[PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.002, A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND/OR CITY BOARDS & COMMISSIONS MAY BE PRESENT. NO CITY COUNCIL, BOARD OR COMMISSION ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.]
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WELCOME TO THE VISIT MCKINNEY BOARD MEETING.
MY NAME IS KATIE SCOTT AND WE ARE MEETING AT CITY HALL AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 4 0 1 EAST VIRGINIA STREET, MCKINNEY, TEXAS.
TODAY IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH, 2025, AND IT IS 8:08 AM THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
BRIAN MEDINA, KEITH GALL, CAROL SULLIVAN, AND MYSELF.
THE PRESIDENT IS PATRICK COTTIER.
WE HAVE ALICIA HOLMBERG, SARAH NAING, EMILY MYRICK, AND PAULA MARTIN.
FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE ELECTION OF VISIT MCKINNEY OFFICERS FOR 2026.
UNDER THE VISIT MCKINNEY BYLAWS OF OFFICERS ELECTED ARE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND TREASURER.
OFFICERS WILL BE ELECTED USING THE FOLLOWING VOTING PROCEDURES.
NOMINATIONS WILL BE CON CONDUCTED IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, TREASURER, MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS MAY BE MADE FOR EACH OFFICE AND MEMBERS CAN SELF NOMINATE.
THE CURRENT BOARD CHAIR WILL ME WILL CALL FOR A VOTE NOMINATION VOTING WILL BE DONE BY SHOW OF HANDS AND THE REPORTING CLERK WILL KEEP THE OFFICIAL TALLY.
OUTCOME OF THE VOTE FOR EACH POSITION WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE CURRENT BOARD CHAIR.
AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD WILL BE REQUIRED FOR NOMINATION.
IF A MAJORITY OF AFFIRMATIVE VOTES ARE NOT CAST FOR ANY NOMINEE, SUBSEQUENT NOMINATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AND VOTES CONDUCTED UNTIL A MAJORITY AFFIRMATIVE VOTES ARE CAST.
ONCE ALL THREE POSITIONS HAVE A MAJORITY NOMINATION, A MOTION TO ELECT THE SLATE OF NOMINEES WILL BE MADE.
A SECOND WILL BE REQUIRED TO MOVE TO VOTE.
FOLLOWING ALL ELECTION VOTING.
IF A NEW BOARD CHAIR IS ELECTED, HE OR SHE WILL PRESIDE OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH AGENDA ITEM NUMBER.
DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD CHAIR? I, UH, NOMINATE KATIE SCOTT AS BOARD CHAIR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF KATIE SCOTT AS BOARD CHAIR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE WILL NOW TAKE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD.
VICE CHAIR, I NOMINATE BRIAN MEDINA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF BRIAN MEDINA AS BOARD.
VICE CHAIR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED NOMINATION PASSES.
DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD TREASURER? I NOMINATE KEITH GAAL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF KEITH GAAL AS TREASURER, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED NOMINATION PASSES.
THE SLATE OF OFFICERS NOMINATED ARE KATIE SCOTT, BOARD CHAIR BRIAN MEDINA, VICE CHAIR AND KEITH GALL TREASURER.
MAY I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE SLATE OF OFFICERS AS NOMINATED MOTION? YOU WANT A MOTION? A MOTION BY CAROL? MAY I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, TECHNOLOGY IS NOT WORKING.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
THIS IS WHY QUORUM IS IMPORTANT.
MOVING ON TO COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS TWO FIVE DASH 3 3 2 0.
APPOINTMENT OF VISIT MCKINNEY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
EACH COMMITTEE WILL BE MADE UP OF THREE BOARD MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD CHAIR FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE.
KEITH GALL SINCE YOU ARE TREASURER, SIR.
PATRICK MCGUIRE AND JILL BARNES, MARKETING COMMITTEE.
BRIAN MEDINA AS CHAIR, JANIE PENA AND CAROL SULLIVAN.
AFTER THE BOARD MEETING, PLEASE MEET BRIEFLY WITH YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO DETERMINE A PREFERRED DATE AND
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TIME FOR MEETINGS AND EMAIL THE INFORMATION TO PAULA MARTIN.NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER TWO FIVE DASH 3 3 2 1.
APPOINTMENT OF A VISIT MCKINNEY.
LIAISON TO THE PARKS AND REC ADVISORY BOARD.
THE PARKS AND REC ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD AT 5:00 PM ON THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
THIS POSITION WAS PREV PREVIOUSLY HELD BY BOARD MEMBER KEITH GALL, AND I WILL BE APPOINTING TARYN BOLTON TO THAT POSITION.
OKAY, WE ARE TAKING TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AS SEE THERE ARE NONE.
WE WILL NOW VOTE ON THE FOLLOWING AGENDA.
CONSENT ITEM NUMBER TWO FIVE DASH 3 3 2 2 MINUTES OF THE VISIT MCKINNEY BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
MAY I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? A MOTION TO A MOTION BY KEITH.
MAY I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOVING ON TO BOARD AND LIAISON REPORTS.
AGENDA NUMBER TWO FIVE DASH 3 3 2 3.
WE WILL START WITH, UM, PASTOR CLOUTIER OR JUSTIN BE, DO EITHER OF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? JUSTIN
CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING ON ONE OF THE BEST BOARDS IN MCKINNEY AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
UH, PATRICK CLAUDIER, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO.
UH, NUMBER ONE, WE, UM, PASSED SOME ORDINANCES LAST WEEK AT CITY COUNCIL.
UM, YOU CAN, UH, READ THEM IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE EXACT LEGALESE, BUT BASICALLY ONE OF THEM IS NO LYING DOWN OR SITTING DOWN IN THE, UH, MTC, THE MCKINNEY TOWN CENTER AREA.
THE SECOND ONE WAS A LITTLE BIT, UM, I THINK DICIER FOR MANY OF US, AND IT RESTRICTS CAMPING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, WHICH MEANS THAT IF, UM, COMMISSIONER GAAL INVITES ME AND COMMISSIONER MEDINA TO CAMP OUT IN HIS BACKYARD, WE CAN'T.
UM, BUT WHAT THAT DOES, IT GIVES THE, UH, MCKINNEY POLICE AGENCY TO APPROACH PEOPLE WHO ARE CAMPING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND ASK THEM TO MOVE ON BOTH OF THESE ORDINANCES SUNSET IN ONE YEAR.
AND SO IF COUNSEL WANTS TO, UH, KEEP THEM GOING, WE HAVE TO, UH, VOTE THEM BACK IN NEXT YEAR, OR THEY DO SUNSET.
UH, I WAS TALKING TO COMMISSIONER MEDINA ABOUT, UH, DOWNTOWN, SO I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THAT.
IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE CITY TO, IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR, TAKE DOWN THE OLD CITY HALL AND TAKE DOWN THE OLD, OLD LIBRARY, THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BUILDING, WHICH IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET TO THE WEST.
UM, TAKE THOSE DOWN AND THEN, UM, LOOK TO GET THOSE REPURPOSED.
THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPACTING A LITTLE BIT OF PARKING, UH, DOWNTOWN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE KIND OF NOW USED TO PARKING BEHIND CITY HALL AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE USED TO PARKING, UM, NORTH OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO WE'VE, UH, RESTARTED A PARKING STUDY THAT IS GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR.
THERE COULD BE SOME ACTIONABLE ITEMS BEFORE THAT, BUT BASICALLY WE ARE DUSTING OFF OUR OLD 2019 PARKING STUDY AND RE-LOOKING AT IT AND SEEING WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
UH, I THINK THAT THERE'S AN APPETITE.
THE MERCHANTS ON THE SOUTH END OF THE SQUARE, YOU KNOW, UH, LET'S CALL IT LOUISIANA, TO GET MORE ROBUST PARKING OPTIONS DOWN THERE, OR BETTER WAY FINDING OR MAYBE BETTER LIT STREETS FOR INGRESS EGRESS TO THOSE AREAS.
FINALLY, WE HAD A, UM, EVENT AT THE AIRPORT THIS WEEKEND.
IT WAS CALLED DISPLAY DAY, WHERE PEOPLE PUT THEIR AIRPLANES AROUND AND WE PUT OUR NEW, UM, UH, ARF FIRE TRUCK OUT THERE AND PEOPLE CAME TO LOOK AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENALLY SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COME OUT FOR THAT.
AND, UH, FOR THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO, UH, FOR PROBABLY 80 TO 90% OF 'EM, IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME EVER AT, AT OUR, AT OUR AIRPORT.
UH, WE HAVE A LIGHT AGENDA NEXT WEEK, HEAVY AGENDA LAST WEEK.
I THINK NEXT WEEK WE HAVE ONE ZONING ITEM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? I HAVE A QUESTION.
YOU DO, UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, SO REGARDING THE, UH, THE ORDINANCES THAT PASSED, SO WHEN YOU ASSESS THEM IN A YEAR, LIKE WHAT, WHAT DO YOU TAKE TO ACCOUNT? LIKE, HOW ARE YOU GUYS, UM, GAUGING THAT AS YOU GO ON THE TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS? IT, IT'S HARD TO SAY HOW ANY INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL PERSON GAUGES IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT, UH, TO ME IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A BATTLE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK PER, AND I'LL ONLY SPEAK FOR ME, MY APPETITE WILL BE A LOT TO, UH,
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IF I, IF I DETERMINE THAT, THAT IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MITIGATING THE VAGRANCY THAT WE HAVE, THEN I'LL HAVE AN APPETITE TO, UM, REDO IT.IF IT DOESN'T, THEN I'LL BE WONDERING ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO ME, MY MIND IS RIGHT NOW IS, IS THAT WHAT CAN WE DO? AND THERE'S, AND THANKS FOR ASKING THAT, 'CAUSE YOU MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE ENGAGING A, UH, LOOKING FOR A, WE'VE GOT A KIND OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FROM A CONSULTANT TO COME OUT AND HELP US LOOK AT MCKINNEY, TEXAS FOR ALL THE GROWING PARTS WE HAVE AND THE MATURE PARTS THAT WE HAVE, AND HELP SHEPHERD US THROUGH A PROCESS AS TO HOW WE MIGHT ADDRESS THIS, UM, FROM A MORE PROACTIVE STANDPOINT OF QUOTE UNQUOTE HELPING PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, KATIE, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO THAT SOUP THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL PERSON'S GONNA THINK.
IT WEIGHS HEAVY ON ME THAT I'M INVADING ON COMMISSIONER GALL'S RIGHTS TO INVITE ME INTO HIS BACKYARD TO SPEND THE NIGHT.
NOW, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS EVER GONNA HAPPEN, BUT IT, THE TRUTH IS THAT I'M RESTRICTING PROPERTY RIGHTS BY DOING THIS.
UH, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THE LANDSCAPE IS.
I'VE, I'VE KIND OF COACHED MYSELF INTO NOT LOOKING TOO FAR AHEAD WITH WHAT IFS BECAUSE MANY OF 'EM DON'T MANIFEST AND JUST LOOK AT THE FACTS ON THE GROUND.
ANYBODY ELSE? I APPRECIATE YOU.
MOVING ON TO MCKINNEY PARKS AND REC LIAISON.
SO WE MET AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A FEW THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP.
UM, SO DON'T FORGET THE VETERAN'S DAY, UH, CELEBRATION.
NOVEMBER 8TH, THE RD FOSTER MEMORIAL.
UM, WE TOUCHED ON, UH, THERE'S A NEW DEVELOPMENT AT GABE NESBIT PARK, A NEW FOURPLEX THAT'LL BE COMING IN.
I THINK IT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL AS WELL JUST RECENTLY.
AND THEN, UM, THE REC CENTER AT TOWN LAKE.
UH, SO THEY'LL HAVE A OPEN HOUSE, UH, NOVEMBER 7TH AND EIGHTH, UM, AND THEN A RIBBON CUTTING, UH, DECEMBER 3RD FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM FOR THAT LIGHT WALK.
AND I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ATTENTION THAT, THAT GARNERS FROM PEOPLE, NOT JUST IN MCKINNEY, BUT OUTSIDE MCKINNEY.
VISIT MCKINNEY FINANCE REPORT WITH ALICIA HOLMBERG.
ALICIA HOLMBERG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR VISIT MCKINNEY.
I'M GONNA GO OVER OUR FINANCES TODAY.
UM, AS A REMINDER THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT OUR LAST MEETING, UM, WE ARE NOW REPORTING, UM, IN ARREARS.
UH, SO THIS, I'M GONNA BE GIVING YOU THE NUMBERS FOR AUGUST, WHICH SEEMS LIKE IT WAS SO LONG AGO.
BUT, UM, SO GOING BACK IN TIME TO AUGUST, WE, UH, WE WERE, WE DID HAD ANOTHER STRONG MONTH IN AUGUST, WHICH NOT IS NOT ALWAYS TYPICAL FOR, UM, A LOT OF CITIES, BUT WE DID REALLY WELL.
WE, AT THIS POINT, WE WERE 92% THROUGH OUR FISCAL YEAR, UM, AND WE WERE ON TARGET FOR OUR SPENDING.
YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE, UM, IN THE REPORTING FOR NEXT MONTH.
OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF A RAMP UP IN THAT LAST MONTH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE USE ALL OF OUR DOLLARS, UM, UH, BEFORE THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
UH, SO HERE IS OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
UM, AGAIN, LIKE I WAS MENTIONING, WE HAD A STRONG MONTH.
SO, UH, FOR AUGUST WE WERE UP ALMOST 8% VERSUS LAST YEAR, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
UH, AND WE ARE ON TARGET TO, WE'RE HOPING, UM, WITH THE REPORTING FOR SEPTEMBER, FOR THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, THAT WE WILL CROSS AT $3.3 MILLION IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
SO AGAIN, EVERY YEAR WE'RE GETTING LARGER AND LARGER, UM, IN THAT COLLECTION, WHICH IS FANTASTIC FOR THE CITY THAT WE CAN PUT THOSE DOLLARS BACK INTO BRINGING IN MORE TOURISM.
UM, AND THEN OUR AVERAGE FOR THE YEAR IS HANGING ON ABOUT, UM, OF AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 7%, WHICH IS REALLY STRONG.
UH, THIS IS OUR LIST OF ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE REPORTING HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.
UM, I BELIEVE ONE TO POINT OUT IS HOME TWO SUITES.
UM, THEY WERE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OCCUPANCY.
THEY WERE FULL EVERY SINGLE ROOM, EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE MONTH, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING.
SO ANOTHER REALLY STRONG PROPERTY.
THEY HAVE A SISTER PROPERTY, SAME OWNER, SAME MANAGEMENT, UM, AT THE HOME, TWO SUITES, SPRING HILL SUITES, GREAT PROPERTIES.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING THEM IN LIKE WE DID WITH THE FAIRFIELD AND PRESENT TO YOU GUYS SOON.
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SO I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF TINY.UM, AND THEN LAST OUR, UM, THIS IS OUR STAR REPORT, OUR OCCUPANCY FOR THE MONTH.
YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT, UM, MCKINNEY ON THAT TOP ROW WE WERE AT, UM, ALMOST 70% FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, WHICH AGAIN, IS REALLY STRONG, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE IT AND YOU LOOK DOWN TO OUR COMP CITIES, GEORGETOWN, ALLEN, PLANO, FRISCO, WE WERE QUITE A BIT AHEAD OF THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE BETWEEN, UH, SIX TO 11%, UM, HIGHER IN OUR OCCUPANCY, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT.
OF COURSE, AS WE SAY, EVERY MONTH OUR A DR IS NOT QUITE AS STRONG AS SOME OF THOSE OTHER COMP CITIES.
UM, BUT IT'S STILL HANGING IN.
THAT'S BASICALLY TYPICALLY WHERE WE EXPECT TO BE JUST AROUND, UH, A HUNDRED.
AND WE WERE ABOUT, UM, 95, 96 FOR, FOR, UH, DOLLARS FOR THIS PA FOR, I'M SORRY, FOR AUGUST.
ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE THAT GO UP.
UM, BUT THAT'S DEPENDENT ON PROPERTIES.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WHEN WE GET TO SEE SOME OF THOSE OTHER AC MARRIOTT AND THINGS, MAYBE WE'LL SEE THAT BUMP UP JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, BUT FOR NOW WE'RE, WE'RE PLEASED WITH WHERE WE ARE.
UM, THAT 70% IN AUGUST IS A REALLY STRONG NUMBER, SO WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THAT.
UM, WE DID NOT MEET WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SURE WHO WAS GONNA BE ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO WE WILL START MEETING AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
UM, BUT IF ANYONE HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, I'M, I'LL STAND FOR ANYTHING.
VISIT MCKINNEY MARKETING REPORT WITH SARAH TING AND EMILY MYRICK.
I'M SARAH TING, SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA SPECIALIST.
EMILY MYRICK, DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR.
UM, SO WE'RE REPORTING ON THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER FOR ALL OF THE MARKETING INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UH, WE HAVE WEBSITE, THE VISIT WIDGET, AND THEN EARNED MEDIA.
AND THEN EMILY WILL TALK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMAIL MARKETING FOR THE WEBSITE.
EVERYTHING WAS TRENDING UP FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.
WE'RE KIND OF IN THIS WEIRD PHASE WHERE AI IS A BIG THING.
SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVE USERS, WE HAVE NEW USERS.
OUR ENGAGEMENT TIME WAS DOWN JUST ONE SECOND THIS PAST MONTH.
SO WE'RE KEEPING, KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT.
BUT TO KIND OF MITIGATE SOME OF THAT, WE'RE WORKING ON ADDING MORE CONTENT TO OUR PAGES, MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT LENGTHIER, UPDATING OLD PAGES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT SHOULD HELP WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE TOP PAGES THAT WERE VISITED IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER FEST WAS THE NUMBER ONE, WHICH I THINK WE COULD ALL EXPECT TO SEE SINCE THAT IS SUCH A LARGE EVENT.
OUR EVENTS PAGE IS ALWAYS VERY STRONG.
RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN SHOPPING.
AND THEN ADRIA ATTICA AD ADRIANA ACTUALLY SHOWS UP CONSISTENTLY IN OUR TOP FIVE, I THINK, JUST BECAUSE IT'S AN INTERESTING THING TO SEE IN MCKINNEY.
UM, AS FAR AS OUR VISIT WIDGET, OUR APP, THOSE NUMBERS WERE ALSO UP FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VISITING THE TINY DOORS STILL AND THE BIRDS OF DOWNTOWN.
WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING INTO THE VISITOR CENTER.
AND ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE GUIDES ANYMORE, WE STILL, UM, POINT THEM TOWARDS THE APP, SO THAT'S PROMISING AS WELL.
AND THEN FOR EARNED MEDIA, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE EITHER PITCHED TO THE MEDIA OR PEOPLE HAVE COME TO US AND ASK TO DO STORIES ON THEM.
FOR SEPTEMBER, WE HAD TWO EARNED MEDIA, UM, PLACEMENTS.
ICE ICE HOUSE HAD THEIR TECH EXPERIENCE, WHICH WAS THEIR STATE FAIR THEMED MONTH.
THEY HAD A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FOODS FROM THE STATE FAIR THAT THEY PRODUCED, AND THEN THEY HAD A FINAL DAY AT THE END OF THE MONTH WHERE THEY HAD A BUNCH OF GAMES AND JUST FAMILY TIME AND NORTH TEXAS E-NEWS PICKED UP THAT STORY.
AND THEN KLTV ACTUALLY CAME TO US AND THEY WANTED TO DO A NEW SEGMENT ON AD ADRIANA.
SO WE DID AN INTERVIEW WITH THEM.
AND THOSE TWO LINKS THAT ARE ON THE REPORT WILL TAKE YOU TO EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL, UM, MEDIA SEGMENTS.
SO I'LL BE REPORTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMAIL MARKETING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, OUR IMPRESSIONS REACHED OVER 378,000, WHICH IS UP 52% FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
SO SHOWING OVERALL STRONG VISIBILITY.
UM, OUR ENGAGEMENT TOTALED AT 8,669 INTERACTIONS, WHICH IS DOWN SLIGHTLY, WHICH IS PRETTY TYPICAL.
UH, COMING OFF OF SUMMER, PEOPLE HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS FREE TIME.
UM, BUT OUR AVERAGE ENGAGEMENT RATE WAS 2.3, WHICH REMAINS ABOVE INDUSTRY AVERAGE.
UH, INSTAGRAM CONTINUED TO GROW WITH A 26% INCREASE IN ENGAGEMENT.
FACEBOOK REACH, UH, WENT OVER 137% HIGHER, WHICH IS AMAZING.
AND THEN LINKEDIN MAINTAINED, UH, REALLY HIGH ENGAGEMENT AT OVER 11%.
SO OVERALL OUR CHANNELS CONTINUE TO PERFORM WELL.
UM, SO WE'LL KEEP PUSHING ON AND KEEPING ON.
THIS WAS OUR LAST MONTH WITH A WEEKLY, UH, KIND OF EVENT, UH, FOCUS.
SO EXPECT THAT THINGS WILL CHANGE DRAMATICALLY IN THE NEXT REPORT.
BUT, UM, WE HAD OVER 2,850 RECIPIENTS WITH A 50% OPEN RATE AND A 10% CLICK RATE, UM, WHICH IS EXCLUDING OUR ROBE LEE RETARGETING.
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WE HAVE AN AI RETARGETING OPTION.SO IF THEY DIDN'T OPEN THEIR EMAIL A COUPLE DAYS LATER, THEY GET THE EMAIL AGAIN.
AND THAT USUALLY INCREASES THEIR CLICK RATES, BUT IT MAKES REPORTING A LITTLE WONKY.
UM, BUT WE ARE OVERALL, UH, TRENDING ABOVE DMO BENCHMARKS, WHICH WOULD BE 25 TO 30% OPEN RATE AND TWO PER 2% CLICK RATE.
UM, SO WITH OUR RETARGETING WE'RE AT ABOUT 40% OPEN RATE AND 20% CLICK RATE.
UM, EXCITED TO SEE WHAT NEXT MONTH WILL BRING.
SO A LITTLE CLIFFHANGER FOR YOU.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GOOD MORNING VISIT TO CHESTNUT SQUARE.
CAN Y'ALL ELABORATE HOW THAT HAPPENED AND WHAT HAPPENED? YES.
SO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHESTNUT SQUARE, SINCE THEY JUST EARNED THEIR FIRST PLACE IN TEXAS AWARD AND THIRD IN THE SOUTHWEST, WE DID A JOINT, UH, MEDIA RELEASE WITH THEM AND SENT IT OUT TO ALL OF OUR MEDIA CONTACTS.
AND GOOD MORNING, TEXAS REACHED BACK OUT TO US AND ASKED IF THEY COULD COME AND DO A LIVE SEGMENT.
AND SO WE KIND OF DID A LITTLE BIT OF A LIVE SEGMENT WITH THEM.
AND DEANNA WITH THE MARKET, SHE'S THEIR DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
MARKETING DEVELOPMENT MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
SHE, UM, WAS THE PERSON SPEAKING AND THEN WE JUST HELPED KIND OF ORGANIZE EVERYTHING.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO FIVE DASH 3 3 24.
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS REPORT WITH ALICIA HOLBERG.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, AGAIN, GOOD MORNING.
ALICIA HOLMBERG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
OBVIOUSLY I AM NOT AARON WARNER.
HE IS, UH, IN TAMPA WITH MANY OF OUR OTHER CITY STAFF FOR ICMA.
UH, HE AND, UH, SOME SEVERAL OTHER CITY STAFF ARE SITTING ON A PANEL, UM, TO TALK ABOUT MCKINNEY'S CITY CULTURE.
WE'RE HAPPY THAT, UM, THE CITY IS GETTING RECOGNIZED BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PRETTY GREAT CULTURE HERE.
UM, SO JUST A COUPLE THINGS I'M GONNA TOUCH ON THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON.
UM, ALSO, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME CAROL, CAROL AND TARYN TO OUR BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT.
UM, WE HAD AN ONBOARDING WITH THEM ON FRIDAY, AND IT WAS GREAT.
IT WAS TWO HOURS OF JUST CHATTING AND LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE DO HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING OUR BOARDS, AND THANK YOU TO THE REST OF YOU FOR CONTINUING ON AND, AND GIVING YOUR TIME TO US.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF NOTES, SOME, SOME GREAT BOOKED BUSINESS THAT MCKINNEY, UH, ASSISTED WITH THIS PAST MONTH.
UM, AND WE, UH, USED SOME INCENTIVE FUNDING TO HELP, UH, SECURE THEIR BUSINESS.
HERE WAS THE NIGERIAN SOCCER FEDERATION OF THE USA.
UM, THEY HAD SOMETHING OUT AT THE CRAIG RANCH SOCCER FIELDS, WORKED WITH PARKS ON THAT SIDE, AND THEN THEY STAYED AT THE SHERIDAN AND SPRING HILL HOME TWO SUITES.
UM, AND THEY BROUGHT IN ALMOST 500 ROOM NIGHTS, WHICH WE WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
SO, UM, THAT WAS SOME GREAT BUSINESS.
ANOTHER SMALLER GROUP THAT WAS WITH THE SHERIDAN, THIS OMNIA EXTERIOR SOLUTIONS.
UM, WE HELPED ASSIST WITH SOME TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, AND THAT, UH, HELPED THE SHERATON WIN THAT BUSINESS AWAY FROM SOME LARGER HOTELS DOWN IN THE GRAPEVINE AREA.
AND THEY BROUGHT IN ABOUT, UH, 70 ROOM NIGHTS.
SO ANOTHER GOOD, NICE PIECE OF, UM, CORPORATE BUSINESS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS.
A COUPLE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO POINT OUT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO SHARE TODAY.
AT YOUR SEATS, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A LITTLE PACKET THERE.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THERE THAT WE WANNA SHARE WITH YOU.
SO FIRST, UM, AT OUR NEXT MEETING, YOU'LL SEE ON THE SECOND PAGE THERE, IT SAYS, VISIT MCKINNEY, THE TOURISM PARTNER OF THE YEAR.
UM, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD, REMEMBER, AND, AND THEN, UM, TARYN AND CAROL, WE HAVE A TOURISM PARTNER OF THE YEAR AWARD THAT WE PRESENT AT THE CHAMBERS, UM, ANNUAL AWARDS, UH, DINNER IN FEBRUARY.
AND SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE A MEETING IN DECEMBER, UM, WE WILL BE VOTING ON THAT AT OUR NOVEMBER MEETING THIS YEAR.
HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IS WE'RE REQUESTING FOR YOU GUYS TO EMAIL US IF YOU HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS.
SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE ON THERE WHEN YOU CAN SEND THOSE NOMINATIONS TO ME.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A NOMINATION, BUT IF YOU, YOU DO, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UM, ONCE WE RECEIVE ALL OF YOUR NOMINATIONS, WE WILL PUT THEM TOGETHER WITH A LITTLE, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, THAT BUSINESS OR THAT WHOEVER YOU CHOOSE.
UM, WE MAY ADD OUR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL FROM STAFF.
AND THEN WE WILL SHARE THAT WITH YOU PRIOR TO THE MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
THAT'LL COME WITH THE AGENDA THAT COMES USUALLY THE FRIDAY OR SO BEFORE WHEN PAULA SENDS THAT OUT SO YOU GUYS CAN REVIEW IT AND KNOW WHO YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOTE FOR.
WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT AS A SECRET OR BLIND VOTE.
SO AT THE MEETING AND ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL GET IN YOUR EMAIL, EACH NOMINATION WILL HAVE A CORRESPONDING LETTER.
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Y, Z, IT'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS A, IT'LL BE A, B, C, AND THAT'S HOW YOU'LL VOTE IN THE PUBLIC FORUM HERE.UM, SO THAT AFTER WHOEVER THE WINNER IS, UM, AARON CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND LET THEM KNOW, UM, SEPARATELY, INSTEAD OF THEM SEEING THE MEETING AND FINDING OUT THAT WAY, WE'D LIKE THEM TO, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEM.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'LL DO THE VOTING, UM, WITHOUT SAYING THEIR NAMES HERE ON THE DAIS, IT WOULD JUST BE AN A, B, C, D TYPE OF VOTING.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS, GET THOSE INTO US BY, UH, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH OR SOONER IF YOU HAVE 'EM, THAT'S GREAT.
UM, THERE IS ALSO A SHEET ON THERE FOR LOTS OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND, AND SOME DEADLINES FOR THINGS.
SO THIS, UH, STATE OF THE CITY, ANOTHER CHAMBER EVENT.
SO LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND.
THAT'S COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 6TH.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE HOSTING A HOTELIER MEETING, UM, NOVEMBER 10TH.
AND WE'D LOVE TO SEE SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THERE.
UM, UH, AND THAT'S GONNA BE HERE ACROSS THE WAY AT CITY HALL AT FITZ HUE, UH, EVENT HALL.
SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR YOU GUYS TO, UM, HAVE SOME TIME FACETIME WITH SOME OF OUR HOTELIERS.
UM, OUR, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS ACTUALLY NOVEMBER 25TH, SO PLEASE MAKE THAT, UM, NOTE ON YOUR PAPER THERE.
AND THEN OUR HOLIDAY PARTY IS COMING UP, UM, THAT WE HOST EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S GONNA BE DECEMBER 4TH.
UM, AND PAULA WILL BE SENDING OUT SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
WE'RE GONNA BE HOSTING IT AT THE HORSES ACTS.
WE DID THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND IT WAS REALLY FUN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW STAFF SINCE THEN.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I THINK ALMOST HALF THE BOARD IS NEW ALSO, SO WE FIGURED THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD ONE.
A LOT OF FUN, A LITTLE COMPETITIVE NATURE GOING ON THERE AT HORSE SEC, SO WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING IT THERE AS WELL.
AND THEN ANOTHER THING TO NOTE IS THE NCAA DIVISION TWO, UM, FAN FEST.
SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, MCKINNEY HOSTS THE, UM, NCAA DIVISION TWO FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, UM, OVER AT THE MISC STADIUM THAT'S TAKING PLACE ON DECEMBER 20TH.
BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE AT TPPS, WE HOST, UM, THE FAN FEST WHERE THERE'S A BATTLE OF THE BANDS AND THE CHEER SQUADS AND, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
A LOT OF FUN FOR THE TWO TEAMS. UM, AND THIS YEAR VISIT MCKINNEY IS KIND OF TAKING ON THE LEAD ROLE OF ORGANIZING THAT.
SO AGAIN, ANOTHER GREAT EVENT IF WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME REPRESENTATION FROM OUR BOARD OUT THERE.
UM, AND LET'S SEE, I THINK THAT I COVERED EVERYTHING, BUT YOU'LL, SO YOU'LL BE RECEIVING AN EMAIL, UM, FROM PAULA WITHIN THE WEEK, UM, WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION, LOTS OF INFORMATION.
SOME, UM, INVITES FOR THE COMING YEAR, FISCAL YEAR'S BOARD MEETINGS, AS WELL AS COMMITTEE, UM, INVITES.
SO IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE EMAILS FROM HER.
UM, AND THEN KEEP THAT SHEET SO YOU CAN GET US ANY KIND OF RSVPS, UM, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET YOU, UH, IN ATTENDANCE FOR A LOT OF THOSE EVENTS.
AND THEN I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR SIT FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THE MARIE, WHAT'S MARIE'S STATUS? YES, SO MARIE, UM, MARIE WOODARD IS OUR SALES MANAGER.
AS MOST YOU SHOULD KNOW, SHE IS REMOTE.
UM, CURRENTLY SHE IS RETIRING IN DE IN JANUARY, MID-JANUARY.
UM, SO, UM, ONCE SHE RETIRES THAT WE DECIDED TO WAIT TO POST HER POSITION, UM, UNTIL AFTER SHE RETIRES.
BECAUSE WE DON'T, HIRING OVER THE HOLIDAY IS VERY DIFFICULT.
UM, AND WE CERTAINLY WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF THE BEST TOP CANDIDATES, UM, APPLYING.
SO WE WILL WAIT UNTIL JANUARY TO POST HER POSITION, UM, AFTER SHE RETIRES.
AND THEN THAT NEW SALES POSITION WILL BE IN-HOUSE, WILL BE HERE IN MCKINNEY, NO LONGER REMOTE.
MOVING ON TO REGULAR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO FIVE DASH 3 3 2 5 20 25, TEXAS TRAVEL AWARD WINNERS.
EACH YEAR, THE TEXAS TRAVEL AWARDS CELEBRATE STANDOUT DESTINATIONS AND EXPERIENCES ACROSS THE LONE STAR STATE, HOSTED BY THE PUBLISHERS OF AUSTIN MONTHLY AND TEXAS MUSIC MAGAZINES.
THIS PROGRAM RECOGNIZES EXCELLENCE IN ABOUT 30 CATEGORIES, HONORING PLACES THAT HELP MAKE TEXAS A PREMIER TRAVEL DESTINATION.
WE'RE PROUD TO SHARE THAT TWO OF OUR OWN MCKINNEY DESTINATIONS WERE NAMED 2025 TEXAS TRAVEL AWARD WINNERS, THE BINGHAM ESTATE AND TUFTS BREWERY, THE BINGHAM ESTATE.
FIRST, WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE BEING A ESTATE WINNER OF THE TEXAS TRAVEL AWARD FOR UNIQUE LODGING, LOCATED IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY.
THIS BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED 1883 ESTATE BLENDS 19TH CENTURY CHARM WITH MODERN LUXURY, WITH ITS EL, WITH ITS ELEGANT GUEST ROOMS, PRIVATE COTTAGES, AND WARM HOSPITALITY.
THE BINGHAM ESTATE OFFERS VISITORS AN UNFORGETTABLE STAY THAT PERFECTLY REFLECTS MCKINNEY'S CHARACTER AND CHARM.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OWNERS AND TEAM FOR THIS EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.
[00:30:05]
YEAH, COME ON UP.I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M ERICA MCWILLIAMS, I'M THE OWNER.
I'M SO THRILLED TO OWN THE BINGHAM AND ACCEPT THIS AWARD.
WE JUST OPENED THE ESTATE FULLY IN APRIL OF 25 AND GOT ALL OF OUR COTTAGES.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE LONG COMING, BUT WE'RE EXCITED AND JUST TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE SECOND AWARD GOES TO TUFTS BREWERY, WINNER OF THE TEXAS TRAVEL AWARD FOR BEST BREWERY IN TEXAS.
FOR A DECADE, TS HAS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF MCKINNEY'S COMMUNITY KNOWN, NOT JUST FOR THEIR CRAFT BEER, BUT FOR THEIR CREATIVITY, HOSPITALITY, AND COMMITMENT TO LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS.
THEIR NEW EAST MCKINNEY LOCATION CONTINUES TO DRAW THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR CREATING A VIBRANT SPACE THAT SHOWCASES THE VERY BEST OF WHAT MCKINNEY HAS TO OFFER.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE TTS TEAM ON THIS WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION.
CONGRAT, OH, YOU YOU GONNA SAY SOMETHING? I, I WOULD LOVE TO SAY, YEAH, GO FOR IT.
SAY, JUST THANKS FOR NOMINATING US.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WINNING HAS BEEN FABULOUS.
UM, THIS TO ME, I, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THE MAGNITUDE, BUT IT'S A STATE AWARD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE CALLING FROM HOUSTON AND AUSTIN AND EL PASO.
UH, IT'S DONE A LOT FOR OUR BUSINESS.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO NICE TO COME HERE AND TO SEE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.
UM, WE NEED TO PARTNER WITH YOU GUYS A LOT MORE, OBVIOUSLY, WITH ALL THE CREATIVE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO US TO BUGGING YOU A LOT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THANKS AGAIN FOR THE AWARD.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU.
WE'RE ALMOST DONE, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME PHOTOS AFTERWARDS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL ALLOW FOR ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON MATTERS, NOT ON THE AGENDA THAT'S EITHER ARE NONE.
MOVING ON TO BOARD AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR COMMENTS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WISH TO ADD? NOW JUST WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS.
AND, UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE AS INVOLVED AS YOU CAN BE.
I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T BE AT EVERY SINGLE THING, BUT DEFINITELY TRY TO, TRY TO MAKE APPEARANCES WHEN YOU CAN.
UM, AND ALWAYS THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF AND EVERY MEETING WITH THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MAY I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
A SECOND BY BRIAN, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU AGREE WITH THIS MOTION.