The special events funding process has varied over the years and needs to be reexamined and solidfied to give the organization a policy that will be followed for the next 3 - 5 years. Staff initiated a workshop taking place on November 14th at 3 p.m. to solicit ideas and feedback from event producers to continue the development of the new and improved process.
 
The current vision for the special event funding is to utilize special events to help brand the destination as America’s Adventure Place (AAP) via marketing opportunities, to increase overnight visitation and to help book RSCVA-owned and operated facilities. In FY 2006-07 funding allocations were evaluated comparing each event’s marketign exposure and room nights (80% value toward marketing exposure and 20% value toward room nights).
 
Reno-Tahoe Special Event Producers who have worked with the RSCVA in the past, Special Event Producers who currently request RSCVA funding, hotel Directors of Marketing and representatives from the Cities of Reno and Sparks special events departments were invited to participate in the Special Event Funding Workshop. The discuss focused on questions that have surfaced regarding the funding process and address concerns and suggestions from all participants. Meeting attendees have been asked to make comments/suggestions and any written comments/suggestions or white paper presentations made at the meeting will be supplied to committee members for review and discussion. This blog is another way to get your opinions in for review. Staff recommendations based on all input will be made to the Marketing & Sales Committee in January.
 
The questions for consideration follow and I encourage your feedback:

1.  Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be used to seed new events?  If so, for what period of time?

2.  Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be used to fund legacy events?  What constitutes a legacy event (years of event, size of event budget)?  If so, under what terms?

3.  Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be used to fund a mix of both new and legacy events?  If so, how should the overall budget be divided for each category?

4. How can we appropriately weigh the benefits to the RSCVA?   What is the appropriate weight of marketing exposure vs. room nights?   What percentage of exposure should out -of-market media receive?  The FY 2006/07 criteria weighted the out-of-market exposure at 80% and the room nights at 20% compared to possible funding; is this appropriate?  If not, what would you recommend?

5.  In FY 2006/07 we valued network TV and Cable TV at different levels; where does satellite television come in?  What other mediums should be considered?  Podcasting, Videocasts?

6. Should RSCVA Special Event Funding be capped at a maximum percentage of the overall event budget?  If so, what should that amount be? 

7.  Should RSCVA Special Event Funding only be awarded if the funds are used to support/purchase out-of-area marketing?  If so, should this be limited to a certain type of marketing? 

8.  Could the RSCVA Special Event Funding process take place only once annually?  Twice?  What kind of impact would funding events once a year place on special events?

9.  In order to receive funding should “Reno-Tahoe” be required to be included in the event name? 

10.  Should the RSCVA grant funding to events that give money to charity from their event or their foundation?

11.  Should the RSCVA have a system of funding that offers specific funding amounts based on set amounts of exposure?  For example, if you want funding of $10,000 the RSCVA must receive X, for funding of $20,000 the RSCVA must receive Y.

12.  How can the RSCVA and Special Event Producers track room nights generated by each special event?     Should all special events that receive funding by the RSCVA be required to utilize an RSCVA approved housing bureau and established event rates at partner hotels?  How would mandated use of a housing organization effect events?

13.  How can the RSCVA and Special Event Producer obtain accurate and consistent attendance figures?   How do we distinguish local vs. out-of-town attendees?

14.  How does the RSCVA’s Special Event Policies compliment what the Cities of Reno and Sparks are doing for special events? 

15.  What type of materials/information should the Special Event Application require?  Do we need to receive budgets, financial statements, marketing plan, and PR plan from each requesting event?

16.  The RSCVA has adopted a policy of phased payments (25% prior to the  event,  50% at beginning of event and final 25% following the completion of the event)  how does this effect special events?

17.  Should the economic impact of a special event be taken into consideration?  If so, whose measurements should be used to ensure consistency?

18.  Should funding be considered only if more than one hotel is involved in the event?

19.  What is a reasonable expectation for visitor survey information to be gathered by special events?  Every 3 years?

20.  Are there circumstances that warrant multi-year funding to Special Events from the RSCVA?

21.  Are there circumstances that the RSCVA should fund events that occur outside of Washoe County?

22.  Should events that occur during our shoulder season (October – May) be eligible to receive more funding than events during prime season, to encourage development of more shoulder season events? 

23.  Should the RSCVA be producing events or just funding them?  If producing, what types of events?

• Strategic planning is a systematic process by which an organization anticipates and plans for its future by undertaking an examination of the organization and its environment by those who have a stake in its future success. It results in a written document that serves as a blueprint to guide the organization towards its future goals.
• The planning process forces people involved in the organization to come together to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, to anticipate future problems and opportunities, to determine where they would like to go, and how best to get there. Done well it becomes a symbol of unity, reflecting a collectively supported vision of the organizations future and the most acceptable formula for allocating scarce resources.
• Order is important. Some things will generate more resources to enable doing additional things, whereas other choices will not leverage resources as effectively.
• Planning is dynamic, the world changes, technology changes, some initiatives will be more successful than others, planning has to be evaluated and refined over time.

In order to provide you many opportunities to stay involved regularly please refer to the strategic plan web site at www.visitrenotahoe.com/strategicplan. A strategic plan blog by Ellen Oppenheim, President & CEO will highlight important topics as we progress through the process and we encourage your feedback.

Public Input Meeting Notes

Overall

Raise the quality of people’s perspective

President & CEO who wants more from the community

Mission Statement Comments

·         RSCVA can’t do alone, needs community partnerships, collaborative approach, teamwork

·         Stakesholders should be represented into the mission statement; develop a stronger brand awareness for AAP to the business standpoint, disconnect between Reno – Tahoe and the attractions offered; better define the business segments; begin developing awareness for the hotels and the attractions, but low awareness of it

·         Not enough emphasis to promote attractions outside the casinos, many other attractions within driving distance that we don’t promote enough; concerned about Wildcreek; stress facilities when people come to town and the amenities available; evolve the community in what you’re doing; invest in the facilities operated by the RSCVA and promote on a year round basis

·         Stronger statement and more competitive and that we have more to offer than the cities that are in our competitive market

·         Put Reno-Tahoe first; align and leverage with those that have become more regional such as the airport

·         Should be aspiration and put a definition on the quality, spending power and demographic of our visitor to better go after those that would be willing and the ability to pay for the amenities; raise the demographic spending power; would spend more if the attraction was there

·         Casino’s role to keep people in with the community that wants to attract visitors and how those two are in conflict of each other

·         Is this mission statement in relation to the current model of the RSCVA (Washoe County) to be regional within an area that is regional with attractions outside the county and in California;

·         Investment by properties like Stations, Atlantis and Peppermill, but is there got to be something we’re missing in relation to the average daily rate; how does the transportation industry help reach out with the regional approach; grow the rate and then find out how it works with the redevelopment efforts

·         Daily rooms versus those during large events and those bring in people that are spending more on rooms and their visits; need to do something with the convention market in relation to the events and expand and do more for them; would like to see new events

·         Projects like Cabela’s will add to the amenities and provide a tourist attraction that we benefit from and they are the investors; build up attractions and facilities and make it attractive enough it can become an attraction and to support those and so that visitors have more to do to add to their visit and experience; leveraging businesses

·         Match the mission to the slogan and or incorporate; not sure of AAP matches to the convention traveler

·         How excited are the people that live in the community? That will help bring people as well as enhance the visitor experience and bring in visitors; leveraging local support; locals are getting excited about the revitalization and will get them here and help build the area and make the entire experience more enjoyable

·         Nothing that indicates excellence or world-class; consider incorporating

·         Leadership helps define the role of the RSCVA

·         Our unique personality attracts people to visit, how do people perceive our personality?

·         Some groups that like to come for some reasons and other choose to go other places; based on the perception and getting the right groups

·         The personality of our market; everyone likes to feel like a VIP; friendly people

·         We have the world’s best climate and we have so many assets that are not well used; not aware of our attractions in some areas; confused and concerned about room prices, would go with the lower price; people are looking for more action and our attractions beat those of many other places

·         Change the perception of our community and not rely on gaming not being the central point; there is not a consensus between RSCVA, cities and county; investment in the RSLEC is helping to make it more attractive 

·         Word adventure might be excluding some, maybe fun; look at the demos; younger audience is a small segment in comparison with Baby Boomers

Dick – Stronger role in shaping the industry, backed by strong leadership; summarize -

Regionalization, Quality, Special events and Attractions, Leadership, Community agreement

RSCVA Businesses and Core Services

·         Lack of awareness of what we have in the marketplace; focus on marketing our product; have to take a hard look at the facilities and what are cash drains on the facilities and are not vital to the mission of the RSCVA

·         Maintenance of facilities

·         Changing the model might be the thing that comes out of the discussions and if we look at it as it is now, we’re disregarding looking at central services if it changes; based on the current model, the money we are spending to attract our visitors is dismal compared to other markets; bet a better balance with our marketing dollars

·         Filter on it; events, marketing and sales dollars or amenities it should be attracting visitors; outside would benefit the residents

·         Agency is in a crisis; generating dollars will not happen in the short term; in the short term you need to have a crisis management plan to determine how to move forward in the process and then determine what’s important; in the process of doing that and look at the assets and what are critical for the agency and needs to take something off the books so that there can be an infusion of dollars so that they could move forward

·         TIS more inclusion of Reno as a destination to visit

·         Dick – How can you make the facilities productive

·         There’s something that’s bringing people like Safari we need to find that out; our city-wides are key to the successes of our community and if we don’t put marketing dollars toward building that then we’ll loose them; taking large event like Safari Club, they are not selecting us based on the room rate

·         Marketing dollars has a need to balance, business, recreation and gaming to partner

·         We have Safari because of the RSCC, but if we don’t have top quality places for people to come and stay, that will become an issue

Dick - Marketing, research, raise quality of area

Key Issues

·         International tourism building; have to look ahead for tourism and look to build those markets now to grow for the future; have RSCVA continue to work with the NCOT on international new markets

·         11 million millionaires in China, they love the western heritage and gaming

·         Erin Fitzsimmons, RTC – Partnership within the community; focus on partnerships

·         Look at it as a great place to visit; is it really a good place to visit; how can we promote that when asked by visitors; make it easier to look and access; can we make it better; how do you make this a uniquely great place to visit

·         To develop out uniqueness and define it for the visitor; factor that in especially in consideration of downtown redevelopment; redeveloped areas might have an adverse affect right now

·         Importance of creating new events; continue to grow those that make us unique; regenerate ourselves

·         Reno is beautiful; Sunday drive service and drive around the city

·         Not sure if this is a great place to walk around town, what’s the appeal factor; city of Reno needs to continue with its redevelopment; education with locals about what’s available; time to reach out to one another; team work and be cooperative in our efforts

·         TIA according to study – dining, shopping and entertainment; quality of entertainment is the same as the Indian gaming properties; elevate the quality and bring them to Reno; that would be an attraction

·         Encourage everyone to go downtown and check it out; there’s something going on; the downtown area is growing and becoming better; a campaign for locals to support and see what’s going on

·         Do we spread our wings outside of Sacramento and No. Cal. or do we look at different segments or look at vertical segments; re-look at who we talk to;

·         Perception, we haven’t done a good job educating the community about what the role and importance to our economy and is one of the most efficient of our community – letting people know that RSCVA is more than just for the gaming properties; break the mold and think outside the box and that the funding mechanism and that its model might not be right considering the current environment and look at other areas

·         Shopping and what its looking like downtown; improve the quality

·         Arts and museums; improvements at the National Automobile Museum; success of Artown and what it has to offer

·         Marketing is important, collectively for what we’ve had to work with we’ve done a good job spread the word; where’s the money coming from?; do you want to be in the property business or in the marketing business and enhance the regional product

·         Partnerships and spread it out to the local business economy and make our convention travelers welcome and how we can make them want to come back; sell them while there here; exceptional service; provide a warm welcome and we can do this based on our size of the community

Public Meeting Invite

Ellen Oppenheim, RSCVA CEO & President

The strategic plan for the RSCVA is an important project to help determine the future direction of the RSCVA. In recent years, the RSCVA has not looked very far ahead. I believe that we need to develop a strategic plan that provides the organization with a road map for at least the next three to five years. We need to do it in a way that reaches out and encourages community participation and develops a shared vision of the future. Joining our team in a facilitator-consulting capacity for this project is Dick Bostdorff. With his background as VP and General Manager at SBC/Nevada Bell, Chairman of EDAWN, and service on the Nevada Commission for Economic Development, plus over a decade in Reno, his guidance will be helpful in reaching our goal.

We are beginning the process of gathering input now, with a goal of having a draft plan by February and adoption in March or April, 2007. We would appreciate your time at the first community meeting on Tuesday, November 7th at 6 p.m. in the Reno-Sparks Convention Center room B-6. We will be discussing and soliciting your input on the mission, services and big issues related to the RSCVA role and responsibilities.

I hope to see you on November 7th! Please RSVP to Charlotte at canderson@rscva.com no later than Thursday, November 2nd.

If you are unable to make the meeting, my strategic plan blog will be updated regularly as developments present themselves. This tool is another way to invite your input and participation. We hope you will take the time to post your comments. Check back for regular updates.

Public Input Meeting Notes

Key Issues

• New mission better than old - puts meat on the bones.
• Heritage tourism (history) is very important. Specifically RSCVA promotes heritage tourism reasonably well, but seems like an after-thought. Needs more focus on the value of the heritage of northern Nevada? Travel Industry of America sites that heritage travelers spend $623 vs. $427 per trip and stay 5.2 nights vs. 3.4 nights and 10 million overseas visitors come to U.S. for heritage tourism reasons. Nevada Commission on Tourism has an office in China. People think of the “old west” as something special in Reno. It’s been minimalized and should be a priority.
• Cooperation among RTIA and RSCVA is crucial to the success and using history to connect the region would be mutually beneficial.
• Levis jeans were invented in Reno on Virginia Street and there is a plaque directly across from the main entrance of Harrah’s on Virginia Street.
• Raise the ADR will help across all RSCVA efforts.
• Reno has a problem with its self-image. The marketing is narrow. Expand from just gaming and adventure. America’s Adventure Place – the word place is the wrong word. Sounds like we are talking to kindergartners. We need to think of another way to promote the destination. Indian casinos are not the threat we thought they would be and Vegas is our main competition. Vegas is fake. Reno is real. Real mountains, real lake, real cowboys, real fishing etc. “Reno the real deal” is the suggested tagline. RTI students have worked up a campaign. Encouraged RSCVA to consider the concepts.
• We have a perception problem. Disagree with negative comments about Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place (RTAAP). Vegas positioned as a family-destination and it did not work. Cautioned RSCVA to examine tagline as relates to the Vegas experience.
• 9% of visitors ski
• 18 major ski areas – largest concentration of ski resorts in Northern America – do we do enough to fulfill on positioning through RTAAP?
• Need to stop subsidizing Street Vibrations and Hot August Nights and put more focus into the winter sports offerings.
• I have 30 years experience in luxury hotel business and new to Reno – the slide with the rates was shocking. That is a mission that I have taken personally. I will not play in the game – it is self-defeating as it lowers the marketing budget. 53% spent on hard assets. $4.5 million on marketing is chump change. RSCVA has no business running hard assets. RSCVA should be laser focused on generating tourism solely.
• $66.83 ADR is unbelievable. We need to turn the negative into the positive. RTAAP broad and general. We have advantages here. Value and cheap are two different things. We can market using the value proposition like Southwest Airlines and Target. Reno has the opportunity now before we become a mature destination.
• ADR is a hard issue. To get all hotels to work together would help. RSCVA should lead the way. Downtown properties work together to make downtown safe and support the new developments in town.
• Dick – there have been recurring themes – we are consistently hearing that it may not be the mission of the RSCVA but RSCVA, EDAWN, Airport, all hotel properties (etc) must all work together.
• Labor pool is low quality. Hotels need to pay higher wages.
• RSCVA should push variety and access.
• ADR is a critical issue. Gaming brings the rate down b/c they are designed to get people in and are subsidized by gambling to make up the revenue. We have to keep in mind that we are a gaming location. The ADR can still be raised, but gaming must be taken into consideration when comparing.
• Need to focus on gaming. We have moved away from it. It is still the main reason for tourism.
• Need to clean up downtown.
• Need to reinvest in properties.
• Need to invest our dollars in marketing. If golf can’t support itself then you should sell it.
• Casinos need to collaborate more on visitor experience to encourage the revisit.
• Question – what are the properties saying about the ADR?
• August room tax was record high - $77 ADR.
• All general managers say it should be higher. Need to have collective courage.
• RSCVA considering building a revenue management tool so that there is a place that revenue managers can see exactly what the occupancy levels are at on each particular day.
• RSCVA needs to provide meaningful data to make smart decisions based on what is happening in the market.
• RSCVA needs to book more convention room night occupancy levels to provide the base for hotel room nights.
• Why are you the organization that collects room tax?
• Can you divest of assets (facilities)?
• Do we study other cities best practices? Ellie responded yes and will continue to evaluate.
• Ellie response to divesting of assets: RSCVA needs to narrow the focus – however another thought - if we manage facilities well they should be a competitive advantage for the destination if we can do it in a cost-effective way.
• Tonight there are three sales managers hosting 28 potential clients at a dinner in Washington, D.C..

Group Input Exercise on RSVCA Core Services and Budget Allocation Percentage

Non-Fixed Costs          Current %        Group Input %

Facility Operations         41.8%               13.2%

Golf Operations             11.9%               2.4%

Special Events              1.9%                 12.8%

Convention Sales          17%                  20%

Tourism and Marketing   15%                  36.8%

Room Tax Collections    1.7%                 2.8%

General and Admin        10%                  8%

Visitor Centers/Services 0.7%                 4%

·         Is there one segment that will have more weight as you consider input?

·         Objective is to get equal input from all properties. Expectation is that there will be some common themes.

Public Meeting Invite

We are interested in what you have to say in regards to the Strategic Planning process for the RSCVA. If you were unable to make our first workshop, mark your calendars for the second opportunity. The RSCVA will host another community workshop on Wednesday, November 15, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in meeting room D6 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m..

Please RSVP to Charlotte Anderson via email at canderson@rscva.com or call her at 827-7618 no later than Monday, November 13 about your participation on November 15.

Thank you for your continued support.