HomeMy WebLinkAboutTDA Executive Board Meeting January 18 2023
NEW HANOVER COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
PRESENT: Nicole Jones – Chairman
Kim Hufham – President/CEO
Angela Rhodes -Vice- Chairman
Tom Ullring – Secretary
Eric Credle- Treasurer/NHC CFO
EXCUSED:
STAFF: Kim Little - Admin. Services Manager/Recording Secretary
Linda Brothers – Senior Financial Analyst, NHC
NHC TDA Board Chairman Nicole Jones called the Executive Committee Meeting
to order at 3 o’clock. The virtual WebEx meeting was initiated at the offices of the
CVB.
ITEM I: APPROVAL OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES- October
18, 2022
\[Motion made by Nicole Jones, seconded by Tom Ullring and
unanimously accepted to approve the October 18, 2022, Executive
Committee minutes.\]
ITEM II: AIRPORT FUNDING REQUEST DISCUSSION- Kim Hufham
Jeff Bourke from the NHC Airport Authority will be coming to the board for
another funding request. This time it for $125,000 for Sun Country to start a flight from
Minneapolis, MN to Wilmington, NC. This flight would begin in June 2023. The issue is
the process in which the NHC Airport Authority announces that the money had been used
as an incentive to bring Sun Country. The executive committee believes that the TDA
should be part of the conversation when their funds are being used in an incentive
package. TDA want to promote the partnership with the NHC Airport Authority, but
guidelines need to be developed to keep an open conversation about future funding for
future airlines.
The issue with Sun County is that Minneapolis doesn’t show up on the GEO
target markets. In addition, the peak time of year isn’t where we need increased traffic.
The NHC Airport Authority can not advertise in markets that do not service due to FDA
regulations. There needs to be collaboration to fly into the markets that more closely
align with the market research will have identified as successful markets.
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The executive committee believes that offering half ($62,000) to the NHC TDA
Board members to approve or decline is a compromise. Jeff Bourke will be asked to
come back to give the Board an update of Sun County’s first year of air service from
Minneapolis, MN to Wilmington, NC.
Kim Hufham and Nicole Jones will set-up a meeting to discuss the reasoning of
the reduction in the request that the NHC Air Authority proposed this time around. Kim
plans to continue to strengthen the relationship between NHC TDA and the NHC Air
Authority. The NHC TDA Board has a fiduciary duty with the funds that are requested to
fund any new airlines.
Some research needs to be done to see if the neighboring counties benefit from
these new airlines and should they be approached to chip in dollars.
ITEM III: STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE- Kim Hufham
The 2023/2024 Strategic Plan update will be presented. Mythic’s Wendy
Parker and Rachel Cobb will facilitate the meeting presentation. The staff have met to
review the seven core challenges and are asking for input from the NHC TDA Board
members.
FY 22-23: Marketing Strategies:
Extended Seasonality
Higher Income Targeting
Educate Out-of-State Travelers
In-state- Western Focus for longer stays
Hybrid Plan- Unified Campaign complemented with dedicated
beach plan.
ITEM IV: PRESIDENT/CEO COMMENTS -Kim Hufham
LeAnn Pierce, newly elected NHC Commissioners, is returning to the
NHC TDA in place of Deb Hay, NHC Commissioners. She is serving on
the NHC Airport Authority.
There are 2 opening on the NHC TDA Board. There are for a Kure Beach
Hotel and Wrightsville Beach Hotel. Mary Baggett still needs to resign to
properly advertise for the Wrightsville Beach Hotel opening.
ITEM V: CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS- Nicole Jones
ITEM VI: ADJOURNMENT- Nicole Jones
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There being no further items, adjournment at approximately 3:40 p.m.
_____________________________ ___________________________
Kim Hufham, President/CEO Tom Ullring, Secretary
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