Agenda


NOTICE OF MARCH 18, 2020 SPECIAL 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 March 18, 2020, at 12:00 p.m., for the purpose of:


1.					Pledge of Allegiance;

2.					Call to order and adoption of Agenda;

3.					Public Comment;

4.					Receive, consider and approve Minutes from February 19, 2020 Regular Board Meeting;

5.					Receive, consider and approve the Financial Report through December 2019;

6.					Receive, consider and act upon an update on the COVID-19 impact and effects on the tourism industry of The Woodlands.

7.					Receive, consider and act upon The Woodlands Film Commission program and application;

8.					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;

9.					Reconvene in Public Session;

10.					Receive, consider and act upon a Service Agreement between Visit The Woodlands and The Woodlands Township;

11.					Receive, consider and act upon revisions to the Visit The Woodlands Tourism Development and Host Venue Application and process;

12.					Receive, consider and act upon an Agreement with World Triathlon Corporation regarding its Texas IRONMAN event;

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

14.					President’s Report;

15.					Board Announcements;

16.					Agenda items for next meeting;

17.					Adjournment.

Dated at The Woodlands, Texas, the 13th day of March, 2020.

______________________________________________________
President of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau


CVB Special Board Meeting		4.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and approve Minutes from February 19, 2020 Regular Board Meeting;
BACKGROUND:
See attached.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve as presented.

Attachments
February 19, 2020 VTW Board Meeting Minutes


CVB Special Board Meeting		5.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and approve the Financial Report through December 2019;
BACKGROUND:
See attached.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Financial Report as presented.

Attachments
December 2019 VTW Financial Report


CVB Special Board Meeting		6.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon an update on the COVID-19 impact and effects on the tourism industry of The Woodlands.
BACKGROUND:
Discussion by Board of Directors and Visit The Woodlands staff.
RECOMMENDATION
To be determined by Board of Directors.

Attachments
Destinations International Update COVID-19


CVB Special Board Meeting		7.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon The Woodlands Film Commission program and application;
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 is already a desired location for major commercial productions. Just this past weekend the Ford Motor Company chose Bear Branch Park to shoot a large-scale production. The Woodlands Township worked with the Ford Motor Company production team to secure the location and logistics. March 3, 2020, Administrative Analyst, Sonia Guerrero, attended the "Film Friendly Texas Workshop" in Galveston. This workshop educates destinations on the best ways to work with the State of Texas Film Commission, latest best practices and is part of a three step process to acquire the Texas Film Friendly Designation. 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 until January 2020. 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 under the management of Visit The Woodlands. An updated application and list of Frequently Asked Questions was prepared and presented for your review and approval. The application and FAQs sheet align with the Texas Film Commission Guidelines and have been reviewed by our attorney of record, The Strong Firm.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve application as presented and allow Visit The Woodlands staff to attain the Texas Film Friendly Designation for The Woodlands Township.

Attachments
2020 Commercial Filming Application
2020 Commercial Filming FAQs


CVB Special Board Meeting		10.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon a Service Agreement between Visit The Woodlands and The Woodlands Township;
BACKGROUND:
The Woodlands Township and The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, known as Visit The Woodlands, operate under a Service Agreement designating Visit The Woodlands as the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for The Woodlands, Texas. The Agreement outlines the services to be provided by each party and defines the Township’s funding requirements for the budget year. Services provided by Visit The Woodlands include but are not limited to the promotion of The Woodlands as a destination to meeting planners, business travelers, tour operators and individual visitors. Visit The Woodlands staff prepare and present an annual budget and strategic marketing plan to the Visit The Woodlands Board of Directors for approval.
RECOMMENDATION
To be determined by Board of Directors.

Attachments
2020 Adopted Budget


CVB Special Board Meeting		11.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon revisions to the Visit The Woodlands Tourism Development and Host Venue Application 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 and Host Venue Application 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 and Host Venue 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 and Host Venue Application for review and discussion.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve as presented.

Attachments
2020 Tourism Development and Host Venue Application
Example of Similar Fund Agreement


CVB Special Board Meeting		12.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon an Agreement with World Triathlon Corporation regarding its Texas IRONMAN event;
BACKGROUND:
In 2010, The Woodlands Township and The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau (now Visit The Woodlands) entered into a five-year agreement with the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) to host the Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas. The Agreement has been amended on three occasions to address market changes including the extension of another five (5) years after the first five (5) years. The IRONMAN event has proved to be a very successful and attractive major event in The Woodlands, drawing thousands of athletes and spectators from around the world. WTC has one year remaining in the Agreement with The Woodlands Township and Visit The Woodlands, scheduled to take place Saturday, April 25, 2020. WTC has asked if Visit The Woodlands has interest in extending the term for another five (5) years. WTC points out the following information and benefts of the event in The Woodlands and Montgomery County area: The IRONMAN Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run completed in succession within a 17-hour timeframe. Provides an opportunity for residents of The Woodlands and Montgomery County to see some of the greatest endurance athletes in the world. The Woodlands is attractive to WTC as the venue for this premier event as The Woodlands is known as a world class community – home to hundreds if not thousands of world class athletes that welcomes the opportunity to host and participate in such a renowned event such as Ironman. There are thousands of volunteer opportunities for residents of the entire region to participate in the event and Ironman has been providing over $100,000 annually to local charities. The event serves as one of 23 global qualifying races for the Ford IRONMAN World Championship that takes place each October in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Throughout its 40-year history, IRONMAN has transformed from an event into a lifestyle and sports brand that continues to inspire millions each year to take on new personal challenges and demonstrate the mantra, “Anything Is Possible.” IRONMAN Triathlon attracts 2,800 participants from nearly all 50 states and 25+ countries. Live webcast creating 1.5 million in advertising impressions for The Woodlands on a global scale. Create an economic impact in millions of dollars a year through the sale of thousands of hotel room nights, retail shopping, food and beverage dinners and sales. See attached 2019 Economic Impact report. Venues for the IRONMAN event in The Woodlands includes Northshore Park, Lake Woodlands, The Woodlands Waterway, Town Green Park, Waterway Square, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center and numerous restaurants and retail shops. Hotels throughout Montgomery County and even into Harris County are used by athletes, families, spectators, vendors, media and volunteers.
RECOMMENDATION
To be determined by the Board of Directors.

Attachments
4th Amendment to World Triathlon Corp. Sponsorship Agreement


CVB Special Board Meeting		13.
Meeting Date:	03/18/2020

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 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. Staff received eight (8) proposals from groups across the country before the due date on February 28, 2020.
RECOMMENDATION
To be determined by the Board of Directors.

Attachments
RFP Convention Center Expansion Study