Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee

TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at 12:00pm Municipal Complex, Committee Meeting Room, 3rd Floor 100 Ann Edwards Lane Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 MINUTES PRESENT: Su McManus-Frost, Chair; Jennifer Bagwell, Vice Chair; Cheryl Craven, Laurie Bixler, Shannon Hartman and Rebecca Gosnell ABSENT: Chad Shore ALSO PRESENT: Elton Carrier, Council Liaison STAFF PRESENT: Amy Livingston, Business & Tourism Manager Ms. Frost called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. I. Approval of Minutes from March 2 - 3, 2017 meetings Ms. Bagwell moved for approval; seconded by Ms. Hartman. All present voted in favor. II. Public Comments [None] III. Financial Statement for period ending August 31, 2017 Ms. Livingston stated that a budget report was distributed to Committee members. She stated that the total budget remaining for this year is $371,274. She added that the expenditures to date, which are categories in two ways; Special Events in the amount of $36,500 which are events that have already been awarded this year that are external to the Town. She said that there are also those that are internal to the Town that are listed by item.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 2 of 24 IV. Proposal of an Accommodations Tax Workshop Ms. Livingston stated that now that the Committee has gone through the application process twice, worked with particular events and festivals, staff would like to propose that they conduct a workshop in the January timeframe so applicants will have ample time prior to applying for the next round of funding. She said that the thought is to walk the applicants through what the expectations are and provide some information as it relates to a budget or marketing plan. She said that staff would be happy to provide this information to Committee members to receive input and ensure this is what the Committee members would like to see, and then offer this as an opportunity for those who are interested in applying. She said it would also be available to those who have never applied before, to walk them through this program. Ms. Frost stated that there are still some applicants who are not providing completed paperwork. Ms. Frost asked for a motion to hold a workshop in January. Ms. Bagwell so moved; seconded by Ms. Bixler. All present voted in favor. V. FY 17/18 (January – June) Funding Presentations A. Omar Shrine Installation Ralph Calhoun, stated that this installation is when they have their gala to install their new officers for the coming year. He stated that approximately 500 couples will travel to the Town of Mount Pleasant from West Virginia, North Carolina, parts of South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Michigan. He said they will be utilizing three vans with drivers for shopping and restaurants from the four hotels. He stated that there will also be other units and clubs from the outlying areas utilizing hotels in the Mount Pleasant area, that they normally do business with, other than the four hotels they have procured. He stated that the event will take place over a four-day period in  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 3 of 24 January, beginning on Thursday, January 11th and continue through Sunday, January 14th. Ms. Frost stated that she noticed that more funds were requested this funding cycle. Mr. Calhoun stated that this is due to the fact that there are more in attendance this year and it will take more of their resources to be able to accommodate everyone. He added that he is presenting for another agenda item that is closer to the end of the presentations and asked if the Committee would allow him to present at this time, due to another meeting. Ms. Livingston stated that she noticed in the budget that hotels were listed as a particular cost of $22,500 and asked if this was a cost that the Omar Shrine is paying for with no cost to the attendees. Mr. Calhoun stated that the attendees pay for their own hotel accommodations. He said that the Shriners must provide a deposit for the contracts with the hotels; however, they are responsible for hotel accommodations for approximately 60 of the officers and dignitaries. Ms. Gosnell asked how the $8,000 was utilized. Mr. Calhoun stated that it is used for van rentals, drivers and for the preparation of the event itself. Ms. Gosnell asked if it was for operational costs. Mr. Calhoun responded in the positive. Ms. Gosnell asked if the shopping trips were organized, and if so, how many are making the trip. Mr. Calhoun said that they are and done within the Town of Mount Pleasant at Towne Centre. He said that while the husbands are in meetings, approximately 250 wives are shopping and eating at the local restaurants for the four-day event. Ms. Gosnell asked which hotels they were utilizing.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 4 of 24 Mr. Calhoun said that they have the Hilton Garden, Quality Inn and Suites, The Red Roof Inn and the Sleep Inn. Ms. Frost stated on their budget that revenue was not listed. She said that she is assuming that the attendees are paying the Shriners to come on this trip. Mr. Calhoun stated that they do not pay, and the Shriners do not have any revenue coming in on this. He said they pay on their own, but the Shriners do not charge. He said that this is “by invitation” only. Ms. Craven moved to amend the agenda to move item #N to follow item #A; seconded by Ms. Gosnell. All present were in favor. Omar Shrine Sports Gala & Tournament Mr. Calhoun stated that the event will take place in June 2018, and this is a gala and golf tournament. He said they will be utilizing three of the hotels in the area, as well as vans and drivers. He stated that they will have celebrities in attendance, and approximately 400 to 500 participants. He said the gala will be held at Omar Shrine Temple the week of June 15th and 16th. Ms. Gosnell asked who would be catering the event. Mr. Calhoun said that Harbor Breeze. He said that they rent the restaurant space from the Omar Shrine. Ms. Frost stated that on the application, it indicates that this is a fundraising event. He said that portions of the fundraiser will be utilized for Omar Shrine Temple and portions will be utilized to help the Shriners Hospitals. Ms. Gosnell asked how the breakdown is determine. Mr. Calhoun stated that it is an 80% / 20% breakdown; 80% for the Omar Shrine and 20% for the Shriners Hospitals. He stated that with any organization, they must have an operating capital to stay open. He said that when they do hospital fundraisers, then 100% goes to the hospital.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 5 of 24 Ms. Livingston stated that when reviewing the budget, she noticed that there is no revenue, but it indicates 178 golfers, $75 per registration. She asked if this was revenue. Mr. Calhoun stated that it is an expenditure because they must procure the golf course and pay for golf and food. He said that this will come out of the golfer’s pockets. B. Charleston Restaurant Foundation’s Lowcountry Oyster Festival Ms. Jenny Peppler stated that this will be the 36th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival which is scheduled for January 28, 2018. She stated that their template is the same as with previous events. She stated that their executive survey results were so positive. She stated that something positive that was added last year was a local oyster area, and they added a locally brewed beer, becoming a locals’ attraction. She stated that they are going to rely heavily on growing that attraction this year. Ms. Gosnell asked if they have long-term stability in their present location. Ms. Peppler stated that they do. Mr. Carrier asked if there were any parking glitches. Ms. Peppler stated that it has been great the past few years. She said that they do pay quite a bit for the parking but are willing to make the investment. She stated that no matter what the weather is, people still attend. Ms. Gosnell asked for an attendance trend over the last three years. Ms. Peppler stated that there is anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 in attendance. Ms. Livingston stated that they had an estimated 1,751 room nights, but only saw 10 listed out on the hotel sheets, and asked if they were still working with hotel to get those rooms blocked.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 6 of 24 Ms. Pepper said that they were because they would also like to do packages. She stated that she personally did the ten rooms at the Hampton Inn. Ms. Frost asked about the split of in-town versus out-of-town attendees. Ms. Peppler stated that it actually went up. She said it was 38% visitors, which was up from the previous year. Ms. Livingston said that she was impressed when reading the statistics because she noticed that the College of Charleston Office of Tourism Analysis does the analysis. Ms. Peppler stated that the sole purpose of half of the out-of-town visitors is to attend the Oyster Festival, and then make it an extended stay. C. USS Yorktown Foundation’s Battle of Hue City Symposium Allison Hunt, stated that she is representing Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum and the USS Yorktown Foundation. She thanked the Town of Mount Pleasant and ATAC for their support, as they play an important role in their goal to bring 300,000 visitors to Patriots Point by the end of this fiscal year. She stated that they are requesting support for a symposium they are producing in February on the Battle of Hue City in the Vietnam War. She stated that 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of many of the major battles in Vietnam. She stated that they will be bringing in a nationally known author, a veteran Commanding Officer at Hue who was awarded the Bronze Star, an internationally recognized photojournalist and war correspondent who was on the ground at Hue, as well as many other battles and other key figures in the Battle of Hue. She stated that as with all their symposiums, the event is free and open to the public and invite all to attend. She stated that based on the tremendous success and viewership of the Ken Burns series on the Vietnam War and the exposure that Patriots Point and their exhibit “The Vietnam Experience” received from their advertisement that ran on ETV  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 7 of 24 during the series through South and North Carolina, they anticipate significant attendance at the event from outside the tri-county region. She said that they also believe their numbers will be higher than estimated in the grant proposal because of the interest that the Ken Burns series has generated, and their connection with Patriots Points powerful sponsorship spot that they aired at the beginning of each episode twice nightly in markets all over north and south Carolina. Ms. Gosnell asked if they were seeing an increase from this series. Ms. Hunt said she believes so; however, it is difficult to quantify. She said that typically, their parking lot is not as full as it is currently is this time of year. She said that they are packed. Ms. Frost stated that she noticed that they applied for some funding from Charleston County, and if so, did they receive funding. Ms. Hunt stated that they did apply and did receive funding, which was to expand the Air War in Vietnam exhibit. She said there is nothing like it in the country. She said that she believes the ad was tremendous and are very proud of this ad. D. Southeastern Wildlife Exposition John Powell, Executive Director of SEWE. He said that this will be their 36th year, and Jack Hanna will be returning. He said they have K9 programs and other celebrity surprise guests that are coming; however, they are not able to announce who they are. He said that it was a phenomenal year last year, and it was the largest amount of funds received from the Town of Mount Pleasant. He said that this is very important. He said it takes the entire region’s support to do what they do. He said Mr. Carrier asked him last year if they could do a better job tracking Mount Pleasant hotel rooms. He said that the short answer is “no.” He said that he has discussed this with CVB (Charleston Visitors Bureau), and with online reservations and call centers, they are not going to slow down the process to ask if they are coming into town for SEWE. He said the occupancy for the  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 8 of 24 weekend east of the Cooper was up 5% from the previous year, and it was strong for everyone in the region. He said that if they are able to find a way to track this that would suit the needs of ATAC, he would be open to suggestions. He thanked ATAC for their support. Ms. Frost asked about events east of the Cooper. Mr. Powell stated that there will be two events that are not direct SEWE events, they are the Water Fowl Association events that are held at the Omar Shrine where they have been held for a number of years. E. Family Circle Tennis Center’s Dunlop Junior Tennis Tournament [They will not be attending today] F. United Soccer Academy Mount Pleasant Charleston Spring Shootout Matt Farmer, Tournament Director for United Soccer Academy Mount Pleasant, said he was presenting for the two spring tournaments in February and March. He said that they are looking forward to bigger events this year. He said that they had a team achieve unprecedented success and won a national championship this year, which has put their club on the map even more than in the past. He said that additional clubs are now interested in attending their events. Ms. Livingston stated that she noticed that there is no detail marketing budget and asked how they planned to utilize the funds towards this. Mr. Farmer stated that they definitely do market their events via South Carolina Youth Soccer, which has an electronic mailing list that they purchase the right to send blasts out to and that goes to every registered team in South Carolina. He said that unfortunately they do not have a region-wide list. He added that there is a magazine that runs as a free service at events, and they do advertise in that magazine as well, which is a regional magazine for youth soccer  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 9 of 24 events. He added that the funding is also with their teams where they attend events to market their events. Ms. Frost asked if they were a 501c3 and covers both events. Mr. Farmer responded in the affirmative. G. United Soccer Academy Mount Pleasant Charleston Challenge Cup [Covered in item F above] H. Charleston Wine + Food Festival Gillian Zettler, Executive Director of the Charleston Wine and Food Festival and entering into their 13th season beginning February 28th through March 4th. She stated that it has been an exciting four years for her to see the growth that they have been able to perpetuate. She stated that they made a decision four years ago to start to look at events taking place outside of the peninsula and have been excited to explore venue opportunities east of the Cooper, which they have done again this year in the programming. She stated that another thing to note is the attendee split, which is 50%/50% local and non-local with over 23,000 visitors that came to stay. She said since their inception, they are the only event in Charleston that has worked with the College of Charleston’s Business of Tourism analysis to get the detailed data. She stated that they are beginning to see the length of stay become longer each year. She added by placing events on Sunday, it encourages room nights on Sunday. She said this is also the first time the festival has secured a platinum partnership with Marriott Chase Rewards Credit Card and this has had some great effects as it relates to the hotels and room nights. She said with this partnership, they have over five million members, so this marketing is fabulous considering there are three affiliated Marriott properties here in Mount Pleasant. Ms. Bagwell stated that there are four Marriott properties in Mount Pleasant.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 10 of 24 Ms. Gosnell stated that they do appreciate that the festival has extended outside of the peninsula. Ms. Zettler stated there is so much more to see than just downtown, and they are finding their visitors are very curious so they started a new niche of programming called excursions. She said they have asked for increased funding over the past few years and with that they have had a dramatic increase in national media partnerships and look to align those individually with signature events. She said the events that are taking place in Mount Pleasant will also have a national media partner aligned with them. Ms. Frost asked if they were still utilizing interns from the College of Charleston and Trident Culinary program. Ms. Zettler stated that they do and have a robust internship program. She stated that another exciting facet of this is that they have leveraged a cohort opportunity with the College of Charleston, so for the second year this year, they have a wonderful group of senior students who work with them for the entire year and analyze the festival and create marketing strategies along with the group. She said it is a wonderful learning opportunity for them and they have provided the Wine & Food team with a great deal of insight as far as the ever-changing plane of social media strategy. Ms. Gosnell stated that in reference to the excursion opportunities, the Sweetgrass Basket culture is very important to the Town of Mount Pleasant and asked that they think of a way to promote that culture as it also has a strong link to food. Ms. Zettler stated that they did an excursion at the Sweetgrass Basket pavilion last year, and it has been a pointed effort on their staff’s part to make sure they change up the programming each year. She said they do have guests that are really interested in being educated.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 11 of 24 Mr. Carrier stated that he attended many of the events last year and heard so many French and German speaking people and asked if she knew how many overseas visitors attend this event. Ms. Zettler said that they do, because of the analysis with the College of Charleston. She stated that there were 48 states and 11 countries represented during the festival last year. She stated that the UK and Belgium were the most prevalent and believes they will see more and more of this. She stated that they have a wonderful partnership with the CVB and the Charleston Regional Development Alliance who have been sharing a great deal about international travel patterns, so they are able to strategically geotarget their digital marketing, as well as consideration for national press. She said they also formalized a five-year partnership with Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino nationally, so they will begin to bring international chefs from their world’s 50 best list. She said this will provide our local chef community an opportunity to collaborate with those outside of the United States. I. Town of Mount Pleasant Recreation Department’s Jim Ryckman Basketball Tournament Nicole Holiday, stated that she is from the Mount Pleasant Senior Center, which is part of the Recreation Department. She said that every year for twenty-three years, there is a three-on-three basketball tournament for seniors. She stated that this year, it will be held on the first Saturday of March, which is the 3rd of March. Mr. Carrier asked if they were teams or individuals. Ms. Holiday stated that they are teams. She stated that this past year was her first year. She said there are local players, as well as out-of- town teams that sign up to play.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 12 of 24 J. Charleston Area Sports Commission CAA Men’s Basketball Championship Kathleen Cartland, stated that she is with the Charleston Area Sports Commission, an affiliate of the Charleston Area CVB. She thanked ATAC and the Town of Mount Pleasant for supporting the event last year. She stated that it was the first year, and the Town provided the financial support. She stated that the CAA Men’s Basketball is a premier event in the Charleston area for three years and is during the first weekend in March, for four days and four nights. She said there will be ten schools, with the College of Charleston being at the lowest point of the South, with over seven states represented. She said the first year, there were 21,247 in attendance, which was 21% over the amount that they had in Baltimore the year before. She said that 1,500 ticket books were sold, which did not include any from the College of Charleston, all were from out of town. She said that 1,400 room nights were accounted for with 686 participants that came in, that were not fans. She stated that their estimate on the fans that attended were 2,118 visitors for three to four days for a total of 3,650 room nights. She stated that the direct spending was $1.8 million and accommodations tax is at $64,000 with retail and $160,000 in hospitality tax. She said that she does know the room blocks were in the downtown area, West Ashley and North Charleston. She said the fans had four hotels that participated in the fan blocks. She admitted that they do not have numbers to support whether this event actually had people stay in Mount Pleasant. She stated that the UNCW brought the largest contingency, and they did enjoy staying in Mount Pleasant because it took 20 minutes off of their travel time coming in from Wilmington. Mr. Carrier asked what the ATAC funds are utilized for. Ms. Cartland stated that combined with two other municipalities, one County and one State, totaling $109,000 collected last year, as the host, the funding was provided to the Colonial Athletic Association in a marketing host fee to cover marketing, such as  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 13 of 24 television commercials and signage, working with the nine other colleges to promote the tournament in the Charleston area, as well as website efforts. She said that it is a six month marketing process. Mr. Carrier stated that the Town provided seed funding last year to get the event off the ground. Ms. Cartland stated that they appreciated this, as they have the event for the next two years. She said that they will again be promoting Mount Pleasant hotels; however, it is unfortunate that they did not have any room blocks in Mount Pleasant. She said they do have four hotels that have the accommodations that are suitable for the teams, as well as the cheerleaders, bands, etc. Ms. Frost asked if there was a reason for not having room blocks in Mount Pleasant. Ms. Cartland stated that they did promote the hotels, but the teams wanted to stay closer to the facility. She said with the fans, they did promote Mount Pleasant, but they were not able to track whether they stayed in Mount Pleasant. She said they intend to work more diligently to track this more closely. Ms. Hartman asked if the marketing through the CAA is regional or national marketing efforts, and how do they focus on this tournament. Ms. Cartland stated that you can look at it with each of the other nine schools involved located in North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware and New York; these schools are primarily basketball schools. She said that while football games are being aired, they run these basketball commercials and at the games, they display signage in each facility, as well as e-blasts. She stated that it is primarily targeted to the alumni groups that represent those nine schools, as well as the College of Charleston. Ms. Hartman asked if they project any growth for this year. Ms. Cartland stated that they do anticipate growth.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 14 of 24 Ms. Frost asked if they are able to rebid after the three year contract expires. Ms. Cartland stated that they are able to rebid. She stated that when it was in Richmond, VA., it was there for over 20 years. Ms. Gosnell asked ATAC members if there is anything they are able to do on the hotel side to put packages together or provide a booking code in order to help with tracking for the event. Ms. Cartland stated that they did have booking codes. Ms. Bagwell stated that they had booking codes, but does not recall how many stayed during that time. Ms. Hartman stated that she is not sure how many booked with her hotel. Ms. Gosnell stated that before Ms. Cartland presents again, she suggested reaching out to those hotels that she shared booking codes with and obtain information from them on room nights. Ms. Gosnell stated that since this event is not a Mount Pleasant-based activity, what works is their ability to demonstrate “heads in beds.” She said that it puts this event at a disadvantage to come before this committee and not know whether those codes generated any business for the Mount Pleasant hotels or not. K. Southcoast Symphony Orchestra Tyler All, President of the Board and plays violin, and Ron Mendola, Musical Director, stated that they are working to make their group a household name in Mount Pleasant. He said that since 1995, they have never missed a season, mostly performing on the peninsula at different venues. He said that every community orchestra needs a community to embrace and support it. He said that over the past few years, they have found this in Mount Pleasant. He said that they moved to Bishop England High School and played a season there and have since, started playing concerts at Christ Church in Mount Pleasant. He said that last year, ATAC provided funding and they had  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 15 of 24 a fantastic season. He said that it was well attended, and they are looking to do the same this year. He said they are seeking funding for two concerts next year. Ms. Frost asked how many concerts they do per season. Mr. All said they do four and it is a primarily a volunteer orchestra of fifty members. He said that the church seats approximately 250 to 300 people and the concerts were well attended this past season. Mr. Mendola stated that they have a concert on October 7th entitled Bohemians and Hippies and scored Age of Aquarius to end the program. He said that the choir and pastor there have embraced the orchestra, so they are being integrated. He said the December 7th is the Christmas concert, which is free and open to the public with a suggested $10 donation. He said that most attendees are from Mount Pleasant and Sullivan’s Island and some from the peninsula. Ms. Gosnell said that she will ask the same question as she did last year, why are they named Southcoast Orchestra. Mr. All said that Southcoast Bank was one of the largest sponsors. He said that they were previously known as the Charleston Metropolitan Civic Orchestra and were looking for a new name, and they went with the name of their chief sponsor, who provided $5,000 each year. Ms. Gosnell asked what it would take for the orchestra to be named the Mount Pleasant Orchestra and be funded primarily through the Town of Mount Pleasant. Mr. Mendola stated that they are in the process of doing a major fundraising campaign and to that end, they must keep the name. He said that they have been a 501c3 for many years. He said some of their members are also members of Summerville or the North Charleston Pops, and Summerville’s budget has an operating budget of $160,000 for four concerts; the North Charleston Pops basically break even in the North Charleston Arts Center, because they have complete underwriting from North Charleston. He said their ticket  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 16 of 24 sales put them well in the positive, and they are a fully professional orchestra. He said they are making strides towards adding those professionals they need in key chairs, but also raising their profile to the point where they have more and more amateurs, because they are the bulk of the orchestra. He said what they need to do concerts is approximately $5,000 to $6,000 per concert; they gain a little over $1,000 in donations per concert and are always in the hole. He said they do receive donations from people in the community who really believe in the orchestra. He said that all of this is supported by curated content, which is up on their Facebook page. Ms. Gosnell asked again, why they are not named Mount Pleasant Orchestra. Mr. Mendola said that this orchestra has gone through so many iterations of names and has been a civic orchestra in the past; however, he would love to see it become the Mount Pleasant Orchestra; however, he is not the entire board. He said that if the Town would like to give him that directive to take back to the Board, he will. Ms. Gosnell stated that it would be advantageous to be named the Mount Pleasant Orchestra, which was the same message relayed last year. Mr. Mendola stated that he will take this message back to the Board. Ms. Gosnell stated that beyond the funding component, between ATAC and the Cultural Arts & Pride Committee, which she also serves on, Mount Pleasant really is working diligently to cultivate an arts component. She said that the Town is behind Charleston and North Charleston on this. She said with the added hotels and other events, there is an opportunity to cultivate and promote any organization that is well organized and is ready to put forth culture and art into the Mount Pleasant Community. She said that she would encourage them to think about what financial support they would require, as  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 17 of 24 well as coalition building support, and could the Town come together and help in that direction. Mr. Mendola asked if they could set up a time, in the interim, to discuss this, because this is a different process today. He stated that he would be very open to this discussion. Ms. Bagwell stated that she believes they also have an opportunity to raise their ticket prices, as well, because she believes they undercharge. Mr. Mendola said that these are changes in the viewpoint of the orchestra itself. Ms. Bagwell stated that the orchestra is good, and she has attended several times in the past. Mr. Tyler stated that they are all volunteers and do not have a paid staff to sell tickets. He stated that this is why they have stayed this way over the year. Mr. Mendola stated that much of Summerville and North Charleston’s orchestras are staff members and that it is a full-time job to get a symphony orchestra well established, in addition to a lot of social media time. Ms. Bixler asked if they have considered doing something similar to “Under the Stars” with the Town of Mount Pleasant. Mr. Mendola stated that he would be open to this. He added that they work for seven to eight weeks for a concert date, and if it rains on that day, it is a major issue with an orchestra, as well as cold weather which can damage instruments. He said that all he needs are solid suggestions. Ms. Frost stated that they did have that event approximately 25 years ago with the Charleston Symphony at Alhambra, and they brought their shell over which was put up. She said it was a beautiful location to have this event.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 18 of 24 Ms. Hartman asked about the attendance on average, for their concerts currently. Mr. Mendola stated that there are approximately 300 in attendance. Mr. Carrier stated that at the church he attends, there are a number of symphony players throughout the year and asked if they have given any thought to having some of the musicians go into the churches and play, as a type of marketing tool to make people more aware. Mr. Mendola stated that he is open to suggestions. He stated that not being a resident of the Town, he is not aware of the opportunities are Mount Pleasant, but is very open to any suggestions or assistance. L. Cooper River Bridge Run Irv Batten, Deputy Director of the Cooper River Bridge Run, stated that the director was unable to attend as he is out of town, promoting the Bridge Run. He stated that the Bridge Run is the third largest 10K in the United States and the 7th largest in the world, and the number of individuals it brings into the area is a $33 million- dollar economic impact. He stated that earlier he heard the term “heads in beds” and hotels from Mount Pleasant to Goose Creek up to Summerville are all full for the Bridge Run. He stated that as a runner prior to his current position, running for a number of years, Mount Pleasant was the place to stay, because it was close to the start. He added that Mount Pleasant is the perfect spot. Ms. Gosnell stated that some of the Mount Pleasant restaurants have made comments that since the Finish Festival takes place at Marion Square, they do not see as much post-race traffic in their restaurants as they have in year’s past. She asked if there were suggestion to address this. Mr. Batten stated that they do the “Taste of the Bridge Run,” which is done in three locations the night before the run and one of the locations is in Mount Pleasant. He said that everyone that runs the  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 19 of 24 bridge and stays in Mount Pleasant goes back to their hotels and eats primarily close to their hotels in Mount Pleasant. He said that they can come back and talk to the local Town restaurants and have them be more involved with the coupons in their booklets. Ms. Bagwell stated that the restaurants being referred to are mainly located on Coleman Boulevard. Ms. Bixler asked if the Bridge Run is typically held at the end of Easter Week each year. Mr. Batten stated that it is always the first week in April unless it falls on Easter. He said that this year, it will be held on the 7th of April. Ms. Hartman stated that that the general attendance last year was approximately 40,000 and it is expected to reach 60,000 which is a 50% increase. Mr. Batten stated that he believes this includes spectators and family members, because there are many that attend and do not run. Ms. Hartman asked about the number of runners. Mr. Batten stated that the maximum runners allowed is 40,000. Ms. Gosnell stated that she understands there are a number of non- profit organizations that profit and asked if it is broken down geographically on the website or only an alphabetical listing. Mr. Batten stated that it is only an alphabetical listing; however, all are local charities. Ms. Gosnell stated that she was curious to know what the number of Mount Pleasant charities were. M. Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival Thomasena Stokes-Marshall, stated that she would like to thank the Town and the ATAC members for their support for the past almost thirteen years for this event. She stated that the Town has been extremely supportive from the first day, and this could not be accomplished without them. She said that this not only helps to  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 20 of 24 support the tourist industry, but the preservation of the rich culture. She said that many do not know that the original Sweetgrass basket makers come from the Town of Mount Pleasant, and since 2006, the sweetgrass basket has been designated as the State of South Carolina’s official art craft. She believes that the festival serves to promote, educate, interpret, protect and preserve the Gullah Geechee people’s culture, as well as the Sweetgrass baskets. She added that the festival has proven to be successful over the years, and their annual attendance averages 5,000 to 7,000. She said that families from the Gullah Geechee community plan their family reunions around the festival, which helps to attract the “heads in beds” to support the tourist industry. She stated that the funds that are requested go towards their marketing and promotion efforts. She stated that they have expanded the festival to include an educational seminar that focuses on the history and cultures, as well as the issues within the Gullah Geechee community and their efforts to protect and preserve it. She stated that they have added the “Taste of Gullah” event which focuses on the food, the arts, gospel singing, story-telling, and there is a ceremony that takes place at that event called, “Passing on the Tradition.” She said that most of the basket makers today are either middle-aged or senior citizens. She stated that if we do not put forth a concerted effort to teach the next generation, the art will be lost. She stated that in order to help support their mission, they have implemented a Sweetgrass basket- making summer came for the past few years for boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 12. She stated that five of the local basket makers instruct the campers and also teach the history. She said that in an effort to take the Sweetgrass baskets and its history to the next level, this organization is currently negotiating with Boeing to put a kiosk in the airport. She stated that this will be a real positive effort if this goes forward. Ms. Hartman asked how many children are in attendance at the summer camp and was this the first summer.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 21 of 24 Ms. Stokes-Marshall stated that this is the second year, and this year, there were 18 participants, and the camp is four weeks at the Sweetgrass Pavilion at the Waterfront Park. She stated that she appreciated Ms. Gosnell’s comments to the Wine and Food event to incorporate the Sweetgrass basket making into their event. Mr. Carrier stated that last year, ATAC made an effort directly to the Charleston Visitors Bureau and asked if the CVB has provided any additional assistance with marketing the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival event. Ms. Stokes-Marshall stated that they have not, and this is one of the events that is on their agenda for discussion. She stated that marketing and promotions are the biggest expense, and they were looking for additional support. She said that they will be meeting with Perrin Lawson and Helen Hill of the CVB. She said that they were also meeting with Ms. Livingston on updating their brochure to include some of the new programs and activities. Ms. Livingston offered her assistance if Ms. Stokes-Marshall would like for her to attend the meeting as well. Ms. Frost asked Ms. Stokes-Marshall if she received any grants funding. Ms. Stokes-Marshall stated that they did receive a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission for their summer program and also received a grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, on more than one occasion from both of those organizations. She added that their organization has been the recipient of numerous awards for their activities and efforts to protect and preserve from a number of different organizations around the State. Ms. Gosnell asked if the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival has recently subscribed to ads from the Piccolo Spoleto program book. Ms. Stokes-Marshall stated that they have not but are exploring the potential to do.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 22 of 24 Ms. Gosnell asked for Ms. Stokes-Marshall to contact her when she is ready to proceed with this process. Ms. Stokes-Marshall stated that she would like to thank her former Council colleague for all his support throughout the years, as he has been one of the Festival’s strongest supporters, as well as all those who serve on the ATAC. N. Omar Shrine Sports Gala & Tournament [Addressed earlier in the agenda] O. College of Charleston Softball Program Linda Kalafatis, stated that they are a collegiate softball program and host three tournaments throughout the year and will have 20 teams coming in from out of town to play them here in Mount Pleasant. She they will be bringing in teams from as far as the University of Texas, which is a huge name in college athletics and college softball. She stated they are in the midst of outsourcing their marketing and sponsorships, and it has affected how they planned for this year, which was delayed. She said they are now behind in talking to hotels and securing rates, which they mail out to the incoming teams. She said this is the fourth year she has come before ATAC. She said that there are three tournament dates: February 16-18; March 8-11; and March 16-18. She said that they have been asked not to schedule the weekend of the CAA basketball tournament, and they typically do not schedule during SEWE; however, this year, it does happen during SEWE. She said that they are finding that the hotel rates are higher than normal. Mr. Carrier asked how many come with a team. Ms. Kalafatis stated that it is difficult to determine. She stated that they do offer a tournament rate/pass that they pay one time and the pass covers the entire tournament and they also charge a daily rate. She said they do have the largest attendance of the female sports at the College of Charleston, and from a social media perspective, they  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 23 of 24 have as many followers as the College of Charleston general sports twitter account, but are third behind men’s basketball and baseball. Ms. Gosnell stated that there is limited time for the players to leave the field and become an economic impact, and asked what the downtime is. Ms. Kalafatis stated that generally teams play four or five games, depending on their coach’s request. She said they come in on a Thursday and some may practice. She said they play Friday, Saturday and Sunday, no more than two games per day. She said that generally Sunday is when they depart; however, there are teams like Eastern Illinois, who will spend their whole spring break here. She said they do play teams that do pass through on spring break; however, the tournament teams spend approximately three nights. Ms. Livingston asked what they plan to use the funds for. Ms. Kalafatis stated that their budget is close to $40,000 to run the three tournaments, so the funds would go into their general budget. Mr. Carrier asked if they had to pay for the umpires. Ms. Kalafatis responded in the affirmative. Ms. Frost asked if the College of Charleston’s central marketing was doing anything to promote this event on the website or alumni page. Ms. Kalafatis stated that anything that goes on the general website and social media site also hits their website and twitter accounts. She stated that each of the institutions market their schedule and where they play. She said that these tournaments are significant, because they do not just play one team, but multiple teams, and they are the front half of the college softball season which allows them to play teams they do not play every year. Ms. Frost stated that this organization comes under the umbrella of another organization. Ms. Kalafatis stated that it is the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association.  Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee October 4, 2017 Page 24 of 24 Ms. Frost asked if they produced a magazine or a site where they list these tournaments. Ms. Kalafatis responded in the negative and mentioned that there are offshoots that may list and discuss them, but do not list any of the tournament schedules. VI. Adjourn Ms. Craven moved to adjourn; seconded by Ms. Bagwell. All present voted in favor. There being no further business, meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Barbara Ashe October 4, 2017