Agenda


NOTICE OF JANUARY 14, 2020 ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
To: Board of Directors and Members PURSUANT to the call of a majority of the Board of Directors named in the Certificate of Formation of the Corporation, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors and the Members of The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau, a Texas non-profit corporation (the “Corporation”), will meet at the principal office of the Corporation, at 2801 Technology Forest Boulevard, The Woodlands, Texas 77381, on January 14, 2020, at 11:30 a.m., for the purpose of:


1.					Pledge of Allegiance;

2.					Call to order and adoption of Agenda;

3.					Incumbent Directors resolve to increase number of Directors for The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors;

4.					Members Elect the Directors for The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors;

5.					Directors Elect Officers for The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau;

6.					Public Comment;

7.					Receive, consider and approve Minutes from December 11, 2019 Regular Board Meeting;

8.					Receive, consider and approve the Financial Report through October 2019;

9.					Receive, consider and act upon updates to the 2020 Marketing and Sales Committees;

10.					Receive and consider upon the Copa Rayados Internacional Soccer Tournament 2019 update;

11.					Receive, consider and act upon revisions to the Visit The Woodlands Sponsorship fund and process;

12.					Receive and consider matters regarding a Request for Proposal (RFP) to study potential advantages of expanding The Woodlands Township’s Convention Center;

13.					Receive, consider and act upon matters regarding The Woodlands Film Commission;

14.					Receive, consider and act upon any matter regarding Staff Initiative Reports;

15.					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;

16.					Reconvene in public session;

17.					President’s Report;

18.					Board Announcements;

19.					Agenda items for next meeting;

20.					Adjournment.

Dated at The Woodlands, Texas, the 10th day of January, 2020.

______________________________________________________
President of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Incumbent Directors resolve to increase number of Directors for The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors;
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with the Bylaws of The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau (TWCVB), a 501 (c)(6) nonprofit corporation, Members of TWCVB are charged with the responsibility of electing Directors to serve on the Board of Directors for TWCVB. The election of Directors by Members shall occur at the Board of Director’s and Members’ Annual Meeting at the principal office of TWCVB, 2801 Technology Forest Boulevard, The Woodlands, Texas 77381, on January 14, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. In accordance with the Bylaws of TWCVB, the number of Directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of TWCVB may be increased from time to time by resolution adopted by a majority of the then-present Board of Directors. As presently constituted, the Board of Directors of TWCVB consists of seven (7) Directors, and the incumbent Directors desire to increase the number of Directors of the Board of Directors of TWCVB to nine (9) immediately prior to the Members’ election of new Directors for the Board of Directors of TWCVB.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the proposed resolution to increase the number of Directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of TWCVB from seven (7) to nine (9) to be effective immediately prior to the Members’ election of new Directors for the Board of Directors of TWCVB.

Attachments
Resolution to Increase Number of Directors


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Members Elect the Directors for The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors;
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with the Bylaws of The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau (TWCVB), a 501 (c)(6) nonprofit corporation, Members of TWCVB are charged with the responsibility of electing Directors to serve on the Board of Directors for TWCVB. The election of Directors by Members shall occur at the Board of Director’s and Members’ Annual Meeting at the principal office of TWCVB, 2801 Technology Forest Boulevard, The Woodlands, Texas 77381, on January 14, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. The Woodlands Township Board of Directors appointed Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, John Anthony Brown, and Bruce Rieser to serve as the Members of TWCVB. The Woodlands Township Board of Directors gave authority to the three appointed TWCVB Members to elect the Directors of the TWCVB Board of Directors at the TWCVB Members’ Annual Meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Directors Under Consideration for Election by Incoming Members of TWCVB The Members of TWCVB (John Anthony Brown, Bruce Rieser, and Shelley Sekula-Gibbs) are considering the following individuals to serve on the Board of Directors of TWCVB for the 2020 term: John Anthony Brown, CVB Member, Township Director; Fred Domenick, General Manager of The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center; Ted Harris, Senior General Manager of The Woodlands Mall; JJ Hollie, President & CEO of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce; Bruce Rieser, CVB Member, Township Director; Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, CVB Member, Township Director; Jenny Taylor, General Manager of Market Street; Kevin Viteri, General Manager of The Embassy Suites at Hughes Landing; Nick Wolda, CVB President, Township Director of Community Relations
RECOMMENDATION
Elect and appoint the individuals to TWCVB's Board of Directors to serve from January 2020 until the Annual Meeting in January 2021.

Attachments
CVB Election Schematic


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Directors Elect Officers for The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau;
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with the Bylaws of The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau (TWCVB), a 501 (c) (6) nonprofit corporation, the Board of Directors of TWCVB is charged with the responsibility of electing Officers of TWCVB and Officers to serve on the Board of Directors for TWCVB. The election of Officers by Directors shall occur at the Board of Directors’ and Members’ Annual Meeting at the principal office of TWCVB, 2801 Technology Forest Boulevard, The Woodlands, Texas 77381, on January 14, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. Officers Under Consideration for Election by Incoming Directors of TWCVB: The incoming Directors of TWCVB are this year considering the following individuals to serve as Officers of TWCVB and Officers on the Board of Directors of TWCVB: Chairman: __________________________ Vice-Chairman: ______________________ Treasurer/Secretary: ___________________ President: Nick Wolda (as recommended by The Woodlands Township Board of Directors)
RECOMMENDATION
Elect and appoint the individuals named above as Officers of TWCVB and Officers on the Board of Directors of TWCVB and Nick Wolda to serve as President to serve from January 2020 until the Annual Meeting in January 2021.

Attachments
No file(s) attached.


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon updates to the 2020 Marketing and Sales Committees;
BACKGROUND:
The Visit The Woodlands Board of Directors approved the creation of the Convention Sales Advisory Committee in 2019 to offer additional resources for the Sales team. The Marketing Committee is a longer standing committee. These committees meet quarterly and provides members updates on strategic initiatives, upcoming participation opportunities, input and suggestions on the travel and tradeshow schedule, and insight on future direction of the committee. These committees play an integral part in any large initiatives being produced by the sales and marketing teams and offers insight and advice where needed. To further position the Sales and Marketing Directors of Visit The Woodlands as leaders and authorities in their respective fields, it is also recommended that they serve as Chairpersons of their committee.
RECOMMENDATION
To approve the recommended members for the 2020 Sales Advisory & Marketing Committees as presented.

Attachments
2020 Marketing Committee
2020 Sales Committee


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive and consider upon the Copa Rayados Internacional Soccer Tournament 2019 update;
BACKGROUND:
In 2016, The Woodlands Township and Visit The Woodlands successfully enticed the Copa Rayados Internacional Soccer Tournament to relocate from the San Antonio, TX area to The Woodlands. The soccer tournament was contracted to bring in between 160-200 soccer teams over the Thanksgiving week for a 3-year agreement beginning in 2016 through 2018. In 2018, another 3-year agreement was signed with additional requirements to ensure beneficial room utilization within The Woodlands properties. As part of the agreement approved by the Visit The Woodlands Board of Directors, Premier Soccer Services is offered a 25% rebate of the hotel tax generated in The Woodlands 14 hotels; tax is 9% of the total room revenue. Along with the rebate program, The Woodlands Township offers the organizer complimentary use of Bear Branch Fields, Gosling Sports Complex, and Alden Bridge fields, based on a guaranteed pickup of 1400 hotel rooms within The Woodlands hotels. Below is a layout of the room pickup for each year of participation. 2016- 483 rooms utilized 2017- 440 rooms utilized 2018- 1385 rooms utilized 2019- 1407 rooms utilized Looking ahead to the 2020 tournament, Visit The Woodlands is working closely with Premier Soccer Services and the local hotels to offer even more rooms for the tournament to use.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the 2019 Copa Rayados Soccer Tournament update.

Attachments
2019 Copa Contract
2019 Report from Scott Spencer


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon revisions to the Visit The Woodlands Sponsorship fund and process;
BACKGROUND:
Visit The Woodlands’ mission is “To establish The Woodlands, Texas as a beautiful, lively, and welcoming destination recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for first-class business, convention and leisure travel." In past years, Visit The Woodlands was authorized to sponsor community activities and events in and around The Woodlands for the purpose of promoting brand awareness and increasing visitors by generating overnight hotel room nights at properties within The Woodlands. In an effort to better align with the mission and vision of Visit The Woodlands as an economic generator focused on overnight hotel room usage, staff recommends adopting a more tourism industry recognized process by creating a Tourism Development Fund. A Tourism Development Fund is a strategic partnership between Visit The Woodlands and groups or events that generate hotel room usage. The Tourism Development Fund would be focused on supporting first-time, multi-day events or groups that will draw room nights. The process for application would be filling out a short one-page notice of interest. Staff would review the short form and advise the group on working with hotel properties within The Woodlands to set up blocks, promotion angles to drive occupancy and then provide room pick up after the event. The room pick up numbers would be calculated based on number of rooms actualized and multiplied by room rate. The group would receive a portion of the Hotel Occupancy Tax collected on their actualized rooms. The Tourism Development Fund Application and Criteria will be reviewed and amended periodically at the sole discretion of Visit The Woodlands Board of Directors to ensure applicants or events considered continue to align with Visit The Woodlands goals and objectives. Attached is the proposed Tourism Development Fund one-page Application for review and discussion.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the current Visit The Woodlands Sponsorship program and application be retired in favor of a Tourism Development Fund program with a hotel room utilization model.

Attachments
2020 Tourism Development Fund App
Example of Similar Fund Agreement


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive and consider matters regarding a Request for Proposal (RFP) to study potential advantages of expanding The Woodlands Township’s Convention Center;
BACKGROUND:
The Woodlands Waterway Hotel & Convention Center opened in 2001 along the scenic banks of The Woodlands Waterway and has since been a strong driver in corporate and convention meetings and leisure travel. In 2013, the Convention Center finished #1 in Marriott in North America for sales. As The Woodlands has continued to expand, the space remains the same as in 2001. The Convention Center has seen several groups outgrew the space and move to other locations. Additionally, new hotels and tens of thousands of square feet of office and retail development have led to more demand for The Woodlands for meetings and tourism. At the November 13, 2019 Board meeting, the Visit The Woodlands Board of Directors approved an RFP to study potential advantages of expanding The Woodlands Township's Convention Center. This RFP is at no cost to Visit The Woodlands. As detailed in the RFP, on January 13, 2020 a pre-RFP meeting was held.
RECOMMENDATION
To be determined by the Board of Directors.

Attachments
RFP Convention Center Expansion Study


CVB Annual Board Meeting
Meeting Date:	01/14/2020

Information
SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon matters regarding The Woodlands Film Commission;
BACKGROUND:
In 2009, The Woodlands Film Commission was created to encourage film production in The Woodlands. This industry has brought more than $1.2 billion dollars to Texas in the past ten years and the goal is to bring film production dollars to The Woodlands. Film makers look for the same amenities that travel planners value including our proximity to a major airport, first class hotels, dining and entertainment opportunities, in addition to a wide variety of potential filming locations. The Woodlands Area Film Commission has been a joint project of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, Visit The Woodlands and The Woodlands Township, and managed by The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce. However, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce has discontinued management of the Film Commission and staff of Visit The Woodlands and The Woodlands Township feel the need to continue the initiative and increase the awareness to generate new business.
RECOMMENDATION
Bring The Woodlands Film Commission into Visit The Woodlands and work with The Woodlands Township on approval of specific requests.

Attachments
No file(s) attached.