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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 01-09-2008 ST. LUCIE COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY ? January 9, 2008 ? 12:30 P.M. MINUTES Members present: Commissioner Doug Coward, Chairman Marilyn Minix, Road Runner Travel Resort Chris Egan, Sheraton’s PGA Vacation Resort at PGA Village Pail Taglieri, St. Lucie Mets Pam Haney, Holiday Inn Express Diann McDonough, The PGA Golf Club Members absent: Councilwoman Michelle Berger, Port St. Lucie Commissioner Christine Coke, Fort Pierce Simmie Burns, Southern Oak Middle School Staff present: Odaly Victorio, Marketing & Public Relations Specialist Heather Lueke, Assistant County Attorney Ja’ Net Pentz, Acting Recording Secretary Also present: Jill Hansen, Hansen Marketing Group, LLC Rich Nalbandion, Treasure Coast Sports Commission George Byfield, Blair Advertising Loretta Dilion, St. Lucie Chamber of Commerce Ruth McSween, National Navy SEAL Museum 1. CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Coward called the meeting to order at 12:35 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL: Ja’ Net Pentz called roll. 3. SELF INTRODUCATION OF GUESTS: Attending guests identified themselves (listed above). 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 MEETING AND THE NOVEMBER 2, 2007 MEETING. Christopher Egan motioned to approve the minutes and the motion was seconded by Marilyn Minix. The motion carried unanimously. 5. UPDATE ON CURRENT REVENUE STATUS Revenue for fiscal year 06/07 was down 7.04%. October revenue was up 18.93% and is attributed to higher rates demanded of the Ginn Classic at Tesoro attendees. November revenue is up 2.37%. According to OMB, the actual revenue we ended fiscal year 06/07 is $511,710.09. Final rollover amounts should be available next month. Tourist Development Council Meeting ? January 9, 2008 6. MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT Odaly Victorio stated that the next agenda item is basically discussing the different places that we will be advertising or that we have been advertising in. She stated that we did partner with PGA Village and Hilton Garden Inn to advertise in the Visit Florida Guide. She stated that we received two separate sections of the book, one in the accommodations section and one in the attractions section. She stated that we have also advertised in the Florida Beach Getaways as part of the package and Florida Outdoors and Nature. Part of the package included a web banner and web ad and that is already running on the Visit Florida website. Also ongoing is the Play Florida Golf. She stated that we sponsored, in partnership with A Perfect Drive, Hilton Garden Inn and PGA Village, a booth which also entitled is to a two page spread that included a one page editorial and these booths will be out in 10 cities. She stated that it produced a lot of leads last year, so we chose to do it again this year. She stated that what we did differently this year was instead of each of us sending forty thousand of our brochures; we all got together and produced one brochure that represents all of us that will be given out the booth and trade shows. As leads start coming in, we will respond with our own brochures and it will be a better follow-up tool. She stated that in the past, individuals received the individual brochures, and as they got the leads, they would just resend the same brochure, which made no sense. Doing it this way this year was actually cheaper because we all pooled are money together. Odaly Victorio stated that we are in the Chamber Annual Guide again this year. She stated that we have started the Google ad words and Yahoo sponsored searches. She stated that we finally got the website moved over to its own domain. She stated that the reason why that was important was because it was affecting our organic searches from Google and Yahoo. The change occurred in December. She stated that we do receive referrals from other websites. She stated that she cannot emphasize enough on how important it is that everyone has the TDC link on their websites. Odaly Victorio stated that since our last meeting, she attended the Philadelphia Travel Trade Show. She stated that she followed up with all of the travel agents there by sending brochures and a letter. She stated that she had the opportunity to give away a four night stay at A Perfect Drive and that some rounds of golf were donated by PGA Village. She stated that we are looking to do something nicer for the two upcoming shows in Boston and New York. She stated that she has been talking to Ryan in Paul Taglieri’s office. She stated that she has obtained game tickets, but that the plane tickets are tougher to come by. She stated that she is trying to do two grand prizes, one for the Boston Show and one for the New York Show. She stated that she is arriving two days earlier for the Boston Show so that she can get out to the different travel agencies and invite them to the show and to let them know that they can register for a grand prize and hopefully while they are there they will let her talk to them about our area and give them our brochures. Page 2 of 6 Tourist Development Council Meeting ? January 9, 2008 Odaly Victorio stated that the Travel Writers that wrote “Drive 1-95” will be coming back next Monday. She stated that they do revise the book every year and always include new stories. She stated that taking them out again and instead of staying in St. Lucie West area, they will be staying in the Fort Pierce area. Paul Taglieri asked if Odaly would like to set up a table at Shea Stadium during their Major League Season. He stated that way we would be hitting the right target market, maybe provide a Spring Training package or provide information on the hotels and attractions in our area. Odaly Victorio stated that we have updated our site to have the link for ticket selling th on the 19 and a link to the packages that are available. A lot of the Google ad words that we are using right now are specifically geared toward Spring Training. Commissioner Coward stated that they had an idea to ask Paul Taglieri about having the March Mixer at one of the games. He stated at one of the games that does not have full attendance. Paul Taglieri stated that he could put a package together. Commissioner Coward stated that we sit in a beautiful area with multiple teams around here and we should broaden our marketing strategies to incorporate some of those other teams. Paul Taglieri stated that the television network started broadcasting all the Spring Training games. He stated that he thinks that will help snowball the amount of people that are eventually going to the see the facility and area. Commissioner Coward stated that when negotiations on extending the contract for 15 years, they talked about wanting to work in partnership with the Mets in marketing this area. He stated that they were supportive of that. He stated that he was just curious with that television time out there, whether there are segments that we could potentially get a spot, even if it’s a TDC Tourism video that plays for a minute or two that would play periodically throughout Spring Training. Odaly Victorio stated that she got with the gentleman that referred her to in New York and basically for any budget that we could pay, he wouldn’t be able to do anything. She stated that the gentleman stated that we would need at least $50,000. She stated that we are getting a thirty second spot during the game to talk about what there is to do. Paul Taglieri asked if the County had the ability to create a thirty second or sixty second commercial that could broadcast on a television network. Commissioner Coward stated that one contribution would be half of the TDC budget. Page 3 of 6 Tourist Development Council Meeting ? January 9, 2008 7. OTHER BUSINESS/PUBLIC COMMENT Jill Hansen from the Hansen Marketing Group made a presentation about the Business Travel Planner provided for free by the Hotels. 8. PRESENTATION BY BLAIR ADVERTISING George Byfield stated that the research that was done was getting feedback from people from within the county that know something about the county. He stated that the grading system used is used mostly by all Tourism organizations to see what type of audience they can attract. The main objective is to give us a glimpse of what it is that we have as a county. George Byfield took members through the Research Rationale. Commissioner Coward asked if any TDC members were used for the survey. George Byfield stated that he used one. He stated that he did not want any bias, so he used outside people as well. Christopher Egan asked where these people were chosen from. George Byfield stated that they were all in St. Lucie County; they were bankers, people in school, business people, and residential people. He stated that we wanted a cross mix of people that are in he county. He stated that no one from outside the county was used. Commissioner Coward asked if the survey included a geographical mix, so that South County was adequately represented as well as North County. George Byfield stated yes. Commissioner Coward stated that is a pretty small sample. Christopher Egan concurred with Commissioner Coward. George Byfield stated that yes it is a small sample, but normally in surveying, if we are going to do a survey of three million people, we’ll only use 2500. George Byfield stated that before we start doing any billboard campaigns or any ads, we need to really know who we are and what it is that we have as a county to offer. George Byfield took members through the Data Analysis. Commissioner Coward asked how this information is used. Asked if it is used to identify the core based on their input and therefore market it or do you recognize that Page 4 of 6 Tourist Development Council Meeting ? January 9, 2008 the core does not represent all of our assets and that we need to identify those that are falling in he secondary classes and bring those to the forefront. George Byfield stated absolutely. He stated that we are looking at some things here that will impact the rate of growth and slow us down. There are some things here that we are recommending that need to come from the Board of County Commissioners level to the residents of St. Lucie County. Commissioner Coward asked what type of things. George Byfield recommended looking into bringing all of the entities, the Sports Commission, the Economic Development Council and any other agency together so that we can have one focus. For example, one brand to bring the county to market. He stated that branding icons are no longer logos, but you and me. He stated that we wear the product, we evangelize the product and we tell people about the product. He stated that what he found was that people are giving their own interpretation of the county and its affecting us. He stated that we as a county need to take back the responsibility of marketing ourselves. He stated that the media, as well as residents, were given a false interpretation of the county. Commissioner Coward stated that the Economic Development Council and the Sports Commission have different missions. He stated that the Economic Development Council is geared toward Biomedical Research. He asked how that is going to merge with the Sports Commission to form one message. George Byfield stated that the one objective that all of the entities have in common are to bring the people. Commissioner Coward stated that there is one common thing that comes to mind and that is the quality of life in the community. Christopher Egan asked that when you say brand St. Lucie County, are you specifically St. Lucie County or are you saying brand Fort Pierce, Hutchinson Island and Port St. Lucie. George Byfield stated all of St. Lucie County. Paul Taglieri stated that a lot of the problem is the education of the people that are here all year who don’t know what we have. Stated that we need to advertise locally as to what we have here. Commissioner Coward that we have started to do that to some degree with the show that Erick Gill hosts, Postcards from Home. Marilyn Minix made a formal motion to have the Board of County Commissioners give direction to the Media Department to pursue the creation of a regular spot for the TDC. The motion carried unanimously. Page 5 of 6 Tourist Development Council Meeting ? January 9, 2008 Odaly Victorio stated that the question may come in the tax cut climate as to whether or not the TDC is going to pay for that service. Commissioner Coward stated that we are already paying for it. It’s a subsidy to help bolster the limited dollars of the TDC. George Byfield stated that challenge will be to get buy in from the other groups that are attracted to the county. He stated that we need everyone on the same page and that is a challenge. He stated that doing a co-op is very important and does give value to the county as a whole. Commissioner Coward asked where we are falling short. He stated that it’s not only a what do we have now and how do brand that and market it, but where could we do better. George Byfield asked if there is any way to call all the stakeholders to the table and meet face-to-face. Commissioner Coward stated something like a tourism summit that identifies all the resources to get an update on all the things that are happening, but then have the opportunity to discuss what other things need to be invested in. Diann McDonough stated that the Human Resource Committee in St. Lucie County has hundreds of Human Resource Officers that are always looking for information on what there is to do in St. Lucie County because that is how they recruit their employees. Commissioner Coward suggests modifying the agenda to allow more time for the consultant to speak. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 1:40 p.m. Page 6 of 6