[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
SCOTT, AND WE ARE MEETING AT CITY HALL IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 2 2 2 NORTH TENNESSEE STREET IN MCKINNEY, TEXAS.TODAY IS TUESDAY, JANUARY 28TH, 2025, AND IT IS 8:00 AM THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT, KEITH GALL, BRIAN MEDINA, WHITNEY NASH, JANIE PENA, AND JILL BARNES AND MYSELF.
WE ARE JOINED BY CITY STAFF, TREVOR ARD AND MIKE KOWSKI.
WE ARE JOINED BY VISIT MCKINNEY.
ALICIA HOLMBERG, BETH SHOE MATE.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO.
[CONSENT ITEMS]
ITEMS. CONSENT ITEM TWO FIVE DASH 2 4 0 1 MINUTES OF THE VISIT MCKINNEY BOARD MEETING OF NOVEMBER 26TH, 2024.DID EVERYONE GET A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THOSE MINUTES? MAY I GET A MOTION TO ACCEPT? IS THAT A MOTION BY BRIAN? YES.
[Board and Liaison Reports City of McKinney MEDC MCDC McKinney Main Street / MPAC McKinney Parks and Recreation Visit McKinney Finance Committee Visit McKinney Marketing Committee Visit McKinney Project Based Grant Committee]
ON TO REPORTS.TWO FA OH, THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING.
WE WILL START WITH TREVOR MINARD.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, JUST A FEW, A FEW QUICK THINGS.
WE HAVE ALL SUCCESSFULLY MOVED OVER TO THE NEW CITY HALL FACILITY, SO THAT IS EXCITING.
OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FRIENDS WERE THE LAST ONES TO GET IN THE BUILDING, UH, ROUGHLY ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
SO ALL FIVE FLOORS HAVE STAFF ON THEM.
UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE STREET IN FRONT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE ACCESS AROUND THE, UH, LITTLE TEMPORARY ROADWAY.
AND, UH, WE FOUND THAT MAYBE SOME PARKING MIGHT BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE.
BUT ALL THAT TO SAY, WE'LL START HOSTING OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS THERE, HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, SUCH AS THIS.
UH, SO HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME YOU ALL MEET, IT MAY BE IN THAT FACILITY.
A COUPLE OF UPDATES FOR YOU ON THE 21ST OF FEBRUARY.
WE'LL KICK OFF OUR BUDGET MAKING PROCESS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC WORK SESSION.
THE COUNCIL WILL MEET FOR ABOUT A HALF DAY TO SET THEIR GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WHICH THEN GIVES OUR DEPARTMENTS, THE MANAGEMENT STAFF, AND THEN, UM, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES THE GUIDE RAILS FOR WHAT WE'LL DO TO RECOMMEND HOW THE BUDGET'S BUILT FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE ARE, UH, CELEBRATING MR. GREG CONLEY, OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE 31ST, WHICH IS FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK, WILL BE HIS LAST DAY WITH THE CITY.
UH, HE'S GONNA GO ON INTO RETIREMENT.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF A RECRUITMENT FOR A FOURTH ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UH, LAST CHECK I BELIEVE WE HAD RIGHT AT 160 APPLICATIONS.
THAT REVIEW PERIOD WILL GO THROUGH THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, UH, WITH INTERVIEWS HAPPENING SOMETIME AROUND THE MARCH, UH, FIRST WEEK OF MARCH TIMEFRAME.
UH, THEN FINALLY, UM, UH, I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT WE'LL BE LIKELY HAVING OUR FIRST MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
UH, OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM IS MOVING VERY, VERY QUICKLY, BUT YOU ALL WILL GET NOTIFICATION OF THAT AS SOON AS WE HAVE THAT DATE OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANNA ALSO ANNOUNCE THAT TREVOR MINARD IS ALSO OFFICIALLY AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
I KNOW PAUL WAS GOING AROUND AND MAKING THAT ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MONTH, AND SO THANK YOU, SIR.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK FOR 30 MINUTES? DANCE
UH, SINCE WE LAST MET SOME GREAT NEWS ON THE AMPHITHEATER, AS YOU RECALL, THE MEDC OWNED THE PROPERTY BY THE SHERATON HOTEL FOR ALMOST, I GUESS, OVER 20 YEARS.
WE OFFICIALLY SOLD THE PROPERTY TO THE AMPHITHEATER OWNERS LAST OR TWO WEEKS AGO, SO THAT IS NO LONGER A CITY PROPERTY.
THEY HAVE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY FROM US, SO THAT'S A BIG MILESTONE.
THEY WISH TO BREAK GROUND AND DO SOME WORK OUT THERE IN FEBRUARY WITH A FORMAL EVENT OUT THERE IN SPRINGTIME.
MUCH BETTER IN, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME OUT.
UH, CANNON BEACH, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SURF PARK PROJECT THEY'RE IN.
THEY'RE IN TOWN THIS WEEK, MEANING WE'RE REAL ESTATE GROUPS BRINGING PEOPLE FROM THE ARIZONA MESA LOCATION TO MCKINNEY 'CAUSE THEY WANNA COME FOLLOW THE PROJECT HERE.
SO IT'S REALLY CHECKING A LOT OF BOXES FOR US OVERALL.
SO VERY HAPPY WITH THE PROGRESS WITH THAT.
AND THEN LAST, I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
ERIN AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING AT AN EVENT.
ERIN MAY MENTION THIS IN MORE DETAIL LATER ON, BUT, UH, WE CO-HOSTED A PRESENTATION TALKING ABOUT HOW EDCS AND VISIT MCKINNEY PROFESSIONALS PARTNER
[00:05:01]
TOGETHER.THE ROOM PROBABLY HAD 70 PEOPLE, 60 PEOPLE IN IT.
MY TAKEAWAY, UH, WAS BASICALLY THIS, WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE IS PRETTY RARE.
UH, THE BODY LANGUAGE IN THE ROOM, THE COMMENTS DURING AND AFTERWARDS, WERE ALL ABOUT YOU GUYS.
WERE BLESSED TO BE IN MCKINNEY.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SO SPECIAL.
THE RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE AND HOW WE'RE BUILDING STUFF TOGETHER IS NOT NORMAL ACROSS THE METROPLEX, IF NOT, UH, UH, TEXAS.
SO AARON, KUDOS DID A GREAT JOB PRESENTING AND REPRESENTING THE CITY, UH, THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND OF COURSE, HIS PROFESSIONAL, UM, UM, ACUMEN WAS ON FULL DISPLAY.
WITH THAT, I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS, AARON? NO.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO MCKINNEY PARKS AND REC LIAISON.
MOVING ON TO VISIT MCKINNEY MARKETING COMMITTEE.
UH, WE MET THIS, UH, JUST LAST WEEK AND I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS FROM THE MEETING.
WE, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THE INFORMATION FROM WE ARE STEWARD AND REGARDING BRANDING.
IT WAS A BRIEF AND MORE THINGS TO COME IN TWO WEEKS.
SO THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS THERE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE, UM, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BACKFILLING A SOCIAL MEDIA ROLE.
THEY HAVE 199 APPLICANTS THAT LOOK ABOUT 11 INTERVIEWS SCHEDULED.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY BUSY, UH, GOING THROUGH GREAT CANDIDATES.
AND, UH, UM, MIKE MENTIONED THEIR TRIP DOWN TO, UH, WACO.
AND ACTUALLY I WAS JUST IN FREDERICKSBURG.
AND, UH, AARON CONNECTED ME WITH THE VISIT MCKINNEY PERSON IN FREDERICKSBURG.
AND HE WAS JUST SAVING HIGH PRAISE AS WELL THAT HE SAW AT THIS, UH, CONFERENCE.
OUR SOCIAL MEDIA STATS HAD BEEN TRENDING, JUST MORE SEASONAL, SO NOTHING MAJOR TO REPORT THERE.
AND VISIT MCKINNEY AT FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, OKAY, I'M GONNA GO OVER THE FINANCES.
FRIDAY, WE MET ON FRIDAY MORNING.
UH, SO TYPICALLY WE DON'T TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS BALANCE SHEET, BUT I AM GONNA NOTE THERE, UM, ON THAT FIRST LINE, ON THE TOP, UNDER ASSETS, YOU'LL SEE, UH, THE JUST OVER $70,000.
THAT WAS THE STORE REVENUE FOR, UH, THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2024.
SO WE WERE REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
A BIG CHUNK OF IT WAS, WELL, ABOUT 20, 22,000 I THINK WAS THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.
BUT EVEN TAKING THAT OUT, IT'S STILL A REALLY FANTASTIC NUMBER FOR OUR FIRST KIND OF FULL YEAR.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S GONNA BE COMING IN THE FUTURE FOR THIS, FOR THIS YEAR.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE ON THAT TREND.
UM, NEXT PAGE, H YOU'LL SEE, OH, SORRY, I'M OUTTA ORDER ON MY NOTES.
UM, YOU'LL SEE HERE, UM, OUR REVENUES WERE ABOUT 25.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE WERE 25% COMPLETE THROUGH THE YEAR.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, WE DID A LOT OF ENCUMBERING.
SO YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THOSE, UM, ACCOUNTS HAVE ALREADY, UH, ARE AT A DECENT PERCENTAGE THERE.
ONE OF NOTE IS THE SERVICES AND SUNDRY EXPENSES.
UM, KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE THERE, YOU'LL SEE IT'S ABOUT 30, A LITTLE OVER 32%.
UM, WHEN DURING THE BILLIE JEAN KING CUP, THERE WAS SOME IT EXPENSES FOR THE FACILITY, AND THAT MONEY ABOUT $7,500 WAS TAKEN OUT OF OUR, OUR BUDGET.
BUT WE ARE EXPECTING A REFUND FROM THE ORGANIZA, THE ORGANIZERS OF THAT EVENT.
SO OUR FINANCE, UH, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON GETTING THAT REIMBURSEMENT FOR US.
SO YOU MIGHT SEE A CHANGE IN THAT NUMBER.
SO HERE, THIS SHOWS ALL OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUES.
WE, UM, I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME MISSING THE LAST TIME THAT WE MET, BUT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN REPORTED.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE NOW.
UM, WE ARE ALREADY DOING REALLY WELL TRENDING UP.
YOU'LL SEE, UH, FOR OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, WE WERE UP SIX, 7% BOTH MONTHS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO WE'RE, WE ARE ON TRACK AND TRENDING ABOVE WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE ALSO IN THE NUMBER OF HOTELS FOR DECEMBER.
UM, IT IS UP, THAT IS INCLUDING THE DENNISON HOTEL, WHICH OPENED, UM, IN LATE NOVEMBER.
SO THEY STARTED REPORTING THERE IN, IN DECEMBER.
UH, SO OUR STAR REPORT, SO YOU SEE WE ARE AT, FOR THIS YEAR, 62% WAS THE OCCUPANCY FOR DECEMBER.
THIS IS THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, UM, WHICH IS JUST SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR.
BUT SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, LIKE I MENTIONED, IS THE DENISON.
SO THAT IS ADDING IN ADDITIONAL ROOMS. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT IN WHEN WE, THE LAST TIME WE MET THAT WE MIGHT SEE THAT.
UM, IT'S STILL NOT A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM LAST YEAR.
DECEMBER IS NOT ALWAYS A HUGE MONTH, UM, FOR US, BUT THAT
[00:10:01]
DOES INCLUDE THE NCAA.SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE DO HAVE THAT, UM, GOING FORWARD, KEEPING THAT BUSINESS HERE.
SO THAT'S A HELP FOR US IN DECEMBER.
UH, BUT IF YOU DO LOOK ON OUR, UM, COMP CITIES, OUR, THIS GEORGETOWN AND THEN OUR SURROUNDING CITIES, WE ARE, UM, STILL ABOVE THEM IN A DECENT PERCENTAGE ABOVE THEM.
SO WE'RE STILL HAPPY TO BE HOLDING WHERE WE ARE.
THE, YOU'LL SEE THE A DR IS A LITTLE BELOW WHERE WE'D LIKE TO BE IN THE BUSIER MONTHS.
WE WERE HITTING CLOSE TO A HUNDRED OR AT JUST OVER A HUNDRED, SO THAT 92 70.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT UP, BUT YOU CAN SEE WITH THE TIERS, THE INDIVIDUAL TIERS WHERE, WHERE WE'RE DROPPING LOWER.
AND THAT THIRD TIER IS KIND OF WHAT'S BRINGING US DOWN.
OUR, OUR TIER ONE IS STILL HOLDING STRONG, SO WE'RE HOPING WITH THE ADDITION OF SOME, THE ONES THAT ARE COMING ONLINE, THE AC MARRIOTT, UM, THAT WILL HELP KIND OF BRING THAT UP.
'CAUSE THAT SHOULD BE A, A HIGHER PRICE, UM, FOR THE ROOM, ROOM PRICE.
UH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
KEITH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? NO, MA'AM.
AND I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
MOVING TO VISIT MCKINNEY, PROJECT BASED GRANT COMMITTEE, WHITNEY NASH, THE GRANT COMMITTEE HAS MET TWICE NOW WITH STAFF.
UM, I THINK WE'VE, WITH THEIR HELP HAVE PUT TOGETHER A REALLY NICE FRAMEWORK FOR, UM, HOW WE HANDLE GRANTS MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA MEET AGAIN IN FEBRUARY SO THAT DURING THE FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING, WE CAN PRESENT TO YOU THE FINAL OUTLINE THAT, UM, WE THINK WILL HELP US IN HOW WE DO OUR GRANTS MOVING FORWARD.
[Executive Director’s Report]
FIVE DASH 2 4 0 3 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT WITH AARON.UH, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE BOARD THIS MORNING.
UH, I WANT TO KEEP A COUPLE, UH, BIG EVENTS ON YOUR RADAR FIRST, UH, BEING THE PPA OPEN AT THE COURTS OF MCKINNEY IN, UH, MARCH, MARCH 14TH THROUGH THE 16TH.
OBVIOUSLY, MARCH IS GETTING CLOSER, UH, UM, EVERY DAY NOW.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING WEEKLY WITH, UH, THE TEAM FROM PPA EVERY WEDNESDAY.
WE GET TOGETHER WITH THAT GROUP, UM, ALONG WITH THE TEAM OVER AT THE COURTS AND TALK THROUGH LOGISTICS ON HOW THAT EVENT WILL COME TOGETHER.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.
AGAIN, UM, IT'LL BE TELEVISED, UM, ON THE TENNIS CHANNEL.
UH, A LOT OF GOOD PROMOTION FROM MCKINNEY AND, UH, SOME OF THE BEST, UH, PICKLEBALL PLAYERS IN THE WORLD WILL BE ON SITE HERE WITH US FOR THAT WEEK.
UH, I DO WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO OUR PARKS AND REC TEAM.
UM, WE WE'RE, THIS, THERE'S A FEW EVENTS HERE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THESE ARE ALL ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM AND, AND WORKING THROUGH SCHEDULING.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT GABE NESBITT AND HOW MANY, UM, SPORTS THERE ARE, UM, IN THAT ONE COMPLEX, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO BASICALLY PUSH OFF A COUPLE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED SO THAT WE COULD HAVE PARKING FOR THIS PPA EVENT AND MAKE IT A BETTER EVENT FOR THEM.
AND, UM, AND SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD, UH, WORKING RELATIONSHIP THERE.
THE SECOND ONE IS THE INTERNATIONAL GIRLS CUP OF MCKINNEY.
ALSO A BIG PARTNERSHIP WITH PARKS AND RECREATION.
THAT ONE'S COMING UP IN APRIL, APRIL 16TH THROUGH THE 20TH.
UH, WE'RE MEETING, UM, AT LEAST MONTHLY WITH THAT GROUP AS WELL.
AND, UM, ANTICIPATING A REALLY GREAT EVENT, FULL KICKOFF AT, UM, TUBS BREWERY.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THE BOARD OR ANYONE WHO'S AVAILABLE ATTEND THAT NIGHT TO HELP WELCOME THEM, AND WE'LL OF COURSE, GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOU GUYS SHORTLY.
UM, THEATER ON ICE, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING ONE TO BRING UP.
UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ALLEN, IT'S NOT A MCKINNEY EVENT.
UM, THEY PARTNERED WITH US, VISIT ALLEN DID ON, UM, ROOM, ROOM CONTRACTING ROOMS HERE IN MCKINNEY FOR OVERFLOW.
STARTED OUT WITH A FEW HUNDRED ROOMS, AND THEN IT GREW TO A FEW HUNDRED MORE ROOMS. AND THEN NOW I THINK THE LAST TIME I TALKED TO ALICIA, IT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 1600 CONTRACTED ROOMS IN MCKINNEY FOR AN ALLEN EVENT.
AND SHE'S SAYING IT'S NOW GONE UP, SO MAYBE 2000 ROOMS, UH, UH, JUST FROM, UH, UH, THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE TALKED, WE TALK A LOT.
IN FACT, WE'LL TALK LATER TODAY ABOUT D TWO AND HOW WE'VE SHARED, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR PRIMARY HOTELS EVERY YEAR WITH, UH, WITH ALAN, UH, FOR THAT EVENT.
AND SO THIS WAS A COOL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECOUP A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT ALSO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
UM, LIKE I SAID, UH, ALICIA WILL BE COMING UP SHORTLY WITH THE D TWO PRESENTATION, BUT I DID, I DID RECEIVE A LETTER FROM, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF, UH, CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR D TWO, UM, JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UM, AFTER HOSTING.
AND I SAW, I TOOK ONE SENTENCE OUT OF THERE.
'CAUSE I THINK THIS GOES, UM, WITH OUR, UM, VISION FOR MCKINNEY BEING THE MOST WELCOMING GYM IN TEXAS.
AND IT SAID, UH, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OUTSTANDING CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE PROVIDED TO OUR STUDENT ATHLETES, COACHES AND FANS BY THE ENTIRE MCKINNEY COMMUNITY.
UH, ONE THING I TALK ABOUT A LOT IS WE CAN'T BE THE MOST WELCOMING GYM JUST WITH OUR DEPARTMENT.
IT TRULY TAKES EVERYONE, EVERYONE WHO TOUCHES IT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT SENTIMENT SHARED WITH MISD AND ALL OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS, AND SO JUST WANTED TO READ THAT AGAIN.
THAT WAS DIRECTLY FROM, FROM THEIR, THE DIRECTOR OF,
[00:15:01]
UH, CHAMPIONSHIPS.AND WE'VE GOT THAT EVENT FOR A FEW MORE YEARS AND HOPEFULLY CAN CONTINUE THAT BEYOND THE SHERATON.
UM, WE, WE, WE'VE MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT HERE THAT IT RECENTLY SOLD.
THEY HAVE A NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP, THEY HAVE A NEW MANAGEMENT GROUP, THEY HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES ON SITE.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM TO, UM, TO MEET WITH THEM.
UM, PRESIDENT KOWSKI PRE, UH, VICE PRESIDENT TALLY, AND I, UH, GOT TO GO AND MEET WITH THE OWNERSHIP GROUP, UH, I GUESS NOW A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UM, TALK ABOUT THEIR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND HOW THEY PLAN TO UTILIZE THE FACILITY, THE HOTEL.
UM, THEIR, UH, THEIR MANAGEMENT GROUP IS LOCAL TO MCKINNEY.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY OFFICE IN THE SAME BUILDING AS EDC NOW.
AND SO, UM, TPG RESORTS AND HOTELS.
SO NOW YOU HAVE KIND OF A, A LOCAL FOCUS ON THIS PROPERTY, UM, WHICH IS GREAT FOR US.
UM, AND THEN THE DIRECTOR OF SALES, MANDY REED, SHE CAME FROM FRISCO, UH, FROM A PROPERTY IN FRISCO.
AND, UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO SAY THAT SHE IS ACTUALLY, UH, IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW WITH MARIE WOODARD, OUR SALES MANAGER, UM, CO-PRESENTING AT SOUTH SOUTHWEST SHOWCASE, UM, WITH A JOINT BOOTH.
UM, KIND OF A, A COOL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UM, PARTNER WITH THE HOTEL.
SOMETHING WE WE'VE WANTED TO DO FOR A WHILE.
AND, UM, AND MANDY SHARES THAT, UM, THAT SENTIMENT.
AND SO, UM, EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY COME BACK WITH BUSINESS WISE.
UH, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT WE ARE HIRING A DIGITAL MEDIA COORDINATOR.
UM, WE'RE DOING INTERVIEWS TODAY, AGAIN ON FRIDAY.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO A SECOND ROUND ON THAT.
WE HAVE SOME GREAT APPLICANTS AGAIN, RIGHT AT TWO HUNDRED, A HUNDRED NINETY NINE, I THINK IS WHAT IT WAS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, UH, WE'RE HIRING A STAFF ASSISTANT POSITION AS WELL.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER ALEXIS, MANY OF YOU MET ALEXIS.
UM, SHE, UH, LANDED A WONDERFUL FULL-TIME POSITION IN, IN MCKINNEY, AND SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF HER.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE FILLING THAT, UM, POSITION, UM, TO HELP WITH THE STORE.
AND LASTLY, I'LL JUST TOUCH REALLY QUICK ON, UM, T-H-C-V-B WINTER CONFERENCE.
UH, PRESIDENT KOWSKI MENTIONED THE JOINT PRESENTATION.
UM, BETH JOINED ME DOWN AT THE CONFERENCE, SO SHE ATTENDED THE MARKETING TRACK AND, AND CAME BACK WITH A NOTEBOOK FULL OF, OF THINGS, UH, THAT IT WAS A, IT WAS A REALLY GOOD, UH, CONFERENCE AS FAR AS CONTENT GOES.
UM, THE, THE PRESENTATION WAS WELL RECEIVED.
UH, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'VE DONE A SIMILAR PRESENTATION, BUT THIS WAS TO A LITTLE BIT BIGGER GROUP.
UM, AND, AND AS SOON AS, UH, IT'S OVER, UM, THE OVERALL SENTIMENT IS, UM, HOW CAN WE GET THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND SO, UM, IS, UH, IN MCKINNEY IT SEEMS COMMON TO FIND POSITIVE LIKE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND COLLABORATION HAPPENING.
UM, AND SO I THINK SOMETIMES WE TAKE IT FOR ADVANTAGE OR, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE ALL OVER TEXAS AND IN OTHER CITIES NEXT DOOR.
AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO, UM, OUR CITY MANAGEMENT OFFICE AND EVERYONE, UH, AROUND THAT HAS PUSHED THAT FOR MANY YEARS THAT WE WORK TOGETHER AND, AND WE DO BETTER THINGS WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
[Update on NCAA DII Football Championship]
ITEMS TWO FIVE DASH 2 4 0 4 UPDATE ON NCAA D TWO FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, ALICIA HOLMBERG.ALRIGHT, SO, UM, NCAA THE GAME WAS RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, I THINK IT WAS THE 21ST OF DECEMBER.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A QUICK LITTLE RECAP ON, ON HOW EVERYTHING WENT.
UM, WE JUST A HISTORY, WE'VE HOSTED THE GAME HERE IN MCKINNEY SINCE 2018.
UH, IT WAS UP FOR REBID THIS PAST YEAR, AND THE CITY, WHICH THIS ACTUALLY MISD IS THE ONE THAT SUBMITS THAT, UM, UH, PROPO THE BID AND THEY WON IT AGAIN.
SO WE HAVE THAT GAME THROUGH 2027 CURRENTLY.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH MISD, THE CITY OF MCKINNEY VISIT MCKINNEY.
AND, UH, THERE'S A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ALSO ASSIST WITH THE, THE TEAMS THAT COME IN.
UM, THIS YEAR IT WAS VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS OUTTA GEORGIA AND FAIR STATE BULLDOG BULLDOGS OUT OF MICHIGAN.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THE THIRD TIME THAT THEY'VE HAD A MATCHUP JUST HERE IN MCKINNEY.
THIS WAS THEIR RUBBER MATCH THAT HAD EACH WON ONCE BEFORE.
AND THIS TIME, UM, FERRIS STATE WAS THE ONE TO WIN.
THE GAMES ON A SATURDAY, UM, ON FRIDAY NIGHTS AT TUFTS.
THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE AT THE NEW TUFTS, AND IT WAS REALLY EXCITING.
WE KIND OF HAD TO FIGURE OUT, UM, ALONG WITH THE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE THAT THAT WAS HANDLING A LOT OF THAT, UM, HOW IT WAS GONNA WORK, WHERE ARE WE GONNA PUT EVERYONE? UM, SO THE BULK OF IT WAS IN THE, UM, OPEN AIR BEER GARDEN, AND THAT SEEMED TO WORK REALLY WELL.
THE MAYOR WAS THERE, UM, ANNOUNCING KIND OF BEING THE MC, YOU KNOW, HE, HE STOOD ON A TABLE AND GOT EVERYBODY RILED UP.
UM, THEIR, EACH SCHOOL'S, UH, BAND WAS THERE AND PERFORMED.
THEY HAD THEIR CHEERLEADERS AND DANCERS THERE.
IT WAS, IT WAS A REALLY FUN NIGHT.
BUT WHAT WAS GREAT TOO IS THAT THERE WAS
[00:20:01]
SPACE THEN FOR PEOPLE TO FLOW INTO THE GRAIN ROOM, THE, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CONTROLLED AREA OVER THERE.UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WERE, WERE THERE WITH FAMILIES AND THINGS, WE SAW LOTS OF KIDS SO THEY COULD SIT DOWN AND EAT, UM, MAKING THEM AWARE OF THE QR CODES WHERE THEY COULD SCAN THE MENUS AND, AND HAVE FOOD ORDERED.
UM, SO SOME OF THEIR NUMBERS THIS YEAR, YOU CAN SEE WITH THE ADDITION OF FOOD, IT WAS A HUGE INCREASE FOR THEM IN SALES.
UM, JUST FOR NOTE, LIKE LAST YEAR WHEN THEY ONLY HAD, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BEER SALES, THEY WERE JUST UNDER $8,000 TOTAL.
UM, SO THIS YEAR THE DRINKS WERE ABOVE THAT, PLUS THE FOOD.
SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD, UM, EVENING FOR TUFTS.
THAT WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR THEM BRINGING, UM, ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO NCAA, THE ROOM NIGHTS, AS AARON MENTIONED, AND I THINK YOU GUYS ALL KNOW, WE HOUSE ONE TEAM HERE IN MCKINNEY AT THE SHERATON, THE OTHER, AT THE MARRIOTT IN ALLEN, UM, NEAR WATERS CREEK.
SO THIS YEAR WE HAD VALDOSTA STATE AND FERRIS STATE WAS IN ALLEN.
THEY'VE BEEN IN ALLEN QUITE A FEW TIMES.
SO I THINK THAT THAT WAS, WE DON'T MAKE THAT DECISION.
THAT'S NCAA, THAT'S WHY THEY PROBABLY PUT THEM THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THAT HOTEL.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, FAIR STATE TRAVELS REALLY WELL.
THAT IS JUST THEIR TEAM COACHES, UM, AND PLAYERS.
UM, VALDOSTA STATE, WE HAD 219 AT THE SHERATON, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME OTHER, UM, UH, BLOCKS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TRACK.
UM, VALDOSTA STATE, THEY, THEIR ALUMNI GROUP SET UP A BLOCK AT THE DENISON HOTEL, WHICH THEY GOT SOME GOOD BOOKINGS OUTTA THAT.
AND THEN, EXCUSE ME, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, CONFIRM THAT FAIR STATE HAD THEIR CHEER AND DANCE AT SPRING HILL, WHICH THEY THINK THEY'VE DONE THAT BEFORE, BEFORE THE PAST.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO TRACK THAT.
WE HAD EIGHT PLAY EASY BOOKINGS, UM, ON OUR SIDE.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT PLAY EASY HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, BETH.
SO, UM, I THINK WE'VE MENTIONED PLAY EASY A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'LL GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW.
SO PLAY EASY IS A DIGITAL PLATFORM.
SO IT IS A, UH, LEAD GENERATOR.
IT'S BASICALLY, UM, IT'S PRIMARY FOCUS IS SPORTS, BUT YOU CAN DO OTHER EVENTS AND THINGS ON THERE.
UM, BUT IT CAN BE A LEAD GENERATOR.
IT SENDS US MESSAGES THAT THERE'S CERTAIN SPORTING EVENTS OUT THERE THAT MAYBE VISIT MCKINNEY WOULD WANNA BID ON.
UM, IT'S ALSO SOMEWHAT OF A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM FOR, UM, SPORTING INDUSTRIES AND, AND DESTINATIONS WHERE YOU CAN POST ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING OR PUT UP ANY KIND OF, UM, UH, PRESS RELEASES ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN YOUR CITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF, WHICH WOULD HELP.
THEN PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE EVENTS IN YOUR CITY.
BUT IT ALSO HAS, UM, A, A BACKEND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE WHERE WE CAN BUILD OUT, UM, UH, MICROSITE FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS.
UM, UH, ERIN AND BETH PUT THIS TOGETHER FOR THE NCAA.
SO IT'S A PAGE THAT'S OUT THERE, IT'S SEARCHABLE THROUGH GOOGLE, UM, AND IT GIVES ALL THE INFORMATION.
WE'RE ABLE TO ADD TICKET LINKS, UM, AND HOTEL, UM, OPTIONS AND EVERYTHING.
SO YOU CAN EITHER ADD A ROOM BLOCK IF YOU HAVE A ROOM BLOCK ON THERE, AND IT'LL SHOW YOU THAT.
OR IF YOU DON'T WANNA PUT A BLOCK ON THERE, YOU CAN JUST CLICK ON THE HOTELS AND IT WILL GIVE YOU, GIVE YOU LIVE RATES OF WHAT IS OUT THERE AT THAT TIME.
IT SEARCHES THE INTERNET, IT FINDS THE BEST RATES FOR THE HOTELS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND IT ONLY SHOWS MCKINNEY HOTELS.
UM, SO PEOPLE CAN GO THROUGH THERE AND BOOK THOSE HOTEL ROOMS DIRECTLY THROUGH THIS SITE.
IF THEY CLICK THROUGH FROM THIS SITE AND BOOK DIRECTLY, IT BRINGS YOU RIGHT TO THE HOTEL PAGE, UM, THEIR, THEIR PAGE AND BOOK.
WE ARE ABLE TO TRACK AND SEE THAT.
SO WE CAN TRACK ON THE BACKEND THAT THOSE ROOMS, IT ACTUALLY CONVERTED INTO A BOOKED ROOM.
SO, UM, WE TRIED TO PUSH THIS OUT AS IT WAS PRETTY NEW WHEN WE GOT IT.
THIS WAS KIND OF OUR FIRST ATTEMPT AT REALLY USING IT.
AND WE DID PASS IT ALONG TO MS MISD TO SHARE IT.
I THINK NEXT YEAR WE'LL PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON IT SO WE CAN PUSH IT OUT A BIT MORE.
UM, BUT WE WERE EXCITED EVEN TO SEE THE EIGHT ROOMS THAT GOT RESER, EIGHT ROOM NIGHTS THAT GOT RESERVED OUT OF IT, FOUR DIFFERENT HOTELS, BUT IT EVEN TELLS YOU LIKE HOW MANY ADULTS, HOW MANY KIDS, JUST LIKE WHAT YOU WOULD PUT IN WHEN YOU'RE STAYING IN A HOTEL.
SO WE HAD ALL THAT, WE HAVE ALL THAT DATA.
YOU CAN ALSO TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY CLICKED ON THE LINK, WHAT STATES THEY'RE FROM.
SO YOU COULD SEE THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC FROM GEORGIA, FROM MICHIGAN, UM, UH, AND HOW LONG THEY STAY ON THE PAGE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO KIND OF START USING IT MORE AND MORE.
UM, BUT THIS WAS KIND OF OUR FIRST DIPPING OUR TOE AND SEEING WHAT WE COULD GET OUT OF IT.
SO WE WERE EXCITED TO EVEN SEE THAT EIGHT ROOMS CONVERTED FROM THIS.
SO, UM, THIS IS A TOOL WE USING MORE AND MORE GOING FORWARD.
BUT YOU CAN SEE YEAH, THE UNIQUE, UM, THE VIEWS AND, AND HOW MANY PEOPLE CLICKED ON THE TICKETS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO EXCITED ABOUT PLAY EASY GOING FORWARD.
UM, SO HERE ARE THE, UM, THE STR UH, HOTEL NIGHT NUMBERS.
UM, IT WAS A LITTLE LOWER THAN LAST YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE FRIDAY, UH, THE LIGHTER BLUE AND THE, UM, YELLOWY THERE.
[00:25:01]
FROM LAST YEAR, 2023.UM, SO REALLY IT'S VERY DEPENDENT ON THE TEAMS THAT ARE IN THE GAME, WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE.
WE CAN PROMOTE ALL WE WANT, BUT IT'S A CHALLENGE WHEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, IT'S TEAMS FROM FARTHER AWAY.
LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, A TEAM FROM ARKANSAS AND A TEAM FROM COLORADO, VERY DRIVABLE, EASIER TO GET HERE, THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, SO THE NUMBERS WERE REALLY HIGH FOR THE OCCUPANCY NUMBERS LAST YEAR BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE MICHIGAN AND, AND GEORGIA A BIT FARTHER AWAY.
AND THIS YEAR THE GAME, LIKE I SAID, WAS ON DECEMBER 21ST, THE SATURDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, GETTING A LAST MINUTE FLIGHT ON THE WEEKEND THAT EVERYONE'S PROBABLY TRAVELING FOR CHRISTMAS.
THOSE ARE FACTORS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
UM, SO IT REALLY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AT AND, AND WHY THE NUMBERS MAY NOT BE QUITE AS GOOD, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S, IT'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN CHANGE.
THAT'S NCAA SETTING THE GAME SCHEDULES AND, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WHOEVER MAKES IT TO THE GAME
UM, BUT IT'S STILL, STILL STRONG NUMBERS, 75%.
UM, SO ALMOST 76% OCCUPANCY IS STILL A GREAT NUMBER IN LATE DECEMBER.
UH, SO WE WERE STILL HAPPY WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AGAIN, THE, THE 99 UM, DOLLAR YOU SAW, THE OVERALL MONTH WAS LOWER THAN THAT.
SO, UM, TO HAVE THAT THAT NIGHT WAS STILL GOOD.
SO STILL POSITIVE, BUT THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TEAMS OF WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, WHY SOME ARE HIGHER AND SOME ARE LOWER EACH YEAR.
UM, WEBSITE TRAFFIC, UM, BETH MANAGES THIS PAGE.
SO THERE IS AN NCAA, UM, LANDING PAGE ON OUR, ON OUR WEBSITE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS THERE.
UM, GOOD VIEWS, UM, AND GOOD ACTIVITY OVER THOSE 90 DAYS.
AND THEN WE ALSO, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE, THIS WAS A SOCIAL MEDIA, SO A, A GOOD AMOUNT OF VIEWS AND REACH.
AND THEN ALSO, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME BETH MENTIONED THAT WE DID BOOSTED POSTS.
UM, WE PUT $50 BEHIND A POST IN EACH OF THE CITIES IN MICHIGAN AND GEORGIA, AND THEY SEEM TO REALLY GET A LOT OF TRACTION.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DO AGAIN, JUST TO GET THEIR EYES ON OUR INFORMATION AND IF THEY'RE COMING IN, HELPING THEM FIND WHERE TO BOOK.
AND THAT MIGHT HELP, UM, GET THOSE, THOSE CONVERSIONS WITH THE PLAY EASY LINK AND STUFF.
SO WE'LL DO THAT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
UM, THE ATTENDANCE WAS, WAS MUCH LOWER.
LAST YEAR WAS A SELLOUT WITH 12,000 AT THE STADIUM, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS THE TEAMS. IT'S, IT'S WHO'S HERE AND THE TIME.
UM, SO IT WAS MUCH LOWER THIS YEAR.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE WHO, WHO ENDS UP IN THE GAME NEXT YEAR AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE A BIT HIGHER.
AND, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING NOT ON THE AGENDA THEY'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON? YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? YOU GOOD? NO, I'M, THANK YOU.
Y'ALL
UM, MAY I GET A CALL FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I'LL MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOTION PASSES AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
I'LL HIT IT AT 8:28 AM THANK YOU.