Tourism Commission

LTAC Special Meeting Minutes City of Bellingham, Washington Wednesday 3:00 PM October 30, 2024 Council Boardroom https://meetings.cob.org Call to Order The Tourism Commission meeting was called to order by the Chair at 3:00 PM. 1. Introductions Present: Peter Frazier (Chair), Christine Jenkins, Craig Jewell, Marc Blake, Matt Lesinski, Nick Kelly, Sara Holiday, Stephanie Morrell, Todd Elsworth, Hollie Huthman (Council Representative) and John Purdie, Mount Baker Theatre (ex-officio) City Staff/Other Panelists: Tara Sundin and Tayor Webb, PCDD; Agenda Items Hollie Huthman, LTAC Chair, opened the LTAC meeting at 3:03pm. 1. 2025 Start Up and Standard Grant Allocation p. 2 LTAC members continued deliberations of the Tourism Promotion Standard and Start Up grant applications. The members made a recommendation to fund the following applicants: 2025 Standard Grant Recommendations Applicant Activity/ Event Amount Recommended Allied Arts Cultural Connection Outreach Plan $21,000 American Theatre Sugar: A Caberet $11,200 Northwest Backcounty Medical Backcountry Medical Guides Marketing $5,600 Guides Bellingham Baseball Club Bellingham Bells $45,000 Bellingham Festival of Bellingham Festival of Music 2025 $30,000 Music Bellingham SeaFeast Bellingham SeaFeast $25,000 Bellingham Symphony Bellingham Symphony Orchestra $23,800 Orchestra Marketing Cascade Mountain Innovative & Inclusive Outdoor $31,500 Ascents Tourism CASCADIA Women’s CASCADIA Women’s International Film $26,600 International Film Festival Festival  Downtown Bellingham Future of Downtown Sounds $25,000 Partnership Max Higbee Center April Brews Day $24,500 Pacific Multisports Pacific Multisports 2025 Events $43,800 Paper Whale Fire & Story Festival $33,600 Paper Whale Noisy Waters Mural Festival $38,000 Pickford Film Center Doctober 2025 $7,900 Runner Girl Races Chuckanut 50k $21,400 SPARK Museum SPARK Museum Marketing $19,600 Sustainable Connections Eat, Drink, Explore Whatcom $17,500 The Upfront Theater The Upfront Theater: Laughter Travels $12,300 Tune-Up Events Northwest Tune-Up $100,000 Village Books Paper 2025 Chuckanut Writers Conference $13,500 Dreams Whatcom Events Ski to Sea and other events $45,000 Whatcom Museum Out of Area Advertising for 2025 $15,000 Exhibits Wild Buffalo Wild Buffalo Canadian Tourism $28,000 TOTAL $664,800 2025 Start Up Grant Recommendations Amount Applicant Activity/ Event Recommended Bellingham BJJ Gi to Sea $5,000 Bellingham SeaFeast Day on the Bay $5,000 Bham Hop Bham Swing Jam $5,000 North Sound Accountable North Sounds Social Impact Film Fest Community of Health $5,000 Quest Races Galbraith Supreme $5,000 Rotary Club of Bellingham 2025 Mountain Film Festival $5,000 Whatcom Art Guild Bellingham Illuminations $5,000 Whatcom Poetry Series Salish Sea Poetry Festival $5,000 TOTAL $40,000 2. 2025 Lodging Tax Budget Recommendation p. 3 LTAC reviewed and approved the 2025 Lodging Tax budget. A motion to approve the budget without the Bellingham Exit line item (due to conflict of interest) was made by Stephanie Morrell and seconded by Sara Holliday. All in favor, the motion passes.  A motion to approve the Bellingham Exit line item was made by Matt Lesinski and seconded by Christine Jenkins. Hollie Huthman abstained, the rest in favor, the motion passes. 2025 Lodging Tax Budget Recommendation Expense ARPA Lodging Tax Administration Salaries, ICAP, Purchasing $60,000 Institutional Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism $500,000 Mount Baker Theatre $526,147 Whatcom Museum of History and Art $190,059 Grants Tourism Promotional Grants $704,800 Special Projects Signature Events (2) $175,000 County-wide Wayfinding $15,000 Planning (previously approved) Tourism Related Facilities (i.e. County- $250,000 wide Wayfinding Implementation (previously approved) Other Special Projects (DT Activation $300,000 Grants, World Cup) TOTAL $2,721,006 RESERVE $400,000 Hollie Huthman, LTAC Chair, adjourned the LTAC meeting at 4:58pm. Minutes prepared by: ____________________________________________ Taylor Webb, Development Specialist II Minutes edited by both staff and Tourism Commission members.