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B Lodging Tax Update CITY OF CHANHASSEN 7700 Market Boulevard PO Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55317 Administration Phone: 952.227.1100 Fax: 952.227.1110 Building Inspections Phone: 952.227.1180 Fax: 952.227.1190 Engineering Phone: 952.227.1160 Fax: 952.227.1170 Finance Phone: 952.227.1140 Fax: 952.227.1110 Park & Recreation Phone: 952.227.1120 Fax: 952.227.1110 Recreation Center 2310 Coulter Boulevard Phone: 952.227.1400 Fax: 952.227.1404 Planning & Natural Resources Phone: 952.227.1130 Fax: 952.227.1110 Public Works 1591 Park Road Phone: 952.227.1300 Fax: 952.227.1310 Senior Center Phone: 952.227.1125 Fax: 952.227.1110 Web SUe www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us B To: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager Laurie Hokkanen, Assistant City Manager );L From: Date: July 18,2007 Re: Lodging Tax Representatives from the Chanhassen Area Chamber of Commerce will attend the work session to discuss the proposed Lodging Tax. In addition to Linda Walton, Chamber President, representatives from other area agencies will be discussing their experiences. Attachments will be forwarded to you when they become available. The City ot Chanhassen · A growing community with clean lakes, quality schools, a charming downtown, thriving businesses, winding trails, and beautiful parks. A great place to live, work, and play. ~~~~~. Chanhassen City Council Work Session 7.23.07 Agenda Items - Chanhassen Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Citywide Lodging Tax Proposal Opening Remarks & Introductions - Linda Walton, President - Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Guest Presentations: (supporting handouts will be provided prior to the meeting) Carol Schultz- Shakopee Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB See attachment Todd Bornhauser, Executive Director - Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB Handouts will be provided at meeting Howard Anderson, Northcott LLC & 2007 President of Minnesota Lodging Association Handouts will be provided at meeting Ladd Conrad, Owner - MTM Advertising See attachment - specific examples will be provided at meeting TOURISM MARKETING PRESENTATION Carol Schultz, President - Shakopee Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB Marketing Methods Used~ Samples~ 0 & A - Printed materials - Advertising - trade publications - website - Local website - Trade Shows - Inquiry database mailings - FAM tours - Tourism Week educate locally (and other opportunities throughout the year) - New Releases - Educate local people to be your Ambassadors Presented by: Carol Schultz, President Shakopee Chamber & Visitor Bureau TOURISM MARKETING PRESENTATION Ladd Conrad, Owner MTM Advertising - Discussion Topics Tourism does pay back at a multiple of XXXX Tourism impacts much of the business community. Most $' s come from outside the area. Chanhassen has more to promote than North Metro Minneapolis. Tourists stay on the side of the city closest to their home. Tourists would rather stay outside of downtown. Tourism fills up soft months. Tourism promotion is hug in promoting an area's identity. Chanhassen has major attractions and is close to most. Ladd Conrad MTM Advertising 125 Main Street, Suite 341 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Ladd Conrad Owner, MTM Advertising Hospitality Related Clients: Innkeeper of Minnesota Properties Fox & Hounds Kahler Hotel Brick Hearth Ramada Hotel The Armory Ramada Inn Shakey's St. James Hotel Pannekoeken Red Wing Tourism Association IDQ Winona Chamber of Commerce Windows on Minnesota Chanhassen Chamber of Commerce Hawthorn Suites Chanhassen Dinner Theatre Minnesota Zoo Twin Cities Attractions Assoc. Minnesota Metroland Tourism Region Southern MN Tourism Association The Village at Lutsen Mountains Sugar Hills Resort Sheraton Lakeview Resort Hotel Sofitel - Minneapolis Hotel Sofitel - Houstin Hotel Sofitel - Chicago Hotel Sofitel - San Francisco North Metro Mpls. Convention Bureau Ambassador Motel Skywood Inn Holiday Inn - St. Paul Holiday Inn - Brooklyn Center Marquette Hotel Best Western - Chaska River Inn Jonathan Paddleford Radison - University Tourism Accomplishments: Governor's Tourism Council Minnesota Metroland President - 3 years Minnesota Zoo Business and Marketing Director Founder - Twin Cities Attractions Association ~~~~~~~ Chanhassen Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Tourism Committee Members (7.18.07) (refer to Bio's included, others will be provided at the Council Work Session) . Ladd Conrad, MTM Advertising . Howard Anderson, Northcott, LLC . Jeremy Hundt, Country Suites by Carlson . Gary Bubellke, Holiday Inn Express . Tata Clauson, Winestyles . Kelly Larson, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres . Laurie Hokkanen, City of Chanhassen I started my career with Tharaldson Lodging, one of America's largest hotel developers, in 1998. Shortly after beginning my career with Tharaldson in management training, I was promoted to property support management. In this role, I was responsible for troubleshooting operational challenges for Tharaldson hotels in WI, MN, and IA. In 1999 I moved to Minneapolis to manage the Brooklyn Center Comfort Inn. In 2003 I made a strategic career move by choosing to accept the GM position at the Brooklyn Park Sleep Inn, a 149 room hotel. During my years as GM of the Comfort Inn & Sleep Inn, I served on both the board of directors & the marketing committee for the North Metro CVB. Since 2005, f have been the GM of the Country Suites By Carlson here in Chanhassen. Sincerely, Jeremy Hundt General Manager Country Suites By Carlson, Chanhassen, MN 591 West 78th St., PO Box 1010, Chanhassen, MN 55317 Ph: (952) 937-24241 Fax: (952) 934-19451 Email: ijhundt@sandcompanies.com Website: www.countryinns.comlchanhassenmn Bio of Gary Rubbelke General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Chanhassen, Minnesota I, Gary Rubbelke, graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Admisistration, with a major in Finance and a minor in Statistics. I entered into the Hospitality Industry at this time. In 1986, I became partners with a hotel investor in the Spirit Mountain Lodge of Duluth, Minnesota. At this time, Duluth was coming out of a recession and was focusing on the potential that tourism held for positively impacting the local economy. I ended up on the Board of Directors for the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau and witnessed, first hand, the incredible positive impact a focused effort can have on a community by promoting the area and it's benefits. In 2000, I accepted the position of General Manager of the Willmar Campus (Holiday Inn & Conference Center, Comfort Inn and Days Inn) for Torgerson Properties. Eventually, I was elected Chairperson of the Willmar Lakes Area Convention & Visitor's Bureau. I am quite proud of the improved performance the CVB experienced during my tenure on the Board of Director's, and my belief in the ability of a CVB to positively impact a community was further reinforced. At this time, I am excited about the potential a new CVB has in the Chanhassen Area. We have a beautiful community that can prosper from the positive publicity the CVB generates and distributes, as well as from the spending of the additional guests that are generated from the CVB' s efforts. Tara Clawson, owner of WineStyles in Chanhassen has owned and operated her store in our community since February 1, 2006. She has experience in planning and implementing marketing programs for her individual location, on a regional level with other WineStyles in Minnesota as well as working closely with her corporate parent on their marketing efforts. Before owning WineStyles Tara successfully started & operated a professional organizing company growing it to profitability in less than a year. She greatly attributes her success to grassroots marketing techniques that she has implemented in both industries. As a retail owner in Chanhassen, Tara has a vested interest in the growth of tourism in our city and looks forward to being involved in the marketing of our community. Tara Clawson, owner WineStyles - Chanhassen tclawson@winestvles.net Tel. 952-934-1237 Fax 952-934-3169 Kelly Larson is currently the Marketing Director at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. She began her career at Chanhassen in 2000 as a Marketing Associate. After three years of promoting and advertising for the theatre, she was recruited back to the world of market research as an Account Manager for MarketTools, a nationally recognized market research firm, and managed accounts such as Target Corporation, ConAgra and Metris Companies. In 2004, Chanhassen asked her to return as the Marketing Director. Her responsibilities in this role include managing all advertising and promotion of the theatre and its shows as well as managing individual sales and building group sales. To this end, Kelly has been actively involved with many local tourism agencies since her return to Chanhassen. Currently, she serves as president of the Twin Cities Tourism Attractions Association (TCTAA) and works closely with Explore MN Tourism (EMT) as well as many local CYB's including Meet Minneapolis and S1. Paul RCY A. She also attends local tourism conferences as well as national conferences such as the American Bus Association Conference and works to promote tourism to the dinner theatre as well as the entire metro area. Supporting Documentation 2007 Explore Minnesota Store Bro~hure Display Criteria Eli2ible Or2anizations: For-Profit tourism or2anizations include hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc. Non-profit tourism or2anizations include communities, arts, natural resource and historic sites. Payment covers one brochure per organization. Any inserts, etc. must be pre-assembled to be displayed. Brochure Slot Sizes: 4" x 9" or 8 Yz " x 11" 2007 Cost: Up to and including 4" x 9" Over 4" x 9" to 8 112" x 11" For Profit $450 for CY 2007 $550 for CY 2007 Non - Profit $400 for CY 2007 $500 for CY 2007 Payment must accompany contract. Brochures will not be displayed at the Store until payment is received in full. Brochure Availability: Brochure must be available by January 31, 2007, unless other arrangements have been made. If you participated in the program last year, your 2006 brochures will be displayed until the new ones amve. Estimated Usa2e: Thousands of brochures are distributed annually at the Explore Minnesota Store. The quantity for individual tourism organizations and businesses will vary. It is recommended that brochure distribution be coordinated on a community-wide basis. If brochures are out of stock, your organization will be sent an e-mail requesting additional boxes. Actual brochures may change throughout the year, but your slot size will not change. Content: Brochures must contain predominately Minnesota tourism/travel information. Explore Minnesota Tourism reserves the right to determine if materials are appropriate for distribution. Shippin2: Brochures should be in original packaging boxes and weigh less than 35 Ibs. Each box must be c1earlv marked with the name of the brochure and the Quantitv in the box. Please send ~ box for your initial shipment. Store staff will e-mail you when additional brochures are needed and what quantity. Any brochures brought directly to the Store must go through Mall of America inspection and security procedures. Shippin2 Address: St Croix Retail Inc. Mall of America North 128 Bloomington, MN 55425 r-~:~O~~o~- 7~~ Explore Minnesota Store 2007 Bro~hure Distribution Contra~t Name of Organization: Contact Person: Address: City State_Zip Phone: Fax E-mail address: Slot Size: For-Profit Non-Profit 8 1f2" x 11" 4"x9" $550.00 $450.00 $500.00 $400.00 Please attach a copy of the brochure. Quantity per box: If brochure is not available, estimated arrival date: Please make checks payable to Explore Minnesota Tourism. Contract Terms In signing this contract, it is understood that the approved brochure will be shipped by January 31, 2007, or as soon as it is available. The fee is non-refundable. Shipping must be handled according to the shipping instructions on the criteria sheet and any charges for holding or storage due to a failure to follow those instructions are the responsibility of your organization. Signed Date Title PLEASE MAIL: THIS FORM. PAYMENT. AND COPY OF YOUR BROCHURE TO: Explore Minnesota Tourism Attn: Pat Gamnis 121 - 7th Place East, # I 00 St. Paul, MN 55101 Phone: 651/297-7280/888-234-1205 patricia.gamnis@state.mn.us -----Original Message----- From: Leann Kispert [mailto:Leann.Kispert@state.mn.usJ Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 4:33 PM To: linda@chanhassenchamber.org Subject: Marketing ideas - lodging tax Hi Linda I know you've talked to several people in our office about the lodging tax issue. Here are just some thoughts about marketing ideas. I can't really speak in much detail about what other communities do - I'm very new here and don't have much industry contact. I'd rely heavily on what Gayle has discussed with you. Thanks Leann Kispert Explore MN * Increase awareness in order to compete (or partner) with neighboring and/or other competitive cities (Shakopee, Bloomington, Burnsville, etc) * This is not a tax on residents. A no-taxes "pledge" can technically be honored as this only impacts people using lodging facilities. *The amount is not a deterent. It is $3 on a $100 hotel room. It is not even the cost of a cup of coffee. Travelers are used to paying this tax and pay it without complaint if they can be in a more convenient location. *Apply for grants to extend budget (must be able to provide matching dollars) *Chanhassen Visitor Guide - comprehensive info of lodging, dining, attractions, events, etc. *Stronger Tourism Focus to Website: (other MN examples:) http://www.burnsvillemn.com/ http://www.eaganmn.com/ http://www.visitwinona.com/ http://www.visitduluth.com/ *Create packages with local businesses and have the finances to cross-promote them *EMT web advertising opportunities, advertising opportunities in our state travel guide as well as numerous activity specific publications *Expand audiences (target broader regions/states, tour operators, specific international markets, etc.) *Online Search optimization. Ensures that Chanhassen is a search result for key search words that are specific to the city or region