DDA Business and Marketing

Agenda Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority Marketing and Business Relations Subcommittee Meeting Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 5:00 p.m. City Hall, Room 122 203 S. Troy Street Royal Oak, Michigan 48067 Anyone planning to attend the meeting who has need of special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is asked to contact the city clerk’s office at 248-246-3050 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting. Pages 1. DDA Intern 2 2. Presentation from Kacti 3. City Institute Tour 9 4. 2026 Dinner Stroll 13 5. Arts Beats & Eats 2026-2028 Agreement 20 6. Reorganization of Marketing and Business Relations Subcommittee 76 7. 505 S. Lafayette (Lafayette & 5th Street) 78 8. DDA Executive Director Report  DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SPONSORSHIP AGENDA ITEM TITLE Summer Internship PRESENTER Isaac Kremer, DDA Executive Director MEETING DATE April 6, 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DDA Executive Director Isaac Kremer was approached by Sarah Kohler, a senior at Albion College, with an interest in downtown revitalization. After discussing their interest further, the idea of a summer internship with the DDA came up. An interview with the DDA Executive Director and Deputy Director occurred on March 23, 2026. Following a favorable reaction from both, outreach was done to the Human Resources Department of the City of Royal Oak to generate a job description. A DDA Intern may be called upon to do any or all of the following: (These examples do not include all of the tasks which the employee may be expected to perform.) • Research currently vacant properties and work on strategies to fill them with tenants to enhance the business mix. • Analyze the Downtown Dollars gift card program. Sign up new businesses to participate and work with participating businesses to increase their sales. • Support business development through conducting outreach to businesses, writing content for our newsletter, and connecting with our social media team. • Identify funding opportunities to support current and proposed projects of the Downtown Development Authority. This includes completing funding for the Fifth Street Pedestrian Improvement where Phase 1 of construction is now underway. Additionally, a background check and drug test will be required before officially extending an offer. This internship provides an opportunity to deliver on the mission of the DDA and helping full-time staff with having a greater impact with the limited staff time available. Further, if this internship is successful it will serve as a model for future student work opportunities with the DDA. Fiscal Impact BUDGET SUMMARY EXPENDITURE REQUIRED $5,940 AMOUNT CURRENTLY BUDGETED $10,000 FUNDING SOURCE/ GL NUMBER 247-729-82500 OTHER FISCAL IMPACTS REVENUE IMPACT: Provide a description of how this item will impact revenue. (Is this item expected to create additional/new revenue? Will this item have a negative impact on revenue? Which funds would be impacted? Provide additional details, as necessary.) Page 2 of 81 There will be a minimum impact on revenue, with the expenditure coming out of the Contracted Worker Services line item. This has the potential to be offset by grant funds brought in as a result of the work of the intern. WORKLOAD IMPACT: If this item will require staff and/or volunteer time to implement, operate or maintain, provide a description of the workload impact. (Will more staff be needed? Is this workload able to be absorbed by existing staff or volunteers? Provide additional details, as necessary.) DDA Executive Director and Deputy Director time is anticipated to be minimum, less than four hours per week. After the kick-off the intern will work independently on a series of mutually agreed upon projects and tasks. Weekly check-ins will occur to ensure progress is being made. ALIGNMENT WITH COMMISSION APPROVED PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS Provide a description of how this item aligns with the strategic plan, aging in place plan, and sustainability and climate action plans. Include any specific goals or action steps it supports. 6.3.1 – Quality of Life: Support local small businesses and business retention. Businesses will be highlighted in promotions, attracting new customers to Royal Oak. 6.6.1. -- Quality of Life: Support and encourage participation in buy-local campaigns People will be encouraged to shop and buy-local using Downtown Dollars. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Provide a description of any community engagement efforts made for this item. Include information on tools used, participation information, and general sentiments. • July 2020. Downtown Dollars program launched. • June 30, 2025. Results of Downtown Dollars for end of fiscal year presented in Annual Report. • February 25, 2026. DDA Executive Director reports to board that analysis of Downtown Dollars program is underway. PROPOSED DDA BOARD RESOLUTION: BE IT RESOLVED, the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority hereby approves the DDA Executive Director to extend an offer to Sarah Kohler for a summer internship for 11 weeks not to exceed $5,940. ATTACHMENTS: Page 3 of 81 Human Resources Dept. City of Royal Oak, MI Intern, Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority Department: DDA Classification: Non-Exempt Type: Part Time Temporary Salary: $18.00, with an expectation of working on average 30 hours/week for 11 weeks Location: Remote work options are available for a portion of the time, though for other time in person meetings will be required. GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES The Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority is pleased to provide an opportunity for an intern to join our small but dynamic team of downtown revitalization professionals in Royal Oak. Over the course of the internship, the candidate will have an opportunity to participate in hands- on projects that strengthen their knowledge of business development, placemaking, and downtown revitalization. They will leave the internship with a deeper understanding of what it takes to achieve commercial district revitalization results. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES A DDA Intern may be called upon to do any or all of the following: (These examples do not include all of the tasks which the employee may be expected to perform.) • Research currently vacant properties and work on strategies to fill them with tenants to enhance the business mix. • Analyze the Downtown Dollars gift card program. Sign up new businesses to participate and work with participating businesses to increase their sales. • Support business development through conducting outreach to businesses, writing content for our newsletter, and connecting with our social media team. • Identify funding opportunities to support current and proposed projects of the Downtown Development Authority. This includes completing funding for the Fifth Street Pedestrian Improvement where Phase 1 of construction is now underway. • Support data entry and maintenance in the Salesforce/District 360 CRM system, including business, property, and current vacancy information. • Support the planning and execution of special events by assisting with logistics, coordinating with vendors and partners and providing on-site operational support as needed. • Provide general administrative support, including document organization, scheduling coordination, and other special projects as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT • Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with local businesses and team members. • Ability to stay organized, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines. • Ability to build relationships and feel comfortable reaching out to businesses. • Ability to research information and share ideas or findings in a clear way. Page 4 of 81 Human Resources Dept. City of Royal Oak, MI • Knowledge of or interest in downtown development, business development, or community initiatives. • Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with social media or design tools is a plus A DDA Intern, upon application, shall have the following experience and training: • Current college student or recent graduate PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate in person, by computer and by telephone, read regular and small print, view and produce written and electronic documents and enter data on a computer keyboard with repetitive keystrokes. The employee is expected to be capable of prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk. The employee must be mobile in an office setting, stand, sit, stoop and kneel, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items of light weight to moderate weight. The typical work environment of this job is a business office setting where the noise level is quiet and sometimes moderate. Page 5 of 81  Curriculum Vitae/Resume Sarah Kohler South Lyon, MI 48178 ● 248-254-0304 ● kohlersm2@gmail.com ● www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-m-kohler Education Albion College, MI ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Anticipated Graduation: 05/2026 Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy, Economics Minor Overall GPA: 3.80/4.00 Dean's List: Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024 Albion Fellow - requires a 3.7 GPA or higher for 3 or more consecutive semesters (Fall 2024) Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service - a program of distinction requiring an an internship experience and 10 hours of service per semester Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management - a program of distinction with a focus on professional development and practical experience Relevant Coursework ●​ Economic Development ●​ Ethics and Public Policy ●​ Economic Statistics ●​ American Foreign Policy ●​ Intermediate Microeconomics ●​ International Business Exchange ●​ Intermediate Macroeconomics ●​ Financial Markets Awards, Scholarships, and Honors Chi Alpha Sigma Honoree ●​ Inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society for excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and community service Harry Guyselman Scholarship ●​ Awarded the Harry Guyselman Scholarship in recognition of academic achievement, leadership, and dedication to community involvement Project-Based Experience Student Project Manager, Albion College - International Business Exchange, Albion, MI ​ Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 ●​ Developed a business idea in collaboration with Master’s students virtually and at Sup De Vente, Paris, France, that focused on designing a new product and developing financial and marketing models ●​ Expanded international business and teamwork skills by visiting Paris, France, for 1 week, meeting with French students, and collaborating to conduct market research, develop financial models, and assess the feasibility of the project ●​ Collaborated with an international team to present findings at the Albion College Elkin Isaac Research Symposium (April 10, 2025) and the Paris Chamber of Commerce (May 2025) after conducting on-site market research in France Student Project Manager - Life Remodeled, Detroit, MI​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Fall 2023 ●​ Led a student volunteer team in large-scale community revitalization projects, coordinating logistics and task assignments to ensure project goals were met ●​ Collaborated with organizational leaders, local residents, and partner organizations to align initiatives with community needs Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Student Researcher, Albion College – Public Policy Department, Albion, MI ​ February 2025 - Present​ ●​ Designed, proposed, and carried out a distinct solo research proposal on urban development, “What policies and incentive structures can most effectively reduce downtown Albion’s commercial vacancy rate while fostering long-term small business stability?” ●​ Orchestrate independent research projects, attend regular meetings with an advisor, and scheduled to present findings to 1,000+ faculty at Albion College Elkin Isaac Research Symposium (April 2026) ●​ Develop in-depth analysis of urban development and business retention ●​ Apply data analysis, critical thinking, and organizational skills in research methodologies using PlaceMaker AI Related Experience Secretary, Albion Community Innovation Hub, Albion, MI​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Fall 2025 to Current ●​ Co-founded nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering local entrepreneurship, innovation, and community development ●​ Serve on Board of Directors, maintaining official records, facilitating communication, and ensuring compliance with governance standards ●​ Contribute to strategic planning and program development to expand resources, partnerships, and opportunities for community impact Page 6 of 81 Executive Assistant, Albion Economic Development Corporation, Albion, MI ​ ​ ​ 08/2025 to Current ●​ Coordinated community engagement and managed grant allocation processes for housing initiatives, ensuring compliance with funding regulations ●​ Produced and distributed the community newsletter while providing direct support to the CEO on strategic and operational projects ●​ Streamlined internal operations by implementing project tracking systems and improving communication workflows between staff, board members, and community partners Director of Advocacy, Albion College Athletics, Albion, MI​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 08/2024 to Current ●​ Founded a board of professionals and worked holistically with the board to create athlete performance plans that address various issues including inter-team conflict, burnout, and scheduling issues ●​ Developed an online portal of athlete resources for over 600 student athletes ●​ Led workshops and one-on-one sessions with student-athletes to strengthen communication, resilience, and leadership skills, resulting in improved team cohesion and athlete satisfaction Admissions Assistant, Albion College-Office of Admissions, Albion, MI ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 09/23 to 05/25​ ●​ Supported prospective students and families by providing campus information, answering inquiries, and assisting with admissions events and tours ●​ Processed applications, managed student records, and maintained accuracy in admissions databases ●​ Collaborated with admissions staff and student ambassadors to coordinate outreach initiatives and ensure a welcoming experience for visitors Additional Experience PA Sports Announcer, Albion College-Athletics Department, Albion, MI ​ ​ ​ 08/24 to Current​ ●​ Used outgoing personality to provide live commentary and analysis during sporting events ●​ Leveraged sports experience to research teams, players, and statistics to deliver accurate information ●​ Successfully collaborated with the athletic department staff to plan and execute broadcasts and events First-Year Experience Mentor, Albion College-Cutler Center, Albion, MI ​ ​ ​ 05/24 to Current ●​ Provided academic and emotional support to 17 first-year students, guiding them through their transition into college life with weekly community meetings and regular check-ins ●​ Collaborated with supervisors, fellow mentors, and faculty to monitor and discuss student progress, ensuring a positive first-year experience ●​ Utilized effective time management skills to balance the varied schedules and needs of mentees, while directing them to necessary resources and helping with academic planning Office Manager, Gymnastics Coach, Farmington Gymnastics Center - Farmington, MI​ ​ ​ 04/2021 - 08/2025​ ●​ Promoted superior experience by addressing customer concerns via phone, email, and verbal customer service, demonstrating empathy, and resolving problems swiftly ●​ Managed registration and enrollment processes for over 300 families in an office setting ●​ Supervised and trained front desk staff while coordinating schedules between coaches, athletes, and families to ensure smooth daily operations Leadership & Campus Activities Alpha Xi Delta Sorority ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 01/24 to Current ●​ Elected by peers to serve as Member Development Vice President, overseeing growth and engagement of 35 chapter members ●​ Facilitated educational programming on leadership, wellness, and personal development to strengthen chapter culture ●​ Mentored individual members through goal-setting, conflict resolution, and accountability practices ●​ Collaborated with executive board to align development initiatives with national organization standards and chapter priorities Swim and Dive Team​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 09/23 to Current ●​ Competed as a student-athlete, demonstrating discipline, time management, and commitment to training and competition ●​ Elected to Leadership Council by coach and teammates to represent athlete concerns and foster team cohesion ●​ Collaborated with coaching staff and peers to develop team culture, address challenges, and improve communication ●​ Mentored younger teammates through goal-setting, accountability, and balancing academics with athletics Human Rights Lab​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11/2023 to 05/2024 ●​ Conducted research on global and domestic human rights issues, synthesizing data into reports and presentations for academic and advocacy purposes ●​ Collaborated with faculty, peers, and external partners to analyze case studies and propose solutions to human rights challenges ●​ Engaged in advocacy initiatives by developing educational materials and raising awareness on campus and within the community Page 7 of 81 ●​ Strengthened skills in qualitative research, policy analysis, and public communication through hands-on project work Page 8 of 81  Downtown Royal Oak Small Business Tour Series Sponsorship Proposal About City Institute (CI). City Institute helps cities tell their stories in order to attract and retain talent, engage and inspire residents, promote small businesses, and build thriving and equitable communities. When people appreciate and feel connected to their city and region, they are more likely to stay in that community, invest time and money in that community and overall help their community thrive. Tour Guides are always residents of the city in which they give the tour bringing firsthand knowledge and passion that makes each tour unique. Having taken more than 160,000 people on tours of Detroit since 2006 , CI is recognized throughout the country as a leader in Civic Storytelling. By shining the spotlight on residents, small business owners and nonprofit organizations doing great work in the community, tour attendees learn to understand and appreciate what each neighborhood or city has to offer. Program Vision: Downtown Royal Oak Small Business Tour Series On these two-hour walking tours, attendees will learn about new developments along the retail corridors in the Downtown Royal Oak, get to know long-time and new businesses and walk away with a better understanding of who and what are driving Royal Oak’s lively downtown atmosphere. Tour Guide: Long Time Royal Oak Resident, Kimberly Moon Downtown Royal Oak Small Business Tour Description Downtown Royal Oak is one of Oakland County’s most well known destinations because of the breadth and diversity of its retail district. From unique cafes, art galleries, specialty restaurants and shops to theatres and cultural institutions and beautiful public spaces, Downtown Royal Oak is full of unique assets that make it an amazing place to live, work and visit. This tour will shine a light on some of the city’s best small businesses, local favorites and one-of-a-kind retail opportunities while introducing you to the people that give Downtown Royal its unique character. Whether you’ve been here a day or a lifetime, you will see people, places and possibilities you never knew were there. Suggested Tour Start Location: Five Fifteen or Dessert Oasis Parking: ●​ For Dessert Oasis Start: 110 E 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067 ●​ For Five Fifteen Start: 514 S Lafayette Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48067 Program Audience Royal Oak Residents, Metro Detroit residents, tourists and potential retail tenants can all find value in these tours. By connecting with the stories of long time business leaders as well as getting introduced to the ______________________________________________________________________________ THECITYINSTITUTE.COM​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 440 BURROUGHS, #118 DETROIT MI 48202 Page 9 of 81 community and business ecosystems of today, the tour will appeal to both newcomers and longtime residents.. Locals have the greatest impact as they can return to a small business, spread the word around the region and gain a new appreciation for what’s in their own backyard. Program Promotion/Sponsor Placement City Institute will: ●​ Post tour information on website and eventbrite including sponsor’s name ●​ Highlight tour information and tour stops via strong social media/newsletter (FB: 23,000; IG: 12,000; Newsletter: 15,000) ●​ Invite corporate and nonprofit partners (like Rocket Companies and Visit Detroit) to join the tours and share with their audiences ●​ Send follow up email to attendees with resource links provided by American-Arab Chamber ●​ Include sponsor information in Summer Tour Press Release Program Evaluation Tour feedback will be collected using CI’s existing tour survey distribution system and tour revisions and improvements based on feedback from community leaders/sponsors can be made on an ongoing basis. Sponsorship Options ●​ Six Tour Package: $3,600 ○​ One Walking Tour each month (rotating between West Royal Oak Tour and East Royal Oak Tour) each month from May - October for a total of 6 tours ○​ Up to 30 people on each tour for a maximum total of 180 people visiting businesses and learning about each Downtown’s assets. ○​ No cost for attendees with the support of this sponsorship ○​ Optional addition: pre-purchased food/beverage samples 2 local businesses: $800 ●​ Two Custom/Private Developer and Tenant Attraction & Retention Tours: $2,000 ●​ Grand Total including pre-purchased samples: $6,200 Page 10 of 81  Downtown Royal Oak Small Business Tour Series Sponsorship Proposal About City Institute (CI). City Institute helps cities tell their stories in order to attract and retain talent, engage and inspire residents, promote small businesses, and build thriving and equitable communities. When people appreciate and feel connected to their city and region, they are more likely to stay in that community, invest time and money in that community and overall help their community thrive. Tour Guides are always residents of the city in which they give the tour bringing firsthand knowledge and passion that makes each tour unique. Having taken more than 160,000 people on tours of Detroit since 2006 , CI is recognized throughout the country as a leader in Civic Storytelling. By shining the spotlight on residents, small business owners and nonprofit organizations doing great work in the community, tour attendees learn to understand and appreciate what each neighborhood or city has to offer. Program Vision: Downtown Royal Oak Small Business Tour Series On these two-hour walking tours, attendees will learn about new developments along the retail corridors in the Downtown Royal Oak, get to know long-time and new businesses and walk away with a better understanding of who and what are driving Royal Oak’s lively downtown atmosphere. Tour Guide: Long Time Royal Oak Resident, Kimberly Moon Downtown Royal Oak Small Business Tour Description Downtown Royal Oak is one of Oakland County’s most well known destinations because of the breadth and diversity of its retail district. From unique cafes, art galleries, specialty restaurants and shops to theatres and cultural institutions and beautiful public spaces, Downtown Royal Oak is full of unique assets that make it an amazing place to live, work and visit. This tour will shine a light on some of the city’s best small businesses, local favorites and one-of-a-kind retail opportunities while introducing you to the people that give Downtown Royal its unique character. Whether you’ve been here a day or a lifetime, you will see people, places and possibilities you never knew were there. Suggested Tour Start Location: Five Fifteen or Dessert Oasis Parking: ●​ For Dessert Oasis Start: 110 E 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067 ●​ For Five Fifteen Start: 514 S Lafayette Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48067 Program Audience Royal Oak Residents, Metro Detroit residents, tourists and potential retail tenants can all find value in these tours. By connecting with the stories of long time business leaders as well as getting introduced to the ______________________________________________________________________________ THECITYINSTITUTE.COM​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 440 BURROUGHS, #118 DETROIT MI 48202 Page 11 of 81 community and business ecosystems of today, the tour will appeal to both newcomers and longtime residents.. Locals have the greatest impact as they can return to a small business, spread the word around the region and gain a new appreciation for what’s in their own backyard. Program Promotion/Sponsor Placement City Institute will: ●​ Post tour information on website and eventbrite including sponsor’s name ●​ Highlight tour information and tour stops via strong social media/newsletter (FB: 23,000; IG: 12,000; Newsletter: 15,000) ●​ Invite corporate and nonprofit partners (like Rocket Companies and Visit Detroit) to join the tours and share with their audiences ●​ Send follow up email to attendees with resource links provided by American-Arab Chamber ●​ Include sponsor information in Summer Tour Press Release Program Evaluation Tour feedback will be collected using CI’s existing tour survey distribution system and tour revisions and improvements based on feedback from community leaders/sponsors can be made on an ongoing basis. Sponsorship Options ●​ Six Tour Package: $3,600 ○​ One Walking Tour each month (rotating between West Royal Oak Tour and East Royal Oak Tour) each month from May - October for a total of 6 tours ○​ Up to 30 people on each tour for a maximum total of 180 people visiting businesses and learning about each Downtown’s assets. ○​ No cost for attendees with the support of this sponsorship ○​ Optional addition: pre-purchased food/beverage samples 2 local businesses: $800 ●​ Two Custom/Private Developer and Tenant Attraction & Retention Tours: $2,000 ●​ Grand Total including pre-purchased samples: $6,200 Page 12 of 81  DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SPONSORSHIP AGENDA ITEM TITLE Dinner Stroll 2026 PRESENTER Isaac Kremer, DDA Executive Director MEETING DATE April 6, 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A request has been made for a sponsorship of $22,500 to cover two separate dinner stroll promotions in the Spring, Summer, or Fall – attracting 500 people total. The customer acquisition cost is $45 per attendee. 2025 • The success of the Royal Oak Dinner Stroll program in 2024 led to the expansion of the program in 2025. • On June 12 and August 14, guests were invited to the Royal Oak Dinner Stroll which, once again, featured a 4-course meal, with each course at a different downtown Royal Oak restaurant. • 4 routes were offered this year: Italian, Brewery, Latin American and Seafood. • Guests purchased tickets to the strolling dinner, which included a different course at 4 venues, with a short stroll to the next course. • 16 restaurants were featured in 2025, up from 4 in 2024. • 370 guests attended the event in 2025, up from 215 in 2024. • Guests attended from 59 different cities in 2025, up from 36 in 2024 2024 August • This 2024 August promotion featured four restaurants in a trial run of the new event. The success of the event paved the way for a multi-week event that can involve many additional locations in the spring, summer and fall of 2025. • Guests purchased tickets to the strolling dinner, which included a different course at 4 venues, with a short stroll to the next course. • The event featured an appetizer at Oak City Grille, salad at Trattoria da Luigi, entrée at Lily’s Seafood & Grill and dessert or nightcap drink at 526 Main. • The event sold out all 4 seatings (5pm, 5:45pm, 6:30pm and 7:15pm) and an additional seating was added for 8pm. Fiscal Impact BUDGET SUMMARY EXPENDITURE REQUIRED $22,500 AMOUNT CURRENTLY BUDGETED $0 FUNDING SOURCE/ GL NUMBER 247-729-XXX OTHER FISCAL IMPACTS Page 13 of 81 REVENUE IMPACT: Provide a description of how this item will impact revenue. (Is this item expected to create additional/new revenue? Will this item have a negative impact on revenue? Which funds would be impacted? Provide additional details, as necessary.) There will be no impact on revenue. If anything, a more efficient committee structure will result in cost savings and the ability to attract additional revenue. WORKLOAD IMPACT: If this item will require staff and/or volunteer time to implement, operate or maintain, provide a description of the workload impact. (Will more staff be needed? Is this workload able to be absorbed by existing staff or volunteers? Provide additional details, as necessary.) DDA Executive Director and Deputy Director time will be limited, with an additional 1 hour committee meeting each month. The time to prepare for that meeting will be similar to when the marketing and business relations functions were combined. ALIGNMENT WITH COMMISSION APPROVED PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS Provide a description of how this item aligns with the strategic plan, aging in place plan, and sustainability and climate action plans. Include any specific goals or action steps it supports. 6.3.1 – Quality of Life: Support local small businesses and business retention. Businesses will be highlighted in promotions, attracting new customers to Royal Oak. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Provide a description of any community engagement efforts made for this item. Include information on tools used, participation information, and general sentiments. None. ATTACHMENTS: Page 14 of 81 Royal Oak Dinner Stroll Proposal for DDA Funding Page 15 of 81 2025 Recap + Results • The success of the Royal Oak Dinner Stroll program in 2024 led to the expansion of the program in 2025. • On June 12 and August 14, guests were invited to the Royal Oak Dinner Stroll which, once again, featured a 4-course meal, with each course at a different downtown Royal Oak restaurant. • 4 routes were offered this year: Italian, Brewery, Latin American and Seafood. • Guests purchased tickets to the strolling dinner, which included a different course at 4 venues, with a short stroll to the next course. • 16 restaurants were featured in 2025, up from 4 in 2024. • 370 guests attended the event in 2025, up from 215 in 2024. • Guests attended from 59 different cities in 2025, up from 36 in 2024. Page 16 of 81 2026 Event • This year’s Royal Oak Dinner Stroll would be a 2-part series, with strolls being offered at 2 different times – spring, summer or fall with a goal of increasing attendance to 250 per date. • Themes for each week could be centered around location, cuisine type, holidays, etc, based on input from participating restaurants. • Fee includes a $7,500 budget for advertising and event supplies. • Remaining money from ticket sales goes directly to restaurants for food and staffing costs. DDA Requested Investment: $22,500 Page 17 of 81 About the Producers Jon Witz has produced more than 50 major events attended by millions of people over the past 23 years including Arts, Beats & Eats, Detroit River Days, Soaring Eagle Dine & Drink Series, Royal Oak Holidays, Winter Blast, Taco Fest, Rock’n’Rides, Pontiac Power Week, the NCAA Big Dance in Detroit (2009), the 2006 Detroit Super Bowl Festivities and many more. Stephanie McIntyre has been producing community events and festivals for over 20 years including Dragon on the Lake in Lake Orion, FoolMoon + FestiFools in Ann Arbor, Wine Stroll, Beer Stroll, Brunch Bites and Royal Oak Restaurant Week in Royal Oak, as well as many others. Page 18 of 81  Thank you Jon Witz Jonathan Witz & Associates 248-225-1212 |jon@artsbeatseats.com Stephanie McIntyre SAM Event Management 810-772-6603 | steph@sameventproductions.com Page 19 of 81  DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SPONSORSHIP AGENDA ITEM TITLE Arts Beats and Eats Contract Extension PRESENTER Isaac Kremer, DDA Executive Director MEETING DATE March 3, 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Downtown Development Authority has committed $150,000 of support per year since 2023 and is committed to maintaining that level through 2027. The organizers of Arts, Beats and Eats are requesting an increase of support to $175,000 annually for 2028 and 2029. The “Arts, Beats, Eats Festival Footprint” in Placer.ai reports the event as #2 in Michigan after the Ann Arbor Street Fair and #89 nationally. During the most recent year the organizers reported visitation of 345,000 people. Attendance, DDA Funding and Customer Acquisition Cost Date Attendance Base DDA Additional Total DDA Customer Funding DDA Funding Acquisition Funding Cost (Total DDA Funding / Attendance) 2030 TBD $175,000 TBD TBD TBD 2029 TBD $175,000 TBD TBD TBD 2028 TBD $175,000 TBD TBD TBD 2027 TBD $150,000 $27,500 $177,500 TBD 2026 TBD $150,000 $27,500 $177,500 TBD 2025 345,000 $150,000 $37,500 $187,500 $0.54 2024 345,000 $150,000 $0 $150,000 $0.43 2023 350,000 $150,000 $0 $150,000 $0.43 2022 365,000 $150,000 $0 $150,000 $0.41 2021 375,000 $150,000 $0 $150,000 $0.40 Annual visitation data from Placer.ai presents some important trends around visit frequency, median age, the rank of the event nationally, in Michigan, and locally, and what the busiest days are. The Placer Visits are taken from “Ranking Index” for Michigan visits. This does include people without cell phones in the totals. It is natural to expect these numbers vary from those reported by the event promoter, as both use different methodologies to collect their data. Year Visit Median Rank Rank Rank Top Average Median Placer Frequency Age USA Michigan Local Day Stay Stay Visits 15 mi 2019 1.17 37.6 88 2 1 Sat 123 90 356,500 2020 2021 1.13 37.4 53 2 1 Sun 118 88 190,100 Page 20 of 81  2022 1.15 37.5 48 2 1 Sat 131 102 194,200 2023 1.12 37 48 2 1 Sat 127 89 223,400 2024 1.13 37.8 96 2 1 Sun 127 89 296,200 2025 1.14 37.9 89 2 1 Sat 125 89 205,206 Fiscal Impact BUDGET SUMMARY EXPENDITURE REQUIRED $177,500 AMOUNT CURRENTLY BUDGETED $177,500 FUNDING SOURCE/ GL NUMBER 247-729-82501 OTHER FISCAL IMPACTS REVENUE IMPACT: Provide a description of how this item will impact revenue. (Is this item expected to create additional/new revenue? Will this item have a negative impact on revenue? Which funds would be impacted? Provide additional details, as necessary.) There is no current revenue impact. The impact would increase by $25,000 for years 2028, 2029, and 2030. Offsetting this is taking a second look at funding the inflatable playscape. For the $10,000 that the DDA spent, this attracted 3,500 people with 14.9% being from Royal Oak zip codes. This amounted to a $2.85 customer acquisition cost, more than 5X the event as a whole. Further, it is not clear how the inflatable playscape is a clear mission fit with the DDA. There may be others who are a better fit for this activity. Removing $10,000 while adding $25,000 would lead to a net increase of only $15,000. Less likely to remove are the $27,500 of food vendor fees. In 2025 the DDA provided partial payment of booth or food truck fees for iFreeze Creamery, Lil Bros, Luigi, Cafe Muse, Jinya, Golden Cone totaling $11,000. Additionally, the DDA paid for catering from six businesses: Fifth Avenue, Luigi, 526/Tequila Blue, Office Coffee Shop, Side Bar, Give Thanks for $16,500. The business case for continuing this is to support the food and dining sector. Whether the needs will be as great in 2028-2030 as they were 2020 and forward is unclear. For that reason, we include these fees for the next two years of the existing contract, and provide TBD for 2028- 2030. WORKLOAD IMPACT: If this item will require staff and/or volunteer time to implement, operate or maintain, provide a description of the workload impact. (Will more staff be needed? Is this workload able to be absorbed by existing staff or volunteers? Provide additional details, as necessary.) Arts, Beats and Eats is a premier event attracting hundreds of thousands of people to Royal Oak. For many businesses it is a top visitation and sales day. Staff spends on average 80 hours to prepare for the event. Additionally, staff often participates in the four days of the event to ensure things go smoothly. ALIGNMENT WITH COMMISSION APPROVED PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS Provide a description of how this item aligns with the strategic plan, aging in place plan, and sustainability and climate action plans. Include any specific goals or action steps it supports. Page 21 of 81 6.3.1 – Quality of Life: Support local small businesses and business retention. Businesses will be highlighted in promotions, attracting new customers to Royal Oak. 6.6.1. -- Quality of Life: Support and encourage participation in buy-local campaigns People will be encouraged to shop and buy-local. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Provide a description of any community engagement efforts made for this item. Include information on tools used, participation information, and general sentiments. • November 2025. DDA Annual Report present results of Arts, Beats and Eats in 2024. • June 2025. Downtown Royal Oak Visitor & Resident Survey conducted. Receive extensive feedback about events held in Royal Oak. • May 18, 2025. The 2025-2026 event slate is presented for DDA Board and stakeholder input. • March 4, 2025. Request for restaurant support funding for Arts, Beats and Eats made before the DDA Business Development and Marketing Committee. • November 20, 2024. Development Fund budget presented with $150,000 for Arts, Beats and Eats through 2027. • October 18, 2023. The Arts, Beats and Eats Festival Agreement 2025-2027 was presented at a DDA Board meeting. • October 9, 2023. Fifth Restated Festival Agreement with the City Commission was approved that does not include the DDA as a party to the agreement. • October 3, 2023. Mr. Witz attended the DDA Business Development and Marketing Committee to present Festival Agreement for 2025-2027. PROPOSED DDA BOARD RESOLUTION: BE IT RESOLVED, the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority hereby approves the DDA Executive Director to enter into a negotiation with Jonathan Witz & Assoc. and bring forward a contract extension for DDA Board review. ATTACHMENTS: Page 22 of 81 2025 MICHIGAN LOTTERY ARTS, BEATS & EATS PARTNERSHIP RECAP Presented by Flagstar Bank Page 23 of 81 Dear Key Partners: Once again, thank you for your support of the 2025 Michigan Lottery Arts, Beats & Eats Festival presented by Flagstar Bank. This document provides an overall event summary, including attendance, marketing and promotional recaps, overall charitable giving recap and more. Customized marketing statements and highlight photos will be distributed based upon contract. If you prefer a hard copy of this document, or any recap documents, please email nicole@artsbeatseats.com to request. Page 24 of 81 ATTENDANCE Based on the amount of guests that paid admission and the amount of wristbands and tickets that were distributed to sponsors, contest winners, local stakeholders etc., our attendance for the festival was approximately 345,000 people. We are thrilled that so many people continue to make Michigan Lottery Arts, Beats & Eats a part of their Labor Day Weekend and Oakland County’s favorite summer festival.  Friday 8/29: 75,000  Saturday 8/30: 105,000  Sunday 8/31: 90,000  Monday 9/1: 75,000  Total Attendance: 345,000 Page 25 of 81 CHARITABLE GIVING In 2025 the festival raised $400,076.87 for participating charities from a combination of the festival admission fees, beverage proceeds, and other special events. $150,004.58 was raised specifically for Royal Oak charities. Flagstar Bank collaborated on the Canned Food Drive benefitting Forgotten Harvest and collected hundreds of pounds of food for local families. Corewell Health collaborated with the festival to bring back Family Days for Children with Autism, giving children and their family members free early access to the festival. Page 26 of 81 THE ARTS The Corewell Health Juried Fine Art Fair attracted thousands of people to Washington, Lincoln and West 7th Streets. In surveys collected at the event’s conclusion artists gave the event high marks in both sales opportunities and logistics. The festival was also ranked as #24 in the best Art Fair in the Nation for the Fine Art and Design Category in Sunshine Artist’s 200 Best Shows. Sunshine Artist’s annual 200 Best focuses primarily on artist show revenue, because that is the most objective indicator of a show’s future success. Page 27 of 81 THE BEATS The Jim Beam National Stage was packed each night with crowds cheering on I Love the 90’s Tour Featuring Vanilla Ice, Rob Base, Young MC & C+C Music Factory, Sugar Ray, Neon Trees, Rival Sons, Highly Suspect, Joe Nichols, Randy Houser and more. Our 10 local band stages drew large crowds throughout the weekend as well. Festival guests enjoyed over 200 different musical acts on the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Rock Stage, Baker College Country Stage, Bud Light Alternative Stage, Mike Morse Law Firm R&B Stage, House of Dank Stage, Flagstar Bank International Stage, OCC Acoustic Cultural Stage, 526 Main Stage and the DIA Kids Stage. Page 28 of 81 THE EATS The festival featured 50 restaurants, including some of Metro Detroit’s finest eateries, and the festival restaurant “veterans” gave a delicious array of choices for patrons. It was impossible to leave the festival hungry! Favorite 2025 options included the Fork In Nigeria, Famous Dave’s BBQ , Island Noodles, Luigi’s, Taco Cartel, Princess Mediterranean and many more. Page 29 of 81 FAMILY PROGRAMMING The festival once again provided fun family programming in the Detroit News Kids Zone, anchored with special stage performances curated by the Detroit Institute of Arts. Mike Morse Law Firm hosted “Project Back Pack” giving away a free backpack to each child just in time for their return back to school. The Detroit Zoo provided a colorful macaw-inspired craft and the opportunity to learn about fun animal facts in the Arts and Crafts area, the Michigan Science Center provided educational experiments, plus glitter tattoos – all free for families. The festival also hosted a carnival and bounce houses from Inflatable Playscapes. Inflatable activities were provided free of charge courtesy of the Royal Oak DDA. Page 30 of 81 FEATURED SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS Arts, Beats & Eats collaborates with event sponsors to create activations that both reflect their marketing goals and provide entertainment value to attendees. Special 2025 features include Michigan Lottery hosted their “Spin the Wheel” initiative & Lottery ticket stations featuring a new lineup of Detroit Lions tickets and Super Raffle. Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort hosted a special appearance by Lion’s mascot “Roary” and the Detroit Lions Cheerleaders and Drumline. Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort also had some amazing giveaways at their booth for free play, discounted hotel stay & more. Mike Morse Law Firm hosted “Mike Wins, You Win” for a chance to win VIP Concert Tickets, free meals at the festival, an Arts, Beats & Eats Commemorative Poster and a “Grand Prize” Weekend at Soaring Eagle Waterpark. Page 31 of 81 FEATURED SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS Presenting sponsor Flagstar Bank returned with a revamped Culture on 4th program, highlighting local BIPOC businesses with an exciting entry way and scannable cube activation. Participants in culture on fourth received free or reduced rate booth spaces to sell and showcase products and services. Participants included Love Froyo, Fork in Nigeria, Dutton Farms, Pingree Detroit and more. Corewell Health added it’s support to the festival with a multi-year sponsorship that includes several festival favorite programs, the Juried Fine Art Fair, shuttle system and Family Days Events. They also sponsored and staffed the festival’s “first aid stations” in partnership with Royal Oak EMS. Page 32 of 81 FEATURED SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS House of Dank returned to this year’s festival featuring their sales and consumption lounge was that received rave reviews from the patrons. This amazing activation from Arts, Beats & Eats official cannabis partner House of Dank, involved collaboration from both city and state officials. Their public facing activation – Dank Land, included a music stage to deliver top DJs, hip-hop, dance and skate demonstrations and more including DJ Chrome and DJ TWIZT; performances by hip hop artists DSAV, GasMask Mondo and Yung LXO; breakdancing from the Motor City Street Dance Academy; roller skating with Motown Roller Club and various entertaining acts from the Motley Misfits buskers. Page 33 of 81 FEATURED SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS Kroger provided a interactive mural celebrating Farm to Table Produce. This experience brought together three core values: food, art and community. This year’s interactive paint-by- numbers mural project invited festivalgoers of all ages to join in creating one of the largest collaborative mural installations ever presented at the event. Students from Baker College’s Culinary Institute partnered with Royal Oak restaurants for this year’s festival to create exclusive dishes and beverages available across all four days of the festival. For every dish sold, $1 supported Open Hands Pantry, a local nonprofit. Oakland County kicked off their Veteran’s Advocacy Campaign, “Be A Hero, Support A Hero” a VIP concert experience for 300 Veterans at the Epic Eagles concert on Sunday, August 31st. Veterans were provided VIP Seating, Drinks, Food and a Recognition Ceremony on the Jim Beam National Stage before the concert. Page 34 of 81 SUSTAINABILITY INTIATIVES In a concerted effort to prioritize environmental sustainability, this year’s festival implemented a series of initiatives aimed at reducing the festival's ecological footprint. Arts, Beats & Eats continued its policy to not to use single-use plastic bottles. This initiative was made possible due to partnerships with official beer sponsor Anheuser Busch, official soda sponsor Faygo and official water sponsor Liquid Death. For non-canned beverages, eco-friendly biodegradable corn-based cups were provided. Official sustainability sponsor Kroger supported the efforts of the volunteer green team, collecting recyclable materials through out the footprint and Schupan Sustainability. Schupan utilized specialty designed bins to make it easy for patrons to identify collection points throughout the festival footprint. Page 35 of 81 PUBLICITY RECAP The enclosed media report details media coverage the festival received, as well as total stories and overall publicity value. In 2025 the festival received 1,193 News Stories, for an estimated total reach of impressions 228,891,679. Critical Mention values this publicity at $13,709,371 Page 36 of 81 WEBSITE AUDIENCE Page 37 of 81  PLATFORM TOTAL SPENT IMPRESSIONS REACH FACEBOOK $7,000 1,425,403 392,019 INSTAGRAM $2,000 306,735 93,665 DIGITAL TIKTOK $1,000 188,743 87,718 MARKETING GOOGLE - $500 192,858 N/A DISPLAY GOOGLE - $500 31,612 N/A SEARCH OVERALL TOTAL $11,000 2,145,351 573,402 Page 38 of 81 PUBLICITY RECAP EXCERPT Page 39 of 81  PROMOTIONAL MEDIA RECAP We have included our promotional recap as a supplement to this document. The recap reflects that the event received $597,890 in promotional media value from our media sponsors and partners. Page 40 of 81  Item Number/Value Event Attendance 345,000 Charitable Donations 400K Artist Exhibitors 110 Restaurants Participants 60 BY THE Entertainment Acts 246 NUMBERS Website Audience 412K Promotional Media Recap Value $627,600 Total Media Impressions 228,891,679 Publicity Value $13,709,371 Social Media Followers 47,575 Page 41 of 81 THANK YOU We are thrilled with the results of the 2025 Michigan Lottery Arts, Beats & Eats Presented by Flagstar Bank. This recap highlights so many positive results and collaborations including the attendance of 345,000 (5th best ever), and we are especially excited about the record $400,000 plus that went to local non-profits taking our total donations to more than $8.2 million since our founding year in 1998. We will continue to take your feedback on how we can improve the event, our process and the overall experience of our partnerships, and please give us your feedback as we schedule individual meetings with you in the coming weeks. Thank you for your contribution in making this year’s festival one of the best ever.. Warm Regards, Jon Witz Event Producer Page 42 of 81 Page 43 of 81 Page 44 of 81 Page 45 of 81 Page 46 of 81 Page 47 of 81 Page 48 of 81 2025 MICHIGAN LOTTERY ARTS BEATS & EATS MARKETING RECAP Presented to City of Royal Oak Page 49 of 81  FOX 2 WJBK • Paid Spot Value: $9,500 Media Platform: • Total Added Value Spots: $27,675 • 95 Total Spots • News/Daytime – Monday – Friday 10am to 4pm • Prime Access • Late Fringe • Weekend News – Saturday – Sunday 11am – 6pm • Local News Total Paid Spots: $9,500 Total Added Value Spots: $27,675 Total Overall Value: $37,175 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total of $37,175 Page 50 of 81  Channel 4 WDIV Media Platform: • Paid Spot Value: $14,000 • Total Added Value Spots: $17,340 • 187 Total Spots • Live In The D • News/Daytime • Weekend News • Local News Total Paid Spots: $14,000 Total Added Spot Value: $17,340 Total Overall Value: $31,340 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total of $31,340 Page 51 of 81  Channel 7 WXYZ • Paid Spot Value: $15,000 • Total Added Value Spots: $7,000 • 106 Spots • Early Morning Media Platform: • Daytime • Early News • Early Fringe • Weekend • Overnight • Late Fringe Total Paid Spots: $15,000 Total Added Value Spots: $7,000 Total Overall Value: $22,000 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total of $22,000 Page 52 of 81  Detroit MetroTimes • Total Paid Value: $9,135 • Total Added Value that included City of Royal Oak : $15,185 • Cover Feature Media Platform: • 1 Two Page Spread • 1 Four Page Program Guide • 2 E-Blast over 20,000 Subscribers • 8 Web Banners • 3 E-Newsletters • 3 Social Media Posts Total Paid Value: $9,135 Total Promotional Value: $15,185 Total Overall Value: $24,320 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total of $24,320 Page 53 of 81  The Detroit News • Total Added Value that included City of Royal Oak: $60,000 • 1 Half Page Print Ad • 1 Full Page Ad Media Platform: • 250k high impact digital paramount ad impressions on Detroitnews.com • VIP Reader Experience contest giveaway that includes: • (2) quarter page promotional ads • A minimum of (1) email blast to targeted lists from The Detroit News • One email blast to targeted lists from The Detroit News Total Promotional Value: $60,000 Total Overall Value: $60,000 City of Royal Oak was included in promotional value for a total of $60,000 Page 54 of 81  WJR 760AM • Paid Spot Value: $3,000 • Promotional Spot Added Value: $24,400 Media Platform: • 320 Promotional Spots • Three (3) interviews with guests that showcase the entertainment value of Arts, Beats & Eats to the WJR listener • Interview breakdown by show: (1) 'JR Morning (1) All Talk (1) Focus (pending approval) • Forty-Six (46) promotional mentions to air on WJR • Inclusion in social media support • Event Spotlight posting at WJR.com Total Paid Spots: $3,000 Total Promotional Value: $24,400 Total Overall Value: $27,400 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $27,400 Page 55 of 81  WDVD 96.3 • Paid Spot Value: $4,000 • Promotional Spot Added Value: $37,600 • Twenty (20) 30-second commercials to air M-F 6a-7p • 85 live/recorded mentions on 96.3 WDVD and www.963WDVD.com Media Platform: • Event listing on www.963WDVD.com • One food drop by participating ABE restaurant with on-air interview during The Blaine Fowler Morning Show with Jon Witz • Two live WDVD Street Team on-site appearances, each appearance included a minimum of fifteen (15) live promotional mentions and four (4) like-live call-ins • Inclusion in (1) E-newsletter distribution to 96.3 WDVD listeners • Social media exposure via 96.3 WDVD's Facebook and Twitter feeds Total Paid Spots: $4,000 Total Promotional Value: $37,600 Total Overall Value: $41,600 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $41,600 Page 56 of 81  AUDACY – WWJ 950 • Paid Spot Value: $5,352 • Promotional Spot Added Value: $42,600 • 80 Promotional Spots • 80 :15 second promotional announcements from WWJ • Four full days of coverage: at least 16 stories each day (Friday–Monday). Media Platform: • Live reporting: Darrylin Horne provided live updates Friday afternoon. • 4 Exclusive interviews featured on-air & podcasted • 30x :15 second recorded promotional announcements • 30x :15 public service announcements highlighting ABE’s non-profit initiatives. • 20x bonus :30-second commercials to drive additional awareness and attendance. Total Paid Spots: $5,352 Total Promotional Value: $42,600 Total Overall Value: $47,952 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $47,952 Page 57 of 81  AUDACY – ALT 98.7 Media Platform: • Paid Spot Value: $3,720 • Promotional Spot Added Value: $10,300 • 50 Promotional Spots • 30x :15-second recorded promotional announcements • 20x bonus :30-second commercials to drive additional awareness and attendance. Total Paid Spots: $3,720 Total Promotional Value: $10,300 Total Overall Value: $14,020 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $14,020 Page 58 of 81  AUDACY - WOMC • Paid Spot Value: $6,640 Media Platform: • Promotional Spot Added Value: $47,000 • 120 Promotional Spots • 30x :15-second promotional announcements supporting Arts Beats & Eats, driving awareness across the WOMC audience. • 90x extended-length promotional announcements (produced by 104.3 WOMC programming for maximum impact and excitement. Total Paid Spots: $6,640 Total Promotional Value: $47,000 Total Overall Value: $53,640 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $53,640 Page 59 of 81  AUDACY - WYCD Media Platform: • Paid Spot Value: $14,300 • Promotional Spot Added Value: $77,200 • 188 Promotional Spots • 50x :15-second promotional announcements supporting Arts Beats & Eats and sponsors • 138 extended-length promotional announcements produced by WYCD programming for maximum impact and excitement. Total Paid Spots: $14,300 Total Promotional Value: $77,200 Total Overall Value: $91,500 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $91,500 Page 60 of 81  iHeart Media Media Platform: • Paid Spot Value: $32,000 • Promotional Spot Added Value: $80,000 • Inclusion on station events calendars • Promo support on WMXD, WKQI, WNIC and WLLZ • Total of 228x Commercials + 150k streaming audio impressions • 57x :30s on-air commercials on WMXD • 57x :30s on-air commercials on WNIC • 57x :30s on-air commercials on WLLZ • 57x :30s on-air commercials on WKQI • 150,000 iHeartRadio streaming impressions Total Paid Spots: $32,000 Total Promotional Added Value: $80,000 Total Overall Value: $112,000 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $112,000 Page 61 of 81  Beasley Media Group • Paid Spot Value: $12,000 Media Platform: • Promotional Spot Added Value: $22,743 • 218 Promotional Spots • 94.7 WCSX PROVIDED: ▪ 43x Paid Commercials ▪ 29x Promotional Commercials • 101.1 WRIF PROVIDED: ▪ 50x Paid Commercials ▪ 25x Promotional Commercials • 105.1 The Bounce PROVIDED: ▪ 46x Paid Commercials ▪ 25x Promotional Commercials Total Paid Spots: $12,000 Total Promotional Spots Added Value: $22,743 Total Overall Value: $32,743 City of Royal Oak was included in paid and promotional value for a total $34,743 Page 62 of 81  Overall Total for Overall Total for Type of Media Paid Media Added Value Soaring Eagle Royal Oak Taco Fest Print $9,135 $75,815 $84,320 $84,320 Radio $81,012 $341,843 $422,855 $422,855 Television $38,500 $52,015 $90,515 $90,515 All Together $128,647 $469,043 $597,690 $597,690 Total Page 63 of 81 Arts, Beats & Eats 2025 Check Presentation  An overall total of $400,077 was donated to over 50 community organizations in Metro Detroit.  Including $150,000 to Royal Oak-based charities from festival proceeds Page 64 of 81 WEBSITE AUDIENCE Page 65 of 81 DIGITAL MARKETING Page 66 of 81 Arts, Beats & Eats Cision Report Page 67 of 81 Arts, To see the full Cision Beats & Report with the media Eats hits, and articles, you can Cision view them here, Report FULL CISION REPORT Page 68 of 81 2025 MICHIGAN LOTTERY ARTS, BEATS & EATS CONTRACT EXTENSION REQUEST Page 69 of 81 FESTIVAL OVERVIEW: • The largest and most attended four-day festival in the State of Michigan • A world class juried fine art fair ranked as high as 7th in the US by Sunshine Artist Magazine and 4th in the US by Art Fair Source Book • Has raised more than $8.3 million for local non-profits in the region and $1.5 million for Royal Oak non-profits since it moved to Royal Oak in 2010 • Showcases live music with nine entertainment stages featuring a variety of music themes • Offers 60 plus restaurants and food trucks with an array of different food styles • Has significant family programming Page 70 of 81 FESTIVAL INVESTMENT MADE:  Arts, Beats & Eats (ABE) has a fixed budget of $3.1 million  ABE invested $150,000 in advertising, delivering media value that mentioned the city of Royal Oak in nearly $600,000 of ad value  ABE provided paid staff to support promotion of the downtown dollars program valued at $6,ooo Page 71 of 81 MARKETING VALUE TO THE CITY:  ABE earned publicity valued at $13,000,000 plus with over 1100 stories  ABE generated local advertising that mentioned the City of Royal Oak valued at nearly $600,000  Total marketing and publicity valued at $13.6 million plus Page 72 of 81 PLACER DATA TOP LEVEL TAKEAWAYS:  For the Aug 29-Sept 1, 2025 time period ABE was the 89th of 16,422 destinations in the US with a healthy 205,200 people. Walt Disney World was #1 with 7.29 million. (See Ranking Index PDF, Ranking Index US XLSX)  ABE is the #2 attraction in Michigan, only after the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Seeing how the Art Fair is technically held in July and not over Labor Day weekend, my takeaway is the Placer data how ABE is the #1 attraction in Michigan for that weekend (See Ranking Index Michigan XLSX)  Placer Metrics show 120,900 visits with an average dwell time of 125 minutes. This is a 26% increase year- over-year. As we discussed this does not include people without cell phones and might not fully capture your paid tickets and official head count. It does, however, compare with other places and attractions in Placer head-to-head (See Property Overview PDF)  Placer Metrics show a strong attendance from Royal Oak Residents  Audience Overview shows Median Household Income higher than the state of Michigan, Media Age lower than the state, and Most Common Ethnicity more diverse. (See Property Overview PDF)  Busiest days in order were Saturday (most visits), Sunday, Monday and Friday (least visits) (See Property Overview PDF)  The peak visit time was 8pm, building up all day to that hour, and then tapering off after that. Page 73 of 81 ABE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND CONSIDERATIONS:  Major community impact to regional non profits and those based in the City of Royal Oak  Significant interaction between attendees and local businesses  Strong attendance from Royal Oak residents  Major collaboration on promotion and implementation of downtown dollars program Page 74 of 81 DDA INVESTMENT SPONSORSHIP REQUEST:  DDA has pledged $150,000 of support per year since 2023 and is committed to that level through 2027.  ABE is requesting an increase of such support to $175,000 annually, and such increase will be the first increase in five years.  DOLLAR SUPPORT IN RELATION TO BUDGET remains very low compared to other events. ABE would be investing or raising a projected 16 times the DDA Investment into event funding.  Reasons for increase are: cost of goods and entertainment have increased while sponsorship from other sources have stayed flat.  Strong sponsorship support helps keep quality of show high while keeping fees down to the public to keep attendance at a high level. Page 75 of 81  DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SPONSORSHIP AGENDA ITEM TITLE Reorganization of Marketing and Business Relations Subcommittee PRESENTER Isaac Kremer, DDA Executive Director MEETING DATE April 6, 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The DDA Marketing and Business Relations Subcommittee is one of two standing committees of the Board, the other being the Infrastructure Subcommittee. While these committees have served the Board adequately, at times it is necessary to reorganize in response to the changing nature of the work of any organization. Main Street America suggests to have four standing committees that each represent one of the “4 points” of the Main Street Approach. These correspond with the four elements of real estate value (in parentheses). The theory goes by working on the four points incrementally that revitalization results will occur. - Organization (Civic) - Promotion (Social) - Design (Physical) - Economic Vitality (Economic) We propose splitting the DDA Marketing and Business Relations Subcommittee into two separate committees and giving them the following names to align with the Main Street Approach – the Promotion Committee and the Economic Vitality Committee. • The Promotion Committee will be responsible for managing sponsorships and special events. They will also oversee earned media buys for the DDA, the Downtown Dollars Gift Card program, and the social media contractor. • The Economic Vitality Committee will be responsible for all business development and economic development activities. This includes the Façade Improvement Grant Fund and the new Business Retention and Recruitment Fund. Additionally, they will monitor vacant space and support staff with getting this filled. Finally, any future development or redevelopment agreements will be run through this subcommittee. Finally, this reorganization will allow Board members to develop a deeper connection with one of the three standing committees. Currently participation is limited to up to 5 members on one of the two standing committees. With three committees that will allow Board members to spread out and find work that closely aligns with their skills and interests. Page 76 of 81 Fiscal Impact BUDGET SUMMARY EXPENDITURE REQUIRED $0 AMOUNT CURRENTLY BUDGETED $0 FUNDING SOURCE/ GL NUMBER 247-729-XXX OTHER FISCAL IMPACTS REVENUE IMPACT: Provide a description of how this item will impact revenue. (Is this item expected to create additional/new revenue? Will this item have a negative impact on revenue? Which funds would be impacted? Provide additional details, as necessary.) There will be no impact on revenue. If anything, a more efficient committee structure will result in cost savings and the ability to attract additional revenue. WORKLOAD IMPACT: If this item will require staff and/or volunteer time to implement, operate or maintain, provide a description of the workload impact. (Will more staff be needed? Is this workload able to be absorbed by existing staff or volunteers? Provide additional details, as necessary.) DDA Executive Director and Deputy Director time will be limited, with an additional 1 hour committee meeting each month. The time to prepare for that meeting will be similar to when the marketing and business relations functions were combined. ALIGNMENT WITH COMMISSION APPROVED PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS Provide a description of how this item aligns with the strategic plan, aging in place plan, and sustainability and climate action plans. Include any specific goals or action steps it supports. 6.3.1 – Quality of Life: Support local small businesses and business retention. Businesses will be highlighted in promotions, attracting new customers to Royal Oak. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Provide a description of any community engagement efforts made for this item. Include information on tools used, participation information, and general sentiments. None. PROPOSED DDA BOARD RESOLUTION: BE IT RESOLVED, the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority hereby approves the DDA Executive Director to reorganize the Marketing and Business Relations Subcommittee as two separate subcommittees - the Economic Vitality Committee and the Promotion Committee. ATTACHMENTS: Page 77 of 81  DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SPONSORSHIP AGENDA ITEM TITLE 505 S. Lafayette (Lafayette & 5th Street) PRESENTER Isaac Kremer, DDA Executive Director MEETING DATE April 7, 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The DDA has received a request from Akouri Group LLC to “forgo” capturing tax increment revenue that would be generated by their project at 505 S. Lafayette (Lafayette and 5th Street). The proposed redevelopment consists of one parcel totaling approximately 0.20 acres. The Project will involve demolition activities and preparing the site for development to make way for approximately 54 residential units in a mixed-use building. Sixteen of the residential units (approximately 30% of the development) will be income restricted to 120% of Area Median Income (“AMI”) or lower households for an affordability duration of 20 years. The development will include approximately 36 one-bedroom units, and 18 two-bedroom units. The development is also expected to include a ground-floor commercial space that will be occupied by a yet-to- be-determined future tenant that will be approximately 4,000 square feet. The proposed redevelopment at Lafayette & Fifth Street is requesting city support from a state- authorized tax incentive tool, a Brownfield Plan (PA 381), to reimburse approximately $10 million in eligible costs via tax increment revenue (TIR), of which approximately $4.1 million is attributed to the DDA over 30 years (approximately $123,000 in year one of a Brownfield Plan, if approved). Most recently that has been done for the Champion (Lincoln Place) project. DDA Considerations: • Under Act 381, the DDA may opt to forgo its tax capture so the BRA may use it for eligible reimbursement. • If the DDA does not opt in, its share of TIR will remain with the DDA and will not be available to the BRA, potentially lengthening the reimbursement schedule. The process utilized in the past has involved the DDA Business Development and Marketing Committee to meet with the project team. At that time they discuss the project and determine if there is support to proceed. Should there be support, the next steps follow: 1. DDA passes Resolution to forego TIF capture for duration of a proposed Brownfield Plan 2. Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA)/Current Planning Commission passes Resolution 3. City Commission holds a Public Hearing and passes Resolution 4. BRA and Developer execute an Agreement 5. City staff and Developer submit a 381 Work Plan to MSHDA Page 78 of 81 A recent project had the following timeline for approval of a redevelopment project involving the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Approvals were made in a timely manner in a period of just under six weeks. Action/Agency Champion Schedule Brownfield 5/13/25 Redevelopment Authority/Planning Commission Downtown Development 6/11/25 Authority City Commission 6/23/25 Neighboring businesses are likely to see an increase in sales. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX) to estimate retail market demand for Metuchen, based on its current household demographic characteristics. There are a number of expenditure categories in the CEX that I omit from the estimate, as these are atypical (e.g., funerary services). One such analysis shows how each new unit of housing with spending per household after tax of $43,008, will lead to an increase in downtown spending as follows: • $5,548 in demand for groceries • $1,978 for restaurant meals • $1,075 for furniture and home furnishings • $516 for housekeeping supplies • $1,075 for apparel and apparel-related services • $3,397 for health care (not insured) • $1,978 for entertainment • $516 for personal care products • $860 for reading materials • $3,440 for alcoholic beverages • $20,383 TOTAL Several financial and non-financial benefits would accrue to the DDA and surrounding property owners. 1. The project team offered to assist with Phase 2 of the Fifth Street Plaza Improvement project between Washington Ave and Lafayette Ave. The current projected cost for Phase 2 is approximately $1 million. With this is an opportunity to bring in and bury new utilities, enhance lighting, and turn this from a darkened walkway into an attractive and safe gathering place for residents. 2. For the 54 housing units, an increase of downtown spending with a per household downtown spending amount of $20,383, will lead to $1,100,682 of downtown spending annually. 3. New electric lines will need to be laid and buried for the half-mile segment approaching the project. This presents numerous benefits from a resiliency and climate change perspective. Underground wires tend to do better in major weather events than those mounted on poles. They also are an aesthetic improvement. Page 79 of 81  4. The current darkened alley will now be a brightly illuminated plaza with activities throughout the year. Fiscal Impact BUDGET SUMMARY EXPENDITURE REQUIRED $0 AMOUNT CURRENTLY BUDGETED $0 FUNDING SOURCE/ GL NUMBER 247-729-96800 OTHER FISCAL IMPACTS REVENUE IMPACT: Provide a description of how this item will impact revenue. (Is this item expected to create additional/new revenue? Will this item have a negative impact on revenue? Which funds would be impacted? Provide additional details, as necessary.) The DDA would forgo the future tax increment for thirty years. The total value of this is approximately $4,100,000. Such an action would not result in either a net loss or net gain of tax revenue. After that period of time has elapsed, then the DDA would receive increment. The increment does not exist without completion of the project. WORKLOAD IMPACT: If this item will require staff and/or volunteer time to implement, operate or maintain, provide a description of the workload impact. (Will more staff be needed? Is this workload able to be absorbed by existing staff or volunteers? Provide additional details, as necessary.) Workload impact would be positive in the sense that the development team would be able to undertake Phase 2 of the Fifth Street Pedestrian Plaza project. ALIGNMENT WITH COMMISSION APPROVED PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS Provide a description of how this item aligns with the strategic plan, aging in place plan, and sustainability and climate action plans. Include any specific goals or action steps it supports. The Strategic Plan has several areas that intersect with this project: Welcoming, Engaged, and Livable Community. Royal Oak is a community that promotes diversity and inclusion; encourages people to participate, care, and respect each other; and offers a variety of housing that works for everyone. • ANYONE CAN FIND A QUALITY HOME THAT FITS THEIR NEEDS BY WAY OF VALUE, ACCESSIBILITY, PRICE, AND SIZE. Consider new city investments with housing developers to fill market gaps Vibrant Local Economy. Royal Oak pursues policies that encourage sustained business investment and development in the city, by providing employment, core services, and entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. • MODIFYING CODES AND RELATED APPROVAL PROCESSES TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT AND REMOVE BARRIERS TO INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT. Increase efficiency in the review of private sector developments. Page 80 of 81  Reliable Infrastructure. Royal Oak maintains, replaces, and enhances the city’s infrastructure to promote efficient, environmentally responsible, and sustainable delivery of municipal services. • WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES TO ENSURE PHYSICAL LINES/VULNERABILITIES ARE UPGRADED IN COORDINATION WITH CITY PROJECTS. Develop relationships and construction planning discussions with DTE to promote continuous improvement. The Sustainability Climate Action Plan (S-CAP) identified at least one area that intersects with this project: Quality of Life. Promote a diversity of housing type and attainability options. 6.4.1. Research incentivizing developers to include a range of housing options in developments, high density, or other facilities. The Aging in Place Plan at least one area that intersects with this project: 4.3 Meet Royal Oak seniors desire to "age in place" by facilitating the development of "affordable" senior and "market-rate" senior housing. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Provide a description of any community engagement efforts made for this item. Include information on tools used, participation information, and general sentiments. • Summer 2023. Early iteration of design presented to Mayor and Commission. • February 14, 2024. Schematic designs and financial projections presented to Mayor and Commission. At that time sought support for ARPA Funds, Brownfield Tax Increment Financing, and assistance burying existing utility lines. • During 2024. Met with church and neighborhood business owners. • July 2024. Variance for 84 parking spots that are not required to build on site. • February 3, 2026. Akouri Group attends Business Development and Marketing Committee meeting and Special Meeting that followed. PROPOSED DDA BOARD RESOLUTION: BE IT RESOLVED, the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority approves the request from Akouri Group LLC to forego tax increment revenue for 30 years at the 505 S. Lafayette property. ATTACHMENTS: Page 81 of 81