Minutes - 12-16-1998 Board Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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advance tickets being sold this year vs. 36 advance ticket sales for the 1997 Candlelight Tour. It was announced that film shoots for the promotional video had been completed. The next step in the process is the outline and script which was being prepared by staff. A copy of the script will be provided to the Board for review upon completion. Mr. Blake also reported that Mr. Dale Chodorow had been hired for the position of Publications Coordinator. He had been employed with the Bureau since November 1997 as a temporary employee. Mr. Chodorow will be responsible for facilitating updates of visitor publications, the website and the bureau's databases. The search for the Bureau's Director of Sales position was re-opened due to the lack of qualified candidates with the closing date extended to late January. Mr. Blake stated the time of year had been the primary reason for a low response rate. An announcement informing board members of the Seventh Annual Orange County State of the Local Economy Breakfast hosted by The Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Hillsborough/Orange County Chambers of Commerce on January 14th at the Friday Center was made. Board members interested in attending the function were asked to contact Betty Davis at the Bureau to complete their registration. In the December board packet Mr. Blake included a graph of Orange County Occupancy Market Share of the Research Triangle Area. It was noted that the major increase of lodging properties in the Triangle had inversely impacted hotel occupancies and average daily rates. However, even with a decrease in Orange County hotel/motel occupancies, the average daily rate growth had resulted in a net wash for occupancy tax revenues collected year to date vs. prior year to date. Mr. Blake announced that the new Days Inn was targeting to be open for business at the end of January 1999. OLD BUSINESS Ms. Pat Evans reported that the matter of Bed & Breakfast establishments in Chapel Hill was unsettled. There will be a public hearing on Bed & Breakfast establishments on April 19th, 1999. Mr. Woods reported that the majority of Orange County Lodging Association members were not in favor of the proposed Hilton Garden Inn located at the Meadowmont development site. Mr. Woods stated the Association would further elaborate on their views, as more information became available. After a brief discussion it was revealed that data being used in the project's feasibility could be as much as two years old. The discussion was tabled until additional information on the project could be obtained. 3