[00:00:11]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
TODAY'S DATE IS OCTOBER 17TH, 2024, AND TODAY, UH, WE BEGAN THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF THE APPLICANT'S FOR, UM, THIS YEAR'S CYCLE OF THE ACCOMMODATION TAX.
UM, THERE WAS A AGENDA THAT WAS POSTED.
THIS IS A REVISED AGENDA, AS YOU CAN SEE.
IF YOU NEED A COPY OF IT, IT IS SETTING ON THE BACK OF THE TABLE.
UH, BASICALLY TODAY'S AGENDA IS WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH EACH OF THE APPLICANTS OR THE FIRST HALF OF THEM TODAY.
UH, DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO RECEIVE THE AGENDA FOR TODAY? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ANY? NONE.
LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDA.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND, PLEASE.
WE'RE, UH, A LITTLE BIT AHEAD SCHEDULE AS YOU CAN SEE TODAY.
UH, OUR FIRST APPLICANT IS SCHEDULED TO START AT NINE 10, BUT I SEE THAT SHE'S IN THE HOUSE TODAY.
AND IF SHE'S READY, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO ADDRESS BEFOREHAND.
FIRST UP WILL BE LOW COUNTRY GOAL.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM TODAY, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF, YOUR TITLE, AND, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT TODAY'S HEARINGS.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S THE LONGEST DAY, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE GET TO THE, THE BRASS TACKS AND, UM, START HEARING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL WORK EACH OF YOU DO.
AND, UH, GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO, TO BE HERE.
UM, MY NAME IS LUANA GRAVE SELLERS AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF LOWCOUNTRY GULLAH.
AND, UM, SO BEFORE I EVEN START, I DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
UM, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF STATS AND INFORMATION, WHICH I'M ALSO GONNA GIVE YOU, BUT, UM, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW LOWCOUNTRY GULLAH IS UNIQUELY DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE FOCUS ON HERITAGE TOURISM AND THE GULLAH CULTURE.
AND SO WHY SHOULD WE HIGHLIGHT THE GULLAH CULTURE? THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO ARE STRIVING TO LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES AND WHAT I CALL THE ANCESTRY COM WORLD THAT WE'RE IN.
AND SO FOR THE BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO THEIR CULTURE AND LEARN ABOUT THE GULLAH CULTURE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO WITH THAT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY DOING WHAT IS CALLED HERITAGE TOURISM.
AND IT KIND OF HAS THREE NAMES.
UM, HERITAGE TOURISM, CULTURAL TOURISM, AND GENEALOGY TOURISM.
BUT IT IS THE FASTEST GROWING TRAVEL MARKET IN THE COUNTRY.
AND EACH OF THEM HAVE UNIQUE DIFFERENCES, BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF, UM, SIMILARITIES AS WELL.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO ALL LEISURE TRAVELERS, 72 MILLION OR 36% OF THEM ARE LOOKING FOR HERITAGE TOURISM DESTINATIONS, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
THE INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, SAME THING.
20% ARE LOOKING FOR HISTORIC LOCATIONS, AND 11% ARE LOOKING FOR CULTURAL OR ETHNIC HERITAGE SITES.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE THE, THE ASSETS ON OUR ISLAND, WE, WE CAN DELIVER ALL OF THOSE.
WE HAVE MITCHELLVILLE, THE HERITAGE LIBRARY, THE GULLAH MUSEUM, THE GULLAH CELEBRATION, AND WE EVEN HAVE A PLANTATION, UM, IN THE, THE RUINS OF A PLANTATION IN SEA PINES.
SO WE'RE DELIVERING EXACTLY WHAT ALL OF THOSE TOURISTS ARE LOOKING FOR.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT LOW COUNTRY GULLAH DOES.
WE FOCUS ON THE CULTURE, AND WE FOCUS ON DELIVERING NOT ONLY INFORMATION ABOUT THE CULTURE, BUT DELIVERING THAT HERITAGE TOURISM AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO WE ARE A NON-TRADITIONAL CULTURAL INFLUENCER.
WE PROMOTE AND MARKET HILTON HEAD IN ADDITION TO THE GULLAH CULTURE, AND WE CONNECT TOURISTS AND POTENTIAL VISITORS BY UNIQUELY TELLING ITS, UH, HILTON HEAD'S INCREDIBLE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL STORY.
SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE REACH THEM VERBALLY AND VISUALLY THROUGH EDUCATION, THROUGH ENGAGEMENT, TOPICAL RELEVANCE, INFORMATION AND ENTERTAINMENT.
AND SO THIS IS JUST A LIST OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE INFLUENCE PEOPLE, UM, AS A CULTURAL INFLUENCER, PROMOTER OF CULTURAL TOURISM, AS A GULLAH STORYTELLER, AS AN EDUCAT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE, AND AN ANCESTRAL CULTURAL CONNECTOR THROUGH THE WEBSITE, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH OUR PODCAST, THROUGH DOCUMENTARIES AND EVENTS, AS WELL AS
[00:05:01]
SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES, WE ARE DELIVERING ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ASPECTS.AND SO THE WAY THAT WE DO IT IS UNIQUELY REACHING PEOPLE EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
WE HAVE A PODCAST, WE DO DOCUMENTARIES, WE DO SHORT FORM VIDEOS, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE WEBSITE.
AND SO WE ARE TARGETING PEOPLE THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO RECEIVE INFORMATION.
AND SO IN AN EFFORT TO SHOW YOU, UM, SOME SAMPLES OF HOW WE DO IT, THIS IS A, OH, SEE, IT DIDN'T WORK.
BARB IS HERE FROM THE HERITAGE LIBRARY WITH A SPECIAL GUEST, A CELEBRITY IN OUR MIDST.
AND IT'S NOT THE CANNON
CAN YOU DO INTRODUCTIONS? ABSOLUTELY.
FIRST OF ALL, SHE'S MY FRIEND, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
SHE'S ALSO ON THE BOARD OF THE HERITAGE LIBRARY.
SHE IS ALSO THE LOW COUNTRY GULLAH MM-HMM.
SO HER ROOTS RUN DEEP, AND HER STORY AND THE STORIES THAT SHE'S TELLING ARE JUST SO POWERFUL.
AND YOU ARE AN, YOU'RE AN ENTREPRENEUR.
YOU HAVE A DOCUMENTARY THAT IS NOW, UM, ON PBS, I MEAN, SHE DOES IT ALL.
AND AWARD AND AWARD-WINNING
SO SHARE WITH US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY YOU'RE HERE TODAY, LOCAL HERITAGE, LOCAL HISTORY, AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
WELL, I CAN'T NOT TELL MY STORY WITHOUT TELLING THE HILTON HEAD STORY.
AND I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT NOT ONLY DO MY ROOTS ON THIS ISLAND RUN VERY DEEP BACK TO THE CIVIL WAR, UM, I HAVE AN ANCESTOR, HIS NAME WAS CAESAR RAVENEL, WHO FOUGHT IN THE US COLORED TROOPS.
AND SO HE WALKED THESE GROUNDS.
HE MAY HAVE BEEN HERE WITH THIS, THIS CANNON, OR AT, UH, MITCHELLVILLE.
IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING TANGIBLE YES.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UM, IS PART OF MY FAMILY'S, OOPS, LEGACY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I AM TELLING THE STORIES THAT I'M TELLING.
SO, SO THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE TELLING THE STORY.
AND OF COURSE, WITH, WITH, UM, THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT ARE ON THE ISLAND, WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THOSE PARTNERS, AND WE ARE SHOWING EXACTLY HOW IN A TANGIBLE WAY, WE ARE REACHING PEOPLE AND TELLING OUR STORY.
SO THE WEBSITE HAS BEEN DOING VERY WELL.
IT HAS OVER 300,000, UM, VISITORS A YEAR, ABOUT 25,000 MONTHLY.
AND, UM, ON SEARCH ENGINE SITE, UH, SEARCHES AND VIEWS, WE'RE REACHING ABOUT 20,000 PEOPLE A YEAR.
AND SO WE HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.
THESE ARE THE TOP 10 COUNTRIES THAT WE REACH.
AND WE, WE ALSO HAVE A DOMESTIC AUDIENCE, AND THESE ARE THE TOP 10 STATES THAT WE'RE REACHING.
AND SO WHAT IS ALSO GREAT ABOUT THE WEBSITE IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT DRIVING, UM, MARKET REACH.
SO THESE ARE THE TOP FOUR STATES WHERE, UM, THAT ARE SURROUNDING US THAT WE HAVE A GREAT CONCENTRATION THROUGH THE WEBSITE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THOSE STATES, THESE ARE THE TOP 10 CITIES IN THOSE STATES THAT WE ARE AT, UM, REACHING PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO OUR WEBSITE.
AND SO YOU ARE PROBABLY ASK, SO HOW IS THE WEBSITE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON HILTON HEAD? WELL, WE HAVE SPECIFIC PAGES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON HILTON HEAD.
[00:10:01]
A SERIES, THE FIRST FAMILIES OF HILTON HEAD, AND YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, THESE, THE LIST IS ALL DIFFERENT WEBSITES, UM, PAGES WITHIN THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE HILTON HEAD FOCUSED PAGES, AS WELL AS WE HAVE A A SPECIFIC PAGE ABOUT YOUR FIRST TIME COMING TO HILTON HEAD, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO SAY THERE'S A LINK ON THERE.UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL ASSETS THAT ARE HERE.
AND YOU WILL BE SEEING, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE, THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS, THEY'RE ALSO ON THERE TOO.
SO THERE ARE LINKS THAT DRIVE PEOPLE FROM OUR WEBSITE DIRECTLY TO OTHER, UM, UM, ASSETS ON THE ISLAND THAT ARE COLLABORATORS WITH US.
AND SO THE OTHER WAY THAT WE REALLY REACH PEOPLE IN A STRONG WAY IS THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OVER 42,000 PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
FACEBOOK IS OUR STRONGEST AND INSTAGRAM ON DOWN.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED, PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THE CULTURE AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN GET.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME SPECIFICS ON IMPRESSIONS AND PEOPLE REACHED THE, THE INFORMATION AND THE LINKS THAT WE ARE PUTTING OUT THERE ON OUR STORIES, ON OUR CULTURE, ON OUR PARTNERS, PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING AND SHARING AND ENJOYING THE CONTENT.
AND SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK SCREENSHOT SINCE JULY.
THE, AND, AND THE BOXES ARE INDIVIDUAL VIDEOS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
ONE VIDEO ALONE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, MAYBE RIGHT CORNER FOR YOU, UM, 378,000 PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED THAT VIDEO, UM, COMBINED OF ALL OF THOSE LITTLE CIRCLES, THAT'S 929,000 PEOPLE THAT HAVE VIEWED THOSE VIDEOS.
I MEAN, THAT'S A POWERFUL WAY OF CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE THROUGH INFORMATION AND CULTURE.
WE ALSO HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 1,275 SUBSCRIBERS, AND SO FAR WE HAVE HAD OVER 338,000 VIEWS.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA KNOW, WE'RE DOING DOCUMENTARIES, HOW ARE WE TELLING THE STORIES? SO THIS IS ONE OF THE DOCUMENTARIES THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN DONE ON THE COLORED TROOPS AND IS ONE OF THE AWARD-WINNING, UM, FEATURES THAT WE HAVE.
I KEEP FORGETTING TO USE THE MOUSE.
THE US COLOR TROOP STORY IS OFTEN LEFT UNTOLD, YET IT'S A COMPLICATED AND INCREDIBLE PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
IT'S A TALE THAT DESERVES TO BE TOLD BASED UPON TRUTH.
IT ALSO CAN'T BE TOLD UNLESS IT BEGINS WITH THE CULTURAL DISCONNECTION THAT CAME FROM ENSLAVEMENT AND A FIERCE DETERMINATION FOR THEM TO SURVIVE.
ELEMENTS OF THAT STORY MUST INCLUDE AN UNWAVERING PERSEVERANCE TOWARDS A PURPOSE THAT WAS COUPLED WITH A FEROCIOUS LOYALTY TO A NATION IN TURMOIL.
AND AFTER ALL OF THAT, ULTIMATELY THE INDIVIDUAL STORIES OF THOSE WHO RISK THEIR LIVES TO SERVE, SERVED WITH PRIDE AND A STRONG DESIRE TO ESTABLISH LIVES AS NEW CITIZENS WITH GENERATIONAL TRADITIONS AND LEGACIES.
[00:15:01]
THAT'S THE HILTON HEAD STORY.UM, THAT IS THE HILTON HEAD STORY, AND THAT IS ALSO THE HISTORY OF OUR ISLAND.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE ABLE TO TELL THESE STORIES.
FOR INSTANCE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT HARRIET TUBMAN WAS HERE.
THAT'S WHAT THE HARRIET TUBMAN DOCUMENTARY IS ABOUT.
SHE LIVED AND WORKED HERE ON THE ISLAND FOR EIGHT MONTHS AND LIVED IN BEAUFORT FOR THREE YEARS.
THOSE ARE THE INCREDIBLE TYPES OF STORIES THAT ARE BEING TOLD IN A UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT WAY.
ALL OF THE FILMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING AWARDS FOR, FOR THEM AND, UM, SCREENING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THE HARRIET TUBMAN IS NOW ON PBS IN THE LAST YEAR, IT'S HAD OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND BROADCASTS OVER ALL OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, MARKETS.
AND RIGHT NOW IT IS STREAMING IN ALL OF THESE MARKETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING, UM, IN, IN, UM, CANADA.
THE DOCUMENTARIES ARE IN THE FILM FESTIVAL CIRCUIT.
THEY ARE GETTING SCREENED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND, UM, I AM PROUD TO SAY I AM ON MY WAY TO CONS, AND IT'LL HAVE ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL SCREENING, UM, NEXT WEEK.
SO WE ARE TELLING THE STORY IN A UNIQUE WAY.
WE ALSO HAVE AN AWARD-WINNING PODCAST.
IT'S RANKED IN THE TOP 10% OF ALL PODCASTS WITH 36,000 DOWNLOADS THIS YEAR ALONE.
AND IT'S AVAILABLE ON ALL DIFFERENT PRO UM, UH, PLATFORMS. THE STORIES THAT ARE TOLD THROUGH THE PODCAST ARE THE GULLAH STORIES.
WHAT IS HEIRS PROPERTY? WHERE DID THE PEOPLE COME FROM, AND THE RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS AND THE HERITAGE.
AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STORY GETS OUT THERE IN A VERY UNIQUE WAY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MONTHLY DOWNLOADS, EVEN THIS YEAR, OUR PODCAST DOWNLOAD NUMBER HAS DOUBLED.
THE PODCAST ALSO HAS AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.
THESE ARE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, THE THE TOP STATE, UM, COUNTRIES THAT ARE BEING, UH, DOWNLOADED FROM IN ADDITION TO 48 STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY DOMESTICALLY.
THESE ARE THE STATES THAT THE PODCAST IS BEING PULLED FROM.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, THOSE SAME DRIVABLE STATES THAT, UM, I MENTIONED EARLIER, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE FOCUSED ON THIS, UM, CONTENT.
THE NEWSLETTER SENDS OUT 6,500 MONTHLY SUBSCRIBERS, UM, EACH MONTH WITH AN OPEN RATE OF 33%.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A COMPARISON, NATIONAL AVERAGES IS 21% FOR AN OPEN RATE AND A CLICK RATE AND AN, UM, UNSUBSCRIBE RATE OF 10%.
AND OURS IS ONLY 2%, WHICH SHOWS THAT OUR, UM, CONTENT AND AUDIENCE IS REALLY ENGAGED IN THE INFORMATION.
THE OTHER WAY THAT WE UNIQUELY REACH PEOPLE IS WE TAKE THE, THE LOW COUNTRY GULLAH AND THE HILTON HEAD STORY ON THE ROAD.
THESE ARE ALL OF THE, UM, FESTIVALS THAT WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AND, UM, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE.
AND BY DOING THAT THIS YEAR, WE CO WE COLLECTED 2200 ZIP CODES.
AND THIS IS A HEAT MAP OF ALL OF THOSE ZIP CODES SHOWING YOU EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE FROM THROUGH OUR, UH, JUST BEING AT FESTIVALS AND, UM, REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE.
OUR REGIONAL EVENTS WE HAVE CONNECTED WITH OF 46,000 PEOPLE.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE EVENTS JUST BROKEN DOWN BY THE NUMBERS.
THE GULLAH FESTIVAL IN BEAUFORT, 10,000 PEOPLE OVER THREE DAYS.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW WE ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE, THE AMOUNT OF ZIP CODES AND PEOPLE THAT WE'RE, ARE ABLE TO REACH THROUGH THESE EVENTS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE EVENTS THAT ARE ON THE ISLAND THAT WE ATTEND.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET FROM THERE.
4,400 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, REACH US AND HAVE A, HAVE HAD ACCESS TO OUR BOOTHS.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE, IN SOME IMAGES OF OUR SETUP, IF YOU SEE IN THE UPPER YOUR LEFT CORNER, THOSE POSTERS ARE A TREMENDOUS DRAW.
AND THEY'RE TELLING THE HILTON HEAD STORY.
AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER, UM, THOSE DRAW PEOPLE IN.
THEY COME, THEY WANT TO READ, THEY WANT TO LEARN INFORMATION.
IT'S A REAL CONVERSATION STARTER, UM, WITH INFORMATION.
AND HERE'S JUST SOME MORE PICTURES OF THOSE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER AND DEMONSTRATED WITH THE VIDEO, WE COLLABORATE WITH EVERYBODY.
[00:20:02]
THE, UM, HERITAGE LIBRARY, MITCHELLVILLE, UM, THE HILTON HEAD LAND TRUST, BECAUSE THE CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, THE, THE, THE, UM, COLOR TROOPS STORY IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND STORY.THE HILTON HEAD LAND TRUSTS VIDEO OF FORT HOWELL IS IN THE DOCUMENTARY.
SO WE ARE SHOWING ALL OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN CONNECT NOT ONLY OUR STORY, BUT OUR HISTORY AND OUR CULTURE TOGETHER IN UNIQUE WAYS.
THE HERITAGE TOURIST IS A VALUABLE AND TARGETED CATEGORY THAT'S LOOKING FOR HILTON HEADS, CULTURAL ASSETS, AND LOW COUNTRY GALA DELIVERS THEM IN A VERY UNIQUE WAY.
WE ARE AN ENHANCER, WE ARE A DRIVER, AND WE ARE A CULTURAL TOURISM ADVISOR.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW OFTEN I GET QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE.
I WANNA COME TO HILTON HEAD, WHERE DO I NEED TO GO? WHERE SHOULD I STAY? WHAT SHOULD I EAT, WHAT SHOULD I DO? AND SO IN ADDITION TO ANSWERING THOSE KIND OF QUESTIONS, WE'VE EVEN HELPED SPONSOR, NOT SPONSOR, BUT HOST FAMILY REUNIONS WHO'VE COME HERE AND CONNECTED THEM TO THE GULLAH MUSEUM, TO THE GULLAH TOURS, AS WELL AS HELP THEM, UM, FIND HOTEL STAYS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND LITERALLY BE THAT CONNECTOR TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SEARCHING FOR OUR INFORMATION.
AND JUST AS A, AS A, UM, FINAL THING, THESE ARE JUST A SCREENSHOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID, UM, THIS IS WHAT I WANNA DO.
THIS IS WHERE I WANNA GO, JUST TO REINFORCE, UM, WHAT I WAS JUST SAYING.
SO WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM VERY MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? YES, SIR.
UM, WHAT YOU DO IS, IS VERY POWERFUL, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT THE OUTREACH YOU HAVE CLEARLY BRINGS PEOPLE INTO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO, TO BEGIN TO TRACK SOME OF THAT PHYSICAL THAT'S TO THE PARTNERS THAT YOU WORK WITH? IT, IT'S A HARD THING FOR A WEBSITE TO TRACK.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BRIDGING THAT CONNECTION MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO, NOT THAT I CAN SAY THAT I'M D DRIVING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE TO LET'S SAY MITCHELLVILLE, BUT, UM, I'M SURE THAT THERE WOULD, THERE IS A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO MITCHELLVILLE WHO HAVE COME THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA OR THE PODCAST OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, UM, THEY ARE DISCOVERING THE PLACES TO GO OR THINGS TO DO WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU WORK WITH WHO PRESENT HERE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRACK THEIR GROWTH.
AND I'M SURE SOME OF THAT DOES COME FROM YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF IN FUTURE YEARS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO JUST GO TO THEM AND, AND PUT A CHART IN THIS THAT SAYS, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS GONE FROM HERE TO HERE TO HERE, AND WE MARKET EXTENSIVELY FOR THEM AND, AND GET SOME CREDIT FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, I WORK INTIMATELY WITH THE HERITAGE LIBRARY AND, AND EVERYBODY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL SIT DOWN AND FIGURE THAT OUT SO THAT WE CAN BETTER TRACK, UM, HOW PEOPLE ARE COMING.
AND WE UNDERSTAND IT'LL NEVER BE EXACT.
WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET SOME INDICATION OF SUPPORT FOR THAT, AS MR OFTEN SAYS, LET US HELP YOU.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND, UM, I WILL DEFINITELY SET SOMETHING UP WITH EVERYBODY TO, TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT THAT WE CAN BETTER TRACK THINGS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE, THE WORK YOU PUT IN TO HELP TELL THE STORY OF WHAT MAKES UP THIS ISLAND AND THE HISTORY THAT IS THERE.
I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU'VE TAKEN TO HEART THE COLLABORATION THAT WAS ASKED FROM THIS COMMITTEE TO WORK WITH ALL THE OTHERS.
I THINK THAT'S IN YOUR HEART ANYWAY.
UH, IT IS HARD FOR YOU TO GET THE DATA BECAUSE YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, HELP LEAN THE CHARGE TO TELL THE STORY.
UH, PERHAPS GOING WITH SOME OF THOSE PARTNERS AND ASKING THEM, UH, ON THEIR SURVEYS, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? AND MAYBE YOUR NAME'S ON THERE, AND THEY CAN JUST CLICK LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE TALKING POINTS AND SOME STRENGTH AS WELL, BECAUSE, UM, THERE'S NO DOUBT THE REACH YOU HAVE AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT, UM, IT WOULD MAKE OUR JOBS EASIER, YOU KNOW, ON THE RECOMMENDATION SIDE OF WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA OF ACTUALLY HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING BECAUSE OF YOUR EFFORTS.
WE KNOW THAT THOSE EFFORTS ARE THERE AND THAT, UM, THE STORY YOU TELL HELP DRIVES THAT TRAFFIC.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE TURK LAW BEING SEMI OUTDATED IN, UH, IN THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T, IT IT WAS, IT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THERE WERE WEBSITES, SO, UM, SO I MEAN, TO TRY TO TRACK YOUR DATA, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES TO THAT, BUT, UM, I LIKE
[00:25:01]
THIS BEING THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT DOES SHOW THAT, UM, THAT, THAT THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO ATTRACT TOURISM TO THE ISLAND BEYOND WHAT, HOW THE ORIGINAL LAW WAS WRITTEN.AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, ESPECIALLY IN 2024.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, UM, UH, FAIRLY PUT UP AGAINST HOW MANY HEADS AND BEDS, RIGHT? LIKE, THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE SCALE WE USE OF HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH ACCOMMODATION, TAX IS BEING GENERATED FROM YOUR EFFORTS.
THAT'S HARD TO TELL ON YOUR SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S A STRONG WEBSITE WITH A, A LARGE REACH THAT'S NOT JUST DOMESTIC, BUT ALSO INTERNATIONAL.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WE JUST WANNA HELP YOU ALONG THAT WAY.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FOUR MINUTES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE HERE,
AND NEXT ON THE LIST IS GONNA BE, UM, HILTON HEAD CONCOURSE DAILY GUNS.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR TITLE, PLEASE.
I'M THE TREASURER FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE HILTON HEAD IN CONGO ANCE.
I DO WANT TO INTRODUCE TWO OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR AUDIENCE THERE.
CHRIS BREWER RIGHT HERE, UH, HE'S IN HIS FIRST YEAR.
UM, SO HE'S UNDER THE GUN RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE OUR EVENT IS IN TWO WEEKS.
AND THEN ALSO I'VE GOT, UH, KELLY SMITH BACK HERE WHO MANAGES OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND, UH, MARKETING.
UH, I WANTED TO START BY, UM, LOOKING BACK AT 2023 BECAUSE AS I SAID, OUR EVENT ISN'T FOR A COUPLE MORE, UH, WEEKS, SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF 2024 DATA TO SHARE WITH YOU.
UH, BUT I WANTED TO START WITH HOW WE COLLECT OUR DATA.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE START WITH OUR ONLINE TICKETING PLATFORM THAT OBVIOUSLY COLLECTS, UH, ZIP CODES.
AND ABOUT 70% OF OUR ONLINE DATA AT THIS POINT COMES FROM VISITORS OUTSIDE 50 MILES.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE'RE AN OUTDOOR EVENT.
WE ARE A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT, AND THOSE KINDS OF SALES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
SO THAT'S MONEY THAT WE HAVE GUARANTEED IN THE BANK VERSUS IF WE HAVE A BAD WEB, WHETHER THE PEOPLE THAT JUST SHOW UP AND BUY A TICKET AT THE GATE, UM, WOULDN'T COME.
WE ALSO, UH, RECORD ZIP CODES AT ALL OF OUR POINTS OF ENTRY ON THE, UH, SHOW FIELD.
EVERYTHING IS QR CODED, AND WE COLLECT ALL THAT ZIP CODES FOR EVERYBODY COMING IN.
WE DO A SURVEY DURING THE FESTIVAL THAT IS DESIGNED AND ADMINISTERED BY, UH, THE HOSPITALITY GROUP AT USCB.
WE HAVE POST-EVENT SURVEYS THAT WE E-BLAST TO EVERYONE ON OUR E-BLAST LIST, ABOUT 40,000 REGISTERED RECIPIENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO CONDUCT POST-EVENT SURVEYS OF OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS, UM, SPONSORS, EXHIBITORS, JUDGES, AND GUESTS.
SO WE HAVE VARYING WAYS THAT WE TRY TO COLLECT THIS, UH, DATA.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, OUR ATTENDANCE LAST YEAR WAS A LITTLE UNDER 20,000 THAT GENERATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 12.3 MILLION.
AND THAT CAME FROM 17,550 ROOM NIGHTS AND ROOM REVENUES OF 4.7 MILLION.
OUR VISITOR NUMBERS OUT OF THAT, UM, 20,000, UH, TOTAL OF 9,721, UH, 12 WITH AN AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY OF 4.5 UH, DAYS.
UM, THIS YEAR, UH, ATEX HAS BLESSED US WITH $385,000 IN GRANTS.
SO THAT, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AND LOOK AT, UH, THE, UM, THE, UH, GRANT PER VISITOR, UH, WE'RE GETTING JUST UNDER $40 OF AT TAX DOLLARS PER, PER PER VISITOR.
ALSO, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR INFLUENCER PROGRAM.
UH, LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST REAL BIG YEAR THAT WE USED INFLUENCERS.
AND RIGHT HERE, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE KINDS OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCING THAT WE USE.
UH, OF NOTE IS THAT A LOT OF OUR INFLUENCERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY AUTOMOTIVE DRIVEN.
UH, OUR EVENT, BECAUSE OF THE CHANGING, UM, INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENT WITH AUTOMOBILES IS GOTTA CHANGE WITH IT.
AND SO OUR EVENT HAS PROGRESSED FROM STRICTLY AN AUTOMOTIVE EVENT TO MORE OF A LIFESTYLE EVENT.
AND SO A LOT OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE DO IS LIFESTYLE BASED.
WHEN WE DO THAT, WE OBVIOUSLY TRY TO MARKET ALL OF THE ASPECTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A COMMUNITY OF 40,000 PEOPLE, BUT IT GROWS TO MILLIONS DURING THE YEAR BECAUSE OF OUR, UH, TOURISTS.
[00:30:01]
THE SORT OF THING THAT MOTIVATES A LOT OF OUR SPONSORS.A LOT OF OUR SPONSORS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH AUTOMOBILES, BUT ARE INTERESTED IN THE OTHER ASPECTS THAT HILTON HEAD HAS TO OFFER.
SO A LOT OF OUR MARKETING IS BRINGING ALL THE OTHER ASPECTS OF HILTON HEAD, UH, UH, IN.
AND THEN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CONVERSIONS.
UH, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF A FELLOW BY THE NAME OF VE BOIAN.
HE'S A MAJOR AUTOMOTIVE INFLUENCER IN YOUTUBER.
UH, HE'S BEST KNOWN AS THE GUY THAT BROKE THE CANNONBALL RUN CHALLENGE RECORD BACK IN 2013.
AND HE HAS A VERY LARGE FOLLOWING OF AUTOMOBILE ENTHUSIASTS.
THE GRAPH THERE KIND OF SHOWS WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE DURING OUR EVENT THERE IN RED.
AND THEN WITHIN, UM, THREE WEEKS AFTER THE EVENT, UM, THERE'S CONTINUING POSTINGS DURING THE EVENT TO TRY TO BRING THAT LAST MINUTE CROWD IN.
BUT ALSO, UM, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT WITH OTHER, THE OTHER ASPECTS OF, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE IT HELPS SET THE STAGE FOR THE NEXT YEAR THAT WE HAVE, BUT IT'S ALSO CONTINUING TO MARKET ALL THE OTHER ASPECTS OF HILTON HEAD.
AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF OUR YEAR OVER YEAR, UM, COMPARISONS, ORGANIC REACH INCREASED OVER 400% CONTENT INTERACTIONS, UH, WERE UP 8,000, A 10% INCREASE IN OUR, UH, REGISTERED FOLLOWERS, UH, CONVERSIONS OF OVER 600%.
ONLY 5% OF THESE RESULTS CAME FROM PEOPLE THAT WERE LOCATED IN, UH, HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON.
ALL THAT OTHER STUFF CAME BEYOND THAT, BEYOND 50 MILES, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT BOTH TO US AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
THE OTHER THING OF NOTE IS THAT, UH, ONE OF OUR, OUR OBJECTIVES IS TO REACH A, UH, YOUNGER, UH, AUDIENCE.
AND, AND THE KIND OF INFLUENCING THAT WE BRING IN IS ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT.
AND SO YOU SEE THERE ARE 60% OF OUR FOLLOWERS ARE NOW BETWEEN THE AGES OF 35 AND 64.
SO THEY ARE THE, THAT'S THE GENERATION THAT IS VISITING THAT WANTS TO MOVE SOMEPLACE THAT IS BUYING A HOME, UM, THE KIND OF, UM, UH, VISITORS THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO GET A RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT AND THEN NEVER JUST THE CAR.
SO, AS I SAID, WE ARE, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO MARKET EVERYTHING THAT HILTON HEAD HAS TO OFFER.
AND THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE HERE OF THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, PAGE.
ON OUR WEBSITE, WE INTRODUCE A LOT OF THE OTHER THINGS IN HILTON HEAD, INCLUDING HOTELS, DINING, SHOPPING, AND ACTIVITIES.
'CAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR DRAW FOR PEOPLE COMING TO OUR EVENT AS WELL.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS YEAR'S EVENT.
UM, WE'RE STARTING OUT ON THURSDAY NIGHT, WE'RE WORKING WITH A GRAND MOTORING FILM FESTIVAL, WHICH IS, UH, UM, WORKING AT THE, UH, ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA ON FRIDAY.
OUR DRIVING TOUR OF 50 CLASSIC CARS.
IT'S GONNA START OUT IN HILLHEAD AND DRIVE OVER TO PARIS ISLAND WHERE THEY'RE HAVING LUNCH.
OUR FLIGHTS AND FANCY GALA AT THE, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT ON FRIDAY EVENING.
UH, FLIGHTS AND FANCY WILL FEATURE 34 PLANES AND VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR VINTAGE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO SHOWCASE THE AIRPORT AND ALSO, UH, BRING IN THAT OTHER MOTORING, UM, CROWD, WHICH ARE THE AIRPLANES.
SATURDAY WE HAVE OUR CAR CLUB SHOWCASE IN THE ROLLS ROYCE OWNERS CLUB NATIONAL MINI MEET AT PORT ROYAL GOLF CLUB, THE ARROW EXPO AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT WITH OUR JUDGES DINNER AT THE WESTIN AND OUR PINNACLE SOCIETY, DON DONORS OYSTER ROAST AT THE BOATHOUSE, WE WILL EXHIBIT A TOTAL OF 286 VEHICLES, BOATS, AND PLANES ON SATURDAY, AND ANOTHER 71 VEHICLES PARTICIPATING IN OUR CLUB MEETS.
THEN ON SUNDAY, WE HAVE THE CONCORD DEGAN AT THE PORT ROYAL GOLF CLUB.
ON THAT DAY, WE WILL EXHIBIT ANOTHER 233 VEHICLES AND BOATS, INCLUDING 205 CONCORD QUALITY VEHICLES.
SO FOR THE WEEKEND, YOU'RE TRYING TO MEASURE NUMBERS HERE, WE'LL EXHIBIT 562 UNIQUE ENTRANTS REPRESENTING OWNERS FROM 21 STATES.
70 70% OF OUR ENTRANCES ARE FROM OUTSIDE OF BEAUFORD AND JASPER AND CHATHAM COUNTIES.
THIS GROUP ALONE COMPRISES OVER 390 GUESTS WHO WILL BE STAYING AND LODGING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
SUCCESSFUL MOTORING EVENTS LIKE, UH, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND MOTOR INC.
FESTIVAL, UH, NEEDS THEMES TO ENCOURAGE EXHIBITORS, JUDGES, CELEBRITIES, ENTHUSIAST TO COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND WE DO THAT BY CHANGING THEMES, THINGS THAT WE KNOW WILL ATTRACT, UM, THAT CROWD.
THIS YEAR WE'VE GOT OUR ROLLS ROYCE AND BENTLEY GROUP.
WE'RE GONNA BE HOSTING A MEET OF 77 ROLLS ROYCE AND OUN, THE OWNERS.
THEY'RE FROM 14 STATES IN CANADA.
ALSO THE PACKAGED HUNDRED 25TH ANNIVERSARY, HOSTING 10 EXHIBITORS
[00:35:01]
FROM UH, 10 STATES.WE HAVE OUR 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL, HOSTING A HANDFUL OF THE EARLIEST BUILT 300 NEST LS FROM 1954.
PART OF THAT IS WE'RE INCLUDING CREATION OF FIVE VIDEOS, UH, FROM THAT EVENT.
AND ONE OF THOSE VIDEOS ACTUALLY STARS JAY LANA WITH HIS PRIVATE GARAGE IN CALIFORNIA.
WE ALSO HAVE POP CULTURE CARS OF THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES.
WE ARE SHOWCASING A NUMBER OF AMERICAN BUILT AUTOMOBILE, AND IF ANY OF YOU GOES BACK THAT FAR, AND I DON'T THINK YOU DO, BUT YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEN IT OR MAYBE SEEN IT IN THE MOVIES OR WHATEVER THEY'RE KNOWN FOR THEIR BRIGHT COLORS, BIG HORSEPOWER, AND COMFORTABLE CRUISING.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR ITALIAN GTS, UM, CARS FROM THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES WHERE WE'LL BE SHOWCASING 16 OF ITALY'S FINEST FERRARIS AND ITALIAN GRAND TOURING CARS.
SUCCESSFUL EVENTS LIKE THIS ALSO INCLUDE A NUMBER OF CELEBRITIES, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE CELEBRITIES THIS YEAR THAN I THINK WE'VE EVER HAD IN OUR HISTORY.
UH, UM, WE'RE GONNA START OUT WITH, UH, JOHN OATES.
YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER, UH, HALL OATES AT MUSICAL DUO.
HE'LL BE ATTENDING FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AND HE'LL ACTUALLY BE SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT OUR EVENT ON SUNDAY.
ALEX KINSEY, WHO'S THE WINNER OF X FACTOR USA WILL PERFORM TWO CONCERTS, ONE ON FRIDAY NIGHT'S, UH, FLIGHTS IN FANCY, AND THEN AGAIN ON SATURDAY AT THE AIRPORT.
FRANKIE MUNOZ, HE'S AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN TELEVISION, A MOVIE STAR AND NASCAR DRIVER WITH FORD PERFORMANCE.
FRANKIE'S DOING PRE-EVENT ADVERTISING FOR US ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, WHICH TOTAL ABOUT 200, UH, FOLLOWERS, UH, TWO 2 MILLION FOLLOWERS.
AND WE'LL ALSO, UH, BE ON, ON STAGE FRIDAY NIGHT AND PROVIDING MEET AND GREET OPPORTUNITIES DURING OUR EVENT.
AND THEN OUR JUDGING PANEL, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US, UH, THEY'LL CONSIST OF MAJOR MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING THE VICE PRESIDENT OF DESIGN FOR GENERAL MOTORS AND STELLANTIS, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF RETIRED EXECUTIVES AND JU AND DESIGNERS FROM FORD, MAZDA NISSAN, AND OTHERS.
NAMES INCLUDE MICHAEL SIMCO, RALPH SHIELDS, MAURY CALLUM, KELLY LAN KIKO, AND BOBBY RA HALL.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE GUYS HAS BEEN BEEN HERE BEFORE.
IN FACT, UH, MOST, MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN HERE MULTIPLE YEARS.
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CHARITABLE FUND BECAUSE, UH, THE CHARITABLE ASPECTS OF OUR FUND ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR SPONSORS.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A, UM, A, A NICE CHARITABLE PLA PLATFORM TO GET THEM INTERESTED IN COMING.
AND, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY LIKE TO GET INTERESTED IN.
UH, WE DO SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS INVOLVING MOBILITY INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS TO LOCAL STUDENTS, COMMUNITY GRANTS TO LOCAL NPOS, PROVIDING VOLUNTEER SUPPORT FOR OUR EVENT.
WE AVERAGE ABOUT 450 VOLUNTEERS A YEAR TO PUT THIS EVENT ON.
AND A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THO THOSE ARE VOLUNTEERS THAT THOSE NPOS LEND US FOR THE WEEKEND.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WE HAVE OUR FAMILY FUND ZONE WITH CHILDREN, UH, COUPLED WITH FREE ADMISSION FOR CHILDREN.
WE STRIVE TO MAKE OUR EVENT MORE FAMILY, ONCE AGAIN, UM, BROADENING THAT DEMOGRAPHIC AND TRYING TO GET A YOUNGER, UM, UH, DEMO TO COME TO OUR EVENT AND OUR MISSION AND GOALS THIS YEAR.
AND GOING FORWARD, LIKE I SAID, BROADENING OUR VISITOR DEMOGRAPHICS.
WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO EXPAND INTO MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND FEMALE CONSUMERS, EXPAND OUR REACH WITH EXHIBITORS, JUDGES AND AUTOMOTIVE AND LIFESTYLE CELEBRITIES.
THIS WILL IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO BROADEN OUR VISITOR DEMOGRA DEMOGRAPHICS AND ALSO OUR AUTOMOTIVE AND LIFESTYLE SPONSOR ENGAGEMENTS AS WE'RE OUT THERE ACTUALLY DOING SOME, SOMETHING MORE THAN PROMOTING AUTO, UH, JUST AUTOMOBILES.
AND THEN CONTINUED RECOGNITION IS THE TOP, UH, THREE CONCOR FESTIVAL IN THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE ON AVERAGE 50 55, 60 CONCOURSES IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE ARE AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST.
UH, LISTEN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE HISTORY OF, UM, ALL THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM ATEX.
IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
OUR ENTIRE MARKETING BUDGET DEPENDS ON ATEX.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO PROGRESS, WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE WITH THE INDUSTRY.
WE HOPE THAT THE ATEX COMMITTEE WILL RECOMMEND US, UH, TO DO THAT.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, JUST GOING THROUGH YOUR, YOUR PACKET, DO YOU HAVE ANY BUDGETARY NUMBERS FOR 2025? ANTICIPATION OF, UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN 2024, SORRY.
BUT WE DO HAVE, UH, STARTS, WE, OUR BUDGET EXPENSES, WE TRY TO KEEP THEM REASONABLE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
WE GO THROUGH A ZERO BASED BUDGETING PROCESS AND WE HAVE TO FINISH 24 BEFORE WE CAN REALLY DO THAT.
BUT WE'RE GONNA COME OUT PROBABLY AROUND THE ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR RANGE FOR REVENUES, AND WE ALWAYS BUDGET A BREAKEVEN, UH, ON THAT.
SO PROBABLY BE AROUND A MILLION
[00:40:01]
AND A HALF DOLLARS FOR 2025.THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR SOME OF THE KEY THINGS YOU, UH, YOU SPOKE ON THERE, LIKE BRINGING IN THE SOCIAL INFLUENCERS.
UH, I KNOW UNFORTUNATELY FIRSTHAND, A LOT OF THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE IN MY HOUSEHOLD COME FROM WHAT IS FOUND ON A SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, INCLUDING WHERE WE TRAVEL TO OR WHERE WE GO TO EAT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO, UM, TAPPING INTO THAT AGE GROUP, THE YOUNGER MARKET, YOU KNOW, IS 35 TO 60, THAT GIVES YOU A LIFESPAN OF THOSE FOLKS.
THEY EITHER HAVE KIDS OR THEY ARE KIDS THEMSELVES.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE AROUND FOR THE NEXT 20, 30 YEARS, RIGHT.
SO, UH, HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE DIVING INTO THAT.
UM, ALSO THE, THIS EVENT IS NOT AN EASY TASK FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE ON.
IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF LOGISTICS, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING TO PIECES AND THE WEEK LEADING UP TO IT, WHEN WE WATCH ALL THESE VEHICLES COMING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE INFLUX IS HAPPENING AND COMING TO THE ISLAND, WE KNOW THAT THOSE PARTICIPANTS ARE COMING WITH THEIR FAMILIES, THAT THEY'RE TAKING UP LODGING AS WELL.
UH, I, I'M SURE YOU HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS THAT LIVE HERE ON THE ISLAND THAT PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF 50 MILES.
UH, I DON'T SEE TOO MANY ROLLS ROYCES DRIVING AROUND ON HILTON HEAD, SO, WELL, WE DO, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR, OUR RULE FOR CONCOR IS THAT YOU CAN'T SHOW THE SAME CAR, UM, UNTIL YOU, TILL IT IS THREE YEARS OUT.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO IT AFTER THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY KEEP THAT FEEDER GOING UP OF NEW AUTOMOBILES.
AND WE HAVE, UH, A PRETTY, UH, SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM.
WE'VE GOT A, UM, A SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT'S MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF ENTHUSIASTS AND MARY HARLA AND, UH, CHRIS ARE ON THAT.
THAT'S WAY TOO POLITICAL FOR ME.
BUT THEY'RE CONSTANTLY GOING OUT THERE AND LOOKING FOR THOSE NEW VEHICLES.
AND UM, AS I SAID, 70% OF OUR, UM, EXHIBITORS DO COME FROM OUTSIDE OF 50 MILES.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESSES.
AND THIS BEING, AGAIN, ONE OF THE TOP THREE EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, PUT THE SPOTLIGHT IN THAT INDUSTRY AND IN THAT MARKET OF WHAT HILTON HEAD IS AND WHAT IT HOSTS.
I THINK THAT, THAT THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO TRY TO EVOLVE CONTINUOUSLY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO DO.
AND I THINK THAT FOR A COMMUNITY OF 40,000 PEOPLE TO HAVE A TOP THREE IN THE NATION EVENT, WHICH ATTRACTS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME HERE AND SPEND FOUR OR FIVE NIGHTS ON THE ISLAND IS FANTASTIC.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER ATTRACTIONS THAT HILTON HEAD BRINGS TO IT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT CONTENT THAT COMES FROM THE POST THE EVENT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HUGE.
YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF PLANTS THE SEED FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT KIND OF WRAPS UP THE PREVIOUS EVENT AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GETS PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT, OH, I MISSED THAT EVENT, I'VE GOTTA GO NEXT YEAR.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE? JUST AS A COMMENT, I, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, CALCULATIONS ABOUT THE 70% AND THEN THE 40% ROI.
THOSE ARE GOOD NUMBERS AND THAT HELPS US 'CAUSE WE'RE ANXIOUS TO HELP.
YEAH, GOOD LUCK ON YOUR EVENT COMING UP IN THE COUPLE WEEKS.
SO WE'LL, UH, WE'LL BE HOPING FOR THE BEST OF WEATHER FOR YOU FOR SURE.
WELL, WE EITHER NEED THE BEST OF WEATHER OR WE NEED UH, A WASHOUT 'CAUSE I BUY RAIN INSURANCE.
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A, WE NEED TO HAVE A QUARTER INCH
WE HOPE YOU GET THE SUNSHINE SO WE CAN SAME HERE.
ALRIGHT, NEXT ON THE LIST IS, UH, THE HERITAGE LIBRARY FOUNDATION.
MS. SMITH GETS YOU SET UP AND YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.
AND YOU WANNA DO SLIDE MODE OR I GUESS THIS WE DO.
I'M BARBARA KANEY AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE HERITAGE LIBRARY.
UH, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR, UH, THE INVITE.
WE LOVE APPLYING FOR THESE FUNDS AND WE LOVE COMING IN TO TALK TO YOU.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE HERITAGE LIBRARY, WE ARE A PREMIER HISTORY AND ANCESTRY RESEARCH CENTER ON HILTON HEAD.
WE ARE THE REPOSITORY FOR HILTON HEAD HISTORY.
FOLKS WHO WANNA KNOW ABOUT HILTON HEAD HISTORY, COME AND SEE US.
WE ARE ALSO AN ANCESTRY RESEARCH CENTER.
WE WERE NAMED BY USA TODAY AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 PLACES IN THE WORLD TO FIND YOUR ROOTS.
AND YES, OUR VISITORS COME FROM ALL OVER TO DO JUST THAT.
WHAT I WANTED TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY, AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO FOLLOW LUANA 'CAUSE SHE GIVES ALL THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE ALL DUG UP FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS, SO I DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT THEM.
BUT WHAT I WANNA TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT ARE WHO ARE OUR GUESTS?
[00:45:01]
BECAUSE THAT COMES TO THAT PIECE.WHO IS COMING TO SEE US? ARE THEY STAYING? WHERE ARE THEY STAYING? WHAT ARE THEY DOING WHEN THEY'RE HERE? OUR VISITORS COME FROM ALL OVER.
WE HAD BASICALLY A LITTLE OVER 19,000 FOLKS WERE INVOLVED IN HERITAGE LIBRARY ACTIVITIES THIS PAST YEAR.
I'M GONNA INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WHO CAME TO SEE US.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET LILY.
LILY CAME TO A CHILDREN'S PROGRAM.
HISTORY LIVES HERE, AND BASICALLY YOU GET TO COLOR HISTORIC FIGURES AND PLACES AND SITES AND ALL THAT AND PUT THEM ALL OVER UNDERNEATH.
ALL THAT IS A GIANT CORKBOARD MAP OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
SO KIDS CAN POST THEIR, POST THEIR PICTURES, AND THEN THEY ALSO ALWAYS LEAVE WITH ANOTHER COLORING SHEET, A BOX OF CRAYONS THAT TELLS THE HISTORY OF HILTON HEAD.
LILY CAME WITH HER MOM AND HER AUNT.
HER AUNT LIVES IN WASHINGTON, DC COMES TO HILTON HEAD REGULARLY.
LILY AND HER MOM WERE VISITING FROM BELGIUM.
THEY STAYED HERE ON HILTON HEAD FIVE DAYS AND FOUR NIGHTS.
BESIDES COMING OUT AND PLAYING WITH US.
THEY ATTENDED A NUMBER OF THINGS AT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
THEY DINED OUT, THEY SHOPPED MUCH TO LILY'S DELIGHT.
I DID GET TO SEE THE NECKLACE AND THINGS THAT SHE PURCHASED.
THEY ENJOYED THE BEACH AND THEY DO PLAN ON COMING BACK.
I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET THE ALBRIGHT'S.
THIS FAMILY'S BEEN COMING TO THE ISLAND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I'VE KNOWN THEM NOW FOR FOUR YEARS.
THE FIRST TIME I MET THEM, I HAPPENED TO BE CLEANING UP AT ZION CEMETERY.
AND, UH, THEY WERE HERE AND ANSWERED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CEMETERY FOR THEM.
THEY HAVE NOW, I'VE NOW SEEN THEM FOR FOUR YEARS.
THEY COME TO OUR TOURS, THEY GO TO OUR PROGRAMS. THEY KAYAK, THEY SHOP, THEY DINE, THEY RENT BIKES.
THEY ARE, THEY ALSO HAVE EVERY OTHER YEAR ADDITIONAL FAMILY JOIN THEM.
THEY RENT A HOUSE FOR TWO WEEKS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
WHEN THEY DO HAVE THOSE EVERY OTHER YEARS, THEN THEY RENT TWO HOUSES.
AND THERE'S USUALLY SOMEWHERE AROUND 18 PEOPLE.
AND THEY DO THAT FOR TWO WEEKS.
I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET THE GREENS GRAYS AND THE CHRISTIS.
ADRIAN GREEN COMES INTO THE LIBRARY FAIRLY REGULARLY.
HE LIVES IN SAVANNAH AND HE COMES IN TO DO FAMILY ANCESTRY RESEARCH.
HIS BEST FRIEND WHO IS RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE, THEY'VE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE COLLEGE WAS C WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.
SO THEY DECIDED TO COME TO HILTON HEAD.
AND HIS TR HIS FIRST STOP ON HILTON HEAD WAS TO SPEND THE DAY WITH US AT THE HERITAGE LIBRARY AND INTRODUCE MR. GRAY TO HIS FAMILY HISTORY.
WHEN OTHER FRIENDS OF THEIRS FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO THIS, THEY DECIDED TO JOIN.
SO THEY MADE IT A GIANT LONG WEEKEND.
THEY ALL MET AT THE HERITAGE LIBRARY.
WE SPENT MARTY AND PAUL, WHO YOU CAN SEE WITH, WITH THE NAME TAGS, ARE THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WORKED WITH THIS GROUP FOR FIVE HOURS TRACING FAMILY HISTORY ROUTES.
THEY STAYED FOR THREE NIGHTS, FOUR DAYS.
THEY SPENT ONE, ONE AFTERNOON A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN AN AFTERNOON WITH US, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY DINED OUT, BUT STAYED IN HOTEL.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT HOTEL THEY STAYED IN.
AND, UH, AND THEY CAME BACK IN ON MONDAY MORNING JUST TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN AND SPEND A AND BROUGHT COFFEE.
ALSO, WE DID HAVE A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR THEM, CORPORATE GUESTS.
WE WORK WITH A NUMBER OF CORPORATE GUESTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR THEY COME, THEY PLAN MEETINGS, RETREATS, THINGS LIKE THAT ON HILTON HEAD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE PROVIDE SOME EXTRA ACTIVITIES FOR THEM.
SO WE WILL DO TOURS OUT OUR, OUT AT THE HISTORIC SITES THAT WE OWN.
WE PUT TOGETHER BIKE TOURS, UH, THAT COVER A LIST OF, OF, UM, HISTORY SITES FOR THEM.
WE STARTED CREATING A NEW THING IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT'S BECOME VERY POPULAR, HISTORIC SCAVENGER HUNTS.
SO WE'LL LITERALLY SEND THESE FOLKS ALL OVER THE ISLAND LOOKING FOR ALL KINDS OF HISTORY, FACTS AND CULTURAL SITES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE PLAN THOSE BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU WANNA GIVE THEM, HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY GONNA COVER THIS LAND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WE DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THIS PARTICULAR GROUP IS A SMALL TECH STARTUP.
[00:50:01]
THEY VISITED MOSTLY FROM CONNECTICUT, BUT SOME OF THEM ALSO CAME FROM NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON.DC THE OWNER OF THIS CORPORATION, THEY, THEY STAYED AT THE WESTIN.
THE OWNER OF THIS CORPORATION IS ALSO A HOMEOWNER HERE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE, AND I DO NOT HAVE A PHOTO FOR THIS BECAUSE LINDA DID NOT SEND ME THE PHOTO UNTIL LAST NIGHT, BUT WE ALSO HELP WITH FAMILY REUNIONS.
SO THIS YEAR PARTICULARLY, WE WORKED WITH THE GREEN FAMILY AND THEY CAME FROM 16 DIFFERENT STATES.
THERE WAS A LITTLE OVER 200 OF THEM.
AND THEY CAME DOWN AND THEY CELEBRATED ONE OF THEIR ANCESTORS WHO LIVED HERE BY THE NAME OF MINGO GREEN.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE STORY OF MINGO GREEN, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE STORY OF CHARLIE SIMMONS, THE GENTLEMAN WHO RAN THE FERRY BACK AND FORTH.
MR. SIMMONS TRANSPORTED PEOPLE MR. GREEN TRANSPORTED GOODS.
SO A LOT OF THE GULLAH GOODS THAT WERE SOLD IN SAVANNAH AND BEAUFORT WENT BY HIS BOATS.
HE WAS ALSO FAMOUS FOR THE FACT THAT HE LEARNED TO BUILD HANDMADE BOATS AND THAT'S HOW HE TRANSPORTED GOODS.
SO WE GOT TO DO AN ENTIRE HISTORIC PRESENTATION WITH THE GREEN FAMILY.
HOW DO WE REACH THOSE GUESTS? IT'S PROBABLY SHORTER TO TELL YOU HOW WE DON'T REACH THEM, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA HELP ME.
WE USE PRINT, TV, SOCIAL MEDIA, RADIO CONFERENCES, EXPOS, TRADE SHOWS, EVENTS, OUR PARTNERS.
THIS IS BASICALLY A LOOK AT WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DO IT.
NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A SAMPLE OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STARTED DOING THIS YEAR IS PUSHING OUT MORE VIDEO THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, ALL THAT FUN STUFF.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE OBVIOUSLY HAD TO CREATE SOME VIDEOS.
SO THIS IS JUST A PICTURE OF SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THOSE VIDEO ADS THAT GO OUT.
WHAT IS HERITAGE? IT'S NOT JUST WHERE WE COME FROM, IT'S THE STORIES THAT DEFINE US.
THE TRADITIONS THAT BIND US AND THE VALUES THAT GUIDE US.
HERITAGE IS THE CUSTOMS PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS.
THE WORDS SPOKEN AROUND DINNER TABLES AND THE PRIDE IN OUR ROOTS THAT IN THESE PARTS RUNS DEEP.
WHEN YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT LOCAL AND FAMILY HISTORY, VISIT THE HERITAGE LIBRARY WHERE WE CELEBRATE THAT SHARED LEGACY OF OUR COLLECTIVE HERITAGE.
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I'M JUST GONNA GO BACK FOR A SECOND TO SURE.
CAN WE, DO WE HAVE ANY DATA THAT TALK SPEAKS TO THAT? I THINK THAT THE, THE OUT THE OUTREACH THAT YOU DO AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE.
PHYSICAL VISITORS THAT WE ACTUALLY SEE AT OUR EVENTS.
EVENTS, TOURS, THOSE VISITORS THAT WE SEE THERE ARE JUST, I THINK THE APPLICATION SAID, I CAN LOOK IT UP IN A MINUTE.
AND THAT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY VALIDATION.
I JUST, I SAW THE NUMBER, I DIDN'T SEE ANY IS THAT THROUGH SURVEYS OR IS THAT, THAT THAT IS BASIC.
THAT IS ZIP CODE AND QR COUNTS.
THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE CAN COUNT.
AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN WE SEE THAT, OKAY.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE HARD PARTS WHEN WE DO QR CODES AND WE DO, UM, ZIP CODES FOR REGISTRATION, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WE SEE IT A LOT, IS WE SEE FOUR TICKETS BOUGHT FOR A TOUR.
AND THEN WHAT WE FIND OUT IS THAT, UM, GRANDMA WHO LIVES ON HILTON HEAD BOUGHT THOSE TICKETS, BUT WITH HER ARE THREE GRANDCHILDREN THAT CAME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT THE ONLY THING I CAN COUNT, I CAN COUNT THOSE FOUR VISITORS, BUT I HAVE TO COUNT THEM AS A LOCAL BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S THE REGISTRATION THAT I HAVE.
SO IF IT'S FOUR TICKETS TO, YOU KNOW, WITH A ZIP CODE OF 2 9 9 2 8, THEN THOSE GO INTO THAT RESIDENTIAL PIECE, NOT, NOT THAT VISITOR OR TOURIST NUMBER.
SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE 12,300 TOURISTS COUNT FOLKS AT THE VARIOUS FESTIVALS AND, AND PLACES YOU GO.
VERSUS SOLELY, I WAS TRYING TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND PART OF THIS, AGAIN, BACK TO TRYING TO HELP US SO THEY YEAH.
THEY COME TO OUR CLASSES, THEY COME INTO THE LIBRARY TO DO RESEARCH.
THEY MIGHT GO TO AN EVENT THAT WE DO.
UM, GHOSTS AND MISS IS AN EVENT, UH, THAT STARTS TOMORROW NIGHT AND, UH, THAT IS SOLD OUT.
AND THE LAST TIME I LOOKED, 56% OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO GHOSTS AND MISS ARE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF A 50 MILE RADIUS.
[00:55:01]
TOURISTS MAKE UP 64% OF THAT.AND YOU DON'T GET, AGAIN, THAT CREDIT FOR THE FOLKS THAT MAY BE COMING WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS, BUT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE STAYING IN ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE ISLAND.
YOU KNOW, SO THEY MAY NOT, AND THAT, AND THAT'S THAT PIECE.
BUT WE DO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STARTED TO ASK FOLKS, SO, AND IT, AND IT'S CONVERSATIONAL MORE THAN I CAN ACTUALLY RECORD IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE GREENS KIND, YOU KNOW, THE GREENS GREAT.
THOSE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WE KNEW, WE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM BY THE TIME THAT THEY LEFT, YOU KNOW, AND WE KNEW STUFF ABOUT THEM THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY KNEW, UM, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT WHEN WE GET TO MEET FOLKS THAT WAY IN THOSE SMALL GROUPS, THEN WE GET TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND WE GET TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS, WHY THEY'RE HERE, WHAT ARE THEY DOING, WHERE ARE THEY STAYING.
SO THOSE ARE THOSE PIECES THAT WE CAN PICK UP.
OBVIOUSLY IF WE'RE MEETING WITH A CORPORATE GROUP, YOU KNOW, IF I'M MEETING THEM AT THE ESTA, YOU KNOW, MARRIOTT OR WESTON AND I PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHERE THEY'RE STAYING.
UM, OR THEY'LL, THEY'LL CALL AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE STAYING HERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF, SO, SO THAT INFORMATION WE CAN GATHER, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE CONVERSATIONAL THAN, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S WHEN WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THE ALBRIGHT'S PRETTY WELL AFTER FOUR YEARS.
UM, WE'VE WATCHED THOSE KIDS GROW AND IT'S ALWAYS FUN WHEN THEY BRING IN GRANDMA, GRANDPA AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF EVERY OTHER YEAR, THEN WE CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THOSE FOLKS.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S HUNDREDS OF PICTURES OF THESE FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT I CAN THROW UP, YOU KNOW, IN A, UH, IN A PRESENTATION.
BUT WE TRY REALLY HARD TO TALK TO THOSE VISITORS AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE THAT ALSO HELPS US GROW PROGRAM.
I WANT THAT PERSON TO BE THE ALBRIGHT'S AND COME BACK OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I'VE GOTTA TALK TO THEM, FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THEY WANNA DO, HOW CAN WE HELP THEM DO THAT? WHAT CAN WE GET, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE HELP THEM LEARN AND HOW CAN WE CHANGE A PROGRAM? DO I NEED TO MAKE IT MORE CHIL, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN FRIENDLY, YOU KNOW, AND WE LEARN THAT FROM THEM.
BUT IT'S MUCH MORE CONVERSATIONAL THAN A NUMBER ON A, YOU KNOW, THAN A CLICK A NUMBER I CAN PULL OFF OF GOOGLE ANALYTICS, YOU KNOW, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE ALSO DO IS WE WORK WITH A NUMBER OF AUTHORS AND ARTISTS AND FILMMAKERS LIKE LUANA AND OUR VOLUNTEERS DID A GREAT DEAL OF THE RESEARCH THAT LUANA USED IN HER FILMS. AND ALSO SHE'S GOT ANOTHER ONE COMING OUT AND THEY'RE IN THE MIDST OF RESEARCHING THAT.
ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION ACROSS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH A BIG STORY TO TELL, TAKES HOME WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT OUR PARTNERS.
AND THOSE PARTNERS RUN DEEP AND THEY'RE STRONG PARTNERS AND WE'RE GLAD THAT THEY'RE THERE.
I LOVE TO HEAR ORGANIZATIONS TALK ABOUT CORPORATE EVENTS.
I THINK THAT THOSE ARE, IS A REALLY STRONG, UM, SEED FOUNDATION FOR, UH, GROWTH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE CORPORATE EVENTS COME IN, USUALLY IT'S JUST THE, THE EMPLOYEES ARE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THEN THEY GO HOME AND TELL THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE ON HILTON HEAD AND WHAT THEY LEARNED.
AND IT BECOMES LIKE A BUSHFIRE.
SO, UH, UH, WISH YOU THE BEST OF BIKE.
AND THEY'RE USUALLY REALLY LIKE BIKE TOURS.
THEY'RE USUALLY REALLY GLAD TO GET OUT OF THE CONFERENCE ROOM.
IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, AND LEARNING ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE EXPERIENCE IS A BIG FACTOR.
AND WHEN FOLKS ARE MAKING THEIR DECISIONS ON WHERE TO TRAVEL THESE DAYS, WE SEE IT ACROSS ALL MARKETS.
SO, UM, GETTING OUTTA THAT CONFERENCE ROOM AND ENJOYING HILTON HEAD ON A BIKE AND HERE IN THE HISTORY IS FANTASTIC.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE ALSO KNOW IT'S, IT'S BEEN MORE CHALLENGING TO ATTRACT CORPORATE EVENTS, UM, IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS TO ISLAND.
SO THAT'S A, UM, I APPLAUD YOU FOR, FOR ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT.
YEAH, WE DO, WE DO A BIG PUSH OUT SOCIAL MEDIA WISE.
AND, UH, AND, AND THEN WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE GREAT THING IS, IS ONCE WE CON, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE WORK WITH A GROUP, THEY'LL TELL SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE THE TECH GROUP THAT WE WORKED WITH, UM, THEY HAVE RESELLERS, SO THEIR RESELLERS NOW HAVE COME IN.
AND THEN USUALLY THEY'LL SAY, HEY, AND WHILE YOU'RE HERE, CALL OVER HERE, THEY'LL DO AN EVENT FOR YOU.
SO THOSE KIND OF PIECES REALLY HELP.
I THINK WE'VE BEGUN TO SEE, UH, SOME OF THOSE CORPORATE EVENTS RETURN, BUT THEY'VE KIND OF SHIFTED IN WHAT'S BEING DONE IN THOSE EVENTS.
IT USED TO BE THE ONLY WAY THAT ORGANIZATIONS GOT TOGETHER.
WAS EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM NOW WITH TECHNOLOGY? I'M IN FRONT OF MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY EVERY DAY, BUT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER, IT'S MORE R AND R, UH, REGROUPING AND, YOU KNOW, TAKING IN, UH, WHAT MAKES US A STRONG TEAM.
SO I'M SURE YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS SEEN THE SAME THING FROM THESE CORPORATE EVENTS.
I, I THINK WHAT WE, WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE IS THE EVOLUTION OF THESE, THESE,
[01:00:01]
UH, SUBMISSIONS.'CAUSE ALL APPLICANTS WE REQUIRE TO OR ASK TO JUSTIFY OUR ROI AND 'CAUSE WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC CHARGE AND OH, UNDERSTOOD.
SO THE, THE CLOSER WE CAN GET TO LEARNING THAT DATA AND HOW WE CAN GET BETTER, THE WORD COLLABORATION YOU'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT, WHICH YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE DONE WELL.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT, WE SAW YOU IN VIDEOS EARLIER.
AND THAT'S A, A, A, A WONDERFUL THING.
BUT ALSO THE BETTER WE CAN GET AT TELLING THE ROI PICTURE, THE EASIER IT MAKES IT FOR US TO HELP.
SO, UM, ANY MEASURES OR ANYTHING THAT ANYONE ELSE IS DOING OR SHARING IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN HAVE MEASURABLE RESULTS HELPS US WITH HELPING YOU.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE VERY OBJECTIVE, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY SUBJECTIVE AND ACCOUNTING'S NEVER EASY.
UM, WE GET BETTER AT IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND OUR PARTNERS COLLABORATE MUCH BETTER WITH, WITH NUMBERS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT ISSUE OF TYING IT TO HEADS, YOU KNOW, HEADS AND BEDS AND, AND WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AMONG THE PARTNERS TOO, IS BECAUSE THAT WORLD, YOU KNOW, IT CHANGED, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT WAS THAT, WHAT WAS THAT CLICK THAT, THAT MADE THAT PERSON COME HERE.
AND I THINK ALL OUR APPLICANTS COULD ALSO MAKE A CASE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE.
IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET.
BUT WE SEEM TO BE GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR AND THERE SEEMS TO BE IMPROVEMENTS TO EVERYBODY'S EFFORTS.
AND THEN IF WE CAN ALL KIND OF KEEP FOCUSING ON THOSE, THAT DATA WE KEEP TRYING, I THINK, UM, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER.
UH, IT WAS GOTTA COME BACK TO ME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? YOU'RE TOO YOUNG FOR THAT.
I KNOW IT, IT'S TOO EARLY IN THE DAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, NEXT ON THE LIST IS THE GOLDEN MUSEUM OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
HOW DO WE ADVANCE? I'LL SHOW YOU.
SO HERE'S YOUR SLIDE AND I'M GONNA PUT YOU IN SLIDE SHOW MODE.
SO IT'S JUST AN ENTER THROUGH.
AND YOU CAN ALSO USE ARROWS, AND IF YOU, YOU CAN ALSO USE THE CLICKER.
I DO REMEMBER WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY THERE.
UH, THE REASON, I MEAN, FOLKS MAKE A DECISION COME TO HILTON HEAD.
THEY HAVE AN AGENDA OF MULTIPLE THINGS TO DO, AND REALLY OUR BIGGEST MEASURING STICK IS THE OCCUPANCY RATE OF THE HOTELS.
AND THE BILL IS, YOU KNOW, IF WE SEE THAT THOSE ARE AT 90%, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING THINGS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE STILL HAVE A VERY STRONG OCCUPANCY GRADE.
IT WAS A LITTLE COOLER THAN NORMAL WHEN I GOT UP THIS MORNING.
I'M, MY NAME IS MELVIN HOLLIS, AND I AM THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF THE, UM, GULLAH MUSEUM OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I HAVE A SLIDE SHOW TO, TO PROVIDE TO YOU, BUT AS I'VE BEEN SITTING THINKING ABOUT THE GULLAH MUSEUM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS I'D JUST LIKE TO, UM, OFFER YOU BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SLIDESHOW.
UM, OTHER THAN BEING THE VICE CHAIR OF THIS BOARD, I ALSO TEACH AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AT, UM, THE, THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA HERE.
UM, AND FOR ANYONE WHO HAS A BACKGROUND IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, UH, THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND IN BEAUFORT ARE PROBABLY THE MOST INTERESTING AND AMAZING PARTS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND IT HAD A SIGNIFICANT, UH, CRITICAL, UH, INFLUENCE ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN INTERACTION AND HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY GOING FORWARD.
I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE, UM, PORT ROYAL, UM, EXPERIMENT 50 YEARS AGO IN A HISTORY CLASS, AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TURN IT LOOSE SINCE THEN.
BUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT MITCHELL LITTLE MET MEANT, UH, MEANT IN TERMS OF THE WAY ABRAHAM LINCOLN REACTED AND THOUGHT ABOUT ADVANCING AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, PRESENCE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND THE, THE FIRST AFRICAN, UM, FIRST COLORED, UM, UH, INFANTRY TROOP BEING ON THIS ISLAND AND PINNED AND PINNED, UH, UH, PINNED CENTER, AND HOW THAT ALL COMES TOGETHER.
IT'S A STORY THAT THIS JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN AND PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING, AND I CAN TELL YOU AS SOMEONE WHO'S TEACHING HISTORY, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE BECOMING INTERESTED.
SO, UH, JUST START WITH THE FIRST THING.
UM, THEY'VE JUST OPENED THE INTERNATIONAL
[01:05:01]
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM, AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO GET, UM, RESERVATIONS WEEKS AHEAD OF TIME TO BRING A GROUP TO THAT MUSEUM BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING THROUGH WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE MUSEUM.THE FIRST DISPLAY YOU COME TO IS A BIG WALL THAT TALKS ABOUT GULLAH GULLAH HISTORY, UH, AND IT MAKES REFERENCE TO WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS AREA.
AND SO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE LEARNING FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT WHAT WENT ON IN THIS AREA, AND THERE'S BEGINNING TO BE MORE AND MORE INTEREST IN IT.
I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM CHARLESTON, WHERE WE MET WITH THE INTER, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TOURISM ASSOCIATION.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MARKETING CHARLESTON AND THE SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN CHARLESTON.
I TAKE FROM TIME TO TIME, I NARRATED A AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY TOUR TO CHARLESTON FROM THIS AREA, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY THINGS IN THE CHARLESTON AREA.
BUT INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, AT THAT MEETING, AS WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS AREA, MY, MY COMPATRIOTS, MY, THE FOLKS I'M WORKING WITH ARE THINKING ABOUT CHARLESTON PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WHO COMING TO CHARLESTON NOW COMING TO THIS AREA, BRING, PUTTING TOGETHER, UM, UM, PUTTING TOGETHER ST.
HELENA'S ISLAND, AND THE EXPERIENCE ON THIS ISLAND, PARTICULARLY THE FIRST INTEREST IN, IN MITCHELLVILLE AND PENN AND PENN, UH, CENTER AND, UH, OUR MUSEUM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THOSE THOUGHTS, UH, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S GROWTH AND INTEREST GOING ON.
AND CULTURAL TOURISM IS BEGINNING TO, I THINK, TO GROW.
UH, I KNOW THAT MY FRIENDS, WHEN THEY COME TO THIS AREA WANT TO KNOW WHERE THEY CAN GO TO TOUCH SOMETHING ABOUT, UM, THE GULLAH, UM, THE GULLAH CULTURE.
SO LET, LET ME START WITH, UH, THE GULLAH MUSEUM.
UM, WE COULD SPEND OUR TIME TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME AND HOW MANY HEADS THEY PUT ON THE BEDS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THIS YEAR, WHAT WE HAVE SPENT OUR TIME DOING IS BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE MUSEUM SO THAT PEOPLE WHO COME AND VISIT THE MUSEUM AND PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE ISLAND HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE THAT THEY'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
AND THAT BASICALLY, WE HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR MUCH OF THIS YEAR WHILE WE'VE DONE RENOVATIONS.
AND I THINK I'LL HAVE SOME GOOD REPORTS TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE ON OUR RENOVATIONS AND OUR READINESS, UH, GOING FORWARD.
UH, THIS IS, UH, LET ME, LET ME JUST WORK THIS.
AND THEN IF YOU COME BACK, AS YOU ALL CAN SEE, I'M AN EXPERT ON, UM, ON THE IT STUFF.
UM, THIS IS THE BLUE HOUSE, UM, UH, THAT IS THE LAST, UM, GOAL BUILT HOUSE, GOAL BUILT STRUCTURE ON THIS ISLAND.
AND IT SITS AT OUR, UM, AT OUR LOCATION.
UM, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE IT WAS PUT BACK TOGETHER.
UM, SO THE PURPOSE OF THE GULLAH MUSEUM IS TO EXPOSE PEOPLE TO THE HISTORY, THE CULTURE, THE LANGUAGE, AND THE MUSIC OF THE HILTON HEAD OF GULLAH COMMUNITY.
THE GULLAH PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON THIS ISLAND FOR 300 YEARS, UM, AND AT ONE POINT, OF COURSE, THEY MADE UP 90% OF THE POPULATION AND NOW MAKE UP LESS THAN 6% OF THE POPULATION.
BUT THEIR CULTURAL TRADITIONS, UH, THEIR, HIS, THEIR HISTORY, UH, MAY DISAPPEAR IF WE DON'T MAKE SOME EFFORT TO PRESERVE IT.
UM, THIS EFFORT IS LED BY OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM, MISS, UH, LOUISE MILLER COHEN, WHO IS HERE IN THE OFFICE.
THAT IS OUR, THAT'S OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, SHE, UM, IS, UH, ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT IT IS LAST, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, SHE WAS INVITED TO CHARLESTON TO BE GIVEN AN AWARD FOR HER WORK AND PRESERVING, UM, UM, PRESERVING, UH, GULLAH CULTURE.
UM, AND, UH, I THINK YESTERDAY, UH, WHAT WAS THE ORGANIZATION YOU OPENED UP WITH? CRES SENDER? YEAH.
DID THE WELCOME ADDRESS TO CSS.
SO, UH, SHE DID THE WELCOME ADDRESS YESTERDAY FOR CRESCENDO.
UM, AND, UH, I HAVE SEEN, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH LITERATURE ABOUT THE GULLAH CULTURE IN CHARLESTON.
AND YOU WOULD THINK SHE LIVED IN CHARLESTON BECAUSE HER PICTURE AND HER FACE IS WHAT IS, UH, IS USED.
AND SO SHE HAS A PRESENCE THAT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT AS BEING NOT JUST AT THE LOCATION WHERE WE OPERATE, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE ON THIS ISLAND, AND THEY ASK THE GULLAH MUSEUM TO BACK THEM UP AND PARTICIPATE.
AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME, UH, DOING THAT.
UH, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE IN THE BOTTOM WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE WE BEGAN.
[01:10:01]
IT LOOKS LIKE NOW, AND THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE INSIDE.UH, WE ARE JUST ABOUT AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN BEGIN BRINGING PEOPLE BACK THROUGH, UM, THE, THE LITTLE HOUSE AS IT STANDS NOW.
UH, WE HAD MIGRANT HOUSES IN OUR LOCATION.
UH, THIS IS WHAT THIS WOULD'VE LOOKED LIKE JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.
UH, AND, UH, THIS IS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT THE MARGARET HOUSES LOOK LIKE NOW.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE PUT A LOT OF, WE PUT A LOT OF, UM, EFFORT INTO PREPARING, UH, THE SITE SO THAT NOW THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON MARKETING AND PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO COME, WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAD, UH, THAN THEY HAD TWO YEARS AGO.
UH, THERE ARE ONLY TWO TRAILERS LIKE THIS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS WAS BROUGHT ACROSS THE BRIDGE, UH, WHEN, UM, WHEN HER AUNT'S HOUSE BURNED DOWN, THE INSIDE OF IT WAS CONVERTED.
UH, IT USED THE, UM, IT USED THE SKILLS, UH, OF THE GULLAH COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHAT THE INSIDE OF THAT TRAILER LOOKS LIKE.
NOW IT'S AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT.
UH, AND WE HAVE ADDED ONE OTHER THING BECAUSE THERE, UH, THERE, THERE ARE ONLY TWO TRAILERS LIKE THIS LEFT IN THE COUNTRY.
WE DISCOVERED THAT WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TOPS, SO WATER WAS GETTING THROUGH AND MOISTURE WAS GETTING INTO THE TRAILER.
WE HAVE NOW BUILT AN A CANOPY OVER THAT TO PROTECT IT FROM THE RAIN.
AND THE WEATHER IS NOW GONNA BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO VISIT OUR SITE.
UM, WE DO, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOT HAD THE, THE MUSEUM, UH, OPERATING, UM, UH, WE HAVE CARRIED OUT THE, THE, THE FOUR FESTIVALS THAT WE NORMALLY DO.
ONE OF THOSE IS THE GULLAH OYSTER ROAST, UH, WHICH WE DO, UH, IN MARCH.
UH, THEN THERE'S THE HERITAGE FESTIVAL THAT WE DO, UH, IN JULY.
UH, USUALLY AT THE SAME TIME THAT, UH, THERE, THERE'S A CROWD ON THE ISLAND FOR THE JULY, UH, FOURTH ACTIVITIES.
UH, WE DO, UH, A GULLAH ENRICHMENT CAMP FOR THE CHILDREN ON THE ISLAND.
WE BRING THEM TO OUR SITE DURING THE SUMMER, AND WE TRY, WE, WE INTRODUCE THEM TO BASKET WEAVING.
WE SHOW THEM WHAT KIND OF, UH, PLANTS WERE GROWN IN THE GARDENS.
IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS FOR THE YOUNGSTERS.
WE SHOW, WE, WE TEACH THEM ABOUT THE FISHING CRABBING AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE PART OF THE GULLAH CULTURE.
UM, THEN WE HAVE A CHRISTMAS PARTY.
I'M, UM, I'M KIND OF PROUD OF THIS CHRISTMAS PARTY.
I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU WHAT WE DO WITH THIS.
UH, MOST OF THE FOLKS WE INVITE TO THIS PARTY ARE 80 YEARS OLD OR OLDER.
UH, IF THEY'RE UNABLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, WE HAVE A MEAL TAKEN TO THEM.
WE SEND A BUS TO BRING THEM AROUND.
AND WE HAVE A NICE CHRISTMAS PARTY, AND WE TALK ABOUT THE OLD, THE, THE OLD CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS.
AND WE HAVE BEGUN TO FILM THEIR MEMORIES OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ON THIS ISLAND WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN.
AND WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE, THE MATERIAL THAT WE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER SOME ORAL, UM, ORAL, UH, AN ORAL LIBRARY.
UH, THIS YEAR, UH, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE 360 40 CELEBRATION.
UM, AND SO, UH, I JUST AGAIN, WANT YOU TO THINK THAT, UH, THINK ABOUT THE MUSEUM AS NOT OPERATING ONLY AT THE MUSEUM SITE, BUT WE COME OUT, WE PARTICIPATE IN ALL OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES GOING ON.
WE HAD THE CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY COME IN.
WE HAD THE GEECHEE GULLAH SHOUTERS COME IN AND LOCAL CHILDREN DANCING.
UH, THEY'RE USUALLY THE, UH, THE HEART THEY KNOW ONLY STEAL THE HEART OF THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING THE 18TH, THE, THE YOUNGSTERS.
BUT, UM, IT'S ONE OF THE HIGH POINTS OF OUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, THIS IS THE GULLAH, UH, MUSEUM OFFICE.
UM, AND, UH, OUR ATTENTION RIGHT NOW IS FOCUSED ON WORKING ON THIS PROBLEM.
UM, THE WIND TOOK THAT OFFICE AWAY THREE TIMES THIS YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE BACKED AWAY AND FOCUSED ON, UH, DEVELOPING AN INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, WE NEED TO HAVE A CLIMATE CONTROL PLACE TO OPERATE FROM.
WE HAVE PEOPLE VISITING EVERY DAY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO SIT DOWN TO HAVE YOUR COMPUTERS AND TO TRACK WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE.
I WILL COME BACK TO THAT AND SAY, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE FOCUSED NOW ON THE OFFICE.
UH, THIS IS WHAT OUR OFFICE LOOKS LIKE AFTER A STORM.
SO, UM, UH, WE HAVE, UM, FOCUSED ON SOLVING THIS PROBLEM BEHIND YOU.
YOU WILL SEE A GREEN BUILDING, WHICH IS, UM, UH, UM, WHAT, WHAT DO WE CALL THESE, THESE THINGS.
UM, ONE OF THE REAL ISSUES WE WANTED TO MAKE, WE, WE HAD TWO OBJECTIVES TO IMPROVE, UH, THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
ONE WAS TO PUT SOME TOILETS AT, AT, AT OUR SITE, AND THE OTHER IS TO PUT A PERMANENT OFFICE AT THAT SITE.
[01:15:01]
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE DECIDED WHAT WE WOULD DO IS PUT UP, UM, OUTHOUSES.UH, THERE WILL BE CLIMATE CONTROLLED.
OF COURSE, I HAVE RUNNING WATER THAT MAKES 'EM DIFFERENT THAN THE REAL OUTHOUSES, BUT MODEL OUTHOUSES.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS I STAND HERE TODAY, THE PAINT IS DRAWING, IS DRYING ON THOSE OUTHOUSES.
THE, THE, THE COMMODES ARE IN THE SINKS ARE IN, UH, WE PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE THEM OPERATIONAL FOR OUR NEXT EVENT, WHICH IS THIS SATURDAY.
UH, BUT WE NOW HAVE THE PUBLIC, UH, WE NOW HAVE THE PUBLIC TOILET THERE, UH, LOOKING LIKE, UM, OUTHOUSES.
AND THE NEXT BIG THING FOR US IS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH THE OFFICE.
UM, SO, UH, WHEN WE TALKED TO YOU LAST YEAR, WE WANTED TO ADD T TOILET, UH, FACILITIES.
WE WANTED TO DO RENOVATIONS IN THE DEWEY HOUSE.
REALLY WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO WAS REPLACE SOME PLANKS.
SO WE'RE FAIRLY OLD, AND WE'VE DONE THAT.
UH, AND WE NEEDED TO MAKE SOME, UH, ADOPTIONS TO THE GREAT, UH, GREAT DANE TRAILER.
UH, WE WANTED TO STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS.
WE THINK, UM, UH, NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, WE CAN BEGIN TO ASK MORE PEOPLE TO COME.
AND I'LL TALK TO A LITTLE BIT TO YOU ABOUT SOME PEOPLE WE'VE INVITED AND SOME THINGS WE'VE DONE.
UH, AND WE WANTED TO ENHANCE OUR MUSEUM MARKETING STRATEGIES.
UH, WE HAVE WORKED WITH, UH, UH, THE LOW COUNTRY HOSPITALITY EDUCATION GROUP TO DO SOME SURVEYS.
AND WE THINK OUR MARKETING, UM, WILL, UH, BE BASED ON SOME OF THAT AND TO ACQUIRE OFFICE FACILITIES.
UM, THIS YEAR, UM, WE WILL PLACE A TEMPORARY OFFICE.
WHEN I SAY TEMPORARY OFFICE, I'M TALKING ABOUT A TRAILER, WHICH IS CLIMATE CONTROLLED ELECTRICITY, WATER.
IT'LL BE TEMPORARY UNTIL WE BUILD OUR, THE BIG IDEA THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS TO BRING THE BIG HOUSE AND BUILD A BIG HOUSE AT THAT SITE.
BUT AT LEAST NOW, WE'LL HAVE A PLACE WHERE THERE'S A DESK, AND THEN, UH, THERE'S A DESK AND LIGHTING AND, AND SO FORTH.
UH, WE ARE, UH, IN NEGOTIATIONS, UM, WITH THE, UM, UH, WITH, WITH THE, UM, UH, RETAILER WHO'S GONNA SELL US THAT, THAT SPOT.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE MARKETING.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE MARKED THE SPOTS.
UM, WE'RE TALKING TO THE TOWN ABOUT GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE REGULATORY STUFF YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
WE'VE, IT'S INTERESTING THAT SOMEHOW PEOPLE ASSUME THAT YOU BUY THE TRAILER, THEN YOU NEGOTIATE WITH THE TOWN, THEN YOU NEGOTIATE WITH THE COUNTY.
AND THAT SEEMS A LITTLE BACKWARDS TO US.
WE DECIDE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE TOWN FIRST TO GET THOSE ISSUES OUT OF THE WAY, THEN NEGOTIATE WITH THE COUNTY, MAKE SURE ALL OF THE REGULATORY ISSUES ARE TAKING PLACE, THEN BY THE TRAILER.
AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE TRAILER.
WE PROVIDED ALL OF THEM WITH ALL OF THE DETAILS ABOUT THE TRAILER.
AND WE HAVE MOVED FAIRLY WELL ALONG THE ROAD ON THAT.
I THINK WE'VE, I THINK WE'VE JUST ABOUT RESOLVED ALL OF OUR ISSUES WITH THE TOWN.
UH, SO WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND BRING THAT, UM, BRING THAT IN, ADD TOILET FACILITIES.
UH, WE'VE DONE THAT, AS I'VE SAID TO YOU.
UM, WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO PUT THE SECOND, UM, UH, COAT OF PAINT ONTO, UH, THE, UH, OUTHOUSES.
UH, WE'VE COVERED THE, THE GREAT DANE TRAILER.
THE, THERE'S SOME, UM, UM, UH, THERE'S SOME REVIEWS THAT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE AT THE TIME LEVEL.
UH, WE, UM, AND WE ARE WORKING ON OUR MUSEUM MARKETING STRATEGIES, AND I'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, UH, THIS IS, UH, THERE'S BEEN A GREATER PRESENCE OF THE MUSEUM THIS YEAR.
IF YOU'VE TAKEN A LOOK AROUND.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ON BILLBOARDS, WE'VE BEEN ON TELEVISION PROGRAMS, AND WE'VE MOVED INTO TALKING TO, UH, UH, SOME INFLUENCES AS THEY'RE CALLED.
AND YOU WILL FIND STORIES ABOUT US IN THE LOCAL MAGAZINES.
UM, SO, UH, THAT'S PART OF OUR, UH, ENHANCED MARKETING STRATEGY.
UM, THIS YEAR WE WILL DO, UM, IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, WE WILL CARRY OUT, WE WILL DO OUR NORMAL, UM, FESTIVALS, UH, THE ANNUAL OYSTER ROAST, THE HERITAGE FESTIVAL, THE SUMMER CAMP, THE FOOD FESTIVAL, WHICH WILL BE OCTOBER, UH, 19TH, WHICH WILL BE IN TWO DAYS.
AND WE WILL DO OUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH, NKA, MITCHELLVILLE, GULLAH.
IF YOU GO TO ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF, UH, ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES, YOU WILL FIND US THERE EITHER PARTICIPATING, PRESENTING, UH, OR, UM, WITH A, WITH A, WITH A, A TABLE AND A DESK THERE.
UM, AS I SAID, UH, I, UM, LOUISE COHEN OPENED CRESCENDO, UM, YESTERDAY.
I CALLED, TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER.
ALL I COULD HEAR WAS THE MUSIC GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND.
UH, WITH PARTICULAR, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT WITH THE, UM,
[01:20:01]
WITH THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, WE CARRIED OUT A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS.UH, WAS IT GULLAH ME, GULLAH YOU? I THINK THAT WAS IT.
SO THAT WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE SYMPHONY, UH, ALL AND, AND IN PROGRAMMING, WHICH WE'LL REPEAT AGAIN THIS YEAR, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE WITH THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR.
UM, WE HAVE, WE, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT WE GET FROM YOU.
WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
WE DO, HOWEVER, WORK ON GETTING, UH, FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM OTHER PLACES.
UM, WE WORK, UH, WE GO DOWN TO THE BEAUFORT, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL.
THEY MAKE SOME INTERESTING COMMENTS.
WHEN WE COME DOWN TO THE BEAUFORT, THEY SAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING DOWN HERE? THEY SAY, ALL THE MONEY'S UP AT HILTON HEAD.
UH, YOU, WHY DON'T YOU FOLKS GO UP THERE AND SEND US SOMEBODY? WHICH I HAVE TO REMIND THEM THAT THIS PLACE IS PART OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO WE, WE PUSH, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, THEY DO NOT PUT US AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
IT IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU RICH FOLKS COMING DOWN HERE, UH, PUSHING US.
SO WE RELY, UH, HEAVILY ON, ON YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, WE HAVE A FOUNDATION THAT'S VERY FRIENDLY TO US.
THE BREED LOVE FOUNDATION HELPS US WITH OUR SUMMER, OUR SUMMER PROGRAM IN THE PRINCETON CLASS OF 1966.
I REALLY HAVE TO, UH, UM, GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT.
THEY CAME IN WITH A LARGE CHECK TO HELP US WITH THE OUTHOUSES, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THEM IN AND LETTING THEM HELP US CUT THE, CUT THE RIBBON.
UM, THE GREAT DANE TRUCK COMPANY, OF COURSE, GAVE US, GAVE US THAT, UH, THE, UM, THE, THE TRAILER AND, UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER FOLKS ARE, UH, LISTED HERE.
UM, THIS IS OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, THAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU.
BUT WHILE I'VE GOT YOUR ATTENTION, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY WE'VE ADDED, UM, THANKS TO MITCHELLVILLE, WE'VE ADDED, UH, ANOTHER ATTRACTION TO OUR SPOT.
AND THAT IS A PRAISE HOUSE THAT WE NOW HAVE, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, UH, UM, ADDITIONAL, UM, ATTRACTION.
THE WAY OUR MUSEUM WORKS IS YOU CAN NOW WALK FROM BUILDING TO BUILDING TO BUILDING, AND IT'S THAT KIND OF, UH, IT'S THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE.
AND IF WE GET TO WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO GET TO, YOU'LL BE ABLE AT SOME POINT TO BE ABLE TO PRESS THE BUTTON AND HAVE SOMEBODY HAVE AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
UH, THAT'S, UH, A LITTLE, UH, DOWN THE ROAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU WHAT WE FOUND FROM, UH, A SURVEY DONE BY THE CENTER FOR LOW, UH, LOW COUNTRY HOSPITALITY EDUCATION.
UH, I GUESS WHAT I'M PROUDEST OF IS PEOPLE RATES, UH, RATE THE EXPERIENCE AT OUR MUSEUM ON A ONE TO FIVE, UM, JUST TO READ THEIR FIRST LINE.
OVERALL PARTICIPANTS ENJOY THEIR EVENTS HERE, 56%.
GIVING THEM A FIVE STAR RATING WITH AN AVERAGE RATING OF 4.5 IS NOT EASY TO GET A RATING OF 4.5 OUT OF FIVE.
AND THE TWO THINGS THAT PEOPLE POINT OUT ARE THE FRIENDLINESS OF, UH, THE FRIENDLINESS OF, OF THE STAFF, AND THE QUALITY OF THE ENTERTAINMENT THEY GET WHEN THEY GET THERE.
IT'S PRIMARILY AN OLDER DEMOGRAPHIC.
AFTER ALL, WE ARE A MUSEUM AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOUNG FOLKS DON'T COME.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I TEACH FOLKS WHO WAS AT 18 TO 2226, IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW LITTLE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS AREA.
UM, THEY WALK PAST AND DRIVE PAST VILLE.
THEY WALK PAST AND DRIVE PAST THE, THE, THE HISTORICAL, UH, MONUMENTS IN THIS AREA WITH LITTLE KNOWLEDGE.
AND IT'S LIKE I'M SAYING, LOOK, WITHIN TWO HOURS OF WHERE YOU SIT, UH, THERE ARE TWIN THERE, THERE ARE 10 EVENTS GOING NORTH AND 10 GOING SOUTH.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, AND, UM, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY AS A HISTORY PROFESSOR SORT OF BREAKS MY HEART, BUT THEN I'M KIND OF GLAD THAT THE LIGHTS HAVE COME ON WHEN WE HAVE THE PROGRESS, UH, WHEN WE HAVE, BY THE TIME THEY TAKE THE FINAL AND THEY KNOW WHERE MITCHELLVILLE IS, THEY KNOW WHERE THE MUSEUM IS, THEY KNOW WHAT KINDS OF RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, UM, WITHIN, WITHIN AN EASY DRIVE.
UM, UH, 63% OF THE ATTENDEES FOR OUR EVENTS, UH, ARE LIVING 50 MILES OR MORE AWAY FROM THE EVENT.
ABOUT 20% OF THE ATTENDEES FALL INTO $250,000 OR ABOVE, UM, CATEGORY.
UM, MOST OF THEM FALL BETWEEN 50 AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
UM, THE GULLAH CELEBRATION FESTIVAL WAS THE REASON FOR THAT.
THE MAJORITY RESPONDENTS WERE ON THE ISLAND.
THE MAJORITY OF ATTENDEES BOOKED THEIR TRIPS LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE COMING.
AND FOR 94% OF THEM, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO GULLAH CULTURE.
SO WE THINK WE WERE DOING SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
WHAT I THINK WE ARE DOING IS WE'RE ADDING TO THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE.
[01:25:01]
OBVIOUSLY, UH, SOME CURIOSITY ABOUT THE HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE HERE, AND WE THINK WE ADD TO THAT.SO, UH, WE, UH, AND I KNOW BECAUSE I AM AFRICAN AMERICAN AND I GET QUESTIONED ALL THE TIME FROM PEOPLE WHO WILL COME HERE TO VACATION.
WHERE CAN I GO? WHAT CAN I DO? I WILL TELL YOU, MY BIGGEST BIG DISAPPOINTMENT IS PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT FOOD.
AND I TELL 'EM, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, RESTAURANTS ALL OVER THIS PLACE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT HERE.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I NEED TO TELL YOU, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN AT, AT, UM, AT LOUIS COHEN'S PRESENTATIONS, WHEN FOLKS COME TO THOSE PRESENTATIONS, WHAT TAKES PLACE IS AN EMOTIONAL, IT, IT IS AN EMOTIONAL EVENT.
UH, PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR ANCESTORS, UH, AND THEIR WILLING TO COME BACK AND THEY WANNA BRING THEIR CHILDREN.
IT IS AN EMOTIONAL THING THAT YOU, THAT YOU, YOU NEED TO SEE.
IT'S NOT JUST, OH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT WE'RE ADDING VALUE, UM, AT SOME LEVEL, UH, TO, TO THE EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU VISIT THIS ISLAND.
UM, LET'S SEE IF I HAVEN'T LEFT ANYTHING OUT, I, OH, WE'VE, WE'VE DOUBLED THE STAGE SIZE BECAUSE WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE, THE, THE QUESTIONNAIRE THAT WE GIVE THEM, UH, PEOPLE NEED MORE ROOM.
SO THAT, THAT THAT'S US IS A GOOD THING.
THAT MEANS WE GOTTA PUT MORE CHAIRS AND MORE TABLES FOR PEOPLE WHO ATTEND OUR EVENTS, AND WE'RE BUSY DOING THAT.
I THINK I HAVE DONE, UH, WHAT I WAS ASKED TO DO.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, THAT I CAN RESPOND TO? AND OF COURSE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? UM, NOT REALLY.
AND I, I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I USUALLY HEAR IS HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH YOUR ATTENDANCE, UM, AT THE MUSEUM? AND, UM, I HAVE A GUEST BOOK.
SO I ASK PEOPLE TO SIGN THIS BOOK, AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WE DO PRESENTATIONS WITH.
AND FOR THE ONES WHO JUST VISITING, OKAY, BECAUSE WE DO IT BY APPOINTMENT.
IF THEY'RE JUST VISITING, THEN I HAVE, I HAVE A, A A A PAD HERE THAT I, UM, THAT I TAKE.
AND I ASK EVEN THE VISITORS, IF THEY WOULD PLEASE JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ZIP CODE.
WHERE YOU COMING FROM? I LAUGH AT MYSELF YESTERDAY, BECAUSE YESTERDAY I DIDN'T HAVE THIS WITH ME.
AND, UM, I WAS AT THE LITTLE HOUSE FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND SOMEONE SAW ME THERE AND THEY STOP IN.
SO, UM, I ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WOULD JUST, JUST LEAVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ZIP CODE WITH ME.
WELL, I FOUND OUT I DIDN'T HAVE THIS THING.
AND, BUT I HAD TO TELL THEM, UM, SOMETHING ABOUT US GULLAH PEOPLE.
UM, THERE WAS ALWAYS A SCENE ABOUT SOMETHING.
AND BECAUSE I HAD TO USE THAT MANILA ENVELOPE FOR THEM JUST TO PUT THEIR NAME AND, AND ZIP CODE ON, I TOLD THEM THAT THE OLDER PEOPLE WOULD SAY, IF YOU NEED A RIDE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A HORSE, RIDE THE COW.
I DID NOT HAVE THIS, BUT I HAD AN MANILA ENVELOPE FOR THEM TO WRITE ON.
SO, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID.
BUT I GOT THEM, THEY WROTE ON IT, AND THEY LEFT A DONATION TOO.
SO, UM, SO THIS IS HOW WE GET OUR, OUR VISITORS INVOLVED.
'CAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO BE INVOLVED.
AND, UM, A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU DON'T ASK THEM, THEY DON'T KNOW.
AND THEY SAID, I WISH I COULD.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO PASS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UM, I'M HAVING ASK YOU A QUESTION.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT DATA ONCE YOU COLLECT IT, ONCE YOU'RE HAVE IT ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER, WHAT HAPPENS WITH IT? WELL, THEN I TAKE IT OFF OF THAT PIECE OF PAPER AND I PUT IT ON, ON A BOOK LIKE THIS.
BECAUSE, SO I CAN KEEP UP WITH IT BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I'M ASKING PEOPLE TO SIGN MY GUEST BOOK, I SAY, GUESS WHAT? AND I USUALLY DO THAT.
I SAID, GUESS WHAT I DO WITH THIS BOOK? I SAY, WHEN WE GO BEFORE THE AT TAX COMMITTEE, I WANT THEM TO SEE YOUR WRITING, NOT MINE.
AND, UH, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH THAT DATA TO PRESENT IT TO US.
BUT THAT HELPED US TO KEEP A RECORD OF THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT US.
SO WHEN WE COME TO YOU, WE CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY CAME.
SO I, I'D LIKE, JUST LIKE TO ADD TO THAT RESPONSE.
UM, WE HAVE NOW GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE TRACKING THE HITS ON OUR WEBSITE.
UH, AND WE'VE NOW BEGUN TO TRACK THE ZIP CODES OF THE PEOPLE WE'RE INTERACTING WITH.
UH, WHAT THE, THE MUSEUM HAS BEEN DOING BUSINESS UNDER A TREE SINCE 2003.
UM, OUR NUMBER ONE OBJECTIVE THIS YEAR IS TO GET FROM UNDER A TREE AND INTO AN OFFICE AND WITH A COMPUTER, SO THAT WE CAN PULL THAT DATA TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT WE CAN DO A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANALYSIS.
WE HAVE A FEEL FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT WHAT WE HAD TO DO FIRST WAS BUILD IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ALLOW US TO GATHER AND, UM,
[01:30:01]
AND, UH, USE THE DATA IN THE WAYS THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE USING THEM NOWADAYS.SO WE ARE, WE'RE, THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR, WE WILL GET FROM UNDER TREE AND INTO AN OFFICE, AND THE DATA WILL BE RECORDED.
AND IN A WAY THAT'S RETRIEVABLE AND ORGANIZABLE.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP TO THE COMMITTEE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
I, I THINK WE'RE ALL SO IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT YOU DO, UH, TO PRESERVE AND, AND PROMOTE THE GULLAH CULTURE.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S, UM, HISTORY.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT AN OFFICE.
THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
DO YOU GET ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THEIR T AND PROMOTION WITH A LIMITED BUDGET? YOU CAN'T DO AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO.
CAN YOU GET THEM TO DO MUCH FOR YOU TO PROMOTE THE GOLER MUSEUM? DO THEY DO MUCH? AND WE, WE, WE SPENT THE TIME THINKING ABOUT MARKETING THIS YEAR THAT, THAT WAS SOMETHING WE SAID WE DID LAST YEAR.
AND IT HAS BECOME CLEAR TO US THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES NOW HERE THAT ARE PUBLIC CAN BE BROUGHT IN, UH, TO OUR MARKETING SCHEME, AND WE WILL BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT, UH, WHAT DO THEY CALL IT? THE, THE LOCAL, UM, THE, THE, THE TWO BUDGET, THE TWO, UM, UM, MARKETING OPERATIONS ONE'S IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, ONE'S IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
WELL, THE BLUFFTON CHAMBERS, THE HILL ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER, THE DIRECT MARKETING ORGANIZATION OR DMO.
AND THEY GET A, A LARGE SHARE OF THE AAX DOLLARS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY REACH OUT TO YOU OR WHETHER YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AND SEE IF YOU CAN GET MORE PROMOTION FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION THROUGH THEM, RATHER THAN SPENDING, OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THEM WILL BE MUCH MORE CONCRETE WHEN WE STAND BEFORE YOU NEXT YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A DIFFERENT KIND OF MARKETING PLAN.
AND THEN JUST, AND WE DO INTEND TO USE THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, WE, WITH THEM, WE HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIALS.
THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY, ANY FIXED ASSETS ON THE BALANCE SHEET, AND YET YOU HAVE BUILDINGS, AND DO YOU OWN THE PROPERTY AS WELL? I'M SORRY, D DOES THE MUSEUM OWN THE, THE, THE LAND, ALL OF THE ASSETS, ALL OF THE ASSETS OF THE MUSEUM BELONG TO THE MUSEUM? MM-HMM.
AND WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE BUDGET NUMBERS GOING FORWARD.
AND AGAIN, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE WORKING OUT OF NOT EVEN A TRAILER YET, BUT I JUST GOING FORWARD, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A BIT MORE CLARITY ON THE FINANCIALS OF THE MUSEUM.
ONE OF THE, UH, WE, WE SEE WHAT YOU SEE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID THIS YEAR WAS CHANGE OUR ACCOUNTANT.
AND WE ARE REWORKING THE BOOKS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE DOING IT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
BUT, UH, OUR FINANCIALS WILL LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE CHANGED THE ACCOUNTANTS.
AGAIN, ONE OF THE FOLLOW UPS ON THAT IS IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THE APPLICATION SHOWS YOUR BUDGETARY, UM, ESTIMATED REVENUES FOR THIS YEAR, BUT THERE'S NO EXPENSES LISTED WHERE, WHERE THE, WHERE YOUR FUNDS ARE GONNA BE SPENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
DID ANYBODY ELSE FIND THAT ON THE APPLICATION THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE BRINGING IN, BUT YOU'RE NOT SHOWING WHERE YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR MONEY, WHERE YOU'RE MARKETING, WHERE, WHAT EVENTS YOU'RE GOING TO.
SO THE APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES IT HARD TO, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IT JUST SHOWS THAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN $336,550 ON THE BUDGET WITH NO MONEY BEING USED.
SO AGAIN, HAVING SOMEONE HELP WITH THE, THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF PUTTING YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN TOGETHER AND HAVING THOSE EXPENSES LISTED SO WE KNOW, OKAY, THIS ACCOMMODATION TAX REVENUES ARE NEEDED TO HELP OFFSET OUR EXPENSES.
OF COURSE, I, I KNOW THOSE NUMBERS 'CAUSE I, I DO THE BUDGETING, BUT, UM, I, I TAKE THE POINT AND, UH, AT NEXT APPLICATION, OR EVEN NOW, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH
I THINK IF YOU CAN GET THOSE TURNED INTO TOWN STAFF, WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF THE, I'M SORRY, WE'RE GONNA NEED THOSE TURNED INTO TOWN STAFF SO WE CAN SEE WHAT YOUR EXPENSES ARE A FULL, BUT TERRY, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE THAT, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO US.
WE, WE ALREADY HAVE THEM IN A, IN A FORMAT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH THAT WITH YOU.
SO YOU JUST NEED TO GIVE IT TO THEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
YOUR, YOUR REQUEST INCLUDES, UH, $60,000 FOR PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT, RIGHT? FACILITIES, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ALREADY, IT SOUNDS LIKE.
RIGHT? WHAT IS THIS AMOUNT FOR? WELL, UM, ONE OF THE, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE HAVE FOR ABOUT OVER 400 ARTIFACTS.
UH, AND AT THIS POINT WE NEED TO DISPLAY THEM.
WE HAVE NO SECURITY AT THIS LOCATION.
UH, WE'VE GOT TO PUT UP A FENCE.
WE'VE GOT, WE THINK WE NEED TO PUT UP SOME CAMERAS.
WE REALLY NEED TO NOW BE ABLE TO DISPLAY THE ARTIFACTS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE NEED, WE REALLY NEED SOME SECURITY, UH, TO DO THAT.
DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT
[01:35:01]
THAT MONEY WILL BE SPENT FOR? UM, WE HAVE SOME ESTIMATES, BUT, UM, WE HAVE ESTIMATES OF HOW, HOW THAT WOULD BE USED, APPROPRIATE TO REQUEST.THAT'S ALL REIMBURSABLE ANYWAY, RIGHT? YEAH.
THE MONEY'S NOT GRANTED UNTIL IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEING REIMBURSED FOR OUR EXPENDITURES.
JUST ON THE APPLICATION MOVING FORWARD, IF YOU CAN INCLUDE THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE REQUESTING $60,000 FOR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR BIG, THE IMPROVEMENT, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA SPEND THAT ON? THAT WAY WE CAN BE LIKE, GREAT, THEY'RE GONNA ADD SECURITY AND CAMERAS.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAY WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING, WE HOPE THAT YOU SPEND THE $60,000 AND THAT YOU GET TO GET IT BACK.
'CAUSE IF I AM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT DETAILED OUT, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO GET REIMBURSEMENT TRYING APPLICATION.
I THOUGHT WE HAD LAID OUT WHERE WE INTENDED TO SPEND THAT, BUT IF WE HAVEN'T, I'LL GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
IF YOU NEED A SUPPLEMENT, A SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT ON THAT, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT.
CIA, I I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I, I, I SEE THE PROGRESS YOU GUYS ARE MAKING ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THERE, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
AND, UM, AND OF COURSE, UH, MS. LOUISE, YOU ARE A LIVING PIECE OF HISTORY.
UM, AND NOT JUST WITH, UH, YOUR PRESENTATIONS, BUT ALSO WITH THE WAY, UH, I MEAN, I HEAR YOU GIVE ME WORDS OF WISDOM ALL THE TIME.
SO, UM, FROM, FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, GULLAH HISTORY AND, UH, I LEARN A LOT FROM YOU ALL THE TIME.
SO, UH, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
PLEASE TAKE THESE REQUESTS AS, UH, YOU KNOW, US WANTING TO HELP YOU IN FUTURE ENDEAVORS AS WELL.
SO JUST, UH, MORE THOROUGH AND COMPLETE.
UM, WE WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA COOPERATE.
AS FAR AS THE, THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, UH, SPENDING, IF YOU COULD JUST SAY, I MEAN, JUST EVEN SAYING, UH, THESE, THIS IS WHAT WE PLAN ON SPENDING FOR THE BATHROOMS. SURE.
OR, OR, YOU KNOW, OR, OR SUCH, OR FOR THE OFFICE.
I MEAN, THE BATHROOMS ARE DEFINITELY AN EXPENSE THAT QUALIFIES.
SO, UM, THOSE, ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE SORTS OF, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED THERE.
AND, UH, AND THEY, THEY'RE NEEDED FOR TOURISM.
UM, WE, WE RECOGNIZE THERE'S A SORT OF SQUIGGLY LINE BETWEEN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND, UM, AND JUST IMPROVING THE FACILITIES, UM, TO MAKE THEM, UM, BETTER USED.
SO WE DON'T THINK WE'RE BUILDING ANYTHING NEW, BUT WE ARE IMPROVING, WE'RE IMPROVING THE SITE.
SO, UM, UM, THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A, THAT THE FOLKS WHO VISIT OUR SPOT WILL HAVE A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE.
UH, AND, AND WE'RE BUILD BUILDING UP AN INFRASTRUCTURE IN, IN ADDITION TO THE, THE CHAMBER, UM, MARKETING AS WELL.
HHI, I KNOW THAT YOU, YOU DO A LOT OF WORK, LOUIS, YOU DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THEM.
UM, THEY COULD, THEY COULD HELP YOU WITH, WITH ISSUES LIKE THAT TOO, SO.
UM, WE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COLLABORATION, AND I WONDER WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR ARTIFACT EXHIBITIONS, IF YOU'VE TALKED TO THE FOLKS AT THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, BECAUSE THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY, UM, DOING THAT SORT OF WORK.
AND IF THEY WOULD BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU ON, ON HOW TO DO THIS OR WHO COULD HELP, OR, OR SOME OF THE UNIVERSITIES HAVE PRETTY ROBUST ARCHEOLOGICAL PROGRAMS AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOME OF THEIR STUDENTS TO DO SOME OF THE WORK FOR YOU RATHER THAN YOUR OWN FOLKS.
ONE IS I HAVE PERSONALLY, UM, APPROACHED THE COASTAL MUSEUM TWICE NOW, UH, TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
UM, I'VE ALSO APPROACHED, UM, THE, I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET THIS RIGHT.
UM, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN, IN SAVANNAH, WHICH HAS A SPECIAL PROGRAM ON RESTORATION TO GET THEIR ADVICE.
UH, AND THERE'S ONE, I'M TRYING TO THINK, THERE'S A THIRD PLACE, BUT AT LEAST WE ARE MOVING IN THAT AREA AND MAKING IN, SO YOU'RE WAY AHEAD OF ME.
NO, WE'RE MAKE, WE'RE MAKING INQUIRIES.
UH, AND IT, YOU HAVE TO MOVE ALONG ONE STEP AT A TIME.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
ANY FINAL QUESTIONS? I, I HAVE JUST A COMMENT THAT I HEARD EXPRESSION OF THANKS.
I ENJOYED HEARING THAT THE CHARLESTONIANS NEED TO COME DOWN HERE AND LEARN FROM YOU JUST AS MUCH AS YOU NEED TO DO TO GO UP FROM THEM, PUTTING BUSES TOGETHER AND COME TO, THAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK RECESS.
UH, I'M GONNA PUSH IT BACK TO, UM, GIVE US 15 MINUTES HERE.
WE'LL COME BACK AND RECONVENE AT 10 55.
WE'RE GONNA TRACK ON TRACK HERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO TAKE A, A BRIEF PAUSE.
UH, NEXT UP WILL BE THE MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU MR. WARD? GOOD MORNING.
[01:40:01]
ME UP HERE.WE'LL JUST PUT YOU IN SLIDESHOW MODE.
AND IF YOU USE THE CLICKER, IF YOU WANT, BEAUTIFUL.
WE DO HAVE SOME NEW FACES HERE ON THE COMMITTEE, IF YOU DON'T MIND TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS AHAD WARD AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK.
WE'RE GLAD TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN THIS YEAR TO, UH, YOUR APPLICATION FOR AT TAX FUNDS.
WE GOT A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING AT THE PARK.
UH, FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE FULLY AWARE, OF COURSE, MITCHELLVILLE IS THE FIRST TOWN OF SELF-GOVERNING, FORMERLY ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, FOUNDED IN 1862, RIGHT ON THIS ISLAND.
UH, WE HAVE THE JOB OF TURNING THIS INTO A CULTURAL ATTRACTION.
WE'RE BRING IN PEOPLE, UH, TO THIS AREA TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.
SO WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND JUMP RIGHT ON INTO THIS.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL YEARS IN OUR HISTORY AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW WITH, UH, NEW ADDITIONS TO THE PARK, INCREASED VISITATION FOR OUR PROGRAMS, EVENTS AND TOURS OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT PIECE THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN PEOPLE COMING TO OUR EVENTS JUST FOR OUR EVENTS, UH, THE DISTANCE THAT THEY'RE COMING FROM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, RIGHT NOW BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, IS THE FUNDS THAT YOU GAVE US LAST YEAR HELPED US TO INVEST INTO A SOFTWARE, UH, CALLED PLACER AI.
SO THIS IS OUR FIRST FORAY INTO SOME AI SITUATIONS, AND IT REALLY HELPS US TO CHRONICLE FOR REAL, WHO'S ACTUALLY COMING INTO THE PARK.
UM, IT'S NOT THE CHEAPEST THING IN THE WORLD,
BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE LIKE, LOUISE, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE LIKE AN OFFICE IN THE PARK.
YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE IS SEPARATED.
AND SO, UH, WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP UNDERGIRD WHO WE SEE COMING TO THE AREA.
SO NOW WE CAN TELL WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, THE ZIP CODES THAT ARE COMING FROM.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE DISTANCE FOR OUR VISITORS IS OVER 250 MILES.
UH, I KNOW THE AVERAGE AGE OF OUR VISITOR IS 51 AND THE AVERAGE INCOME, WHICH IS $86,700, UM, THIS STUFF IS KIND OF SCARY, I GOTTA BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHERE THEY CAN TELL YOU.
AND IT'S, THEY USE PANELS FROM, UM, SMARTPHONES.
SO JUST CHRONICALLY SMARTPHONES, NOT KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE PHONES, NOT PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUDD BUGS OR OLD SCHOOL FLIP PHONES.
WE, WE KNOW FROM OCTOBER TO OCTOBER, 34,000 PEOPLE WALK THROUGH THAT PARK.
UM, THAT'S NOT THE KIDS GROUPS THAT WE HAD OR ANY OTHER THINGS.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT JUST BY THIS, WHO'S ACTUALLY THERE ON OUR PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S BEEN A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR US.
UM, HOLIDAY NIGHTS AND LIGHTS.
THIS STARTED OUT AS SOMETHING WE WERE DOING JUST, UH, TO EXPENSE SOME MONEY FROM COVID.
AND NOW IT'S TURNED INTO ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, UH, ITEMS AS FAR AS PEOPLE COMING IN TO SEE US AS FAR AS THE, THE GENERAL WEIGHT OF THE FOLKS WHO COME THROUGH THE PARK SITE.
UH, WE HAD 3000 PEOPLE THAT CAME IN LAST DECEMBER.
UH, THAT WAS FROM, UH, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND MONDAY, THAT FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER.
UH, WE ARE ABLE TO CHRONICLE THIS BECAUSE WHEN THEY COME DOWN TO SITE, WE GIVE EVERYBODY AN ENVELOPE.
THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO DONATE, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO LEAVE THEIR INFORMATION WITH ZIP CODES AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE CAR.
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE ACCOUNTING CARS AS THEY COME THROUGH.
AND SO THIS PAST, UM, EVENT ON THE SUNDAY, WE HAD OUR LARGEST GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO CAME IN.
WE HAD 400 CARS COME THROUGH THE PARK IN A TWO HOUR PERIOD.
UM, LAST, UH, DECEMBER, THAT SUNDAY, UM, WE FELT LIKE, UH, BROKEN GLASS AFTER THAT WAS OVER WITH, BUT IT WAS GOOD.
UH, YOU COULD SEE THE STATES REPRESENTED IN THE DATA COMING FROM FLORIDA, GEORGIA, LOUISIANA, KENTUCKY, MISSISSIPPI, ALL THE, THE GENERAL, UM, YOU KNOW, USUAL SUSPECTS, BUT ALSO NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND OF COURSE OHIO.
'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS HERE FROM OHIO.
UH, THIS WAS OUR 10TH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL.
AND SO WE WERE VERY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE HAD 1,530 PEOPLE AT THE SATURDAY EVENT.
WELL OVER 2300 TO THE COURSE OF THE FULL WEEK.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE DID A WHOLE WEEK OF PROGRAMS. MIGHT BE THE LAST TIME WE DO A FULL WEEK OF PROGRAMS,
WE STARTED WITH A 5K THIS SATURDAY BEFORE WE DID EVENTS WITH HILTON, HAD AUDUBON, WE HAD A YOUTH EVENT.
WE HAD, UM, OUR SLEEPOVER IN THE PARK, WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW WITH, HAVE JOE MCGILL FROM THE SLAVE DO PROJECT.
WE ACTUALLY HAD ABOUT, WE USUALLY AVERAGE ABOUT 40 TO 50 PEOPLE THERE FOR THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION, BUT THIS YEAR WE HAD 20 FOLKS THAT STAYED OVER, WHICH IS OUR BIGGEST CROWD EVER.
WE HAD THE TENTS THAT HAVE THE BOTTOMS AND ZIP ALL THE WAY UP.
SO THOSE PEOPLE WHO LIKE OUTDOORS BUT DON'T LIKE BUGS, UH, THEY COULD BE SAFE OUT THERE.
AND SO IT WAS A REALLY COOL, UH, PROCESS FOR US.
YOU CAN SEE AGAIN THE STATES THAT REPRESENTED, UM, SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE THAT CAME IN FROM, UH, HOLIDAY
[01:45:01]
NIGHTS AND LIGHTS.WE'VE BEEN DOING THE PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, THE CULTURE, HHI, UH, SITE HERE, OFFICE CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
UH, WE HAVE THESE SCANS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PARK AND WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ABOUT 2000 SCANS IN THIS TIMEFRAME JUST THIS YEAR FROM JANUARY TO AUGUST.
UM, SOME STATES THAT WE DON'T ALL NORMALLY SEE REPRESENTED LIKE OREGON AND OKLAHOMA AND WEST VIRGINIA, BUT ALSO TOURISTS FROM AUSTRALIA AND CANADA.
UH, SIERRA LEONE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS PRETTY COOL, ROMANIA AND SWITZERLAND.
AND SO THE COOL THING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, AGAIN, JUST SCANNED IT WITH YOUR PHONE.
AGAIN, KIND OF SCARY
AND SO THE REPORT THAT THEY GET SHOWS EXACTLY WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.
UM, SO THAT HELPS US WITH OUR NUMBERS TO SEE WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT WE'RE HAVING.
AND AGAIN, WE RANGE FOR ABOUT 33 STATES JUST WITH THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
THIS IS UPON THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED TO US SINCE WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THIS PROJECT.
UH, ON JUNE THE SEVENTH, WE UNVEILED FIVE GHOSTED STRUCTURES.
THESE ARE ALIGNED ALMOST SPECIFICALLY WHERE THE HOUSES WOULD'VE BEEN IN 1860S AND SEVENTIES DUE TO ARCHEOLOGY.
AND SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE A MORE ABSTRACT APPROACH THAT IS, UH, GALVANIZED STEEL THAT GIVES THE OUTLINE OF THE BUILDINGS, THE DOORS AND THE WINDOWS HAVE INTERPRETED PANELS ON THEM.
AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE SOME MONEY FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO DO THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND IT GIVES YOU SIZE, SCALE OF THE ACTUAL BUILDINGS.
AND THIS IS, UH, ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN.
UH, AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, UH, OUR ARCHEOLOGIST, KATHERINE SEBER, WHO'S BEEN WORKING WITH THIS PROJECT FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, FOUND MORE ARTIFACTS IN THIS LITTLE SECTION OF THE PARK THAN THE LAST SIX YEARS COMBINED.
AND SO WE'RE STILL ACTUALLY'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW DOING SOME, UM, SOME, UH, SURFACE TESTING BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO LAY DOWN THE FULL SURFACE AGGREGATE, THE REAL PATHWAY THAT TAKES YOU DOWN THERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND SO IT'LL BE A, A GRAVEL PAVE THAT IS A DA APPROVED FOR WHEELCHAIRS AND STROLLERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT MOST OF THE PATHS IN THE PARK WILL LOOK LIKE BY THE TIME THEY'RE COMPLETED.
WE DO THINGS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS.
OF COURSE, THE GULLAH MUSEUM, HILTON HIT, ISLAND COAST OF DISCOVERY MUSEUM, FOLKS WHO ARE HERE LOCALLY, HILTON HEAD, MLK COMMUNITY, UH, COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE NCA, UH, BUT ALSO GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, UH, THE SMITHSONIAN.
UH, WE, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING, I AM STILL TRYING TO GET MITCHELLVILLE ITEMS IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.
I'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT AS THEY INFORMED ME LAST YEAR, AHMA, WE HAVE A 40,000 OBJECT BACKLOG.
SO I'M GONNA SIT DOWN FOR A WHILE, UH,
UH, ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS IS THAT, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO UNVEIL A, UH, EXHIBITION ON GULLAH, ON THE GULLAH STUFF THAT THEY'VE HAD AT THE SMITHSONIAN SITES FOR OVER 70 YEARS.
THIS IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN, IN 2026.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE THIS YEAR, BUT THEY NEEDED TO PUSH IT BACK.
WE WERE THE, UH, GUINEA PIG FOR THE FOCUS GROUP.
SO THE FIRST TIME THEY CAME DOWN TO TALK TO PEOPLE WAS, UH, WITH MITCHELLVILLE.
AND WE DID THAT AT U-S-C-B-A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA COME OUT OF THAT.
SOME OF OUR 2024 RESULTS, FACEBOOK REACHES UP A LOT.
UM, UH, FROM 40% FROM LAST YEAR.
INSTAGRAM RATES ABOUT 14,000 WITH A 30% INCREASE FROM THIS LAST YEAR.
WE TALKED ABOUT JUNETEENTH, ABOUT A 15% INCREASE, INCREASE OVERALL FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
UM, DON THE FREEDOM GUIDED TOURS, WE HAVE SO MUCH, SO MANY PEOPLE ASKING FOR THESE.
WE WERE DOING THESE TOURS ON TUESDAYS AT 10.
NOW WE DO THEM TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AT 10, AND IT'S ABOUT 1100 PEOPLE THERE.
TOURISTS MADE UP ABOUT 62% OF THEIR PARTICIPATION.
AND ONE OF OUR BIGGEST OUTREACH STILL CONTINUES TO BE THE FINDING FREEDOMS HOME EXHIBITION AT THE WESTIN, WHICH TO THIS POINT, IN AUGUST 30 THIS YEAR, HAD SEEN 25,000 PEOPLE THAT CAME THROUGH THERE.
SO THE GOOD THING ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WESTIN IS THEY HELP SEND PEOPLE TO THE PARK WHEN THEY GO TO THE SECOND FLOOR AND SEE THAT TOUR.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO SEE THAT EXHIBITION.
JUST WALK IN THE FRONT DOOR, GO TO THE SECOND FLOOR, AND IT'S THERE EVERY DAY.
AND THAT IS OUR NEW CHURCH AFFILIATION.
SO, UH, THE ESE DIDN MENTIONED THAT, UM, THEY HAVE AN RO PRAISE HOUSE.
THIS IS WHAT'S IN THIS PLACE RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW THROUGH ARCHEOLOGY THAT WAS A CHURCH THERE.
AND SO WE HAVE THIS, UH, METAL STRUCTURE WITH A REAL BELL IN IT THAT YOU CAN'T RING, BUT WE CAN, UM, AND WE WILL FINISH THIS OUT WITH A 4,000 YEAR OLD NATIVE AMERICAN IMPRINT IN THAT SAME AREA.
WE HOPE THAT THAT FULL EXHIBITION WILL BE COMPLETED, UH, BY FIRST QUARTER NEXT YEAR.
WE GOT SOMETHING BIG COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
WE HAVE OUR SECOND ANNUAL FILM SERIES WITH THE THEME TO SEND THE COMMUNITY'S ROUTE INTO PLACE.
THIS WILL BE HOSTED AT THE USCB CAMPUS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET ON THE 23RD AND 24TH.
YOU CAN GRAB YOUR TICKETS TODAY.
THAT'S THE ONLY COMMERCIAL I'M GONNA DO RIGHT NOW.
UH, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND PICK THOSE TICKETS UP.
YOU HAVE THE GAINING GROUND, THE FIGHT FOR BLACK LAND, AND THE COST OF INHERITANCE.
THESE ARE OF COURSE, GERMANE TO THE HISTORY OF THIS AREA AND A REALLY GREAT FILM.
[01:50:01]
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU, UH, NEXT WEEK AT USCP.SO THIS YEAR IS THE SEVENTH AND NINTH FROM SIX EIGHT HOLLY, UH, SAY HOLLY TREE LIGHT HOLIDAY NIGHTS AND LIGHTS.
WE GOTTA STOP CALLING THE TREE LIGHT AND IT'S HOLIDAY NIGHTS AND LIGHTS NOW.
AND YES, THAT IS SNOW THAT YOU SEE IN THAT PICTURE.
WE'RE THE ONLY PLACE THAT CAN MAKE IT SNOW ON COMMAND AND IT WON'T STAY ON YOUR CAR LONG UNTIL YOU GET TO 2 78.
UH, THIS IS PART OF OUR EXHIBITION AT THE WESTIN, UH, AVERAGE YEARLY VISITATION.
THIS IS ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH THE SPACE AND, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THE WESTIN DOES TO HELP US HAVE THIS EXHIBITION THERE.
IT'S BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW, AND WE JUST DID SOME, UH, SOME FRESHENING UP THERE.
WE'RE GONNA BE CHANGING SOME PANELS OUT, BUT WE JUST PUT NEW CASES THERE.
SO THERE ARE ARTIFACTS FROM VILLE THERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR THAT YOU CAN GO CHECK OUT WHENEVER YOU'D LIKE TO.
NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE DOING OUR 11TH ANNUAL JUNE TEAM CELEBRATION.
AS YOU TELL FROM EARLIER, WE HAVE PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT, UH, VIEW ON YOUR LOWER LEFT.
IT WAS THE VIEW FROM THE STAGE IN JUNE, ON JUNE 15TH THIS YEAR.
AS THOSE PEOPLE TRIED TO SING IN OUR KARAOKE CONTEST, I'LL SAY TRIED TO SING IN OUR KARAOKE CONTEST, BUT PEOPLE KEEP 'EM ALL OVER.
IT'S BECOME A DESTINATION SPOT FOR US, AND WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE, BASED ON THE RESULTS WE GET FOR OUR OWN PERSONAL SURVEYS ARE COMING TO HILTON HEAD JUST FOR THIS EVENT.
AND SO, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
HERE'S WHAT WE'LL BE ASKING YOU FOR.
UM, STRATEGIC MARKETING MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
WE HAVE A BRAND NEW LOGO, IF YOU HADN'T SEEN IT.
UH, PROMOTION MATERIALS, UH, IN TUNE OF $105,000 INFORMATION OF KEY TOURISM EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING.
70,000 PARK SITE MAINTENANCE EVENT PREPARATION, LIABILITY EVENTS, INSURANCE.
SO WE HAD TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING STAYS CLEAN AND READY, PEOPLE TO WALK IN THERE.
UM, WHERE WE HAVE STORM STAYS OF THAT NATURE, WE HAVE A LOT OF TREES.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THINGS RUNNING SAFE ALONG THE PATHWAYS.
SO THAT'S 15 WITH A GRAND TOTAL OF $190,000 FOR OUR REQUEST.
UH, WE'LL BE PROMOTING THESE THINGS THROUGH OBVIOUSLY, UH, MEDIA BUYS, PRINT, RADIO, TV AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, THEY ATTRACT RETURNING VISITORS AND DRIVE THE INTEREST OF NEW VISITORS.
AND YOU SEE WHERE OUR MEDIA BUYS WILL BE IN THE GENERAL AREA.
AND ALSO GOING TO OUR NEIGHBORING STATES OF GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, UH, IN FLORIDA.
AND WE DO, UH, ELECTRONIC SURVEYS, ONLINE TICKET SALES, ONLINE ANALYTICS WEBSITES, SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S COMING TO US AND WHY THEY'RE COMING TO US.
HUGE THING, HUGE THINGS TO COME VERY SOON.
THIS IS THE FIRST SNEAK PEEK AT OUR FIRST REAL BUILDING THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE UNVEILED.
ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, AND NOTHING HAPPENS EITHER DECEMBER OF NEXT YEAR OR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026.
THIS IS OUR ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FACILITY AND AUDITORIUM.
WE RECEIVED $2.5 MILLION FROM THE MELLON FOUNDATION TO HELP DO THIS ALONG WITH OUR FREEDOM PLAZA.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO DO EXCAVATION PROCESSING ON SITE.
UH, KATIE HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH BEING UPTON UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE GOT HER DEGREE.
SO WE USUALLY SEND STUFF TO UPSTATE NEW YORK TO PROCESS OR COLUMBIA.
THE OTHER WING WILL HAVE A MULTIPURPOSE ROOM THAT WE'LL SEATED BY 84 PEOPLE.
SO WE CAN DO PROGRAMS, PRESENTATIONS, FILM SERIES, AND NOT HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER SPOT.
THIS HAS GONE THROUGH, UM, THE FIRST PRE-APP WITH THE TOWN.
NOW WE'RE IN APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND SO THERE'LL BE A, UH, OUR FINAL DESIGN SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO A DESIGN REVIEW BOARD, I BELIEVE TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN START CONSTRUCTION NEXT SUMMER IF NOTHING CHANGES WITH PERMITTING, WHICH THINGS COULD ALWAYS CHANGE WITH PERMITTING.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
I'LL START OFF BY JUST SAYING, UM, I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY TO DIVE IN AND SPEND THOSE MONIES ON TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES IN AI, BUT IT'S SUCH A POWERFUL TOOL THAT I THINK IT'S GONNA YIELD, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD FOR SURE.
I BECAME A BELIEVER THIS YEAR, I GOTTA TELL YOU, YOU'RE SEEING THOSE RESULTS YEAH.
SO, UM, THE NEXT WAS THE DATA COLLECTION THAT YOU GUYS DID.
I ATTEND THAT EVENT EVERY YEAR.
AND SOMEBODY'S AT THE WINDOW TELL US WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
YOU'RE GETTING THOSE POINTS THAT YOU'RE NEEDED FOR THESE APPLICATION PROCESSES, UH, FOR GRANT REQUESTS.
SO, UH, TIP OF THE HAT OF HOW YOU GUYS DO THAT.
IT'S, IT'S A STANDARD BEARER FOR WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE.
SPEAK TO WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
UH, I'VE VISITED THE PARK LAST WEEK IN PREPARATION IN THIS MEETING AND SEEING THOSE STRUCTURES UP, SEEING THAT MAIN STREET THAT'S COMING IN, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN STAND THERE AND YOU CAN JUST FILL IT.
IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE THOSE STRUCTURES COME UP.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC STEWARDS WITH THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN GRANTED OUT.
UM, AND EXCITED TO SEE THE CONTINUING THAT THAT BUILDING'S GONNA BE FANTASTIC FOR YOU GUYS.
I'M SURE EVERY, EVERY TIME YOU PUT A SHOVEL ON THE GROUND, YOU'RE FINDING SOMETHING NEW OVER THERE THAT JUST EVERY SINGLE TIME, RIGHT? I FEEL LIKE IF I KICK SOME DIRT, SOMETHING POPS UP OUTTA THE GROUND.
THAT'S, IT'S, SOME CAN SOMETIMES COMPLICATE
[01:55:01]
THINGS.I'M SURE YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT I KNOW THERE'S HURDLES THAT COME WITH THAT AS WELL, RIGHT? SO IT SLOWS DOWN PROGRESS AND MAKING THOSE MOVES.
SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR THOROUGH PACKET AS ALWAYS.
SO QUESTIONS, I, I REALLY AM, AM, UH, IMPRESSED WITH REACHING OUT TO THE HOTEL TO THE WESTERN AS A MARKETING TOOL AND UH, ALSO YOUR DATA COLLECTION IS YOUR NEW, YOUR IDEAS AND DATA COLLECTION OR SOMETHING TO BE THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M GUILTY OF SCANNING THE QR CODES, SO MY NUMBER IS IN THERE AS WELL.
UH, WE WON'T WE USE YOUR INFORMATION, I PROMISE.
ONCE YOU USE IT, YOU REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF IT AND THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU WERE FORWARD THINKING IN THAT.
AND YOU MENTIONED ABOUT PROCESSING USED TO SEND THINGS TO NEW YORK, BUT YOU WON'T HAVE TO.
WHAT ARE THOSE, THE ARTIFACTS? YEAH, SO EVERYTHING THAT WE SEND, 'CAUSE YOU, UM, THE CLOSEST PROCESSING LAB IS IN COLUMBIA.
AND I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO GET ON THE SCHEDULE TODAY.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE USING THAT, RIGHT? SO BECAUSE, UH, KATIE AND, AND DR.
KATHERINE SEABERT IS OUR ARCHEOLOGIST.
UM, SHE GOT HER, JUST GOT HER PUBLIC ARCHEOLOGY DEGREE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, SHE GOT IT FROM BINGHAMTON.
SO THEY'RE USING SOME OF OUR ARTIFACTS IN BINGINGTON AS A RESEARCH CLASS.
AND SO WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
AS SOON AS WE HAVE OUR MAIN BUILDINGS WITH STORAGE, THOSE ARTIFACTS COME BACK TO US.
AND SO IT'S JUST MAKES SENSE TO DO THAT TRANSFER, BUT THAT'S NOT LIKE IT'S AROUND THE CORNER.
UM, SO IT TAKES SOME DOING TO, TO GET THINGS UP THERE.
AND SO NOW, UH, WITH THIS BUILDING COMING, WE CAN DO ALL THAT PROCESSING ON SITE.
WE DO HAVE OFFSITE STORAGE WHERE THINGS ARE BEING STORED NOW, BUT EVENTUALLY ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THAT ARCHEOLOGICAL LAB WILL BE SOME STORAGE AREAS FOR ARTIFACTS.
AND, AND EVENTUALLY, UH, WE'LL BE RECEIVING THE 22,000 ARTIFACTS THAT ARE AT THE REALLY BELONG, UH, IN THE COUNTY'S, UH, HANDS RIGHT NOW, BUT ARE BEING STORED AT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THOSE IN NOW, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO HOUSE A, A DECENT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE IN THIS NEW BUILDING THAT COULD BE USED FOR DISPLAYS.
THERE ARE CERTAIN CASES FROM AN ORGANIZATION CALLED SPACE SAVER, WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY PRESERVE THE PIECES IN, IN ACID FREE, YOU KNOW, UM, ARCHIVAL QUALITY DRAWERS AND PULL 'EM OUT PEOPLE TO SEE.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
SO FOLKS CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE ARTIFACTS, UH, AND HAVE ONE DISPLAY IN SOME FORM OR FASHION SO THEY'RE NOT JUST LOCKED AWAY SOMEWHERE.
WILL THAT NEW FACILITY BE ABLE TO INTAKE OTHER ARTIFACTS FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY AS WELL? IT'S NOT JUST EXCLUSIVELY FOR WHAT'S FOUND IN MITCHELLVILLE, BUT ALSO OH, YEAH.
SO WE LISTEN, REVENUE STREAM IS MY MIDDLE NAME, SO, UH,
SO PEOPLE ARE DOING EXCAVATIONS AROUND IN THE LOW COUNTRY OR COASTAL EMPIRE, THRILLER, WHATEVER WE WANT TO GET ON THE DOCKET IS A PLACE THEY CAN COME.
RESEARCHERS COME AND DO THEIR WORK AT OUR SITE TOO, BUT FOUR FEET, UH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT USE OF GRANT MONEY.
YOU WERE KNOWN AT, WHEN YOU CAME, FIRST CAME TO HILTON HEAD, UM, YOU WERE KNOWN AS SOMEBODY THAT COULD, COULD FIND GREAT USES FOR GRANT MONEY AND, AND HOW TO FIND GRANT MONEY.
AND, UH, IT DONE SOME AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB.
I GOT 25 YEARS OF DOING SO THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT BY NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT UP WILL BE THE SANDBOX, PLEASE.
I'M GONNA DO IT IN A SLIDE MODE.
BACKWARDS WAY HERE'S, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SANDBOX CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE FACILITY WHERE CHILDREN LEARN TO PLAY AND PLAY TO LEARN.
UM, WE'VE BEEN BOOKED SOLID FOR SO MANY WEEKS NOW, ACTUALLY MONTHS NOW, AND INCLUDING TODAY, I LEFT A FULL HOUSE OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS, UM, AT THE MUSEUM PLAYING AND BUILDING ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
THE MOVE TO THE CEL CELEBRATION PARK WAS INCREDIBLE.
AND I'VE BEEN THERE A YEAR NOW.
LAST YEAR I CAME AS A, UM, OBSERVER WATCHING OUR, OUR, UM, AT E GRANT COME UP.
BUT THIS YEAR WE HAVE REALLY GROWN.
USUALLY THE AVERAGE, UM, VISITORS IS 28,000.
[02:00:01]
WE SAW 38,000 OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS.AND WE HAVE, I THINK THAT IT CAN BE HELD IN PART IS BECAUSE WE'VE REALLY BUILT A RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE HOTELS IN THE AREA.
WE'VE REALLY WORKED HARD WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, WE HAVE OUR REC CARDS IN EVERY FACILITY THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY HAVE.
WE'VE ALSO SPENT ADVERTISING DOLLARS, UM, WITH THE BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD, UM, NEWSPAPERS AND ONLINE.
AND, UM, THE CHAMBER MAGAZINES ARE REALLY A GREAT HIT FOR THAT.
THE 2024 TOURIST PROGRAMS INCLUDED, UM, OUR SUMMER CAMP, AND WE CHANGED THE CURRICULUM THIS YEAR.
WE CHANGED IT TO ONLY OFFER, UM, WE HAD FOUR WEEKS OF CAMP.
I WANTED IT TO BE SOMETHING WHERE KIDS COULD COME AND LEARN AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN.
UM, OUR STAFF ARE MOSTLY RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND SO THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AS WELL.
ONE WEEK WAS FOR FIVE AND SIX YEAR OLDS.
THE NEXT WEEK WAS FOR SEVEN AND 10 YEAR OLDS.
AND WE DID THE SAME THING IN JULY.
WE WERE MORE THAN 50%, UM, ENROLLED WERE TOURISTS.
A LOT OF THEM WERE HERE STAYING WITH GRANDPARENTS OR EITHER THEIR MOM AND DAD PLANNED A VACATION HERE ON HILTON HAT.
AND BECAUSE OF OUR, UM, UPDATED WEBSITE, THEY WERE ABLE TO GO ONLINE AND SEE THAT WE HAD A SUMMER CAMP AND ENROLLED THEM.
IT WAS ONLY THREE HOURS IN THE MORNING, SO IT DIDN'T TAKE THE KIDS AWAY FROM THE FAMILY ALL DAY LONG.
UM, IT WAS ENOUGH FOR THEM TO LEARN.
UM, WE HAD THE WONDERS OF SCIENCE WITH MR. BOB.
WE HAD REPTILE MEET AND GREETS, UM, THE TURTLE TALKS, THE TURTLE LADIES CAME, AND THEN, UM, EVERY FRIDAY WE HAD SCAVENGER HUNTS ON THE BEACH.
AND WHILE THAT WAS SO INTERESTING, IT ALSO TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE SAND AND THE REASON FOR NOT HAVING LITTER.
UM, BUT IT TAUGHT 'EM ABOUT THE HORSESHOE CRABS.
IT TAUGHT 'EM SO MANY THINGS ON THE BEACH THAT WE ALL SEE ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE OUR, OUR SAME EVENTS THIS YEAR.
THE SPES IS COMING UP IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, BUT ONE THING THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, A PERSON THAT'S ACTUALLY NEW TO HILTON HEAD, AND SHE IS IN THEATER.
AND SO SHE HAS COME IN AND I DIDN'T, I HAD NO IDEA SHE WAS GONNA BE THE HIT THAT SHE IS.
SHE DOES INTERACTIVE STORY TIME AND THE KIDS DRESS UP IN COSTUMES AND MASKS, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT TEACHING THEM SOMETHING.
IT COULD BE ABOUT BUILDING CONFIDENCE, RESPONSIBILITY, ALL OF THOSE MEASURES.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE A PUPPET SHOW THAT HAS ALSO, WE'VE, WE HAVE A PORTABLE PUPPET THEATER THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, UM, ONCE A MONTH.
AND THESE, OUR STAFF HAVE JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH THE PUPPET SHOWS YESTERDAY.
WE HAVE A FULL, UM, UM, HOUSE FOR THE, UM, INTERACTIVE STORY TIME TOMORROW.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
THE SEA TURTLE PATROL LADIES ARE VERY ACTIVE WITH US, UM, LOCAL ARTISTS.
AND THE ONE THING THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR IS THAT WE PUT IN, UM, GULLAH MURALS ON THE WALLS.
WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE WALLS TO LIFE.
UM, AND WE WORKED WITH THE HERITAGE LIBRARY TO COME UP WITH THE INFORMATION TO GO ON THOSE.
AND WE WORKED WITH LOCAL ARTISTS, AMOS HUMMEL, AND WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL WALL MURALS.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AWESOME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE FAMILY, THE PARENTS, THE GRANDPARENTS, CAREGIVERS, SOMETHING TO LOOK AT AND READ AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY ON HILTON HEAD ALONG WHILE THEY'RE PLAYING WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN THE MUSEUM.
AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO IT THAN TO HAVE IT ON YOUR WALLS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME VISIT AND SEE IT.
UM, OUR 2024 NEW EXHIBITS, THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THEM.
WE HAVE AN ENTIRE AEROSPACE EXHIBIT WITH A BLI, UM, A WRIGHT BROTHERS PLANE, A RED JET AND A, UH, TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE.
WE HAVE THE NEW TEETER-TOTTER ON THE BACK CLIMBING DOMES.
AND YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE MURALS THAT IS UP ON, UP THERE WITH THE CHILDREN, UM, POSED IN FRONT OF IT.
THAT IS UPSTAIRS IN THE CASTLE.
OUR TODDLER SPACE IS ALL BRAND NEW THIS YEAR.
AND IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW THAT CHILDREN ARE PRETTY, PRETTY TOUGH ON, ON THINGS.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED CHILDREN COMING THROUGH EVERY DAY, IT TAKES A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR.
BUT, UM, ONE THING THAT OUR VISITORS ALWAYS SAY IS THEY'LL SEE US WALKING AROUND AND KIND OF SKIING UP AND CLEANING, AND THEY'LL SAY, HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DO YOU DO THIS? AND WE SAY
YOU HEAR ALL THE GIGGLES AND THE LAUGHTER FROM THE CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE REACHED NEARLY 38,000 PEOPLE THIS YEAR WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.
[02:05:01]
BECAUSE WE'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLY BUSY SPRING AND SUMMER AND FALL NOW.UM, WE HAVE FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, UM, CANADA, ITALY.
IN FACT, I KEEP GETTING EMAILS THAT WERE ONE OF THE FAVORITE CHILDREN MUSEUMS IN CANADA, SO I'M NOT SURE WHO'S NOMINATING US THERE.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS.
WE'VE HAD A MORE OF A PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IT'S GROWN EVERY YEAR.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL GROW EVEN MORE.
THAT NUMBER SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER THAN THAT.
BUT, UM, INSTAGRAM, ANYTHING I POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA GOES TO INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK.
SO IT'S, UM, IT'S A GOOD TOOL.
UM, THE NEW COMMUNICATION TOOL THAT WE'VE PUT INTO PLACE THIS YEAR, I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST TAKE EVERYBODY THAT CAME IN 'CAUSE WE ASKED FOR EMAIL ADDRESSES AND ZIP CODES AND ALL OF THAT WHEN THEY COME IN.
I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST AUTOMATICALLY PUT 'EM, PUT THEM INTO AN EMAIL BLAST.
I WANTED THEM TO WANT TO BE THERE.
AND SO THEY GO ONLINE TO OUR WEBSITE.
WE ENCOURAGE WHEN THEY, UM, ENTER, UM, IF THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR SUB, THEY WOULD LIKE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS.
SO THOSE FOLLOWERS UP THERE, OUR SUBSCRIBERS, THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT HAVE ASKED, UM, JUST IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO BE A PART OF THE SUBSCRIPTION EVERY MONTH.
AND, UH, WE SEND OUT THAT EVERY MONTH, TWICE A MONTH USUALLY.
THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNCLICKING US OR, YOU KNOW, TAKING US, GETTING US OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
UM, 64% ARE FEMALE, 18 MALE AND 17 UNKNOWN.
UM, IT'S JUST, I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT WE HAVE THAT MANY SUBSCRIBERS THAT REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM US.
I HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NEW GUEST BOOK AND AS THEY'RE LEAVING, UM, STAFF ARE ENCOURAGING THEM IF THEY'D LIKE TO, TO WRITE DOWN JUST A TESTIMONIAL OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE OR HOW THEIR VISIT WAS AT THE SANDBOX.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE WERE JUST A FEW.
AND, UM, THE G FIVE 50 COCKPIT, I THINK IS PROBABLY THE MOST FAVORITE.
UM, IT'S GOT A, HAS A NEW SIMULATOR ON IT THIS YEAR.
AND SO THE KIDS, AND EVEN THE MOMS AND DADS GET UP THERE AND FLY THE, THE, UM, AIRPLANE.
THIS YEAR WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR 64,000, 17,000 FOR ADVERTISING.
AND WHAT I FOUND IS LAST YEAR I SPENT, UM, THIS PAST YEAR I'VE BEEN, I'VE SPENT A LOT MORE THAN 17,000.
BUT I THINK THAT IT'S PAID OFF INCREDIBLY, UM, WITH THE NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING TO THE SANDBOX PROGRAMS, 25,000.
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING ALL THE NEW PROGRAMS. AND WITH THAT COMES, UM, WE HAVE TO REALLY PROMOTE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE SUPPLIES.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE PROGRAMS INTERESTING AND WANT VISITORS TO COME AND, AND SEE, UM, AND, AND BE A PART OF THE EXHIBITS IS ONGOING.
THIS PAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD A COMPLETE, UM, REFURBISHMENT OF THE MUSEUM.
WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON EXHIBITS.
AND WITH YOUR HELP, WE WERE ABLE TO DO A LOT.
UM, THE EXHIBITS ARE ALWAYS ONGOING.
THERE'S ALWAYS WEAR AND TEAR WHEN YOU'RE HAVING, UM, KIDS 12 AND UNDER AND COME IN AND PLAY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.
WE SHOULD BE REFURBISHING THEM CONSTANTLY.
AND WITH YOUR HELP, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT THIS.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE MOVE OVER TO THE NEW FACILITY YES, WAS A FANTASTIC MOVE.
I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU GO PAST THAT PARK, I MEAN, THERE'S CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RUNNING AROUND AND THE EXPOSURE YOU HAVE IN THAT AREA, IT'S WONDERFUL.
WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE THAT TAKE PLACE.
AND, UM, IT'S NICE TO SEE IT CONTINUE TO BLOSSOM.
UH, IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ME THAT 40 ALMOST 50% OF YOUR FOLKS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THE DOOR OF THE AGE OF 35 AND 54
AND WHAT'S FANTASTIC ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S MEMORIES BEING MADE ON HILTON HEAD BY FAMILIES, RIGHT? SO WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE PARENTS.
I, I WOULDN'T THINK TO THE SANDBOX BY THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE COMING WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESSES.
I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS THAT ARE NOW NINE, BUT WE SPENT MANY YEARS
SO
WE HAVE AT LEAST 85 GUESTS IN THE MORNING SESSION, 85 GUESTS IN THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
[02:10:01]
LEAVE, WE ALLOW MORE FOLKS TO COME IN.AND WE HAVE HAD THAT, AND WE ARE HAVING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 130, 120 TO 130 AT EACH SESSION.
AND SO WHAT IS HAPPENING IS IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING THEM TO BOOK MORE THAN ONCE WHILE THEY'RE HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
AND THIS WEEK ALONE, WE'VE HAD ONE FAMILY THAT'S COME EVERY SINGLE DAY THIS WEEK, AND THEY WERE THERE WHEN I LEFT.
AND, UM, WE OFTEN GET COMMENTS ABOUT COMPARING US TO LARGE METROPOLITAN MUSEUMS. AND THE ONE THING THAT THEY ALWAYS SAY, I SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT NEARLY AS LARGE.
AND THEY'LL SAY, THAT'S WHY WE LIKE IT SO MUCH.
EVERYTHING IS NICE AND NEW AND, AND PUT TOGETHER.
AND STAFF ARE ALWAYS MILLING AROUND AND ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP.
SO ANYWAY, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE.
AND GREAT JOB ON YOUR PROGRAMMING ALONG THE WAY TOO.
OFFERING THINGS LIKE SUMMER CAMPS TO KIDS OR, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT.
ALL RIGHT, ALL NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
OKAY, NEXT UP IS THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
THIS IS THROUGH
I THINK YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THE ARROWS ON THIS ONE.
BUT IF YOU FOR ANY REASON, JUST DO YOUR ESCAPE HERE.
AND THEN I'LL TAKE YOU BACK OUT.
YOU DON'T MIND INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR, WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY MEMBERS OF MY BOARD, MR. MICHAEL SERRATE, MR. BRIAN KENARD, AND ALSO, UM, MS. MELISSA KRAUS, AND ALSO SUPER MEMBER OF MY TEAM.
WE'RE EXCITED THIS YEAR TO BE CELEBRATING OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY AS A NONPROFIT HERE ON THE ISLAND.
UM, WE BEGAN WITH THIS MISSION.
WE CONTINUE OUR MISSION OF GETTING KIDS OUTSIDE AND PRESERVING AND PROTECTING OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT.
UH, OUR VISION IS A WORLD WHERE CHILDREN OF ALL AGES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION TO EXPLORE, APPRECIATE AND PROTECT THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
QUICK LITTLE PICTURE THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, IN THE LEFT HAND COLUMN, UH, WE'VE GONE COMPLETELY SINGLE USE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE, UM, AS A NONPROFIT.
AND SO ALL OF OUR EVENTS, ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, UH, DISCOURAGE, UH, THE USE OF THAT.
AND WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF, UH, WHAT WE THINK IS, IS MODELING A BEHAVIOR THAT, UH, GREATLY IMPACTS OUR, OUR, UH, LOCAL ENVIRONMENT.
THIS YEAR, OUR, OUR A TAX REQUEST IS CONSISTENT WITH LAST YEAR, $72,000 IN SUPPORT OF ECOTOURISM THROUGH OUR WATERWAY BEACH PARK CLEANUPS, INCLUDING OUR, UM, HASHTAG EARTH DAY HHI EVENTS.
WE'VE GOT A MULTI-DAY, LOWCOUNTRY BOIL PADDLE BATTLE EVENT, AND A, UH, PINKNEY ISLAND, UH, CLEAN UP OF THAT WILDLIFE REFUGE.
UH, OUR ANNUAL KEEP, THE BROAD CREEK CLEAN WATER FESTIVAL AND OUR ONGOING, UH, OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING AND BED RESTORATION PROJECT WE DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FOUNDATION.
UH, WE HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE, BUT LOTS OF, OF, OF REALLY GOOD, UH, MEMBERS OF THE TEAM THAT HELP US, UH, GET OUR WORK DONE.
A GREAT VOLUNTEER CROWD, UH, AND A LOT OF AMAZING PARTNERS.
UM, AND MANY OF THESE PARTNERS EXTEND BEYOND, UH, OUR PARTICULAR COUNTY INTO THE STATE AND ALL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
OUR LITTER SWEEPS, UM, ARE REALLY MAKING, I THINK, A, A TREMENDOUS IMPACT.
AND I THINK AS WE WORK THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THESE SLIDES IN THE PROGRAMS, THE IMPACT, YOU'LL SEE THAT YOUR INVESTMENT IN US TO ALLOW US TO EXTEND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND TO, UH, PROVIDE US WITH A, UH, VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL TO CAPTURE, UH, VOLUNTEER INFORMATION AND ALSO, UM, VISITOR INFORMATION HAS REALLY, REALLY HELPED US.
UM, SO EACH YEAR ON APRIL 22ND, WE CELEBRATE EARTH DAY BY INVITING, UH, OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY COME OUT AND, AND MAKE AN IMPACT.
OUR IMPACT THIS YEAR WAS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL.
WE, WE DOUBLED REALLY OUR TRASH COLLECTION.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE, UM, UM, WATERFRONT HOTELS, BUSINESSES, GROUPS, SERVICE
[02:15:01]
GROUPS, UM, SCHOOL CHILDREN INVOLVED IN OUR, OUR INITIATIVE.UH, 354 VOLUNTEERS CAME OUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR EVENT.
UM, OVER THE FOUR YEARS OR FIVE, I THINK IT'S FOUR YEARS THAT WE'VE DONE THE EARTH DAY EVENT, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE MANAGED TO, UH, ALMOST DOUBLE, UM, OUR, UH, INVOLVEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT, UM, AS A NONPROFIT, OUR LITTER SWEEPS HAVE, HAVE REMAINED REALLY SOLID IN 10 YEARS.
OVER 12 TONS OF TRASH HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR VARIOUS EVENTS.
UM, PICKNEY ISLAND WE'RE PARTICULARLY, UM, PLEASED TO BE PART OF, UH, THEIR EFFORTS TO KEEP THIS BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE REFUGE.
THE, THERE'S ABOUT HALF MILLION VISITORS EACH YEAR.
US, UH, FISH AND WILDLIFE ESTIMATES.
NOBODY'S DOING ANY ORGANIZED CLEANUPS EXCEPT US.
AND SO EACH YEAR, IN THAT SECOND WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER, AS WE HOST THE AKAI LOW COUNTRY BOIL PADDLE BATTLE ON SUNDAY MORNING, WE INVITE VOLUNTEERS.
THIS YEAR, EVEN DESPITE THE RAIN, WE HAD 102 PEOPLE COME OUT, UH, AND THEY HELPED US TO REMOVE ABOUT 700 POUNDS OF TRASH FROM THAT WILDLIFE REFUGE.
AND SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE THERE.
OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING, UH, IS A PROGRAM THAT'S IN ITS FIFTH YEAR.
WE PARTNER WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AS THEIR COMMUNITY CONNECT THEIR WAY UP IN CHARLESTON.
AND WE HAVE BEEN, UM, TO SAY THE LEAST, VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS EFFORT.
UM, IT IS AN ENTIRELY SORT OF VOLUNTEER EFFORT.
UM, AND WE HAVE BUILT 27 W REEF IN AND AROUND, UH, OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS.
WE HAVE CAPTURED FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS, OYSTER FESTIVALS, EVENTS, OVER 150 TONS OF SHELL, ALL OF THAT STAGE RIGHT HERE ON THIS ISLAND.
WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT COME OVER TO HELP US BAG IT.
AND THEN THOSE BAGS, MUCH LIKE LE LEGO BLOCKS ARE USED TO BUILD OR CREATE NEW REEF, UH, THIS YEAR ALONG HARBORTOWN, UH, WHICH IS, UH, JUST AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL, UM, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED I 18 HOLE OR 18TH HOLE, UH, OF GOLF COURSES AROUND THE WORLD.
UH, WE PUT ANOTHER 555 BAGS OF, OF SHELL DOWN, UH, AND ANOTHER 3000 PLANTS FOR A TOTAL OF 9,000 NEW PART-TIME PLANTS.
IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PHOTO ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, UM, YOU SEE THE LEADING EDGE, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE.
THE LEADING EDGE OF THAT REEF IS GONNA BE ABOUT SIX INCHES HIGH.
THAT'S A REALLY NICE BREAKWATER.
THE TRAIL EDGE, THE BACK EDGE YOU CAN SEE IS ALMOST ALL CAUGHT UP WITH SEDIMENT.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU BUILD ONE OF THESE STRUCTURES.
AND IF YOU NOTICE RIGHT BEHIND AND WHERE THAT SEDIMENT IS, YOU HAVE ALL THOSE NEW SPROUTS OF SPARTINA.
WE DIDN'T PLANT THOSE, THOSE OCCURRED NATURALLY.
AND SO THIS IS HOW YOU REBUILD AND PROTECT THE EDGE, UH, OF A MARSH.
THIS IS, UH, BASICALLY A VIDEO.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD RUN, CAITLIN, DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT RUNS? UM, BUT JUST A REALLY QUICK CLIP OF, OF WHAT WE THINK IS A, JUST A REALLY SPECIAL EVENT.
UH, THIS IS THE AKA LOW COUNTRY BOIL PADDLE BATTLE.
UH, IT IS A KIND OF A SHOULDER SEASON, UH, EVENT THAT, UH, WE STARTED ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO.
UM, AND WHAT IT DOES IS OFFERS A, A HUGE PADDLEBOARD RACE, UM, WHICH DRAWS VISITORS, UM, AND PADDLERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
AND SO MAYBE AS THEY'RE GETTING THAT SET UP, I CAN TELL YOU THAT LAST YEAR IN 2024, WE HAD 134 S COME FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
AND THEY, UH, RAISED ACROSS THREE DAYS.
IT'S NOW ACTUALLY A FOUR DAY EVENT THIS YEAR.
AND 77% OF THEM, UH, WERE EITHER IN THE VISITOR OR TOURIST, UM, CLASSIFICATION BY ZIP CODE.
THIS YEAR WE HOSTED THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR STANDUP PADDLEBOARDING, WHICH IS REALLY A SPECIAL HONOR.
WE HAD 194 PADDLERS FROM AS FAR AS CALIFORNIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, AND THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM FAMILIES.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE 40 MEMBERS OF FAMILIES COMING TO OUR ISLAND.
AND AGAIN, SINCE WE HAVE RACES THAT ARE QUALIFYING FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY BEFORE I, WHAT WAS REALLY NEAT ABOUT, CAN YOU FOR A SECOND, WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STAYING FOR THE WEEKEND.
WE HAD SO MANY FIRST TIME VISITORS THAT I SPOKE WITH, IT'S TOO MUCH.
THAT'S, WE'RE JUST THRILLED TO BE HERE, NEVER BEEN HERE.
UM, AND SO A REALLY EXCITING EVENT THAT'S A 45% INCREASE IN NUMBER OF, UM, PATHWAYS THAT WE HAD COME TO OUR, SO IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT SEPTEMBER EVENT.
UH, AND PARTNERING WITH THAT, WE DO CLEAN UP FOR THE, IN THE ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGE.
IF YOU CAN'T GET IT, THAT'S, YOU SURE WE'LL GET IT ALL DONE.
[02:20:03]
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE TEAM MAKES THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA COME UP FINE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, WHY IT DIDN'T COME THROUGH.
ANYWAYS, IT WAS JUST A SHORT CLIP OF, OF HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RACE AND, AND KIND OF ME SPEAKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE RAISING MONEY FOR BY OFFERING THIS RACE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY SUPPORTING OUR KIDS IN KAYAKS PROGRAM.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE, THAT'S DR.
HE'S THE RACE DIRECTOR AND HE'S DONE JUST A REMARKABLE JOB OF, OF EXPANDING THAT'S OKAY.
OF EXPANDING, UM, THIS, THIS RACE.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, THIS YEAR WE HAD THE TOP WORLD PADDLERS, NUMBER ONE MAN, ONE NUMBER ONE WOMAN PADDLING, AND, UH, ONE OF THE TOP, UH, YOUNG PADDLERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
UH, HE AND HIS FAMILY COME DOWN HERE EVERY YEAR FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT EVENT.
IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY HARD TO KIND OF MAKE THAT GROW.
UM, BUT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT.
SO OUR REACH PRETTY, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT JUST OVERALL TOURIST EVENT PARTICIPATION, WE WERE UP 17% THIS YEAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LOT OF ATTENTION.
THE WELCOME MAT TO OUR ISLAND IS OFTEN SEEN AS THE BEACHES, AND WE DO WORK OUT THERE, BUT WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME BACK HERE IN THE, IN THE BROAD CREEK.
WE'RE, WE'RE THE PROBABLY THE ONLY GROUP REALLY DOING FULL SCALE THREE KAYAK BASE CLEANUPS A YEAR BACK THERE.
PLUS, UH, BY MY LATEST COUNT, WE HAVE BUILT SEVEN OYSTER REEFS IN THE BROAD CREEK, AND OF COURSE, RIGHT OUT INTO THE CALABOGIE SOUND.
SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK WITHIN THE SALT MARSH.
UM, THOSE WATERWAYS ARE VISITED BY, UH, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER, WHETHER IT'S ON A BOAT FOR DOLPHINS OR THEY'RE FISHING, MAYBE THEY'RE KAYAKING.
AND AGAIN, THAT BEAUTIFUL 18TH FAIRWAY.
UM, IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD EVER HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, BEAUTIFUL HERITAGE GOLF TOURNAMENT.
SO OUR IMPACT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
UH, 2024 WAS A REMARKABLE YEAR FOR THE FOUNDATION IN GROWTH.
UH, AND AGAIN, YOUR INVESTMENT IN US TO ALLOW US TO INCREASE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF A REACH HAS REALLY PAID OFF.
UM, FROM 2023, OUR REACH HAS BEEN UP 200, OVER 200%, UH, FOR FACEBOOK.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT SITE SESSIONS, TOURIST SESSIONS, UNIQUE VISITORS AND TOURIST UNIQUE VISITORS ARE ALL UP.
I SEE THAT WITH THE CONNECTIONS THAT COME TO ME FOR GROUPS COMING TO THE ISLAND COLLEGES FROM AS FAR AS INDIANA GROUPS THAT CONTACT ME THAT SAY, HEY, COULD WE SCHEDULE, COULD WE DO SOMETHING? UM, AND I SEE THAT AS PEOPLE WHO ARE FINDING US ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR OUR WEBSITE DIALING IN TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA BE IN YOUR AREA.
CAN WE SCHEDULE SOMETHING? WE'D LIKE OUR TEAM TO GIVE BACK WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
WE'D LIKE OUR FAMILY TO GIVE BACK WHILE WE'RE HERE.
SO THIS YEAR OUR AT TAX REQUEST, THE 72,000, WE HAVE 20,000 FOR THIS AKAI LOW COUNTRY BOIL PADDLE BATTLE FOR EVENT AND DESTINATION MARKETING.
THIS IS OUR ONLY PADDLE BOARD RACE WITHIN THIS AREA, AKA, WHICH IS A FAIRLY WELL-KNOWN COMPANY ONLY PUTS ITS NAME ON TWO RACES A YEAR.
AND WE ARE ONE OF THEM MARKETING 24,500.
THIS IS TO HELP US FOR THE OUTREACH FOR OUR EARTH DAY HHI INITIATIVE, WHICH WE HOPE EVENTUALLY WILL BECOME A EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY ON HILTON HEAD FOR, OF COURSE, OUR WATER FESTIVAL, WHICH WE HOST EACH JULY AT SHELTER COVE COMMUNITY PARK, AND WHICH IS ACCOMPANIED BY A KAYAK BASED CLEANUP.
AND THEN OF COURSE, FOR OUR SEASONAL, UM, DIFFERENT TYPES OF BAR, UH, BEACH PARK AND KAYAK BASED CLEANUPS FOR SHORELINE RESTORATION IN SUPPORT OF COLLECTING SHELL FROM OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS FOR HAULING THAT AND FOR GETTING OUR WORD OUT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE ON THE APPLICATION.
I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR SHORELINES AND, UH, OUR WATERWAYS.
UM, AND SEEING THESE, THE CHILDREN INVOLVED ON THE KAYAK TOURS AND TEACHING THEM AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT HILTON HEAD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND IT'S VERY NATURAL, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE IT LOOK NATURAL AND KEEP IT NATURAL.
IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS NATURALLY WITH OUR IMPRINT THAT HAPPENED.
SO THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING THOSE COMMITTEES THAT GO OUT AND HELP CLEAN UP, UM, OUR
[02:25:01]
AREA.JUST ONCE AGAIN, UM, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PHYSICAL TOURISTS AND, AND HOW YOU COUNT AND OR VALIDATE THOSE FROM THE WEBSITE TRAFFIC THAT YOU GENERATE TO ECHO CHRIS.
THE WORK YOU GUYS DO IS PHENOMENAL.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE, THE, HOW YOU CAPTURE PHYSICAL TOURIST OR VISITOR DATA? OH, SURE.
SO IF YOU TAKE A A A TYPICAL EVENT, UM, BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT, WE ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PURCHASE, UM, A DATABASE WHERE OUR, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DOING A LITTER SWEEP WITH US OR VOLUNTEERING TO OYSTER BAG, SHELL, UM, BAG OYSTER SHELLS, YOU ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND YOU REGISTER FOR THAT.
WE CHECK THEM IN, UH, ON A TABLET WHEN THEY COME TO THE EVENT.
SO THOSE ARE OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED OYSTER SHELL BAGGING, LITTER SWEEPS, THINGS THAT WE DO ON THE BEACH EARTH DAY.
ALL OF THOSE EVENTS WE CAPTURE IN THIS, THIS BLOOMERANG DATABASE AND THAT DATABASE IS, IS, IT FLOWS RIGHT INTO, IT'S SYNCED WITH OUR DONOR DATABASE.
SO IT, IT CAPTURES, WE'RE ABLE TO CAPTURE, IF YOU COME TO THE KEEP THE BROAD CREEK WATER FESTIVAL, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CHALLENGE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HERE WE HAVE 20 SOME ODD BOOTHS WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, ECO ORIENTED ORGANIZATIONS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
AND SO WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN, SO WE ENTICED THEM TO, TO REGISTER FOR OUR FREE, UH, FOR OUR RAFFLE.
SO THIS YEAR WE GAVE AWAY A SHI BOOMI AND A BUNCH OF OTHER REALLY KIND OF FUN STUFF.
SO THEY FILL OUT A LITTLE TICKET.
NOW WE CAPTURE, UH, THEIR ZIP CODE ON THAT.
UH, AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO IS WE GIVE THEM A, UM, UH, A REUSABLE FOLDABLE, UH, WATER BOTTLE AS A, AS A, AS A THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND SO FOR US, THAT WAS, THAT WAS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO CAPTURE.
SO IT IS REALLY CHALLENGING FOR THE OLI CLY PADDLE BATTLE, UH, WE WILL USE, UM, PADDLE GURU AND SO I DON'T HAVE THE DEMOGRAPHICS THIS YEAR.
I'LL GET THEM, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SLOW.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO RACE IN THIS SERIES, WHICH IS ALONG THE, THE MID-ATLANTIC, AND THIS YEAR OF COURSE WE HOSTED THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY GO TO PADDLE GURU, WHICH IS, WHICH WE BASICALLY HAVE BUILT OUT.
UM, SO THAT THEY FIND OUT ALL ABOUT HILTON HEAD AND WHERE THEY CAN STAY.
THEY GO AHEAD AND THEY REGISTER AND THAT HAS ALL OF THEIR INFORMATION.
PADDLE GURU THEN SENDS US ALL OF THAT.
SO WE INITIALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY ALL THE INFORMATION ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE REGISTERED.
WE HAVE SOME BASIC DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT WE HAVEN'T QUITE GOTTEN THE INFORMATION FROM THEM THAT SAYS WHERE THEY'RE ALL FROM.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT FOR OUR 20, UH, 26 APPLICATION.
WE'LL HAVE THAT PROBABLY, UH, IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT YOU'RE MAKING IN THAT.
I, MAYBE I MISSED, I DIDN'T SEE THE PHYSICAL TOURIST DATA BROKEN OUT IN THE APPLICATION.
I JUST SAW THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TOURISTS, WHICH INCLUDED A LOT OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO YOU MEAN VERSUS, UM, EVENT VERSUS THOSE THAT ARE CLICKING ON OUR WEBSITE AND PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL TOURISTS, PEOPLE PHYSICALLY HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND INVOLVED IN YOUR EVENTS VERSUS PEOPLE YOU, UH, REACH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
YEAH, I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S, WE HAVE THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE PURSUIT YOU'RE MAKING TO GET THIS DATA AND WE UNDERSTAND IT.
IT'S ALM IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET 100% ACCURATE DATA.
SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE EFFORT.
I MEAN WE SURE, WE SURE DO HAVE THAT.
YEAH, WE HAVE THE, UM, SO WE HAVE THE, THE DATA, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOF EVENT, THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION EVENTS, UM, THOSE ARE EVENTS THAT WE WOULD HOST SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN, UM, THROUGH WORKING WITH YOU ALL IN YEARS PAST, UM, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO QUANTIFY HOW WE QUANTIFY OUR REACH FOR THAT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, BECAUSE THAT'S LITERALLY LIKE EVERY VISITOR THAT COMES TO HILTON HEAD.
UM, SO THE WAY WE, UM, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO QUANTIFY THAT IS WORKING THROUGH, UM, OUR PARTNERS AT OUTSIDE HILTON HEAD HAVE PROVIDED US WITH HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THEY HAVE BROUGHT ON THE WATER.
UM, SO THAT'S LIKE OUR WATERWAYS COUNT.
UM, THAT'S HOW WE GOT BROAD CREEK PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING IN THE WATER AT BROAD CREEK.
UM, AND THEN OUR TEE TIMES AT HARBOR TOWN, UM, WHO ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE WHAT, LIKE THREE EXTRA FEET OF, UH, OF GREEN, WHICH STILL OUR, UM, YEAH.
AND THE, THE GREEN IS STILL THERE.
SO, UM, THAT IS KIND OF WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN THAT 30,000 NUMBER.
THAT'S THE NUMBER OF TEE TIMES THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT HAVE BEEN BOOKED.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY, UM, GET YOU THAT, THAT BREAKDOWN BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SCALE SOME OF THAT.
'CAUSE I, I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE 30,000 TEE TIMES ARE NOT A RESULT OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
SOME OF THEM MAY BE, THERE'S NO QUESTION YOU'RE DOING GOOD WORK.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY PHYSICAL TOURISTS YOU BRING BECAUSE WE'RE ASKED TO, TO
[02:30:01]
JUSTIFY THAT TO TOWN COUNCIL AND, AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE TAX PROCESS.SO, AND SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO, WE ARE ACTUALLY THE FIRST ORGANIZATION, UM, TO ASK FOR MONEY FOR RECYCLING AND COASTLINE RESTORATION.
UM, SO WE HAVE CERTAINLY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, I KNOW, UM, JOHN AND STEVEN, UM, HAVE KIND OF GONE THROUGH THIS JOURNEY WITH US OF WHERE WE HAVE, UM, WORKED TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO YOU QUANTIFY THAT? BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE GET 7,000 VISITORS A YEAR FOR OUR EVENTS, BUT OUR IMPACT VERSUS OUR MAYBE NUMBER THAT YOU COULD QUANTIFY BASED ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE GET AT SHELL BAGGINGS IS NOT ACCURATE BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE ACTUALLY IN 11 RESTAURANTS ON HILTON HEAD WHERE WE'RE COLLECTING SHELL FROM 11 DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS FROM THE OYSTER FESTIVAL, FROM ANY OTHER FESTIVAL, FROM SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, FROM ANY EVENT THAT WE PARTNER WITH.
SO THINK OF ALL THOSE NUMBERS PLUS THEN ANY OF THE, UM, POSITIVE IMPACTS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE BY BUILDING OUT AND PROTECTING THE COASTLINE FROM RISING TIDES, FROM BOAT TRAFFIC, FROM HUMAN INTERACTION.
UM, SO ALL OF THOSE ITEMS ARE, IT'S EXTREMELY HARD TO QUANTIFY.
AND SO THAT'S, UM, HOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, WITH YOU FOLKS IN THE PAST TO GET THESE, UM, SOLIDIFIED NUMBERS FROM OUR PARTNERS IN THOSE AREAS.
SO WE CAN KIND OF LIKE JUSTIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR YOU ALL.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO SO.
I MEAN, AGAIN, THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE IS, IS MEANINGFUL.
AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF TOURISTS WHO COME HERE RESPECT THE FACT THAT, THAT THIS ISLAND, TO TO ECHO CHRIS'S COMMENTS, UH, IS ENVIRONMENTALLY, UM, PROTECTIVE OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND I THINK MANY OF THEM DO COME HERE FOR THAT REASON.
AND WITHOUT YOU, THAT WOULD NOT HELP.
SO MUCH OF OUR WORK IS DIRECTED AT ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING THE NUMBER ONE REASON ACCORDING TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
PEOPLE COME HERE WHY I'M HERE, YOU KNOW, UM, AFTER VISITING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, SO YES, IT IS, IT IS A, A BIT OF A CHALLENGE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THAT A, A CONCRETE SORT OF CHECK.
YES, THEY WERE, THEY WERE PRESENT FOR SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED AT THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.
CAN ASK YOU A QUESTION ON THE, THE BAGGING EVENTS YEAH.
ARE THOSE, UH, MAINLY COMPRISED OF YOUR LOCAL VOLUNTEERS OR DO YOU ALSO HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO THAT ARE COMING, THAT ARE ON VACATION, THAT ARE WILLING TO LEND THE HAND? YEAH, WE HAVE MANY, FEW PEOPLE THAT COME DOWN EVERY YEAR, UM, THAT ARE HERE FOR THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS OR MAYBE A WEEK.
AND THEY'RE COMING DOWN FROM AS FAR AS THE MIDWEST AND CANADA.
AND THEY LOOK US UP IMMEDIATELY AND THEY WANT BACK INTO OUR PROGRAM AT THOSE EVENTS.
ARE YOU COLLECTING LIKE THE FOLKS OUT THERE? OKAY.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN AS WELL.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THE WORK YOU DO IS TO EDUCATE FOLKS TO COLLECT THE SHELLS, BUT THEN ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND DOING THE WORK, YOU KNOW, HAVING A MEANINGFUL YEAH.
REPRESENTATION OF, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE BUSY OR PARTICIPATING.
AND I THINK THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE, THE 47% THERE.
I THINK IN SOME WAYS LAST YEAR WE DISCUSSED THIS AS BEING, UH, SIMILAR TO A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO AND, UH, AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN DO ON THIS ISLAND.
SO I, UM, THAT'S ONE WAY TO THINK OF IT.
AND UH, EVEN IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF, UH, TURK LAW NOT BEING, UH, COMPLETE OR SPECIFIC, BUT, UH, IT'S A GREAT BENEFIT TO OUR, TO OUR INDUSTRY AND OUR TOURISM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? STEVEN? UH, I'VE KIND OF HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT FOR SOME OF THIS AND, AND IT'S INCREDIBLE.
IT'S, IT IS PEOPLE FROM CHARLESTON, THE PEOPLE BAGGING.
THE NUM THE DOTTED LINE THAT YOU HAVE TO A GREAT NUMBER OF EVENTS AND INDUSTRIES.
THE 11 RESTAURANTS THAT YOU HAVE.
ONE THING THAT'S KIND OF A, A GLAD WE DID WISH WE, THE TONNAGE OF TRASH PICKED UP IS ALMOST LIKE, DARN IT, WHY, BUT CONGRATULATIONS.
BUT IT'S, IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE EVIL I GUESS THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE PICKED UP.
BUT I JUST THINK IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU DO.
AND I THINK THERE'S AN, A GREAT NUMBER OF WILD, DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY THE NUMBER OF HEADS AND BEDS.
NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT IT'S, YOUR REACH IS SO GREAT BECAUSE THEY SAY THAT THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COME HERE IS FOR WATERWAYS.
SECOND TO GOLF, WHICH I WOULD DEBATE, BUT, UM, I'M BIASED, UH, ADMITTEDLY, BUT THE, THE WATERWAYS ARE CLEANER AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A, IT'S NOT MAYBE YEAH.
THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US.
AND I, I, I, I OWN PROPERTY ON ALONG BROAD CREEK.
[02:35:01]
AND WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT AREA HAS BECOME POLLUTED, IT'SSO IT, SO THAT WORK IS VERY VALUABLE TO, TO ISLAND.
WE'LL BE BACK OUT THERE NOVEMBER 10TH.
ANY VOLUNTEERS? ALWAYS MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE HILTON HEAD MLK COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? YES, I'M GOOD.
CAN I TRY TO STAND IN FOR GALEN THE BEST I CAN?
SORRY ABOUT THE CONFUSION SHE DIDN'T SEND TO ME.
HERE IT'S, YEAH, GOT IT THIS MORNING.
JUST, UM, PLAY FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND I JUST CLICKED YOUR CLICKER IF YOU WANT, OR YOU CAN USE KEYBOARD.
AND THEN TO GO BACK, JUST YOUR BACK HERE.
UH, STILL MORNING FOR INCREMENTS.
UM, I AM SORT OF NEW TO THE COMMITTEE.
I'VE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR.
UM, I MOSTLY WAS BROUGHT ON TO HELP WITH DEVELOPMENT FUNDRAISING.
UM, AND SO I'M STANDING IN FOR GALEN OUR, OUR FEARLESS LEADER TODAY.
HE HAS SOME FAMILY ISSUES, SO, ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS JUST OUR MISSION.
UM, AND WE REALLY FEEL THAT IN AN INCREASINGLY POLARIZED, UH, POLITICAL CLIMATE, OUR WORK IS, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY VALUABLE TEACHING THE IDEALS OF INCLUSION, EQUITY, UH, SOCIAL, SOCIAL JUSTICE, UM, EMPHASIZING CIVIC ACTION ALL WHILE STAYING NONVIOLENT.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY, 2025.
SO THESE ARE ALL OF OUR, UH, MLK MONTH EVENTS.
SO WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN'S DAY EVENT.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
UM, AND THERE'S DIFFERENT MAZES AND RAFFLES AND DIFFERENT KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE ALL, UH, BASED ON TEACHING THE LESSONS OF, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
UH, WE HAVE OUR INTERFAITH SERVICE, UM, KIND OF BRINGING ALL THE COMMUNITY CHURCHES TOGETHER, UM, WHICH LEADS TO OUR GULLAH CEMETERY CLEANUP.
WE, WE DO A LOT OF OUR VOLUNTEER RECRUITING AT THE INTERFAITH SERVICE.
UM, AND OUR GULLAH CEMETERY CLEANUP, UM, IS ALL ON LO ON THE ISLAND, UM, BECAUSE THE DUSKY CLEANUP, UH, IS LATER IN THE MONTH.
SO WE HAVE OUR BIG DAY, I, I THINK IS THE 20TH, AND THAT'S WHEN WE DO THE MARCH.
UM, WE WORK WITH S-C-D-O-T IN THE TOWN TO SHUT DOWN, UM, PARTS OF 2 78 MARCH FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL, DO A LOOP AND COME BACK UP MAIN STREET.
UH, THEN THE MARCH IS FOLLOWED BY OUR PROGRAM WHERE WE GET, UM, USUALLY A LOCAL, SOMEONE FROM A LOCAL NONPROFIT TO SPEAK.
UM, AND WE HAVE A CHOIR, UH, IT'S AN ALL AGES CHOIR THAT WE HAD A AGES EIGHT TO 80 THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THEY'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND THEN WE FOLLOW THAT WITH OUR COMMUNITY LUNCHEON TO KINDA BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND REFLECT ON THE MESSAGE FROM THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE PROVIDE THAT, UH, TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE.
UM, THEN OUR DINE AND DANCE EVENT IS OUR BIG FUNDRAISER AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
UM, IT'S AT USCB AND LIKE IT SAYS, IT'S A DINE AND DANCE
UM, AND WE DO A RAFFLE AT THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN OUR, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, UM, WELL TECHNICALLY IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, BUT WE HAVE OUR ISLAND, UH, DUSSE ISLAND SERVICE CLEANUP.
AND WE, UH, PAY FOR ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS TO TAKE THE FERRY OVER TO DUSKY TO HELP WITH THAT.
AND, UH, TYPICALLY WE PROVIDE A BOX LUNCH THERE AS WELL FOR, FOR VOLUNTEERS.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR EVENTS AND EXPENSES.
SO I'LL GO INTO OUR AT TAX PROJECT.
SO LIKE, UH, GALEN SAYS HERE, MANY OF OUR EVENTS DO BRING PHYSICAL TOURISTS, NO PHYSICAL VISITORS.
THOSE ARE THE MORE CLOSE ONES TO THE ISLAND.
SO CHILDREN'S DAY, WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM BLUFFTON THERE, THERE IS A BLUFFTON MLK COMMITTEE, BUT THEY, UM, THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
[02:40:01]
GET A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE BLUFF AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, EVEN THE SAVANNAH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB THAT COME TO THAT EVENT BECAUSE WE CROSS MARKET WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS.UM, OUR MLK MONDAY PROGRAM, AGAIN, WE, WE DO GET A LOT, WE GET COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM USCB, SO WE DO BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM, YOU KNOW, OUTER BEAUFORT COUNTY AND EVEN INTO JASPER COUNTY.
UM, SO AS WELL AS OUR GU CEMETERY CLEANUP.
UM, BUT OUR MAIN EVENT FOR THE ATAC PROJECT IS THE GUAN FOLKS HISTORICAL PLAY.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE USED OUR FUNDS FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
UM, SO THE GULLAN FOLKS, THEY ALREADY KIND OF HAVE A FOLLOWING, UM, IN BEAUFORT.
AND WE ARE THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS THE GULLAN FOLK SOUTH OF ABROAD.
UH, SO IT DOES BRING PEOPLE FROM SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON.
WE ADVERTISED VIA FACEBOOK, UM, AND TARGETED THOSE LOCATIONS THIS PAST YEAR AND WE PLAN TO DO THAT AGAIN.
UM, AND SO WE DO THE EVENT, UM, ON A SATURDAY EVENING.
UM, SO WE HOPE TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND.
WE, WE CAN'T, WE DON'T TRACK THAT AT THE MOMENT.
LAST YEAR WAS OUR FIRST TIME GETTING A TAX FUNDS, UM, AND OUR, OUR FIRST TIME HAVING A GUAN FOLKS PLAY, UH, BECAUSE WE COULD AFFORD IT
UM, YEAH, SO, UM, I JUST WANNA GO INTO THE DATA A LITTLE BIT FROM OUR, UH, 2024 PROJECT.
UM, 'CAUSE WITH, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE USE TO BASE OUR 2025 PROJECTIONS ON.
SO WE'RE, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE LEARNING.
UM, WE MOVED THE EVENT FROM JANUARY TO APRIL AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AGAIN.
WE HAD, WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY EVENTS IN JANUARY AND THEN IT JUST GOT MURKY.
UM, BUT WE HAD MUCH MORE SUCCESS HAVING IT IN APRIL.
WE HAD REALLY LOW TICKET SALES FOR THE JANUARY ONE.
UM, SO WE SOLD 148 TICKETS, UH, UM, $25 A PIECE.
BUT ACCORDING TO THE HEADCOUNT FROM THE EVENT, WE ONLY HAD A HUNDRED ATTENDEES, SO WE'D KIND OF HAVE A DATA DISCREPANCY THERE.
WE'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE BOUGHT TICKETS AND DIDN'T COME.
SO WE DID TRACK THE ZIP CODES OF THE TICKET PURCHASERS.
UM, BUT WE DIDN'T ASK PEOPLE WALKING IN THE DOOR WHERE THEY WERE FROM.
SO WE, WE MAY HAVE MISSED SOME DATA.
UM, ALSO BY MOVING THE EVENT, WE HAD PEOPLE THAT HAD ALREADY PURCHASED TICKETS IN DECEMBER THAT ENDED UP NOT COMING.
AND SO IT, WE TRIED OUR BEST
UM, ANOTHER KIND OF DISCREPANCY, I GUESS, OR SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GONNA WORK ON IN THE FUTURE IS THAT PEOPLE USED, SO WE USE FRESH TICKS, WHICH IS, UM, LIKE A, YOU JUST BUY IT ON, YOU BUY IT ONLINE AND THEY TAKE LIKE 3%, UH, LIKE PROCESSING FEE, KIND OF LIKE A CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEE.
UM, AND, BUT WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO DONATE ABOVE THE $25.
AND SO WE HAD A FIELD FOR THAT.
BUT THEN WE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS OUR ISSUE OR FRESH TICKS ISSUE, BUT WE COULDN'T GET THE DATA ON BREAKING THAT OUT, LIKE WHO DONATED OVER OR WHO JUST PAID FOR A TICKET.
'CAUSE THEY JUST KIND OF GIVE IT TO US IN A LUMP SUM WITH A NAME OF PURCHASERS WITH ZIP CODES NEXT TO IT, BUT NOT THE AMOUNT THAT THE PURCHASER PAID.
SO WE WANNA DO BETTER WITH THAT THIS YEAR.
IT COULD BE THAT WE JUST, IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME USING FRESH TICKS AND MAYBE WE DIDN'T SET IT UP CORRECTLY.
SO, UH, WE DO PLAN TO HAVE A TUTORIAL WITH ONE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE OUR NEXT PELICAN FOLK EVENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BETTER TRACK OUR DATA.
SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
UM, YEAH, SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE DISCREPANCIES FROM THE THE 24 PROJECT.
UM, SO WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING A DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT HISTORICAL PLAY.
SO IT'LL BE UNIQUE FROM THE ONE THAT, UH, THEY PLANNED LAST YEAR.
SO THEY'LL, IT'LL HAVE DIFFERENT SONGS AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF HISTORY, BUT IT WILL STILL BE ALONG THE MAIN LINES OF TRACKING, UH, GULLAH HERITAGE FROM WEST AFRICA, UM, THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST AND SPECIFICALLY TO, UH, BEAUFORT, THE SEA ISLANDS AND HILTON HEAD.
SO OUR PROGRAM COSTS THE GUAN FOLK MUSICAL TO HAVE THEM, UH, DO THE WRITE AS A UNIQUE PLAY.
AND THEN WE RENT, UH, CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH FOR 100, WHICH IS A GREAT DEAL.
UM, AND THEN THIS YEAR WE, WE HAVEN'T DECIDED YET, BUT IF WE DO PURCHASE CONCESSIONS, THAT WOULD BE AN EXTRA $500 ON THAT.
UM, FOR OUR BIG DAY, UM, IT WAS ABOUT, IT WAS $3,500
[02:45:01]
FOR THE CATERING FROM MELANIE MILLS.UM, THE CHILDREN'S DAY, CHILDREN'S DAY WAS A BIG SUCCESS I THINK IN, UH, FUNDING WISE BECAUSE WE GOT EVERYTHING DONATED.
UM, SO REALLY THE ONLY COST WAS VOLUNTEER HOURS, WHICH IS A BIG COST WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL COMMITTEE AND NOT A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS.
UM, SO I DID ESTIMATE THAT IT WAS ABOUT $1,300 WORTH OF VOLUNTEER LABOR BASED ON UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND'S DO GOOD INSTITUTE, UH, STUDY THAT FOUND ONE VOLUNTEER HOUR IS EQUAL TO $33 AND 49 CENTS.
SO I DIDN'T CHECK THEIR DATA, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE STANDARD.
UM, AND THEN OUR DINING DANCE EVENT COSTS $8,500.
UM, WE ALSO, WE PARTNER AND, UM, PROMOTE USCB IN EXCHANGE FOR A DISCOUNT ON CATERING AND THE VENUE.
SO, AND THEN, UH, GALEN WANTED TO JUST INCLUDE SOME PICTURES OF OUR PROJECTS FROM 2024, UM, OUR GULL, OUR CEMETERY CLEANUP, AND THE MARCH.
UM, WE HAD ABOUT 350 PEOPLE AT THE MARCH THIS YEAR.
SO HERE'S THE PROGRAM, FULL, FULL AUDITORIUM THERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND OUR CHOIR OVER HERE.
I REALLY LIKED THAT DAY,
UM, IT IS ONE OF OUR, I WOULD SAY AS THE DATA PERSON
UM, WE, SIMILARLY TO THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION, WE DO A RAFFLE AND THEY DO HAVE TO FILL OUT THEIR ZIP CODE IF THEY WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THE RAFFLE.
UM, BUT SINCE WE ARE, OUR ATTENDEES ARE MAINLY FROM THE NATIVE ISLANDER COMMUNITY AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, UH, SOMETIMES THEY'RE HESITANT TO PROVIDE, UH, LOCATION DATA OR EVEN LAST NAMES AND WE DON'T WANNA PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO, UM, THAT IS ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES CURRENTLY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE TO SERVE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE YOUR SUBJECT AND VERB AGREE TO SERVE.
YOU ONLY NEED A HEART FULL OF GRACE AND A SOUL GENERATED BY LOVE.
SO
UH, I APPLAUD YOU FOR HAVING TO STEP UP AND DO THE PRESENTATION TODAY, PROBABLY ON LAST MINUTE.
SO, UH, THANKS FOR DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THIS APPLICATION, UM, ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS IS THAT LACK OF TOURISM THAT HAPPENS.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE 4% AND THIS IS AN ACCOMMODATION TAX, I UNDERSTAND GRANT PROCESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO LOOK AT HEADS AND BEDS.
HOW, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO COLLECT THAT DATA? AND YOU MADE THE COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS NEED TO IMPROVE ON THAT.
I WOULD ECHO THAT, THAT YOU, YOU NEED TO FIND A PATHWAY TO COLLECT THE DATA OF FOLKS COMING IN.
IF YOU HAVE 500 FOLKS COMING TO AN EVENT YEAH.
YOU KNOW, BY HAVING AN IPAD WITH A SURVEYMONKEY ON THERE JUST SAYING, WHAT'S YOUR ZIP CODE? YOU DON'T NEED THEIR DETAILS OR NAMES FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
WE'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
HOW FAR ARE THEY TRAVELING? IF MOST OF THE ATTENDEES ARE COMING FROM BEAUFORT, JASPER COUNTY, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE OUTSIDE OF THAT 50 MILE RADIUS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LEAD OFF WITH THAT, THAT WE, WE APPLIED YOUR APPLICATION, UM, WE'LL GO INTO FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS IN, IN A FEW MEETINGS.
UM, BUT HAVING THAT, THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE SEED MONEY THAT GOES IN, I UNDERSTAND, UH, WE NEED TO, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING FOR THAT GROWTH IN THAT TOURIST NUMBER BEING AT 4%.
THAT'S A REALLY LOW NUMBER FOR US.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN THAT.
WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY I, I MEAN I'M, I THINK WE DID BETTER THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.
UM, SO WE, WE IMPROVED AND, UH, I KNOW THE FUNDING IS TARGETED DIFFERENTLY EACH YEAR.
UM, TOUGH FACT TO FOLLOW WITH THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION WHEN THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF REACH.
BUT YOU KNOW, OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS ABOUT $16,000.
SO WE ARE SMALL, WE'RE TRYING TO GROW, UM, AND LOOK, YOUR ORGANIZATION, THE ONES LIKE YOURS ARE THE ONES WHO CHAMPION BEHIND.
BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
WE HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING BEHIND.
THAT'S WHEN WE MAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS YEAH.
TO TOWN COUNCIL, THEY'RE GONNA SAY, WELL, HOW IS THE FUNDS WE'RE PROVIDING INCREASING TOURISM ON THE ISLAND AND REPLENISHING.
SO IT'S MOSTLY BASED ON PHYSICAL TOURISTS AND NOT VISITORS? CORRECT.
THE PACKAGE WOULD SAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT FOLKS OUTSIDE OF 50 MILES BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE CONSIDERED THAT THEY WOULD SPEND A NIGHT IN A HOTEL ROOM.
AND THE WAY THESE FUNDS ARE COLLECTED IS WHEN SOMEBODY RENTS A HOTEL ROOM OR A VILLA, THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING A PORTION OF THEIR TAXES.
WHICH ARE WHERE THESE FUNDS COME DOWN.
SO IF, IF WE JUST HAVE A LOCAL EVENT THAT HAS NO TOURISM MM-HMM.
[02:50:01]
KNOW, DRIVE TO IT, WELL THEY'RE NOT STIMULATING THE TOURIST ECONOMY.I MEAN, THINK, WHICH IS WHAT THESE FUNDS ARE FOR.
I THINK OUR BIGGEST EVENT FOR PHYSICAL TOURISTS IS THE GULLAN FOLK, WHICH IS WHY WE FOCUSED ON THAT.
BUT YES, WE DID ONLY HAVE ABOUT 15 PEOPLE, UM, FROM I THINK 11 DIFFERENT STATES.
SO IT'S A REALLY, I MEAN IT IS A SMALL IMPACT, BUT WE, WE THINK THAT IT DOES HELP ENRICH THE LOCAL CULTURE.
AND IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT HAS TO DO WITH THIS.
IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT WITH 500 AND 350 ARE TOURISTS, THAT'S THE DATA YOU NEED.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T MATTER THE SIZE AND THE, THE MONEY AMOUNT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE LENS OF HOW MANY FOLKS ARE COMING TO THE ISLAND TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR EVENT AND WHAT IS THEIR SPENDING HABITS.
SO YEAH, SO WE ONLY HAD ABOUT, SO WE HAD 10% OF OUR ATTENDEES OF THE KINFOLK, BUT WE, I INCLUDED ALL OF THE EVENTS, UH, BREAKDOWN, WHICH IS KIND OF BROUGHT, BRINGS THAT PERCENTAGE DOWN FROM 10% TO 4%.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE SHOULD FOCUS DIFFERENTLY IN THE APPLICATION OR, UH, I THINK THE NUMBERS ARE THE NUMBERS
FOR THE, SO LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR WE DID USE THE FUNDS SOLELY FOR THE KINFOLK AND THIS YEAR WE WERE GONNA TRY TO DIVERSIFY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE TARGETED OUR FUNDING.
SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL APPLICANTS COME THROUGH IN YEAR ONE.
UH, NO, LAST YEAR WAS YOUR FIRST YEAR.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOLKS THAT COME UP TO BAT AND THEY STRIKE OUT YEAR ONE, YEAR TWO.
AND THEN THEY COME BACK AROUND.
SOME OF OUR BIGGEST SUCCESS STORIES ARE THE ONES THAT ONCE THEY GO THROUGH THE GRIND AND THE PROCESS, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO, YOU KNOW, GET INVOLVED WITH THESE GRANT APPLICATIONS.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE DOING WE'LL, KEEP COLLECTING DATA AND WE'LL, WE'LL TRY OUR BEST
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IT IS MUCH, IT IS.
YOU MADE A STATEMENT THAT IS, IT'S BETTER THIS YEAR THAN LAST.
AND I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU THAT YEAH, YOU DID A MUCH, YOU DID A REALLY NICE JOB.
WELL DONE FOR STEPPING UP FOR YOUR TEAM THERE.
YEAH, ACTUALLY I HAVE AN EVENT FOR MY, I WORK FOR THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL.
AND SO WE HAVE, I HAVE A SPEAKER THAT'S IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY NOTHING BAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS HERE.
OKAY, THAT BRINGS US TO OUR, UH, BREAK FOR LUNCH.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE AN HOUR HERE AND WE'LL RECONVENE AT 12.
I'LL COME BACK FOR MY LUNCH BREAK.
UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY IS THE DAVID CARMINES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION ATE BEFORE YOU SAW SOMETHING.
I KNOW WHAT, UH, I WANT TO EAT AGAIN AFTER SEEING IT THOUGH.
LIKE, HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? GREAT.
IF YOU DON'T MIND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UH, ANDREW CARMINES, UM, OWNER AT HUDSON SEAFOOD.
UH, BORN AND RAISED ON THE ISLAND.
UM, SO WHEN, UH, BACK IN 2002, I HAD A BROTHER THAT PASSED AWAY FROM, UH, CANCER.
AND, UM, IN THE AFTERMATH MY PARENTS STARTED A FOUNDATION IN HIS NAME TO RAISE MONEY FOR VARIOUS CHARITIES, SOME FOR CANCER RESEARCH, SOME FOR LOCAL 5 0 1 C THREES.
UM, SO BEGAN THE DAVID M CARMINE'S WATER FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS A, UH, KAYAK FESTIVAL THAT OUTSIDE HILTON HEAD AND THE ISLAND REC CENTER HELPED US PUT ON AT OUR FAMILY'S RESTAURANT HUDSON'S ON THE NORTH END OF THE ISLAND.
UH, THE FIRST YEAR I THINK WE HAD 250 PEOPLE THERE.
UM, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS A STUNNING SUCCESS.
UH, IT WAS FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND COOK BURGERS AND DOGS IN THE PARKING LOT AT HUDSON'S AND RAISED SOME MONEY.
I CAME BACK FROM HAVING SOME SUCCESS ON MY OWN AFTER COLLEGE IN 2006 TO LEARN THE MANAGEMENT SIDE OF THE BUSINESS.
AND, UM, COINCIDENTALLY IN THAT YEAR, THE EVENT HAD SORT OF OUTGROWN THE PARKING LOT AT THE RESTAURANT.
SO THEY HAD MOVED IT TO THE OLD SHELTER COVE COMMUNITY PARK.
AND, UM, IT WAS SUPER EMBARRASSING BECAUSE THE PARK WAS SO BIG THAT IT JUST SWALLOWED OUR LITTLE EVENT.
WE HAD ABOUT 500 PEOPLE THERE AND THIS BIG HUGE PARK, AND IT FELT LIKE AN EPIC FAILURE.
SO WE KIND OF WENT BACK TO FORMULA AND WE, UM, WHAT WE DECIDED WAS TO REBRAND THE FESTIVAL.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE STARTED CALLING IT THE HILTON NET ISLAND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.
AND SINCE THEN WE'VE GROWN IT INTO A WEEK LONG CULINARY, SORT OF SOUTHERN HERITAGE, UM, CELEBRATION AND, AND HAVE, UM, TURNED IT INTO QUITE A, UH, BOON FOR A LOT OF LOCAL NONPROFITS.
I THINK WE'VE GIVEN AWAY $1.4 MILLION IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS TO LOCAL NONPROFITS.
[02:55:01]
IF YOU NAME ONE THAT YOU'VE HEARD OF, WE'VE PROBABLY GIVEN MONEY TO IT.SO THE IDEA IS TO GIVE MONEY TO ANY, UM, NONPROFITS THAT MAKE HILTON HEAD AND BLUFF IN A BETTER PLACE TO WORK, LIVE AND ENJOY.
SO WE HAVE SOME, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS THAT WE OFFER FUNDING TO THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION, THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, A LOT OF AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR KIDS.
UM, MEDICAL CARE FOR THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY THROUGH VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE.
UM, IT'S REALLY A LOT TO LIST, BUT WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT 5 0 1 C THREES THAT WE DONATE TO ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE.
AND THEN, UM, SOME OTHER ONES THAT WE RESERVE FUNDS FOR, UM, UM, SORT OF RAINY DAY FUNDS FOR IF THEY'RE HAVING A TOUGH TIME, UM, MAKING ENDS MEET.
AND THEN, UM, RECENT, MOST RECENTLY WE'VE STARTED, UM, A FUND THAT HELPS, UH, PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH, UM, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE.
SO THAT'S A SORT OF A NEW INITIATIVE.
SO THAT'S SORT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE SIDE.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY MORE INTERESTED IN HOW, UH, THE FESTIVAL BENEFITS THE, THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
UM, OUR NUMBERS KIND OF SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
UH, OUR GUEST DEMOGRAPHICS ABOUT 44%, BETWEEN 50 AND 69, UH, 78% WITH A BACHELOR'S OR OR GRADUATE DEGREE.
SO YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE RIGHT KIND OF TOURISTS FOR HILTON HEAD.
WE FEEL LIKE WE CHECK ALL THE BOXES ON THAT.
UM, UM, LUCKILY OUR EVENT, UM, LAST YEAR, I THINK WE HAD ABOUT 10,000 GUESTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
UM, WE, UM, AL ALSO INVOLVE ABOUT 30 LOCAL RESTAURANTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK IN VARIOUS EVENTS.
UM, 62% OF OUR FESTIVAL VISITORS SPEND ABOUT $220 OR MORE ON DINING EACH DAY OF THEIR VISIT.
SO, UH, BEYOND THE HOTEL STAYS, UM, IN THE PAST WE'VE USED THE OMNI HOTEL, UM, IN PALM LA DUNES FOR ALMOST ALL OF OUR ROOM NIGHTS.
WELL, WE'VE OUTGROWN THAT, SO WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL BLOCK AT THE BEACH HOUSE HOTEL THIS YEAR.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE AN EVENT HAPPENING THERE.
UM, AND IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON ATTENDING, UM, YOU SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT GETTING TICKETS BECAUSE THE, THEY'RE STARTING TO SELL OUT PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, THE, YOU'LL SEE THE IMAGE HERE ON THE SCREEN.
WE'RE DOING AN EVENT AT THE NEW TIKI HUT AREA THERE ON THE BEACH CALLED A SATO BY THE SEA.
IT'S, UH, UM, SOME ARGENTINIAN GUYS FROM, UH, ST.
SIMON'S THAT HAVE HAD SOME, UH, RECENT PRESS ON THE FOOD NETWORK AND ELSEWHERE THAT ARE GONNA COME AND ROAST WHOLE ANIMALS ON THE BEACH, IF THAT'S YOUR THING.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH EVENTS ON THE BEACH HERE.
UM, BUT, UM, BACK TO KIND OF JUST THE, UM, UM, KIND OF BIG PICTURE SIDE OF THINGS AS FAR AS THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT.
AND WE WERE RECENTLY GIFTED OR GIVEN AN AWARD FOR, UM, THE TASTE 50 AWARDS FROM TASTE OF THE SOUTH MAGAZINES.
UM, SO WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY, A PRETTY GOOD AWARD, A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FOR, FOR OUR LITTLE EVENT THAT STARTED AS A, UH, UH, BURGERS AND DOGS IN THE PARKING LOT.
WE'VE KIND OF GROWN INTO WHAT WE THINK IS, UH, UH, A LASTING BRAND AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WITH THE TOWN SUPPORT, UH, CONTINUING TO GROW AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH ELSE TO SAY.
I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE MOST OF THE INFORMATION, UM, IN THE INFO THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO YOU GUYS.
BUT, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO SO.
AND AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH PACKET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US AND TURNED IN.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE, UM, STANDARD BEARERS FOR US, AND THIS EVENT CONTINUES TO GROW, AND IT'S ONE THAT WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO.
CAN YOU REMIND US OF WHAT THE DATES ARE THIS YEAR? I THINK IT'S, I'LL PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
IT'S NOT THE LAST, LAST WEEK IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.
SO I THINK IT'S THE, THAT, THAT 18TH THROUGH, LIKE THE 24TH IS, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE ON THE, ON THE 17TH 23.
I KNEW IT WAS, IT WAS A LITTLE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
SO I, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NEW TO THE GROUP, UM, THIS EVENT, WE USED TO HOLD THIS EVENT IN APRIL EVERY YEAR.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ACTUALLY SUGGESTED BY THIS BOARD, UM,
[03:00:01]
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO.I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY THAT.
UM, COULD WE POSSIBLY MOVE IT TO A, A PERIOD THAT WAS MORE OF A NEED PERIOD? AND SO WE DECIDED TO MOVE IT INTO FEBRUARY AND IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A BETTER DECISION FOR US BECAUSE IT'S REALLY KIND OF THAT FIRST BIG, YOU KNOW, HEY, LET'S GET OUT AND, AND GET TOGETHER AGAIN AFTER THE LONG COLD WINTER.
BUT, UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES BUSINESS TO, UH, A LOT OF RESTAURANTS AND HOSPITALITY INSTITUTIONS IN A, IN A TIME OF YEAR THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PRETTY DARN QUIET.
SO, UM, WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF THE IMPACT WE'VE HAD OVER THE, OVER THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS OF IT, IT BEING IN FEBRUARY.
YEAH, THAT DEFINITELY USED TO BE OUR SHOULDER SEASON HERE ON THE ISLAND.
AND THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A KICKOFF.
IT DOESN'T ANYMORE, BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY THE KICKOFF EVENT FOR GETTING INTO IT, WHICH WAS A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE, THE RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES ON THE ISLAND THAT HAD THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT FROM YOUR EVENT.
UH, NOW IT SEEMS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR SHOULDER SEASON SHRINKS AND WHICH IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS, UM, BUSINESS OWNERS.
YEAH, WE, WE'VE BEEN, UH, VERY LUCKY.
I, I FEEL TERRIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE IN FLORIDA AND NORTH CAROLINA, BUT, UM, A MUCH NEEDED SHOT IN THE ARM FOR, FOR THE LOCAL BUSINESSES THIS PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR SURE.
I'LL OPEN UP TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE QUESTIONS HERE, JUST JUST TO COMMENT.
UM, THIS IS A, THIS IS A TREMENDOUS WEEK AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD REFLECTION OF EVERYTHING ON THE ISLAND, AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ON HAVING SOMETHING RELATED BACK TO YOUR BROTHER.
'CAUSE THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TOO.
UM, FROM THOSE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO WHAT IT IS NOW, IT'S SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HATS ON.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE PROUD OF IT.
ANYTHING ELSE? VERY GOOD, THANK YOU.
IT, UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND ST.
LET SEE IF WE CAN SPOT THOSE FOLKS HERE, UH, THE GREEN SHIRTS.
WELCOME, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND I WANNA DO IT AS SOON AS I FINISH THIS.
I'LL GIVE YOU THES THEN, AND THEN YOU JUST HIT PLAY WHEN YOU'RE READY.
MY NAME'S GABRIELLE MUTING, I'M CHAIR OF THE PARADE, AND THIS IS JIM LEFERRE WHO DIRECTS ALL OF OUR ENTERTAINMENT AND ALL OF OUR SPONSORSHIPS.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND ONE THING, FIRST, AS MOST OR ALL OF YOU KNOW, MONTY JET PASSED AWAY EARLY THIS MORNING.
HE WAS THE VOICE OF THE PARADE.
IT'S HEART FOR HIS HEART TO HAVE STOPPED IS UNTHINKABLE TO US.
MONTY WAS OUR SPOKESMAN FOR DECADES.
OUR CHEERLEADER AND HIS SMILE WAS WIDER THAN OUR ONE MILE LONG PARADE.
WE'D OFTEN SPOKEN OF HIM AS A CANDIDATE FOR GRAND MARSHALL AND THIS YEAR'S PARADE, HE HUMBLY ACCEPTED AND PROUDLY WORE THE SASH.
THE YEARS TO COME WON'T BE THE SAME.
AND SO, AS WE ARE DEEP INTO PLANNING OUR 40TH PARADE, THE OLDEST ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE'RE HERE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, FOR US TO KEEP, UH, THE PARADE MARCHING DOWN POPE AVENUE, AND TO HOPEFULLY ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED HELP MOVING FORWARD.
AS YOU DISCUSS AND MAKE YOUR DECISIONS, WE'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE AT THE PARADE AS IF YOU WERE VISITING OUR ISLAND IN MARCH FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
[03:05:17]
THANK YOU.WE'RE PROUD TO BE HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S LARGEST FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT FROM 30 TO 45,000 PEOPLE ATTEND EACH YEAR.
WE WERE PROBABLY UPWARDS OF 42 THIS PAST YEAR WHERE YOU JUST SAW THAT VIDEO.
AND THANKS TO YOU, OUR EVENT IS EXTREMELY SAFE BECAUSE SOME OF THE FUNDING HELPS US PAY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO HELP PROTECT OUR ATTENDEES.
ALSO, THANKS TO YOU, WE HAVE MORE ENTERTAINING PIPE AND DRUM BANDS THAN EVEN SAVANNAH'S PARADE.
THEY HAVE EVEN STARTED TEAMING UP WITH US TO SHARE SOME ENTERTAINMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE BACK TO BACK.
WE ALSO USUALLY GET THE CLYDESDALES, WHICH EVERYBODY LOVES WITH MORE MARKETING DOLLARS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUT AND GEOTARGET PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO GO TO GAELIC FESTIVALS, EVENTS LIKE THAT, SCOTTISH GAMES, RIGHT? WHEN THEY'RE AT THOSE EVENTS.
AND THAT BRINGS THEM HERE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE CHOSEN A NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITY BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY MAYOR PERRY, WHO SERVED ON OUR COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS AND WAS ITS CHAIRMAN TO BE INCLUDED ON THE NEW HILTON HEAD ISLAND MONOPOLY BOARD.
MAYOR PERRY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WASN'T JUST A GAME, BUT THAT IT INTRODUCED OUR COMMUNITY INSIDE AND OUT TO ANYONE THAT PURCHASED AND PLAYED THE GAME.
SO HE ENCOURAGED LARGER EVENTS LIKE OURS TO BECOME A SPACE ON THE BOARD AND GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY, AND ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY CHEST CARD OF OUR OWN TO EXPLAIN ALL ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PARADE.
SO I WOULD AT THIS POINT HAVE YOU ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I'LL JUST SAY AS FOLLOWING UP ON OUR LAST APPLICANT, YOU KNOW, THE ST.
PATRICK DAY PARADE REALLY KICKS OFF THE SPRING FOR US HERE.
EXACTLY THE DIALS COMING TO LIFE.
UH, WE'RE HEADING INTO, YOU KNOW, SPRING BREAKS AND SPRING TIMES HEADING INTO THE HERITAGE, THE RBC.
SO, UH, THIS IS ONE WE LOOK FORWARD TO.
YOU KNOW, WE COME OUT OF OUR, OUR WINTER MONTHS AND THIS REALLY DOES KICK IT OFF ON THE ISLAND, AND IT DOES HAVE A LONG RUNNING HISTORY OF HAVING A WONDERFUL PARADE.
AND NOT ONLY JUST A A, A GOOD PARADE, BUT ALSO IT'S VERY WELL DONE ON THE SECURITY AND SAFETY SIDE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD FAMILY EVENT.
I HAVE KIDS AND GOING TO THIS ONE IS ONE THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO MM-HMM.
SO, UH, GOOD JOB ON THAT STUFF.
CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING IT THE 40 YEARS.
SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE PASSING OF MONTE.
I HADN'T HEARD THAT, BUT OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THAT FAMILY AS WELL.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMITTEE MEMBERS? OKAY.
JIMMY, WE ARE A LITTLE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE HERE, BUT I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE THE HILTON HEAD CENTRAL ORCHESTRA IN THE HOUSE.
WE'LL GIVE MS. SMITH A MINUTE TO PULL EVERYTHING TOGETHER FOR YOU.
AND IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE THIS YEAR, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU.
RESIDENT BY WAY I'S SPENT 16 YEARS IN VERMONT WHEN SOMEBODY TALKS ABOUT A LONG, DARK WINTER.
I GREW UP IN, I THINK WINTER STARTED, IT SNOWED 12 INCHES TODAY AT JP.
I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA SNOW HERE THIS MORNING WHEN I WALKED OUTSIDE
I KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE WARMER, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE CHILLY.
CAN I USE THE, REMEMBER? YEAH, REMEMBER THAT YOUR VIDEO, WE COULDN'T, SO I'VE GOT IT HERE FOR YOU.
UM, BUT LET'S GET YOU THE SLIDE SHOW, AND IF YOU WANNA VIEW FULL SCREEN, YOU CAN.
YEAH, I THINK YOU JUST NEED TO DO DOWN YOUR, OKAY.
UH, WILL I DO THE ANIMATION THOUGH? SO IT GONNA DO THE ANIMATION? I NEED THE ANIMATION FOR THE VIDEO.
CAN YOU JUST OPEN IT UP IN POWERPOINT? I SEE IT'S NOT DONE.
THIS, THIS, THIS ISN'T A POWER.
UM, IS THIS NOT WHAT YOU WANTED? WELL, IT IS.
IT'S THE IT'S THE POWERPOINT, BUT I HAVE ANIMATION IN IT SO THAT, UH, I DON'T THINK YOU SENT IT TO ME A POWERPOINT.
SO YOU HAVE LIKE, IT'S NOT ACTUAL IN LET'S SEE THE DOCUMENTS.
SEE, WE HAVE TO OPEN, WE HAVE TO OPEN IT UP.
[03:10:01]
HMM.THAT'S PROBABLY, DO YOU HAVE TO OPEN UP, DO YOU HAVE POWER? SHOOT? I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE FLASH DRIVE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE CAN, CAN WE, CAN YOU DOWNLOAD IT AND HAVE IT IN? I JUST HAVE THE LINK YOU SENT ME.
BUT IS THERE A WAY TO, TO, UH, GO.
NOW WE CAN GO TO START THE SLIDESHOW.
SO YOUR VIDEO MIGHT WORK FROM HERE AND IF NOT, JUST EXIT OUT.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED? WHEN I'M GLAD WE'RE A LITTLE AHEAD.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, AND WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE NEWS ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY.
LATER TODAY, JUST IN A FEW HOURS, THE HHSO OPENS ITS 20 24, 20 25 SEASON OF ORCHESTRAL PRESENTATIONS AT MARTIN FAMILY PARK IN BLUFFTON WITH A FREE WHAT WAS TO BE AN OUTDOOR CONCERT, BUT IT'S NOW GOING TO BE AN INDOOR CONCERT, UM, TONIGHT CALLED THE COUNTRY DIVAS.
THIS PERFORMANCE KICKS OFF THE FINAL WEEKEND OF THE HISTORIC BLUFFTON ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, ONE OF THE LARGEST TOURIST DRAWING EVENTS IN THAT TOWN.
THE SAME PROGRAM WILL BE PRESENTED TOMORROW, OCTOBER 18TH, STARTING AT 7:30 PM HOPEFULLY AT OUR BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR HOME LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK.
WE HOPE YOU HAVE IN YOUR CALENDAR THIS EXCITING FREE PERFORMANCE, A SIGNATURE EVENT OF THE MONTH LONG CRESCENDO FESTIVAL, MOUNTED BY THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND THE ARTS COUNCIL.
THREE EXCEPTIONAL SINGERS JOIN THE HHSO AND JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL IN A CELEBRATION OF THE ROOTS OF COUNTRY MUSIC, PUTTING THE COUNTRY IN LOW COUNTRY THREE ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY OCTOBER 20TH AND 21ST AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
WE WILL PRESENT OUR FIRST ORCHESTRA SERIES CONCERTS OF THE SEASON WITH SPINX COMPETITION WINNER AND HARLEM STRING QUARTET FOUNDER MELISSA WHITE, PERFORMING MAX BROOKS VIOLIN CONCERTO.
THE PROGRAM CLOSES WITH THE TRIUMPHANT SYMPHONY NUMBER FOUR BY TCHAIKOVSKY.
THIS LAUNCHES OUR TRADITIONAL NINE PROGRAM, 18 CONCERT CLASSICAL SERIES THAT RUNS THROUGH LATE APRIL SERIES.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE PERFORMED DURING AMERICAN MUSIC MONTH IN NOVEMBER, OUR MUCH LOVED HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT FEATURING THE HILTON HEAD DANCE THEATER, CARMINA BARONA WITH THE HHSO CHORUS AND CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY CONCERT CHOIR AND SOLOIST FROM CHERYL MILL'S, SAVANNAH VOICE FESTIVAL AND MUSIC BY BEETHOVEN, MENDELSSOHN, VIVALDI, MOZART, WC, AND MANY MORE.
AND IN FEBRUARY, WE WILL PRESENT A TRIBUTE TO JUDY GARLAND.
OUR SEASON STARTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WITH THE FOURTH ANNUAL JAZZ IN THE PARK SERIES OF SIX FREE CONCERTS AT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK.
DESPITE SOME VERY HOT WEATHER AT SEVERAL CONCERTS, AND ANOTHER WHERE OUR SUDDEN CLOUDBURST TURNED THE PAVILION INTO NOT ONLY A STAGE BUT AN AUDIENCE SEATING AREA.
THE SERIES DREW AN ESTIMATED 2,700 ATTENDEES THROUGH OUR ONLINE CONTESTS.
WE ESTIMATE THAT 32% OF THE AUDIENCES WERE TOURISTS AND ANOTHER 10% WERE VISITORS.
THIS SERIES WAS CONCEIVED WITH COLIGNY PLAZA SPECIFICALLY TO REACH OUR TOURISTS AND VISITORS.
CONTINUING PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHIGNY PLAZA, THE BEACH HOUSE, THE JAZZ CORNER, AND JUNIOR JAZZ FOUNDATION, AND NEW SPONSOR CHARTER ONE REALTY EXPANDED OUR PROMOTIONAL REACH, OUR JULY, 2023 SURVEY OF JAZZ IN THE PARK AND SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS CONCERT ATTENDEES REVEALED HALF VISIT HILTON HEAD MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR.
72% STAY IN HOTELS OR VACATION RENTALS.
63% STAY FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, AND ANOTHER 22% STAY ONE MONTH OR LONGER.
43% ARE PART OF GROUPS OF FOUR OR MORE TOURISTS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO THE HHSO 98% SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO ATTEND ANOTHER PERFORMANCE WHEN THEY COME BACK.
FOLLOWING OUR CONCERTS THIS WEEKEND, WE WILL SURVEY THE ATTENDEES OF THESE SAME PERFORMANCES IN LATE 2023 AND ALL OF 2024 LAST MONTH, WE KICKED OFF THE FOURTH SEASON OF OUR SUNDAY EVENING COASTAL HOME SUPPER CLUB AT SOUND WAVES, THIS MONTHLY DINNER AND CABARET OFFERING FEATURE SUPPER, SUPPER FROM A VARIETY OF COLIGNY AREA RESTAURANTS, FOLLOWED BY PERFORMANCES CURATED BY SAVANNAH THEATERS, GRETCHEN CHRISTINE STELZER THEMES HAVE INCLUDED YACHT ROCK FRANK SINATRA AND DEAN MARTIN DISCO MOTOWN
[03:15:01]
AND ALL, GEORGE GERSHWIN, COLE PORTER, AND BURT BECKER ACT NIGHTS ALL 37 SHOWS TO DATE HAVE SOLD OUT EARLIER THIS MONTH.WE LAUNCHED THE THIRD SEASON OF OUR GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL SERIES AT SOUND WAVES, WHICH FEATURED CHARLTON SINGLETON TRUMPETER WITH THE TWO TIME GRAMMY WHINING GROUP RANK TANKY CHARLTON WAS JOINED BY GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR RESILIENCY MANAGER, ERICA XAVIER BEAUVOIR IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND THE WORLDWIDE IMPACT OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY.
IN PARTNERSHIP NOW WITH THE GULLAH MUSEUM, HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK, AND THE NATIVE ISLAND BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ASSOCIATION, THE PRESENTATIONS ARE OUR REVERSE OF THE TALK SHOW FORMAT WITH MUSIC AND OTHER PERFORMANCES INTERSPERSED WITH INTERVIEWS AND COMMENTS FROM OUR GUEST, MC.
WE WILL PRESENT FOUR GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL SERIES PROGRAMS THIS SEASON WITH ONE OR TWO TAKEN TO PUBLIC SPACES IN GULLAH COMMUNITIES AND PRESENTED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE ARE ALSO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SOUND WAVES RENTALS TO OTHER PRESENTERS, INCLUDING THIS SEASON LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER.
OUR 2024 INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION FEATURED THE TRIENNIAL BRAVO PIANO FESTIVAL.
IT WAS NOT A COMPETITION, BUT IT SHOWCASED MANY OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST PIANISTS.
NOW WE DO NOT LIVE STREAM THE FESTIVAL, THUS OUR GLOBAL VIEWERSHIP FOR THIS YEAR WAS DOWN THE 2025 COMPETITION WILL FEATURE 18 TO 30-YEAR-OLD COMPETITORS, WHICH SHOULD DRAW 1500 UNIQUE VISITORS AND 15,000 PLAYS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, PLUS 72 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
NOW, AS OUR APPLICANT POOL OF 193 INCLUDES PIANISTS FROM 31 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, WE ARE BULLISH ABOUT OUR PREDICTIONS.
LAST SEASON, THE HHSO AND PIANO COMPETITION DIRECTLY ACCOUNTED FOR 109 ROOM NIGHTS FOR OUR VISITING ARTISTS.
WITH THE COMPETITION THIS SEASON, THAT NUMBER WILL BE CLOSER TO 175.
BEYOND THAT FAMILIES OF PARTICIPANTS IN OUR YOUTH CONCERTO COMPETITION AND CHAMBER MUSIC INSTITUTE AND HHSO MUSICIANS COMING FROM AFAR UTILIZE AREA HOTELS FOR THEIR ACCOMMODATIONS.
ADD TO THAT THE MANY AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHO REQUIRE ACCOMMODATIONS, AND YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT HEADS IN BEDS DRIVER.
BETWEEN OUR 18 ORCHESTRA SERIES PERFORMANCES, THREE FREE SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS OUTDOOR POPS CONCERTS, THE HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION, THE YOUTH CONCERTO COMPETITION, THE CHAMBER MUSIC INSTITUTE, OUR SUPPER CLUB, AND THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL SERIES AT SOUND WAVES AND JAZZ IN THE PARK.
THE HHO ANTICIPATES THAT ITS 66 PRESENTATIONS DURING THE 24 25 SEASON WILL DRAW A TOTAL LIVE AUDIENCE IN EXCESS OF 24,000.
AND USING THE RATIOS FROM THIS SEASON, THIS LAST SEASON, WE ESTIMATE 5,250 OF OUR PATRONS WILL BE TOURISTS AND ANOTHER 4,400 WILL BE VISITORS.
IN PREPARING OUR APPLICATION THIS YEAR, WE DISCOVERED A CONUNDRUM WHILE OUR HILTON HEAD ISLAND TOURIST NUMBERS GREW BY NEARLY 20%, AND OUR VISITOR VISITOR NUMBERS GREW BY A WHOPPING 67%.
OUR RESIDENT NUMBERS ALSO GREW BY 64%.
NOW THESE ARE STAGGERING INCREASES, BUT THE MATH RESULTS IN OUR TOURIST AND VISITOR PERCENTAGE DROPPING SLIGHTLY TO 41.13%.
WE HOPE THAT OUR EXTRAORDINARY RESIDENT INCREASES WILL NOT OVERSHADOW THE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES WE MADE IN TOURIST AND VISITORS NUMBERS LAST SEASON.
ONE MORE STATISTIC FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OUR AT TAX COST PER TOURIST PLUS VISITOR RATIO DECREASED BY 19.2% BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024.
WE INTEND TO CONTINUE THAT TREND.
THE 6% INCREASE INCLUDED IN OUR 2025 RE IN REQUEST WILL CONTINUE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND ELECTRONIC MARKETING EXPANSION EFFORTS THAT HAVE DRIVEN OUR IMPRESSIVE RESULTS AND TO OFFSET THE INFLATION DRIVEN INCREASES IN MARKETING, ARTISTIC, AND PRODUCTION COSTS.
THE SUCCESS AND GROWTH OF THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IS A LOCAL SUCCESS STORY COMPOSED OF NATIVE AND IMPORTED MUSIC LOVERS, BUSINESSES AND FOUNDATIONS, AND A PUBLIC SUPPORT MECHANISM THAT IS RELATIVELY UNIQUE IN THE ORCHESTRA INDUSTRY.
WE HOPE OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE TOURIST AND VISITOR INDUSTRY MIRRORS THE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT PROVIDED TO THE HSSO THROUGH OUR ANNUAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ADMINISTERED THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED CONTINUED HELP AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS
[03:20:01]
PROPOSAL.OUR MUSIC FOR EVERYONE THEME SPEAKS TO THE UNIVERSALITY OF WHAT WE OFFER, BUT TO DISPEL ANY NOTIONS ABOUT STUFFY CLASSICAL MUSIC, I'M GONNA CLOSE WITH OUR BRAVO PIANO FINALE ENCORE PERFORMED BY OUR THREE SOLOISTS OF THAT EVENING, AND I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY IT IF IT PLAYS.
ENJOY DESSERT AFTER YOUR THREE COURSE MEAL.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE HERE? I'LL JUST SAY YOU HAVE A FULL CALENDAR, YOU HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS THAT HAPPEN AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOU BUSY WEEK
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SELL OUT OF 37 EVENTS ALREADY TO DATE, SO THAT'S FANTASTIC.
UH, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THOSE DETAILS ON NOT ONLY THE TOURISM NUMBERS GROWING AND LOCAL VISITORS, BUT ALSO THE RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, THAT DOES SKEW YOUR NUMBERS, BUT GROWTH IS GOOD ALWAYS.
SO, UH, WE'RE ENCOURAGED TO SEE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY ON THAT ONE.
UH, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, JUST WANTED TO SAY THE, UH, THE CONCERTS IN THE PARK PROBABLY ATTRACT A MUCH WIDER AUDIENCE OF TOURISTS THAN, THAN, UH, YOU COULD POSSIBLY CAPTURE.
AND, UH, AND SO, UH, I KNOW I'M, I KNOW THAT THAT'S GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY AND, UH, WHEN
[03:25:01]
I, WHENEVER I'M DOWN THERE, I SEE THAT HAPPEN.PEOPLE JUST WALK BY AND WALK AND CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.
SO YEAH, WE TRY TO COUNT THE, THE, THE, THE DRIVE BY THE BIKE BYS AND THE WALK BYS AND EVERYTHING.
SO YEAH, I, I I ALSO APPRECIATE HOW COLLABORATIVE YOUR ORGANIZATION IS WITH ALL SORTS OF, UH, OTHER ISLAND, UH, ARTS AND CULTURAL GROUPS, AND IT'S REALLY COMMENDABLE AND, UM, I COULD NOT IMAGINE THIS ISLAND WITHOUT THE HHSO.
IT, IT'S SUCH A IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION, SO THANK YOU.
EARLIER WE HEARD FROM THE FOLKS AT CONCORD THAT IT'S A TOP THREE CONCOR EVENT IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, HAVING BEEN A FORMER HOST FOR ONE OF YOUR PANEL INTERNATIONAL PANEL COMPETITION COMPETITORS MM-HMM.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THREE, FOUR, OR FIVE IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY, BUT OH, IT, IT, IT IS AN AMAZING, YEAH, THERE ARE MANY, AND I, I MEAN, THIS PAST YEAR WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF OUR FORMER WINNERS GO ON TO WIN THE LEADS COMPETITION, THE NANS COMPETITION, UH, ONES ALL ACROSS THE WORLD, AND THEY CONTINUE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR STARTS WERE HERE WITH THE HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION.
WHERE DO THE MAJORITY OF YOUR MUSICIANS COME FROM?
I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT THREE OF THEM THAT LIVE ON THE ISLAND.
RIGHT? UH, MOST OF THEM ARE BASED EITHER IN SAVANNAH OR CHARLESTON.
UM, AND SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE HAD TO GO EVEN FURTHER AFIELD TO BRING IN, UH, PEOPLE.
OUR NEW HARPIST ACTUALLY LIVES IN CINCINNATI.
REALLY? SHE HAS FAMILY HERE, SO THERE'S A REASON FOR HER TO COME.
UH, BUT YEAH, THEY'RE, I MEAN, ATLANTA, JACKSONVILLE, UH, UP IN THE CHARLOTTE, UH, NORTH CAROLINA AREA, WE DRAW THEM FROM ALL OVER.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT ATYPICAL FOR A REGIONAL ORCHESTRA.
I MEAN, OTHER ORCHESTRAS WHERE I'VE BEEN, WE WOULD DRAW FROM 200, 300 MILES AWAY TO BRING THE, THE RIGHT PLAYERS IN.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TALENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THEM IN.
WE ARE A LITTLE BIT, UH, EXCUSE ME, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE HERE.
DO WE HAVE THE HILTON NET AUTONOM SOCIETY? YOU'RE HERE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BRING YOU UP.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE A LITTLE EARLY.
ONCE, UH, WE GET YOU SET UP HERE, IF YOU DON'T MIND TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, OKAY.
I'M JUST GONNA PLAY FROM THE BEGINNING.
UM, AND THEN BACK IF YOU NEED TO.
I'M A BOARD MEMBER AND THE TREASURER OF HILTON HEAD AUDUBON, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TO PRESENT OUR CASE AND TO REPRESENT HILTON HEAD AUDUBON FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW FOR THIS A TAX PRESENTATION.
UH, WE ARE HILTON HEAD AUDUBON.
WE ARE BIRD LOVERS AND OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT BIRDS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
ALL THE WORK WE DO IS DONE BY VOLUNTEERS BOARD, UM, AND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR ORGANIZATION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE NO PAID STAFF.
WE HAVE 331 MEMBERS, A GOOD PORTION OF OF 'EM LIVE OFF OF ISLAND, UM, INCLUDING MANY PART-TIME RESIDENTS, AND MANY REPEAT VISITORS.
WE HAVE NORTHERNERS WHO COME DOWN IN THE WINTER FOR A FEW WEEKS, AND MANY FOLKS WHO COME DURING SPRING AND FALL FOR BIRD MIGRATION SEASON.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS ON THE ATLANTIC FLYWAY, SO WE'RE CREATING A PLACE FOR SHOREBIRDS AND SONGBIRDS TO REST AS THEY MIGRATE NORTH TO SOUTH AND SOUTH TO NORTH, MUCH LIKE OUR TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS.
OUR CROWN JEWEL IS AUDUBON NEW HALL PRESERVE, WHICH WE OWN AND MANAGE, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE A LITTLE BIT LATER.
WE ALSO MAINTAIN A VERY ROBUST WEBSITE AND A VERY, VERY ACTIVE FACEBOOK PAGE, UM, THAT GIVES TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE TO GO BIRDING AND WHAT INCREDIBLE BIRDS WE HAVE ON THIS ISLAND.
UM, NEWHALL IS A MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION.
WE'VE OWNED AND MANAGED THIS PROPERTY FOR 50 YEARS.
UH, IT'S A QUIET OASIS WHERE TOURISTS COME TO SEE OUR UNIQUE ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS. AND WE SPEND MOST OF OUR PROGRAM MONEY ON, UM, MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF NEW HALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE LEAD NATURE AND BIRD WALKS ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAY MORNINGS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE JOINING THE WALK ARE MOSTLY TO US, BOTH BIRDERS AND THOSE INTERESTED IN BEING OUT IN NATURE.
WE COUNT TOURISTS AND VISITORS THROUGH A LOGBOOK AND A PEOPLE COUNTER IN THE LOGBOOK.
WE ASK PEOPLE WHETHER THEY ARE LOCAL OR, AND IF AND
[03:30:01]
IF NOT, WHAT STATE THEY COME FROM.LAST YEAR WE INSTALLED A PEOPLE COUNTER TO IMPROVE OUR COUNTING PROCESS.
THE PEOPLE COUNTER COUNTS EVERYBODY WHO WALKS PAST THE KIOSK AND GOES DOWN THE MAIN TRAIL.
THIS WAS INSTALLED IN JUNE, 2023.
SINCE WE'VE INSTALLED THE P PEOPLE COUNTER, WE FOUND THAT PEOPLE SIGNING THE LOGBOOK COMPARED TO THE PEOPLE.
COUNTER COUNT HAS RANGED FROM 22 TO 28%, WHICH WE THINK IS A FAIRLY CONSISTENT RATIO.
WE USE THE VISITOR LOG BOOK AS COMPARED TO THE PEOPLE.
COUNTER TO EXTRAPOLATE HOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO NEWHALL ARE TOURISTS, WHICH IS ABOUT 90% BASED UPON THE LOGBOOK COUNT ITSELF.
VISITATION TO NEWHALL INCREASED BY ABOUT 7% OVER LAST YEAR, WHICH WE BELIEVE GIVEN THE OVERALL DECREASE IN TOURISTS IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
THIS CHART SHOWS A BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT NEW HALL'S VISITORS.
UM, THE DATA RUNS FROM AUGUST, 2023 TO JULY, 2024.
UM, WE HAD VISITORS FROM 49 STATES, DC AND PUERTO RICO, UM, AND ALSO 11 COUNTRIES.
THE ONLY STATE WE MISSED WAS NEVADA.
THE TOP STATES FOR VISITORS ARE OHIO, NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH WE SAW A BIG JUMP IN THIS YEAR.
NON-LOCAL SOUTH CAROLINIANS, GEORGIA, PENNSYLVANIA, FLORIDA.
WITH CANADA CONTINUING TO BE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF NON-US VISITORS.
WE'RE FINDING MORE VISITORS COMING FROM NEARBY STATES AND THAN IN WE'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO HOW DOES AUDUBON BRING TOURISTS TO THE ISLAND AND MAKE HAPPY OF THOSE WHO DO VISIT? WHEN WE FIRST REQUESTED AT A, WE WERE PRIMARILY A BIRD CLUB THAT FOCUSED ON ITS MEMBERS AND ENSURING THAT THE ISLAND REMAINED AN EXCELLENT PLACE FOR NATURE AND ITS BIRDS.
THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE EVOLVED INTO A MORE OUTWARDLY FOCUSED ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE NOW PRODUCING LARGER EVENTS TO GET OUR MESSAGE OF HELPING BIRDS IN NATURE TO A MUCH BIGGER AUDIENCE, MANY OF WHOM OUS.
WE ARE NO LONGER A PASSIVE SITE THAT IS FOUND.
WE ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA, BIRDING CONVERSATIONS TO GET PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND, AND WE USE PAID ADVERTISING FOR BIRDERS TO DISCOVER WHAT A WONDERFUL DESTINATION HILTON HEAD IS FOR NATURE AND FOR BIRDING.
ALONG WITH ACTIVELY PROMOTING ECOTOURISM, WE'VE CONTINUED TO USE AT E FUNDING TO IMPROVE AUDUBON NEW HALL PRESERVE.
NEWHALL IS BY FAR OUR LARGEST DRAW FOR TOURISTS.
WE'RE THRILLED WITH OUR NEW KIOSK.
WE NOW PROVIDE VISITORS WITH MUCH MORE INFORMATION THAN BEFORE TO ENHANCE THEIR VISIT.
ALSO, WE'VE REPURPOSED THE OLD KIOSK TO BE VERY TOURIST FRIENDLY, SHOWING WHERE VISITORS MIGRATE FROM AND HAVE PLAYFULLY ENCOURAGED THEM TO SIGN THE LOGBOOK.
AND WE'VE ALSO LISTED THE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, RECENT UPGRADES TO NEW HALL, MANY WHICH WERE FUNDED BY ATEX.
WE'VE HAD A VERY BUSY YEAR WORKING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ON THE ISLAND THROUGH A NATIONAL AUDUBON GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR.
WE'VE DEVELOPED A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK IN 2024.
WE WERE HONORED TO BE ASKED TO HOST A BIRDS IN NATURE DAY.
DURING THEIR WEEK LONG JUNETEENTH 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
WE INVITED THE ISLANDS, OTHER CONSERVATION GROUPS AND OTHER STATEWIDE CONSERVATION ADVOCATES TO JOIN US.
ALL GROUPS AGREED IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO JOIN FORCES.
NEXT YEAR, WE HOPE TO MAKE THE EVENT BIGGER AND BETTER.
WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FRIENDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE REFUGES TO PROVIDE WEEKLY BIRD WALKS ON PICKNEY ISLAND.
DURING SPRING MIGRATION, WE TRANSPORTED VISITORS USING A GOLF CART OUT TO IDAS POND, AND THESE FOLKS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WALK OUT THERE, SO THEY GOT TO SEE SOME OF THE BEAUTY THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS TO OFFER.
ALSO, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS JOINED THE LOW COUNTRY ENVIRONMENT CLUB.
UH, HILTON HAD A ROTARY FURTHER DEEPEN DEEPENING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER CONSERVATION-MINDED GROUPS.
SO HILTON HEAD AUDUBON HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PAST THREE YEARS SINCE 2021.
OUR REVENUE HAS TRIPLED IN THE PAST.
THE PAST TWO AT TAX GRANTS CON CONTRIBUTED A GREAT DEAL TO OUR GROWTH, AND IT'S JUST NOT ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THE ATAC AT TAX DOLLARS WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE TOWN.
[03:35:01]
IT'S THE TYPE OF FUNDING WE'RE NOW OUTWARD, MUCH MORE OUTWARDLY FOCUSED ON ATTRACTING MORE TOURISTS.WE ENVISION BACK IN 2021 THAT HILTON HEAD COULD BE A MORE VIBRANT ORGANIZATION, DO MORE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ACHIEVED THAT GOAL THROUGH LARGER MEMBERSHIP, MORE VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT, AND MANY MORE ACTIVITIES OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT IS, THAT ARE OF INTEREST BOTH TO RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS ALIKE.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING OUR ASSETS.
TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WE NEED TO HIRE A STAFF OR CONSULTANT TO FOCUS ON CON CONSERVATION, WHICH IS THE BASIS OF OUR MISSION.
THIS PERSON WOULD LEAD EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO BOTH TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS.
WE'VE SUBMITTED A GRANT TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY TO KICKSTART THIS EFFORT.
AFTER ONE YEAR, THE ASSETS WE'VE SET ASIDE WOULD, WILL BE USED TO FUND THIS POSITION.
SO I'LL CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION WITH A SUMMARY OF THE FUNDING WE'RE REQUESTING.
UM, PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS FOR HILTON HEAD AUDUBON.
WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRONG AND CAN FUND OUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS FROM CURRENT REVENUE SOURCES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS VERY MUCH.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE DETAILS ON THE FINANCIALS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE EXPENSES DOUBLING? IS THAT JUST THE INVESTMENT YOU'RE MAKING, LIKE THE SIGNAGE AND STUFF? I'M SORRY.
THE EXPENSES FROM 23 TO 24 WENT FROM 28 TO I THINK 56,000 DOUBLING IN EXPENSES.
WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE LINE ITEMS? UM, IT'S PRIMARILY GRANTS WE'RE GETTING.
SO IT WOULD BE MONEY WE WOULDN'T SPEND UNLESS WE GOT A GRANT.
UM, WE GOT $10,000 FROM NATIONAL AUDUBON, WHICH WE SPENT ON PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, THE CELEBRATE OUR FIRST CELEBRATION OR OUR FIRST, UH, PRESENCE AT JUNETEENTH.
AND WE ALSO GOT A GRANT TO DO THE, UH, INITIAL BIRD WALK OUT AT PICKNEY.
SO THERE, WE, WE ASK FOR GRANTS, WE GET THE MONEY AND WE DO ADDITIONAL WORK.
SO, SO BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO DO MORE EVENTS, YOUR EXPENSES ARE GROWING RIGHT.
'CAUSE YOUR EXPOSURE IS THERE FOR, OKAY, THAT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE.
YOU SAY IT MUCH BETTER THAN I DO.
UH, JUST WANTED TO CLARIFICATION ONTO THAT.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE HERE? I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO, UH, TO GET MORE DATA.
IT'S FUNNY, THE, THE, THE KIOSKS SIGN YOU CAME UP WITH TO GET PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN IT.
SO IT'S VERY SMART, UH, WAY TO GET IT.
WELL, WE KNEW EVERYBODY WASN'T SIGNING THE VISITOR LOG AND PEOPLE WOULD THROW AROUND DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
SO I'M LIKE, WHEN DO, WHY DON'T WE JUST COUNT EVERYBODY COMING IN AND THEN WE COULD HAVE THE LOG BOOK AND IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE MORE DATA PEOPLE COUNTER, BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL, I CAN TELL YOU THE LOG INCREASE, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU THE PEOPLE COUNTER INCREASE UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN THAT COUNTER.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE FOLKS THERE TAKING, THERE'S NOT A GATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S OPEN FOR FOLKS TO YEAH.
SO, UH, IT'S NICE TO KNOW HOW MANY FOLKS ARE WALKING THOSE TRAILS AND TAKING A LOOK.
AND IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH PARK I GO TO ACROSS THE ISLAND, SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS WITH BINOCULARS, LOOKING UP AT THE BIRDS
WELL, THE BIRDS ARE EVERYWHERE, WHICH THEY, WE ENJOY.
SO THEY'RE ANYTHING ELSE? YES, SIR.
HEY, YOUR, YOUR FINANCIAL SHOW A PROFIT THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
WHAT PURPOSE, WHAT DO YOU SEE TO, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA DO FOR THAT? OH, WE'VE PURPOSELY BEEN CONTROLLING OUR EXPENSES BECAUSE WE KNEW TO GET TO THE NEXT STEP, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF PAID STAFF AND WE CAN HANDLE ALL THE ADMINISTRATION STUFF, BUT WE'VE BEEN UNABLE TO, UM, FIND SOMEBODY TO LEAD OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS, UM, WORK WITH THE TOWN, WORK WITH OTHER GROUPS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WANNA MAKE THAT OUR FIRST PART-TIME PAID POSITION.
SO WHEN WE GO TO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, A LOW COUNTRY NEXT WEEK, UM, WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR MONEY TO FUND THAT POSITION FOR ONE YEAR.
AND THEIR QUESTION TO ME AND TO OUR BOARD IS GONNA BE, HOW CAN YOU SUSTAIN THIS? SO WE WANTED TO BUILD UP ENOUGH ASSETS SO WE CAN SUSTAIN IT.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE SOMEBODY COMES FOR A YEAR, GETS A LOT OF STUFF DONE, AND THE PROJECT FALLS ASIDE.
SO WE'VE BEEN SETTING ASIDE RESERVES SO WE COULD CONTINUE DOING THAT.
THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
CONTINUING BEING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD SCHEDULE.
DO WE HAVE THE FOLKS FROM THE HILTON HEAD CHORAL SOCIETY PRESENT.
[03:40:01]
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.APPRECIATE YOU BEING A LITTLE EARLY.
WE'LL GET A AHEAD OF THE GAME HERE.
WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA PUT THIS IN SLIDESHOW MODE.
I'M FINE FROM THE BEGINNING, SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HIT ENTER.
IF YOU WANNA GO BACK, JUST HIT THAT BACK BUTTON.
I'M DAVID COYLE, UH, OF THE REPRESENTING THE, THE CHORAL SOCIETY.
I'M JOINED BY, UH, KATHY JACKSON, WHO WAS OUR LONGSTANDING TREASURER AND KNOWS A LOT MORE ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAN I DO.
UH, THE, UH, UH, THIS IS A SPECIAL YEAR FOR THE CORAL SOCIETY, AS YOU'LL SEE.
UH, WE WERE FOUNDED IN 19 79, 5, WHICH IS 49 YEARS FROM NOW.
UH, AND I WANNA SPEAK MOSTLY ABOUT THAT.
SO I, YOU'VE, WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
I THINK YOU KNOW A FAIR AMOUNT ABOUT THE CORAL SOCIETY.
YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY OBVIOUSLY TO READ OUR APPLICATION.
UH, AND SO LET ME JUST A FEW QUICK FACTS.
UH, THE CHORUS CONSISTS OF 60 TO 70 SINGERS, DEPENDING ON PEOPLE'S TRAVEL SCHEDULES, ET CETERA.
WE PERFORM FOUR MAJOR CONCERTS EACH YEAR.
ONE IN THE FALL, WHICH WE DID A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UNFORTUNATELY, TWO DAYS LATE, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, HURRICANE HELENE.
UH, WE DO A HOLIDAY, UH, CONCERT IN, IN, UH, DECEMBER.
UH, WE DO A SPRING CONCERT IN, I GUESS IT'S PROBABLY IN APRIL.
AND THEN WE DO A MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, WHICH IS VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, APPRECIATED AROUND HERE.
UH, WE ALSO PROVIDE MUSIC AT THE VETERAN'S DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY, UH, CELEBRATIONS THAT THE TOWN HAS.
THE CONCERTS ARE AT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WHICH IS REALLY THE ONLY PLACE IN HILTON HEAD WHERE CAN HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WE DO EMPLOY A PROFESSIONAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, DR.
LEY, UH, WHO LIVES, UH, IN CHARLES CHARLESTON.
UH, WE ALSO EMPLOY A, UH, A, UH, UH, ACCOMPANIST, UH, WHO'S A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, MEMBER OF THE, OF THE SOCIETY.
WE, WE EMPLOY FOR EACH CONCERT A AN ORCHESTRA OF PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, MANY OF WHICH COME FROM THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
WE HAVE REDUCED THE SIZE OF THAT, UH, ORCHESTRA OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, PRIMARILY, UH, FOR, UH, ECONOMIC REASONS.
BUT ALSO WE HAVE FOUND THAT, UH, THE AUDIENCE, UH, ENJOYS THAT BECAUSE THE, UH, BEFORE, PRIOR TO THAT, IN SOME CASES, THE ORCHESTRA TENDED TO, TO KIND OF OUT, OUT, UH, NOISE THE, UH, THE SINGERS.
SO THAT'S WORKING RATHER WELL.
UH, WE OCCASIONALLY BRING IN, UH, PROFESSIONAL SOLOISTS AND GUEST PERFORMERS, AND AS I SAID, WE'VE BEEN PERFORMING FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.
UH, I WILL SPEAK TO MARKETING A BIT SINCE THAT'S WHAT WE USE THE AT TAX MONEY FOR.
WE, UH, WE WILL, WE HAVE USED IT AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE IT IN OUR MARKETING EFFORTS.
OUR CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET BEFORE MARKETING IS $37,000.
IMPORTANTLY, 15,000 OF THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO WEB AND DIGITAL ADVERTISING.
THAT'S UP FROM ONLY $10,000 TWO YEARS AGO WHEN IT REPRESENTED ONLY 25% OF THE TOTAL.
WE THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN REACH, UH, NON HILTON HEAD AUDIENCE, UH, AND HELP TO BRING IN, UH, TOURISTS AND VISITORS TO, UH, TO HILTON HEAD.
WE FEEL THIS MARKETING EFFORT IS HAVING SOME, SOME, SOME SUCCESS.
LAST YEAR, TOURISTS ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 9% OF OUR AUDIENCE VERSUS 7% THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND IN OUR FIRST CONCERT, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO OF THIS YEAR, UH, THEY, WE REPRESENTED 10% OF THE AUDIENCE.
SO WE THINK THAT THE SLIGHT CHANGE IN OUR MARKETING EFFORTS IS HAVING SOME EFFECT THERE.
NEXT YEAR, WE WANT TO INCREASE OUR MARKETING EFFORT.
IT'S, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS, UH, CONCERTS.
UH, NEXT YEAR WE'RE THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY PERFORMING ARTS GROUP ON HILTON HEAD, AND WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR MARKETING TO PUBLICIZE NEXT YEAR'S ANNIVERSARY.
NEXT YEAR, WE, AS I SAY, WE TO OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
WE HELD OUR FIRST CONCERT 50 YEARS AGO AND NEXT YEAR, 50 YEARS AGO AT THE HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A BUILDING WHICH DOESN'T EVEN EXIST TODAY.
UH, THE CURRENT CONCERT VENUE, UH, THE SANCTUARY AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WASN'T COMPLETED UNTIL 1989.
14 YEARS LATER, THE POPULATION
[03:45:01]
OF HILTON HEAD IN 1975 WAS ABOUT 6,500 PEOPLE VERSUS 40 SOME THOUSAND TODAY.UH, IT WAS BEFORE THE CURRENT HILTON HEAD BRIDGE WAS BUILT, WHICH WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT TEARING DOWN.
UH, IT WAS BEFORE HILTON HEAD WAS EVEN INCORPORATED AS A TOWN.
BOTH OF THOSE EVENTS TOOK PLACE IN THE EARLY 1960S.
IT WAS BEFORE A, A NUMBER OF OUR CURRENT RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES WERE FORMED.
UH, MY WIFE AND I HAVE LIVED IN LONG COVE FOR 31 YEARS, VERY HAPPILY, UH, LONG COVE WASN'T EVEN A GLEAM IN THE EYE IN 1975.
UH, IT WAS FIRST STARTED THE DEVELOPMENT IN 1980.
UH, SO WE THINK IT'S A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US TO HAVE DONE THIS OVER THE 50 YEARS, GIVEN ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN HILTON HEAD IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT'S ENTIRELY, UH, DUE TO A MAN BEING MANAGED BY AN ENTIRELY VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE, AS I SAID, TWO, UH, PART-TIME, REALLY, UH, EMPLOYEES, OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND OUR, OUR, UH, ACCOMPANY US.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING IS DONE BY VOLUNTEERS AND HAS BEEN DONE.
WE WILL BEGIN OUR CELEBRATION IN THE FALL NEXT FALL'S CONCERT, APPROXIMATELY A YEAR FROM NOW.
AND EACH OF OUR FOUR CONCERTS, WE PLAN A UNIQUE AND SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR EACH OF OF THOSE CONCERTS.
NEXT YEAR, UH, THE PLANNING IS IN PROGRESS FOR THE HOLIDAY CONCERT, THE SPRING CONCERT, AND THE MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT.
UM, THO THOSE LAST TWO WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN 1976.
UH, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY MADE PLANS FOR NEXT FALL, UH, CON, UH, SPECIAL EVENT.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO THERE IS WE HAVE ARRANGED TO COMMISSION AN ORIGINAL CORAL PIECE AT THE COST OF $5,000, WHICH FORTUNATELY IS BEING PAID BY A PATRON OF THE, OF THE CHORAL SOCIETY.
THE COMPOSER OF THAT IS Z RANDOL STROOP, WHO IS AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN AND ADMIRED IN THE CHORAL MUSIC CIRCLES.
UH, HE'S ABOUT AS WELL KNOWN AS ANYBODY COULD BE IN MODERN CHORAL CHORAL, UH, MUSICIAN.
WE THINK IT'S A SIGNIFICANT COMPLIMENT TO OUR ORGANIZATION THAT HE IS WILLING TO COMPOSE SOMETHING AND LET US BE THE FIRST TO SING THAT COMPOSITION.
THE MUSIC WILL CELEBRATE THE CHORAL SOCIETY'S LINK WITH THE LOW COUNTRY, THE SPIRITUAL KUMBAYA, WHICH I THINK EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH, HAS ROOTS IN OUR GULLAH COMMUNITY, AND WILL BE THREAD, WILL BE A THREAD, UH, IN THE, UH, PIECE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PIECE.
AND OUR PERFORMANCE WILL INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE GOLET COMMUNITY.
WE THINK THIS WILL RAISE THE PROFILE OF THE CHORAL SOCIETY.
IT WILL INCREASE OUR AUDIENCE AND BRING ADDITIONAL MUSIC LOVERS TO HILTON ED.
AND WHEN SUNG ELSEWHERE, WHICH IT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE, THE COMPOSITION WILL BRING ATTENTION TO HILTON HEAD AND ATTENTION TO OUR UL COMMUNITY.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR ANNIVERSARY, WHICH IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND ON HILTON HEAD, MOST OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'RE TALKING WITH WEREN'T AROUND 50 YEARS AGO.
UH, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF OUR CHORAL SOCIETY AND ALSO TO PROMOTE THE HISTORY OF HILTON HEAD.
BUT IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, WE REALLY NEED TO INCREASE OUR MARKETING EFFORTS IN 2025.
THE PUBLICITY AROUND THE CELEBRATION WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT US, BUT ALSO HILTON HEAD, THE GULLAH COMMUNITY AND OTHER ARTS, UH, GROUPS ON HILTON HEAD, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWING IN OUR PATH IN LATER YEARS.
WE HOPE THE A X COMMITTEE WILL AGREE TO RECOMMEND AN INCREASE IN OUR GRANT FOR NEXT YEAR BY $5,000 TO HELP US IN THIS ENDEAVOR FROM 15,000 TO 20,000.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, OBVIOUSLY, IN THE PAST, AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE THAT SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, WITH THAT, I'LL CONCLUDE AND I'LL ASK, BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UH, IF YOU CAN ELABORATE ON WHAT EFFORTS, YOU KNOW, ON YOUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR 2025, WHAT EFFORTS ARE YOU GONNA TAKE TO, TO REACH FOLKS MORE TOURISM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE SEEN THE INCREASE FROM SEVEN TO MOST RECENTLY, 10%.
UH, WHAT EFFORTS ARE YOU GONNA MAKE TO TRY TO DRIVE, CONTINUE TO DRIVE THAT NUMBER UP? WELL, WE'RE CONTINUING TO EMPHASIZE, AS I SAID, THE, THE WEB, WEB ADVERTISEMENTS AND SO FORTH, AND LISTED ON LOTS OF WEBSITES, INCLUDING OUR OWN, OBVIOUSLY.
UH, BUT, UH, WHAT WE MIGHT DO IN, IN 20 FOR THE CELEBRATION IN 2025.
ALONG THOSE LINES, REALLY, UNFORTUNATELY, I MEAN, THAT'S A YEAR FROM NOW AND WE HAVEN'T FORMED SPECIFIC PLANS.
UH, FOR ONE THING, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GONNA HAVE AVAILABLE, OBVIOUSLY.
[03:50:02]
THE, UH, UH, BUT OTHER, OTHER, OTHER THAN INCREASE AND IN WHAT KIND AND WELL, WHETHER WE WILL BE USING NEXT YEAR, UH, DIFFERENT KINDS AND ADDITIONAL KINDS OF MARKETING EFFORTS, I, I REALLY CAN'T TELL YOU.UH, WE WILL HOPEFULLY BE DOING THAT.
WE'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT, UH, BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T, UH, WE ARE NOT GONNA GET THE, UH, REAL APPRECIATION, UH, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, NEXT YEAR.
UM, AS YOU MAKE THOSE, IT'D BE NICE TO KNOW WHAT YOU PLAN ON MARKETING WITH THE FUNDS THAT ARE BEING GRANTED OUT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT JUST, WE'LL MAKE A PLAN AFTER THOSE GRANTS ARE RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, HAVING A ROADMAP TO INCREASE FROM 10% UP TO 12%, 15% WOULD, WOULD BE BENEFICIAL DOWN THE ROAD.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STARTS A YEAR FROM NOW.
UH, AND WE HAVE ALREADY MADE SIGNIFICANT PLANS FOR THE VERY FIRST EVENT IN THAT THING, WHICH IS A YEAR FROM NOW.
UH, AND I MEAN, YOUR SCHEDULE OF MAKING GRANTS ONCE A YEAR LATE IN THE YEAR FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, OBVIOUSLY MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT OF, UH, TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO A YEAR FROM NOW, OTHER THAN WE WANT TO INCREASE OUR MARKETING EFFORTS.
UH, I WISH WE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE DOING THIS IN THE SPRING FOR NEXT YEAR, WE COULD BE MUCH MORE SPECIFIC OBVIOUSLY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, I MEAN, WE'VE ONLY, WE HAVE A COMMITTEE, UH, A SPECIAL COMMITTEE FORMED, UH, TO, UH, COME UP WITH BOTH THE, UH, THE EVENTS THEMSELVES, ONE OF WHICH THEY HAVE DONE, UH, AS WELL AS HOW WE ARE GOING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS PROPERLY, UH, ADVERTISED BASICALLY TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE COMMUNITY IN HILTON HEAD AND OFF OF HILTON HEAD, OBVIOUSLY.
UH, SO I SAY THE TIMING IS NOT PERFECT, UH, FOR US TO BE HERE, UH, TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT, BUT THE GRANT THAT YOU ARE GONNA MAKE COINCIDES WITH THE FIRST TWO, UH, OF THE FOUR, UH, EVENTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR OUR, OUR CELEBRATION.
QUESTIONS ON THE COMMITTEE? YES, SIR.
EXCUSE ME, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, SO MY APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE, BUT WHAT IS THE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE THAT YOU ARE? UH, WELL FOR INSTANCE, THE, UH, THE MOST RECENT CONCERT, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE HAD, UH, ABOUT, UH, 400, 489, 400, 489.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S, UH, TYPICALLY THE HOLIDAY CONCERT AND THE, UH, MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT ARE THE TWO BE BEST ATTENDED.
AND THAT CAN RANGE ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO 800.
UH, SO THE AVERAGE MIGHT BE SOMETHING LIKE 500, UH, WELL MORE THAN THAT, SIX OR 700 THE HOLIDAY CONCERT BRINGS, UM, ATTENDANCE 800 PLUS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE, ARE THERE ANY, UH, OPTIONS FOR YOU TO TARGET MARKET FOLKS IN MAYBE THE 50 TO A HUNDRED MILE RADIUS? SO RATHER THAN GO LOCAL MARKETING OR NATIONAL VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, ARE THERE ANY COMMUNITIES OUT THERE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE HERE? UH, YOU MEAN, UH, IN A BUSLOAD FROM THIS COMMUNITY OR A VAN OR IN GEORGIA? THAT COMMUNITY IN GEORGIA OR SOUTH CAROLINA? NORTH CAROLINA? UH, NOT SPECIFICALLY.
UH, BUT UH, I MEAN ALL OUR WEB AND, AND UH, AND UH, SOCIAL MEDIA, ET CETERA IS SOMETHING THAT'S AVAILABLE NATIONALLY, OBVIOUSLY, BUT OF MORE INTEREST TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FROM OHIO ON DOWN TO SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, ET CETERA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR PAST SUPPORT.
THAT PUTS US WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE HERE.
UH, ARE WE ABLE TO GET ON THE PHONE, I KNOW WE HAVE AN EARLY, OUR LAST, UH, PRESENTER HERE.
WOULD IT BE OKAY TO JUMP AHEAD AND LET THAT APPLICANT GO? OR DO WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK AND FOLLOW THIS ORDER? DO YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE COMING? KAREN, ME? NO, THE OTHER APPLICANT'S NOT HERE.
YEAH, WE'RE WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SO DOESN'T AFFECT THEIR SCHEDULE.
THAT WOULD BE UP TO MS. KAJAK, IF, IF YOU'RE READY TO GO, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE EARLIER.
WE ARE RUNNING WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND BEING THAT YOU'RE SCHEDULE FOR FOUR 10, WE DON'T WANNA MAKE YOU SIT HERE FOR TWO HOURS EITHER, SO IT'S OKAY.
[03:55:03]
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT WELCOME.I JUST NEED TO GET RID OF MY GUM.
I WAS GONNA SAY GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME.
WE DO HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE, SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND UM SURE.
ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE HER UP TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GET YOU GUYS DONE EARLY THEN? HUH? GET TO LEAVE AFTER MEETING AT LEAST 30 MONTHS.
MY WIFE IS IN DALLAS, SO, UM, OR WE CAN WRAP UP THE BETTER I DO CAN CONTROL THE VOLUME FROM THERE.
I FOUND OUT FROM IT, SO, OKAY.
LEMME MAKE SURE MY PHONE'S OFF.
UH, MR. FARROW IS RECUSING HIMSELF FROM THIS ONE.
UM, I'M, UH, PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF THE LOW COUNTRY, UH, GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UM, TO TALK ABOUT GOLF TOURISM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, UH, FOR HILTON HEAD.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE L-G-C-O-A AND SUPPORT TO THE GOLF COURSE OPERATORS HERE ON THE ISLAND TO HELP OBVIOUSLY GROW A, A BIG ATTRACTION THAT WE, WE HAVE HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
UH, COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR WERE THAT SOUTH CAROLINA WAS VOTED THE GOLF DESTINATION OF THE YEAR 2023, AND ONE OF OUR GOLF COURSES HERE, UH, FACILITIES WAS ALSO, UH, AWARDED WITH A GOLF RESORT OF THE YEAR 2024 FOR PALMETTO DUNES.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND TO SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS, UM, AND EXISTING MEMBERS, BUT, UM, GOLF IS SUBSTANTIAL TO THIS MARKET AND THE STATE AS A WHOLE.
UM, JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE, THE STATE FROM THE STATE, UH, STATISTICS THAT $1.1 BILLION WAS SPENT BY GOLF TRAVELERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA OFF THE GOLF COURSE IN 2022.
GOLF HAS GENERATED 18.3 MILLION IN AT TAX ACCOUNTING, UH, ACCOUNTING FOR 44% OF ALL THE STATE AT TAX COLLECTIONS IN 2022.
AND AT TAX COLLECTIONS FROM GOLF WERE UP, UH, OVER 48% IN 2022 VERSUS 21.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THE UPDATED 23 NUMBERS, BUT WE'LL FOR SURE HAVE THEM, UM, IN THE FUTURE ON, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF GOLF ON HILTON HEAD.
IT'S, I MEAN, I THINK YOU ALL PROBABLY SINCE THE PANDEMIC, EVEN MAYBE BEFORE, HAD EXPERIENCED OR SEEN THE, UM, THE GROWTH OF THE ENTHUSIASM FOR GOLF AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND CERTAINLY HILTON HEAD HAS BEEN A BENEFACTOR OF THAT.
UM, GOLF IS THE NUMBER TWO DRIVER OF THE LOCAL HILTON HEAD ECONOMY, SECOND TO ONLY THE BEACH, WHICH BRINGS, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL LIVE HERE, SO, YOU KNOW, IT BRINGS
I THINK THE THING THAT HAS CONFUSED PEOPLE IS THAT THE SPRING AND FALL AND, AND, UM, THE WINTER MONTHS ARE THE PEAK GOLF SEASONS FROM A RATE PERSPECTIVE FOR MOST OF THE, I, MOST OF THIS ISLAND AND PROBABLY OTHERS, UH, UP AND DOWN THE COAST.
BUT, UM, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S SHOULDER SEASONS ARE WHAT IS DRIVES THE, THE BEST, UH, TIME OF THE YEAR FOR THE GOLF COURSE OWNERS.
UM, GOLF TOURISM CERTAINLY PUTS HEADS IN BEDS AVERAGING ON RESEARCH THAT WE, WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO CONDUCT LAST YEAR, FOUR NIGHTS PER STAY.
AND, UM, THE FACT THAT GOLF TOURISM AND PEOPLE TRAVELING HERE TO PLAY GOLF HELPS GENERATE AT TAX FUNDING EVERY DAY, EVERY WEEK, AND ALL YEAR LONG.
THE, UM, LIKE I SAID A LITTLE BIT AGO THAT LIKE THE GROWTH OF GOLF HAS BEEN BUSIER AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAVE BEEN VERY SIGNIFICANT IS THAT GOLF HAS GROWN INTO A MORE, UH, YOUNGER AUDIENCE AS OPPOSED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S AN OLDER TYPE OF CLIENTELE, BUT THE, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH IN THE UNDER 50-YEAR-OLD RANGE, WHICH IN THE PAST HAD BEEN MORE SKEWED TOWARD, TOWARDS SOME HEAVIER OR LARGER NUMBERS OR OLDER PEOPLE.
UM, AND THAT NUMBER IN AND OF ITSELF UNDER 50 CROWD IS UP 61% FROM 2019.
MORE PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATING IN GOLF AND THE PARTICIPATION ISN'T JUST GOING OUT AND PLAYING
[04:00:01]
ON THE GRASS OR AT A COURSE.IT'S ALSO THE TOP GOLF EXPERIENCE, THE, UM, TOP TRACER TYPE ACTIVITIES, PEOPLE GOING, DOING SIMULATOR GOLF AND PLAYING, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A SOCIAL, SOCIAL KIND OF, UH, UH, EVENT.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER BIG THINGS FOR HILTON HAT IS THAT THE, THE INDUSTRY HERE CREATES A TON OF A TON OF JOBS.
I MEAN, 55, OVER 55% OF ALL OF THE TOURISM RE RELATED JOBS ARE A PART OF GOLF COURSE OPERATIONS.
AND OVER 7,000 HAVE, WE HAVE 7,000 DIRECT AND INDIRECT JOBS THAT RESULT FROM TOURISM JUST ON THIS ISLAND.
UM, THIS IS A LITTLE HIGHLIGHT OF ALL OF THE, WE DID THE RESEARCH LAST YEAR AND THE RESPONSES, SO OVER 1500 RESPONSES, WHICH IS A LOT.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES YOU DO SURVEYS AND SAMPLE SIZES ARE LIKE 300, 400, 500.
UM, SO THIS, THIS WAS SIGNIFICANT TO GET THESE KINDS OF NUMBERS.
98% OF THE GOLF VACATIONERS, UH, HERE ON HILTON HEAD TRAVEL FROM OUTSIDE 50 MILES.
87% OF THE GOLF VACATION ARE STAYED IN HOTELS, RENTAL HOMES, VILLAS, WHICH ALL, AS YOU KNOW, GENERATE A ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
40% OF THE GOLFERS SPEND BETWEEN 1,002 THOUSAND PER PERSON O ON THE, UM, FROM THEIR GROUP TRIP.
AND WHILE ACCOMMODATIONS OF LATE, I MEAN PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING ROSE AFTER THAT.
SO SORT OF FLATTENING OUT A LITTLE BIT, BUT ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE ISLAND HAS SLOWED.
THE GROWTH OF THAT HAS SLOWED, UH, FOR THOSE HAVE BIDDEN ON THE COMMITTEE FOR, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
YOU'VE SEEN IT GROW AND THEN IT'S SORT OF FLATTENING DOWN NOW.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, GOLF ROUNDS CONTINUE TO BE POPULAR.
PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING, THEY'RE PLAYING.
SO THAT'S SIGNIFICANT FOR THE ISLAND.
UM, 79% OF THE GOLFERS OF VACATIONERS PREFER TO COME IN THE SPRING AND THE FALL.
UM, BECAUSE THE WEATHER OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN, THIS TIME OF YEAR WE ALL LIVE HERE.
SO YOU SORT OF LOVE TO ENJOY THIS KIND OF PRETTY OUTDOOR WEATHER.
UM, 99% OF THE GOLF VACATIONERS SAY THAT THEY ARE LIKELY OR VERY LIKELY TO RETURN TO HILTON HEAD, AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANT AS WELL.
OBVIOUSLY, BRINGING RETURN VISITORS HERE IS CRITICAL TO THE ISLAND'S, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE ISLAND'S SUCCESS AND 45% OF GOLF VACATIONERS STAY FOR ONE WEEK OR MORE AND PLAY FOUR OR MORE ROUNDS.
UM, THIS YEAR, THE FUNDING THAT, UH, THE A TAX OR THE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, GET APPROVED FROM LA FOR LAST YEAR WENT TOWARDS, UM, SPECIFIC TV CAMPAIGNS, SOME EXPANDED COVERAGE OF SOME OF THE DIGITAL MARKETING INTO THE FLORIDA.
FLORIDA'S A VERY POPULAR, UH, WE'RE A TRAVEL SPOT, VERY POPULAR TO NORTH FLORIDA KIND OF, UH, CUSTOMERS.
UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, WHOOPS, WENT BACKWARDS.
WE HAD A FEW, A FEW OF THOSE VISITS THIS YEAR, WHICH HELPED CREATE MORE CONTENT, MORE TARGETING, MORE, UM, OF THE YOUNGER, UH, TYPE CUSTOMER.
UM, AND WE REACHED INTO THE NEW YORK GOLF WORLD.
WE'VE DONE THAT OVER THE YEARS, A COUPLE YEARS BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, UM, I THINK THERE'S LIKE 15 STATES UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST THAT GARNER THE MOST, WE GET THE MOST TRAVELERS FROM, AND WE GET THE MOST VISITS FROM ON OUR, UM, ON THE WEBSITE.
A COUPLE THINGS THAT I THINK IS A LITTLE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A VERY, UH, TOUGH COM COMPETITION OUT THERE IN TERMS OF, THERE'S US, THERE'S MYRTLE BEACH, THERE'S CHARLESTON, AND EVEN BEYOND THE COAST OR, OR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE HAVE PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE COAST, EVEN PINEHURST AND IN FLORIDA.
I MEAN, THERE, THE COMPETITION THAT WE HAVE TO BRING GOLFERS HERE VERSUS OTHERS, WE DON'T REALLY, WE CAN'T TOUCH THEM WITH THE KIND OF FUNDING THAT THEY, THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE FROM THEIR, UM, WHETHER THEIR FUNDING IS FROM, YOU KNOW, THE GOLF ROUNDS OR FROM THE BCBS.
BUT CLEARLY WE, WE ARE UP AGAINST SOME MILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO KEEP GROWING.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT WE DO TOO, MORE THAN I THINK OTHERS IS REALLY TRY TO PUSH, LIKE I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, A NEW GENERATION OF GOLFERS TRYING TO GET THE YOUNGER PEOPLE.
AND YOU'LL SEE SOME MORE OF THAT, UM, LATER IN THE, IN THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, PRIOR TO COVID, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE REALLY RESTRICTED WITH TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME HERE TO THE ISLAND.
SO IT'S TAKEN A COUPLE YEARS TO GET THAT RHYTHM
[04:05:01]
BACK AND WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING, YOU KNOW, REALLY STRONG RESULTS FROM IT.UM, AS I MENTIONED A COUPLE MINUTES AGO ABOUT THE DIFFERENT STATES, BUT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE MARKETING DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, WE FOCUS ON PUSHING THEM OUT TO, UH, 50 MILES AND BEYOND.
IT'S EVERY, IT'S EVERYWHERE THAT WE PUSH OUT TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT STATES AND THE NUMBER OF THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF CAMPAIGNS THAT WE PUSH IN, IN, UH, PUBLICATIONS AND OR WEBSITES OR CONTENT, UH, CREATORS THAT LITERALLY CAN HELP US ENERGIZE PEOPLE, MAKE, YOU KNOW, BROADEN THE AWARENESS OF, OF THIS DESTINATION.
AND PEOPLE KNOW US WELL BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE RBC, UH, TOURNAMENT THAT'S BEEN HERE FOR, I MEAN, WHAT IS IT, 55 YEARS NOW? 56 YEARS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE BIG, UH, UH, EVENTS WE HAD THIS YEAR WAS REALLY, UH, IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH PGA TOUR RADIO AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THIS JUST HAPPENED LIKE A, A MONTH OR SO AGO, BUT WE PARTNERED WITH, UH, PGA TOUR RADIO AND ENGAGED THEIR GOLF, UH, PERSONALITIES THAT ARE ON AIR THAT HAVE THE DIFFERENT SHOWS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND, UM, LITERALLY HAD 16 SHOWS, BROUGHT BROADCAST LIVE FROM HILTON HEAD WHILE A LOT OF THE PLAYERS THAT CAME IN FOR THIS TOURNAMENT, UM, WERE ABLE TO ENJOY IT.
THERE'S A PICTURE OF BRIAN KARICH AND MICHAEL COLLINS.
BUT THERE, THERE, IT WAS REALLY A, A NICE EVENT THAT THAT BROUGHT A LOT OF, UH, EX UH, YOU KNOW, EXPOSURE TO US THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET THE FLAVOR OF HILTON HAD UNLESS THEY COME.
SO WHEN THEY'RE LISTENING TO THAT, THEY GET THE, YOU KNOW, THEY GET TO GET EDUCATED AND MAYBE LOOK MORE INTO, UH, MAKE IT A TRIP, BUT IT WAS OVER 30 HOURS OF LIVE COVERAGE.
SO IT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY EXCITING.
UM, THE REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR, THE 2025 FUNDING REALLY IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S BASED ON US TRYING TO GROW THE MARKET, SHARE OUR MARKET.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, CONTINUING TO REACH OUT TO A NEW GENERATION, A YOUNGER GENERATION OF GOLFERS.
AND WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THAT THIS YEAR, UM, AS AND AS IT GROWS, AS GOLF GROWS AND WE GET THE BROADER REACH OF SOME OF THE YOUNGER, UH, PEOPLE THAT REALLY WILL BRING MORE GROUPS BACK, BRING MORE FRIENDS BACK, BRING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW THAT HAVE THAT COME HERE AS A CHILD, THEY MAY, UM, GET MARRIED HERE.
THEY END UP HONEYMOONING HERE.
THEY, THEY, UH, BRING THEIR FAMILIES.
I MEAN, WE SEE THAT ALL ACROSS THE ISLAND THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE YEAR OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, TYPE EVENTS THAT WE ALSO, UH, ARE ENGAGED IN.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA READ EVERY, EVERY PIECE OF THIS, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF EFFORT THAT GOES INTO PUSHING US OUT AND GETTING HILTON HAD AS A TOP OF MIND KIND OF DESTINATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF MOMENTUM RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THE, THE VALUE OF DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO DO, AND ADDING TO THAT WILL ULTIMATELY HELP US, UM, CONTINUE THIS UPWARD TREND OF BRINGING YOUNGER GOLFERS INTO, UH, INTO HILTON HEAD.
UM, SO THIS IS WHERE I TAKE A PAUSE AND SHOW A LITTLE VIDEO HERE, UH, THAT'LL GIVE YOU SOME MORE DEPTH INTO WHAT, UM, WHAT WE DO AND WHAT HAPPENS OUT ON THE GROUND EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR HERE.
THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF PLACES IN AMERICA THAT JUST HAVE THAT PARTICULAR KIND OF VERNACULAR TO THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS HAVE INTERPRETED GOLF TO THOSE SPACES, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES.
THE LOW COUNTRY IS A UNIQUE SETTING, AND TO BE ABLE TO PLAY GOLF IN THAT SETTING IS REALLY WONDERFUL.
AND IF YOU'RE A FAN OF GOLF AND YOU'RE A FAN OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTURE AND YOU'RE A FAN OF DOING THOSE THINGS IN BEAUTIFUL PLACES, THIS IS SOMEWHERE YOU REALLY HAVE TO COME OVER 20 YEARS.
WE, UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS TOGETHER.
THE GROUP'S BEEN COMING DOWN SINCE 1991.
I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN PERSONALLY SINCE 1982.
THE QUALITY OF GOLF COURSES, THE WEATHER, UH, THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE ISLAND.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS, UH, SINCE 1991.
WE'VE HAD AS MANY AS 44 GUYS TRAVEL, AND WE'RE PLAYING TWO, TWO ROUNDS A DAY, AND THEN WE'RE GOING NICE DINNERS, YOU
[04:10:01]
KNOW, EACH NIGHT.AND, UH, YEAH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA.
IT'S LIKE THREE VACATIONS IN ONE.
WE GOLF IN THE MORNING, WE SIT AROUND THE POOL IN THE AFTERNOON AND THEN COME FIVE O'CLOCK COCKTAILS GO OUT TO DINNER.
UH, SO IT'S A, IT'S A FULL WEEK.
THIS, THIS WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE EVER BEING IN HILTON HEAD.
UM, AND AS I'M HERE, YOU KNOW, PREPARING TO DEPART AFTER A FEW DAYS, UM, ON THE GROUND, PLAYING GOLF, ENJOYING GREAT CUISINE AND, AND FRIENDSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP, I, I AM EAGER FOR MY RETURN TRIP.
YEAH, ALREADY, WE ALREADY HAVE GUYS IN HERE PLOTTING TO, UH, COME BACK IN MARCH.
ALMOST ALL OF US ARE AT OUR SEVENTIES, EXCEPT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IN YEARS TO COME, THEY'LL THINK ABOUT US WHEN YOU'RE STILL DOWN HERE.
THE SURGE RESTAURANT GROUP IS GONNA CELEBRATE 40 YEARS IN 2024.
AND HONESTLY, OUR BUSINESSES WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FLOURISH WITHOUT THE GOLF CONSUMER THAT WE'VE SEEN DOWN HERE THOSE 40 YEARS.
SPECIFICALLY IN THE FALL, THE WINTER AND THE SPRING, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD OUR OFF SEASON BUSINESS AROUND THAT CORE CLIENTELE THAT SPENDS A GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY WITHIN OUR RESTAURANTS, BRINGS GROUPS, NOT JUST SINGLE OR OR TWO PERSON DINER GROUPS.
SO WE LOOK AT IT AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR SUCCESS.
BACK IN OH SIX, WE HAD ALMOST A, A DE DE DEFINED GOLF SEASON, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE FROM THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER THROUGH THE MIDDLE END OF JANUARY, YOU KNOW, WE SAW THESE BIG GROUPS OF GOLFERS COME IN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE A CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC.
THE THING THAT WE'VE DEFINED THEM AS IS THAT THEY LIKE TO SPEND MONEY.
THERE WAS A MOMENT OF PANIC THERE IN 2020, FOLLOWED BY THE BUSIEST SEASONS WE'VE SEEN DOWN HERE ON HILLHEAD, YOU KNOW, JUST SEEM TO CARRY THROUGH TO THE OFF SEASON.
BUT NOW LOOKING AT 2023, WE'VE RETURNED TO NORMALCY, UH, ALMOST MORE SO THAN WE'D LIKE, BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING PRE 2019 NUMBERS AT THIS POINT.
SO WE LOOK AT THE FALL AND WINTER AS A BIG RISK FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
BUT I THINK THE PANDEMIC DEFINITELY CHANGED A LOT AS FAR AS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING ON THESE GOLF TRIPS.
I JUST NEVER REALLY HAVE SEEN SO MANY YOUNG FIT, UH, YOU KNOW, 20 SOMETHINGS EARLY, 30 SOMETHINGS.
UM, AND, AND JUST, UM, INVESTING IN THAT SEEMS, SEEMS SUPER SHREWD AND SUPER, SUPER SMART AT THE, AT THE CURRENT, IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE, PEOPLE THINK OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GOLF.
THEY THINK OF MYRTLE BEACH BECAUSE IT'S EVERY MAGAZINE YOU PICK UP.
IT'S MYRTLE BEACH, GOLF, GOLF HERE, OR GOLF THERE.
AND THEN THE CHARLESTON MARKET'S PROBABLY NUMBER TWO BECAUSE OF KIA, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT WILD DUNES.
BUT KIA, WITH THEIR FIVE COURSES AND THE OCEAN COURSE, THEY REALLY SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON THEIR, UH, GOLF, PARKING, JUST ALONE ON GOLF.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN LOSE OUR CORE VALUES AROUND GOLF.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SUCH A GREAT DESTINATION FOR THOSE GROUPS THAT COME IN, WHETHER THEY'RE RENTING A HOUSE OR, OR PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ROOMS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE WESTON, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE SUMMER.
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES AND, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHEN YOU GET 12, 16 GUYS THAT ARE DOWN HERE AND THEY'RE PLAYING GOLF.
THEY'RE EATING AND PARTAKING
THEY'RE STAYING PLACES, UH, YOU KNOW, LET ALONE IF THEY'RE RENTING FACILITIES OR HOMES OR STAYING HOTELS, AND THEY GO IN OUR GROCERY SHORES AND CHOP AT TOO.
SO THERE IS A TRUE SNOWBALL EFFECT TOO.
IT GO IMPORTANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHILE IT'S A NICHE MARKET, IT'S BY FAR THE LARGEST NICHE.
IT'S ABOUT 25% OF TOTAL TOURISM.
IT'S ABOUT A THREE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLAR ECONOMIC IMPACT.
UM, EMPLOYS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IS WHAT DRIVES A LOT OF VISITATION, IS NOT GOLF BECAUSE PEOPLE EXPOSE OR SEE US, SEE US AS A STATE AND DESTINATION THROUGHOUT GOLF AND THOSE THINGS, AND WANNA BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
GOLF HERE IN HILTON HEAD MEANS EVERYTHING MEAN.
IT'S THE HOME OF THE RBC HERITAGE PRESENTED BY BOEING SINCE 1969.
IT IS WHAT HAS HELPED ELEVATE KELTON HEAD THE WAY IT IS TODAY.
AND THAT CONTINUES ON AND WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICULARLY POST COVID HERE AS GOLF HAS BECOME SORT OF A REBIRTH AND BECOME VERY POPULAR.
ONCE AGAIN, IT IS WHAT DRIVES THE ECONOMY IN MANY RESPECTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED THE HEAD IS KNOWN FOR, ALONG WITH ITS WONDERFUL BEACHES IS A CRITICAL PART OF THIS ECONOMY.
IF WE DON'T ADVERTISE AND SPEND MONEY ON BRINGING GOLFERS HERE, THEY'RE GONNA GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A, A HUGE THING TO REMEMBER WHEN WE HAVE 28 GOLF COURSES OR WHATEVER IT IS ON THE ISLAND, UM, WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP THIS FULL.
AND, AND THAT FEEDS THE RESTAURANTS, AND IT FEEDS THE HOTELS, AND IT FEEDS EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S A SAFE INVESTMENT.
I THINK IT IS A, UH, VALUABLE INVESTMENT, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF MARKET SHARE TO, TO GRAB RIGHT NOW.
AS A TRAVELER, WHAT I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IS WHERE ARE THOSE PLACES THAT I, THAT ARE WORTH COMING BACK TO, THAT ARE WORTH TELLING A STORY ABOUT TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHEN YOU GET BACK HOME? YOU KNOW, I'VE ALREADY HAD PEOPLE SENDING ME TEXTS LIKE, HEY, WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT HILTON HEAD? AND I'VE HAD REALLY GREAT THINGS TO SAY, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ANSWERS THAT I KEEP KIND OF PINGING WITH SOME OF MY GOLF BUDDIES IN
[04:15:01]
PARTICULAR IS, NEXT TIME YOU'LL HAVE TO COME SEE IT WITH ME.AND I JUST RELISH THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO COME BACK HERE WITH PEOPLE.
AND MAYBE NEXT TIME I'LL GET TO PLAY TOUR GUIDE A LITTLE BIT AND SHOW 'EM SOME THINGS THAT I LEARNED TO FIRST GO AROUND AND DISCOVER SOME NEW THINGS WITH THEM, UH, AS WE GET AROUND AND EXPLORE AMERICA'S GOLF HOUR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME CONSIDERATION.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T INTRODUCE MYSELF AT THE BEGINNING.
I, UH, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AT PALMETTO DUNES AND, UH, SHELTER COVE HARBOR MARINA.
SO I HAVE ANOTHER JOB BESIDES HELPING DO THIS STUFF.
I'LL OPEN UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR QUESTIONS.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS HERE, SIR? JUST A QUESTION.
YOUR, YOUR REQUEST HAS DOUBLED FROM, FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, SO, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS BECAUSE OF SOME FUNDING CHANGES FROM THE CHAMBER, WILL THE CHAMBER STILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU AND PROMOTE YOU? THEY, THEY DO, AND THERE IS A PORTION OF THE FUNDS THAT THEY SUPPORT, BUT IT, IT CERTAINLY NOT ENOUGH TO DO WITH THE, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT THE L-G-C-O-A HAS TO PUT OUT THERE.
DON'T EVEN TOUCH WHERE, WHERE ELSE WE NEED TO GO AND, AND CONTINUE TO PUSH TO BRING NEW, NEW GOLFERS HERE AND NEW, NEW VISITORS IN GENERAL.
NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME FOR MULTIPLE REASONS, BUT GOLF IS CERTAINLY IS A DOUBLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DOUBLE SUPPORT TO THE ACCOMMODATIONS GENERATING FUNCTION.
SO, AND, AND IT NEEDS TO BE, IT'S LIKE THERE'S NOT JUST A A ONE TIME FIX ON IT.
WE COSTS OF MEDIA AND EVERYTHING ELSE ARE SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TOO NOW.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT YOU GUYS CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, SUPPORT US WITH.
BUT, UH, IT, IT IS, WE, WE DID, 'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING SUCCESS FROM WHAT WE DID LA FROM LAST YEAR INTO THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THE RATIONALE WAS TO TRY AND THINK THAT WE COULD, IF WE COULD INCREASE MORE AND PUSH MORE OUT AND GET MORE CONTENT OUT AND TV CAMPAIGNS AND THINGS THAT AROUND THE BIG, THE BIG, UH, SEASONS IN THE SPRING AND GETTING PEOPLE TO COME HERE IN THE OFF SEASON IS SUPER PRODUCTIVE FOR THE ISLAND.
SO WILL THESE FUNDS THEN REVERT BACK TO THE CHAMBER TO DO A LOT OF PROMOTION FOR YOU, OR, UM, NOT, NOT NECESSARILY.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THE CHAMBER DOES, DO THEY, THEY SUPPORT THE RBC WEEK THAT GOES ON, BUT THERE'S, WE NEED CONSTANT SUPPORT.
IT'S NOT JUST LIKE A ONE TIME, IT'S, IT'S EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR THAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE AND PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND.
SO THE CHAMBER DOES SUPPORT US AND THEY DO, THERE, THERE ARE OTHER, YOU KNOW, ANCILLARY THINGS.
MAYBE IT BE SOME OF THE SOCIAL STUFF OR MAYBE IT BE THINGS DIFFERENTLY ON THE WEBSITE OR EMAILS THEY SEND.
A LOT OF THOSE THINGS AREN'T NECESSARILY COST, SO TO SPEAK, 'CAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAPPENING ANYWAY WITH THEM.
THOSE SENDING OUT LIKE EMAILS FOR GETTING PEOPLE TO COME AND VISIT AND STAY AT THE HOTELS OR A RENTAL OR WHATEVER.
UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN IT'S A, IT'S A COMBINATION OF A LOT OF THINGS AS WHAT WAS IN THE, UM, APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, TO, TO OUTLINE.
THERE'S THE, THE SOURCES OF FUNDING IN THERE ARE FROM, THERE'S SOME FUNDS FROM THE CHAMBER, THERE'S FUNDS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP, AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM, UM, FROM AT TAX, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE USED TO BE A SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST FROM THE CHAMBER AND A PORTION OF THOSE FUNDS CAME TO THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION AND HELP WITH THE MARKETING EFFORTS THERE.
UH, AND, AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO, UM, NOT HAVE THE SUPPLEMENTAL REGRESS COME THROUGH THIS BODY RIGHT FROM THE CHAMBER.
SO YOU GUYS TAKE ON THE BURDEN OF MARKETING YOUR OWN PRODUCT MORE SO THAN EVER, RIGHT? YOU USED TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS YEAH.
FROM THE CHAMBER AS A TRICKLE DOWN.
NOW IT'S KIND OF ON THEIR OWN PLATE YES.
TO TAKE CARE OF THERE, THERE ISN'T, THEY DON'T REQUEST ANY SUPPLEMENTAL ANY LONGER, AND THAT'S WHERE THE SUPPORT FUNDS HAD COME FROM.
SO THERE IS SOME FUNDING EARMARKED FROM THEM, BUT IT'S NOT TO THE LEVEL THAT WE WERE AT.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THE CHAMBER WA WAS GOING TO CONTINUE OR WILL CONTINUE TO DO THEIR PART IN PROMOTING GOLF, WHICH IS REALLY NICE.
I MEAN, I THINK LIKE, THIS IS ALWAYS THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN WE'RE DOING THESE PRESENTATIONS AND REDOING BUDGETS FOR THE NEXT YEAR THAT THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE.
BUT I THINK THE, WE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THAT'S GONNA BE CONTINUING.
I THINK FROM WHAT WE'RE OUR LAST DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM LAST YEAR, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE CHAMBER, BUT BEING THE NUMBER TWO ECONOMIC DRIVER ON THE ISLAND, I DON'T SEEM THE CHAMBER BACKING AWAY FROM THOSE, THOSE MARKETING
[04:20:01]
EFFORTS.UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO, UM, CALL OUT AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING IS THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR FOCUS IS ON FOLKS, THE VISITORS THAT ARE 50 MILES OR PLUS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
YOU'RE NOT FOCUSING ON GETTING FOLKS HERE ON THE ISLAND OR NO BLUFFING TO COME AND PLAY GOLF.
YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS ARE TO THE MASSES THAT ARE OUT IN THE MARKETPLACE, UH, RIGHT IN THE INDUSTRY, IN THE, IN THE RESEARCH THAT I THINK THAT THEY SAID THE SECOND POINT THERE WAS 98% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE INTERVIEWED FOR THAT SURVEY WERE, UM, OUTSIDE OF 50, 50 MILES.
SO 98% OF THE 1500 PEOPLE THAT WERE SURVEYED WERE FROM OUTSIDE 50 MILES.
IT SEEMED LIKE GEOGRAPHICALLY YOU WERE SETTING YOUR, YOUR SITES ON PLACES THAT THE CHAMBER MIGHT NOT BE SETTING THEIR SITES ON.
IT'S DEFINITELY TO COMPLIMENT AND, AND, UH, OR ADD ON TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH IF IT'S BROADER.
YOU KNOW, UH, ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO PULL UP WAS, UM, YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, THAT 75% OF THE, THE ROUNDS BEING PLAYED ARE BY FOLKS UNDER THE AGE OF 50 NOW.
WE, WE EXPERIENCED IT HERE ON HILTON HEAD, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE NATIONWIDE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 50, LIKE I SAID IN ONE OF THE EARLIER PRESENTATIONS, IF THEY'RE UNDER THE AGE OF 50, THEY'RE EITHER STILL YOUNG THEMSELVES OR THEY HAVE YOUNG FAMILIES AND THOSE MEMORIES ARE BEING CREATED AND YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE INVESTING INTO 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHO'S PLAYING GOLF HERE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UH, THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE YES, SIR.
I, I THINK THAT, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ATTRACT TO THIS ISLAND ARE INVALUABLE.
I THINK THE WORK YOU DO IS FANTASTIC.
UM, WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR FUNDING SOURCES, IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE MAYBE 50% OF THE GOLF COURSES CONTRIBUTING AS MEMBERS.
AND IF I READ IT RIGHT, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE $1,300 A YEAR.
IS THAT RIGHT? UM, I'M NOT ACTUALLY SURE OF THAT EXACT NUMBER, BUT THIS IS ONLY FOR THE ISLAND COURSES.
IT'S NOT FOR COURSES AT BLUFFTON AND BUFORT.
SO, UH, THERE, THERE IS A DUES, AND I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE THAT AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THAT THEY PAY, BUT THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER SUPPORT.
LIKE WE PRODUCE THE GUIDE TO GOLF BOOK, UH, THAT GETS, THERE'S A GOLF PLANNER BOOK THAT GETS MAILED OUT OF, OUT OF STATE, UM, OR OUT OF 50 MILES THAT GOES, THERE'S LIKE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DISTRIBUTION OF THAT PIECE.
IT'S NOT THE ONE THAT'S, IT'S NOT THE ONE THAT'S ON THE GROUND HERE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF YOUR BUDGET OR PAID FOR SPECIFICALLY BY THE, IT'S PART OF THIS BUDGET.
IT'S PART OF THE EX THOSE, LIKE THE, THE SOURCES OF FUNDING THEY HAD THAT ON.
THAT WAS, IT DOESN'T SHOW LIKE WHAT, WHAT EACH OF THOSE PUBLICATIONS COST OR, I JUST WANTED TO RAISE THE POINT THAT, THAT IT SEEMS THAT THE GOLF COURSES THEMSELVES WHO ARE HUGE BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM ARE CONTRIBUTING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU THERE.
I I, I SUPPORT THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE BRINGING IN EXACTLY THE TYPE OF TOURIST THAT WE WANT.
OTHER THAN WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT TEE TIME
YOU DON'T HAVE THE PRIVATE CLUBS? I MEAN, YOU, YOU'RE TALKING NO, 50% OF THE COURSES ARE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MARKETING THEIR EFFORTS TOGETHER.
SO YOU WOULDN'T SEE THE LIKES OF A WEXFORD OR A LONG CODE MM-HMM.
I MEAN, THEY MAY HAVE SOME PUBLIC PLAY, BUT IT'S NOT PART OF THIS DYNAMIC.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR STEPPING UP TO THE MIC.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
THAT KIND OF PUTS US BACK ON TRACK.
I SEE THAT, UH, HILTON HEAD RECREATION ASSOCIATION IS HERE, BUT WE ARE SCHEDULED TO TAKE A SMALL BREAK.
UH, LET'S TAKE A, A 10 MINUTE BREAK HERE AND WE'LL RECONVENE AT UM, FIVE TILL PLEASE GET YOU OUTTA HERE EARLY AND GO QUICK.
OH, WELL
REALLY? YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND GO
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE COURSE.
I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
[04:25:01]
WE ARE PRESENTING ON OUR 2025 COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, THAT WE REQUEST ACCOMMODATIONS TAXED FOR, WHICH INCLUDE, UH, JEEP ISLAND OYSTER FESTIVAL AND WING FEST.UM, WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE THIS YEAR.
UM, WE USUALLY REQUEST $60,000.
UM, THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN OF OUR INCREASE OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
UM, OBVIOUSLY OPERATIONS HAVE GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY, UM, IN THE PAST YEARS, UM, FOR PUTTING ON EVENTS AND THEY'LL AS WELL AS MARKETING DOLLARS.
SO THIS IS OUR BASIC REQUEST AND BREAKDOWN OF THE $75,000, JUST SO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IS SPENT ON EACH OF THE EVENTS.
UM, UM, THE FIRST EVENT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT, UM, IS OUR JEEP ISLAND EVENT.
UM, WE JUST HELD IT LAST WEEK, SO THESE NUMBERS ARE FROM 2023 BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THAT FAST IN GETTING OUR NUMBERS TURNED AROUND AND PRODUCE AN EVENT AND COME AND PRESENT IT TO YOU GUYS THE FOLLOWING FIVE DAYS LATER.
SO, UM, THESE ARE OUR 2023 NUMBERS THAT YOU'LL SEE NEXT, UM, AND WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND KIWANIS CLUB, UM, TO PRODUCE CHILI COOKOFF AND JEEP ISLAND.
UM, AND IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
THEY BRING IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THEN THEY BRING IN OUR EXPERTISE, UM, AS WELL AS A LOT OF DIFFERENT JEEP PEOPLE AND JEEP PEOPLE FORTUNATE FOR US ENJOY CHILE.
SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE MOVED IT DOWN TO LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK, UM, INSTEAD OF COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
AND WE HAVE HAD GREAT REVIEWS, UM, FROM ALL OF OUR SURVEYING THAT, THAT WE DID, THAT EVERYBODY HAS LOVED THE NEW LOCATION.
UM, AND WE GOT A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC BEING DOWN THERE AT THAT PARK AND LOCATION AS WELL.
SO IT WAS A GREAT MOVE FOR US.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT EVENT.
UM, OUR SURVEYING FROM LAST YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS, UM, WE ASK IN ALL OF OUR SURVEYS IS OBVIOUSLY, DO YOU LIVE IN THE HILTON HEAD OR BLUFFTON AREA? UM, AND YOU CAN SEE FROM JEEP ISLAND IN OUR NUMBERS.
UM, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE DO NOT.
IT'S ABOUT 50 50, BUT WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT OVER 50% OF OUR JEEP ISLAND PARTICIPANTS LIVE OUTSIDE OF THAT 50 MILE RADIUS, UM, OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, SOMETHING ELSE YOU PROBABLY NOTICED IN YOUR PACKET IS, UM, THIS PAST YEAR WE HAVE TAKEN ON THE SURVEY IN-HOUSE.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH USCB IN THE PAST AND WE FELT THAT BY BRINGING IT IN-HOUSE, IT HAS A MORE PERSONAL TOUCH, UM, BECAUSE OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE WORKING THAT SURVEY BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE WILL COME UP TO TAKE THAT SURVEY, THEY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENT OVERALL OR THE ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION AND THE USCB STUDENTS ARE GREAT, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE EVENT AND THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION.
SO WE LIKE TO HAVE OUR STAFF THERE MANNING THOSE SURVEYS.
SO IT GIVES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSONAL TOUCH THAT THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS THAT THE ATTENDEES MIGHT HAVE.
UM, JUST ANOTHER QUESTION WE LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IN ALL OF OUR EVENT SURVEYS IS HOW INFLUENTIAL WAS JEEP ISLAND CHILI COOKOFF WHEN PLANNING YOUR TRIP? OVER 60% OF THE ATTENDEES, UM, PLAN THEIR EVENT OR PLAN THEIR TRIP AROUND JEEP ISLAND AND CHILI COOKOFF.
UM, WE MAP EVERYBODY OUT FROM THEIR ZIP CODES.
UM, WE COLLECT ZIP CODES, UM, FROM ALL OF OUR ENTRIES.
WHEN PEOPLE ENTER THE EVENT OR A JEEP ISLAND, UM, YOU HAVE TO REGISTER FOR YOUR JEEP.
SO WE, UH, COLLECT ALL OF THOSE ZIP CODES.
SO YOU CAN SEE JUST FROM THE SOUTHEAST, WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GETTING A LOT OF JEEPERS THAT ARE COMING FROM CALIFORNIA OR OVERSEAS
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE OUR SOUTHEAST REGION, UM, FROM LAST YEAR THAT WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING, UM, FROM OUTSIDE OF SAVANNAH.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A JEEP CLUB OVER THERE THAT ARE COMING AND SPENDING THE WEEKEND IN HILTON HEAD BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE AREA AND THEY WILL MAKE THE TRIP UP THIS WEEKEND TO MYRTLE BEACH, TO JEEP BEACH, I THINK IS WHAT IT'S CALLED UP THERE.
SO, UM, THEY TRAVEL IN PACKS AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THOSE 95 PEOPLE COMING OVER AND STAYING.
SO, UM, ANOTHER THING FROM JEEP ISLAND IS WHAT WE ALWAYS LIKE TO LA ASK PEOPLE IS WOULD THEY RETURN? DID THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME? UM, ON HERE YOU'LL SEE 92% OF THAT PEOPLE SAID THEY WOULD RETURN OR ALMOST 92% OVER 90% SAID THEY WOULD RETURN TO JEEP ISLAND, WHICH WE THINK IS A GREAT THING.
UM, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, WHEN IS NEXT YEAR'S DATE? AND WE JUST FINISHED FIVE DAYS AGO.
BECAUSE THEY WANNA GO AHEAD AND BOOK THEIR HOTEL ROOMS AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE IT ON THEIR CALENDAR.
SO WE LOVE TO SEE THOSE DATES.
YOU'LL SEE WE WORK CLOSELY WITH WTOC TO DO OUT OF AREA MARKETING, UM, WITH ALL OF OUR CAMPAIGNS, UM, BECAUSE THEY CAN PROVIDE US WITH A LOT OF DATA THAT WE CAN USE.
UM, WITH THE SURVEYING WE SEE THAT A LOT OF OUR ATTENDEES DON'T START PLANNING THEIR TRIPS UNTIL ABOUT THREE TO FOUR MONTHS PRIOR.
UM, WE KNOW WE'RE DRAWING IN THE DRIVING CROWD, MOST LIKELY ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE FLYING FOR A SHORT WEEKEND.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE ON THAT OPEN RATE IT'S OVER 20% OF THE OPENS ON EMAILS.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER AND THE CLICK RATES AS WELL IS ALSO A HIGH NUMBER.
SO WE LIKE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS AS WELL.
YOU'LL JUST SEE SOME PICTURES, UM, WITH THE PARTNERSHIP.
UM, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH THIS YEAR, MONSTER JEEP, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER WAS OUT THERE.
AND IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN A MONSTER JEEP, IT WILL WHEELS WILL
[04:30:01]
FAR OUTWEIGH YOUR HEIGHT.SO IT WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE TO HAVE IT OUT THERE.
HE COMES OVER, UM, LAST YEAR HE COULDN'T COME 'CAUSE IT WAS BROKEN DOWN.
SO THIS YEAR WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE HIM BACK OUT THERE.
SO, UM, IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS THIS WEEKEND.
WONDERFUL WEATHER, A PERFECT TILT HEAD WEEKEND THIS PAST WEEKEND, SO WE WERE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO HOST THAT IN OCTOBER.
UM, MOVING ON TO HILTON HEAD OYSTER FESTIVAL.
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER QUESTION WE ASK, DO YOU LIVE IN HILTON HEAD IN BLUFFTON? AND WE LIKE TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM OUT OF THE AREA TO ENJOY THE HILTON HEAD OYSTER FESTIVAL.
WE HOLD THE FRIDAY NIGHT EVENT AT SHELTER COVE PARK 'CAUSE WE LOVE THE SUNSET VIEWS OVER, UM, BROAD CREEK RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN SATURDAY WE MOVE IT DOWN TO LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK TO ACCOMMODATE THE SIZE.
SO FRIDAY NIGHT IS AN ALL YOU CAN EAT.
UM, WE'RE ADULTS ONLY AND WE USUALLY SELL OUT WITH THAT EVENT.
UM, AND THEN SATURDAY WE OPEN IT UP TO EVERYBODY AND JUST HAVE THE FESTIVAL FEEL AND INVITE FAMILIES IN AND IT'S A GREAT TIME.
THIS ALSO SHOWS THAT ALMOST 50% OF IT WAS HOW INFLUENTIAL IN PLANNING.
WE KNOW NOVEMBER IS NOT NECESSARILY A HIGH TRAVEL MONTH.
IF YOU'RE NOT COMING DOWN HERE FOR THANKSGIVING, IT'S VERY QUIET ON THE ISLAND.
SO HOSTING THIS RIGHT AROUND VETERANS DAY WHEN A LOT OF FAMILIES HAVE THE THREE DAY WEEKEND AND CAN TRAVEL DOWN HERE, AS WE'VE SEEN GREAT SUCCESS IN THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING DOWN HERE FOR THE LONG WEEKEND.
SO MAKING SURE OUR EVENTS ARE FAMILY FRIENDLY, WE HAVE STUFF FOR THE KIDS TO DO OUT THERE, HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL AS WELL TO BRING OUT THE FAMILIES.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE ACTUALLY DO DRAW FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES FOR OYSTER FESTIVAL AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.
THE NUMBERS THAT WE WERE GETTING PEOPLE TO COME OVER TO HILTON HEAD IN NOVEMBER AND NOT REALLY KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT IT AND WHETHER THEY CAME OVER HERE JUST FOR OYSTER FESTIVAL OR IT JUST ADDED TO THEIR EXPERIENCE.
WE LIKE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING IN NOVEMBER TO HILTON HEAD AND PUTTING HEADS IN BEDS WHEN THEY MIGHT NOT BE GOING TO THE BEACH 'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE CHILLY
AND AGAIN FOR ANOTHER NUMBER THAT THAT IS VERY HIGH UP THERE.
WOULD YOU RETURN? WE LIKE TO SEE IT THAT IT'S ALMOST 91% AGAIN FOR OYSTER FESTIVAL.
UM, SO WE THINK THERE'S BEEN GREAT SUCCESS WITH THAT.
ANOTHER NUMBERS FROM, UH, WTOC REACH.
YOU CAN SEE WE REALLY TARGET THE SOUTHEAST, UH, DRIVING AREA WITH OUR MARKETING THROUGH THEM AND WE ALSO DO THAT WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REACH, UM, AND MAKING SURE WE'RE HITTING UP THE SOUTHEAST REGION, UM, WHERE PEOPLE CAN DRIVE TO US AND MAKE SURE THEY COME OVER HERE AND STAY FOR A WEEKEND OR A WEEK.
SOMETHING ELSE WE LIKE TO PARTNER WITH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF JEAN HAS PRESENTED YET FROM OUTSIDE FOUNDATION, UM, BUT THEY STARTED THIS IN 2018 AND THE NUMBER OF OYSTER SHELLS WE RECYCLE, WE DO GOD WILLING, WE DON'T HAVE A HURRICANE BEFORE OYSTER FESTIVAL AND THE THE SHELL OYSTER HARVESTING IS CLOSED.
UM, BUT WE USE ALL LOCAL OYSTERS, SO WE HARVEST THEM OUTTA THE MAY RIVER THE WEEK BEFORE.
UM, THEY COME OVER AND THEY SERVE 'EM UP TO OYSTER FESTIVAL AND THEN THEY ARE PUT STRAIGHT BACK INTO OYSTER CELL RECYCLING.
UM, OUTSIDE FOUNDATION DOES A GREAT THING, UM, AND COMES OUT THERE AND WORKS VERY HARD TO GET ALL OF THOSE OYSTER CELLS RECYCLED.
SO YOU CAN JUST SEE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS HOW MANY OYSTER SHELL WE'VE RECYCLED AND PUT BACK INTO THE LOCAL ECOLOGY.
JUST SOME PICTURES AND JEAN WORKING HARD ON THAT OYSTER SHELL.
RECYCLING WING FEST IS OUR BIG SPRING EVENT.
WE LIKE TO SAY IT'S A VERY GREAT TIME TO KICK OFF THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, WING FEST IS USUALLY HELD THE THIRD WEEKEND OF MARCH, USUALLY RIGHT AFTER ST.
PATRICK'S DAY WHEN ALSO SPRING BREAKERS HAVE GONE BACK HOME PROBABLY.
AND FAMILIES ARE STARTING TO TAKE VACATIONS.
SO NOT NECESSARILY THE BUSY PEAK TIME OF SUMMER YET.
UM, BUT THIS JUST SHOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE PLAN THEIR VACATION AROUND OR COME DOWN HERE TO HILTON HEAD IN MARCH AND STAY 50% ARE ALREADY PLANNING THEIR VACATION BECAUSE IT'S INFLUENTIAL WHEN THEY PLAN IT.
AND WE ALSO LIKE TO SAY WE GIVE BACK TO A LOT OF THE RESTAURANTS AND ALL OF THESE, UM, EVENTS.
UM, OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS ARE ALSO COMING OUT AND SELLING FOOD MAYBE WHEN THEY'RE NOT SO BUSY.
UM, AND MAKING MONEY, UM, AND GETTING AT MARKETING DOLLARS FOR ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS.
YOU'LL SEE IN SOME OF OUR VIDEOS, WE HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS THAT COME OUT AND COOK FOR US.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE HERE A PICTURE ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST AND THEN ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT PEOPLE WERE COMING, UM, FOR WING FEST AND 93% WILL RETURN TO WING FEST.
SO WE LIKE TO SEE THAT NUMBER AS WELL.
SO, UM, HAPPY TO SAY, UM, THESE ARE WTOC NUMBERS AND I THINK YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR BOOKS, BUT YOU'LL SEE WE HIGHLIGHT ALSO THE SOUTHEAST REGION THERE AGAIN.
UM, AND THIS WILL BE THE 27TH ANNUAL WING FEST.
AND THEN I HAVE SOME VIDEOS FOR YOU.
SO
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE ISLAND REC CENTER RAISE MONEY FOR ALL OF THEIR REALLY GREAT CAUSES THAT THEY DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
[04:35:01]
GOT HUNDREDS OF JEEPS OUT HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW WE'RE HERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ITIES ISLAND CHILI COOKOFF.SO YOU CAN COME IN, YOU CAN EAT SOME CHILI, YOU CAN DRINK SOME BEER, YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME JEEPS.
WE HAVE, UH, SHOW AND SHINE TODAY.
SHOW AND SHINE IS BASICALLY A JEEP CONTEST WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY VOTE ON YOUR FAVORITE JEEP.
THERE'S JEEPS HERE WITH $30,000 STEREO SYSTEMS AND THERE'S JEEPS THAT ARE THREE FEET TALL.
THERE'S SMALL JEEPS, THERE'S OLD JEEPS, THEY'RE ALL COOL JEEPS.
BUT ANYWAY, THERE'S LOTS OF THEM TO LOOK AT.
WE'RE ALSO GIVING AWAY A JEEP TODAY.
WE'RE GIVING AWAY A JEEP TODAY AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
OH, WE MIGHT JUST SKIP OYSTER FESTIVAL AND WE'LL COME BACK TO IT.
HEY, I AM ORCA PAUL MEYER AND I'M FROM ONE HOT MAMAS AND WE ARE HERE AT WING FEST.
UM, I'VE BEEN COMING FOR 25 YEARS, PARTICIPATING FOR 18.
WE'VE WON EIGHT OF THEM AND WE ARE ACTUALLY THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS.
SO, UM, WE WON ACTUALLY WITH OUR HAWAII FIVE OH, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR AND IT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT DAY OUT HERE AND WE ARE JUST GLAD TO BE BACK ON HILTON HEAD AND CELEBRATING WING FEST GO ISLAND.
UM, JUST SOMETHING WE WANNA TOUCH ON, UM, WITH THE VISIBILITY OF LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK, WHICH HAS BEEN A GREAT ASSET TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, WE HAVE SO MANY PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LOCAL HOTELS AND SHORT TERM RENTALS DOWN THERE AND THEY ARE PROMOTING OUR EVENTS AND ALL THE EVENTS THAT ARE HELD AT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT'S WALKABLE.
UM, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO GET OUT AND GO ANYWHERE.
MARRIOTT'S ACROSS THE STREET, TIKI HUT, BEACH HOUSE, HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS, ALL THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE RIGHT THERE AND THEY CAN WALK TO THE PARK.
SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE BUILT WITH A LOT OF THE SOUTH END HOTELS AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS, UM, BECAUSE IT GIVES SOMETHING FOR PEOPLE TO DO, UM, WHEN THEY MIGHT NOT BE GOING TO THE BEACH OR OVER THE BEACH.
UM, AND ANOTHER QUESTION I THINK SHE TOLD US TO BE PREPARED FOR IS ENTRANCE NUMBERS.
HOW DO WE GET THOSE ENTRANCE ENTRANCE NUMBERS? UM, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT COLLECT ZIP CODES WHEN THEY COME TO THE EVENT, UM, BEFORE YOU COME INTO OUR EVENTS, ZIP CODES ARE COLLECTED.
UM, THEN WE ALSO SEND OUT ANYBODY THAT HAS PRE-PURCHASE TICKETS.
UM, WE COLLECT THOSE ZIP CODES FROM THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL.
UM, AND THE NUMBERS WE TAKE 'EM FROM OUR ENTRANCE, UM, MONEY THAT WE COLLECT AND KNOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE PAY COME THROUGH THERE OR HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE PURCHASED TICKETS.
UM, WE COLLECT THOSE NUMBERS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
[04:40:02]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE SAY THAT I WAS AT THE CHILI COOKOFF ON SATURDAY AND WHAT A FANTASTIC EVENT.
UH, YEAH, I THINK HAVING IT THERE AT CELEBRATION PARK, YOU KNOW, UM, INCREASES VISIBILITY, FOOT TRAFFIC, UH, IT WAS A NICE WARM, SUNNY DAY.
I HAD TO MAKE A WALK OVER TO THE GROCERY STORE TO GET SOME SUNSCREEN.
AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF FOLKS AROUND THE AREA ASKING WHAT WAS HAPPENING OVER THERE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO AGAIN, BEING IN A WALK-IN AREA WHERE IT WASN'T AT A DESTINATION AREA PER SE, UH, I WOULD IMAGINE YOU HAD SEVERAL FOLKS THAT WEREN'T PLANNING ON COMING BUT SAW ABANDONED AND THEY COME TRICKLING IN.
AND EVEN WITH SETTING UP WHEN WE START SET UP ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY BEFORE THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WE TAKE OF WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEKEND.
SO WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE OUR FENCE PUT UP THE DAY BEFORE SO WE CAN PUT A BIG BANNER OUT ON THE FENCE AND SAY WING FEST THIS WEEKEND, CHILI COOKOFF THIS WEEKEND.
LIKE PEOPLE ARE JUST ASKING AND DRIVING PAST THERE THAT MIGHT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT IT'S GIVING THEM SOMETHING TO DO WHEN THEY'RE IN HILTON HEAD.
I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SOME FOLKS AND THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT FAMILIES I SPOKE TO HAD WHO HAD COME UP FROM FLORIDA, UH, ESCAPING FROM THE HURRICANE COMING THROUGH, AND THIS WAS THEIR FIRST TIME THE HILTON HAD AND THEY WERE JUST OVER THE MOON OF THE HOSPITALITY, UH, THE ORGANIZATION, THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THROUGH THE REC CENTER.
UH, IT WAS, IT REALLY MADE US FEEL GOOD AS A RESIDENTS HERE FOR UH, HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE THE REC CENTER AND THE EVENTS YOU GUYS PUT ON AND YOU DO IT SO WELL.
SO ANY QUESTIONS? IT'S NOT JUST THOSE THREE EVENTS THOUGH,
UH, WE PUT ON 15 EVENTS PROBABLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH OUR SUMMER JAMS AND OUR PARTY IN THE PARKS.
UM, BUT THESE YEAH,
SO, UM, THOSE TURKEY TROT BEER MILE, UM, WE HAVE PUMPKIN PATCH COMING UP TOMORROW NIGHT.
UM, THEN THE TRUNK AND TRUNK OR TREAT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, WINTER WONDER FESTIVAL, EASTER EXTRAVAGANZA, ALL OF OUR SUMMER ACTIVITIES.
SO, UM, THESE ARE THE THREE THAT WE KNOW, UM, THAT WE WANTED TO FOCUS OUR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ON, UM, AND BRING OUT OF THE AREA PEOPLE TO US.
JUST WANTED TO SAY ADDITIONALLY, THE REC CENTER ALSO SUPPLIED SUPPORT FOR ALL OTHER FESTIVALS AND EVENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE YEAH.
WE'RE A LITTLE STILL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, IS THE ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD HERE? THERE SHE IS.
HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, ONCE SHE GETS YOU SET UP, IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK YOU CAN JUST HAVE TO USE THE ARROWS ON THIS ONE.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO USE THES WORK.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, TODAY I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION AND HOW WE USE THE AT TAX FUNDS.
UM, AND MY PRESENTATION IS OFF OF 2023 'CAUSE THAT'S OUR LAST COMPLETE FISCAL YEAR.
SO OUR MISSION IS INSPIRING THE VISUAL ARTS, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS VISITORS THROUGH EXHIBITIONS, EDUCATION AND PARTNERSHIPS.
WE HAVE A THREE-PRONG MISSION.
THE FIRST PART EXHIBITIONS, UM, IS MAINLY FOCUSED IN OUR GALLERY WHERE WE HAVE ABOUT 280 LOCAL ARTISTS THAT ARE MEMBERS AND PARTICIPATE AND SHOW THEIR WORKS MONTHLY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A, UM, EXHIBITS AT OUR ACADEMY FACILITY, AND THOSE ARE USUALLY MORE OF A FUNDRAISING EFFORT THAT WE DO WITH OUR PARTNERS.
HERE ARE SOME POSTCARD IMAGES OF THE 2023 EXHIBITS AND THE FIRST HALF OF 2024.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, A NATIONAL JURY SHOW EVERY YEAR.
THESE NATIONAL JURY SHOWS REALLY BRING, UM, ATTENTION TO OUR ISLAND.
UM, WE HAD A HUNDRED AND ARTISTS FROM 25 STATES IN 2023.
AND OUR JUDGE FOR BIENNALE 2025 WILL BE TONY ARMAND.
HE'S FROM PALATINE, ILLINOIS, AND YOU CAN SEE A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF HIS WORKS UP THERE.
THE SECOND TIER OF OUR MISSION IS EDUCATION.
WE HAVE OUR ACADEMY FACILITY OFF OF CORDO, WHERE WE, UM, HAVE CLASSES FOR ARTISTS OF ALL SKILL LEVEL, INCLUDING TRUE BEGINNERS.
AND THEN WE HAVE WEEKLY CLASSES THAT WE CONTRACT LOCAL ART PROFESSIONALS TO TEACH.
AND THEN WE ALSO BRING IN GUEST INSTRUCTORS.
[04:45:01]
NATIONALLY KNOWN, UM, ARTISTS THAT DO ATTRACT TOURISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.AND ANOTHER PART OF OUR EDUCATION IS WE AWARD AN ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP.
IN 2023, WE AWARDED $2,000 TO SOPHIA PARIS WHO WENT ON TO ATTEND TUFTS UNIVERSITY.
AND WE JUST GOT AN UPDATE FROM HER GRANDMOTHER THAT SHE, UM, WAS NAMED THE ADMISSIONS FELLOW AND WAS SELECTED TO BE A PART OF TUFTS IDEA LAB, WHICH IS A RESEARCH GROUP INVOLVED IN PROJECTS RELATED TO VIRTUAL REALITY DEVELOPMENT, MACHINE LEARNING DESIGN, AND HYPERSPECTRAL LEARNING.
SO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT SHE DOES WHEN SHE GRADUATES.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD PART IS PARTNERSHIPS.
WE TRY TO PARTNER WITH AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS AS POSSIBLE.
SO YOU'LL SEE HERE'S JUST A FEW, UH, HIGHLIGHTED.
UM, WE AGAIN PARTNERED WITH SEA TURTLE PATROL HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO RAISE MONEY FOR THEM THIS PAST JULY.
AND WE DID A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH CLEMSON EX EXTENSION IN MAY, UM, AND DID A TREE EXHIBIT AND THAT WAS JUST KIND OF A, PEOPLE COULD COME AND LEARN ABOUT THE LOCAL TREES AND THAT ARE NATIVE TO OUR ISLAND.
SO, UM, AT TAX FUNDS ARE SPENT IN A VARIETY OF TACTICS, WHICH INCLUDE ONLINE MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA, DESIGN FOR ONLINE AND PRINT ADVERTISING, AND THEN PRINTING COSTS.
OUR FIRST DIGITAL IMPRESSION IS OF COURSE OUR WEBSITE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE CONTINUED GROWTH SINCE WE REDESIGNED OUR WEBSITE BACK IN 2020 AND WE WERE UP, UH, 17.6% IN USERS FROM 2023 OVER 2022.
AND WE EXPECT THAT TO INCREASE EVEN MORE THIS COMING YEAR.
WE USE INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK FOR OUR SOCIAL MEDIA MAJORITY.
UM, WE HAD OVER 5,100 FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS AND 1300 INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS.
AND THEN WE ALSO ADDED PINTEREST JUST BECAUSE ANYTIME SOMEBODY LOOKS AT AN IMAGE AND CLICKS ON THAT IMAGE, THE PIN LINKS BACK TO OUR WEBSITE.
SO THAT GAVE US 13,000, UM, VIEWS AND BY 10,000 USERS LAST YEAR.
OUR DIGITAL STRATEGIES CONSISTED OF SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING, WHICH JUST MAKES OUR WEBSITE APPEAR ON THE FIRST PAGE THAT YOU WANT IT ON ANY SEARCH ENGINE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE HERE IS A DISPLAY AD ON OUTDOOR PAINTER.COM.
AND THEN THE LEFT SIDE'S AN EXAMPLE OF ANOTHER TARGETED DISPLAY AD.
AND THESE TWO TYPES OF ADS IN 2023 RESULTED IN AN 866,000 IMPRESSIONS.
WE PARTNER WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVERY YEAR.
WE ADVERTISE BOTH IN PRINT AND DIGITALLY, AND THAT GROWTH HAS STEADILY GROWN.
AND THEN HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME LOCAL PRINT ADS THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE.
UH, WE ADVERTISED IN 2023 IN BLUFFTON TODAY.
LOCAL LIFE, HILTON HEAD, SUN ISLAND EVENTS MAGAZINE AND LOW COUNTRY WEEKLY.
JUST SO WHEN TOURISTS DO ARRIVE, THEY KNOW WE'RE HERE AND WHAT WE OFFER.
AND THEN HERE'S SOME OF OUR NATIONAL ADS, OUR USA TODAY AD ON THE RIGHT AND THEN PLANE.
WE'RE IN EVERY ISSUE OF PLAIN AIR MAGAZINE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE TRY TO MAINLY FOCUS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND HOW THE ARTS AND THE BEAUTY OF OUR ISLAND REALLY DO GO HAND IN HAND.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RESULTS.
UM, PATRON ATTENDANCE DECLINES STEEPLY DURING THE PANDEMIC AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE STEADILY INCREASING.
WE'RE HAD 25% MORE PATRONS IN 23 OVER 22.
AND, UM, I ALWAYS TRY TO COMPARE AND BEAT OUR COST PER TOURIST.
AND LAST YEAR DURING MY PRESENTATION, I, I GUESSED IT WOULD BE ABOUT $11 PER TOURIST AND WE WERE ACTUALLY AT $8 AND 90 CENTS.
OUR SALES AND TUITION, UM, WERE UP 149% YEAR OVER YEAR, LOOKING AT 20 22, 20 21.
THAT WAS OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR.
WE ALSO ASKED FOR 20,000 MORE IN AT TAX THAT YEAR.
SO WE REALLY INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF WORKSHOPS AND EXHIBITS AND VISIBILITY SO YOU COULD SEE HOW THOSE KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND.
SO WE WENT DOWN SLIGHTLY IN 2023 BY 4.6%, BUT AGAIN, THAT CORRELATES DIRECTLY TO OUR DECREASED MARKETING, OUR CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS.
IN 2023, WE OFFERED 294 CLASSES, UM, BUT THEY WERE TAKEN BY 289 TOURISTS.
YOU CAN SEE IN RED WHERE THOSE TOURISTS CAME FROM.
AND THE FIRST HALF OF 2024, WE'VE HAD 140 CLASSES TAKEN BY 294
[04:50:02]
TOURISTS.SO WE'VE REALLY BROUGHT IN A LOT OF MORE GUEST INSTRUCTORS THAT ARE ATTRACTING THOSE TOURISTS THIS YEAR.
SO I'LL BE REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHERE WE ARE ON THE MAP NEXT YEAR.
BUT, UM, ALL OF OUR CLASSES ARE HELD AT OUR ACADEMY.
SO I WANT TO GO A LITTLE MORE INTO OUR ACADEMY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS LOCATION AT 1 0 6 CORD PARKWAY SINCE 2003.
DR. VIRGINIA MCKENZIE WAS OUR BOARD MEMBER THAT, UM, KIND OF GOT US TO TAKE OVER WHAT WAS CREATION STATION AT THE TIME.
AND THIS WAS THE FIRST REC CENTER BUILDING AND IT'S STILL OWNED BY THE REC CENTER, BUT, UM, WE ARE WORKING HARD TO UPGRADE AND MAKE THIS BUILDING MORE USABLE, GET IN MORE WORKSHOPS SO, UM, THAT WE DO ATTRACT MORE TOURISTS.
AND WITH THAT, WHEN WE DO BRING IN THESE BIG WORKSHOPS, YOU CAN SEE, UM, MY LITTLE CHART OF PEOPLE THERE.
THE RED IS A TOURIST AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT STATES THEY CAME FROM.
THE MORE OF THESE WORKSHOPS THAT WE HAVE, THE BETTER IT'S GOING TO BE.
MOST OF THEM ARE TWO, THREE DAY WORKSHOPS.
SO, UM, OUR WORKSHOP WITH ADAM CLE, THIS LAST MAY ACTUALLY HAD MORE TOURISTS THAN LOCALS AND VISITORS.
SO IN SUMMARY, OUR DIGITAL IMPRESSIONS WERE ALMOST $2 MILLION LAST OR 2 MILLION PEOPLE LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THAT RESULTED IN ALMOST 50,000, 45,000 PEOPLE ATTENDING OUR GALLERY, OUR ACADEMY, AND OUR COMMUNITY FACILITIES.
SO WHAT'S NEXT IN 2025? WE, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HOST FULL SPECTRUM STUDIO FOR THEIR FIRST, UM, GALLERY EXHIBIT.
WE HAVE OUR 29TH BI COMING UP AND WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON ANNOUNCING A NEW NATIONAL JURY SHOW, SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT.
THE MOST EXCITING THING I THINK IS BRINGING BACK OUR STUDIO TOUR IN 1977, ART LEAGUE HAD A STUDIO TOUR THAT WE STARTED AND IT KIND OF JUST WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WENT AWAY AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK TO OUR ROOTS A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THE FIRST ONES WERE AMAZING.
I MEAN, WE HAD SOME OF THE BEST ARTISTS FROM THE SOUTHEAST LIVING HERE AND PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO JUST GO IN THEIR HOMES, MEET THESE ARTISTS AND CONNECT WITH THEM.
SO WE HAD JOE BOWLER AND RAY ELLIS AND IT'S NICE RAY ELLIS'S DAUGHTER.
UM, PEGGY ELLIS STILL TEACHES AT OUR ACADEMY AND SHE LIVES IN CHARLESTON NOW, BUT WE ALSO HAD KOBE WHITMORE AND THEN OUR VERY OWN FOUNDER, WALTER GREER.
UM, IT'S JUST OUR HOPE THAT BY BRINGING BACK THE STUDIO TOUR, IT'S GONNA HELP US CONNECT EVEN MORE WITH OUR AUDIENCE AND ATTRACT ART LOVERS FROM NEAR AND AFAR.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? YES SIR.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR COST PER TOUR WENT DOWN.
UM, WELL WE STRIVE TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE PRE PANDEMIC.
WE WERE AROUND $4 AND 50 CENTS A PERSON AND THEN WE WENT WAY UP.
SO WE'RE CHIPPING AWAY TRYING TO GET BACK AND BE VERY GOOD, YOU KNOW, STEWARDS OF THESE FUNDS.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR REBOUND FROM THE PANDEMIC.
YOU OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, SAW YOUR NUMBERS GO DOWN, BUT SEEING THAT LADDER OF GROWTH BACK TOWARDS WHERE YOU WERE, I THINK YOU'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THAT DOLLAR GO DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, GET BACK TOWARDS $6, $5 PER PER TOUR.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESSES ON REBOUNDING AND STEPPING BACK UP.
I NOTICED THAT, UM, A FAIR PERCENTAGE OF YOUR MARKETING DOLLARS IS, IS PRINT MEDIA AND MOST OF THAT'S FOCUSED ON LOCAL.
BUT DURING THE PRESENTATION YOU SAID THAT A LOT OF THE TOURISTS PICK THOSE UP AND THEN COME VISIT YOU.
ARE YOU CAPTURING THAT DATA OR JUST ANECDOTALLY PEOPLE ARE SAYING, OH, I SAW IT IN LOCAL LIFE OR I SAW IT IN UM, SO THE PRINT MARKETING IS BOTH THE NATIONAL PLAN AIR AND THE LOCAL ONES.
SO THOSE ARE, THOSE PLAN AIR ADS ARE THE MAJORITY OF THAT SPEND, BUT UM, THOSE ARE DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY.
BUT, UM, WE DO, IF YOU LOOK AT MY APPLICATION
WE GET THEIR ZIP CODES AND KEEP IT ON A LOG.
SO THAT'S WHY MY APPLICATION'S ALWAYS THIS GIGANTIC FILE THAT I HAVE TO REDUCE.
BUT WE DO ASK EVERY PERSON THAT COMES IN, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? WHAT IS YOUR ZIP CODE? AND CAPTURE IT THAT WAY ON A ONE-ON-ONE, ONE-ON-ONE BASIS.
SO WHEN YOU BRING, WHEN WHEN TOURISTS ARE COMING IN, SOME OF THEM WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE SEEING IT, THEY'RE PICKING UP THE LOCAL MAGAZINES IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE HEARING ABOUT YOU.
WE DEFINITELY ASK LIKE, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? JUST SO WE KNOW WHERE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST AND THAT'S WHY YOU'LL KIND OF SEE US KIND OF SHIFT WITH DIFFERENT SOURCES, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE
[04:55:01]
I LIKE TO TRY AND GO WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE MOST VALUE.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, THIS WILL BRING US TO OUR LAST APPLICANT OF THE DAY.
FIRST TEE OF THE LOW COUNTRY FOR THOSE WHO CAME IN LATE.
AND YOU SEE THE, THE AGENDA WE HAD, THE LOW COUNTRY GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION GO QUITE A FEW, UH, ABOUT AN HOUR, TWO HOURS EARLY.
WE'RE VERY AHEAD OF THE SCHEDULE,
YOU GET TO BRING US ON HOME IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WE HAVE, UH, NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE.
SET, MET YOU IN PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT IF YOU CAN SAY HELLO AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
AND THEN IF YOU JUST USE THE BACK ARROW.
I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FIRST TEE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.
UH, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2019 AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
BUT PUT MY GLASSES ON OR I'LL MAKE SOME MISTAKES FOR SURE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME TODAY AND TELL YOU ABOUT FIRST TEE, THE LOW COUNTRY.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS VERY LARGE ENDEAVOR.
UH, I HOPE YOU ALL REALIZE WHAT A TREMENDOUS SERVICE YOU'RE PERFORMING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THOSE OF YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, KNOW THAT FIRST HE CONSIDERS THIS A PARTNERSHIP.
AND I'LL ELABORATE MORE ON THAT LATER.
UH, BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR FACILITY.
UM, WE HAVE A REALLY TERRIFIC FACILITY THAT'S DESCRIBED ON THIS SLIDE.
UH, WE HAVE GARNERED THE REPUTATION FOR BEING THE BEST CONDITIONED PUBLIC PRACTICE FACILITY OF THE AREA.
UH, BUT WE'RE NOT STANDING STILL.
OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS, WE'VE UPGRADED THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, RENOVATED BUNKERS TO IMPROVE THE FACILITY EVEN FURTHER.
UH, AND IT IS LARGE ENOUGH AND SET UP SO WE CAN ACTUALLY CONDUCT TWO, UH, SESSIONS OR CLASSES OR AT THE, AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, NOW IF EVERYTHING WORKS RIGHT, THIS NEXT SLIDE, UH, IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE A BRIEF SLIDE PRESENTATION, UH, OF ITS OWN, UH, LASTS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES OR SO.
AND I'M GONNA DO A LITTLE BRAGGING.
UH, THIS IS OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR AND THIS IS JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION, UH, THAT SHOWS SOME HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE, FROM THE PAST 10 YEARS.
[05:00:34]
ALL RIGHT.LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HAD SOUND UNTIL RIGHT NOW.
SO
UH, THIS IS REALLY THE SLIDE I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
PARTNERSHIP, UH, 2024 HAS BEEN A, A GOOD YEAR FOR US.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO OFFER FREE PROGRAMMING TO HALF OF THE KIDS THAT OVER HALF OF THE KIDS THAT COME TO OUR PROGRAMS. UM, SOME BIG MILESTONES.
THIS YEAR WE AWARDED OUR FIRST COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP.
UH, WE TOOK OVER OPERATING THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND JUNIOR GOLFERS ASSOCIATION.
WE CREATED NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEP AND POCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
AND OUR FIRST GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS ARE SEC, ARE EXCELLING.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, THE ONES THAT HAVE ALREADY GRADUATED.
ONE IS AT THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY.
UH, ANOTHER ONE IS, UH, PLAYING ON GOLF IN COLLEGE.
AND HE'S ALREADY BEEN VOTED, UH, SOME PLAYER OF THE WEEK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND WE GOT TWO MORE KIDS WHO ARE GOING RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIPS NEXT FALL.
UH, BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEADS AAX PROGRAM, THESE THINGS HAVE ALL COME TRUE.
YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR MARKETING EFFORTS HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF OUR SUCCESS.
SO, QUITE FRANKLY, OUR SUCCESS IS YOUR SUCCESS AND I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF THAT.
OUT OF THE STUFF YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, THE MARKETING IS PAYING OFF AS OF SEPTEMBER 30.
AS OF THIS MORNING, WE'RE AT 6,480 TOTAL VISITORS.
UM, SO WE'RE STAYING ON PACE WITH LAST YEAR AND WITH, UH, SORT OF THE UPTICK WE'VE SEEN SINCE THE WEATHER IMPROVED.
UH, WE REALLY THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO PASS THAT TOTAL FOR THIS YEAR.
OUR SCHOOL PROGRAM IS BACK TO PRE COVID LEVELS, SO, UH, WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
UM, VISITORS, OR EXCUSE ME, TOURISTS IN OUR TECHNOLOGY.
UH, WE WERE HOLDING STEADY THROUGH AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, LIKE FARMERS GOLF COURSES OPERATE ON THE WEATHER.
UH, WE LOST 15% OF OUR DAYS IN AUGUST AND ANOTHER TWO DAYS IN SEPTEMBER.
UH, BUT ONCE AGAIN, AS OF THIS MORNING, OUR TOURIST NUMBERS HAVE SORT OF REBOUNDED, WE'RE BACK UP TO 40%, UH, FOR THE YEAR.
SO WE, WE LOOK FOR THAT TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS THIS, UH, FALL GOES ALONG.
AND THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN TELL THAT I'M NOT TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED.
I WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO TAKE ONE OF THESE GRAPHS OUT OF THERE, DIDN'T REALIZE IT.
THEY BOTH SAY EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
BUT BASICALLY THE IDEA IS THAT 90% OF OUR VISIT, OUR TOURISTS COME FROM EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
UM, SO OUR PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO GROW.
PATRONAGE OF OUR HILTON HEAD ISLAND FACILITY CONTINUES TO GROW.
GROWTH IS GOING TO BE OUR OVERARCHING TEAM FOR THE, OUR THEME FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
I'M SURE YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF THE GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR THIS AREA AND WE ARE WORKING VERY, WORKING VERY HARD TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THOSE KIDS THAT ARE HEADED OUR WAY IN THE ADULTS THAT COME WITH THEM.
SO ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
DO YOU HAVE A 2025 BUDGET AVAILABLE? UH, I THINK THE PACKET THAT WAS SUBMITTED HAD THE 2024 BUDGET, WHICH IS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T FINALIZE OUR BUDGET TILL NOVEMBER.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE, THE ONLY THING I WILL TELL YOU IS WE WE'RE PLANNING ON SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE ON MARKETING NEXT YEAR.
I THINK EVERYTHING THAT YOU SUBMITTED, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECTIONS WE HAVE ARE BASED OFF OF YOUR 22, 20 24 BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, JUST CURIOUS IF YOU HAD THAT AVAILABLE.
UH, YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT UNTIL FEBRUARY, BUT IF YOU DO GET THE, OR I'M SORRY, NOVEMBER, IF YOU DO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE, IF YOU CAN SUBMIT IT TO THE TOWN SO WE'LL HAVE IT OKAY.
BEFORE OUR, UM, SEND IT TO SHEENA.
YOU CAN SEND THAT, THAT WAY WE CAN PLUG IN THOSE NUMBERS.
UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET PART FOR 2025, SO IT'S HARD FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOMETHING TO WEIGH IT AGAINST AS SOON AS WE GET SOMETHING THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE PUBLICIZING, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT ALONG.
I, I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S NOT GONNA DIFFER TOO MUCH FROM THIS YEAR.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE CDC I THINK WE, I THINK WE'RE PLAYING ON INCREASING IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT A WHOLE LOT.
[05:05:01]
I'LL SAY THIS YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO GO OVER TO YOUR FACILITY.IT WAS WAY MORE THAN I WAS ANTICIPATING.
UM, SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, YOU KNOW, SEEING THE SIGNAGE APPLICATION GO IN AND I SAW THE SIGN, BUT IT HAD NEVER TAKEN THE LEFT IN.
AND, UH, I WAS TELLING THESE FOLKS EARLIER THAT, UH, THE FIRST TIME I WENT THROUGH, I IMMEDIATELY LEFT TO GO GET MY DAUGHTERS AND COME BACK.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT RIGHT THERE ITSELF.
IT REALLY IS A, A REALLY A GEM FOR THE ISLAND.
SO THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE YOUTH AND FOR THE GAME OF GOLF.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM, UH, THE COMMITTEE HERE? YES, SIR.
I'M IMPRESSED WITH YOU'RE GETTING 34% TOURISTS.
ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW WE'RE THAT? WELL, WE DO, UM, WE DO MARKETING AT THE, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL 'EM, VISITOR CENTERS ON THE INTERSTATES.
WE ARE CONSTANTLY SENDING THEM BROCHURES AND SO FORTH.
UH, WE HAVE A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE RACK CARD PROGRAM, UM, THAT HELPS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY A A GREAT GUY WHO WAS A GREAT SUPPORTER OF OURS AND ALWAYS DID THE NARRATION FOR ALL OUR RADIO ADS PASSED AWAY TODAY, MONTY JET PASSED AWAY.
WE SPONSOR SOME, UH, A DAILY SHOW AT THE HERITAGE.
UM, SO WE, WE APPROACH IT FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO, BUT NEVER REALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IS MARKET OUR FACILITY TO FIRST TEE CHAPTERS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
I THINK THAT WOULD BRING IN A FEW MORE PEOPLE AS WELL.
SO WHILE WE'RE, WE, WE REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? I DON'T, NATIONAL OR REGIONAL ADVERTISING.
UM, WE WERE PRETTY EFFECTIVE I THINK ON THE LOCAL LEVEL WHERE THE, THE LAST UH, PERSON THAT WAS UP HERE MENTIONED THAT PEOPLE WILL PICK UP A BROCHURE RACK CARD AND YOU KNOW, AND WE ALWAYS ASK THAT QUESTION ON THEIR FIRST VISIT, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? GREAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT ENDS THE, UH, HEARING OF THE APPLICANTS TODAY.
UH, THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WELL I WANT TO THANK ALL THE APPLICANTS TODAY, UH, FOR YOUR TIME, FOR THE, THE PRESENTATIONS.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE FOR SETTING THROUGH WHAT IS A LONG DAY.
UH, LET'S DO IT AGAIN NEXT WEEK.
WE WILL GO THROUGH AND GET THE SECOND WAVE OF THIS THANK YOU, THE TOWN STAFF FOR THE PREPARATION AND FOR THE LUNCH THAT WAS PROVIDED.
SO, UH, WITH THAT WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.