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Approved Septe�nber 21, 2016
<br />MINUTES
<br />Chapel Hill /Orange County Visitors Bureau Board of Directors Meeting
<br />August 17, 2016
<br />The Chapel Hill /Orange County Visitors Bureau met at
<br />The Courtyard, Chapel Hill, NC
<br />Board Members Present: George Cianciolo, Rosemary Waldorf- Chair, Karen DeHart, Aaron Bachenheimer, Penny Rich,
<br />Shannan Campbell, Andrew Strickland, Meg McGurk, Tim Hoke, Mark Sherburne, Michelle Johnson, Mark Bell, Annette
<br />Stone, Lee Storrow
<br />Not Present: Allison Nichols- Clapper, Jeffrey Strickler, Nitin Khanna, Lee Pavao
<br />Staff attendance: Laurie Paolicelli, Marlene Barbera, Allison Chambers
<br />Also present: Caleb Miles, President /CEO, Convention & Visitors Bureau, Pinehurst /Southern Pines Area, Bill Krueger
<br />and Chris Nelson of Conventions, Sports & Leisure Market Research, Robert Bruce, Director of the Friday Center, Jody
<br />Rumble, General Manager, Hyatt Place and Lisa Ganzzermiller, General Manager, The Courtyard, Chapel Hill.
<br />Call to Order
<br />Chair Rosemary Waldorf called the meeting to order at 8:08 am.
<br />Introductions were given by all.
<br />Approval l of Minutes
<br />Ms. Waldorf requested a motion to approve the June 15, 2016 minutes. George Cianciolo so moved, Aaron
<br />Bachenheimer seconded. With all members in favor, the minutes were approved as submitted.
<br />Finance Report
<br />Penny Rich, Finance Chair, reported that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved the Visitors
<br />Bureau budget for 2016 -17 of $1.5 million on June 21, 2016. This budget reflects a 7% increase in occupancy tax and an
<br />increase in contribution from the Town of Chapel Hill. The county raised the Visitors' Bureau administration fee this
<br />year to reflect the amount stated in the indirect cost analysis. Staffing levels have remained the same and a new Arts
<br />Commission head has been hired. Advertising will remain consistent with an approximately $400,000 allocation. More
<br />funds are being allocated to events such as TerraVITA and some local arts events, as well as bringing the North American
<br />Travel Journalist Association to Orange County for their May 2017 conference, which will bring 100 journalists to the
<br />county and cost the bureau approximately $30,000. They are coming despite H62 and she is appreciative of that and
<br />feels that Orange County is sending a strong and positive message that all are welcome here.
<br />Gtiest/host speakers
<br />Paolicelli introduced principals with Convention. Sports and Leisure (CSL) a research firm hired to study potential
<br />demand generators for Orange County's growing tourism industry and hotel supply. In addition, Paolicelli gave the floor
<br />to Caleb Miles, CEO with Pinehurst Aberdeen Convention and Visitors Bureau —a destination in North Carolina
<br />experiencing similar challenges and growth potential.
<br />Caleb Miles gave a background on that Visitors Bureau experience with a similar study.
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