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Approved March 18, 2015 MINUTES Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Board of Directors Meeting January 21, 2015 The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau met at The Friday Center, 100 Friday Center Dr., UNC Board Members Present: Anthony Carey, Libbie Hough, Lee Storrow, Debbie Hepp, Rosemary Waldorf, Mark Sherburne, Karen DeHart, Aaron Bachenheimer, Lee Pavao, Michelle Johnson, Nitin Khanna, Mike Gering, Penny Rich, Annette Stone and Meg McGurk. Not Present: Jill McCullough Staff attendance: Steve Brantley, Laurie Paolicelli, Marlene Barbera, Martha Shannon and Tina Fuller Also present: Guest Speaker, Jeff Strickler, Associate Vice President, UNC Health Hillsborough Call to Order Chairman Anthony Carey called the meeting to order at 8:11 a.m. Mr. Carey recognized Gloria Farrar, Assistant Director for Conference and Event Planning for The Friday Center. Ms. Farrar gave a brief overview of the Friday Center’s various programs noting that the Center serves over 200,000 people per year, of which 60,000 (700 events) are hosted through the conference center. Ms. Farrar also discussed the Center’s initiatives and goals. Chairman Carey then acknowledged guest speaker, Jeffery Stickler, Associate Vice President for UNC’s Hospital in Hillsborough and asked Mike Gering for an intro/history of Waterstone. Mr. Stickler followed with a presentation of the hospitals progression citing the projected opening date for the initial phase as July 2015 with other phases opening in August and September which at that time should be fully operational. Mr. Stickler also discussed the full range of services that would be provided by the Hospital. Q&A followed. Approval of Minutes Mr. Carey requested a motion to approve the November 19, 2014 minutes. Lee Pavao so moved and Penny Rich seconded. With all members in favor, the minutes were approved as submitted. Chairman Carey announced a slight deviation in the agenda to accommodate a new business topic of discussion brought forth by Mark Sherburne who informed that he needed to leave early. Mr. Sherburne inquired about the Town of Carrboro’s interest in an additional hotel proposal, one that would help fund the proposed ArtsCenter/Kidzu complex through its occupancy tax revenue. Sherburne asked if Carrboro representatives could help the visitor’s bureau board understand this “precedent setting” initiative. In response, Michelle Johnson informed board members that this topic has been discussed primarily in private sessions for several months; and for the first time, it was brought forth for public comments, the preceding evening. Ms. Johnson explained that, in its existing form, the proposed new hotel (by Atma Hotel Developers, current operators of the Hampton Carrboro) would occupy the current location of the ArtsCenter if the proposal were approved by the Carrboro Town Board. The newly proposed ArtsCenter, would become the Arts and Innovation Center, located on the current Roberson parking lot across from Armadillo’s Grill in Carrboro and would also encompass Kidzu Children’s Museum. The estimated cost is $7.5 million. The Town is being asked to fund $4.5 million and it has been discussed that a portion of the funding would come from the future collection of (Carrboro’s portion) of the hotel occupancy taxes. Ms. Johnson stated that nothing has been decided yet and the next public hearing is scheduled for February 3rd.