Orange County NC Website
Approved March 15, 2017 <br />MINUTES <br />Chapel Hill /Orange County Visitors Bureau Board of Directors Meeting <br />February 15, 2017 <br />The Chapel Hill /Orange County Visitors Bureau met at <br />The Rizzo Center, Chapel Hill, NC <br />Board Members Present: George Cianciolo, Shannan Campbell, Andrew Strickland, Tim Hoke, Jeffrey Strickler, <br />Rosemary Waldorf- Chair, Kayla Austin, Aaron Bachenheimer, Mark Sherburne, Meg McGurk, Lee Pavao, Nitin Khanna, <br />Penny Rich, Mark Bell, Lee Storrow, Lydia Lavelle <br />Not Present: Annette Stone Lafferty, Steve Brantley, Allison Nichols- Clapper <br />Staff attendance: Laurie Paolicelli, Marlene Barbera, Allison Chambers <br />Also present: Lisa Ganzermiller and Amanda Marinelli, Steve Kelly and Beth Walters of Clean Design <br />Call to Order <br />Chair Rosemary Waldorf called the meeting to order at 8:10 am. <br />Introductions were given by all. <br />Approval of Minutes <br />Chair Waldorf requested a motion to approve the February 15, 2017 minutes. Lee Pavao so moved and George Cianciolo <br />seconded. With all members in favor, the minutes were approved as submitted. <br />Host Introduction <br />Chair Waldorf introduced Mark Sherburne who shared with the board that the Rizzo Center and the Carolina Inn are <br />operated by the same management group. The difference in the two properties is that the Inn is part of the real estate <br />holding of the university, while the Rizzo Center is owned by the Kenan - Flagler Business School. In the past year the <br />Rizzo Center has gone through some renovations, as well as increased in size. While they are located in Durham County <br />they are on our map in regards to the market research being conducted by the Visitors Bureau Board. In conclusion he <br />thanked the board for coming and introduced the Rizzo Center's General Manager, Brent Haste and Director of Sales, <br />Nancy Lindemer. Mr. Haste reported that last year they added 66 guest rooms and 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. <br />Tours of the facility will be offered after the meeting concludes at 9:30. Any charges incurred at the Rizzo Center <br />associated with the university are not subject to sales or occupancy tax. They have begun to do transient business and <br />last year sold 2,000 room nights. They share a director of revenue with the Carolina Inn. Eighty percent of their <br />business is university related with some of the business schools offices located on the property. Laurie Paolicelli shared <br />that the market research being conducted now is looking at the area of Chapel Hill, that includes the Rizzo Center, as a <br />corridor for possible development of indoor sports facilities, and while the county collects no occupancy tax for this <br />property, the county does see an economic impact through sales tax. <br />Finance Report <br />Finance Chair Penny Rich reported that the budget is on target. Fund Balance has been appropriated to pay for summer <br />tourism advertising, particularly in the Charlotte area. She thanked George Cianciolo and the Town of Chapel Hill for the <br />additional $109,000 received per the annual performance agreement. The newly submitted 2017 -18 budget request <br />shows an increase in occupancy tax revenue of 5% based on last year's collection and the opening of two additional <br />