BECAUSE I THINK THEY PAY FOR THOSE WHO COME IN. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA HIGHLAND GAMES, THAT ALSO GAVE US THE MASTER GAMES COMING UP IN OCTOBER. THAT'S HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION HERE. SOME OF THE VERY BEST IN THE WORLD WILL BE COMING IN AND COMING HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE EAST FLORIDA GAMES HERE. KIM, THOUGHTS? >> I HAVE A QUESTION. I WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU SAY WE HAVE 56 LEFT AND THEN HOW MUCH WE GRANT , THAT'S THE BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, RIGHT? I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED. >> THERE IS $56,000 LEFT IN THE [01:30:02] BUDGET THAT WE HAVE. IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GIVE MORE THAN THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SINCE WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE -- THE TDC WOULD RECOMMEND A BUDGET TRANSFER FROM RESERVES TO GROW THAT BUDGET . >> WE SET ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT. WE ADDED THAT 50,000 LEFT OVER. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. >> AND THE OTHER THING, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE IS ALWAYS EVENTS THAT DON'T USE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT THAT IS GRANTED. RIGHT NOW IT IS TOO EARLY IN THE YEAR FOR US. WE HAVEN'T PROVIDED ANY REIMBURSEMENTS, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT VARIABLE IS YET. AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE WILL HAVE PROBABLY GIVEN OUT FIVE DIFFERENT EVENT REIMBURSEMENTS, SO THERE MAY BE 2000 MORE BECAUSE AN EVENT DIDN'T SPEND THEIR FULL AWARD. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LAST YEAR IT WAS UNDER SPORTS. >> PRIOR TO THAT I THINK WE DID SPORTS MARKETING . REGULAR MARKETING AND THEN SPORTS. >> THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND, THEY HAVE BEEN A SIGNATURE EVENT MUSSO -- SO THEY HAD A MARKETING MATCH THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO DO FOR SEVERAL YEARS. WHEN THEY WOULD SPEND 20 , $20,000, WE WOULD REIMBURSE THEM AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY SPENDING $40,000 IN MARKETING TO GET THERE 20. LET ME PULL THIS REALLY QUICK. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. BUT WE GAVE THEM LAST YEAR. >> I THINK YOU SAID HISTORICALLY, 20 TO 25. >> LAST YEAR'S GRANTS WAS --. DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? >> >> AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT I THINK IT WAS 22. THOSE WERE SPORTS MARKETING RATES OR JUST THE 25? >> 22 WAS STILL MARKETING AND LAST YEAR THE 25 WAS SPORTS. >> OKAY. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF IS, WE'VE GOT INTO THIS SYSTEM IN THE PAST WE DID IT ALL IN ONE MONTH AND ONE TIME WAS EASIER TO KEEP TRACK OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE WERE PUTTING OUT IN TERMS OF GRANTS AND MARKETING BECAUSE WE HAD IT ALL IN ONE DAY. ESSENTIALLY, WHAT I SEE THAT HAS HAPPENED HERE, SOME OF THESE LISTED IN THE SHEET YOU HAVE WANT TO BE COMING BACK UNTIL THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS AFTER OCTOBER 1ST. THAT DOESN'T GIVE US A LOT OF ROOM FOR NEW THINGS THAT POP UP THAT WE DON'T KNOW YET. SO, THAT WILL LIMIT US UNLESS WE DECIDE TO GO INTO RESERVES AND KEEP POKING INTO RESERVES AT THIS POINT . WE SPENT QUITE A BIT MORE THAN WE USUALLY DO IN TERMS OF GRANTS. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP TABS ON, ESPECIALLY FOR FIRST-TIME EVENTS . >> YOU HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SPENT MORE . WHAT WE DID IS, WE PRESENTED A BUDGET THAT HAD CUT THE GRANT LINE ITEM BY 100,000 DOLLARS. YOU ARE SPENDING THE SAME AMOUNT. IF WE BRING -- IT IS RIGHT AT 250. >> I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE IF [01:35:08] WE SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE SOMEHOW BETWEEN THE REQUEST AND FOR EXAMPLE LAST YEAR'S GRANT WAS AND THAT IS THAT TOURISM THING WE ARE GOING TO SHARE SOME OF THE INCREASE IN OPERATIONS OF THIS EVENT, BUT THEN THAT IS ALSO HOPING, ASSUMING WE WILL FIND NEW WAYS TO CREATE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT WHEN WE ARE SITTING HERE NEXT YEAR LOOKING AT THE SAME LEVEL A REQUEST. THAT GIVES US ROOM IN THE BUDGET TO CONSIDER OTHER INCREASES AND ALSO NEARLY 50% IF WE WERE TO DO 35 OR 40 , ROUNDING UP TO 40 FROM THE SCORING , THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT 75% INCREASE IN THE BUDGET FROM TOURISM AND CONTRIBUTION WITHOUT SAYING A 75% INCREASE IN ECONOMIC IMPACT . TO ME, I STILL THINK THAT IS A GENEROUS MOVE ON THE TOURISM PART ASSUMING WE ARE GOING TO FIND WAYS TO ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN BENEFIT TO TOURISM IN CLAY COUNTY. NOT NECESSARILY IN THE SAME DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR MEASURE PERCENTAGE NEXT YEAR, BUT SEEING IT MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS TIME NEXT YEAR AS WELL. >> ANOTHER REASON WE ASKED FOR MORE IS WITH THE PAST 20 YEARS WHEN WE SET UP WITH OUR GAMES , WE SET UP TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND TIER DOWN SATURDAY , SUNDAY AND MONDAY. WE HAVE BEEN PAYING $100 A DAY FOR THAT AND THEN $2500 FOR THE ELECTRICITY AND INCIDENTALS FOR RENTAL OF THE FAIRGROUNDS. THIS YEAR IT HAS GONE UP 1275 DOLLARS. WERE GONE FROM $3800 TO OVER 10,000. AND THAT IS A BIG HIT. NUMBER ONE, IT HURTS US AS FAR AS NO MATTER WHAT REVENUE WE BRING IN, THAT'S A BIG HIT, AND IT ALSO CUTS DOWN WHAT WE CAN GIVE AND CHARITIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS. SO, THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON WE REQUESTED 60. I UNDERSTAND , YOU CAN'T SQUEEZE BLOOD OUT OF A TURNIP. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? >> NO, SIR. ANYBODY ELSE ? THOUGHTS? >> I TEND TO AGREE WITH STEPHEN'S SUMMARY ON THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GO TO 60. THAT WOULD MAKE IT TOUGH. I THINK THE SCORING SHEET THAT WE DEPEND ON SAID 39 FIVE. WE MIGHT ROUNDED UP TO 40 . THAT GIVES HIM , COVERS SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THEY ARE SPENDING AND GIVES AN ADDITIONAL 7500 ON TOP OF THAT TO DO WHATEVER . I UNDERSTAND WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING A REQUEST ON THE BCC SIDE FOR SOME ADDITIONAL PRODUCT THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SELL IN TERMS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. THAT MIGHT HELP AS WELL IN TERMS OF GETTING THEM TO WHERE THEY WANT TO BE FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT. IF WE CAN GET VOLUNTEERS WHO MIGHT HELP AS WELL, I WOULD SAY WE ARE HEADING THE ENVELOPE AT ABOUT 40. THAT WOULD GIVE US ABOUT 16 OR 17,000 LEFT. >> WITH THAT, I WILL OFFER A MOTION TO AWARD A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT FOR SPORT GRANT FOR THE AMOUNT OF $40,000. >> OKAY. STEPHEN HAS MADE THE MOTION . DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> I WILL SECOND. DEBBIE SECONDS. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES 6-0. WE GOT YOU A GRANT OF 40,000. >> 35 [01:40:05] THE ONE IN THE GOLF CART. >> YOU WEAR IT WELL. >> THAT'S WHAT I HAVE BEEN PRESENT FOR 12 YEARS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> I THINK ALL OF OUR FESTIVALS AND FAIRS AND EVENTS , IF YOU HAVE TO MAXIMIZE THE PER CAPITA SPENDING OF PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THE EVENT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY RAISE THE TICKET PRICE UP TO WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO GO. GIVE SOME VALUE FOR INCREASED SPENDING. AND SOME FASHION SHAPE OR FORM, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE. THEY ARE RUN BY VOLUNTEERS BUT IT DOESN'T OCCUR TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE AN EVENT THAT DRAWS 2000 AND YOU GET AN EXTRA DOLLAR OR TWO OUT OF EACH PERSON THAT ATTENDS THE EVENT , THE PER CAPITA SPENDING, THAT'S 22 TO $44,000 YOU HAVE MADE WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK, AS WE MOVE FORWARD , OUR ORGANIZERS WILL GET MORE SOPHISTICATED ON THAT ASPECT OF THINGS. I GUESS WE [8.  TDC Event Marketing Grant Subcommittee Report (S. Kelley).] MOVE ON TO NUMBER EIGHT. THIS IS A SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT. I GUESS YOU GUYS GOT TOGETHER OR DID YOU GET TOGETHER ? >> WE DID. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT THE END-OF-THE-YEAR SCRAMBLE TO MY BRAIN COMPLETELY. IT FEELS LIKE THAT WAS SIX MONTHS AGO. WITH HOW INTENSE THE END-OF-THE-YEAR WAS. I CAN PROVIDE AN UPDATE OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AND THEN WE STILL REALIZE THAT COMING OUT OF THAT MEETING WE HAVE SOME MORE WORK TO DO. ALL OF THE DISCUSSION WAS AROUND THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT. AS CLAY COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW AND GET BUSIER, WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE MORE AND MORE REQUESTS. BASICALLY JUST TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR MAXIMUMS, CONSIDERING SETTING MAXIMUMS WHERE THERE WEREN'T MAXIMUMS BEFORE. FOR EXAMPLE IN THE SPORTS GRANTS, ALSO CONSIDERING IF WE HAVE LOWER MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNTS ON THE SIGNATURE EVENTS AND THEN GIVING US FLEXIBILITY TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF BONUSES TIED SPECIFICALLY TO ROOM NIGHTS SO THAT WAY WE ARE ENSURING IF WE GET TO GRANT AN EXCESS OF THAT MAXIMUM THAT WE AREN'T GETTING BED TAX DOLLARS IN EXCHANGE FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT. LIKE WE SEE -- SETTING AN EXPECTATION IS GOOD BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP IN OUR DISCUSSION. WE ARE NOTICING EVENTS, IF THEY ARE LOWER QUALITY OR LACKING SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT YEAR-OVER-YEAR, WHAT WE DO SEE HOWEVER IS RATHER THAN IMPROVING THE EVENT AND THE POTENTIAL BED TAX DOLLARS THEY EARNED, THEY WILL INCREASE THE REQUEST AMOUNT , GET A PERCENTAGE OF THE NEW INCREASE AND INCREASE THEIR BUDGET. OR THEIR TOURISM FUNDING. I THINK BY TAKING A LOOK AT THESE MAXIMUMS AND TYING ANYTHING OVER THAT, IF WE WERE TO DO A BONUS TIED TO BED TAX DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY OR OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE TOURISM. I THINK WE WILL START SEEING A DENSER CALENDAR IN THE FUTURE AS POPULATION INCREASES, DEVELOPMENT INCREASES. AS WE ARE ADDING MORE SPORTS FACILITIES , SOME OF THESE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE NOT NECESSARILY REALLOCATED BUT A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENTIONALLY ALLOCATED TO GET MAXIMUM RETURN ON INVESTMENT. THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION WAS. WE ALSO WENT FURTHER INTO DEPTH FOR A STRATEGY GOING FARTHER. THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH THOSE COMMUNITY EVENTS. TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDS THAT WERE UP FOR GRABS FOR SIGNATURE EVENTS , SPECIAL EVENTS AND SPORT EVENTS BUT THE BOARD GETTING TIED UP IN EVENTS THAT WERE NEVER GOING TO TRY AND GENERATE OVERNIGHT STAYS OR BED TAX DOLLARS, BUT THEY STILL HAVE VALUE. PROVIDING EMPHASIS ON THE ONES THAT ARE IN A NEED TO READ OR PARTNER WITH ANOTHER ALREADY SPECIAL EVENT THAT OCCURS OR SIGNATURE EVENTS. I DO THINK THE SCOTTISH GAMES WOULD BE ONE THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE THAT THEY ARE BRINGING HERE. THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR SOME SORT OF PARTNERSHIP. >> THEY WILL BE MOVING TO A FRIDAY NIGHT NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? >> THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY. >> THAT WOULD BE A WAY FOR [01:45:03] VOLUNTEERS DON'T HAVE TO BE AS INTENSE . MAYBE WE DO SOMETHING ON A FRIDAY EVENING KIND OF A THING. ALL DAY SUNDAY. THEY WILL BE DOING THERE TWO NIGHTS AND HOTEL STAYS. THERE ARE THOUGHTS THERE BUT SOME OF THE MONEY -- PICK THEY MIGHT EXTEND HOTEL STAYS THERE AS WELL. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME OF WE USE OUR HOTEL BED TAX DOLLARS IN THAT FASHION . SOME OF THE OTHER TDC'S AROUND ARE MOVING TO A POINT WHERE THEY ARE CREATING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS. FOR EXAMPLE , OSCEOLA , THEY HAVE TONS OF MONEY TO SPEND, BUT THEY JUST AWARDED $10 MILLION TO A SOCCER CLUB ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF OR TWO YEARS AGO AND AS PART OF THAT DEAL, THEY WORKED A DEAL AND SAID, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A DOLLAR TICKET AND THEN PARKING AND THEN THEY PAID THEMSELVES BACK OUT OF THOSE. THEY MADE MONEY BACK ON THAT AS WELL AS GOT A NEW ATTRACTION AND HELPED OUT WITH THE 10 MILLION, WHICH BUILD A STADIUM FOR THIS PRO SOCCER TEAM. THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL IN TERMS OF SOME OF THESE EVENTS, WHETHER IT IS WE TAKE THE PARKING. MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE GROW INTO WHERE TDC IS IN CHARGE OF THE PARKING AND WE TAKE WHATEVER IT IS FROM PARKING. MAYBE WORKING IN THAT FASHION . THROWING SOME IDEAS OUT. I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GET NERVOUS . AS WE GET MORE MATURE AS A COUNTY , THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE WILL HAVE TO THINK OF SO WE CAN TAKE THOSE MONIES AND POUR THAT BACK INTO MARKETING AND ACCOUNTING SO EVERYBODY BENEFITS WHETHER IT IS THROUGH ADVERTISING WE DO IN A PARTICULAR SEASON FOR ALL OF THOSE SEASONAL EVENTS HAPPENING TO TRY TO RAISE OUR AWARENESS SO THAT WE GET MORE PEOPLE IN AND HELP THEM OUT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. I AGREE WITH YOU . AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING BEYOND JUST HANDING OUT DOLLARS. HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, WHAT IS OUR RETURN ON THOSE DOLLARS? >> WE ALSO HAD A COUPLE PRACTICE SCORING THINGS, WHICH THEN LED US TO THE RELOCATING EMPHASIS ON CERTAIN PRIORITIES WHICH WOULD BE ADDING EMPHASIS TO THE OVERNIGHT VISITORS, OF COURSE . BEING A LEVEL PRIORITY AS WELL AS NEED PERIOD BEING PUSHED TO THE TOP. THAT WAS ANOTHER TOPIC DISCUSSED . THAT LAST QUARTER OF 2023, BASICALLY ANYTHING OCTOBER TO JANUARY FOUR THROUGH DECEMBER IS SOMETHING WHERE WE ARE PACKED . SO, SPENDING MORE MONEY DURING THAT PERIOD IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO DO. IT TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE, CREATING EVENTS DURING OUR PERIODS OF NEED AND ALSO DAYS OF THE WEEK OF NEED AND THAT NATURE TO TRY AND PROVIDE THAT EMPHASIS SO WE LOOKED AT REPRIORITIZING THAT SCORESHEET. I THINK THE SCORESHEET IS IMPORTANT. WE DO NEED THAT TANGIBLE , SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT IS NOT AS SUBJECTIVE RATHER SO THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT ASSURES THE TDC IS GOING TO RECEIVE THE ROI SO IT DOESN'T GET TOO OUT OF HAND WITH REGARDS TO THAT. THE COMMITTEE TO GRANTS WE DISCUSSED THE $1000 VERSUS DOING INSTEAD A TDC MANAGED MARKETING PUSH . WHICH I THINK IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE GO IN THE FUTURE AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT . IF YOU ARE GOING TO TRY TO CONTROL THE GROWTH OF TDC GRANT FUNDS, BEING ABLE TO TAKE MONEY THAT WOULD JUST BE HANDED OVER FOR SOMETHING AS SMALL AS A COMMUNITY EVENT AND BE ABLE TO EDIT INTO OUR MARKETING PACKAGE PURCHASE THAT WE DO ALREADY WITH OUR MARKETING GROUPS AND WHATNOT AND BEING ABLE TO PUSH THE EVENT OUT THROUGH THAT MEDIUMS THAT WE ARE BUILDING, WHETHER THROUGH THE CLICK ADVERTISING OR SOCIAL MEDIA WE ARE CREATING, THAT IS GOING TO COME UP FOR A COMMUNITY SIZED EVENT, I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY THE BEST. THEY WILL GET MORE VALUE OUT OF IT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE. SIGNATURE EVENTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS AND LARGER EVENTS , ESPECIALLY SPORTIN EVENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE A FOLLOWING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO. I STILL DON'T THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT, BUT I THINK FOR SOMETHING LIKE THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, WE CAN TAKE ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS WE WOULD NORMALLY HAND OVER PASSPORTTO [01:50:02] MARKET AND WE CAN IMPROVE OUR MARKETING AND THEY WILL BENEFIT FROM IT AS A RESULT. WAS DISCUSSION ON THAT. EMBERLEY, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD. THERE IS CONTEXT THAT THESE BULLET POINTS DON'T COVER . IT FELT LIKE IT WAS SO LONG AGO NOW SINCE WE DID THAT. >> IT WAS ALL LAST YEAR. >> IT FEELS LIKE IT. >> WITH A $250,000 REIMBURSABLE GRANT LINE ITEM BUDGET, THAT IS 13.5% OF YOUR TDC BUDGET . JUST SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE. >> THAT GIVES YOU -- THAT CREATES MORE MONIES AVAILABLE IF THE BED TAXES GO UP AND YOU STAY AT A 13.5%. YOU ARE GOING TO BE GETTING EVEN MORE . I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE THE FIRST CONSIDERATION. WE WANT TO USE IT WHERE WE THINK IT'S GOING TO GIVE US THE MOST RETURN TO CONTINUE TO PUT PEOPLE IN THE HOTEL BEDS THAT REGENERATE THAT SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO TRY ATTRACT PEOPLE. ANYBODY ELSE WITH THE THOUGHTS ON SUBCOMMITTEE? >> I HAVE A THOUGHT. IT'S SO HARD, AND KIMBERLY CAN VOUCH FOR THIS TO KNOW WHAT IT REALLY BRINGS IN THE HOTEL ROOMS. YOU HAVE TO CHASE HOTEL OR HE HAS TO SEND IT TO US AND EVERYBODY IS SO BUSY AND WHAT IS REALLY ACCURATE SO IT SO HARD TO REPORT THOSE NUMBERS. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A SYSTEM THAT HAS GOTTEN BETTER BECAUSE IN REALITY HE SAYS 300 ROOM NIGHTS. I DON'T KNOW IF I SEE THAT BUT MAYBE SO HOW DO WE REALLY KNOW AND THEN TALKING ABOUT ON THESE EVENT DATES, WE NEED TO FILL THEM IN BECAUSE END OF FEBRUARY IS NOT. IT'S NOT SPEC THIS COULD BE SUCH A COMPRESSION THAT THEY COULD EVEN GO TO DEUEL COUNTY THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON. BUT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT --. I WAS LIKE , THAT'S THE DEAL. YOU LOOK AT HER NUMBERS AND YOU SEE IT THERE, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T CHANGE SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HERE 20 YEARS AND WE MEET YOU TO MOVE THIS IN JULY. ALL THESE DANCE GROUPS ARE COMING WITH TREMENDOUS IMPACTS SO IT'S A LITTLE FUNNY. I'M ONLY LOOKING AT IT FROM A HOTEL STANDPOINT. HOW DO WE REALLY MANAGE WHAT THE IMPACT IS AND MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING NEW WE CAN DO INSTEAD OF SETTING UP FORMS. >> I THINK THE HARD THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT TRACKING IS THAT WE WILL NEVER GET 100% ACCURACY. AND SO, WHAT WE HAVE ARE TOOLS THAT GIVE US ESTIMATES THAT ARE THE BEST GUESS USING GPS TRACKING AND CELL PHONE DATA . WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO WENT, BUT WE HAVE A GOOD TRACK ABILITY OF RESEARCH DATA OF HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME TO THE EVENT AND -- WE CAN EVEN TRACK, RIGHT NOW, WHERE THEY WENT AFTER THEY WERE AT THE EVENT. WE CAN TRACK SOME HOTEL INFORMATION. WE CAN TRACK SOME DINING INFORMATION OR RETELL INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THEY WENT WHILE THEY WERE HERE. AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHO THAT PERSON IS. WE JUST KNOW WHERE THEY ARE FROM AND THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WERE FROM THAT DESTINATION AND WHAT THEY DID WHILE THEY WERE IN CLAY COUNTY. THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE ANALYSIS ON OUR PART, WHICH WE CAN DO. IT JUST , IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE 100% ACCURATE, AND SO, WE HAVE THIS RESEARCH DATA , AND IT IS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET . AS LONG AS EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, IT IS THE ESTIMATE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE MARKET. >> YOU ARE SAYING THE END OF FEBRUARY IS A REALLY BIG PERIOD. WHAT COMES IN ? >> SOCCER, DANCE, EVERYTHING. IT'S A LOT OF SPORTS THAT IS IMPACTING US GREATLY. LACROSSE . THEN YOU THROW IN A COUPLE OF WEDDINGS. YOU HAVE WEDDING VENUES AND LACROSSE. >> IS THIS SOMETHING YOU CAN [01:55:03] TRACK ON A YEAR-TO-YEAR BASIS? MY THOUGHT BEING, MAYBE ON OUR SCORE SHEETS, MAYBE THAT NEED NEEDS TO BE PUT ON THERE. FOUR BEING ALL HANDS ON DECK. ONE IS -- OR VICE VERSA. RED, YELLOW, GREEN. HERE IS A RED LIGHT DEAL. WE WILL WORK WITH YOU BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH AS WE WOULD ORDINARILY IF YOU WERE SOMEPLACE ELSE. FOR US, WE DON'T KNOW THAT. SOME OF US DO. THOSE OF US IN THE HOTEL BUSINESS. THE REST OF US, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A REAL NEED READ. >> THE STARR REPORT, THAT'S HOW WE ALL REPORT OUR NUMBERS. KIMBERLY SUBSCRIBES TO THAT AND GETS OUR NUMBERS ALL THE HOTELS IN CLAY COUNTY. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHER HOTELS. THAT TRULY IS GOING TO SHOW YOU. IF YOU SAY KIM, WHAT'S YOUR PICK, IT STARTS MID FEBRUARY AND AND OUT IT IS GOING TO MAY. IT'S CONTINUING ON AND THEN YOU HAVE SUMMER AND OCTOBER PICKS BACK UP BUT HONESTLY, FEBRUARY MARCH IS THE CRAZIEST. SO, WE COULD FOLLOW THAT STAR THE STARR REPORT THAT SHE SHARED WOULD REALLY SHOW US ALMOST IF WE COULD IMPLEMENT INTO THAT. >> EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THAT, YOU CAN PUT A STARR REPORT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE INITIALS ARE. IF YOU TELL ME THIS IS A RED LIGHT PERIOD, OKAY. OR GREENLIGHT PERIOD. THAT WILL HELP, I DON'T KNOW. >> THE SIGNIFICANT PERIOD IS SUMMER. IT'S JUNE, JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. ACCORDING TO THIS. >> HOTELS ARE STILL DOING WELL. >> AND JANUARY. JANUARY AND SUMMER. SO, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT WITH --. >> MAYBE ASK THEM TO MOVE UP A WEEK OR TWO INTO THE EARLY PART OF FEBRUARY. JUST A THOUGHT. OKAY, ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT? OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE STILL TWEAKING IT. A LOT TO THINK [9.  Legislative Update (K. Morgan).] ABOUT HERE. ALL RIGHT, LEGISLATIVE UPDATE? >> SESSION BEGAN THIS WEEK IN TALLAHASSEE AND WE ARE ALREADY THE TALK OF THE TOWN. UNFORTUNATELY . THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL BILLS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE INDUSTRY . ONE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH IS SENATE BILL 1456 . THAT IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN COUNTIES DESIGNATED AS CRITICAL AREAS OF CONCERN BY THE STATE. THIS GENERATED FROM KEY WEST IN MONROE COUNTY . THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT USING TDT DOLLARS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE INDUSTRY WORKERS. THAT THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. ONCE THAT OPENS , IT'S FAIR GAME. DEPENDING ON THE CRITERIA THAT THEY HAVE FOR USING THE DOLLARS AND WHAT COUNTY PARAMETERS THEY USE AS WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO DO WHAT. TO KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH. THE OTHER ONE IS SENATE BILL 1072 AND HOUSE BILL 1081 . THIS ONLY APPLIES TO MIAMI-DADE AND IT TALKS ABOUT DISTRIBUTING HALF OF THE TDT COLLECTION TO THE MUNICIPALITIES WHERE IT WAS COLLECTED . THAT IS A SPLIT FROM THE COUNTY AND THEIR BUREAU OR DISSEMINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION BEING ABLE TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS. THEY NOW HAVE TO TAKE A 50% BUDGET CUT AND SHARED WITH MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE NOW CREATING THEIR OWN BRAND AND CREATING THEIR OWN DESTINATION MARKETING EFFORTS. AGAIN, ONCE IT HAPPENS ONE PLACE , IT OPENS THE DOOR . >> WHICH IS SORT OF MISLEADING IN THE SENSE THAT IN MIAMI-DADE , THE CITY ACTUALLY TAKES UP A LOT MORE THAN THE COUNTY. IN CLAY COUNTY, 92% IS UNINCORPORATED. THERE IT IS LIKE REVERSE. THAT'S WHY THERE IS A BIG FIGHT OVER THOSE DOLLARS. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT IF YOU HAVE TWO MESSAGES GOING OUT , IT HURTS BOTH MESSAGES. SO MIAMI [02:00:05] WILL HAVE ITS OWN , THE COUNTY WILL HAVE ITS OWN , AND UNLESS THEY WERE TOGETHER THEY WILL BE PUTTING OUT DIFFERENT MESSAGES. THAT'S WHY ALL OF THE LEGISLATION I AM SHARING WITH YOU TODAY IS ABOUT EXPANDING THE USE OF THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX. SO, WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL AND IN TUNE WITH OUR DELEGATION AND TRY TO INFLUENCE AS MANY OTHER LEGISLATORS AS WE CAN THAT THIS REALLY HURTS THE INDUSTRY. THE OTHER ONE IS SENATE BILL 0872 AND HOUSE BUILT 1453 . IT AUTHORIZES THE TDT TO BE USED FOR FUNDING INCENTIVES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILM AND TELEVISION BY CERTAIN PRODUCTION COMPANIES. THIS IS WHERE THE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY -- WE ARE THE FIELD OFFICE. WE HAVEN'T DEDICATED ANY TDT DOLLARS WE SERVE THEM , BUT WE HAVEN'T GIVEN THEM ANY -- WE AREN'T IN THE INCENTIVE BUSINESS BECAUSE THE STATE DOESN'T DO THAT. THIS WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR TDT DOLLARS AGAIN TO BE AN EXPANDED USED TO GIVE INCENTIVES. THE OTHER ONES ARE SENATE BILL 1748 . THEY WANT TO ALLOCATE -- THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE TDT . THE PLAN MAY NOT, FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS , MAY NOT ALLOCATE MORE THAN 25% OF THE TAX REVENUE RECEIVED FOR FISCAL YEAR TO FUND AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT. 25% OF OUR BUDGET IS A PRETTY MAJOR PROJECT. SO, WE DON'T DO THAT NOW . SO, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. AND THEN SENATE BILL 1594 REQUIRES A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION TO REDUCE THE FUNDING OF THE COUNTY DMO IN COUNTIES THAT FUND THE ORGANIZATION WITH THE LOVES THAN 50% OF THE TDT. THAT WOULD NOT APPLY TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF THE TDT. >> TALKING ABOUT A WORD SALAD THERE. THE ONLY THING THAT GIVES ME HOPE IS THE FACT THAT GENERALLY CONCEDED THAT THE HIGHER THE NUMBER OF THE BILL , THE LESS CHANCE IT HAS PASSING. IF YOU HAVE A BILL THAT CAME OUT AS SENATE BILL SEVEN, I WOULD BE CONCERNED. BUT WHEN THEY ARE THROWN OUT HITTING HUNDRED 23, NOT AS CONCERNED. CERTAINLY ANY TIME YOU GET A GROUP OF REPRESENTATIVES AROUND A POT OF MONEY, THEY WILL TRY TO DIVIDE IT UP THE WAY THEY WANT TO AND FORMER SPEAKER IS NOW A STATE SENATOR A LEIVA AND HAS FILED THE SAME BILL HE DID WHEN HE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH SHORT-CIRCUITED AND NOW HE IS BRINGING IT BACK AGAIN. MOST OF THIS IS ABOUT FIGHTING OVER BIGGER DOLLARS. TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE BIGGER CITIES, TAMPA, ALL THOSE FOLKS GET. WE ARE SMALL GAME HERE. IF THEY START THE PERMISSION TO DO MORE , TAKE MORE LIBERTIES WITH YOUR TAXES , I THINK THAT MAY BE WHAT WE SEE AT SOME POINT. THE OTHER TOKEN IS, YOU ARE ALLOWING FIVE OR SIX CENTS . WE HAD A MINOR LEAGUE TEAM THAT ASKED IF THEY COULD COME TO PLAY BUT BECAUSE OF JUMBO SHRIMP HAVE A CERTAIN RADIUS OF NONCOMPETE THROUGH MAJOR-LEAGUE BASEBALL, THEY COULDN'T DO THAT. JUST GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND IT THE WAY WE THINK WE NEED TO GET THE BUSINESS IN HERE. THAT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE TO ME. I HAVE MORE FAITH IN THE PEOPLE AND COUNTY POSITIONS THAN STATE REPRESENTATIVES OR STATE LEGISLATURE. >> FLORIDA TOURISM DATE IS JANUARY 30TH AND 31ST. SO, THAT IS WHEN THE INDUSTRY TAKES OVER TALLAHASSEE AND VISITS WITH LEGISLATORS. AND THAT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH VISIT FLORIDA DESTINATIONS FLORIDA . THE ATTRACTIONS ASSOCIATION, FLORIDA RESTAURANT AND LODGING ASSOCIATION. THE VACATION RENTAL ASSOCIATION . ALL OF US BANDED TOGETHER AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM THE INDUSTRY THAT GO AND MEET WITH [02:05:02] LEGISLATORS TO MAKE SURE OUR VOICES ARE HEARD. >> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PROPOSED DATES AND TIMES FOR THE MEETING SCHEDULE THIS [10.  Proposed Meeting Schedule (K. Morgan)] YEAR. NEXT MEETING WOULD BE PROPOSED FOR MARCH 6TH AND THEN MAY 8TH , JULY 17TH , SEPTEMBER 4TH AND NOVEMBER 6TH . OF COURSE, STARTING AT 3:30 IN THE BCC BOARDROOM . THAT WILL [11.  Upcoming Events Update (K. Morgan)] WORK? AND THEN NUMBER 11, KIMBERLY HAS PUT OUT A CLAY COUNTY EVENTS CALENDAR. THINGS ARE STARTING TO HEAT UP. EVERYTHING BUT THE TEMPERATURE. >> YES AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THOSE SOCCER TOURNAMENTS ON THE LIST. BUT THEY ARE COMING THE LAST WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY AND FIRST WEEKEND OF MARCH . SO, THERE IS A LOT HAPPENING. THEY ARE AT EAGLE HARBOR, SO THE BEAUTIFUL THING, THE SOCCER CLUB DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THEIR TOURNAMENTS BUT THEY HAVE OUTGROWN THEIR FACILITY IN FLEMING ISLAND AND SO THEY ACTUALLY RENT A FACILITY IN GAINESVILLE AND A FACILITY IN JACKSONVILLE TO HOST THOSE TOURNAMENTS. ONCE THE SPORTS COMPLEX OPENS UP, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE -- THEY WANT TO BE SO SPREAD OUT. THEY WILL HAVE THEIR COMPLEX IN EAGLE HARBOR AND THE SPORTS COMPLEX. WE ARE TALKING WITH THEM ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP THEM DO THAT. >> ANYTHING ELSE , ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD? OKAY. HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION POINTS, WE WILL ADJOURN TILL MARCH 6TH * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.