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Home My WebLink AboutTDA Board Meeting October 27 2021 NEW HANOVER COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS October 27, 2021 PRESENT Kim Hufham, President/CEO – NHC TDA Deb Hays, Commissioner – New Hanover County LeAnn Pierce, Mayor- Town of Carolina Beach Angela Rhodes- County, Restaurant Lisa Wurtzbacher – New Hanover County Finance Officer Tom Ullring – Carolina Beach Hotel Manager, (150+rooms) Mary Baggett- Wrightsville Beach Hotel Manager, (150+rooms) Hap Fatzinger- NHC Attractions Nicole Jones- Hotel Manager (150- rooms) Jason Bryant – Vacation Rental Properties Chuck Pennington, County Bed and Breakfast EXCUSED: Craig Bloszinsky, Mayor – Town of Kure Beach Ken Dull- Town of Wrightsville Beach Natalie English- Chamber of Commerce Bill Saffo, Mayor – City of Wilmington STAFF: Linda Brothers, Senior Financial Analyst, New Hanover County Connie Nelson, Communications/PR Director Karla Thompson, Technology/Systems Manager John Sneed, VP Sales Shawn Braden, VP Marketing GUESTS: April Adams, Cherry Bekaert CPAs & Advisors Chairman Jason Bryant called the meeting of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority Board of Directors to order at 5:05pm in the River Room at the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. 1 ITEM #1 – EXCUSED –Mayor Craig Bloszinsky, Natalie English, Ken Dull and Mayor Bill Saffo ITEM #2 – APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES FOR AUGUST 27, 2021- Jason Bryant \[Motion made by Nicole Jones and seconded by Tom Ullring and unanimously accepted to approve minutes as read of August 27, 2021 TDA Board meeting\] ITEM #3 – AUDIT PRESENTATION – APRIL ADAMS VIA WebEx April Adams of Cherry Bekaert, CPAs gave a summary of the audit presentation for FY 20-21. April briefly addressed the role of the auditors which includes actions involving performing procedures to obtain audit evidence concerning amounts and disclosures in the financial statement, results those financial statements are free of material misstatements, requirement communications on audit evidence obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for their audit opinion, etc. April stated they make sure internal controls are in place. Financial results showed revenues more than expenditures for FY 20-21 (budget to actual). April said they had full cooperation of New Hanover County during their audit process and that the TDA was given a clean opinion. This is the highest that can be received. (Copy of presentation attached.) ITEM #4 – BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROVAL - LISA WURTZBACHER Lisa Wurtzbacher, Authority Finance Officer, presented the following Budget Amendment.  To appropriate the available fund balances as outlined in the FY20-21 Annual nd TDA Audit of the 2 3% ROT for the promotions at Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville Beaches and District U. For $2,681,047  To appropriate the available fund balances as outlined in the FY20-21 Annual nd Audit of the 2 3% ROT for the activities at Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville Beaches for $1,962,290  To appropriate remaining funding received in FY20-21 from the City of Wilmington for Convention Center Marketing. For $97,857 \[A copy of the budget amendment can be found in the Exhibit Book\] 2 \[Motion made by Nicole Jones and seconded by Hap Fatzinger and unanimously accepted to approve Budget Amendment BA#2022-002 as presented in the amount of $4,741,194\] ITEM #5 – FINANCIALS/ROT REPORT – LISA WURTZBACHER Lisa Wurtzbacher – presented the financials & ROT report to the board. Please refer to the financial reports in the Exhibit Book XIII. ITEM #6 – EXPENDITURE REQUESTS – KURE BEACH – KIM HUFHAM President/CEO Kim Hufham presented the following funding request. KURE BEACH:  The Town of Kure Beach, respectively, requests funding for expenditures that were incurred for the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce Free Summer Concerts held during the summer of 2021The six free concerts held at the Fort Fisher Military Recreation Area, attracts to Kure Beach by providing an enjoyable entertainment venue. The expenditures for the fiscal year 2021/2022 total $12,800.00 and are supported by documentation attached to this request. **Total funds are available in the amount of $ 12,800.00 \[Motion made by LeAnn Pierce, seconded by Deb Hays and unanimously accepted to approve the funding request from Kure Beach for the amount of $12,800.00\] ITEM #7- PROGRAM OF WORK/STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE- KIM HUFHAM  New Audience Research- Destination Analysts- Kimberly Vince-Cruz After the presentation discussion was held concerning how the New Audience Research could be applied to our communities while collaborating with such entities as the airport authority in marketing. Mary Baggett stressed the importance of regaining the workforce strength that has been lost since the start of the pandemic. She expressed the need to lift up workers in the hospitality industry. That we need to emphasize the job opportunities that exist within the hospitality industry. (A copy of the New Audience Research presentation can be found in the Exhibit book XIIII) 3  WCC Strategy & Marketing Plan- Kim Hufham (A copy of the PowerPoint presentation of the outline of the Program of Work/ Strategic Plan update can be in the Exhibit Book XIIII) ITEM #8- PRESIDENT’S COMMENT – KIM HUFHAM • Marketing Department: • New Audience Research Study • Strategic & Creative Agency RFP • Production of Destination Marketing Videos for all four destinations • Development of New Meetings Assets (Meeting Planning Guide, Trade Show Booths, Planner & Attendee Videos) • Development of Meetings/Sports Marketing Plan 2022 • Upgrade of SkyNav Virtual Tours to New 2.0 Platform • ILM Photo Shoot • CAM/USCT Promotion • Holidays Promotion • Communications/PR Department: • Attended the Visit NC in-state media event in Raleigh where 39 media delegates were in attendance, mostly in-state with several freelancers who write for national publications. • Working with Cameron Art Museum staff to promote the USCT sculpture unveiling and living history weekend on Nov. 13. • For anyone flying on United Airlines during the month of November, check out Hemisphere’s magazine for a feature on Wilmington and Beaches. • CVB worked with Visit NC on a Halloween Kills promotion / giveaway. • Sales & Services Department: • New CC Sales strategies implemented for FY 21/22 • IronMan 70.3 • 2,193 starting athletes • 7,149 total people including athletes and their parties • 87% were from outside of area • 34 foreign countries including Australia, France, Germany, UK, Taiwan, Vietnam, and New Zealand • 6,382 overnight rooms • $7.5 million in EEI  Administration: 4 • Panelist on the GWBJ Wilmington BIZ Conference & Expo and UNCW Economic Outlook Conference • CVB 2021/2022 Program of Work presentation to industry partners • Presentations/Interviews: • WECT-TV6 • Spectrum News • WMFD Radio • Meetings Today  Strategic Plan Update- Kim Hufham o Working with Destination Consultancy Group to review and update current 3 year strategic plan o Evaluating completed projects to date and assessing remaining strategies post-Covid o Presenting New Audience Research & CC District plan summaries tonight Workshop with TDA Board scheduled for January 26, 2022 o Review Current plan o Assess new opportunities post-Covid  ILM partnerships  New Audience based on research study o Formulate updated plan for FY 2021-2022 – FY 2023/2024 WCC Sales & Marketing update: Primary target audience: Meeting/event planners in NC, the Southeastern States and DC for meetings up to 750 people Target market segments: • State associations • Regional and small national associations • SMERF (weddings/reunions, education, religious, club groups) • Corporate (pharmaceutical, medical, technology, financial) • Sports for WCC as identified by sports tourism assessment (i.e., indoor volleyball, martial arts) ITEM #9 – OLD BUSINESS/ NEW BUSINESS 5 Mary Baggett wanted to welcome everyone to the upcoming All Blue Week being hosted by the Blockade Runner Resort and presented by the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Here is a summary of the event. The Alliance for the Blue Economy will make its debut during “All Blue Week” Tuesday through Saturday, November 2 to 6. Over a dozen events are planned around Wilmington and on UNCW’s main and marine science campuses. Events will include an opening keynote address by acclaimed futurist Deborah Westphal, author of the new book, “Convergence”; a Blue Economy hackathon co-sponsored with Cape Fear Collective; tours of the Center for Marine Science and recreational opportunities such as a sustainable sunset cruise at the Blockade Runner resort. ITEM #10 – CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS – Jason Bryant \[Motion made by Tom Ullring and seconded by Angela Rhodes to adjourn the meeting\] As there was no further business, meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m. Next meeting – Wednesday, January 26, 2022 ______________________________ __________________________ Kim Hufham, President/CEO Angela Rhodes, Secretary Minutes located in TDA Board Minutes Book XIII 6