A) I could see an April/May outdoor competition with Skiing at Diamond Peak, Wind Surfing at Washoe Lake, and Rafting downtown.

B) I could also see enticing select TV programs to tape shows in Reno. Why can’t we get Reno911 to actually shoot here?

C) And I can see the RSCVA promoting new TV programming from within as well.

Reno has some uniqueness which has broad appeal to TV audiences such as: high tech; alternate medicine/medical cutting edge; water resources/agriculture; mining/engineering; history; outdoor competition; and much more.

These things present areas of opportunity from which a TV show can arise. For example, there may be a show about alternative medicine and doctors who practice this type of medicine and their celebrity clientele. (Yes, big celebrities come to Reno for medicine not allowed elsewhere. The best alternative medicine doctors are here.) Maybe this is an A&E or Bravo program?

Reno has a lot of unused potential when it comes to original programming and this should be explored with local writers and producers, the film commission, and others.

TV shows can take many forms like reality v. scripted and competition event v. talk show. Topics can cover a myriad of possibilities. Broadcast outlets offer choice and selection. It’s another world to explore when you get around to it.

I will try to paraphrase some main points from my answers.

1. I suggest a tiered system of funding with the lowest tier needing minimal paperwork and marketing figures and the highest tier needing detailed marketing plans and use of a housing/reservation system.

2. Funding criteria should be predicated on an event’s ability to target and reach RSCVA’s targeted visitor. Advertising exposure such as reach and repetition, competition and clutter, and audience/reader figures and demographics must be factored into the decision to fund an event. Possibly a buffer is needed on any visitor/tax revenue projection due to foreseeable variables?

3. The RSCVA must invest in their own research to the tune of $100,000 a year and encompassing at least a dozen events. Research will direct RSCVA spending and help to direct other local agencies to make capital improvements for visitors to various attractions such as: the Black Rock Desert; the Gem Cave; and Petroglyph Sites, as some examples. Or to convert the Bowling Stadium into a Science and History Museum.

4. The RSCVA must be advertising specialists able to arrive at their own projection of Room Nights, the ADR, and tax revenue. The RSCVA must know their visitor, audience/reader, and how to reach them better than anybody. The RSCVA must decide what its return on marketing investment goals are. See 9 and 10 below.

5. The RSCVA must provide co-op marketing such as Internet advertising. It must also provide ad placement assistance and overall marketing guidelines.

6. The RSCVA needs to separate branding from special event advertising. Don’t confuse the two. This relates to the RTO and getting back to RSCVA goals and plans which is about getting more bang for marketing buck.

7. The RSCVA needs to develop a branding strategy which includes special events small and large and which fits their mission statement. Since branding per se’ is not about increasing visitation how does it fit into the “increase revenue” part of things? Why should funds be directed at projecting a, “we look good, you should feel good about us, and you should keep thinking about us” message?

8. The RSCVA needs to sponsor/co-sponsor more national media events and more events overall, including events outside Washoe County.

9. What events don’t do any out-of-area marketing and which are requesting funding?
Can such an event meet the minimal room night criteria? What is that criteria exactly?
For $10,000 of RSCVA funds, what do you want for it?

10. Is making a return on the marketing investment a goal? Or do you want to raise the ADR and room night rentals thereby increasing tax revenues? Or do you want to build awareness by itself?

COMMENT: RSCVA benefits from quantity and quality of its funded special events. This has more to do with visitor experience than Room Nights and the ADR. When the experience is right for the visitor they go home happy and tell their friends about it. That’s invaluable in terms of marketing because it will translate into new and repeat visitation which is one of the RSCVA’s goals.

Funding events is not a cut and dry decision because there are many variables in terms of advertising, weather, economy, and visitor habits. Because of this the RSCVA needs to focus its attention on the targeted visitor and spend accordingly while not getting bogged down projecting every penny possible.

Generating national exposure and branding through special events is a great idea though considerable thought needs to be given as to what package the RSCVA can offer such an event. Thought must be given to how a branding campaign fits into spending, goals, and the mission statement.

Special Events are a critical component to Reno as a fun destination.

I think the most important issue here is how to best allocate limited funds for any event. The RSCVA is considering a barometer that relates to media exposure versus attendance. Yikes this is a can of worms.

I can see the political and financial motivations of those voices that would pursue the media exposure events. I won’t go into detail now but suffice it to say that media exposure is secondary to providing the best possible experience for the visitor. In other words, our greatest goal is repeat visitors and word of mouth marketing.

Providing the best possible travel experience may have nothing to do with media exposure events. Media exposure as a criteria for funding events is a loaded proposition that would kill our main events that are not focused on media attention and which rely on the RSCVA’s money. Can you imagine a Reno without the Air Races, Street Vibrations, and others?

Okay so the counter-argument is that we need more better exposure and that can be achieved through the right special events.

Yeah okay, so I question the selection of the so-called media events because there is uncharted territory here. Maybe the solution is to help build certain events like Street Vibrations so it can garner media attention? Or maybe we need something altogether new that fits more in line with attracting a targeted visitor? What then would be that target and how does that trickle down to funding special events?

I have answers to these questions which will come out as I discuss statistics and then intepret those stats into a clear and concise leisure tourism strategic plan. I will eventually bring it home to the topic of funding special events which I see as the icing on the cake of the RSCVA’s overall plan. Look for my comments in the Strategic Thread.