Notes from the April 2, 2008 TDC/CVB Marketing Committee Meeting

9 of the 11 committee members were present. Absent was Debi Knight and Paul Wohlford.

Indian Summer Festival

  • Two organizations interested in taking over operation of the festival made presentations. Both proposals are for Columbus Day Weekend, October 10-12, 2008.
  • Jeffrey Wolfe, from Multimedia Publishing, Inc. (http://www.multimediapp.com), would like to provide a “Family oriented food and entertainment venue, which focuses on wholesome family fun.” The festival would remain at Frank Brown Park and retain the name Indian Summer Seafood Festival. Wolfe’s vision includes a cooking demonstration stage, a kid-oriented stage that would include the involvement of Bay County Schools, and a music stage. The music stage would have a unique music theme each day, such as margaritiville, country, and big band. Although the possibility of a Jimmy Buffett concert was subsequently reported by WJHG, it is my understanding that Wolfe is only proposing a margaritiville-style concert. Multimedia listed their affiliations with the Niceville Mullet Festival, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival, and Blue Angels events in Pensacola; however, I believe that they only provided services to these events rather than acting as event promoter. The presentation was silent as to what financial support they would be requesting from the TDC/CVB; however, their handout did refer to “seed money” being used for operations. Although and exception was made recently for the FSU Flying Circus, it is TDC/CVB policy to only provide advertising support to special events. Wolfe anticipates a total attendance of 18,000.

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Solace Day Spa Opens in Pier Park – Grand Opening April 17

Press Release

Solace Day Spa & Salon Announces Grand Opening at Pier Park!

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (April 3, 2008) -Solace Day Spa & Salon-Aveda, now open for appointments in Pier Park, invites you to its Grand Opening Celebration on April 17, 2008, 5 – 9 p.m.

Guests are invited to join Solace Day Spa & Salon to celebrate the opening of their second location now in Panama City Beach. Enjoy an evening of beauty and wellness with complimentary mini-services, hors d’oeuvres, 20 percent off of Aveda products and up to $50 in free products with services booked that evening.  As the area’s newest full service salon and spa, you are invited to come and experience something more!

After the break, the rest of the press release.

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County to help local builders by waving impact fees

Impact fees, highly opposed by the building community when set in place in 2005 in Bay County, were all but eliminated this week. The fees that are associated with fire protection, parks and the library needs were cut in half and the transportation impact fees were dropped all together for the next 18 months. Not all commissioners agreed, but developers were happy.

On the Burnie Thompson show on Talk Radio 101 yesterday morning, this issue was discussed with Daryl Day of Dayco Construction and a couple of callers that disagreed with the impact fee reduction. More after the break.

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Proposed US Financial Overhaul

In an effort to help prevent future financial crisis, the Bush Administration has proposed a complete overhaul of the financial system currently in place.  Included in this plan is increasing the role the Fed plays in the financial market; “rather than checking on the health of a particular organization, the Fed’s focus would be on whether a firm’s or industry’s practices pose a danger to overall financial stability. . .”

Democrats say the administration needs to be focusing on relief right now, not attempting to prevent future problems.

“The Consumer Federation of America accused the Fed of failing to heed warnings about risky mortgages that triggered the meltdown in credit markets in the first place and questioned expanding its scope. ‘Giving the Fed new responsibility to monitor market risks will do nothing if it is not accompanied by much broader authority for the Federal Reserve to act than this proposal provides, and even more important, by a willingness for the Federal Reserve to use the authority it has.'” (more)

Pier Park Nears Completion – Jos. A Bank and New York Company Signs Up

The second wave of openings in Pier Park in Panama City Beach inches closer as signs for Jos. A Bank and New York Company go up.  The architectural detail is definitely taking shape as crews work to get the finishing touches on the outside of the buildings.  Many of the shops have been turned over to the tenants for interior fitting with stores such as Old Navy, American Eagle, Aeropostale and Borders on schedule to open by the beginning of May.

More pictures after the break.

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Panama City Beach's Chamber to Open New Location

BEACHES CHAMBER OPENS
TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER
IN PANAMA CITY BEACH

CONTACT:
Marta Rose, Senior Vice President Marketing & PR
850-235-1159
marta@PCBeach.org

Panama City Beach, FL (March 2008) – The Greater Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce’s top priority for 2008 has been to relocate its offices to a larger facility which would double as a tourist and relocation information center. That goal will be met on April 7, 2008, when the Chamber’s new Tourist Information Center will open at the Beckrich Centre, Panama City Beach’s newest, Class-A business center located in the heart of the Beckrich corridor. The spacious, state-of-the-art lobby is informative and historical, educational, entertaining and fun, and is the perfect resource for visitors coming to the area looking for accommodations, things to do, demographics, economic stats and community information. Directional DOT (Department of Transportation) signs are being placed all over Panama City Beach guiding visitors to the new location.

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Proposed Stipulations Concerning the College Spring Break Disagreement

People definitely have different views concerning whether Panama City Beach should continue to promote College Spring Break. I wonder whether these opposing views prevent us from reaching any conclusions about whether or not College Spring Break is in the best interest of our beautiful destination.

In an effort to try to work out this problem, maybe we could all agree on something like the following. If so, the community could begin to actually analyze whether College Spring Break helps or hurts our destination’s economy rather than just debating the issue. These stipulations may seem obvious to many; however, some on both sides definitely need to have more respect for how this issue affects other people. It is my hope that people on both sides will offer suggestions so that we can reach an impartial and workable “Stipulations Concerning the College Spring Break Disagreement”.

  1. The full-year profits of some tourist related businesses is increased as a result of our promotion of College Spring Break; however, the full-year profits of other tourist related businesses is reduced as a result of our promotion of College Spring Break.
  2. The full-year profits of some rental real estate investors is increased as a result of our promotion of College Spring Break; however, the full-year profits of other rental real estate investors is decreased as a result of our promotion of College Spring Break.
  3. The promotion of College Spring Break has a positive effect on the yearly income of some tourist industry employees; however, it has a negative effect on the yearly income of other tourist industry employees.
  4. College Spring Break brings tourists to Panama City Beach during March; however, it also causes other tourists to avoid Panama City Beach during March.
  5. Media coverage of College Spring Break results some additional tourists during the other 11 months of the year; however, it also results in a loss of some potential tourists during the other 11 months of the year.
  6. Our College Spring Break image results in a gain of some tourists during the other 11 months of the year; however, it also results in a loss of some potential tourists during the other 11 months of the year.
  7. Some students who visit Panama City Beach during their College Spring Break end up coming back to visit later in their life as a result of their Spring Break visit; however, other students who visit Panama City Beach during College Spring Break end up not coming back later in life as a result of their Spring Break visit.
  8. College Spring Break results in some buyers being more interested in purchasing residential real estate in Panama City Beach; however, it also results in some buyers having less interest in purchasing residential real estate in Panama City Beach.

-Bryan Durta