[2. Call to order and adoption of Agenda] [00:00:04] OKAY. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A CALL TO ORDER. WE'RE STARTING THE MEETING AT 4 P.M., AND WOULD YOU MIND DOING THE PLEDGE? SURE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. TEXAS PLEDGE. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD. ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL. I'LL ASK EACH CVB DIRECTOR TO INDICATE YOUR PRESENCE BY RESPONDING WITH SOME AUDIBLE SOUND OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS I CALL ROLL. CINDY. HAUSER. HERE. NAOMI GONZALEZ HERE. CAMERON KLEPAC HERE. ADAM LAMB HERE. HANK RILEY HERE. WELCOME YOUR FIRST MEETING HERE. THANK YOU. GLAD TO BE HERE. AND MONIQUE SHARP. OKAY. WE HAVE THE SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO MAKE A QUORUM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA. PLEASE REVIEW THE AGENDA FOR ADOPTION. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RESPOND BY SAYING AYE AND RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. JULIE, DO WE HAVE ANY ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY. NONE OF YOU OUT THERE WANT TO COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT ANYTHING? OKAY. AGENDA ITEM FOUR RECEIVE, CONSIDER AND APPROVE MINUTES FROM THE JULY 2026 BOARD MEETING. [4. Receive, consider and approve Minutes from the July 2026 Regular Board Meeting] PLEASE REVIEW THE MINUTES FROM THE BOARD MEETING ON JULY 15TH, 2026. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE BOARD MEETING ON JULY 15TH, 2026. MOTION SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RESPOND BY SAYING I AM RAISING YOUR HAND. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AGENDA FIVE RECEIVE, CONSIDER AND ACT UPON THE PROPOSED 2027 BUDGET [5. Receive, consider and act upon the proposed 2027 Budget for Visit The Woodlands, including consideration of funding for Strategic Initiatives discussed during the July 15, 2026 Strategic Planning Session] FOR. VISIT THE WOODLANDS, INCLUDING CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES DISCUSSED DURING THE JULY 15TH, 2026 STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION. NICK WILDER PRESIDENT. YES, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN NELSON. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT HERE TODAY AND FOR SETTING THIS MEETING THAT WE SET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AFTER WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION, A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION, STRONG CONVERSATION, VERY HEALTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN 2026 AND WHERE WE ANTICIPATE GOING IN 2027 AND BEYOND. SO TODAY, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO REFRESH ALL OF YOU HERE ON THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE THE MONTH OF MAY. A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS HAVE COME IN, AND WE'VE TRIED TO INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE CONCEPTS. YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THAT AS WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR 2027. WE WANTED TO KEEP UP. BASICALLY, WE FEEL LIKE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR BLOCKING AND TACKLING VERY, VERY WELL. RIGHT? OUR BREAD AND BUTTER OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING OF BRINGING BUSINESS MEETINGS HERE, CONVENTIONS HERE, CORPORATE MEETINGS HERE, THE LEISURE TRAVEL AS WELL. YOU MIGHT RECALL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHERE THE NEED POINTS WERE. AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE GOING TO REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL CREATIVE THINKING, BUT ALSO SOME CREATIVE FUNDING. AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT FAIRLY SHORT PRESENTATION THAT I HAVE. ELIZABETH WILL COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THE, THE BASE BUDGET FOR 2027. AND THEN JOSIE WILL COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THE SALES APPROACH AND SOME THINGS WHEN WE LOOK AT FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUDGET WISE REVENUE PROJECTIONS, WE'RE PROJECTING A SLIGHT INCREASE INTO 2027. REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT TOPPING THE 10,000 OR 10,000, $10 MILLION MARK THAT HAPPENED IN 2024 AND THE HOTEL TAX COLLECTION 2025. WE MIGHT BE A BIT HARD PRESSED THIS YEAR IF WE HAD ONE OF OUR MAIN PLAYERS ONLINE FOR MOST OF THE YEAR, WE, I THINK THERE WOULD BE NO DOUBT. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT WE JUST LEARNED ABOUT IN THE LAST WEEK THAT IS NOW RENOVATING. THAT'S A BIG PLAYER IN THE PAVILION CONCERT SEASON AND THEY WILL BE OFFLINE. 25% OF THE TIME OVER THE NEXT MONTH, WHICH WAS A SURPRISE FOR US PARTICULARLY DURING A BUSY PAVILION SEASON TIME. [00:05:10] AND SO YOU GOT A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE, HAVE CROPPED UP ON US THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT IN THE BUDGET TIME FRAME. SO BUT WE'RE GOING TO POWER THROUGH. WE HOPE THAT THAT CAN BE ABSORBED BY SOME OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE THE PAVILION IS A STRONG DRIVER FOR OUR LEISURE MARKET IN, IN OVERNIGHT STAYS. SO LET'S AMBER, IF WE COULD LOOK AT THE, THIS TIMELINE. SO THIS IS JUST TO REFRESH EVERYBODY HOW WE ARE, WHERE WE ARE HERE TODAY. SO WE FOLLOW THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BUDGET PROCESS THAT'S HEADED UP BY OUR PRESIDENT OF THE TOWNSHIP, MONIQUE SHARP, AS WELL AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER KELAN SHAW, WHO'S HERE TODAY AND DIRECTOR OF BUDGETING AND PROCUREMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE. KARL. KARL SHAW THAT'S HERE TODAY HELPING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO WE FOLLOW INTO THAT PROCESS OF THE WHAT THE TOWNSHIP DOES. AND SO THOSE DEADLINES WERE BACK IN MAY WHETHER STAFFING CAPITAL AND OPERATING. SO STAFFING NO NEW STAFFING IN THE CVB. NONE THAT FOR EITHER NEXT YEAR OR EVEN IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN CAPITAL BUDGET, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR NEEDS IN THAT AS WELL. AND IT'S THE OPERATING BUDGET, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WE PUT THAT INTO THE SYSTEM BACK IN MAY, AND WE HAD HAD CONVERSATION HERE AND VISIT THE WOODLANDS ABOUT THAT. AND IF THERE WERE ANY ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT ANYBODY SAW OR WANTED TO PUT IN THERE, WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, SOME CONVERSATIONS. WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. AND THEN THEN IN AUGUST WE WILL HAVE. YOU'LL SEE. IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT ON THIS SLIDE OR DOES IT. YEAH IT DOES. WEEK OF AUGUST 17TH IS THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OF WHICH DIRECTOR HEIZER, CHAIRMAN NELSON AND DIRECTOR LAMB SIT ON. THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WILL HAVE A SERIES OF PUBLIC WORKSHOPS FOR THE BUDGET. THEY START ON A MONDAY. THEY GO MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, I THINK EVEN FRIDAY IS ON RESERVED ON THE CALENDAR FOR THAT TO TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING TOWNSHIP AND WE'RE IN THAT PORTION OF EVERYTHING TOWNSHIP THAT THEN GETS APPROVED. AND THEN IT MOVES FORWARD INTO OTHER PROCESSES. SO THAT'S JUST THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN TODAY. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS BE ABLE TO SEND WHAT WE FEEL LIKE AS VISIT THE WOODLANDS, OUR BUDGET THAT WE ARE REQUESTING FROM THE TOWNSHIP. AGAIN, FOR THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING TO THIS WEBCAST. THIS IS ALL FUNDED FROM HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. SO IT'S FUNDED BY VISITOR SPENDING DOLLARS. IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF PROPERTY TAX OR SALES TAX OR MIXED USE TAX. IT'S COMING OUT OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. OKAY. JUST TAKE A LOOK A BIT HISTORICALLY OF WHAT THE BUDGET HAS BEEN FOR. VISIT THE WOODLANDS OVER THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS GOING BACK TO 2020. YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS IS HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS. AND SO TO MOVE FROM 2026 TO 2027, LOOKING AT A VERY SMALL INCREASE, AND THIS IS A, I BELIEVE, CARL, FULLY LOADED, WHAT WE ANTICIPATE THAT HAS IN PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. SO ALL IN WHAT STAFF IS SAYING IS NEED ABOUT A A 6% INCREASE FOR 2027. AND WE'RE GOING TO BREAK THAT DOWN AS WE GO FORWARD. WE DO HAVE OUR OWN SELF, I GUESS, MEASUREMENTS, AND WE'D LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO TO KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE AND WHAT OUR SUCCESS FACTORS ACHIEVING THE RECORD LEVEL OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION IS REALLY OUR BIGGEST UNIT OF MEASUREMENT THAT WE LIKE TO, TO ACCOMPLISH. WE, WE LIKE TO SEE SALES TAX GO UP. WE FEEL LIKE THAT WE HAVE A, A PORTION, A SMALL PART OF THAT, BUT SALES TAX IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE. THERE'S SALES TAX ON ALL KINDS OF THINGS. MONIQUE. WHAT LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT ON. RIGHT. BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE DO FROM RETAIL SALES AND ACCOMMODATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WE DON'T USE IT AS A UNIT OF MEASUREMENT PER SE, BUT WE, WE LIKE TO SEE THAT THAT REVENUE STREAM IS INCREASING, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. BUT THAT'S SO MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT. AND THEN OTHER THINGS LIKE THE, THE GUIDES THAT WE DISTRIBUTE PATHWAY CIRCULATION, SITE TOURS, LEADS WORK. JOSIE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT MEETINGS BOOKED VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. [00:10:02] AND THEN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA IN ELECTRONIC MEDIA OF WEBSITES, ADVERTISING IMPRESSIONS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO CALL ON ELIZABETH AND SHE'S GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THIS BASELINE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE. AND THEN JOSIE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR SALES APPROACH, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT SOME INITIATIVES FOR 2027. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. SO AS WE KIND OF MOVE THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS, WE GENERALLY WORK WITHIN FOUR BUCKETS. OUR FOUR BUCKETS INCLUDE OUR GENERAL EXPENDITURES, WHICH IS REALLY OUR ADMINISTRATION COSTS, OUR STAFF, OUR BENEFITS AND THAT SORT OF THING, AS WELL AS OUR OFFICE SPACE AND JUST GENERAL OFFICE NEEDS. AND THEN OUR MARKETING BUDGET WITHIN THAT STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH ARE BIG EVENTS AND THINGS THAT WE PARTNER ON WITH OUTSIDE GROUPS AND ANY SORT OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVE THAT WE ADD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR CONVENTION SALES, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BACK TO OUR BREAD AND BUTTER, THAT IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST YOU KNOW, GENERATING ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO FUND VERY WELL. AND WE DO HAVE SOME KIND OF THE MARKETING BUDGET INCLUDES SALES MARKETING. SO THAT IS WHY THAT PIECE OF THAT PIE IS BIGGER FOR MARKETING. IT IS BECAUSE THE MARKETING OF SALES IS IN THE MARKETING BUDGET. SO FOR GENERAL EXPENDITURES, AGAIN, THAT BREAKDOWN GOES INTO OUR OFFICE FEES AS WELL AS THE CONTRACTED SERVICES VENDORS THAT WE EMPLOY, INCLUDING EQUIPMENT, DATA SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. THAT ALSO INCLUDES ANY EQUIPMENT OR VEHICLE THAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT LINE. THANK YOU. AMBER. AND THEN AS WE MOVE INTO STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, THIS IS WHERE WE START GETTING INTO THE PROGRAMING OF OUR DEPARTMENT. THIS IS VISITOR SERVICES, SPECIAL EVENTS, TOURISM INITIATIVES, ADVOCACY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MAJOR SPONSOR AGREEMENTS THAT WE MAY WORK ON WITH THINGS AT TOWN GREEN PARK OR OTHER BIG EVENTS, AS WELL AS OUR MARKET RESEARCH AND BOOTH DEVELOPMENT. AS WE GO ON THE ROAD AND REPRESENT THE WOODLANDS, WE WANT A REPRESENTATION THAT MATCHES WHAT THEY SEE WHEN THEY COME IN DESTINATION. SO THAT IS JUST THE DIFFERENT BREAKDOWN IS REALLY JUST HOW KIND OF FOR MORE INTERNAL BOOKKEEPING ON OUR SIDE. THAT'S HOW WE THINK OF THOSE, THOSE BUCKETS OF MONEY AND THE BUCKETS OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. VISITOR SERVICES IS OUR KIOSK. IT'S AT MARKET STREET, SO THAT'S REALLY OUR WAY THAT WE HAVE A FRIENDLY FACE WELCOMING VISITORS THAT COME IN. THAT'S WHERE WE PUT OUR VISITOR GUIDES. THAT'S WHERE WE PUT OUR WELCOME GIFTS. IF ANY SORT OF CLIENT COMES IN OVER A WEEKEND. THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO TELL THEM. START HERE AT MARKET STREET. GET A, YOU KNOW, IN PERSON WELCOME AND THEN GO FROM THERE. THEY GIVE RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS, HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY'RE A GREAT FRONT LINE STAFF AND WE APPRECIATE THAT PARTNERSHIP OVER SO MANY YEARS. SPECIAL EVENTS WOULD INCLUDE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THINGS LIKE IRON MAN, THE WOODLANDS WATERWAY ARTS FESTIVAL, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT DRAW A BIG AUDIENCE FROM OUTSIDE IN ADVOCACY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IS OUR EFFORTS OUT OF AREA TO AGAIN, PROSPECT BUSINESS, BRING MORE BUSINESS IN, AND THEN THOSE SITE VISITS THAT WILL COME WITH THAT WHEN WE DO DEVELOP, THOSE PARTNERSHIPS CAN MOVE INTO THE NEXT AS WE MOVE INTO OUR MARKETING, THIS IS WHERE WE START TO REALLY SEE THE BUSINESS OF THE ACTUAL OFFICE, HOW WE'RE STARTING TO UTILIZE THOSE TOOLS AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO ARE PAID ADVERTISING BUDGET. YOU WILL ALSO SEE AN ITEM. I'LL JUST STOP HERE AND SAY, WE DO HAVE AN AGENCY OF RECORD THAT HELPS US WITH THIS PART OF OUR BUDGET. SO ONCE WE GET THIS PART OF THE BUDGET APPROVED, THEN WE COME BACK TO YOU IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH THE ACTUAL MEDIA PLAN. SO THIS IS NOT THE MEDIA PLAN PART. SO THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWNS OF WHAT THEY WE NOW GIVE THEM THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. THEY GO IN AND DO ALL OF THE PROSPECTING FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES. THEY SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE, AND THEN THEY COME BACK TO US WITH A PRESENTATION THAT WE IN TURN GIVE TO YOU IN THIS BOARD MEETING. SO THAT INCLUDES ADVERTISING, ANY NEW BRANDING THAT WE MAY UTILIZE OUR SALES AND MARKETING COLLATERAL PIECES, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US, OUR WEBSITE AND DIGITAL TOOLS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE HAVE HAD A PROJECT KIND OF IN A HOLDING AFTER OUR LAST BRANDING TO REFRESH OUR WEBSITE, REALLY WORK ON THE WEBSITE. WE THINK TECHNOLOGY IS KIND OF COME A LONG WAY IN THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. SO NOW WE'RE REALLY LOOKING MORE AT AN AI OPTIMIZED WEBSITE VERSUS KIND OF BEING EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE TO JUST SAY, HOW DO WE JUST GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED? IF SOMEONE IS JUST SAYING, WHAT'S THE BAG POLICY AT THE PAVILION? LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THEY'RE GETTING THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. WHAT'S THE PARKING, ALL THESE KIND OF QUESTIONS. SO WE'RE REALLY GOING TO LEAN IN MORE TO OUR VENDORS TO SAY, HOW DO WE OPTIMIZE THIS FOR AI? HOW DO WE OPTIMIZE THIS FOR SEARCH ENGINE? PEOPLE THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY ASKING A REAL QUESTION WHERE WE DO USE THE WEBSITE A LOT IS THROUGH OUR SALES DEPARTMENT. THAT'S HOW THEIR CLIENTS FIND THEM PROSPECT, THEY CAN PUT THEIR LEADS IN AND THEN THEY IMMEDIATELY GET A RETURN MESSAGE BACK. [00:15:01] THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEAD. WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS WITH YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO CONNECT YOU. SO THOSE TYPES OF TOOLS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US. AS WE WORK THROUGH THE MARKETING PART OF THE NEW THE NEW BUDGET ALLOCATIONS US REALLY REFRESHING AND WORKING REALLY HARD TO UPGRADE. OUR PHOTOGRAPHY CONTINUES TO BE A PROJECT THAT WE ALWAYS WILL WORK ON. NOTHING SELLS THE WOODLANDS BETTER THAN TRUTH IN ADVERTISING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS. SO WE'VE GOT A FANTASTIC ON SITE TEAM THAT DOES PHOTO AND VIDEO FOR US. BUT WE DO ALSO NEED DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY, SPECIALTY PHOTOGRAPHY, BIGGER PIECES THAT WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE WE GET EVERYTHING, NOT JUST THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN-HOUSE. SO WE WILL ALSO INCREASE THIS YEAR. AMBER ACTUALLY MAY HAVE YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO FOR SOME NEW INITIATIVES FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO INCREASE OUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT WITH PAID SEARCH AND SOCIAL DRIVING. MORE MEETINGS, INQUIRIES. ON THE SALES SIDE, WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THOSE LEADS AS THE CLIENTS COME TO US AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE WOODLANDS? WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALWAYS GETTING THAT TOUCH FROM US WORKING ON THAT, BECAUSE WE DO GENERATE A LOT OF INTEREST AND A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THAT. ON THE LEISURE SIDE, CONTINUING TO DO PR ADVERTORIALS, WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT THAT DRIVE MARKET AS WE GET PEOPLE IN AND THEN DO STRATEGIC PLACEMENTS OUT OF AREA BEYOND TEXAS, BEYOND HOUSTON, BEYOND THAT AREA, TO AGAIN, WORK WITH EXPEDIA, WORK WITH ONLINE BOOKING AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR THE HOUSTON AREA, THEY THINK OF THE WOODLANDS AND WE'RE RIGHT THERE FRONT AND CENTER. AND WE HAVE. I THINK THE NEXT ONE GOES INTO OUR SALES PRESENTATION. YEAH. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO JOSE AND LET HER GIVE YOU A MORE SPECIFIC BREAKDOWN ON THE SALES APPROACH. THANK YOU ELIZABETH. GOOD AFTERNOON. AS WE LOOK AT OUR PROPOSED 2027 SALES BUDGET YOU WILL SEE OUR BASE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION IS $413,000. THAT BUDGET IS PUT TOWARDS OUR A COMPLETE OVERSIGHT OF OUR FULL SALES LIFE CYCLE. SO AS OUR TEAM IS GOING OUT TO TRADE SHOWS AND SALES MISSIONS, GENERATING THOSE NEW LEADS THEN AS WE'RE TRYING TO CONVERT THOSE LEADS INTO BOOKED BUSINESS IN OUR HOTEL PROPERTIES THROUGH INCENTIVE FUNDS AND SITE TOURS. AND THEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BID PROPOSAL AND FULFILLMENT EXPERIENCE THROUGH OUR SERVICING PROGRAM WITH JULIE AS WELL. SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND JUMP ON TO. IN 2027 WE HAVE OUR RECOMMENDING FOR NEW FOCUS AREAS AND INITIATIVES. THE FIRST ONE BEING THE RETURN TO THE WOODLANDS CAMPAIGN. AND THIS WILL BE A REENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN WITH EVENT PLANNERS THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED EVENTS IN THE WOODLANDS AREA, BUT HAVE LEFT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. HOW DO WE REENGAGE THEM TO COME BACK TO THE WOODLANDS AND REENGAGING WITH EVENT PLANNERS THAT HAVE BEEN TO SOME OF OUR HOSTED EVENTS OR FAM EXPERIENCES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS? HOW DO WE REENGAGE THEM TO GET MORE ROI OUT OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES? THE NEXT ONE IS THE WOODLANDS DELIVERED INITIATIVE. SO THAT IS US TAKING THE WOODLANDS EXPERIENCE DIRECTLY TO OUR KEY MARKETS AND KEY CLIENTS. SO THAT IS GOING AND REALLY WORKING ON OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR KEY CLIENTS TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE WOODLANDS. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR INDUSTRY IS SO FOCUSED ON RELATIONSHIPS. OUR NEXT ONE IS WE WANT TO REFOCUS ON CURATED FAN EXPERIENCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR HOTEL PROPERTIES. THIS YEAR, AFTER WE HOSTED LEADERSHIP WITH THE TSA OR ASSOCIATION AUDIENCE, AND WE HAVE CONNECT TEXAS AND MEDICAL AND BIZBASH SPORTS INNOVATION FORUM. THAT'S A LONG ONE, BUT COMING UP IN OCTOBER. SO THOSE ARE ESSENTIALLY OUR FAN EXPERIENCES FOR THIS YEAR. NEXT YEAR, OUTSIDE OF HOSTING THESE BIG EVENTS, WE'RE LOOKING TO CURATE THOSE MORE WITH REALLY FOCUSED EVENT PLANNERS TO COME IN AND HAVE SMALLER ONE ON ONE EXPERIENCES WITH THOSE PLANNERS. AND THEN WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO USE SOME OF OUR INCENTIVES BUDGET TO REALLY PUT DOLLARS BEHIND PUSHING BUSINESS INTO OUR ACTUAL NEED PERIODS ON THE GROUP SIDE. SO THAT AGAIN, WOULD BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR HOTEL PROPERTIES TO REALLY LOOK WHAT ARE THOSE NEED DATES AND HOW DO WE FIND THE RIGHT PIECES OF BUSINESS TO FILL THOSE? AND THEN WHAT DO INCENTIVES LOOK LIKE TO GET THOSE GROUPS BOOKED HERE? SO THAT IS OUR PLAN FOR 2027. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LOTS GOING ON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ELIZABETH AND JOSIE. SO BOARD, THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE $4 MILLION AND A LITTLE IN SOME OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL ON. IF YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS ON THAT SEGMENT OF IT. BE GLAD TO ANSWER THOSE RIGHT NOW OR EVEN AFTER I CONTINUE ON, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF MORE THINGS TO TALK ABOUT, [00:20:02] AND THIS IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN 2027 IS KEEP UP THE SAME THING THAT WE'RE DOING. THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND CHANGE IT UP JUST A BIT AS YOU HEARD. ANY ANY THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS ON IT? GOOD. ALL RIGHT. WELL, LET'S MOVE ON. ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S REFRESH WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE DOCTOR CHRIS NUNES HERE, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP. AND WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY VERY GOOD FRIENDS BUT EVEN BESTEST OF FRIENDS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, IN A FEW MONTHS, I GUESS TALKING ABOUT SOME NEW THINGS. AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF HIS HELP. HIS EXPERTISE IS SECOND TO NONE AND AN INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT HE HAS. SO WE MIGHT, CHRIS, HAVE JUST A QUICK LITTLE UPDATE IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO A QUICK UPDATE. WE DIDN'T SCRIPT ANY OF THIS, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING ON, COME ON UP. SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT THESE THINGS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE DIDN'T WE DID MAKE ONE DECISION AND THAT WAS TO FUND SOME FIREWORKS IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. AND CHRIS AND I HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ON THIS. IF WE DO IT IN DECEMBER, WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT TRADITION. SO WE DID NOT FUND THAT IN OUR BASE BUDGET OF 2027. SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO ADD INTO THAT, INTO THAT BUDGET. ADDITIONALLY, FOR THESE OTHER ACTIVITIES AND THAT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER DAY WAS A HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE, MARDI GRAS COMMUNITY DINING TABLE, A CHRISTMAS MARKET, A LIGHTED LANTERN DISPLAY AND FIRE PODS, WATERWAY CAR SHOW EVENTS, AND CATERED BOAT ACTIVITIES. THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT DIRECTOR KLEPAC. I THINK THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED TO US TO THINK ABOUT JANUARY, RIGHT, IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND WHAT WE COULD DO. AND AMBER HEARD YOU IN THAT MEETING. SO WE'VE ALREADY FIGURED SOMETHING OUT HERE THAT WE NEED YOUR INPUT ON. AND PARTICULARLY DIRECTOR LAM, I KNOW THIS IS A SPACE THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN AND HOW WE CAN HELP OUR HOTEL PROPERTIES. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR RILEY. WE'VE TALKED WITH YOUR GROUP, AND THEY'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT SAYING HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN THE WOODLANDS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY WOULD BE FANTASTIC. AND SO THIS IS EARLY ON ON WHAT WE'RE DOING. THE HOTEL'S GOING TO BE A KEY PART ON THIS. THIS WOULD NOT COST US REALLY ADDITIONAL MONEY, WOULD PUT SOME DOLLARS KIND OF REARRANGE SOME DOLLARS TO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. I KNOW ELIZABETH'S OVER THERE SAYING WHAT? WAIT A MINUTE. OKAY. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING ORGANIC THAT WE CAN DO INTERNALLY AS STAFF. AND JUST KUDOS TO AMBER FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY ON THIS IN GETTING PEOPLE EXCITED. TAKE SOME WORKING WITH TOWNSHIP CREWS AND PARKS AND REC TO GET FOLKS OUT THERE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRICING IS AND WHAT ALL THAT ACTIVITY. WE JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS A GREAT SUGGESTION. DIRECTOR KLEPAC ON THAT. AND HOW EACH ONE OF YOU COULD HELP IN THIS AND HELP US ON IT. ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS? I THINK THIS IS GREAT. I MEAN, FOR ESPECIALLY FOR US AT MARKET STREET, JANUARY IS TYPICALLY ONE OF OUR SLOWEST MONTHS OUTSIDE OF JUNE. SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IDEAS AS WELL TO KIND OF BRING IN THAT WHOLE WELLNESS YOU KNOW, ACTIVATION. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY BE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WE COULD HOST SOMETHING ON MARKET STREET AS WELL, JUST BECAUSE IT WOULD HELP US WITH OUR TRAFFIC IN JANUARY. GOOD. WE THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE THAT WHEN WE BRING IT UP. THANKS FOR THINKING OF US. YEAH. GO AHEAD. ELIZABETH. WE HAVE BEEN CHATTING THIS OUT. AND AGAIN, KUDOS TO AMBER FOR TAKING THE LEAD. THE THING WE'RE ALSO REALLY LOOKING FOR ARE ORGANIZED RETREAT GROUPS. GROUPS THAT ARE ALREADY DOING CORPORATE RETREATS AND OTHER DESTINATIONS. AMBER HAS ALREADY JOINED IN WITH THE RETREAT ASSOCIATION. WAS IT THE WELLNESS RETREAT ASSOCIATION FOR LIKE SOMEONE LISTENING TO US AND THEY CREATED THIS AS SECOND, WE SAID IT OUT LOUD. BUT THAT IS A ORGANIZATION, THE WELLNESS RETREAT ORGANIZATION OF JUST PEOPLE THAT DO THESE TYPES OF WELLNESS RETREAT. SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, TIE IN WITH OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY. A TIE IN WITH DIFFERENT DOCTORS, DIFFERENT ONES. SO IF WE HAVE THESE ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES, WHO ARE THOSE TYPES OF GROUPS THAT WE CAN SAY THE WOODLANDS IS AVAILABLE TO BE THE HOST OF YOUR CORPORATE RETREAT. AND THAT'S ALSO WHAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR, IS ORGANIZE GROUPS THAT WE CAN HOST DURING THESE PERIODS. DO YOU FEEL THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO DO THAT THIS JANUARY? YES, YES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR, I THINK. SO, I MEAN, THERE'S MARKETS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, THE WINE WALK AUDIENCE, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT AUDIENCES THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN JUST HEARING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROGRAMING FOR JANUARY. SO WE'RE EXCITED. EVEN IF IT'S ONE WEEKEND OR TWO OR 3 OR 4, WE'RE WE'RE DREAMING BIG AND WORKING HARD ON THAT, BUT WE DO NEED SOME HELP. SO IF YOU GOT SOME FEEDBACK AND SOME THOUGHTS ON IT AND WOULD LIKE TO COME BY AND HELP TALK US THROUGH HELP WITH SOME OF THIS. [00:25:03] WE'LL SAY, THOUGH, THAT THE HOTELS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY RECEPTIVE. SO I WANT TO THANK AMBER AND JOSE FOR REACHING OUT AND SITTING DOWN WITH THE HOTEL PROPERTIES ON THIS. THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT IT. I THINK WHAT THIS CAN TURN INTO TWO IS GETTING PEOPLE HERE FOR A CERTAIN REASON, LIKE ONE OF THESE WEEKENDS THAT COULD SPIN OFF INTO 18 MONTHS FROM NOW, THEY'RE HOSTING THEIR, YOU KNOW, WELLNESS CONFERENCE HERE. OR MAYBE THEY HAVE YOU SEEN THE WOODLANDS? THAT PLACE IS AMAZING. WE SHOULD YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT CAN SPILL OVER TO SOMETHING A LOT BIGGER. AND YOU'RE JUST TARGETING THIS MARKET, A MARKET THAT'S KIND OF EASY TO TARGET AS FAR AS FINDING THEM. AND THEN FINDING LIKE WHAT YOU GUYS DO WELL IS JUST FINDING GROUPS THAT DO THIS AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING AN EXPOSURE TO OUR COMMUNITY TO MAYBE COME BACK FOR A BIGGER EVENT. EXACTLY. HAVE WE EVER FOCUSED ON WELLNESS BEFORE LIKE THIS? THIS IS EXCITING. IT'S NEW. IT'S A GREAT CATEGORY. IT'S A GREAT CATEGORY. I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GAP THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO FILL FOR A LONG TIME. I AGREE THE HEALTHIEST COMMUNITY IN AN INTERESTING WAY. I KNOW IT'S LIKE A NO BRAINER. GOOD. SO GREAT DISCUSSION. SO THAT CAME OUT OF THE JANUARY OR THE JULY 15TH MEETING THAT WE HAD SOME OTHER IDEAS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. IF YOU COULD JUST GO BACK ON THE SLIDE RIGHT HERE. HEY, NICK, CAN I MENTION ONE OTHER THING ON THAT? THAT HEALTHY? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. THE WEEKENDS YOU HAVE A FIVE K TEN K RUN, THE THIRD WEEK IN THE MLK. THAT'S THE SAME WEEKEND AS THE HOUSTON MARATHON. SO YOU MAY LOSE A LOT OF RUNNERS. THAT WOULD JUST LIKE TO IF YOU MOVED IT THE WEEK BEFORE AS A SHAKEOUT RACE CHECKOUT RUN FOR THE MARATHON, IT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER RECEPTION. PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO COME OUT AND RUN A 3 OR 4 MILER JUST TO GET THEMSELVES READY FOR THE MARATHON. SO JUST THINK ABOUT THAT. WHETHER YOU MOVE THAT TO THE SECOND WEEKEND RATHER THAN THE THIRD. JUST A THOUGHT. IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE A LEGAL COUNSEL THAT'S SO ATHLETIC OVER THERE. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRETT. CHRIS JUST AN UPDATE HERE WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS SPEAKING, BUT THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID OUTSIDE OF THE FIREWORKS, NICK AND I KIND OF SAT TOGETHER AND FIGURED OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DO THIS WITH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE TOWNSHIP HAT, YOU KNOW, LIMITED STAFF RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE BURDENS AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPECIAL EVENTS ALREADY IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNER THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN CONTRACTED THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP SPECTRUM WHO HAS DONE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OF OUR EVENTS FOR US. THEY RUN OUR, THE ICE RINK FOR US. THEY PROVIDE THE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR A NUMBER OF EVENTS. AND SO I REACHED OUT TO TONY. TONY LOST THE NAME. SORRY, I APOLOGIZE TONY WAS OUR MAIN CONTACT OVER THERE AND SAYS, HEY, LISTEN, CAN WE CAN WE MEET ABOUT PARADE? YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD WE OPERATIONALIZE THE PARADE? THROUGH THEIR LENS, THEY DO BIG EVENTS AS WELL. AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE HOLIDAY BOAT PARADES. WE TALKED ABOUT THE MARDI MARDI GRAS PARADES. AND SO THEY ARE WORKING ON A CONCEPTUAL PROPOSAL OF WHAT ACTUAL COSTS MIGHT, MIGHT BE, KNOWING KIND OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. NICK WAS ON THE PHONE. WE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, JUST BRAINSTORMED KIND OF KIND OF THE THINGS. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER ITEMS ON THIS LIST. AND I THINK THEY MAY HAVE SOME INTEREST AS WELL. WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHRIS KINDLE MARKET, IF I CAN EVER PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GET INTO THAT MUCH ABOUT THE LANTERN DISPLAY, BUT WE SHOWED HIM THE SLIDES ON THAT. WE TALKED ABOUT DO YOU HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES IN THE WATERWAY CAR SHOW? I DID SOME RESEARCH THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ON, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TO ME, THERE'S LIKE 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAR SHOWS. ONE IS JUST LIKE A SHOW OFF MY CAR FOR IN THE MORNING, A COUPLE OF AWARDS AND THAT NIGHT. AND THEN YOU START MOVING UP INTO WHERE REALLY THEY WANT TO BE INDOORS. AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CAR SALES AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF. SO THE RESEARCH IS GOING ON FROM THERE. AND WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT HAVE CONTACTED US OVER THE YEARS ABOUT YOU KNOW, BOATS AND THE WATERWAY AND THAT TYPE OF THING. HANG BY, HANG CLOSE JUST IN CASE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. CHRIS, DON'T GO ANYWHERE. JUST PULL A CHAIR UP NEXT TO HIM. SO WE'VE HEARD YOU AND WE'RE LISTENING. WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD. AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL, YOU KNOW, GREAT IDEAS. WE JUST DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE ALL OF THAT TAKES PLACE. WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IT IS INTERESTING THAT AMBER, AFTER TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS TYPE RETREAT TYPE THING, WAS CONTACTED. SO, I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE LISTENING. AND SO THESE ARE EVENTS. WE DO WANT TO SEE SOME ACTIVATION ON THE WATERWAY. WE DEFINITELY THINK IT'S THIRD PARTY OPERATORS TOO, THAT IF THEY WANT TO COME MAKE A PITCH TO US, WE'RE OPEN TO HEAR WHAT THAT PITCH MIGHT BE. AND SEE THEN WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT IT HAS. AGAIN, THE THE MEMORIAL HERMANN IRONMAN TEXAS IS THIRD PARTY PRODUCED. THE WOODLANDS WATERWAY ARTS FESTIVAL IS THIRD PARTY PRODUCED. AND THEN THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT WILL RENT OUT TOWN GREEN PARK TO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, [00:30:02] TO, TO PRODUCE SOMETHING THERE. SO WE THESE ARE IDEAS THAT WE ARE TRULY LOOKING LOOKING FOR. SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO 2027, I THINK NEXT SLIDE UP HERE IS SO HIGHLIGHTED THIS, THE FIREWORKS THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, YOU DID APPROVE FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. WE HAVE THAT. I THINK WHEN WE PITCH IT WAS SATURDAY NIGHT, BUT WE'RE RUNNING. YEAH, WE'RE KIND OF WORKING ON THAT. WHETHER THAT'S SATURDAY NIGHT OR FRIDAY NIGHT, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT JUST A BIT. BUT THEN IF WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE THIS, WHICH I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DO FOR NEXT YEAR WOULD BE AT THE SAME PRICE TAG AND WE CAN ADD THAT INTO THE BUDGET. BUT THIS IS A BOARD DECISION TO MAKE. I DIDN'T WANT TO ARBITRARILY JUST PUT THAT INTO THE BUDGET. WE DO THINK THAT FIREWORKS ADDED WITH HOLIDAY ON THE WATERWAY, THE ICE RINK. AND THEN WHAT OUR HOTELS CAN DO, WHAT OUR RESTAURANTS CAN DO, CAN PACKAGE ALL OF THIS UP AS A HOLIDAY DESTINATION. WEEKENDS, THE THREE WEEKENDS RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING AND BEFORE CHRISTMAS TIME. SO FIREWORKS WOULD BE A NICE COMPONENT OF THAT. NEXT SLIDE. I THINK AMBER IS WHAT'S THE NEXT SLIDE? IS THERE ONE. THERE'S NOT. OKAY. SO WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST US IN 2027. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF CONVERSATION, HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION, A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. WHAT'S, WHAT CAN WE DO? WE DON'T HAVE DEFINITIVE COST ON ANY PARTICULAR EVENTS AT THIS POINT, BUT I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO PUT A PLACEHOLDER FOR BUDGET DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO FUND SOMETHING THAT OR SOME THINGS THAT DO COME UP. AND SO AS A RECOMMENDATION, WE WOULD SAY 150,000 THAT WOULD COULD BE PLUGGED INTO THERE. THAT MIGHT BE JUST RIGHT. IT MIGHT BE TOO LITTLE OR IT MIGHT BE TOO MUCH. BUT AS A STAFF AND AS INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD IS TO PLACE 150,000 OF THE 150,000. AGAIN, JUST AS A REMINDER TO ALL OF US HERE AND THOSE THAT WATCH THIS WOULD COME OUT OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION. SO IT'S NOT PROPERTY TAX, NOT SALES TAX, NOT MIXED USE TAX. IT COMES FROM MONIES THAT ARE GENERATED BY BUSINESS, GAS, CORPORATE GAS, CONVENTION GAS AND LEISURE TRAVELERS IN OUR HOTELS. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. CHAIRMAN NELSON, IN ANY DISCUSSION THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE SO THAT $150,000 IS THAT EXCLUSIVE OF THE $55,000? THAT'S CORRECT. IN ADDITION TO IN ADDITION TO. YES. SO 205205 205,000. YEAH. IS WHAT WE WOULD SAY. WE'VE HEARD YOU SAY YOU WANT MORE ACTIVITIES IN MORE ACTION, PARTICULARLY ON THE WATERWAY AND HOW WE INCREASE THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY IN THE MONTHS, SOME STRATEGIC TIMES. OKAY. AND HERE'S SOME IDEAS AND HERE'S A STARTING POINT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COST SOME MONEY. AGAIN, WE HOPE FOR THIRD PARTY OPERATORS AND, AND MORE OTHER MONIES COME IN TO PRODUCE THESE KIND OF THINGS. BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A STARTING POINT. YOU COULD GO HIGHER, YOU COULD GO LOWER. YOU COULD STAY RIGHT THERE. I MEAN, IT'S THAT'S Y'ALL'S DECISION TO MAKE. SO MY INITIAL THOUGHT IS 150,000 SEEMS LOW. OKAY. WITH THE AMOUNT OF INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHEN WE BRING A THIRD PARTY, BUT THERE'S STILL MONIES THAT GO OUT IN A THIRD PARTY EVENT. NOW YOU'RE MY EARS AND MY DISCUSSIONS THAT WE CAN ALWAYS ADD TO THAT. SHOULD WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PROJECT OR AN EVENT THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH? SO WE ARE NOT. NOW I'M JUST CONFIRMING, OKAY, WE ARE NOT HELD TO ONLY $150,000. WE'RE AT SOME POINT WE CAN COME BACK AND WITH GOOD REASON AND TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PROJECT. EXACTLY. YES. THAT'S CORRECT. NICK, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS? SURE. OKAY. THAT'D BE GREAT HELP HERE. YEAH. THE FOR THE FUNDING IS GOING TO COME FROM THE HOTEL TAX RESERVE, WHICH RESIDES ON THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOOKS. SO REALLY WHAT THIS BOARD NEEDS TO DO IS MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO RESERVE A PORTION OF THAT RESERVE OF THE HOTEL TAX FUND RESERVE FOR THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT, 150,000 IS A GOOD PLACE TO START JUST SO WE CAN MAKE THE [00:35:02] TOWNSHIP BOARD AWARE OF THE CONVERSATION. BUT ULTIMATELY, AS THESE PROJECTS ARE VETTED AND COME FORWARD MORE TOWARD TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THAT CONTINUED ACTION IS GOING TO BE THE THE VISIT THE WOODLANDS BOARD WILL RECOMMEND TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO RELEASE THOSE FUNDS FROM THE HOTEL TAX RESERVE. SO WHETHER 150 IS A GOOD PLACE TO START. BUT YES, IF THERE IS A GOOD REASON, NEXT YEAR WE CAN. THIS BOARD CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND ADD TO THAT. OKAY, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. ANY COMMENTS FROM ANY OF YOU? I HAD THE SAME THOUGHTS. JUST YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOWER NUMBER. BUT IF, IF IT'S SOMEWHAT IT COULD BE CHANGED IF IT CAN BE CHANGED. I THINK MY MAIN CONCERN WHEN I SAW THAT RIGHT AWAY, I'M LIKE 150,000 DOESN'T GO A LONG WAY. AND I DON'T WANT TO BE, I DON'T WANT TO TURN DOWN A PROJECT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FUNDS. SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CHANGE, THEN YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT. I AGREE. SO I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY, LET'S JUST SAY IT WAS 300, WHICH IS PROBABLY A NUMBER I PERSONALLY WOULD RECOMMEND IF IT IF WE'RE IT'S WE'RE JUST EARMARKING THAT MONEY IN THE BUDGET. WE'RE NOT ADDING THIS TO THE VISIT THE WOODLANDS FOR 4 MILLION. BUT. THIS IS HOW I WOULD RECOMMEND. I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND ADDING IT TO FISCAL BUDGET SO THAT IT'S THERE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE FUNDING FROM THE TOWNSHIP. THE TOWNSHIP WILL TRANSFER THE MONEY TO THIS WITH THAT POT OF MONEY. IT'S IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES. SO LET'S LET'S SAY THE 4 MILLION, IT'S 4,062,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY. BUT WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS. YEAH, THE 4,068,000 PLUS 100 PLUS 55,000. RIGHT. FOR FIREWORKS FOR NEXT YEAR. SO 55 IS NOT IN THIS NUMBER. AND THAT'S FOR THIS DECEMBER. NO, THIS DECEMBER IS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR OUT OF OUR FUND BALANCE. SO THAT ANSWERS ANOTHER QUESTION. THERE'S AN $800,000 OR SO FUND BALANCE. THAT AS A PROJECT OR SOMETHING COMES UP, WE CAN TAP INTO IF WE NEED IT. THAT WASN'T A BUDGETED LINE ITEM. WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS THE 150,000. SO THE 55,000 COULD JUST BE PUT INTO THIS BASE BUDGET. IF Y'ALL WANT TO DO THAT TODAY, THE 150,000 COULD BE A LINE ITEM WITHIN VISIT THE WOODLANDS BUDGET SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES. PARTICULARLY, WE COULD DESIGNATE IT THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE ON THE WOODLANDS WATERWAY. THEY ARE TRULY LEISURE TYPE ACTIVITIES, SO IT'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT FOR WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE. WE CAN DESIGNATE THAT. ALL RIGHT. AND NOW WE NEED TO TAKE THIS BOARD CAN APPROVE THAT, BUT IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE FULL TOWNSHIP BOARD, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE THIRD WEEK OF AUGUST. THAT'S CORRECT. AND JUST FOR A POINT OF REFERENCE, THE HOTEL TAX RESERVE CURRENTLY HAS A BALANCE OF ABOUT $10 MILLION IN IT. SO COMING BACK, WHETHER WE GO FROM 150 TO 300,000, THERE ARE OTHER PLANNED USES FOR THE RESERVE, WHICH WE DON'T GO INTO ALL OF THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT WHETHER IT'S 150,000 OR 300,000, IF IT MAKES SENSE TO THIS BOARD AND TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, THEN WE CERTAINLY HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE. AND THE MONEY ISN'T JUST SENT OVER, IT'S RELEASED AS REQUESTED. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. KIND OF LIKE WE'RE SAYING, HEY, WE'LL PUT A LITTLE PIGGY BANK AT 300 K IN THERE. AND IF YOU GUYS NEED IT, YOU CAN SAY 150 50. YEAH. AND. ALL OF THIS WOULD COME BACK TO TO BOTH BOARDS, RIGHT? SO FULLY VETTED BY STAFF, COME BACK TO BOTH BOARDS FOR APPROVALS. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE GRAPH THAT SHOWED THE SHOWS THE BUDGET? YEAH. AMBER WHICH ONE WOULD THAT BE. THE GRAPH THAT SHOWS THE BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR. YEAH. YEAH. THE YEAR OVER YEAR. LET'S SEE. NOT THAT ONE. YEAH. THAT ONE. THAT ONE. SO I LOOK AT THE BUDGETED AND THEN I LOOK AT THE PROPOSED. DOES THAT INCLUDE INCREASES AND BENEFIT INCREASES AND ALL OF THAT. IT SEEMED LIKE SUCH A SMALL INCREASE. YES. FROM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM 2626 TO 27. YEAH. CARL. YEAH, IT'S ALL IN THERE. IT'S ALL IT'S ALL IN BUDGET. AND SO AGAIN, 25 TO 26. I MEAN, IT'S, THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE LESS THAN $300,000 GROWTH. BUT SO YOU'RE SAYING LIKE FROM 26 TO 27, YOU GUYS, IT'S PRETTY RESPONSIBLE TO NOT HAVE A YEAH, IT'S 1.6%. YEAH. YEAH. IT'S YEAH, IT'S BASICALLY THERE'S QUITE A FEW LINE ITEMS WHERE THEY'RE DECREASING, [00:40:01] WHERE THEY HAVE, WHERE THE MONEY HASN'T BEEN SPENT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. AND SO NOW IN 27, THAT'S BEING ADJUSTED. SO THAT'S HELP OFFSETTING THE THE NORMAL GROWTH. OKAY. AND REARRANGED. YEAH, REARRANGED SOME PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THAT BUDGET. I HAVE A QUESTION MAYBE BEYOND THAT IF LIKE, HAVE YOU DECIDED SOME METRICS, LIKE AS YOU GO TO EXPLORE SOME OF THESE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES, DO YOU HAVE METRICS YET OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO WEIGH IF IT'S A GOOD IDEA, A BAD IDEA? YEAH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION. CHRIS AND I HAVE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I THINK THE FIRST METRIC THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IS WHETHER WHAT WE, WE ARE DOING IS A PUBLIC EVENT OR. WELL, IT'S ALL PUBLIC BUT GATED OR NONGATED, RIGHT. AND SO THE THERE ARE CERTAIN ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE. THE WOODLANDS WATERWAY ART FESTIVAL EVERY YEAR. THE GATE IS A BIG REVENUE SOURCE FOR THAT ORGANIZATION. SO WHAT THEY SELL IN TICKET SALES IS A BIG REVENUE STREAM FOR IT FOR THAT ORGANIZATION. THEY ALSO GET SPONSORS AS WELL. BUT TICKET REVENUE IS BIG. BUT THAT TICKET REVENUE GOES TO THE ORGANIZATION. YES THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, TOWNSHIP EVENTS ARE PAY TO PLAY IN CERTAIN AREAS IN THE RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS, ALL THE RUNS, RIGHT? SO ALL THE RUNS RAISE ENOUGH FUNDING SO IT DOESN'T COST ANY TOWNSHIP DOLLARS IN THE IN GAME, IF YOU WILL, ON THE, THE BOTTOM LINE. BUT THEN EVENTS LIKE THE RED HOT AND BLUE FESTIVAL LIGHTING OF THE DOVES THOSE ARE JUST COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE FREE. YOU PAY FOR DRINKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO LET'S SAY THE CAR EVENT, YOU GUYS FIND A GROUP THAT DOES A REALLY COOL HOSTED CAR EVENT AND YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, LOOK, WE HAVE ON AVERAGE A THOUSAND PEOPLE SHOW UP. THOSE PEOPLE USUALLY STAY IN HOTELS FOR TWO. YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, WELL, WE CAN MAYBE COUNT ON A THOUSAND HOTEL ROOMS OR SOMETHING OR 500 HOTEL ROOMS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. DO YOU HAVE I THINK IF YOU HAVE METRICS BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE PURSUING. YES. YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL I MEAN, THAT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE A PROCESS OF REALLY GETTING INTO THERE INTO THAT OF WHAT PARTICULAR EVENT THAT IS. YEAH. OKAY. SO I MEAN, ON THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE CAR SHOW, IS THAT A GATED EVENT OR NOT A GATED EVENT? ARE THERE HOTEL ROOMS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THAT? ARE THERE HOTEL BLOCKS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED WITH THAT? ARE THERE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES OF BEVERAGE IN FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, OTHER ACTIVITIES. IS IT IN THE CONVENTION CENTER? IS IT IN THE PAVILION? IS IT IN MARKET STREET? IS IT TOWN GREEN PARK DOWN THE ENTIRE YOU KNOW, SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE HAVE TO WORK THAT THAT PROCESS THROUGH, WHICH IS JUST GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO DO THAT. LIKE THE WELLNESS GROUP WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE IF WE'RE GOING TO TARGET A WELLNESS GROUP OR LIKE, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WOULDN'T YOU BRING YOUR, YOUR RETREAT HERE? THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, WHEN WE DO THOSE RETREATS, WE TYPICALLY HAVE 80 PEOPLE SIGN UP. IT'S ACTUALLY COUPLES. AND YOU KIND OF GET SOME METRICS OF LIKE, WELL, THAT MIGHT BE 80 HOTEL ROOMS, THAT'S 80 DINNERS, 80 BREAKFAST, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU START THINKING OF THOSE THINGS. YEAH. AS WE THINK OF THE, THE OPPORTUNITIES WE MIGHT PURSUE, YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL SAY BOATS ON THE WHATEVER ON THERE, IT SOMETIMES MIGHT BE HARD TO ATTACH SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO LIKE A HEADS IN BEDS, I THINK IS THE TERM YOU GUYS USE IT, WHICH I LIKE. YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING SOME METRICS. I THINK THAT BEFORE WE PURSUE SOME OF THESE THINGS, I'M JUST SAYING, HEY, DOES IT DOES IT MEET ANY OF THIS CRITERIA? AND IF IT DOESN'T, PROBABLY NOT WORTH SPENDING THE MONEY OR TIME PURSUING IT. YOU KNOW, AS YOU PURSUE THEM. GREAT. NICK. WAS IT. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING UP SOME GOOD POINTS, BUT AREN'T THESE INITIATIVES THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS? OH, YES. 3 TO 5 YEARS. THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO HAPPEN IN 2027. YEAH. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE. BUT WE CAN TRY. I MEAN, WE'D LOVE TO KNOW. WE ARE. WE'RE YEAH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. AND IT'S THAT'S NOT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE HERE. WE'RE DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS. THIS IS THESE ARE IDEAS. OKAY. AGAIN, LEANING ON INFORMATION, BEING OUT IN THE PUBLIC OF PEOPLE THAT SAY, OH, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO I WANT TO DO SOMETHING. THERE ARE EVENT PRODUCERS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE WOULD WELCOME THE IDEA. I MEAN, IF WE CAN HANDLE IT, RIGHT, WE GET PITCHED IDEAS ON CERTAIN THINGS. WE WERE PITCHED ON GONDOLAS. GONDOLAS. OH THAT'S FUN. YES, WE WERE PITCHED ON SOME SOCCER BALL EVENTS, RIGHT. THAT JUST AT THE END OF THE DAY, JUST DIDN'T WORK. SO. BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO RENT OUT TOWN GREEN PARK, RIGHT? SO IT'S IT'S WHAT IS THE IMPACT? WE LOOK AT IT, CHRIS PARTICULARLY LOOKS AT IT FROM WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ON [00:45:02] TOWNSHIP STAFF. WE'LL LOOK AT IT FROM A, IS IT A MARKETING KIND OF THING? BUT THEN WE COLLABORATE TOGETHER. WE'RE TEAMMATES AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS GOOD FOR THE WETLANDS OR IT JUST DOESN'T NOT GOING TO WORK. RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK IT IS. BUT I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL VERY STRONG VALID POINTS. THE METRICS TAKES AWAY LIKE, YEAH, IS IT GOOD FOR THE WOODLANDS OR IS IT ISN'T. YEAH, EXACTLY. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO ALWAYS AGREE. BUT I THINK WHEN THERE'S METRICS TO BACK IT UP, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN WE'RE HAVING LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD A MONTEREY CAR WEEK HERE, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. AND MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE BUILT OVER TIME, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN GROUPS AND CLUBS I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU GUYS ARE I ASSUME YOU'RE TAKING SOME MONEY FROM THAT THAT FUND AND YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO FLY YOU OUT. COME HANG OUT IN HOUSTON, COME CHECK OUT THE WOODLANDS. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU HOST YOUR, YOU KNOW, ELITE CAR EVENT HERE. YOUR BIG, YOUR 100 PERSON DINNER ON THE WATER LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO THAT'S YOU'RE USING THOSE FUNDS BASICALLY TO START CREATING AND FINDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IS THAT, WELL, WE WILL DETERMINE WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND THEN COME BACK AND SAY, WE'D LIKE TO ASSIGN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDING. AND WE FEEL LIKE THAT IT WILL BE A GOOD RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT BECAUSE OF THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS AND THIS. YEAH, YEAH. COOL. YEAH. SO TO HELP CLARIFY THE STRATEGIC FUNDS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE I'M NOT GOING TO BUTCHER THE CHRISTMAS MARKET NAME, OKAY? THE CHRISTMAS MARKET, THE BOAT PARADES, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. ARE THOSE ALREADY BAKED INTO THIS BUDGET OR WOULD THOSE BE ADDITIONAL? THEY'D BE ADDITIONAL IN THAT IN THAT LINE ITEM AND WE WOULD COME BACK DIRECTOR RILEY, YOU'D COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY, HEY, OKAY, REMEMBER THAT LIST? WE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE, AND HERE'S HOW IT CAN BE DONE, AND HERE'S WHAT IT WOULD COST. AND DO WE WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT ACTIVITY? AND THEN THAT ACTIVITY TO THEN WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. SORRY DIRECTOR GONZALEZ. YEAH, YEAH. GO AHEAD. NO, TO ADAM'S POINT, BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE HE'S COMING FROM. WE GET PITCHED THINGS ALL THE TIME AT MARKET STREET, AND THEY'RE JUST SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT A GOOD FIT FOR US. BUT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT METRICS, I'M LIKE, OKAY, IF IT'S A FERRARI SHOW, ARE YOU DINING WITH US? ARE YOU GOING TO THOMAS MARKLE? LIKE, WHAT ARE THE THREE THINGS YOU'RE DOING BEFORE I EVEN SAY YES TO YOU DOING SOMETHING AT MARKET STREET? SO HE'S JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CHECKING OFF THE BOX. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BOOKING X AMOUNT OF ROOMS, THEY'RE GOING TO USE OUR RESTAURANTS. THEY'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO DO CERTAIN THINGS. YEAH. LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A CAR SHOW THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY DO AT MARKET STREET ANYWAY THAT NO ONE'S STAYING THE NIGHT ANYWHERE. THEY'RE DRIVING THERE. RIGHT. VERSUS MAYBE THERE'S A SPECIFIC THING SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY THAT THEY DO IN LIKE HIGH END NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THE WOODLANDS YET, BUT THEY WOULD LOVE TO FIND OUT. AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH YEAH, PEOPLE TRUCK THEIR CARS IN. OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WHERE YOU UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCE IS LIKE, OH YEAH, EVERYBODY STAYS THE NIGHT. WE DO A WHOLE TWO DAY EVENT AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, THAT, THAT, THAT LINES UP WITH SOME OF THE HEADS AND BEDS AND MEALS AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS. YEAH, FLY THAT GUY OUT THERE AND GET HIM TO PUT THE CAR SHOW HERE, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN COME BACK AND SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS WITH MORE MAYBE WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION ON PARTICULAR EVENTS LIKE WHAT CHRIS HAS JUST MENTIONED IN WORKING WITH SPECTRUM EVENTS, WHO'S AN AUTHORIZED VENDOR OF THE TOWNSHIP WENT THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING BACK, YOU KNOW, WITH THOSE. BUT IF THERE'S SOME METRICS THAT WE THAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CHECK THOSE BOXES, THEN I WOULD SAY, LET'S AS A BOARD HERE, LOOK AT WHAT THOSE METRICS ARE OF WHAT FOOT BEFORE WE COMMIT A DOLLAR TO IT. YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT IT IS THAT THOSE BOXES WE WANT TO CHECK SO WE COULD WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT. BUT, DIRECTOR GONZALEZ, JUST GO BACK TO YOUR YOUR YOUR QUESTION. THERE IS NO I'M SORRY. IT WAS DIRECTOR RILEY ABOUT THE APPROVAL. SO THIS BOARD APPROVED THE $55,000 FOR FIREWORKS FOR DECEMBER 2026. THAT COMES OUT OF THE FUND BALANCE, BUT IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE STAFF AND FACILITIES. AND CHRIS IS TAKING THAT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AT A MEETING IN AUGUST. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CONSENT OR REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS. PROBABLY CONSENT. I'M I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT WILL BE, BUT THAT IS TO GET THEIR APPROVAL AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA KIND OF GENERATED HERE. AND THEN IT DOES NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP. SO ANY OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS ON THAT LIST WOULD NEED TO FOLLOW. REALLY THE SIMILAR PROCESS. I WAS GOING TO MAKE THAT MENTION TOO. IT'S IT SEEMS LIKE OFTENTIMES AFTER OR WHEN IT GETS TO A CERTAIN SPENDING AMOUNT, ESPECIALLY THAT, THAT THAT COMES TO THIS BOARD TO APPROVE THAT AMOUNT OR APPROVE THAT PROCEDURE OR WHATEVER, AND THEN GO TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. SO WE ALWAYS GET TO HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING BEFORE IT. THAT'S RIGHT. ANYTHING OVER 25,000. I HAVE AN APPROVAL UP TO 25,000. [00:50:02] ANYTHING OVER THAT COMES TO THIS BOARD, WHETHER I MEAN EVEN IF IT'S IN THE BUDGET, CAN'T SPEND IT, RIGHT? IT COMES TO THE BOARD. YEAH. YOU KNOW ANYTHING OVER 25. SO WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE AGAIN JUST TO GET IT BACK INTO THE INTO THE MOTION AREA IS AN APPROVAL. OUR APPROVAL OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE TOWNSHIP FOR IN THE 2027 BUDGET. THAT BASE BUDGET AN ADDITIONAL 55, IF YOU WANT THAT FOR FIREWORKS FOR 2020 7TH DECEMBER 2027, WHICH WE DO HIGHLY RECOMMEND. WE THINK FROM A MARKETING AND PR STANDPOINT IS HIGHLY BENEFICIAL. AND THEN PLACING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HER, THE 150 THAT'S STILL CAN Y'ALL HAVE, THAT'S Y'ALL'S DECISION INTO STRATEGIC INITIATIVES IN 2027 AND BEYOND. OKAY. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ACT UPON AND APPROVE THE PROPOSED 2027 BUDGET FOR VISIT THE WOODLANDS TO INCLUDE $55,000 FOR DECEMBER FIREWORKS, AND ALSO INCLUDE THE APPROVAL OF $150,000 IN FUNDING FOR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, AS DISCUSSED TODAY AND DURING THE JULY 15TH, 2026, STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION. MOTION. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RESPOND BY SAYING I, I. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. GOOD JOB. OKAY. VERY GOOD. OKAY. AGENDA ITEM SIX. YEAH. THANK YOU TO CHRIS. THANKS, CHRIS. ARE YOU LEAVING US? AGENDA ITEM SIX. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. DO YOU WANT. [6. Recess to Executive Session to discuss matters relating to real property pursuant to §551.072, Texas Government Code; deliberation of economic development negotiations pursuant to §551.087, Texas Government Code; discuss personnel matters pursuant to §551.074, Texas Government Code; and to consult with the Corporation's attorney pursuant to §551.071, Texas Government Code] IT'S UP TO YOU, I THINK SO. OKAY. DO YOU DISCUSS MATTERS RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO 551072 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. DELIBERATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO 551087 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. DISCUSS PERSONAL MATTERS PURSUANT TO 551074 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO CONSULT THE CORPORATION'S ATTORNEY PURSUANT TO 5510711 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. AND WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK THERE JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES. OKAY. WE'RE ALL HERE. AGENDA ITEM NINE. BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS. I'M SORRY. YOU NEED ITEM SEVEN. OH, WE'RE RECONVENING IN PUBLIC SESSION. [7. Reconvene in public session] AND NOW WE'VE GOT THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT. NO WONDER YOU'RE SITTING UP THERE. [8. President's Report] WELL, EXACTLY. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE BACK. I WILL KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT I DO HAVE SOMETHING THAT I DO WANT TO. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE AND SHOW. AND I GUESS WE RAN OFF THE STAFF. ARE THEY NOT HERE? YEAH, I GUESS THEY LEFT. OKAY. SO JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE ANDREA DE BROOKLYN NEWELL AND ALSO RACHEL VARNER, WHO ALL WERE REALLY RECOGNIZED IN THE AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION'S CRYSTAL AWARDS. ANDREA WON FOR BEST USE OF PHOTOGRAPHY, WATERFRONT DINING IN THE WOODLANDS. AND WE WERE JUST SO TICKLED AND EXCITED. COMPETED AGAINST A MAJOR CORPORATE PLAYERS WITH HER PHOTOGRAPHY. SO VERY EXCITED. AND THEN BROOKLYN AND RACHEL THIS IS BROOKLYN OVER ON THE RIGHT AT THE EVENT ITSELF. IT WAS HELD AT THE ROYAL SONESTA IN HOUSTON. A BIG AWARD CEREMONY. 400 PEOPLE WERE THERE, AND BROOKLYN WAS A FINALIST AND HAD TO COMPETE AGAINST THE LIKES OF RICE UNIVERSITY AND OTHERS THAT SOME BIG INSTITUTIONS DID VERY WELL. AND IT WAS JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THEM ON THAT. NEXT UP, I WANTED TO SHOW, LOOK, WE ALWAYS SAY THIS IS A HALLMARK MOMENT, OKAY? AND WE ARE A HALLMARK TOWN. WELL, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY TO PUT OUR STAMP ON THAT IF IF WE WANT TO, I SAY IF WE WANT TO, LET'S MAKE A GOOD PITCH ON IT. SO HALLMARK CHANNEL IS LOOKING FOR THE MERRIEST CHRISTMAS TOWN. AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS TOWN. NOT CITY. TOWN. AND WE ARE A TOWN. RIGHT? RIGHT. OKAY. AND SO I'M GOING TO SEND SOME INFORMATION OUT AND YOU CAN PUT YOUR OWN TWIST ON THIS. THIS IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION DRIVEN SUPPORT. IT'S JUST A RESIDENT. WHAT YOU THINK OF OUR TOWN DURING THE HOLIDAYS, WHICH WE THINK IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. DIRECTOR GONZALEZ, I'M LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU WITH SOME. WE ALWAYS SAY YOU KNOW, AT CHRISTMAS AT MARKET STREET, WE TRY TO MAKE IT THAT HALLMARK MOMENT. I WAS JUST TELLING ELIZABETH THE OTHER DAY, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, MARKET STREET HAS ITS OWN HOLIDAY SONG THAT SOMEBODY ACTUALLY WROTE FOR US. [00:55:04] AND IT TALKS ABOUT OUR BIG GREEN TREE. SO I CONSIDER THAT A HALLMARK MOMENT. I KNOW THAT NICK WANTS ME TO SUBMIT THIS. LET'S GO ALL IN ON IT. OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT. THERE'S AN AUGUST 10TH DEADLINE FOR THIS. I WILL GET YOU EASY EASE OF USE INFORMATION. WE HAVE LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY THAT WE'VE TAKEN OVER THE LAST YEAR, COUPLE OF YEARS WITH OUR AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHY FOLKS. AND SO WE'LL HAVE SOME ACCESS TO THAT. BUT YOU PUT YOUR OWN TWIST ON ON TO THAT. WE CAN WIN THIS. YEAH. SO IT'S GOING TO BE ONE TOWN AND THEY'LL HAVE A MOVIE PRODUCED IN THEIR TOWN. AND THEN THERE WILL BE 25 SPECIAL HONOREE RECOGNITION, KIND OF LIKE THE, I GUESS THE EQUIVALENT OF GOOD HOUSEKEEPING SEAL OF APPROVAL OF THAT. SO THAT'S COOL. I'D LIKE FOR US TO BE NUMBER ONE. I LIKE THE SWAN WITH THE WREATH AROUND IT. YEAH, YEAH, LET'S DO IT. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF HALLMARK MOMENTS AROUND. THERE'S A LOT OF HALLMARK. AND WE SAY THAT ALL THE TIME. THE ICE SKATING RINK. YOU GUYS COULD CREATE A REALLY COOL HYPE VIDEO TOO FROM LIKE OUR LAST YEAR AT CHRISTMAS, THE LIGHTS AND SANTA AND THE LIKE. I THINK THE TEAM HAS ALREADY GOT SOMETHING PUT TOGETHER ON. THEY DO. BUT YEAH, BUT WE WANT OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION IS WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR A PROPOSAL OUT RIGHT NOW FOR ADVERTISING AGENCY OF RECORD. THAT GOES UNTIL WHEN? VARGO. AUGUST THE 10TH. SO THAT'S OUT WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE HAD A DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS. VARGO HAD A TON OF QUESTIONS HAVE COME IN. WE'RE GOING TO BE POSTING ALL THOSE QUESTIONS ONTO OUR WEBSITE WHEN THOSE COME IN. THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS, WE HAD ABOUT 20 ENTRIES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THEY'RE VERY THICK. THEY'RE VERY COMPREHENSIVE. SO THE REVIEWING STAFF RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, THE FOUR OF US RIGHT HERE. BUT WE WOULD LIKE ANY HELP THAT ANY DIRECTORS, IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THAT, I WOULD SAY IF YOU DO, YOU NEED TO BE FULLY IN ON IT. THIS IS YOU CAN'T JUST LOOK AT A FEW AND SAY, OKAY, THESE LOOK GOOD, THAT IT'S VERY COMPREHENSIVE. WE JUDGE ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT CRITERIA. I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY THE REVIEW PROCESS ON SAY WE GET 20 OF THEM AND IT WOULD BE A 12 TO 15 HOUR COMMITMENT. SO JUST FYI, I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THOSE ARE IN. IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND BE INVOLVED IN THE JUDGING PART OF IT, WELCOME FOR YOU ALL TO BE INVOLVED. SO THAT'S IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN NELSON, ON MY PRESIDENT'S REPORT. THANK YOU. AGENDA ITEM NINE BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANY OF YOU HAD TO PROVIDE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? UPDATES? OKAY. AGENDA ITEM TEN, AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING. [10. Agenda items for next meeting] ANY OF YOU WANT TO PUT SOMETHING SPECIFIC ON? OKAY, WELL, JUST ALL WANT TO GO HOME, I CAN TELL. OKAY. THIS IS THE MOTION TO ADJOURN. SHE GOT TO HAVE A MOTION. THIS IS NOT THIS IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP. WE HAVE TO HAVE MOTIONS. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. IT'S A LITTLE LATER IN THE DAY THAN USUAL. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.