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Minutes - 03/06/2014 - Hotel Convention and Visitors Committee MINUTES OF THE MARCH 6, 2014 MEETING OF THE OAK BROOK HOTEL, CONVENTION AND VISITORS COMMITTEE OF THE VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK APPROVED AS WRITTEN ON APRIL 10, 2014. CALL TO ORDER: The Regular Meeting of the Oak Brook Hotel, Convention & Visitors Committee of the Village of Oak Brook was held in the Upper Level Conference Room of the Butler Government Center and called to order by Chairman Norm Canfield at 10:04 a.m. Chairman Norm Canfield requested to have everyone introduce themselves. PRESENT: Norm Canfield, Mort Kouklan, Martin Schooley and Dr. Abbasy. ABSENT: Chris Johnson, Chuck Fleming and Jeremiah Drummond. IN ATTENDANCE: Trustee Mark Moy, David Niemeyer, Village Manager, Tracy Mulqueen and Natalie Rodriguez, Chamber of Commerce, Lisa Landers, DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau, Rob Grusin and Stephanie Fallara, Point B Communications and Kathy Maher, Oak Brook Polo Committee. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. October 10, 2013 Meeting. A motion was made by Dr. Abbasy, seconded by Martin Schooley, to approve the October 10, 2013 Hotel Committee meeting minutes. Voice vote. Motion approved. B November 18, 2013 Special Meeting. A motion was made and seconded, to approve the November 18, 2013 Hotel Committee special meeting minutes. Voice vote. Motion approved. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Ratification of Release of Funds to the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau - 2013 Fourth Quarter Hotel Tax Receipts - $17,726.23. – A motion was made by Martin Schooley, seconded by Dr. Abbasy, to approve the release of funds to the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau for the fourth quarter Hotel Tax receipts in the amount of $17,726.23. Voice Vote. Motion approved. B. 2014 Marketing Plan Update Discussion ensued regarding the Hotels results from the last initiative. Valentine’s Day fell on a weekend (Friday) so the Hyatt and Marriott’s numbers were significantly up this year. C. Streetscape Committee Update Manager Niemeyer explained what is currently in the works. The pedestrian access projects continue to take a lot of the Village staff’s time. Commerce Drive, now that we have a visual, people will see that and hopefully utilize it when the weather gets warmer. It will hopefully make it easier for buy-in for some of our other projects. This project should be done (weather permitting) by the end of April. Another big project is finishing the Spring Road to Salt Creek street plantings. Weather permitting; this project should be done by the end of May. Second phase; Salt Creek to I-294, that will not start construction this year due to IDOT and obtaining grant money; pending the IDOT approvals this year they should go out to bid next year. The Village is also working on the planning phases of a couple of other pedestrian access projects. Staff recently met with the Marriott and Regency Towers regarding a project in that area. Initial discussions regarding the project and potential cost sharing were held. The Village hopes to have OAK BROOK HOTEL COMMITTEE Minutes Page 1 of 3 Mtg. of March 6, 2014 agreements in place in a couple of months. As this project will involve a state road, IDOT will need to approve so this becomes a 2015 project. Manager Niemeyer explained that he, President Lalmalani and Jeff Kennedy recently met with Oakbrook Terrace about a couple of Streetscape related projects. Some Oakbrook Terrace businesses approached the Village and expressed an interest in pedestrian access to the Mall. This could be a very costly project and the Village would need cooperation from Oakbrook Terrace. Manager Niemeyer explained that once the streetscape projects are completed, the Village would also like to start streetscape on north Rt. 83. Due to the fact that both sides of north Rt. 83 is in Oakbrook Terrace until it reaches the Mall, cooperation from Oakbrook Terrace would be essential. Mayor Ragucci was receptive and seemed positive about the project. One other streetscape project the Village will be completing this year will be located north of the mall going across to the Oakbrook Club. Lastly, with streetscape projects the other focus has been on gateway signage. At the last Village Board meeting, the Board did authorize to go out to bid for the sign on 22nd street and York road. This is actually the third time this project has gone out to bid. This project has been one that has been controversial and continues to be controversial. Also this year, we hope to build a gateway sign on the other side of town by the Promenade and not use Hotel Tax dollars. That project has taken a year as we are looking to build on ComEd property and it has taken time to get their approval. Discussion ensued on gateway signs. NEW BUSINESS A. Polo Marketing/Sponsorships Manger Niemeyer explained that per the discussions held last year, $10,000 was put aside for polo sponsorship this year to have the Hotels of Oak Brook sponsor a package with polo. Currently there is a suggested package put together and the Polo Committee would like the Hotels feedback on. The focus is not only make it about polo but to tie in weekends in Oak Brook. Manager Niemeyer explained that he recently met with the Argentinean Consulate and The Village will once again host an Argentinean Day. The Argentinean Consul would also like to get more Argentinean groups from throughout the Midwest and have a pre-party the night before. This would be a great opportunity to have overnight stay packages. Kathy Maher explained the weekend and packages with the Hotels. Currently the Committee is working on a “Hollywood comes of Oak Brook day” on August 10, 2014. Michael Butler would be coming to town and is trying to bring along at least two other stars who played polo here in Oak Brook in the 1980’s. The Committee is working to get airfare for them and accommodations as well as putting together a player’s reunion reception on the Saturday evening before the Sunday polo match to make it a whole weekend package. Rob Grusin from Point B discussed the marketing of the Polo season. Point B would like to promote polo along with a leisure stay in Oak Brook. He presented some different marketing initiatives/slogans (Marco Polo, A weekend of unbridled passion) that would present Oak Brook as a unique place to stay. Point B will work with Kathy Maher and the Polo Marketing Subcommittee to promote Polo. Discussion ensued. Kathy Maher explained that she is the Committee person responsible for putting together weekend packages and would like to know what the Hotels would like to see included. Marty Schooley suggested that the Hoteliers get together and come up with suggestions that would work for all of the hotels and get back to her. Discussion the Hotel Meridian ensued. OAK BROOK HOTEL COMMITTEE Minutes Page 2 of 3 Mtg. of March 6, 2014 B. Drake Hotel Manager Niemeyer explained that there is a new owner of the Drake hotel. The Village has requested a business plan and what other partnerships the new owner will be working with. Discussion ensued. DU PAGE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU UPDATE Lisa Landers explained that the DCVB will be working with the USBC Bowling Tournament that is coming to DuPage in July of 2015. Doubletree will be the host hotel. This will bring a lot of people coming through Oak Brook for this tournament. DCVB have 2 FAM tours scheduled for this year. One in March that is a three day FAM tour and one in May, a one-day event. The Visitors guide ad sales are up and will be out by Memorial Day. GREATER OAK BROOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Tracy Mulqueen mentioned that the Chamber is beginning a new fiscal year and they just completed their strategic plan process. Their annual meeting is next week. They have a new staff person, Director of Sales and Marketing, Natalie Rodriguez. She will be working with the Experience Oak Brook project, larger sports groups, working with the shopping center on their major events to do more marketing, and thanks to Natalie, the Chamber will be expanding their social media work. The Chamber is also reestablishing a new hospitality retail committee. Valentina continues to work on Economic Development with the Village. OTHER BUSINESS – None at this time. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Dr. Abbasy, seconded by Martin Schooley to adjourn the meeting of the Hotel Convention and Visitors Committee at 11:11 am. ATTEST: David J. Niemeyer David J. Niemeyer Village Manager __April 11, 2014__ Date OAK BROOK HOTEL COMMITTEE Minutes Page 3 of 3 Mtg. of March 6, 2014