[ CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]
[00:00:06]
>> VICE MAYOR POST [PHONETIC].
>> COUNCIL MEMBER CRAIG [PHONETIC].
>> COUNCIL MEMBER CALIFA [PHONETIC].
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KAI [PHONETIC].
>> COUNCIL MEMBER OFFICER. [PHONETIC]
>> COUNCIL MEMBER ZIGLER [PHONETIC].
>> THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE AND THEN A MOMENT OF SILENCE [INAUDIBLE].
>> PLEASE BE SEATED. APPROVAL OF AGENDA. ALL IN FAVOR?
[ APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
>> OPPOSED? VERY UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM D1.
[ DISCUSSION/DIRECTION/POSSIBLE ACTION]
>> ITEM D1, RELATING TO TOURISM.
PRESENTATION PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE TOWN OF MARANA TOURISM MASTER PLAN.
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION ON CURRENT PLAN PROGRESS.
>> THERE'S NO NAME ON HERE, SO DO I CALL STEFANIE BOE?
>> MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I SO APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT TO GO THROUGH WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE TOURISM MASTER PLAN.
THIS IS AN UPDATE FOR THE COUNCIL.
A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF MONTHS AND THERE'S BEEN SOME PRESENTATIONS TO COMMUNITY.
I KNOW A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ACTUALLY AT ONE OF THE UPDATE MEETINGS A WEEK OR SO AGO.
THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PRESENT, AND STEFANIE ALONG WITH THE CONSULTANTS WILL BE DOING A PRESENTATION TO PRESENT WHERE WE'RE AT AND TO GET SOME GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL, ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK? ANY CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SO WE CAN MOVE THINGS HERE.
I WILL, AT THIS POINT, TURN IT OVER TO STEFANIE SO SHE CAN START THINGS OFF AND THEN INTRODUCE THE CONSULTANTS.
I DON'T NORMALLY LIKE TO STAND BEHIND A PODIUM, SO I MIGHT COME BACK AND FORTH, BUT MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, OR TOWN MANAGER, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH WHERE WE ARE SO FAR WITH THE TOURISM MASTER PLAN.
I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THAT.
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING A MASTER PLAN, TOURISM IS CONTINUING TO HAPPEN.
OBVIOUSLY, THE WORK IS MOVING FORWARD AS WE'RE BUILDING THE PLAN.
I HOPE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE BILLBOARDS ON INTERSTATE 10 THAT WE RECENTLY WERE ABLE TO PUT UP.
THIS IS A BIG MILESTONE IN CAMPAIGNS THAT HELP PEOPLE REALLY SEE THAT THEY'RE IN MARANA, AND HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO PLAN THEIR NEXT VACATION TO MARANA AS THEY'RE COMING THROUGH TOWN ON I-10, WHICH IS SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
WE ALSO WON THE BEST REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP AWARD BY THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM OVER THE SUMMER FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ORO VALLEY ON THE TUCSON BICYCLE CLASSIC, MARANA TIME TRIAL, AND PROJECT ECHELON FONDO RIDE.
WE ALSO GOT ANOTHER 4$49,000 AND CHANGE GRANT FROM THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM FOR MARKETING.
THAT'S A COOP PROGRAM WHERE WE GET MATCHING FUNDS TO DO ADVERTISING IN MANY DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS, DIGITAL MARKETING.
IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM FOR THE TOWN.
WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BRANDON MEJIA, WHO IS OUR TOURISM MARKETING SPECIALIST.
HE JOINED THE TEAM IN SEPTEMBER AND IS IN THE BACK THERE AS WELL.
LOTS OF GREAT THINGS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AS WE BUILD A PLAN.
WE'RE NOT JUST SITTING AROUND BUILDING A PLAN, WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD.
>> STEFANIE, I-10, WHERE ARE THOSE LOCATED?
>> ONE IS RIGHT BY ESTES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THE OTHER ONE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN I-10, BUT THEY BOTH FACE YOU AS YOU'RE COMING IN FROM PHOENIX.
>> YEAH. WE HOPE TO GET ON THE WAY IN FROM TUCSON AS WELL IN THE NEXT ROUND.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS A LOOK AT THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR GEORGIA MASTER PLAN.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED THIS WELL BEFORE FEBRUARY WITH THE RP PROCESS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO GET TO THIS POINT.
WE HAD A KICKOFF MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
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WE HAVE A GREAT PLANNING TEAM.I HAVE THEIR NAMES ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD BRING YOU MORE INFORMATION AND HAVE SOME ITEMS TO START TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT VERY EXCITING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS TRAVEL UP TO GILBERT AND QUEEN CREEK FOR A FIELD TRIP.
WE HAD AN IN-MARKET ASSESSMENT, WHICH MEANS ONE OF THE CONSULTANTS CAME IN AND WAS A SECRET SHOPPER, A SECRET TOURIST IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS SO GOOD TO GET THAT OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE AND HAVE THEM PLAN THE TRIP WITHOUT OUR INPUT AND GO DO WHAT TOURISTS WOULD DO.
WE HAD OUR COUNCIL CHECK-IN AND COMMUNITY CHECK-IN, AS WE MENTIONED.
WHERE THE LITTLE SUN IS IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A CRUCIAL TIME FOR YOUR INPUT.
THIS IS A LOOK AT THE PLANNING TEAM.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL THE NAMES OUT, BUT DEFINITELY WANT TO REALLY POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE THE RITZ CARLTON INVOLVED.
WE HAVE THE TUCSON PREMIUM OUTLETS.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH TOPGOLF AND OTHER MAJOR AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEN, OF COURSE, A LOT OF TOWN STAFF HAVE PUT THEIR TIME AND ENERGY IN AND EVEN THE PIMA COUNTY OFFICE OF TOURISM, WE HAVE CATHERINE CAMPBELL, THE DEPUTY.
WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH PIMA COUNTY WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS SO THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING IN A VACUUM, WE'RE GETTING THEIR INPUT AS WELL.
THAT PHOTO IS FROM ONE OF OUR SESSIONS.
WE'RE USING A LOT OF STICKY NOTES.
HERE'S A LOOK TOO AT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THIS PAST YEAR.
THE MIDDLE PHOTO HERE IS FROM OUR TRIP TO GILBERT, HAD A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY, THEY INVESTED A LOT OF TIME IN US, TAKING US THROUGH HOW THEY BECAME WHAT THEY CALL A 30-YEAR OVERNIGHT SUCCESS.
WE WERE AT A ROADRUNNERS GAME.
WE HAD LOTS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE STATE OF THE TOWN.
WE HAD THE CIVIC COMMITTEE HERE, AND WE DID PRESENTATIONS WITH THEM.
WE DID MARANA INSIGHTS FROM THE CHAMBER, WENT TO LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT OFFICE AND TALKED WITH AGENTS TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
I THINK I ALREADY SAID THE ROADRUNNERS GAME, BUT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN MARANA.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE MARKETING OUR COMMUNITY TO THAT AUDIENCE.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET OUR BRAND OUT THERE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE NORMALLY.
THAT IS ALL OF MY SETUP, AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE CONSULTANTS TO COME UP AND GIVE US MORE OF A MEET.
I WELCOME THEM UP AND WE'LL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL, TOWN MANAGER, THANKS FOR HAVING US.
WE'RE HAPPY TO BE BACK IN MARANA ONCE AGAIN AND SHARING A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU ABOUT OUR PROCESS.
QUICK REINTRODUCTION. THE COMPANY IS WHEREABOUT IS MY COMPANY.
WE FOCUS ON DESTINATION STRATEGY, COAST TO COAST COMMUNITIES OF ALL SIZES, BUT CERTAINLY, WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF TOURISM MASTER PLAN TYPE OF PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITIES ROUGHLY THIS TIME.
THIS IS A SPECIALTY AREA FOR US TO LOOK AT WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A COMMUNITY DEVELOP A REALLY ROBUST AND LASTING VISITOR ECONOMY OVER TIME. THAT'S SOMETHING WE FOCUS ON.
>> I WAS STAYING ON THAT SIDE FOR JUST A MOMENT. THANK YOU, MATTHEW.
I'M STACEY HUMPHREY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MANAGER FOR HAVING US HERE THIS EVENING.
ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DID GET TO WORK ON WAS ACTUALLY THE TOURISM MASTER PLAN FOR THE TOWN OF GILBERT OUTSIDE OF PHOENIX.
I THINK HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE IN ARIZONA WITH A TOWN THAT HAS SOME SIMILAR QUALITIES TO IT HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL FOR US AS WE GET TO KNOW MARANA, AND WORK WITH YOU AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT TRAJECTORY OF HOW MARANA COULD CONCEIVABLY GROW AS A TOURISM ECONOMY.
WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TOURISM IS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE ALWAYS BROUGHT ALONG ON THAT PATH SO THAT QUALITY OF LIFE IS ALWAYS MAINTAINED REALLY HIGH.
AS STEFANIE MENTIONED, WE DID A BUNCH OF DISCOVERY IN THE SPRING.
THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT WENT OUT TO INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS, RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS VISITORS SO THAT WE COULD GET A REAL ROBUST REVIEW OF WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES RIGHT NOW?.
WE INTERVIEWED A NUMBER OF PARTIES THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, THE IN-MARKET DESTINATION ASSESSMENT THAT STEFANIE MENTIONED AND MATTHEW AGAIN.
FROM THAT, WE HAD A SERIES OF KEY STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE.
I'M GOING TO READ THEM ALOUD FOR MAKING
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SURE FOLKS THAT ARE JUST ZOOMING IN CAN ALSO SEE THIS.PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE.
CREATE BUZZ THROUGH FESTIVALS AND EVENTS.
IT NEEDS TO BE BUILT FOR THEM TO COME., AND THAT'S THINGS LIKE BUILDING THE DOWNTOWN THAT WE KNOW THAT KIRK WOODY, TOWN MANAGER ARE WORKING ON CURRENTLY.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS IS MARANA'S GREATEST ASSET.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.
THAT'S REALLY TALKING ABOUT SOME PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER FOLKS IN THE REGION.
NUMBER 7, THE PAST CAN BE A WINDOW TO THE FUTURE.
EIGHT, THE STEWARDSHIP MINDSET WILL FOSTER LONG-TERM SUCCESS, AND LAST, A STRONG DESTINATION REQUIRES A STRONG ORGANIZATION.
WITH THAT, AS THE FOUNDATION OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AS WE STEP INTO THIS TOURISM MASTER PLAN, MATTHEW IS GOING TO SHARE SOME OF THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VISION THAT WE CRAFTED WITH THE PLANNING TEAM THAT STEFANIE SHARED THE NAMES OF EARLIER.
BEFORE GOING THERE, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH FUN IT'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE PLANNING TEAM.
IT HAS HAD REALLY GREAT ENERGY AND CULTURE AND COHESION, GREAT DEBATES WITHIN THE ROOM, AND JUST REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF CONVERSATION AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US.
>> AS STACY MENTIONED, WE DRAFTED A LONG-TERM VISION FOR MARANA FOR WHAT THE VISITOR ECONOMY WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THIS IS DIFFERENTIATED FROM WHAT YOU THINK OF AS A VISION STATEMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING [INAUDIBLE] FROM ONE SENTENCE STATEMENT ABOUT YOUR VISION.
THIS IS A LONGER FORM, SORT OF MANIFESTO ALMOST ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO READ THE WHOLE THING TO YOU TONIGHT.
IT'S A LONGER DOCUMENT, BUT WE DID TAKE SOME TIME TO PULL OUT THE REALLY IMPORTANT WORDS THERE.
THESE ARE THE THEMES THAT REALLY SHOW UP IN THAT VISION FOR WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MARANA VISITOR ECONOMY LOOK LIKE IN 10, 20 YEARS.
YOU SEE THESE WORDS THAT ARE BIGGER, THOSE THAT SHOW UP MORE ARE THE MORE IMPORTANT IN THE STATEMENT, LIKE, WELCOMING, TRAILBLAZING, FRIENDLY.
THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE TOWN, THE TOWN CENTER, FESTIVALS, SAGUARO, THE OUTDOORS.
FAMILY IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN THIS.
FAMILY FRIENDLY, THERE'S A LOT OF STRATEGIES WE HAVE DEVELOPING THAT ARE AROUND FAMILY FRIENDLINESS.
HOPEFULLY, THIS FEELS LIKE YOUR TOWN IS WELL-REPRESENTED HERE, AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH DEVELOPING TOWARDS IN THE VISITOR ECONOMY.
LIKEWISE, WE DEVELOPED A POSITION STATEMENT.
THIS IS MEANT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND CURRENT STATE.
THAT'S FUTURE STATE, THE VISION WAS. THIS IS CURRENT STATE.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO SELL AS A DESTINATION REALISTICALLY? SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE NOT UNIQUE TO MARANA, LOTS OF TOWNS AND CITIES CAN CLAIM SOME OF THESE THINGS.
WHAT IS UNIQUE IS THE BUNDLE OF THEM, TO HAVE ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER, THAT'S MARANA.
THAT WAS OUR GOAL AS A TEAM TO PUT ALL THESE TOGETHER.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM LIKE STACY DID WITH THOSE TEAMS. I THINK WHEN WE GET THROUGH THIS, WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
WE WANT SOME FEEDBACK ON THESE ELEMENTS.
THE COMPETITIVE POSITION STATEMENT.
MARANA IS THE DESTINATION TO BE CLOSE TO EVERYTHING, YET FAR FROM ORDINARY.
THAT'S THE HEADLINE STATEMENT.
EXPERIENCE THE ONE OF A KIND SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK, IRONWOOD FOREST, NATIONAL MONUMENT, TORTOLITA MOUNTAINS, SONORAN DESERT, AND BREATHTAKING DESERT LANDSCAPES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO TOWN.
HAVE THE SKY BE EQUAL TO THE LANDSCAPE EXPERIENCE WITH 250 SPECIES OF BIRDS, SKY DIVING, HOT AIR BALLOONS, URBAN DARK SKIES, AND TANGERINE SUNSETS.
ENGAGE IN WORLD CLASS BIKING ON THE LOOP, HIKING AT WILD BURRO TRAIL, GOLFING, AND HORSEBACK RIDING.
ENJOY AWARD-WINNING FESTIVAL CELEBRATING THE TOWN AND ITS AGRICULTURAL ROOTS.
EXPERIENCE FIRST-HAND WHAT IT IS TO BE A COWBOY, NOT JUST PLAY COWBOY.
EXPLORE LAYERS IN HISTORY FROM EARLY NATIVE AMERICAN SETTLEMENTS, TO RANCHING HISTORY, TO THE ROLE OF THE REGION IN WORLD WAR II.
DISCOVER NEW ITEMS AT DESTINATION SHOPPING CENTERS AND INDULGE IN PURE LUXURY AT THE RITZ CARLTON, DOVE MOUNTAIN, WITH EASE OF ACCESS THROUGH THE MARANA REGIONAL AIRPORT.
WE'D LIKE TO PAUSE AND HEAR FROM YOU ON AT THIS POINT.
WHAT ELEMENTS ARE WE MISSING FROM OUR COMPETITIVE POSITION? WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE? WHAT DO YOU FEEL STRONGEST ABOUT? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU SEE YOU BELIEVE NEEDS SIGNIFICANT REVISITING?
YOU MENTIONED RANCHING AND MILITARY.
MARANA WAS BUILT ON COTTON FARMING.
THAT ACTUALLY IS WHY WE'RE HERE, AND THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE MENTIONED SOMEWHERE.
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>> COUNCIL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
>> WOULD IT HELP TO GO BACK TO THIS? LET ME ADD ALL OF THE MAJOR THEMES I PREPARED.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COMPETITIVE POSITION.
THESE EIGHT. FORTUNATELY, THERE'S BEARABLE TWO SLIDES, BUT I'M HAPPY TO FLIP BACK AND FORTH.
>> I DON'T MEAN TO LONGER HERE TOO LONG IF THERE ARE NO THOUGHTS, BUT DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT'S OUR FIRST TIME SEEING IT, SO GIVE US A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
>> ON ONE PAGE YOU HAVE THE DRAFT VISION.
I SEE A LOT OF THAT, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO BRING IT OUT NOW SO WE CAN JUST PUT IT TO BED.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE RESTAURANTS IN THIS TOWN.
WE'VE GOT OUR FOUR OR FIVE, BUT WHEN I GO ON VACATION OR SOMEWHERE, I LOOK TO SEE WHAT RESTAURANTS ARE AROUND.
IF PEOPLE ARE GOING ON VACATION AND THEY'RE COMING HERE, BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO GO TO TUCSON OR ORO VALLEY TO EAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
TERRY, LAST TIME WE SPOKE, YOU SAID THAT WE WEREN'T REALLY SOUNDING LIKE WE WERE GOING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD RIGHT NOW.
>> IF I MAY MAYOR HONI, COUNCILOR ZIGLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
ABSOLUTELY TRUE. KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS A DRAFT VISION 15 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF RESTAURANTS.
I'VE EXPERIENCE IT FIRST-HAND IN IN-MARKET ASSESSMENT AS WELL.
WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON AT THE RESTAURANT TASK FORCE.
AS WE GO INTO SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES AND THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE PLANNING TEAM ON, HELPING TO GROW THAT RESTAURANT ENVIRONMENT AND HELPING FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT THAT IS DEFINITELY PART OF THIS OVERALL TOURISM MASTER PLAN.
YES, IT'S MENTIONED HERE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY NOT MENTIONED IN THE POSITION, WHICH IS MORE ABOUT THIS HERE AND NOW.
>> HOPEFULLY, WE WON'T HAVE TO WAIT 10 YEARS TO GET ONE.
>> THERE'S A FEW TUESDAYS WHERE I'M THE LEAST INTELLIGENT PERSON IN THE ROOM, AND THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THEM.
CAN YOU START AT THE VERY BEGINNING? I KNOW THAT SOMEBODY SAID TOURISM MASTER PLAN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT'S YOUR GOALS? WHAT'S THE END? YOU GOT COMPETITIVE STATEMENTS AND DRAFT VISIONS.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? ARE YOU BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE [INAUDIBLE]
THAT'S THE END RESULT, BUT TOURISM PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FLY IN FROM OUT OF THE COUNTRY, WE'RE GOING TO GET LOCALS FROM IN STATE.
CAN YOU BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE END GOAL FOR THIS TOURISM MASTER PLAN?
SOME OF THAT IS IN DEVELOPMENT, SO WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS YET, BUT IN GENERAL TERMS, WE'VE GOT A SET OF 10 MAJOR OBJECTIVES.
THESE ARE AREAS OF WORK THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE TEAM TO TRY TO SHAPE THE DESTINATION ITSELF SO THAT IT CAN BEAR MORE ROBUST BUSINESS.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO HELP POSITION OUR TOWN TO ATTRACT THIS, YOU'RE GOING TO HELP POSITION BUSINESSES IN OUR TOWN, OR YOU'RE GOING TO ATTRACT PEOPLE?
>> THE STRATEGIES ARE ABOUT ALL OF THAT.
PART OF THEM ARE ABOUT MARKETING THE TOWN IN A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY TO THIS.
PART OF THEM ARE ABOUT FOSTERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE ASSETS AND ATTRACTIONS THAT DRAW PEOPLE HERE.
PART OF IT IS ABOUT CREATING SOME OF THE AMENITIES THAT BOTH LOCALS AND VISITORS WILL ENJOY.
IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TOURISM, NOT JUST A MARKETING STRATEGY, BUT IT'S HOW DOES THE TOWN NEED TO CHANGE?
>> THE SCOPE OF THIS IS MUCH LARGER THAN WE'RE GOING TO GO DO SOME ADVERTISING?
>> YES. THINK OF IT AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE TOURISM SECTOR.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. ONE MORE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY.
>> DOES THIS INVOLVE TELLING US, NOT ONLY WHAT WE DO HAVE THAT WE CAN MARKET, BUT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON? WHAT IS THE SCOPE?
>> WE ARE GOING TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THOSE OBJECTIVES ARE,
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WHERE WE'RE HEADED, BUT ALSO, WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY DILIGENT.THIS IS SOMETHING WE FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT TO HAVE SOME GOOD MEASURABLE INDICATORS IN HERE.
FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE OBJECTIVE WORK AREAS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT THE TOWN CAN MEASURE SUCCESS.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THINGS LIKE INCREASED LENGTH OF STAY FROM WHEREVER WE ARE NOW TO GET PEOPLE TO STAY MORE NIGHTS.
WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OVERALL VISITATION, INCREASE THE COLLECTIONS OF THE TRANSIENT LODGING TAX, ETC.
IN THE FINAL PLAN, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF REALLY DEPTH MEASURES TO DO THIS AS A YARDSTICK TO SAY WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> DOES THAT INCLUDE GOING TO SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES, LOCATIONS, AND FINDING OUT WHO'S COMING HERE NOW CURRENTLY? LIKE, WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY USING OUR TOURISM HOT SPOTS IN MARANA.
DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM? HOW IS IT GOING EVEN THAT IN-DEPTH?
>> THAT'S PROBABLY QUESTION STEFANIE CAN ANSWER BETTER THAN WE CAN.
>> IS IT OKAY IF I PIPE IN? MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, THE PLAN IS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY OVERALL, SO THAT WE'RE ANSWERING THE QUESTION THAT WAS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE ARE DOING THIS ON BEHALF OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. I'LL START THERE.
WE ALREADY KNOW THAT TOURISM IS AT LEAST $200 MILLION IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK BY SHAPING OUR TOURISM STORY, WE'RE SHAPING THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN AS WELL.
WHILE WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF MARKETING FOR TOURISM OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BEEN SHAPING TOURISM AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS US TO BRING.
BECAUSE END OF THE DAY, A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
WE'RE GOING TO BENEFIT AS CITIZENS AS WELL.
YES, IT'S GETTING DOWN INTO THE DATA OF WHERE ARE PEOPLE COMING FROM ALREADY AND HOW DO WE DO A BETTER JOB WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY COMING? THEN HOW ARE WE REACHING OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE COMING HERE AND CHOOSING US? WE'RE GOING TO DIG A LITTLE FURTHER INTO SOME OF THOSE LAYERS OF THE STRATEGY, BUT GREAT POINT THAT WE DIDN'T TEE THIS UP VERY WELL FOR YOU AT THE BEGINNING, AND I'LL TAKE THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT.
>> I'D SAY THAT YOU DID IT PRETTY WELL, BUT TOURISM IS VERY BROAD.
IS IT LOCAL TOURISM, WE'RE GOING ON A DAY TRIP? IS IT BRINGING SOMEBODY IN FROM OUT OF TOWN, ACROSS THE BORDER?
>> WE'RE BEING REALLY COMPREHENSIVE AND LOOKING AT ALL OF IT BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE THAT'S VERY UNTAPPED.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CREATE A PLAN AND BE STRATEGIC.
WE WON'T REACH ANY GOALS IF WE TRY TO DO EVERYTHING.
WE DO REALLY HAVE TO NARROW DOWN.
WHAT ARE THOSE BIG IMPACT THINGS THAT WE CAN REALLY TELL A GREAT STORY AROUND AND DO A GREAT JOB WITH? THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO REALLY TEST THESE THINGS WITH YOU, BUT YES, WE'LL BE DATA-DRIVEN IN EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING AND VERY TRANSPARENT.
I ALWAYS SAY IT IS NOT THE STEFANIE BOE TOURISM PLAN.
WE'RE COMING TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, AND WHAT DO WE ALREADY HAVE, AND HOW CAN WE DO BETTER?
>> HEARING THESE COMMENTS MAKES ME REALIZE THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENTS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE ON WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM.
WHAT, HOPEFULLY, SOME OF THE GOALS ARE.
OTHERWISE, THEY'RE JUST WORDS ON POWERPOINT. ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
>> WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE'VE BROUGHT IN ON TOURISM OVER THE YEARS.
IF MAY, KURT, YOU SAID 200 MILLION TO THE COMMUNITY.
HOW MUCH OF THAT DID MARANA GENERATE?
>> IF I MAY, COUNCIL MEMBER ZIGLER, I'M GOING TO LOOK AT KURT AND [INAUDIBLE].
>> THE STATISTICS ARE SHOWING THAT JUST MARANA ALONE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS $200 MILLION PER YEAR.
>> WE'RE MAKING, SAY THAT AGAIN, $200 MILLION IN MARANA.
>> ECONOMIC IMPACT. THAT IS THE EXPENDITURES OF VISITATION, TOURISM TO THE TOWN OF MARANA AND OTHER SALES TAX THAT WOULD DEVELOP OUT OF THAT, BED TAX DOLLARS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
IT'S NOT $200 MILLION TO OUR BANK ACCOUNT, BUT IT'S $200 MILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE TOWN, RESTAURANTS, BUSINESSES, THAT TYPE OF THING.
>> DO WE HAVE A LIST OF WHAT THAT IS, WHAT MAKES THAT 200?
>> ACTUALLY, IT'S SHOP, DINE, STAY AND PLAY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.
THERE'S A FORMULA WITH THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM OF ABOUT, IT WAS $171 PER DAY LAST YEAR,
[00:25:04]
AND IT'S GONE UP BECAUSE OF INFLATION.I BELIEVE IT'S ALMOST $200 PER DAY THAT A VISITOR BRINGS TO THE ECONOMY WITH THAT.
>> THAT'S A VISITOR AND NOT THOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE.
>> BUT WE'LL BRING MORE DATA TO YOU AS WE GO ALONG AS WELL.
>> MAY, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BED TAX FUND, FOR FISCAL YEAR '24, LAST YEAR, WE BROUGHT IN $1,732,000 FOR THE BED TAX FUND.
THE TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS JUST OVER $1.9 MILLION EACH YEAR.
>> THANK YOU, YONI [PHONETIC].
>> I THINK ANOTHER IMPORTANT EVENT IS THE RODEO THAT NON MECHANIZED TUCSON RADIO WILL BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE IN, AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN CAPTURE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS WHERE THEY'RE PAYING THE RISK OR WHATEVER.
I THINK WE JUST HAVE A LOT TO OFFER THAN YOU'RE SHOWING HERE FOR TOURISM TO GET PEOPLE IN HERE.
>> IT IS, BUT HOPEFULLY, THEY'LL STAY IN OUR TOWN.
>> WELL, I WAS ALSO GOING TO SAY, THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE SOME OF THIS MONEY COMES FROM, IS PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY MIGHT STAY LIKE THE GYM SHOW.
IT'S NOT HERE, BUT IT'S THERE.
IT MIGHT STAY UP HERE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND A HOTEL DOWN IN TUCSON.
>> IF I MAY ONE MOMENT, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR POST, TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT ARE WE DOING AND WHY ARE WE DOING IT? TOURISM IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME AND VISIT FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT MINIMUM WHO ARE MOVING HERE AND DWELLS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS.
BEING AHEAD OF THAT AND THINKING ABOUT A TOURISM MASTER PLAN, AS THE TOWN IS CURRENTLY DOING, ALLOWS THE TOWN TO BE AT THE STEERING WHEEL OF DRIVING HOW THAT HAPPENS SO THAT IT IS DIRECTION AND THE VISION THAT IT EMBRACES AND THAT IT BELIEVES THAT ITS RESIDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO EMBRACE THAT KIND OF VISITATION.
>> WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TOURISM?
>> TOURISM BY OUR DEFINITION, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, IS VISITATION FROM GREATER THAN 50 MILES AWAY.
THAT SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF DAY VISITS THAT HAPPENED IN OUR FOUNDATIONAL LEVEL OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM TO MARANA NOW.
WHY DON'T WE GO TO THAT? WE CAN COME BACK TO THE QUESTIONS ON THE COMPETITIVE POSITION.
>> I LIKE PEOPLE WHO JUMP AROUND POWERPOINTS. THAT IS AWESOME.
>> WHEN WE HAVE BEEN DOING OUR WORK AND DOING THE INVESTIGATION OF MARANA, THERE ARE THREE REAL KEY FOUNDATIONAL TOURISM DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE NOTICED.
IT'S NOT COMPREHENSIVE, IT'S NOT A 100% OF THE TOURISM MARKET, BUT IT IS SOME KEY DRIVERS.
THOSE ARE, I'M GOING TO COME OVER HERE SO I CAN READ IT, VISITING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA WHEN PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN MARANA.
THEY'RE JUST IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA.
I'M SORRY. WELCOMING FAMILY TRAVEL.
VISITING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA.
HAVING EXCITING OUTDOOR RECREATION, LOTS OF DAY VISITATION FOR BIKING, FOR HIKING, FOR BIRDING, FOR GOLFING, VERY UNIQUE AGRO-WESTERN EXPERIENCES.
WE KNOW THAT AGRO-TOURISM IS A KEY COMPONENT HERE FOR SURE.
DAY VISITATION FOR FESTIVALS AND EVENTS, THOSE ARE HERE.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE KEY EXISTING TOURISM BASIS NOW, BUT YOU'LL SEE DAY VISITATION.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY PUTTING PEOPLE IN BEDROOMS AND HOTELS, WHICH THEN GENERATES SOME MORE INCOME THROUGH THAT BED TAX AND PROBABLY MORE EATING OUT.
>> FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY DROVE DOWN FROM PHOENIX METRO AND USED THE LOOP, THAT WOULD BE TOURISM; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> IF YOU GOT A CHANCE TO CLARIFY, NOW, WHAT'S UNDER UNIQUE AGRO-WESTERN EXPERIENCES YOU FIND? WHAT WOULD YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILOR.
RIGHT NOW WOULD BE THINGS LIKE THE FALL FESTIVAL THAT WE KNOW THAT THE PUMPKIN PATCH HAS.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS FROM THE PUMPKIN PATCH IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW.
THAT WOULD BE ONE. THE FOUNDERS DAY PARADE.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT, WHICH IS OUR FOUR EVENTS.
>> EXACTLY. THAT'S WHY IT'S LABELED AS FOUNDATIONAL IN 2025.
IT'S SMALL AND MAYBE NOT AS LEGIBLE OVER HERE.
THAT'S WHERE THE FOUNDATION IS NOW AND WHERE WE GET TO START AND THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE GROW TOURISM IN A WAY THAT THE TOWN WISHES IT TO GROW,
[00:30:03]
THINKING OF JUST ABOUT THESE THREE KEY TOURISM DRIVERS.>> THOSE ARE OUR KEY FOUNDATIONAL TOURISM DRIVERS, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT IS AN AREA WHERE WE CAN GROW TOURISM AND START TO DRIVE IT IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR THE TOWN AND KEEPS RESIDENTS IN THE LOOP.
WE WORKED WITH THE PLANNING TEAM TO CRAFT 10 HIGH-LEVEL OBJECTIVES OF WHAT DO WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS SO WE CAN GROW OUR TOURISM? YOU'LL NOTICE THAT TWO BY SIX GRID IS EMPTY, THOSE WILL BE FILLED IN JUST A SECOND.
HANG TIGHT THERE. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WITH THE PLANNING TEAM BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND GOING INTO TODAY, STARTED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THOSE KEY AREAS THAT THE TOWN WOULD WANT TO FOCUS ON? WHAT ARE THE TOWN AS WELL AS AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO GROW THE TOURISM ECONOMY AND BUSINESSES AND MARKETING IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE AND HELPS TO ACHIEVE THAT VISION THAT WE SHOW THAT WORD CLOUD ABOUT.
THERE ARE 10 OBJECTIVES, AND I WILL READ THEM FOR FOLKS.
ROLL OUT THE WELCOME MAT FOR MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES.
INCUBATE AND GROW SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOCALLY-OWNED RESTAURANTS.
COUNCILORS, TO YOUR POINT EARLIER.
THREE, EXPAND, DIVERSIFY, AND PROMOTE MARANA'S ACCOMMODATIONS AND CONFERENCE OFFERINGS.
FOUR, PROMOTE, ENHANCE, AND EXPAND MARANA'S AWARD-WINNING FESTIVALS AND EVENTS.
FIVE, IDENTIFY FUNDING SOURCES AND INVEST STRATEGICALLY IN MARANA'S VISITOR ECONOMY.
SIX, USE DATA TO AMPLIFY MARANA'S STORY AND MEASURE AND DEMONSTRATE SUCCESS.
SEVEN, CELEBRATE AND PRESERVE MARANA'S UNIQUE ARTS AND HERITAGE.
EIGHT, GENERATE SENSE OF PLACE, EXCITEMENT, AND PRIDE IN THE IDENTITY OF MARANA.
NINE, LEVERAGE AND INVOLVE MARANA'S WORLD-CLASS OUTDOOR RECREATION AND PARKS.
LAST, TARGET, ATTRACT, AND DEVELOP NEW AMENITIES TO ELEVATE MARANA AS A DESTINATION.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THESE ARE DRAFT.
WE TOTALLY WANT YOUR INPUT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN SHAPE THIS WITH YOU AS WELL AS WITH THE PLANNING TEAM.
>> NOW THAT WE KNOW SOME OF THE GOALS OF THIS, I THINK THOSE ARE PRETTY GOOD.
THOSE REALLY FIT WHAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUS.
>> I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THIS AND DOES TOURISM GENERATE MONEY, JOBS, OPPORTUNITIES AND STUFF? A LOT OF THE AMENITIES WE BUILD ARE BROUGHT HERE BY THE REGION FOOTBALL GAMES AT THE U OF A OF 10,000 PEOPLE COME UP FROM PHOENIX TO WATCH.
MOST OF THEM WILL STAY IN OUR HOTELS ALONG THE FREEWAY, WHERE MOST OF THEM ARE.
WE HAVE 13, WE'LL HAVE 14 OPENINGS SOON, AND WE HAVE A 15TH ON THE WAY.
A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S A BENEFIT FOR US, BUT IT'S ACCOMMODATING TOURISTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ZIGLER TALKED ABOUT RESTAURANTS.
WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD IN CORTARO AND INA ON THAT END OF TOWN.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OUT HERE OR NIGHTTIME RESTAURANTS.
I I'M LOOKING AT TOURISM IS WHAT DO WE DO AS THE GREEDY OLD MAYOR TO GET THAT TOURIST TO SEND MONEY AND RENT, WHETHER IT'S RENTING A HOTEL ROOM, BUYING A BAIL OF HAY, EATING IN OUR RESTAURANTS, USING OUR FACILITIES? SOMETIMES I THINK JUST ACCOMMODATING TOURISM IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.
>> MAYOR, I THINK YOU BRING UP SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS BECAUSE SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF OUR COMMUNITY OR THE LACK OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE PIGGYBACKING WHAT'S GOING ON.
PARENTS DAY AT THE U OF A. THAT IS A TOURISM EVENT, WHERE ALL OF THE HOTELS ARE FILLED UP IN THE CITY, AND SO WE GET SOME OF THAT.
THEY GET TO GO TO THEN SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE.
JUST TAGGING ALONG WITH EVENTS THAT ALREADY HAPPEN IN OUR GREATER TUCSON AREA COMMUNITY, OUR TOURISM IN TUCSON, PARENTS DAY AT U OF A, GOLF TOURNAMENTS THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I THINK A LOT OF YOUR DRAFT OBJECTIVES COVER A LOT OF THAT.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THINGS THAT PEOPLE COME SPECIFICALLY TO MARANA.
[00:35:03]
THERE'S SOME GOLF AND SOME DIFFERENT RESORTS, BUT AS A WHOLE, IT'S NOT YET QUITE A GO-TO DESTINATION.>> MAYOR HONI, VICE MAYOR POST.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE USING THE WORD, YET.
>> I THINK THE VICE MAYOR SAID WE'VE BEEN LIVING ON THAT FOR YEARS. IT'S NOTHING NEW.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE LAST ONE, TARGET, ATTRACT, DEVELOP NEW AMENITIES TO ELEVATE MARANA AS A DESTINATION.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A MASTER PLAN, I WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US FOR US TO BE A DESTINATION.
I THINK THE WORD THE MAYOR USED, ACCOMMODATING TOURISM, THAT'S WHAT THE TOWN IS DOING.
WE MIGHT BE IN OUR TRAILS, GOLF, HIKING, WE MAY BE THERE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE REALLY GENERATING TOURISM.
>> THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A MASTER PLAN AND PAY, $200,000 WITH THIS.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE IS WE JUST GET THE OVERFLOW.
I THINK I'M GOOD WITH THE OVERFLOW.
I'M GOOD WITH THE OVERFLOW, BUT NEED TO ESTABLISH SOME DESTINATIONS.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE YOU GAVE THE PROFESSIONALS.
I COULDN'T I WISH I HAD A AN EXAMPLE TO SAY TO YOU LIKE THIS OR THAT OR THAT AND I DON'T.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT A DESTINATION, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE HAVE THINGS BESIDES OUR EVENTS, BUT WHEN I SEE A DESTINATION, SOMEBODY COMING FROM THE EAST COAST TO COME HERE TO GO TO DISNEYLAND OR, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT?
>> THE RITZ CARLTON IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE THAT PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY FLY OUT HERE TO GO TO OUR RD CARL? YES. THEY HAVE A THAT'S A DESTINATION.
>> ONE THING WITH THAT IN THE VERY FIRST SLIDE WHERE YOU SHOWED THE OR THE VERY FIRST SLIDE, CAN GO BACK TO THAT ONE INSTEAD OF HAVING COME HERE FOR SWORN NATIONAL PARK, WHY ARE WE HERE FOR THE TILDAS.
THAT'S WHERE WE GOT OUR TRAIL SYSTEMS. THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE SPENT A LOT OF TIME FROM THE RITZ.
THAT'S A DESTINATION IN MORANA, THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING TO TO GO DO IN MORANA.
THEY'RE NOT COMING TO MORANA FOR THE SWORN NATIONAL PARK THAT'S IT'S A PLACE TO STAY WHILE THEY GO TO THOSE.
BUT WHERE YOU HAD THAT IT WASN'T IT WAS AFTER ALL OF THE OTHER NATIONAL PARKS AND BIG PARKS OUTSIDE OF MARANA.
THEY'RE NOT GOING OUT RIGHT THERE, ADD BATS TO THAT BIRDING.
PEOPLE GO DOWN AND THEY'LL THEY'LL JUST LINE THE ROAD DOWN HERE. YOU KNOW THE RIGHT TIME.
SOMEBODY CAN FIGURE THAT OUT. I'VE DONE IT TWICE, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE LINED IN TO WATCH THE BATS GO OUT AND PEOPLE WOULD SLIGHT BIRDING, THEY IN SEASON, THEY WANT TO BE THERE TO SEE THAT, AND THEY'LL STAY OVERNIGHT BECAUSE IT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN.
>> I WAS JUST AT OLO YESTERDAY, AND THERE'S SOMETHING MAYBE IT'S OFF THE ROAD, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THE TOWN REALLY NEEDS TO PROMOTE MORE.
THERE'S PEOPLE COMING FROM NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES, BUT OVERSEAS FOR BIRDING, AND IT USED TO BE DOWN AT SWEETWATER.
>> I WAS SHOWING THIS IS TERRIBLE.
I WAS SHOWING A MARANA RESIDENT WHERE EL RIO WAS.
I TOOK HER UP THERE A COUPLE OF THEM AND SAID, THERE'S A LAKE.
THEN I WENT INTO HOW THE LAKE WAS BUILT.
BUT ANYWAY I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU SIT THERE AND YOU LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S JUST REALLY LOVELY AND QUIET.
BUT LIKE JOHN SAID, MAN, BIRDERS ARE COMING FROM EVERYWHERE.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD THINK THAT WE COULD I DON'T KNOW, TERRY, JUST JUMP ON AND MAKE IT A LITTLE.
IT'S NICE. WE'VE DONE A LOT SINCE THE HOW LONG HAVE WE'VE HAD THE LAKE.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD LIKE I NOTICED THERE WERE PORTA POTTIES DOWN THERE YESTERDAY MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT.
>> I SAW SMID WATER GOING IN THAT LAKE YESTERDAY.
WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE WE USED TO NOT HAVE THAT.
>> MAYBE WE DO HAVE REAL COULD BE A DESTINATION.
OUR NEW COMMUNITY RECREATION AQUATIC CENTER, WE'RE GOING TO END UP HAVING SWIM BEATS THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE OLYMPIC POOLS.
I GO IN PICKLEBALL I SAID WE HAVE THREE BASKETBALL COURTS.
[00:40:02]
THAT'S NINE PICKLEBALL COURTS FOR TOURNAMENTS.CB STAND OR TOWN STANDARD HOTELS, EAT IN OUR RESTAURANTS, GOLF TOURNAMENT.
WE WE MIGHT COULD DEVELOP DESTINATIONS.
>> A GOLF TOURNAMENTS. THAT IS IF THE WHO'S FROM DOB MOUNTAIN THEY'LL LET US KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT IF THE DOVE MOUNTAIN LESS IT'S USE YOUR GOLF COURSE.
PEOPLE COME FROM A LONG WAYS TO GO TO THE GOLF TOURNAMENT AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN VERY FRIENDLY ABOUT IT OR DOVE MOUNTAIN HAS.
JUST THEY COULDN'T WAIT TO THOSE PEOPLE TO GONE.
THEY WERE ONLY HERE THREE DAYS. THAT'S NOT GOOD.
THEY'RE A GOLF DESTINATION ALMOST AND I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S WHEN WE JUST HAD BEFORE WE HAD THE ONE YEARS AGO, IS IT? WHEN WE JUST HAD TO LIVE HERE, OH MY GOD. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A.
>> MR. BAYER VI MAYOR REM CUN THINK YOU'RE ALL HE HAS SOME REALLY KEY ELEMENTS OF WITH THE CONSULTANTS AND 70 OF THE WORK.
THERE'S SO MANY ASPECTS OF THIS.
THERE'S HAVING THINGS THAT DRAW PEOPLE HERE AND CERTAINLY WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE THINGS YOU HIT ON A NUMBER OF THEM.
THE RICH CARLTON WORLD CLASS HIKING, I PRESERVE OUR PUKET PATCH QUITE FRANKLY.
THAT'S THE GOLFING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT DRAW PEOPLE AND I THINK YOU HIT ON WITH THE OPENING OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE CAN START TO INCREASE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
HAVING THINGS THAT DRAW PEOPLE HERE IS IMPORTANT AND DEVELOPING THOSE THINGS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE COMING TO PRETTY SOON WITH IS WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE AGREEMENT TO GET OUR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPED.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY UNIQUE ONE OF A KIND PLACE HERE CERTAINLY IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND REALLY IN ALL OF ARIZONA.
THOSE THINGS, WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE ADDING FIELDS AND THINGS OF THAT.
THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR SPORTS TOURISM.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE THAT AS YOU SAID, WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT MORE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, THIS IS HERE, BECAUSE IF OUR OWN RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW, THAT'S BAD. GOOD.
>> MY FRIENDS, TERRY, BASED ON MY FRIENDS.
>> ALL OF THESE THINGS, I THINK ENCOMPASS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WHAT THINGS DO WE NEED TO ADD TO MAKE THIS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME HERE AND VISIT MY FRIEND JUST FLEW INTO TOWN INTO PHOENIX, AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE GOT WE GOT TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN TO MARANA TO SEE WHATEVER.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT CERTAINLY WANT TO WORK TO GENERATE.
I THINK YOU'RE ALL HIDDEN ON MANY OF THOSE THINGS AS THE CONSULTANTS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
I TOTALLY APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION.
I THINK YOU SUMMED IT UP REALLY WELL.
WHERE MARANA IT'S NOT THE FULL ROBUST DESTINATION THAT IT CAN BE 30 YEARS AGO.
GILBERT WAS NOT THE DESTINATION THAT WE ALL KNOW NOW.
IF YOU COULD PICTURE THAT TRAJECTORY THAT GILBERT HAD FROM 1995 TO NOW.
YOU'RE SOMEWHERE ALONG THAT TRAJECTORY, AND MARANA CAN GROW INTO A DESTINATION JUST LIKE GILBERT IS NOW.
I THINK THAT'S WHY THE TOWN INVESTED SO MUCH BACK IN MAY TO HAVE THAT FIELD TRIP AND LEARN.
THE POPULATION OF GILBERT, OVER 300,000? MY STILL A TOWN.
REMEMBER IT WAS SUCH A LITTLE TOWN? NO. IT'S THREE AND THEY MUCH LIKE MARANA WANT TO KEEP KEEP HOLD OF THEIR HERITAGE ROOTS, KEEP HOLD OF THEIR COTTON FARMING, AS THE MAYOR SAID.
THE HOPE AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THESE BOXES ARE GOING TO FILL.
IF THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW, WITH JUST THOSE DAY TRIPS, NOT QUITE THE DESTINATION WE WANT TO BE.
IF WE WORK THOSE OBJECTIVES AND THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE PACKED IN THERE AND THE TEAM IS WORKING ON NOW, AND THE PROMOTION SOMETIME IN MIDWAY BETWEEN NOW AND 2035, WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE IS WHEN YOUR WELCOMING FAMILY TRAVEL AND YOU HAVE FRIENDS STAY AT FRIENDS AND RELATIVES PLACES THAT PEOPLE KNOW THEY ARE IN MARANA, THAT THERE'S A SENSE OF PLACE THAT THE RESIDENTS HERE KNOW THAT THEY ARE HERE.
ONE OF THE AMAZING DYNAMICS THAT THE TOWN OF MARANA HAS, THIS IS PHENOMENAL POPULATION GROWTH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, 50,000 FOLKS IN 2020 WHO LIVED HERE AND THERE'S 64,000 APPROXIMATE NOW.
THAT 14,000% POPULATION GROWTH IN FOUR YEARS IS ASTONISHING.
THERE'S A WAVE OF ENERGY AND RESIDENT INTEREST THAT'S GOING TO HELP
[00:45:02]
GROW THE COMMUNITY AND GROW THINGS LIKE THE TOWN CENTER THAT THE TOWN MANAGER JUST TALKED ABOUT.WE HOPE TO GROW FROM JUST DAY VISITS TO MULTI DAY VISITS FOR ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS.
THAT'S WHERE GROWING THE BIRDING, LOOKING AT EL RIO, LOOKING AT THE BATS.
THAT'S NEW TO ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FOR THAT, THAT CAN GROW WITH SOME REAL STRATEGIC INFUSIONS OF ENERGY AND INVESTMENT FROM THE TOWN AND ITS PARTNERS.
WITH UNIQUE AGGER WESTERN EXPERIENCES.
IT'S NOT JUST THE DAY EXPERIENCES NOW, LIKE FOUNDERS DAY OR THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS LIKE 10:00 PM-6:00 PM.
BUT MAYBE THERE'S A PIGGYBACK EVENT THE DAY BEFORE OR THE EVENING BEFORE AN ESTABLISHED FESTIVAL SO FORCES THAT OVERNIGHT AND THAT GREATER INVESTMENT AND TOURISM ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY.
OR WHAT WE WOULD HOPE TO SEE IF THIS PLAN IS WORKED, THE OBJECTIVES AND THE STRATEGIES ARE WORKED IS WHAT WE ASPIRE TO.
THE NEXT SLIDE, WHERE FOLKS ARE COMING TO SOUTHERN ARIZONA TO VISIT FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
BUT THEY'RE COMING HERE BECAUSE IT IS A DESTINATION.
BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE A FAMILY FRIENDLY HOTEL DESTINATION THAT THERE IS MARANA HAS BECOME A REPUTATION AS AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE DESTINATION.
THE LOOP HAS A GREAT REPUTATION, AND THAT CAN ACTUALLY DRAW PEOPLE TO JUST BE AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE DESTINATION.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THERE AND DO ROAD RACING AND THEN ALSO MOUNTAIN BIKING.
THEN AGER WESTERN EXPERIENCES AND THAT GENRE PICKED ABOUT MULTI DAY FESTIVALS AND EXPERIENCES, THE RODEO, THAT COUNCILOR KIMONO A LITTLE BIT AGO, THINGS LIKE THAT, DRIVING OVERNIGHT DAYS BECAUSE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A TRAJECTORY OF GROWTH THAT THE TOWN OF BORNA COULD SEE WORKING THE PLAN THAT WE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THE PLANNING TEAM.
>> THIS YEAR, MAGGIE IN THE BACK THERE.
SHE ADVERTISED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ACROSS THE BORDER.
THE RESPONSE WAS WAS NOTHING SHORT OF PHENOMENAL.
WE HAD A TON OF PEOPLE THAT CAME ACROSS AMOUNT OF PHONE CALLS THAT WE FIELDED WITH PEOPLE WANTING TO GO MORE INFORMATION.
IT'S NOT JUST LOCALS WANTING SOMETHING TO DO.
IT'S PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
THE DIFFERENCE FOR US WAS IS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND SOMEBODY WITH LIKE TELEMUNDO THAT SAID, HEY, WE HAVE AVENUES THAT WE CAN ADVERTISE DOWN THERE, OR IS DIFFERENT IF WE WANT TO ADVERTISE AND SAY CHANDLER AND GILBERT, IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
I BUSINESSES STRUGGLE TO GET THE WORD OUT STRUGGLE TO JUST LIKE ARXAN SAID, HEY, SOMETIMES A LOCAL S. HOW DO WE GET THE WORD OUT.
I THINK PART OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE NEEDS TO BE, HOW DO WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN RANA SO THAT THEY CAN PLAN A MULTI DAY TRIP, DO THIS, AND DO THAT AND TIE IT ALL TOGETHER.
WE DO FIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE NOW PLANNED FAMILY GATHERINGS, WHERE THEY COME IN DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
NOT ONLY IS THE WEATHER NICE, BUT THEY HAVE FOUND THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR FAMILY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
JUST CONTINUING TO GET THAT WORD OUT THAT, HEY, THERE ARE THINGS TO DO IN MARANA.
>> YOU NEED TO DO PODCAST THAT JUST SAYS WE HAVE A LAKE AND PEOPLE WOULD GO BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I TOLD MY FRIEND.
>> STARTED SHOWING UP THEIR MOTOR BOATS THEY.
WE HAVE THIS LAKE AND NOT A LAKE JOHNS, BUT MAYBE.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THE ABJECTIVE SLIDE? ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO.
I THINK WITH A HIGHLIGHT ON HERE BECAUSE YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT.
IF WE LOOK AT THESE OBJECTIVES, WE THINK, WELL, WHAT ARE THEY ACTUALLY DOING? SOME OF THIS IS LOOKING AT DEVELOPING THE DESTINATION.
SOME OF IT IS TALKING ABOUT HOW DOES TOWN WORK WITH ITSELF, HOW DOES MARKETING AND TOURISM WORK TOGETHER? SOME OF IT IS LOOKING AT MARKETING AND HOW DO WE GET THE WORD OUT.
IT COVERS ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO REALLY GROW ONE OF THE INDUSTRIES, THE ECONOMIC INDUSTRIES THAT MARANA HAS,
[00:50:02]
BUT IT IS A HOLISTIC LOOK AT THOSE THINGS SO INCLUDING MARKETING ABSOLUTELY.BACK TO THE RODEO, THE RODEO THAT'S ON IN MARANA.
I DON'T DO PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT?
>> NO. THE ONE HERE ON SATURDAY. THEY DON'T.
>> BUT PEOPLE REALLY LIKE RODEO AND I REALLY I MEAN, WHEN I GO BY THERE, IF I'M GOING AT NIGHT IS A FRIDAY, SATURDAY NIGHT OR SOMETHING MAN, I ALWAYS.
>> THERE YOU GO. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A WHILE AGO.
BUT IT'S JUST THE LOCALS, I THINK THAT KNEW ABOUT IT.
I THINK PEOPLE THAT GOT WHO OWNS IT.
THE WESTERN HERITAGE ITAS A NONPROFIT.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OWNS THE LAND THAT IT'S ON AND WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A NON-PROFIT AND WORKING A FULL TIME JOB, YOU HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME ANSWERING MY EMAIL TO ASK YOU WHEN YOUR NEXT RODEO IS.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY STRATEGIES WE REALLY NEED TO WORK ON IS HOW DO WE SUPPORT.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY DOING THINGS AND HELP THEM GET BETTER.
HELP THEM ADVERTISE, HELP THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO BRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN AND SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALSO BRINGING DATA INTO THIS SO THAT WE CAN SHOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ALREADY COMING, WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM, AND THEN HOW DO WE HELP THEM BUILD FROM THERE? WE NEED THE NEW STUFF.
BUT THERE'S JUST THINGS LIKE THE LAKE AND JOHN WOULD BREAK OPEN THIS UP AND PATCH AND WE'LL JUST, WE'LL PARTNER WITH YOU, JOHN.
BUT ANYWAY, I TELL YOU THAT RODEO JUST REALLY AMAZES ME.
GOOD OPPORTUNITIES. IT'S ALREADY THERE.
SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
TRACK. LIKE THEY HAD A REALLY COOL EVENT LAST WEEKEND, RIGHT LAST WEEKEND WHERE KIDS COULD SIGN UP TO DRIVE AND LEARN HOW TO DO IT.
THERE ARE KIDS GETTING SPONSORSHIPS AND GOING UP TO BECOME A DRIVER.
HOW DO WE SUPPORT THAT ORGANIZATION? THAT'S GOOD. THEY CAN GROW THAT AUDIENCE.
WE CAN DO THAT. IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE TO COME ALONGSIDE THEM.
>> TO SUPPORT THE THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING.
THE TUCSON RODEO IS A WORLD RENOWNED RODEO THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR US TO GET INVOLVED THAN IT WOULD BE TO GO AND STARS PARK ONLY FACILITY THAT WE DUMP MILLIONS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HOW CAN WE GET INVOLVED WHEN THE NEXT TIME THE LITTLE RACETRACK HAS AN EVENT LIKE THAT? HOW DO WE GET INVOLVED? HOW DO WE BECOME A SPONSOR FOR THAT?
>> YES. I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE A GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP SO THEY CAN APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDS.
THEN FROM THERE, THEY CAN USE THAT FOR MARKETING.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY NEED MONEY.
I THINK A GRANT FUND WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA TO HELP ESPECIALLY UNDER OUR TOURISM UMBRELLA TO HELP BUSINESSES DO THINGS THAT WE THINK CAN PULL IN MORE TOURISM.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I THINK A LOT OF THEM JUST NEED TO HAVE THEIR EYES OPENED A LITTLE BIT TO THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S IN FRONT OF THEM.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE KEY STRATEGIES WE WERE DISCUSSING AT OUR MEETING TODAY IS, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO DO BIKE RENTALS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO RIDE THE LOOP.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A CONSISTENT WAY FOR A VISITOR TO CALL UP AND GET A BIKE.
MAN, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE MONEY.
THEY JUST NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY COULD THEY POTENTIALLY MAKE.
IF WE CAN CREATE THE MENU OF GAPS, WE CAN SAY, LOOK, HERE'S ALL THE GAPS, AND PEOPLE WILL ANSWER THE GAPS.
>> THAT NEEDS TO GO IN YOUR LATEST IDEA BIKE RENTAL SHOP.
DON'T YOU JUST PICK THE BIKE UP AND YOU PUT MONEY IN? THEY DO THAT DOWNTOWN. IT HAS TO BE THE RIGHT BIKE.
IF YOU'RE RIDING THE LOOP, YOU MIGHT WANT A DIFFERENT BIKE.
IF YOU'RE DOING GRAVEL RIDING, YOU WANT A DIFFERENT BIKE OR MOUNTAIN BIKING.
YOU WANT TO CUSTOMIZE TO THE RIDER BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR TRAVEL, SO THEY WANT WHAT THEY WANT.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE IT CAN'T JUST BE THE REGULAR BIKE THAT YOU MIGHT RIDE ON THE STREET?
>> RESEARCH WILL HELP US ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
>> REMEMBER, VICE MAYOR WE TRIED TO DO A RODEO.
>> YEAH, AND I DIDN'T SUPPORT IT.
>> YOU DID NOT SUPPORT IT. HOW MANY YEARS WAS THAT?
I CAN'T BELIEVE. THAT WAS PAINFUL.
>> [INAUDIBLE] WAS PUSHING THAT?
[00:55:03]
>> IT WAS A TWO MILLION DOLLAR BILL BEFORE.
WE HADN'T EVEN BUILD IT YET. THAT WAS TOO SMALL.
>> THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS WE HAVE AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, WERE THERE PIECES OF THAT PLAN THAT YOU DID LIKE BECAUSE HERITAGE IS UNDER UTILIZED.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH PARKS AND REC.
IT'S A SHAME THAT WE ONLY HAVE THAT ONE BIG EVENT PER YEAR THERE.
WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO WITH THE REST OF THAT PROPERTY? KERRY HAS GOT AN IDEA, BUT THERE'S 160 ACRES OVER THERE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A PIECE OF OUR HERITAGE THERE.
>> ALONG THE SANTA CRUZ RIVER THERE.
>> A LOT OF THIS STUFF, BUT EVEN LOOKING AT ARENAS.
JOE PARSONS BUILT TWO BEAUTIFUL ARENAS, ONE OF THEM COVERED AND ENDED UP CUTTING THE PIPES OFF AND TEARING THEM DOWN BECAUSE HE COULDN'T MAKE ANY MONEY.
I'M JUST SAYING, HE BUILT THE ARENAS TO HAVE THE EVENTS, AND IT JUST DIDN'T PENCIL FOR HIM.
I WENT TO A COUPLE OF EVENTS BEFORE THEY TORE THEM DOWN.
>> IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND DOLLARS, THERE'S A VERY SELECT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
ALSO A SELECT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO GO WATCH THEM TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME WHEN THE AQUATIC CENTER HAS A MUCH BROADER USAGE SOCCER FIELDS, PICKLEBALL FIELD, THE USAGE IS MUCH BROADER, AND SO YOUR DOLLARS ARE, IN MY OPINION, MUCH BETTER SPENT ON THOSE ITEMS.
>> I JUST THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS OUTSIDE OF MARANA.
WE WANT TO BUILD THINGS IN MARANA OBVIOUSLY, BUT THE DESERT MUSEUM IS A WORLD FAMOUS MUSEUM.
ACTUALLY, ORO AND CORTARO HOTELS ARE SOME OF THE CLOSEST HOTELS TO THE DESERT MUSEUM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE IN THE COUNTY.
DO WE PROMOTE, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE ARIZONA DESERT MUSEUM FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, STAY IN MARANA.
DO WE TRY TO TIE IT TO THAT STUFF?
>> I DID WANT TO GO BACK TO THE POINT ABOUT SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK TOO, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE EASIEST WAY TO GET INTO SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WINDING GATES PATH, AND I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE THAT FOR SUNSET, WE CAN DO THE SAME MARKETING.
THERE ARE A MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR COMING FOR SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK.
NOW, THAT'S BETWEEN EAST AND WEST, SO WE CAN'T REALLY SAY HOW MANY ARE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST, BUT WE ARE THE GATEWAY THAT IT'S VERY EASY TO GET IN AND OUT OF THERE TO YOUR POINT, BUT WE JUST DISCOVERED TOO, THAT GOOGLE DOESN'T TAKE PEOPLE THAT WAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MARKET THAT, GO THIS WAY.
WE'VE GOT SANCTUARY CODE, WE'VE GOT THE PICTURE OF PETROGLYPHS BACK THERE.
WE HAVE TONS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO, SO WE CAN CREATE THAT ITINERARY TO GET THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE DESERT MUSEUM.
IT'S UNTAPPED POTENTIAL AGAIN FOR US.
DEFINITELY, TOURED THE MOUNTAINS FOR SURE, BUT THEY ARE NOT AS RECOGNIZED AS SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK.
LET'S UTILIZE THE FAME THAT THAT NATIONAL PARK ALREADY HAS BECAUSE IT'S THE COMBINATION OF PRODUCTS THAT WE HAVE.
IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT CONSUMER STUFF, WE HAVE SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK, THE IRONWOOD FOREST, WHICH IS COMPLETELY UNTAPPED POTENTIAL THERE AS WELL.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET DATA BACK FROM THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.
WE HELPED TO TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE USING THE IRONWOOD JUST BY THE PROMOTIONS WE'VE BEEN DOING.
I'M TAKING FULL CREDIT AS DISCOVER MARANA.
WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT PROMOTE IT.
NO ONE ELSE PROMOTES THE IRONWOOD.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK THERE TOO.
WE HAVE THAT UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ALL THOSE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE MARANA THE HOME-BASED.
WE COULD MAYBE MOVE TOWARD ALITA INTO THE FRONT OF THAT SEGMENT THERE.
>> I WOULD JUST SAY BECAUSE THAT'S A MARANA LOCATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOURISM IN MARANA.
WITH THAT, YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT OUR FOUR SIGNATURE EVENTS.
WHERE DO WE ADVERTISE FOR THOSE TO BRING PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE LOCAL AREA TO THOSE? WHERE DO WE DO THAT?
>> YOU DEFINITELY BEEN SUPPORTING THE SIGNATURE EVENTS FROM THE TOURISM PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS TOURISM ADVERTISING, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO SEE IT BECAUSE YOU LIVE HERE.
OUR GOAL IS TO REACH PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE HERE WITH THOSE TOURISM DOLLARS BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
I JUST APPROVED AN AD FOR A BIRDING MAGAZINE THAT GOES
[01:00:01]
TO 150,000 EXPERT BIRD WATCHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.THAT'S NOT GOING TO COME IN YOUR MAILBOX AND YOU'LL NEVER SEE THAT, AND THAT'S OKAY.
WE WANT TO REACH THOSE BIRDERS.
ALL OF OUR ADVERTISING IN MEXICO, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO SEE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT FOR YOU. IT'S FOR THEM.
WE CAN ALWAYS BRING REPORTS AND SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I LOVE TO SHOW OFF THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, BUT AS FAR AS THOSE EVENTS ARE CONCERNED, A LOT OF THEM ARE AT CAPACITY, SO WE DO WANT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARKS AND REC.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR CITIZENS STILL HAVE A REALLY GREAT TIME AT OUR EVENTS.
WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAND IN HAND HERE BECAUSE WHEN WE COME TO SEE THE TREE LIGHTING, WE WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME BUT THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO, IF WE CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE THAT YOU CAN SEE THE TREE LIGHTING EVERY SINGLE NIGHT IN DECEMBER.
>> DO YOU CONSIDER THE TREE LIGHTING A TOURISM EVENT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. STARTING NOVEMBER 15TH, WE WILL HAVE CELL PHONE DATA SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE THAT EVENT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRACK THE PHONES.
I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY LOVES THAT, BUT IT IS A GREAT WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOUR PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO CREATE A REPORT AND SHOW HOW MANY OF OUR CITIZENS ARE THERE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING FROM OTHER PLACES.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOING TO UNLOCK SO MANY THINGS FOR US, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE BUILDING THE PLAN.
IT'LL BE GREAT TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH FROM WHERE.
YOU'VE GOT DATA AS A COMPANY AS WELL THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND LET'S LOOK AT THE DATA AND SEE WHAT'S THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY THERE.
>> STEPPING TO THAT POINT, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT OBJECTIVE NUMBER 6, WHICH THE FIRST STEWARDS ARE USED DATA TO MEASURE AND DEMONSTRATE SUCCESS.
THAT ACTION THAT STARTS WITH A NEW DATA SOURCE BEING AVAILABLE IN MID NOVEMBER IS A GREAT WAY TO START DOING THIS SO THAT YOU CAN START TO TARGET AND GROW THE VISITATION TO HERE.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THAT I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS IF I RECALL, ORO VALLEY HAS NO HOTELS, RIGHT?
>> THEY HAVE THREE [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S RIGHT ALONG THE [OVERLAPPING]
>> THERE'S HOLIDAY INN OR SOMETHING RIGHT ALONG ORACLE I'VE SEEN IT ALL THE TIME.
>> APOLOGIES. WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE GROWING YOUR TOURISM, YOU WERE ALWAYS GOING TO THINK ABOUT YOUR CATCHMENT AREA BEING SLIGHTLY BIGGER.
IF I WERE TO COME HERE TO MARANA, I WOULD ALSO PROBABLY DO A DAY TRIP TO TUCSON, I WOULD DO A DAY TRIP INTO THE NATIONAL PARK, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY PART OF THE CATCHMENT.
I KNOW MATTHEW HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY IN OREGON, WILSONVILLE, WHICH HAS A LOT OF HOTELS AND NOT A LOT OF DESTINATION, A LOT OF THINGS IN TOWN TO DO, BUT IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO DO A JUMP OFF DAY TRIP TO GO WINE TASTING, TO GO TO MOUNT HOOD, TO GO CHECK OUT SOMEBODY'S ANTIQUE MALLS THAT ARE NEARBY, BUT NONE OF THOSE PLACES REALLY HAVE AS MANY HOTELS AS WILSONVILLE DOES.
IT'S A WAY TO DO THAT KIND OF CATCHMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
>> THE TOURISM THING, IF A PERSON JUST COMES HERE FOR AN EVENT AND GOES HOME IS ONE THING.
A LOT OF TIMES, OUR TOWN EVENTS, WE DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY OUT OF IT.
IF A PERSON COMES AND SPENDS THE NIGHT, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO EAT IN YOUR RESTAURANTS, SO WE'RE GOING TO GET BED TAX, WE'RE GOING TO GET A BUNCH OF STUFF.
YOU DIFFERENTIATE, ARE YOU TRYING TO DRAW TOURISTS THAT WILL STAY HERE OR JUST VISIT SOMETHING HERE?
>> TECHNICALLY BOTH, BUT THE FORMER IS DEFINITELY MORE IMPACTFUL THAN THE LATTER, HAVING PEOPLE STAY OVERNIGHT.
WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE DRIVERS AND HOW WE GROW FROM FOUNDATIONAL TO PROMOTIONAL TO ASPIRATIONAL, YOU'LL SEE THAT WITH THE FESTIVALS AND EVENTS, THINKING ABOUT DAY VISITS TO THEN HAVING A PIGGYBACK EVENT.
MAYBE THERE'S A CARNIVAL THE NIGHT BEFORE THE FOUNDER'S DAY PARADE.
SOMEONE COMES TO THE CARNIVAL, STAYS OVERNIGHT, GETS THAT GREATER ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM THAT VISITOR AND THEN GOES TO THE FESTIVAL THE NEXT DAY.
THOSE OVER NIGHTS ARE REALLY GETTING TO THAT LEVEL, TAKES SOME BOOM, BUT IT'S BUILDING SOME OF THOSE DAY THINGS A LITTLE BIT STRONGER SO THAT PEOPLE DO STAY OVERNIGHT.
>> HAVE YOU STARTED DOING YOUR ADVERTISING IN CONJUNCTION WITH KEY WORDS, SO WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS BIRD, IT STARTS TO POPULATE THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA FEED WITH BIRD WATCHING IN MARANA?
>> WELL, WE'RE REALLY LUCKY THAT A TOWN REALLY JUMPED INTO DESTINATION MARKETING MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO.
OUR WEBSITE HAS THE MOST POWERFUL SEO IN THIS AREA THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN HAVING TO PAY FOR BECAUSE WE ARE A EXPERT.
GOOGLE, WHEN THEY SEARCH THROUGH ALL THE WEBSITES AND DO ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY DO,
[01:05:05]
WE ARE AN EXPERT.WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO MAINTAIN THAT.
WE DO DIGITAL MARKETING NOW AS WELL THROUGH THAT GRANT THROUGH THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM.
WHEN SOMEONE GOES TO VISIT ARIZONA, THEY'RE ALREADY THINKING, ARIZONA.COM, THEY'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT ARIZONA, WE RE-TARGET THEM IN OTHER PLACES TO GET THEM TO COME TO MARANA.
>> CAN YOU ADD SEARCH TERMS TO THAT, OR ARE THE ONES THAT YOU HAD?
>> THEY'VE DONE ALL THAT WORK THROUGH THE MARKETING COMPANY, AND THEY'RE TOP OF THE LINE.
MADDEN MARKETING, THEY STARTED HERE IN TUCSON AND NOW THEY'RE A GLOBAL SUCCESS STORY.
IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THE ARIZONA TOURISM TO GET THAT.
WE NEEDED TO TEST THAT OUT TO SEE IF THAT WAS WORTH OUR MONEY, AND BOY IT SURE HAS PAID OFF.
I THINK WE'RE OVER THREE MILLION.
GOSH. I'VE HAD A LOT OF NUMBERS IN MY HEAD TODAY, BUT IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE THE LAST TIME WE LOOKED AT IT, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REACHED OUT, THE IMPRESSIONS WE'VE GOTTEN OUT OF THAT.
>> WE CAN DO MORE. WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE ADVERTISING OF BLACK HOLE THAT YOU CAN DUMP ALL YOUR MONEY INTO, BUT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR SURE.
>> WHY DON'T WE GO ON. WE HAVE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL, WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME GREAT DISCUSSION.
I'M GOING TO SKIP RIGHT THERE, NEXT STEPS AND DISCUSSIONS.
WE HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP WITH THE PLANNING TEAM TOMORROW.
WE PLAN ON TAKING THE FIRST PERIOD OF TIME TO DEBRIEF THE PLANNING TEAM WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
SOME OF THE TEAM MEMBERS ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, SO WE'LL BE LEANING ON THEM TO HELP WITH GIVING THAT REPORT BACK AND SOME GOOD TAKEAWAYS.
WHAT WE WILL DO IS TAKE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE FROM YOU AND KEEP WORKING WITH THE TEAM TO CRAFT SOME OF THE OTHER ELEMENTS FOR THAT TOURISM MASTER PLAN.
WE'RE CREATING A DRAFT TO SHARE WITH STEFANIE HERE IN NOVEMBER, AND I'LL GO THROUGH SOME ITERATIONS.
FIRST IT'S JUST A WORD DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO DO THAT.
ONCE SOME OF THOSE WORDS HAVE MORE STAYING POWER, AND WE ALL FEEL ALIGNED ON IT, WE'LL BE DOING A GRAPHIC LAYOUT.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SIMILAR TOURISM MASTER PLANS OR STRATEGIC PLANS.
I'M SURE SOME OF THE OTHER TOWN PLANS THAT HAVE THE SAME GRAPHIC QUALITY, WE'LL BE DOING THAT LAYOUT, AND THEN SUPPORTING THE TOWN IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN OVER THE NEXT YEAR WITH SOME PHONE CALLS AND HELPING TO SUPPORT AND DO SOME TROUBLESHOOTING WITH WHAT'S COMING UP.
>> BACK TO ONE RESTAURANT AND I PASS IT EVERY DAY ALMOST IF I GO OUT.
WE NEVER TALK ABOUT IT, AND IT'S QUITE KNOWN.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE DURING THE AT LEAST IS LI'L.
IT'S IN OUR TOWN, AND WHEN I GO BY THERE ON THE WEEKENDS, USUALLY, THE PLACE IS PACKED.
WE HAVE NEVER EVER PROMOTED LI'L?
>> IF YOU DO, THEN I CAN'T GO THERE AND EAT.
THEY'RE BIG FANS OF THE PUPPY PASS.
YOU COME EVERY YEAR, I CAN INTRODUCE YOU.
>> BUT WE DON'T. I THINK IF YOU LOOK, IT'S PUBLICIZED SOMEWHERE BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE, DID YOU GO TO LI'L, DID YOU GO TO LI'L? BUT WE HAVE NEVER TOUCHED IT.
>> IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU JUST DO WHEN YOU COME TO A GOLF TOURNAMENT.
>> BUT HOW DO WE TAP INTO THAT BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT THERE?
>> YOU CAN'T EVEN GET IN THE DOOR DURING THE GEM SHOW.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CAREFUL ABOUT, AND IT'S NICE THAT JANE IS HERE, WE CAN'T SPECIFICALLY MARKET ANY ONE BUSINESS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY FAIR.
>> I AGREE. IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, AND WE ACTUALLY MENTIONED THEM IN OUR PATIO STORIES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING LATELY.
THAT YOU CAN SIT OUT ON THEIR BEAUTIFUL PATIO.
THEY HAVE GREAT VIEWS FROM THERE.
I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AREA WHERE IF THEY ADDED A LITTLE MORE LIKE A WESTERN TOWN IN THEIR PARKING LOT.
>> THEY USED TO HAVE THAT LITTLE THING. IT WAS A SHOP.
>> HOW DO WE HELP THEM GROW THAT BUSINESS? JUST SUGGESTIONS.
>> YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND BUY STUFF.
WHEN I GOT HERE 35 YEARS AGO, THE ONLY THING WAS LI'L ABNER'S AND MCDONALD'S.
IT'S A BIT PRICEY AND IT'S STILL A BIT PRICEY, BUT PEOPLE REALLY TAKE FAMILY OR SOMETHING THERE.
>> THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT RESTAURANT OWNER.
POINT IS IF THEY'RE FULL ALL THE TIME AND THEY CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE PEOPLE, WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL AND HONOR THAT FOR THEM, BUT IF THEY CAN EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS AND WE CAN HELP THEM
[01:10:02]
UNDERSTAND OPPORTUNITY THAT MAYBE IS UNTAPPED, THEN THAT'S HOW WE AS THE TOWN CAN COME ALONGSIDE AND JUST POINT OUT.WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM MONEY, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPECIFICALLY ADVERTISE, BUT WE CAN SHOW THEM, HERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY CAN TAP ON.
>> RUSTIC OVER THERE OUT OF ALL THE DARN HOUSES AND EVERYTHING.
HOPEFULLY, I SAID ALL THAT RIGHT.
>> STEFANIE I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING JUST BECAUSE OF THE GIFT CARDS AND THERE IS A CONSTITUTION WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT PROMOTING PRIVATE BUSINESS OR USING OUR RESOURCES TO PROMOTE PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
STEFANIE HAS TO DEAL WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CROSSING OVER THE LINE.
>> IT'S ALL ABOUT THOSE KEYWORDS, BEST TAKEN WHERE.
>> WELL, WE WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR HONEA, VICE MAYOR POST, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE AND HAVING SUCH A ROBUST CONVERSATION ON THE TOURISM MASTER PLAN FOR MARANA.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING WITH THE TEAM TOMORROW AND KEEP WORKING ON DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.
WE'LL BE INTEGRATING YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> STEFANIE, ANY CLOSING REMARKS?
>> JUST A CLOSE. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE HAD IT ON THAT CHART THERE, BUT FOR SURE, WE'RE COMING BACK TO YOU.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE TOWN MANAGER TO WORK OUT ALL THAT IN IT, BUT AS WE MENTIONED, I THINK MANY TIMES WE ARE NOT DONE, WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS, SO IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TO GET YOUR INPUT AND HEAR THE KEYWORDS THAT ARE RESONATING FOR YOU FOR SURE.
>> ONE THING. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT INSTEAD OF BRINGING US A FINISHED PRODUCT FOR COMING TO US AND ASKING [NOISE] THAT'S REALLY CRUCIAL IF WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT SOMETHING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE EVERYTHING IS COMING FROM.
TO THE REST OF THE TOWN STAFF, TAKE CARE.
I LOVE THAT YOU DID THAT. THANK YOU.
>> WELL, HE DO COMES UP WITH SOME GOOD IDEAS.
>> AYE [OVERLAPPING]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.