CVB Board Meeting
February 23, 2016, CVB Conference Room
Board Present: Chairman Deb Sanders, Samantha Kenner,
James Holland, Sharon Peterson, Jeff Sheets, and Mary Jane
Oard
Absent: Mukul Gosh
Guests: Kathy Hageman, Reflector Chronicle, Chad Ruefener,
Holiday Inn, and Vangie Henry
Staff: Michael W. Player, CVB Executive Director, Michael
Hook, Event Coordinator, Jeana Lawrence, Tourism Assistant
Ex Officio Members: Mayor Dennis Weishaar, City Manager
David Dillner
Chairman Deb Sanders called the meeting to order.
Items from the public: None
Minutes: January 26, 2016, minutes were presented. Michael
Player had some changes to the minutes, adding comments from
Samantha Kenner. Mary Jane Oard moved and Jeff Sheets
seconded a motion to approve the minutes. Motion carried.
Financials: Player stated presented the financials as approved
by Marcus Rothchild, Finance Director for the City of Abilene,
who is also doing the book keeping for the Convention and
Visitors Bureau.
Old Business:
Visitor Guide Update: Consolidated Printing graphic
designer Curt Krob has been working on the visitor guide and is
almost completed as soon as ads have been approved by the
advertisers before time of printing.
Player also presented the cover of the guide as the cover of Life
magazine featuring Ike and Mamie's engagement photo.
Samantha Kenner raised some objections about the photo,
specifically possible copyright problems and Oard agreed and
proposed using the original photo of Ike and Mamie and a
headline to explain the photo. Player agreed to use original
engagement photo with captions reflecting the marriage.
CT 150 Banners: The banner hanging on the front east end of
the building has been taken down and Player plans to hang a new
one outside featuring new CVB logo.
Way-finding Signage: Player presented some designs for
way-finding signs that will be cost effective.
Player also presented the new Chamber of Commerce logo and 5Star Wi-Fi District static clings designs that he plans to offer to
all of the buildings that get Abilene Wi-Fi. Chad Ruffener
suggested that Eagle Communications team up with the project
to help create these static clings.
Player also introduced the idea of developing an overall 5-Star
District, which would include the 5-Star Museum district, as well
as the 5-Star Farmers Market, and a 5-Star Wi-Fi District so as to
include all area businesses, merchants and attractions within the
City provided Wi-Fi geographic boundary.
New Business:
Tourism Week: Vangie Henry asked the board if they would be
interested in hosting Tourism Week again this year at the
Eisenhower Library Courtyard and inviting Rotary members as
well as Kiwanis and other organizations that have volunteered to
help with past CVB events. It would be a $10 lunch and the CVB
usually gets someone from the tourism industry or state tourism
department to speak about tourism during the luncheon. There
would also be awards given to those whom the board has felt
encouraged tourism the most in Abilene.
A committee was called for deciding the award winners and
Player, Michael Hook, and Henry volunteered.
Henry also explained that the CVB usually asked the City
Commission to declare the 1st week of May as Tourism week and
should do so again this year. Player agreed this would be a good
idea to continue.
There was also a discussion of Henry's place on the board. David
Dillner explained the city ordinance that required the CVB board
to be 7 people. When the Chamber of Commerce was added as a
permanent voting member, it increased the board to 8 voting
members instead of 7. Henry's place was up for reelection and so
was removed from the board.
Kenner raised some objections and asked Dillner to further
research the city ordinance and the minutes of when Henry was
first elected onto the board.
At this time, Player suggested that the board be increased to 9
people, so as to include Henry and someone to possibly represent
Russell Stover’s. Dillner explained that the reason for the
reduction was because not much was accomplished with a bigger
board and voiced some concerns with increasing the size. Henry
also explained that in the past Russell Stover’s has been reluctant
to join the board and that if the new administration within the
company wants to have someone on the board, they would still
need to fill out the application to go before the City Commission.
Chair's Report
CT150: Player, Hook, and Deb Sanders talked about their trip to
Fort Worth, Texas, to attend the Tri-State meeting for the CT 150
celebration. All three said they made some good connections
with Texas contacts that would be interested in making the
Abilene CT 150 event better. They also said that Kansas is farther
along in planning events than Texas or Oklahoma is, even though
Oklahoma has more money. There were also some disputes
between the Oklahoma and Texas parties that resulted in the
three feeling like nothing was really accomplished at the
meetings.
Ad Placement- True West Magazine: Player presented his
ad for the True West Magazine monthly publication and that he
had negotiated a one-month price that was close to half-off the
periodical’s published advertising rate to run the ad. As time goes
on, he plans to run an ad up to 6 times over the next 2 years.
Future ads will reflect a reduction of the Abilene CVB logo but
showcase an increase of the CT 150 logo. Kenner pointed out a
spelling mistake in the logo that will be rectified in future ads.
Chisholm Trail Committees: Sanders reported that 6 chairs
are meeting monthly with their subcommittees to discuss goals
and accomplish those goals. Player presented the CASI chili
cook-off poster as an example of what the fundraising committee
is doing, which will be a fundraising event for Trail, Rails, &
Tales.
Event Coordinator: Hook is contracted for a year to help
promote and organize events that will benefit the Trail, Rails, &
Tales event. Currently, Player and Hook are working on setting
up a kiosk in the museum lobby where Hook can greet large
groups and tell them about other things to do in Abilene and also
have desk to work at. Kenner reminded Player and Hook that in
order for the space to be officially reserved they need to go
through the proper channels and presented a full proposal.
Player said he and Hook are working on submitting one within
the coming month.
Hook also presented his Saddle-Up Luncheon, a Realtor
luncheon that will tour Abilene and will encourage Realtors, who
are often the first voice of the town, to be knowledgeable about
the town's history and excited for the TRT event.
Player and James Holland presented their education seminars
for homeowners interested in starting an AirBnB in their own
homes. Player showed the committee a door hanger advertising
the seminars that will encourage homeowners to learn more
about AirBnB. He also presented his idea that the CVB is willing
to help promote bed and breakfasts, which have 3 or more beds
in their homes open to the public.
Player also showed the committee the new CVB Abilene
Promotional video he has been working on that tells the history
and tourism story of Abilene. He plans to showcase the video in
the Visitors Center along with other willing partnership locations
as well as on the City’s website. Ruffener suggested that Eagle
Communications be asked to play this Abilene Promotional video
on hotel room TV screens to introduce people to Abilene.
General consensus was that the Promotional video was great and
would attract a younger audience because it was fresh and
different. Sharon Peterson asked if something about unique
shopping or Abilene boutiques be added to the end of the video
and Player suggested perhaps adding the boutiques' logos along
with antique shop logos at the end of the video.
Michael W. Player’s Director Report:
Marketing Plan: Player presented his continuing progress for
the CVB in his marketing plan, by passing out the extended
written plan to-date, which he encouraged board members to
read at their own leisure. He also called for a working board
retreat to discuss other suggestions the board might have so he
can determine if they should be included in the first 30
recommendations of the marketing plan or at a later time. The
Marketing Plan will be used as a guideline for promoting the City
of Abilene. He said that each of the suggestions would be
examined at the working board retreat. Sanders asked for dates
and Peterson suggested Monday, March 14th, at 1 pm in the Civic
Center or other location to be determined. The other members of
the board agreed upon this.
Player also showed the committee artwork for helping refresh an
upgrade the Visitors Center that will feature a covered chuckwagon to include a literature rack along with a coffee service
feature. The story of Abilene will be told through art elements on
the wall surrounding the wood built covered chuck-wagon. He
also said a new American and Kansas flag will be going up the
flagpole along Buckeye, which will be lit so the flags can stay up
year round.
The CVB Trolley will now be in 5 parades outside a 50 mile
radius of Abilene and that this has been approved by the City's
insurance agent. Player plans to have the Trolley and the Old
Abilene Town gunfighters in the Kansas City and Topeka St.
Patrick's parades to begin with this spring. He plans to also enter
the trolley in parades in Wichita, Manhattan, and Lincoln,
Nebraska, to further reach outside audiences.
Leveraged Events: Player wants to make special venue events
more successful and longer so more tourist will have the
opportunity to stay overnight in Abilene. He stated that by
combining and leveraging those type of special events, which are
already popular, larger crowds should be attracted. Player talked
about the Eisenhower Marathon and Abilene Fly-In and how he
plans to expand and leverage those events so families of the
runners and pilots would want to stay in Abilene overnight along
with attracting larger outside crowds from surrounding areas.
For the marathon, he is planning a Blues concert with the help of
Holland. Kenner expressed some concern that the Blues concert
would compete with the Great Plains Theatre's Neil Diamond
Tribute concert and Player said he would look into it. He also
plans for a kite festival at the Heritage Center. Money would be
made off the vendor’s tents. He is also looking into holding a
bonfire for the marathon runners the night before the race.
For the Abilene Fly-In, he would like to do a Planes, Trains, and
Automobiles Event, possibly with the likes of Thomas the Train
coming in next year. He would also like to host two country &
western bands to have a gated concert in conjunction with an
artist and/or antique event and again money would be made off
vendors’ tents.
Player also touched briefly on the idea of making Abilene the
home base for honor flights in the area and making it a two-day
event, 11 times throughout the year. He also talked briefly about
Harvest America, which is a broadcasted national Christian
concert, which he seeks to be hosted in Abilene, possibly at the
Civic Center with local churches sponsoring the event.
Committee Reports:
Marketing: Kenner had nothing to report.
Education: Holland had nothing to report.
There being no further business, Oard moved and Kenner
seconded a motion to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeana Lawrence, Tourism Assistant