Oct 24, 2024 Hilton Head Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee

AND IF YOU WANNA USE A CLICKER, YOU CAN, BUT THE PRESS SPACE BAR, THE BIGGEST BUTTON WILL WORK.

THAT WILL WORK.

UH, MY NAME IS BLAKE WHITE.

I'M THE FOUNDING, ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER.

AND THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION FOR OUR ANNUAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX APPLICATION.

LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER IS COMING OFF ITS THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF GROWTH.

EVERY SEASON SINCE THE COVID PANDEMIC PANDEMIC, WE HAVE SEEN GROWTH NOT ONLY IN TOURISTS, BUT ALSO VISITORS OVERALL ATTENDANCE AND EVERY FISCAL CATEGORY THAT WE TRACK, INCLUDING THE CHART THAT YOU SEE HERE, WHICH IS THE MOST GENEROUS AMOUNT OF GROWTH INDIVIDUAL GIVING.

AS OF THIS WRITING, WE ARE ONCE AGAIN OFF TO A GOOD START FOR THE CURRENT SEASON AS WE ARE RUNNING AHEAD OF LAST SEASON WITH INDIVIDUAL TICKET SALES BY JUST OVER 18%.

WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS BY CONTINUING AND IMPROVING OUR BRAND, WHICH IS TO TELL STORIES THAT COMPEL THOUGHT, SPARK, EMOTION, AND INSPIRE CONVERSATION, INCLUDING THE EVOLUTION OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM.

UNBOUND UNBOUND REACHES JUST ABOUT A THOUSAND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS FISCAL YEAR.

THESE ARE STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, AND WE GO ABOUT THIS WITH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS LIFELONG LEARNING, SOAR POCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE, AS WELL AS STATEWIDE.

WITH THE WAREHOUSE THEATER OF GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.

WE ARE STARTING THE CURRENT MAIN STAGE SEASON WITH A PRODUCTION THAT FITS OUR MISSION PERFECTLY IN ITS TIMELINESS AND EXECUTION.

AND THAT IS WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME.

THIS IS A CO-PRODUCTION WITH FUR AND UNIVERSITY WHERE WE OPENED LAST WEEK AND WHERE I HAVE A PERFORMANCE THIS EVENING AT SEVEN 30 IF YOU'RE FREE, , THIS CO-PRODUCTION HAS PROVEN TO BE AN EFFECTIVE COST CUTTING MEASURE AS WELL AS A MARKETING BOON.

THE PRODUCTION OPENS ON HILTON HEAD NEXT WEEK AND RUNS THROUGH NOVEMBER 10TH.

ON OPENING WEEKEND, WE WILL BE VISITED BY THE TONY AND PULITZER PRIZE NOMINATED PLAYWRIGHT HEIDI SHREK, WHO WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN MULTIPLE EVENTS, INCLUDING A PANEL DISCUSSION ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, MODERATED BY ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, DR. GLORIA HOLMES.

AND AS ALWAYS, THESE ANCILLARY EVENTS WILL BE HELD TO THE PUBLIC FREE OF CHARGE FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE SET AN AMBITIOUS GOAL OF RAISING OUR EARNED REVENUE BY 9%.

WE HAVE A DEDICATED AND GENEROUS BAND OF SUPPORTERS WHO STICK WITH US THROUGH THICK AND THIN, BUT OUR MAIN FOCUS IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IS IMPROVING OUR TICKET SALES.

AND WE HAVE PLAN ON ACHIEVING THIS GOAL BY ZEROING IN ON PRODUCT, PRICE, PLACE, AND PROMOTION FOR PRODUCT.

WE ARE EVOLVING OUR PROGRAMMING EVER SO SLIGHTLY TO A MORE AUDIENCE FRIENDLY POINT OF VIEW WHILE STAYING FULLY COMMITTED TO OUR MISSION.

OUR UPCOMING PRODUCTION OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS, OBVIOUSLY, CHRISTMAS CAROL IS THAT TIMELESS TALE BY CHARLES DICKENS THAT WE ALL KNOW IN LOVE.

BUT THIS WILL BE A WORLD PREMIER ADAPTATION BY ONE OF OUR OWN ENSEMBLE MEMBERS, MATT MUNDY.

IT WILL FEATURE JUST FIVE ACTORS TELLING THE STORY IN A VERY FOCUSED AND ENTERTAINING AND DIRECT WAY FOR

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PRICE.

WE ARE DETERMINED TO KEEP OUR TICKET PRICES AFFORDABLE SO THAT EVERYONE HAS A PLACE IN THE THEATER.

WE HAVE ONLY RAISED TICKET PRICES ONCE BY $5 SINCE THE PANDEMIC, AND THAT'S FAR BEHIND THE RATES OF INFLATION.

WE ARE MORE FOCUSED THAN EVER ON ENTICING NEW AUDIENCE MEMBERS WITH PERKS THAT GO BEYOND SIMPLE DISCOUNTING OF TICKETS IN TERMS OF PLACE.

WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IT AT WORK WITH THE HILTON HEAD PREP MAIN STREET THEATER, BUT THAT RELATIONSHIP IS A BIT TENUOUS FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THEY OWN THE BUILDING AND THEY WANT TO USE IT FOR THEIR OWN USES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WHICH MAKES CALENDARING A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING FROM TIME TO TIME.

SO THEREFORE, WE ARE CONTINUING TO EXPLORE EVERY OTHER OPTION THAT WE CAN, INCLUDING THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SPACE, SOUND WAVES, AS WELL AS THE KIG THEATER.

AND THERE IS ONE MISSING LOGO FROM UP THERE, AND THAT IS OUR FRIENDS AT THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA, WHO HAVE BEEN GREAT COLLABORATORS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

WE ARE DETERMINED TO SEE WHAT OTHER SPACES WE CAN, WE CAN FIND TO ATTRACT NEW AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHILE REMAINING LOYAL TO OUR CURRENT SUPPORTERS.

IN TERMS OF MARKETING OR PROMOTION, RATHER THAN A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH, WE ARE LOOKING AT EACH SPECIFIC PRODUCTION INDIVIDUALLY TO SEE HOW WE CAN EXPAND, UH, BEST SPEND OUR MARKETING DOLLARS.

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE FIRST TWO PRODUCTIONS OF OUR CURRENT SEASON.

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME IS GOING TO BE A SLIGHTLY MORE FEMALE YOUNGER AUDIENCE.

SO THEREFORE, WE ARE FOCUSED MORE ON DIGITAL MARKETING.

AND YOU CAN SEE BY THIS CHART, IF YOU AVERAGE THOSE THREE NUMBERS TOGETHER, WE'VE SEEN ABOUT A 29% GROWTH IN INTERACTION WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE SINCE WE'VE STOPPED OUTSOURCING IT TO A FIRM IN NEW YORK CITY AND PUT IT IN-HOUSE.

FOLLOWING THAT, WHEN WE DO CHRISTMAS CAROL, IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, A MORE TRADITIONAL AUDIENCE, THEREFORE A SLIGHTLY MORE TRADITIONAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN.

SO WE WILL BE SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY ON PRINT ADVERTISING, SPECIFICALLY THE ISLAND PACKET, LOCAL LIFE, PINK MAGAZINE, ET CETERA.

SO FAR THIS YEAR WE LIKE THE DATA THAT WE ARE SEEING, BUT WE HAVE NOT EVEN OPENED OUR FIRST PRODUCTION.

SO MALLEABILITY IS THE WORD OF THE DAY.

WE HAVE AN UNRELENTING FOCUS ON ACHIEVING OUR GOALS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, AND WE WILL STAY MALLEABLE AND FLEXIBLE THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I'LL JUST SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR CONTINUED GROWTH OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT TREND GO UP.

UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE ADVERTISING, BRINGING IT IN-HOUSE, WHAT WAS THE, THE TRIGGERING POINT TO DO THAT? YOU SAID YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING INSTEAD SENATE TO A FIRM IN NEW YORK NOW YOU GUYS HANDLE IT ON THE SOCIAL SIDE.

UH, YEAH, SO, UM, IT REALLY JUST COMES DOWN TO BOOTS ON THE GROUND, RIGHT? WE DECIDED THAT AS, AND WE HAD A LONG, VERY POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE IN NEW YORK THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT WE WERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS CO-PRODUCTION TO START, UM, WE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE HAVE, UH, IT WOULD BE A BETTER PLAN FOR US TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO WOULD ACTUALLY BE PRESENT FOR THE EVENTS AS OPPOSED TO US HAVING TO GET INFORMATION TO THE EAST, WELL, TO THE NORTHERN EAST COAST, AND THEN BACK TO US AGAIN.

SO HAVING IT IN-HOUSE IS JUST ABOUT HAVING SOMEONE THAT'S PRESENT FOR THE EVENTS AND HAS SOMEONE THAT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND YOU SAID THAT'S GONE UP ON AVERAGE ABOUT 29%.

AND JUST, UH, FOUR MONTHS.

AWESOME.

UH, YES SIR.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE FOR US HOW YOU CAPTURE YOUR, UH, TOURIST VISITOR DATA.

I DIDN'T SEE A VISITOR SURVEY IN HERE.

IS THIS FROM TICKETING ZIP CODES? YES.

IT'S FROM OUR, UH, BOX OFFICE PROGRAM, WHICH IS AUDIENCE VIEWS SLASH OVATION.

SO IT'S JUST WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND BUY THEIR TICKETS, THEY PUT IN THEIR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET THE ZIP CODE INFORMATION.

AND IF THEY SHOW UP AT THE DOOR IN PERSON AND PAY CASH, WE JUST WRITE IT DOWN OLD SCHOOL STYLE.

IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THE AWARD DESIGNATIONS.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AVERAGE, UH, PURCHASE ONLINE IS? IS SOMEBODY BUYING THREE OR FOUR TICKETS OR IS IT ONE TRANSACTION AT A TIME? I'M JUST CURIOUS IF SOMEBODY'S BUYING FOUR TICKETS AND THEY'RE ONLY ENTERING ONE ZIP CODE THAT MAY NOT REPRESENT.

OH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO, UM, WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS, BECAUSE OF THE THEATER'S ABOUT 198, WELL, IT'S 220 SEATS, BUT BECAUSE OF OUR UNION CONTRACT, WE CAN ONLY SELL 198.

SO EVEN ON OUR BEST DAYS, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AS THEY COME IN.

AMANDA INSOLE IS THE PERSON THAT'S IN CHARGE OF, UH, OUR BOX OFFICE, AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT SITS AT THE TABLE AND SHE'S A VERY FRIENDLY, UH, SOCIAL PERSON.

SO WE TRY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS TO TRY TO GET IN PAST JUST THE DIGITAL ASPECT OF WHAT THOSE PURCHASES LOOK LIKE.

SO IF FOUR PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY'RE ALL UNDER ONE RESERVATION, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TWO PEOPLE AT THE WINDOW TO HAVE A CONVERSATION TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE NEW PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T ALREADY KNOW.

YEAH, I WOULD THINK IF YOU'RE HAVING FOLKS THAT ARE VISITING, MAYBE SOMEBODY THAT LIVES IN TOWN, BUT THE PERSON IN TOWN IS PUT IN CHARGE OF PURCHASING THE TICKETS AND THEY ENTER THEIR ZIP CODE, YOU MAY NOT BE GETTING CREDIT FOR .

YEAH, I DEFINITELY THINK THAT OUR NUMBERS ARE, ARE LIGHT.

SO PLEASE KEEP THAT

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THAT'S A JOKE.

SORRY.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THESE, THESE JOKES ARE GONNA GET YOU GUYS BEHIND.

IT'S FINE.

IT'S EARLY, SO WE'LL TAKE THEM.

ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE COMMITTEE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE.

HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY.

YOU AS WELL.

OKAY, NEXT UP IS GOING TO BE THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA.

WE ARE CURRENTLY 20 MINUTES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

JEFFREY RACED ME TO THE DOOR THIS MORNING, SO YEAH, NICE TO SEE YOU.

LET'S GET IT OVER WITH .

AND I TOLD THEM EARLIER IF I START SOUNDING LIKE HARVEY FIRESTEIN DURING THIS, UH, IT'S MY ALLERGIES.

SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, UH, TO THE NEW FACE ZONING COMMITTEE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THIS INCLUDES 335,000 EDUCATION OUTREACH SERVICES.

GOOD MORNING TO QUOTE.

GOOD MORNING, BLAKE WHITE .

UH, I'M JEFFREY REEVES, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ARTS CENTER.

AND WITH ME TODAY IS ANDREA GANNON, OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE SUMMARY OF OUR, THE KEY ELEMENTS OF OUR FALL 2024 AT TAX GRANT APPLICATION.

A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION WAS, UH, GIVEN TO YOU ALL EARLIER, UH, UH, THIS MORNING.

IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG AS OPPOSED TO WATCHING THE SCREEN.

UH, WE'LL PROVIDE OUR STRATEGIES AND THE RESULTS OF HOW WE SUCCESSFULLY PROGRAM FOR OUR PATRONS AND MAXIMIZE OUR VISITOR ATTENDEES.

WE WILL ALSO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE APPROACH OUR TOURISM MARKETING TO ACCOMPLISH SUCCESS TO ATTRACTING VISITORS AND CLOSE WITH THE FINAL FISCAL YEAR 24 RESULTS AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF OUR AT TAX GRANT SUPPORT.

ALL THIS WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT CONTINUED INFLATIONARY PRESSURES AND ADDED EXPENSES DURING 2024 AND ANTICIPATED IN 2025.

THE ARTS CENTER OPENED IN 1996.

WE ARE STARTING OUR 29TH YEAR.

WE ARE A NONPROFIT MULTI ARTS ORGANIZATION, WHICH OWNS A 45,000 SQUARE FOOT VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS FACILITY THAT SITS ON 4.6 ACRES.

SINCE OPENING, WE'VE HAD 1.76 MILLION PROGRAM ATTENDEES.

THE ARTS CENTER IS SOUTH CAROLINA'S THIRD LARGEST ARTS ORGANIZATION AND LARGEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCING THEATER.

WE OPERATE 360 DAYS A YEAR, AND OUR FISCAL YEAR RUNS SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH AUGUST 31ST.

WHILE THE PANDEMIC HAS BACKED OFF, FOR THE MOST PART, THE EFFECTS FROM NEW CO VARIANTS ARE STILL CREATING HAVOC IN OUR INDUSTRY.

AS AN EXAMPLE, WE LOST SIX PERFORMANCES OF AUGUST WILSON'S FENCES THIS LAST FEBRUARY DUE TO A COVID OUTBREAK AMONGST THE STAGE CREW AND THE CAST.

AND THEN ADD TO THIS, RECENTLY WE LOST TWO PERFORMANCES OF CHICAGO DUE TO TROPICAL STORM, DEBBIE.

OVERALL, WE'VE COME FROM 88 PERFORMANCES IN FISCAL YEAR 20 BEF AFTER THE SHUTDOWN, BEFORE THE SHUTDOWN, BACK TO 161 PERFORMANCES IN 2024.

THIS IS IN LINE WITH OUR PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS AND SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE PLANNED 166 PERFORMANCES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY A PERFORMANCE EVENT EVERY OTHER DAY.

THE RETURN TO NORMAL HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT COST.

IN 2024, WE INCURRED ADDITIONAL EX, UH, EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES OF $336,000 BEYOND NORMAL, AND THAT WAS RELATED TO COVID, VARIANT SURGES, INFLATION, AND GENERAL COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES OF THAT AMOUNT.

AND WE'RE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH THIS ON THE ISLAND CURRENTLY, ARTIST HOUSING COSTS HAVE SKYROCKETED.

THIS AGAIN, ADDED $250,000 A LOAN BEYOND OUR WALMART LEVEL.

OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET, AGAIN, ANTICIPATES EXTRA, UH, UH, CONTINUED EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES AND INFLATIONARY PRESSURES TOTALING ANOTHER $413,000 FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.

NOW ONTO OUR TOURISM PROGRAMMING AND STRATEGIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

OUR SCHEDULE INCLUDES FIVE THEATER, UH, PRODUCTIONS WITH 143 PERFORMANCES, SIX PRESENTING ARTISTS WITH 11 PERFORMANCES AND TWO FREE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FESTIVALS, PLUS A ONE MONTH LONG YOUTH ARTS CELEBRATION.

EXCUSE ME.

ALL OF THESE ARE STRATEGICALLY PLANNED DURING KEY TOURISM MONTHS, WHILE NOT PART OF OUR

[00:15:01]

GRANT REQUEST, BUT STILL AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING AREAS.

WE PROVIDE EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDING VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, FIELD TRIPS AND ARTIST RESIDENCIES, CREATING UNIQUE YOUTH AND ADULT LEARNING EXPERIENCES.

DURING 2024, WE PROVIDED NEARLY 15,000 EDUCATION SERVICES.

THIS DOES NOT COUNT THE GLOBAL VIRTUAL SERVICES PROVIDED VIA OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS. ULTIMATELY, OVERALL, WE HAVE SCHEDULED 232 PERFORMANCES AND PROGRAMS FOR 2025.

THE CURRENT VERSION OF OUR 2025 SCHEDULE IS INCLUDED IN THOSE PACKAGES THAT WERE JUST HANDED OUT THIS MORNING AGAIN FOR THEATER.

WE HAVE FIVE THEATER SERIES, AND I WANNA REITERATE, SCHEDULED DURING KEY TOURIST MONTHS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE SELECTED A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PLAYS AND MUSICALS THAT HAVE A, THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED HIGH PRAISE AND EXCITEMENT FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS.

OUR CURRENT PRODUCTION OF SOMETHING ROTTEN, WHICH CLOSES THIS SUNDAY, UH, KEITH, YOU PROBABLY SAW IT, .

TO MUTUAL BENEFIT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, THAT HAS ALREADY ACHIEVED 64% OF VISITORS AND TOURISTS IN ATTENDANCE.

AND OF THAT 64%, 33% OF THE, OF THE TOTAL ATTENDANCE IS FROM BEYOND 50 MILES.

SO IT EVEN EXCEEDED LAST YEAR'S AVERAGE, UH, VISITORSHIP AND TOURISM FOR THE ART CENTER.

AND NOTABLY, WE'VE ALREADY HAD INQUIRIES FROM TOURIST PATRONS ABOUT THE REST OF OUR SEASON.

42ND STREET AT THE HOLIDAY, THE COTTAGE IN FEBRUARY, WAITRESS IN MAY, AND THEN NEXT SUMMER, DONNA SUMMER, THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL.

THIS IS ALL A, WE'VE ALL THIS IS ALL VERY POSITIVE SIGNS FOR OUR UPCOMING ATTENDANCE.

IN THE NEXT YEAR IN PRESENTING, WE'LL HAVE SIX ARTISTS WITH 11 GREAT PERFORMANCES.

THE CONTRACTED ARTISTS RANGE FROM POP, BROADWAY AND GULLAH TO COMEDY R AND B AND SOUL.

WE PLAN THREE FREE COMMUNITY FESTIVALS OF PROGRAM AND PROGRAMS AGAIN IN 2025.

THE HOLIDAY KICKOFF WITH AN ARTS MARKET IS IN COOPERATION WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AS PART OF THEIR LARGER ISLAND-WIDE SEASON CELEBRATION.

LAST NOVEMBER, WE HAD THE LARGEST CROWD EVER AT THAT FESTIVAL, AT, UH, AT MINIMUM 1200 ATTENDING, AND WE WERE VERY, VERY PLEASED.

AND THAT'S FOR A THREE HOUR EVENT IN, IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE ARTS CENTER.

UH, FEBRUARY BRINGS THE 25TH ANNUAL TASTE OF GULLAH, BUT IT'S ALSO NOW INCLUDING A BRAND NEW EVENT THAT WE'RE CREATING CALLED VOICES OF GULLAH.

AND MARCH IS NOW YOUTH ARTS MONTH LONG CELEBRATION.

AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE LAST THREE SLIDES, OUR PROGRAMMING IS VERY WIDE IN SCOPE AND APPEAL AND ATTRACTING AUDIENCES, BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.

WE HAVE TWO MAJOR INITIATIVES OUT OF MANY RIGHT NOW, BUT FIRST, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY IS PROVEN VERY REWARDING AND HIGHLY BENEFICIAL FOR OUR PRESENCE AND PURPOSE IN OUR GREATER COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY FROM EXPANDING OUR LONG-TERM EDIA MISSION.

WE'VE SEEN OUR ACTOR, ARTISTIC, AND STAFFING POOLS GROW SIGNIFICANTLY WITH EVEN MORE TALENT THAN EVER.

THE CONTINUING ACTION REINFORCES COMMUNITY AWARENESS, ARTISTIC AND ARTISTIC RESULTS, SUPPORTING OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES, DIVERSE RESOURCES, AND EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SECOND, WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A STRATEGIC PLAN, COVERING THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, LED BY AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT.

WE ARE INCLUDING COMMUNITY FOCUS GROUPS, INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS, STAFF SURVEYS, AND MONTHLY WORKSHOPS.

WE'RE EXCITED THIS ENDEAVOR HAS BEGUN AND WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO GAUGE THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE NEEDS OF THE ARTS CENTER IN LIGHT OF A NEW ECONOMY, SOCIOPOLITICAL CLIMATE AND ARTISTIC OPPORTUNITIES.

ALSO IMPORTANT TO THE ARTS CENTER ARE OUR WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS.

HERE'S A SELECT LIST OF 36, AND THERE'S A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LIST THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN EARLIER.

AMONG THESE IS OUR CONTINUED STRONG ALLIANCE WITH LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER, AS WELL AS OUR GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEW SEA GLASS STAGE COMPANY.

AND WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE AND FORM MORE COLLABORATIONS

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I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE TOWN'S HILTON, THAT THE HILTON HEAD ARTS AND CULT CULTURE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BE EVEN MORE UNIFIED AND COLLABORATIVE THAN IT EVER HAS THANKS TO THE WORK OF THE TOWN'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND THE ARTS AND CULTURAL COUNCIL.

AND NOW ANDREA WILL REVIEW OUR TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGIES.

DO I HAVE TO DO THAT DANCE MOVE? YEAH.

UM, SO I'LL CLICK IT.

, YOU KNOW, SHE DOES MARKETING.

I DON'T, IT'S JUST THE LEADER, THAT'S ALL.

UM, THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS SOME AWARDS THAT THE ART CENTER HAS CONTINUED TO GARNER OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, INCLUDING BEING LISTED THIS YEAR IN SOUTHERN LIVING AS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO ON HILTON HEAD.

IN ADDITION TO THE AWARDS, WE ARE THRILLED WHEN WE HEAR FROM OUR PATIENT PATIENTS, PATIENTS PATRONS, FIRSTHAND SOMETIMES, UM, HOW MUCH THEY VALUE WHAT WE DO.

WE'RE RECEIVING AMAZING FEEDBACK, LIKE JEFFREY SAID, FROM AUDIENCES, RESIDENCES, AND VISITORS ALIKE ABOUT SOMETHING ROTTEN.

SO MUCH SO THAT WE HAD TO ADD ANOTHER SHOW AT 2:00 PM THIS SATURDAY.

JOIN US IF YOU CAN, IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU'RE BACK FROM GREENVILLE, SEE BLANK.

UM, THANKS NIKKI.

ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD OF 631,000, NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF OUR GRANT REQUEST, OUR TOTAL TUR ELIGIBLE GRANT BASE WOULD BE 1.4 MILLION.

UM, OUR MARKETING STRATEGY IS COMPRISED OF MULTIPLE MARKETING PLANS, EACH TAILORED TO THE SPECIFIC PRODUCTION PRESENTING ARTIST OR OUTREACH EVENT.

BECAUSE EACH SHOW OR EVENT IS SO DIFFERENT AS JEFFREY JUST SHOWED YOU ALL OF OUR OUR LINEUP.

IT, IT'S VAST.

UM, WE MARKET BY VIRTUE OF THE PROGRAM AND WHO IT ATTRACTS AND EMPLOY A UNIQUE MARKETING STRATEGY FOR EACH EVENT.

YET NO MATTER THE SHOW, EACH ONE IS PROMOTED BEYOND 50 MILES VIA PRINT ADS, COLLATERAL MAILINGS, E-BLAST, AND DIGITAL MARKETING.

OUR REGIONAL AND NATIONAL DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS INCLUDE GARDEN AND GUN, BETTER HOMES AND GARDEN SOUTHERN LIVING.

AND JUST TWO WEEKS AGO WE WERE ON THE USA TODAY WEBSITE.

UM, IT'S FUN TO STUMBLE ACROSS THEM WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING.

IN AUGUST, WE WERE FEATURED IN LOCAL PALETTE SPOTLIGHTING THE ART CENTER AS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO THERE'S WORD OF MOUTH AND WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THEN THEY'RE DELIBERATELY CULTIVATED DIRECT REFERRALS.

WE'RE DELIGHTED WHEN OUR AUDIENCES HOP ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND RAVE ABOUT A SHOW, BUT WE ARE ALSO REALLY DELIBERATE ABOUT RECEIVING INTENTIONAL REFERRALS FOR EACH SHOW AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH PRODUCTION PRIOR TO ITS OPENING, WE INVITE A HOSPITALITY AUDIENCE COMPRISED OF THE MEDIA CONCIERGES AND OTHER SERVICE PERSONNEL AROUND THE ISLAND TO PREVIEW A PRODUCTION.

AND THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO REACH THE GUESTS AS THEY MAKE THEIR VACATION PLANS TO AMP UP ENGAGEMENT.

WE HOLD A REFERRAL CONTEST FOR EACH PRODUCTION WHEREBY THE PERSON WHO SENDS IN THE MOST TRACKED REFERRALS WINS TWO TICKETS TO AN UPCOMING PRESENTING SHOW.

MANY OF OUR HOSPITALITY AMBASSADORS ASSIST TRAVELERS WITH THEIR VACATION ITINERARY, AND A NUMBER OF VISITORS IN FACT TELL US THEY PLAN THEIR TRIP TO COINCIDE WITH CERTAIN PRODUCTIONS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.

WE CONTINUALLY EMAIL THIS GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS REMINDING THEM OF SPECIAL INCENTIVES, ADDED SHOWS AND PROMOTIONS.

OUR WEBSITE, WHICH HAD 409,600 VISITORS LAST YEAR, INCLUDES MOBILE OPTIMIZATION AND CMS CONTROL ALLOWING FOR IN-HOUSE MODIFICATIONS.

THAT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

SINCE HALF OF OUR WEBSITE TRAFFIC COMES FROM SMARTPHONES, THE MOBILE RESPONSIVENESS IS KEY.

FURTHER WE CAN CAPTURE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

OUR ROBUST ONLINE PRESENCE INCLUDES A VARIETY, AS JEFFREY MENTIONED, OF UM, SHOW SNEAK PEEK VIDEOS BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEOS, ARTS AT HOME VIDEOS, AND THOSE JUST KEEP GROWING AND GROWING.

UM, ALL OF OUR SIGNIFICANT CATALOG OF ONLINE VIDEOS ARE PROMOTED NATIONWIDE, WHICH IN TURN ACTUALLY INTERNATIONALLY MM-HMM, .

WE HAVE SOME WILD LOCATIONS WHERE THEY FIND US FOR YOUTUBE, UM, WHICH IN TURN PROMOTES HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS A WORLD CLASS ARTS DESTINATION.

SPOTLIGHTING NOT ONLY THE ARTS CENTER, BUT THE ABUNDANCE OF CULTURAL OFFERINGS ON OUR ISLAND.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE, OUR YOUTUBE VIDEOS HAVE AMASSED OVER 1.3 MILLION VIEWS.

OUR METRICS ACROSS ALL SOCIAL PLATFORMS CONTINUE TO CLIMB AS WELL DUE TO BOTH ORGANIC AND TARGETED PROMOTIONS.

FURTHER, OUR EMAIL AUDIENCE CONTINUES TO GROW.

WE NOW CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 21,700 DELIVERABLE EMAIL ADDRESSES.

45% ARE HIGHLY ENGAGED SUBSCRIBERS AND AN AVERAGE OF $38 EARNED FOR EACH DOLLAR SPENT.

OUR EMAIL ENGAGEMENT MARKETING HAS THE HIGHEST ROI OF ANY OTHER MARKETING STRATEGY WE EMPLOY.

WE RECENTLY HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERING A MULTI-VARIANT TESTING FOR OUR E-BLAST TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH E-MARKETING CAMPAIGN.

AND THAT HELPS US DETERMINE WHAT'S RESONATING WITH OUR AUDIENCES, ALLOWING US TO TAILOR STRATEGY IN REAL TIME.

THIS IS WORKING, SO LITERALLY THE SAME DAY, THE WINNING E-BLAST GOES OUT TO THE REST OF THE AUDIENCE.

KIND OF FUN.

UM, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA HAS INCREASED WITH FACEBOOK REACHING ALMOST 8,000 FOLLOWERS AND 3000

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FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM.

ACTORS FROM EACH PRODUCTION EACH WEEK OR SOMETIMES TWICE A WEEK, WILL TAKE OVER OUR INSTAGRAM AND THEY GROW OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THAT.

NOT ONLY DO THEIR FOLLOWERS BECOME OURS, BUT THEIR POSTS GIVE VIEWERS A REALLY FUN BEHIND THE SCENES GLIMPSE OF EACH SHOW AND IS AN INTERACTIVE TOOL TO FURTHER ENGAGEMENT AND LOYALTY ONTO VISIT VISITORSHIP RESULTS, SORRY, A WORD ABOUT TRACKING ATTENDANCE.

AND JUST LIKE JEFFREY'S ALREADY SAID, AND ALSO BLAKE .

WE HAVE THE SAME TICKETING SOFTWARE, WHICH IS, UM, AUDIENCE VIEW OVATION TICKS, AND IT REQUIRES ADDRESSES AND ZIP CODES.

SO TRACKING WHERE OUR PATIENTS ARE COMING FROM IS AUTOMATED.

WE RECEIVE DAILY REPORTS ON THESE PERCENTAGES TO KEEP A PULSE ON HOW WELL PROGRAMS ARE DOING AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

UM, THE SYSTEMS ANALYTICS ALSO ALLOWS US TO RUN A TARGET MARKETING ANALYSIS THAT IN TURN IMPROVES OUR DIRECT MAIL AND DIGITAL EMAIL ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS.

THESE RESULTS ARE ACTUAL FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2024 READY FOR NUMBERS.

OKAY, SO FOR 24, ALL ATEX ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS RESULTED IN A TOTAL OF 48,990 ATTENDEES.

THAT IS A 9% INCREASE, BROKEN DOWN THAT IS 28% FROM BEYOND 50 MILES, AND 33% FROM OFF ISLAND, TOTALING 61% FOR THE TWO CATEGORIES COMBINED, WHICH KEEPS THE ART CENTER AS A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER AND ENHANCER FOR ISLAND VISITORSHIP.

AND I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO JEFFREY.

OH, THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I WAS LIKE READING THAT SLIDE.

OKAY, .

HERE WE HAVE, UH, A HEAT MAP OF OUR NORTH AMERICAN ATTENDANCE FOR 2024.

THIS SHOWS THE LOCATION, VOLUME, AND CONCENTRATION OF PATRON ATTENDANCE.

THIS IS BASED ON OVER 18,500 INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS FOR TICKETS OR PROGRAM REGISTRATIONS.

ALL ARE MAPPED BASED ON ZIP CODE AND STREET ADDRESSES, EVEN INTO CANADA AND MEXICO.

THIS NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATES THE REACH AND LEVELS OF OUR AT A ATTENDANCE, BUT ALSO DEMONSTRATES THAT THE PRECISION OF OUR PATRON RELATIONS, MARKETING, FUNDRAISING, AND ANALYTICS SOFTWARE PLATFORMS. I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THE RED AREAS SHOWS CONCENTRATION OF VOL AND VOLUME OF THESE TRANSACTIONS.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT I CAN RECALL, WE'VE HAD PATRONS NOW FROM ALL 50 STATES.

UH, UH, USUALLY WE HAVE ONE OR TWO STATES THAT ARE NOT REPRESENTED.

UH, EVEN ALASKA.

YOU HAVE TO REALLY LOOK REALLY CLOSELY AT THE WEST COAST.

THERE'S A LITTLE GREEN DOT THERE.

AND MONTANA HAS NEVER HAD ATTENDANCE.

AND , YOU CAN SEE THAT WE NOW HAVE CAPTURED MONTANA.

SO THERE, EVERYBODY'S GONNA MOVE EAST.

OUR VISITOR ECONOMIC IMPACT IS CALCULATED USING THE FACTORS AVAILABLE FROM THE 2018 TOWN OF, OF HILTON HEAD OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, WE REALIZED 3.76 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM OUR 50 PLUS MILES TOURISM ATTENDANCE, WHICH IS AN 8.721 RETURN ON OUR 2024 AT TAX GRANT THROUGH AUGUST 31ST.

OUR OFF ISLAND ATTENDEES GENERATED ANOTHER 4.4 MILLION.

AND WHEN COMBINED WITH OUR LOCAL AUDIENCE IMPACT OF 6.6 MILLION, THAT BRINGS US TO OVER 14.7 MILLION IN TOTAL OVERALL ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR 2024.

I DO WANNA MAKE NOTE THAT THE ART CENTER'S OVERALL IMPACT IS 37% OF THE TOTAL OVERALL ISLAND ARTS AND CULTURAL IMPACT OF 39.5 MILLION.

THAT'S BASED ON THE TOWN STUDY.

ALSO, WANNA POINT OUT THAT OUR FISCAL YEAR 24 GRANT SPEND WAS $15 AND 2 CENTS PER AT TAX ATTENDEE, OR 9 CENTS PER AT TAX ATTENDEE PER PERFORMANCE.

OUR 2025 GRANT REQUEST IS $447,000 FOR TOURISM AND PROGRAMMING AND MARKETING.

WE BASED OUR 2025 REQUEST ON 2, 2 20 20 FOUR'S.

ACTUAL ATTENDANCE NUMBERS AND EXPENSE LEVELS.

OUR REQUEST IS ONLY 8.5% OF OUR TOTALS OPERATING BUDGET, AND IT WAS USUALLY RUNNING 10 TO 11% UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO.

WITH THIS IN MIND, OUR ELIGIBLE PROGRAMMING AND MARKETING EXPENSES TOTAL 763,000.

AND IF YOU ADD ELIGIBLE FACILITY AND

[00:30:01]

OUR REQUEST OF 447,000 IS ONLY A 3.9% INCREASE OVER A PRIOR GRANT AWARD, WHILE INFLATION IS CUR CURRENTLY ANTICIPATED TO AVERAGE 4.5% IN 2025 ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND.

THE GRANT INCREASE DOESN'T COVER THE RATE OF INFLATION, BUT IT WILL HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE EXTRAORDINARY INCREASES IN TOURISM PROGRAMMING AND MARKETING COSTS COMING UP IN 2025.

THIS HAS ONLY BEEN A BRIEF SUMMARY PRESENTATION OF OUR CONSIDERABLE ENDEAVORS AND RESULTS THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, AS WELL AS OUR PLANS FOR 2025.

AS IN PRIOR YEARS, WE'VE ACHIEVED, DEMONSTRATED, AND PROVIDED APPROPRIATE RESULTS IN SUPPORT OF OUR GRANTS GRANT REQUEST.

OUR PROGRAMMING STILL PROVIDES OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY A SIGNIFICANT RETURN ON INVESTMENT FROM OUR ATEX GRANT AND A SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC RETURN TO THE ISLAND.

ALL WHILE OUR AUDIENCES AND AND PERFORMERS SHARE A SPACE AND TIME CREATING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITH RESPITE FROM THEIR DAILY LIVES AND INSPIRATION TO CREATIVELY LEARN AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF BEING HUMAN.

THE ART CENTER IS PROUD.

WE ARE STILL ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND GROW OUR EXCELLENT EXCELLENCE AS A KEY PART OF THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

AND THANK YOU.

AND ANY QUESTIONS VERY MUCH TURN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY QUESTIONS HERE PLEASE.

I'M ONE OF THE NEW GUYS.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT PRESENTATION.

I DO HAVE A, A QUESTION.

YOU, YOU WERE HOUSING COSTS FOR VISITING, UH, ACTORS, UHHUH , UM, ARTISTS HAS THE, THE INCREASE SEEMS TO BE SIGNIFICANT.

I'M JUST CURIOUS WHERE YOU HOUSING? WE, WE WORK WITH, UH, RENTAL COMPANIES FOR LONG TERM RENTALS AROUND THE ISLANDS.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO NOW LOOKING OUT IN BLUFFTON.

THERE'S A FEW HOMES OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE BEEN PLACING THE, THE ARTISTS, THE TRICKY PART IS TIMING, IF THEY GET STUCK ON THE BRIDGE TO GET HERE TO THE ISLAND FOR PERFORMANCE.

BUT SO FAR SO GOOD WITH THAT.

SO IT'S ALL OVER THE ISLAND GENERALLY.

AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, LIKE, WE HAVE A DONUT WHO WILL GIVE US THREE WEEKS FOR THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, GUEST HOME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE TRY TO GET IN KIND GIFTS FOR THAT AS WELL.

BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S ROUGH OUT THERE.

THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST EXPENSES FOR SURE.

AND, UH, LET ME FURTHER EXPLAIN.

AS PART, AS AN ACT, ACTOR'S EQUITY THEATER WE'RE REQUIRED TO TRAVEL AND HOUSE.

THE ACTORS WHILE THEY'RE HERE, AND SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT'S EXCESSIVE, BUT A TOUR WHICH WILL NOT SIT DOWN HERE ON THE ISLAND, WHAT WE, THE EXPENSES THAT WE PUT INTO PRODUCING A, A SHOW THAT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE NIGHT FOR A SIT DOWN ON THE ISLAND.

SO WITH THE ARTISTS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE ALSO SPENDING MONEY GOING OUT TO EAT, GOING OUT TO BARS, HOPEFULLY NOT TO JAIL, BUT, UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, , UH, UH, SO THEY, THEY'RE, THEY ESSENTIALLY BECOME PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY.

AT THAT TIME.

OUR LEAD ACTOR IN SOMETHING ROTTEN HAD HIS ENTIRE FAMILY COME DOWN THE MM-HMM.

EIGHT WEEKS OF HIS STAY HERE AND THEY'VE RENTED A HOUSE AND GOT AUNTS AND UNCLES.

AND SO HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR 50 PEOPLE BY HIMSELF.

THE DECISION, THE THE HOUSE PEOPLE IN BLUFFTON IS THAT BASED OFF THE AVAILABILITY AND THE COST, COST OF WHAT IS ON THE ISLAND.

AND IT'S JUST ONE HOUSE THAT WE'VE DONE ON BLUFFTON AND WE MAKE, WE HAVE MOST OF 'EM HERE.

I MEAN, THAT MAKES SENSE.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST HERE WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING AFFORDABLE, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY COMING FOR EIGHT WEEKS THAT IT'S THE BIGGEST BURDEN RIGHT NOW.

WELL, ALONG WITH RAW MATERIALS IN, IN BUILDING SETS AND COSTUMES AND EVERYTHING.

PLUS, WHICH DOESN'T EVEN ENTER INTO, UH, AT TAX, UH, BUSINESS INSURANCE, UM, IS TRIPLE WHAT IT WAS THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.

AND GOD HELP US NEXT YEAR.

THE BUDGET YOU GUYS PROVIDED, THERE'S NOTHING THAT CALLS OUT SPECIFICALLY MARKETING EXPENSES.

UH, YOU JUST HAVE PROGRAM EXPENSES.

IS THE MARKETING IT ROLLS DROPPED INTO THERE TOO.

I THINK THE TOWN WAS ABLE TO USE THE 2324.

IT, IT SHOULD BE, MARKETING SHOULD BE IN THERE.

I'M JUST LOOKING AT AS AUDIENCE.

WE BROKE IT OUT.

THE STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN AN ATTACHMENT.

I'LL DIG A LITTLE DEEPER INTO IT.

UM, I KNOW IT'S THERE.

I'VE SEEN IT IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

I JUST DIDN'T SEE IT IN APPLICATION FORM.

[00:35:01]

THIS FORMAT WHERE YOU SEE THEATER, THAT'S PROGRAM AND MARKETING.

SO IT ALL ROLLS IN INTO THAT.

THAT'S AT OKAY.

JUST OVER $2 MILLION IS WHERE WE WOULD FIND THE MARKETING BUDGET.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.

JUST A COMMENT.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE, THE PRESENTATION, MEANING IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SO HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DO, BUT IT'S SO HELPFUL TO THE ATAC COMMITTEE TO, TO HAVE YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT ON TOURISM.

I THINK YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB ON THAT.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATION WITH OTHER GROUPS, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO OFFER THEM ANY OF YOUR INSIGHTS INTO HOW TO DO THAT AND HOW TO TRACK RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN THE MARKETING? HAVE THEY COME TO YOU AT ALL OR HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO ANY OF THE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS? WE, I'M LOOKING AT MY LONG CO FRIENDS OVER HERE AND WE FOR, I'M JUST THINKING OF THEM FOR AN EXAMPLE.

SO THEY DO FOR THEIR VARIOUS RUCKER MM-HMM.

TOURNAMENT.

UM, WE DO A TRADE OF VARIOUS THINGS WHERE WE ARE ONE OF THEIR SPONSORS FOR THE TOURNAMENT.

AND THEY ALSO DO CASH OUT FOR QUITE A BIT OF MARKETING SERVICES.

E-BLAST AND BUILDING POSTERS AND THINGS THAT THEY SPEND, YOU KNOW, EXTRA MONEY ON, BUT TO USE OUR MARKETING.

SO WE TEAM UP WITH THEM ON THAT.

AND ALSO WITH THAT, WE, WE DON'T COUNT THE RENTAL CLIENT'S ATTENDANCE.

NONE OF THAT IS IN OUR NUMBERS.

, THIS IS PURELY OUR PRODUCTIONS AND PROGRAMS, MAINLY BECAUSE THEY OWN IT.

SO IF WE EVER, LIKE TEDX HAS BECOME A GREAT PARTNERS PARTNER OF OURS, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'LL BE IN OUR HOUSE HERE IN A COUPLE WEEKS MM-HMM.

, UH, THAT THEIR NUMBERS ARE NOT RIGHT IN, IN OUR NUMBERS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OUR SYSTEM, WE GIVE THEM THE NUMBERS OUT OF OUR SYS TICKETING SYSTEM FOR THEM TO USE FOR THEIR APPLICATION.

ANYTHING ELSE? I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT, UH, A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS HOUSING INFLATIONARY COSTS.

, ET CETERA.

AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CREATION OF AN ARTS DISTRICT THAT THAT IS, THAT, THAT THE TOWN IS PLANNING AND FOR THE ARTS CENTER TO BE A CENTERPIECE FOR THAT AND FOR A BONAFIDE THEATER DISTRICT TO BE THERE IN A HOME FOR LEAN ENSEMBLE AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT.

ABSOLUTELY.

ANYTHING ELSE? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE AN ART CENTER SUCH AS YOU HERE.

BECAUSE WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THIS, UM, AS A, I'M, I'M A LODGING REPRESENTATIVE AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL REACH OUT TO US FOR OUR GUESTS AND I THINK OTHER, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH HERE COULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE WITH TAPPING INTO THOSE RESOURCES BECAUSE WE'RE A FREE, UH, DEPOSITORY OF GUESTS FOR YOU, AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REACH OUT.

SO WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AMAZING.

THANKS FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE THERE.

IT'S A, IT'S KEY.

YES, IT IS.

ANYTHING ELSE FOLKS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CHEER.

OKAY, NEXT ON THE AGENDA, UH, THE LONG COVE CLUB, PLEASE.

WE GOT, YES.

IDEALLY, I'M LIKE, WHEN I GET TO THE SECOND PAGE, THEN IF YOU SHOW ME WHERE THE VIDEO IS OR YOU COULD STAY, IT'S ON THE SECOND PAGE, WHATEVER'S EASIER.

YEAH, WE'LL DO IT.

YEAH, WE COULD PROBABLY JUST DO IT IN TWO SECONDS WHILE YOU'RE BACK IT UP.

YOU CAN FULL SCREEN IT AND I'LL JUST, AND THEN YOU'LL JUST STOP.

BACK TO MY PRESENTATION HERE.

AND THEN THE PRESENTATION IS RIGHT THERE.

UM, IT'S HERE.

HIT THE RED AT THE BOTTOM.

NICE.

AND YOU CAN JUST ENTER.

MY NAME'S KRISTY COHEN.

I'M THE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR AT LONG COVE CLUB, BUT I'M ALSO THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE DARIUS WRECKER INTERCOLLEGIATE.

WE ARE STILL THE ONLY EXCLUSIVELY WOMEN'S COLLEGIATE GOLF TOURNAMENT THAT'S BROADCAST ON NATIONAL TELEVISION THIS YEAR.

INSTEAD OF GIVING YOU A BUNCH OF PICTURES IN MY PRESENTATION WHERE IT'S REALLY HARD TO CAPTURE THE FUN OF THE TOURNAMENT, I THOUGHT I'D PLAY A SHORT VIDEO FOR YOU JUST TO, UM, CHANGE IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

[00:41:53]

WRONG ONE.

OH YEAH, I'M WITH YOU.

THERE WE GO.

NOW MY GLASSES ON.

WITHIN, BECAUSE REALLY THEIR SPEC, THEIR PATRONS ARE OUR POTENTIAL SPECTATORS AS WELL.

OKAY, I'M WITH YOU NOW.

SO, TALKING ABOUT, UH, OUR 2024 TV COVERAGE GOLF CHANNEL TELEVISED THE TOURNAMENT LIVE FOR A TOTAL OF 21 HOURS OVER THREE DAYS.

UM, THE TOURNAMENT WAS PROMOTED ON GOLF CHANNEL IN ALL THEIR DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

TUNE IN PROMOS, EDITORIAL NEWS PROGRAMMING, PRESS RELEASES.

UH, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN GOLF WEEK AND SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, AND THEY HAD A DAILY DEDICATED LEAD IN SHOW BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT COMPETITION STARTED CALLED COLLEGE CENTRAL.

THE DRI WAS THE FOCUS OF GOLF CHANNEL'S, FACEBOOK, INTER, UH, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, AND X WITH A TOTAL OF 3.2 MILLION VIDEO VIEWS, 3.9 TOTAL IMPRESSIONS AND 50,000 ENGAGEMENTS OVER 32 POSTS.

IT WAS STREAMED ON PEACOCK SIMULCAST ON ALL THEIR DIGITAL PLATFORMS. UH, REACHED OVER ALMOST 800,000 UNIQUE VIEWERS.

UM, 67,000 AVERAGE VIEWERS PER MINUTE.

TUESDAY'S SECOND ROUND COVERAGE, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WAS THE HIGHLIGHT, UM, WITH THE HIRED HIGHEST AVERAGE PER VIEWERS.

UM, AND THE SECOND MOST WATCHED PREMIER TELECAST FOR THIS EVENT ONLY OVER, UH, THREE ONE OF 2023 DURING THE COVERAGE.

UH, HILTON HEAD, THE WORDS HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA WERE SHOW SHOWN ON THE SCOREBOARDS OVER 200 TIMES.

SO BOTH THE TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL SCOREBOARDS, THOSE ARE THE FINALS.

UH, BY THE WAY, ARIZONA STATE WAS OUR, UH, WINNER LAST YEAR IN 2024.

LONG COVE, UH, WAS AWARDED A $50,000 GRANT.

UH, SO FAR WE'VE SPENT ALMOST 48,000.

WE'VE SPENT IT ACTUALLY, THE, UH, A NEW, THE LAST REIMBURSEMENT WILL GO TO SHAYNA.

SO WE WILL BE, UH, FLAT OUT, UH, WITH THE WHOLE, USING THE WHOLE 57, UH, $50,000 FOR THIS YEAR.

UH, WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF PLACES.

WE ADVERTISE BOTH KIND OF WHAT I CALL IN TOWN AND OUT OF TOWN.

SO LOTS OF MAGAZINES, NOT JUST LOCAL TO CATCH TOURISTS WHO MAY BE HERE ON THE ISLAND AND LOOKING AT THOSE PUBLICATIONS, BUT ALSO OUTTA TOWN FOCUSING ON, UH, GOLFERS IN, UH, GEORGIA AND THE CAROLINAS.

UH, NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING, OF COURSE.

UH, WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD SUCCESS WITH OUR ADVERTISING AT BOTH THE LOCAL AIRPORTS TO CATCH TOURISTS WHEN THEY COMING IN, UH, TO TOWN.

MIGHT NOT BE REALIZING THAT THEY'RE HERE DURING THE DARIUS RUCKER.

LOTS OF DIGITAL MARKETING.

AND THEN AS ANDREA ALLUDED TO, UH, WE DO, WE DO A NICE PACKAGE OF ADVERTISING

[00:45:01]

SO, NICE CROSS PROMOTION THERE.

HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF OUR ADVERTISING.

SO ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE THAT WAS A DEDICATED E-BLAST THAT WENT TO THE ENTIRE ART CENTER MAILING LIST THAT SHE TALKED ABOUT.

UH, NEXT YOU CAN SEE THE DIGITAL SIGNAGE AT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM AT, UH, SAVANNAH, UH, AIRPORT.

THE BANNERS OUTSIDE OF HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, WE DID STICKERS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE ISLAND PACKET THAT WEEK.

AND WE ALSO, IN SOME, UH, PUBLICATIONS LIKE THE CAROLINAS GOLF ASSOCIATION, DID A, UH, DEDICATED E-BLAST IN WHICH WE CALLED OUT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ESTA RESORT AND A DIRECT CLICK THROUGH RIGHT TO THE ESTA WEBSITE FROM OUR E-BLAST.

SO HOW ABOUT SOME RESULTS? SO WE COLLECT ZIP CODES FROM EVERY SINGLE PERSON, EVERY SINGLE SPECTATOR WHO COMES TO LONG COVE.

SO WE DO CATCH PEOPLE.

WE DON'T JUST CATCH THE DRIVER.

IF THERE'S FOUR PEOPLE IN THE CAR, WE GET ZIP CODES FROM ALL FOUR PEOPLE.

SO THERE IS NOT ONE SPECTATOR WHO COMES IN TO WATCH THE TOURNAMENT THAT HASN'T, UH, WE HAVEN'T COLLECTED THEIR ZIP CODE, BUT THESE NUMBERS DON'T INCLUDE LONG COVE MEMBERS AND THEY DON'T INCLUDE GUESTS OF MEMBERS THAT MAY BE STAYING AT THEIR HOUSE, THAT THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

BUT EVEN WITHOUT THEM, UM, THIS YEAR WE HAD A 56% INCREASE IN TOURISTS OVER LAST YEAR.

SO THAT WAS 64% OF OUR SPECTATORS WERE FROM MORE THAN 50, UH, 14% INCREASE IN VISITORS AND EVEN A 14%, UH, INCREASE IN RESIDENTS.

SO THAT AVERAGES OUT TO ALMOST 4,000 PEOPLE, UH, FROM OUTSIDE LONG COVE.

A 37% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR.

SO IF YOU JUST TAKE TOURISTS, SO MORE THAN 50 MILES AWAY, UH, OUR COST PER TOURIST WAS $20 AND 53 CENTS BASED ON THE $50,000 A TAX GRANT THAT YOU GAVE US LAST YEAR.

IF YOU ADD TOURISTS AND VISITORS TOGETHER, IF THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY BUMPS DOWN TO $17.

UH, LAST YEAR WE PARTNERED AGAIN WITH US UH, CB TO DO A SURVEY.

UH, THIS YEAR WE ACTUALLY GOT, UH, OVER 300 SURVEYS WERE TAKEN.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE LUCKILY GLOWING RESULTS.

UM, 32% SAID THEY VISITED HILTON HEAD ONLY TO ATTEND THE TOURNAMENT, WHICH WAS UP FROM 20% LAST YEAR.

SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT NUMBER.

UH, 16%, UH, EXTENDED THEIR STAY.

AND, UH, AND OF THOSE PEOPLE, 17 OF THEM EVEN EXTENDED FOR ADDITIONAL SIX DAYS, UM, 80% OR GOING TO RETURN WHEN THE DRI IS NOT OCCURRING.

SO THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH HILTON HEAD.

UM, 83% OF PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO COME TO NEXT YEAR'S TOURNAMENT, AND 93% WOULD RECOMMEND TO FRIENDS.

SO THIS IS A, UH, CONSERVATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

BUT IF WE GO THROUGH, ESTA IS OUR OFFICIAL HOTEL.

UH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL DRI RATE THAT THEY GIVE OUR SPECTATORS.

UH, THERE WERE $23,000 JUST IN ROOM NIGHTS ALONE.

UH, THE 16 COMPETING TEAMS. I RENT, UH, ISLAND RENTAL HOMES FROM FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT RENTAL COMPANIES DEPENDING ON THE YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT $48,000.

UM, THE CONCERT ALONE ADDS $41,000 INTO THE ECONOMY.

THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE WHAT WE PAY DARIUS AND HIS TEAM TO COME, BUT THAT'S RENTING THE ART CENTER FOR THE DAY, EMPLOYING THEIR STAFF FOR THE DAY.

WE ALSO USE SURGE AS OUR BACKSTAGE AND RECEPTION CATERERS.

UM, WE HAVE 130 PLAYERS THAT WHILE WE DO GIVE THEM BREAKFAST AND LUNCH MOST DAYS, THEY HAVE TO DINE OUT FOR AN AVERAGE OF FIVE MEALS.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER 30 GRAND.

UM, AND WE HAVE OF COURSE, 75 PRODUCTION STAFF FROM THE GOLF CHANNEL.

THEY ALL RECEIVE PER DIEMS, WHICH THEY SPEND HERE ON THE ISLAND, LET ALONE, UH, STAYING AT THE OMNI RESORT, UH, FOR THEIR ROOM NIGHTS.

AND, UM, WE SPEND ALMOST 32,000 IN LOCAL ADVERTISING.

SO CONSERVATIVELY THERE'S A DIRECT IMPACT OF $300,000 INTO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE, OF COURSE, THE PEOPLE THAT DID SAY THAT THEY WERE COMING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TOURNAMENT.

UH, UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T CAPTURE WHAT THEIR RENTAL DINING OUT, UH, AND SPEND IN THE COMMUNITY IS, WHICH IS

[00:50:01]

NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO 2025.

OUR TOURNAMENT, UH, FIELD IS SET.

UM, UCLA PLAYED IN THE TOURNAMENT ONCE IS BACK THIS YEAR.

AND OF COURSE, DEFENDING CHAMP, UH, CHAMPION A SU WILL BE BACK AS WELL.

THE TOURNAMENT IS HOSTED BY USC, SO OUR TOURNAMENT BUDGET THIS YEAR IS 329,000.

SO OUR REVENUE COMES FROM ABOUT FIVE, UH, PLACES MOST FROM SPONSORSHIPS, UH, TEAM ENTRY FEES, WHICH REALLY JUST COVERS PART OF THEIR HOUSING AND THEIR FOOD AND BEVERAGE THAT WE PROVIDE.

UM, OUR AT TAX GRANT, OF COURSE, UH, CONCERT TICKET SALES FOR ANYBODY OVER AND ABOVE THE MEMBERS THAT WE'RE, CAN FILL IN THE THEATER WITH UNIFORM CONTRIBUTIONS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE AN EVEN LONGER LIST OF EXPENSES AS EVERYBODY DOES.

I'M SURE THE CONCERT BEING THE MOST, UH, EXPENSIVE.

BUT OF COURSE, THIS CONCERT IS WHAT DRIVES OUR SPONSORSHIPS.

SO THIS YEAR WE'RE ASKING FOR A TOTAL OF, UH, $65,450, 50,000 OF THE GRANT, SAME AS LAST YEAR, UH, WILL BE USED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SPECTATORS.

UH, 15,000 OF THE GRANT WILL BE USED FOR SHUTTLE SERVICES AND, UH, PARKING LOT RENTAL.

OF COURSE.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S BEEN GREAT THAT WE HAVE INCREASES IN SPECTATORS EVERY YEAR.

THE CHALLENGE THAT COMES WITH THAT IS WHERE DO WE PARK THEM? SO REALLY FOR OUR MARKETING, UH, REQUEST, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE BUILDING ON WHAT WORKED IN 2024.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON EXPANDING OUR REACH IN THE SOUTHEAST, SO FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, REALLY WITHIN PEOPLE WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE.

UM, BUT WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO ATTRACT TOURISTS WHO ARE ALREADY VISITING THE AREA.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, ENCOURAGING THEM TO EXTEND THEIR STAYS, UM, AND ENCOURAGE GOLF ENTHUSIASTS TO COME TO THE ISLAND TO WATCH THE TOURNAMENT.

SO OF THE 15,000 THAT WE ARE REQUESTING FOR THE SPECTATOR SHUTTLES AND FOR THE PARKING, WE DO PAY A RENTAL FEE FOR CENTRAL CHURCH ACROSS THE STREET.

AND THIS YEAR WE ARE INCREASING OUR NUMBER OF OUR TROLLEYS FROM, UH, TWO TO THREE TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASED, UM, NUMBER OF SPECTATORS.

UH, BUT WE OF COURSE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT 15,450 WOULD ONLY BE REIMBURSED AT OUR TOURIST VISITOR PERCENTAGE, WHICH WAS LAST YEAR AT 77%.

AND THAT'S IT FROM ME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? YES, SIR.

UM, I THINK THAT THAT THE VISIBILITY THAT YOU GIVE HILAND ISLAND IS INVALUABLE THROUGH THE NATIONAL GOLF CHANNEL.

I KNOW THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SORT OF TRACK THAT INTO THE A TAX DOLLARS.

BUT WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU CAN'T TRACK THE MONEY THAT YOUR PATRONS SPEND HERE, I MEAN, YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT IT COSTS PEOPLE TO STAY HERE AND WHAT THE PER DIEM SAY FOR GOLF CHANNEL ARE.

IT SEEMS TO ME IF YOU IMPUTED 150 OR $180 A NIGHT IN, IN HOTEL OR, UM, OCCUPANCY COSTS AND WHATEVER THAT PER DIEM IS, 75, A HUNDRED DOLLARS OR WHATEVER PER HEAD, YOU COULD PROBABLY FIND ANOTHER $650,000 IN ECONOMIC DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT IN, IN, IN FUTURE FOR SURE.

SUBMISSIONS.

LAST YEAR, AND ACTUALLY WE DIDN'T ASK THE QUESTION THIS YEAR.

THAT WAS OUR MISTAKE LAST YEAR.

WE ASKED THE SPECTATORS, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE RENTING ACCOMMODATIONS? AND IT WAS 75%.

SO YES, THAT DEFINITELY, I CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF FACTORING THAT IN UNDERSTAND WHEN WE, MOST OF THE SUBMISSIONS WE SEE PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE THEIR BEST ESTIMATE YEAH.

USING THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE TO 'EM.

AND IF YOU JUST TELL US, HEY, THIS IS AN ESTIMATE BASED ON, AND GIVE US THOSE PARAMETERS, RIGHT? WE REALIZE YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TRACK THE EXACT DOLLAR, BUT IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

THE BOX A LITTLE BIT ON OUR PARTS FOR, I MEAN, JUST THE FACT THAT THE ADVERTISING THAT THE GOLF CHANNEL PROVIDES IS, YOU KNOW, IMMEASURABLE.

SOUNDS GREAT.

I, I JUST WONDERED AS FAR AS MARKETING TO RETAIN TOURISTS THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE ISLAND OR ELSE ATTRACT TOURISTS THAT ARE ALREADY ALREADY ON THE ISLAND, DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES? YEAH, SO WE REALLY EMPLOY THE LOCAL MAGAZINES ADVERTORIALS.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ARTICLE IN ON CENTER MAGAZINE AT THE ART CENTER.

SO IT'S, IT'S CATCHING THEM AT THE AIRPORTS, SO REALLY LETTING THEM KNOW, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T COME THAT WEEK FOR THE TOURNAMENT, BUT HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN OFFERS, UM, AND GET THEM TO STAY.

SO IT'S REALLY FOCUSING ON THOSE THINGS.

THIS, THIS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE

[00:55:01]

UM, SO I MEAN, WE COULD NEVER PAY FOR THAT KIND OF NATIONAL ADVERTISING FOR SURE.

SO IT'S A SPECIAL THING.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO AS WELL.

UH, WHAT YEAR IS THIS FOR THE TOURNAMENT? 13.

13? YEAH.

AND WATCHING IT GROW YEAH.

AND GETTING IT LIVE ON TV.

UH, I'LL SHARE MY EXPERIENCE.

LAST YEAR I WAS ON THE WEST COAST FOR A WORK TRIP AND THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WEARING A CINE SHIRT, ACTUALLY.

AND I STARTED TALKING TO HIM AND WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION AND THE TOURNAMENT'S ON THE TV AND SOMEBODY SAID, IS THIS LIVE? I'VE NEVER SEEN WOMEN'S GOLF LIVE BEFORE .

AND IT WAS FANTASTIC, YOU KNOW? YEAH.

UM, AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU CAN'T MEASURE YOUR, YOUR EVENT ALONE GETS YOU THE NUMBERS YOU NEED RIGHT.

FOR, FOR THE GRANT REQUEST.

BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE, THE NATIONAL AND THE WORLDWIDE VIEWERSHIP ON HILTON HEAD, SOMETHING YOU CAN'T MEASURE, AND IT REALLY SETS THE STAGE FOR A LOT OF OTHER TOURISM AND PLANNING AND TRIPS THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THAT EXPOSURE.

SO YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED GROWTH ON THIS ONE.

AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S FUN TO, TO LIVE HERE ON AN ISLAND WHEN YOU HAVE A BIG TOURNAMENT.

OUR SECOND TOURNAMENT BEING NATIONALLY FOLLOWED BY IS FANTASTIC.

I MEAN, TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MARTIN AND, AND CHRIST JUST SAID, YOU COULD FIND OUT WHAT THE GOLF CHANNEL CHARGES FOR ADVERTISING AND AGAIN, TRY TO IMPUTE A VALUE TO THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION IN FUTURE YEARS.

I'LL TAKE THAT NOTE.

YOU DO YOU HAVE A, UM, IS IT A ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH DARIUS RUCKER OR A FACILITY USE AGREEMENT, OR IS IT, IS IT YEAR TO YEAR? UH, SHOCKINGLY ENOUGH, WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC CONTRACT WITH DARIUS NEVER HAD, 'CAUSE WE STARTED SMALL BECAUSE SO FAR WE KEEP, EVERY YEAR THEY SAY, WELL, WE SHOULD DO A CONTRACT TO, TO PROTECT YOU AND PROTECT US.

IT DOESN'T MATERIALIZE.

SO, SO FAR IT'S NEVER, NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE.

UM, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE GOLF CHANNEL FOR 20, UH, THE REMAINDER OF OUR TERM IS 20 20 25 AND 2026.

SO UNLESS THE NETWORK GOES, COULD PUT PUTT, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GUARANTEED TO HAVE, UH, TOURNAMENT TELEVISED FOR THE NEXT TWO.

THERE'S CERTAINLY NO INDICATION FROM THEM THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO CHANGE THAT, UM, AFTER 2026.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TWO YEARS LEFT.

FINGERS CROSSED.

TWO YEARS LEFT FOR SURE.

ON THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WITH THEM.

IT'S VERY FEW OF OUR PRESENTERS OR OR OTHERWISE THAT HAVE AN EVENT THAT'S A ONE OF A KIND.

IT'S NOBODY ELSE HAS A LIVE TELEVISED WOMEN'S GOLF TOURNAMENT.

WHICH IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT IS GREAT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

AND TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE CREATURES THAT LIVE HERE AND TO ALSO RESPECT, UM, AND APPRECIATE THE HISTORY AND, UM, CULTURE OF THIS AREA.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN THIS, THIS FAR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE .

WE'RE WAY AHEAD.

WE'RE GLAD YOU WALKED YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS A CRACK TEAM.

, GLAD YOU CAME A LITTLE EARLY.

SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

WE HAVE SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, NICE TO SEE.

TAKE YOUR TIME.

AND ONCE YOU GET YOUR PRESENTATION READY.

UM, I AM REX GARIC.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, AND THIS IS MY 11TH TIME PRESENTING TO THIS COMMITTEE.

AND SO I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE NEW.

I TRY NOT TO REPEAT WHAT I SAY EVERY TIME.

SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, LET ME KNOW.

AND IF YOU WANNA STOP ME ANYWHERE WHEN I HAVE A SLIDE UP, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND I CAN, UM, ANSWER QUESTIONS WHILE THE SLIDES ARE UP.

SO, UH, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM DOES A LOT FOR THE COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF BEING A MUSEUM.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE EXHIBITS.

WE ALSO DO A LOT OF EVENTS.

WE DO TOURS.

WE KEEP THIS 70 ACRE PROPERTY, UM, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 360 DAYS A YEAR.

UM, AND SO WE ARE A SEVEN DAY A WEEK OPERATION.

UM, AND WE CLOSE, UH, FIVE DAYS A YEAR FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

MOSTLY MAJOR HOLIDAYS.

WE OFFER A LOT OF EXPERIENCES FOR THE ISLAND, AND WE ARE A VENUE FOR LOTS OF EVENTS.

UM, A LOCATION FOR PARKING AND OCCASIONALLY FOR, UH, DEBRIS REMOVAL.

OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CARE FOR THE LOW COUNTRY.

AND WE DO THIS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

IF YOU'VE BEEN TO OUR ALDWORTH EXHIBIT, UM, IT'S A GREAT, UH, EXHIBIT OF AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND WHO IS NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED AND IS IN THE COLLECTIONS OF MAJOR MUSEUMS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

WE ALSO DO A LOT OF HANDS-ON ANIMAL PROGRAMMING.

AND YOU'LL SEE A FAMILY HERE AT OUR FI FRIDAY FEEDING FRENZY.

UM, AND THEY ARE FEEDING A HORSESHOE CRAB.

AND THE HORSESHOE CRAB'S MOUTH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF ITS LEGS.

AND IT'S A FASCINATING THING TO SEE IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN, UM, HORSESHOE CRABS EAT.

AND SO WE WANNA INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CARE FOR THIS PLACE

[01:00:01]

UM, BY THE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE MUSEUM IS OPEN TO EVERYONE FOR FREE.

THERE'S NO CHARGE TO ENTER THE MUSEUM AND THE HONEY HORN PROPERTY IS FREE NOT ONLY TO ALL RESIDENTS, BUT TO ALL VISITORS WHO COME TO OUR ISLAND.

OVER THE PAST 17 YEARS SINCE WE OPENED IT HONEY HORN, WE HAVE IMPACTED OVER 1.7 MILLION, UM, VISITORS.

UM, LAST YEAR WE SERVED 129,000 PATRONS AND 120,000 OF THOSE WERE VISITORS FROM, UH, OVER 50 MILES.

UH, THAT MEANS OUR AT TAX COST PER TOURIST WAS $3 AND 12 CENTS.

UM, THIS IS BASED ON DATA.

WE COLLECTED, UH, 32,000 ZIP CODES AND 93% OF THOSE WERE TOURISTS.

UM, 2%, 2.8% WERE OFF ISLAND LOCALS AND 4.2% WERE FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

WE'RE A VENUE FOR OVER 40 WEDDINGS AND PUBLIC EVENTS, UM, INCLUDING, UH, RBC, HERITAGE PARKING, UM, THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, ET CETERA.

WE, UM, DRIVE TOURISM AND OVERNIGHT HOTEL STAYS, AND OUR WEDDINGS ARE ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS THAT WE, UM, HAVE PEOPLE STAYING OVERNIGHT HERE.

UM, THIS YEAR'S AT TAX REQUEST IS FOR $400,000.

UM, I USE THE AMERICAN FOR THE ARTS, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS ECONOMIC IMPACT CALCULATOR.

UM, WE HAVE A BUDGET THIS YEAR OF 1.9 MILLION, UM, THAT ACTUALLY PRODUCES AN INDUSTRY, UH, IMPACT, UM, OF $4.8 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES ON THE ISLAND AND ABOUT 435,000 IN LOCAL AND STATE, UM, REVENUE, GOVERNMENTAL REVENUE.

THIS SUMMER WE CHANGED UP SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS. THE MUSEUM OFFERS ABOUT 1200, UH, PROGRAMS PER YEAR.

AND THIS SUMMER WE DECIDED TO HAVE MORE HEAVILY MARKET A FEW OF OUR VERY STRONG PROGRAMS, UM, AND DECREASE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PROGRAMS WE WERE OFFERING.

CRITTER MEET AND GREET HAS ALWAYS BEEN POPULAR WITH TOURISTS.

UM, LAST YEAR WE SOLD ABOUT 3000 TICKETS.

THIS YEAR WE SOLD OVER 6,000 TICKETS.

WE INCREASED OUR MARKETING ON CRITTER MEET AND GREET, AND WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF OFFERINGS THAT WE HAD.

WE AT MADE IT THREE TIMES A WEEK RATHER THAN TWICE A WEEK.

UM, IN THE FIRST TWO, UM, MONTHS OF THIS SUMMER, JUNE AND JULY, UM, WE HAD A, WE HAD A, A ALMOST TRIPLE, UM, THE ATTENDANCE, UM, AT CRITTER MEET AND GREET, AND WE HAD A SMALL DROP IN AUGUST.

WE LINKED THAT TO, UH, A SLIGHT DECLINE IN TOURISM, BUT ALSO A CHANGE IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.

UM, IN GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA.

WE ALSO ADDED NEW PROGRAMMING TO OUR FARMER'S MARKET.

WE ADDED INDIGO TIE DYE PARTY, WHICH WAS REALLY POPULAR.

WE WERE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO STAY LONGER AT THE MARKET AND SPEND MORE TIME, UM, WITH THE VENDORS.

AND WE WANTED A, A LONGER DURATION PROGRAM TIED TO THAT.

AND SO WE USED OUR POPULAR INDIGO TIE DYE PROGRAM, UM, TO CREATE A PARTY ATMOSPHERE AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

OUR ALLIGATORS, OUR BABY ALLIGATORS ARE VERY POPULAR, UM, AS IS OUR CRITTER MEET AND GREET AND REPTILES PROGRAMS. UM, IF YOU FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS YEAR, YOU WOULD'VE SEEN STUMPY.

HE'S ONE OF OUR ALLIGATORS WHO HAS BECOME, UM, A VERY FAMOUS ALLIGATOR.

HE'S EVEN BEEN REQUESTED TO OFFICIATE AT PEOPLE'S WEDDINGS, ON OUR PROPERTY, UM, AND THE INDIGO TIE DYE, UM, PROGRAM AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

OUR FARMER'S MARKET HAS REALLY GROWN.

WE HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY THE PAST THREE WEEKS.

UM, LAST WEEK WE HAD 800 PEOPLE COME THROUGH OUR FARMER'S MARKET.

AND SO THAT'S A, A BIG DRAW FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO THE MUSEUM.

UH, AS PART OF OUR MARKETING, WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO MARKET THE MUSEUM OUTSIDE OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AREA TO DRIVE TOURISM AND VISITS TO THE ISLAND.

THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS BEEN DISPLACED AS THE LEAD, UM, LOCATION THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT US FROM.

AND IT'S BEEN REPLACED BY ATLANTA.

AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THESE WEBSITE, THE NUMBER OF VISITS PART OF THIS IS TIED TO US USING RADIO MARKETING OUT OF MARKET.

TO DRIVE TOURISM.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE FINAL, UM, COLUMN, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, BUT THEY ARE PURCHASING

[01:05:01]

TICKETS FROM THESE LOCATIONS BEFORE THEY COME TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

AND SO I THINK THAT INDICATES THAT WE'RE AN IMPORTANT PART OF VACATION PLANNING.

UM, AND THAT THESE ARE REAL HITS.

PEOPLE FROM ATLANTA ARE COMING TO OUR WEBSITE.

THEY'RE SPENDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME ON IT.

UM, AND THEY'RE BUYING TICKETS TO OUR PROGRAMS. WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON BUILDING OUT THE SHOULDER SEASON.

WE FOUND IN THE FALL THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE FAMILIES WITH KIDS ON THE ISLAND.

THEY'RE HOMESCHOOLING THEIR KIDS.

AND SO WE'VE STARTED DEVELOPING SPECIFIC FALL HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS TO OFFER.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN INDIGO TIE DYE ONE.

AND WE'RE ALSO OFFERING THINGS NEW PROGRAMMING LIKE YOGA ON THE MARSH, WHERE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY OUR PROPERTY, UM, IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

OUR RADIO, UH, MARKETING HAS FOCUSED ON, UH, GEORGIA, UM, PARTICULARLY GEORGIA PUBLIC RADIO TO REACH NOT ONLY SAVANNAH, BUT ALSO ATLANTA AND OTHER LARGE CITIES.

UM, AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, GEORGIA PUBLIC RADIO ACTUALLY REACHES INTO CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR BIG, UM, UH, DRIVERS OF TOURISM.

A COUPLE OF EVENTS THAT I WANTED TO GO OVER, COCKTAILS AND CHAM'S WAS A NEW EVENT.

THIS THIS YEAR, UH, THIS JANUARY, AND IT'S COMING UP AGAIN JANUARY 31ST.

UM, WE HAD 150 TICKETS.

WE SOLD OUT.

IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

PEOPLE LOVED IT.

WE'RE GROWING IT TO 250 THIS YEAR.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED IS WHEN YOU MAKE 900 COCKTAILS, YOU HAVE TO SQUEEZE A LOT OF LIMES AND LEMONS.

SO I'M GONNA HAVE SOMEONE ELSE HELP ME DO THAT THIS YEAR.

I'M NOT GONNA MAKE ALL THE COCKTAILS MYSELF.

UM, BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, REALLY WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S EVENT THAT WE THINK WE CAN REALLY GROW, UM, TO BECOME A LARGER EVENT.

UM, IT'S NOT OUR EVENT, BUT WE HOST THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL ON OUR PROPERTY.

THAT WILL BE FEBRUARY 17TH TO 23RD OF THIS YEAR.

UM, AND AS PART OF THAT LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE KICKOFF EVENT IN OUR GALLERY.

UM, ANDREW CAME AND SHUCKED OYSTERS WITH HIS NEW OYSTER KNIFE, AND IT WAS REALLY A GREAT EVENT BECAUSE IT BROUGHT PEOPLE INSIDE THE MUSEUM.

UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AND ISLAND REC TO DO KIDS PROGRAMMING ON, ON SITE THE WEEK OF SEAFOOD FESTIVAL BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE NOW ON THIS YEAR ROUND SCHEDULE AND THEY HAVE THREE EXTRA DAYS OFF SCHOOL.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE OFFERINGS FOR THE KIDS THAT ARE OUT OF SCHOOL, UM, ON THE MUSEUM, UH, PROPERTY.

AND THEN OUR, OUR REALLY BIG, UH, FUNDRAISING EVENT IS THE ART MARKET THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 26TH THROUGH 27TH.

LAST YEAR WE HAD 105 ARTISTS.

THEY COME AND STAY ON THE ISLAND, AND A LOT OF THEM MAKE THIS PART OF THEIR VACATION, AND SO THEY STAY EXTRA DAYS.

UM, BUT WE DO ALSO HAVE VISITORS THAT COME FROM OUT OF REGION AND WILL CALL US SPECIFICALLY TO ASK WHEN THE ART MARKET IS THIS YEAR SO THEY CAN COME TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND WHEN THE ART MARKET IS GOING ON.

IT'S A REALLY GREAT ART MARKET.

UM, WE HAD, UM, I THINK AN INCREASE OF OVER A THOUSAND VISITORS THIS YEAR TO THE ART MARKET.

AND SO WE THINK WITH OUR, UM, WITH RECRUITING HIGHER QUALITY ARTISTS, WHICH WE HAVE DONE BY ADVERTISING THE MARKET TO ARTISTS, UM, AND BY MARKETING, UH, THE ART MARKET BROADLY, WE THINK THIS WILL BE AN EVENT WHERE WE CAN BRING 5,000, 5,000 PEOPLE TO THE MUSEUM, UM, OVER A PERIOD OF TWO DAYS THIS YEAR.

AND SO IT'S A REALLY BIG EVENT FOR US.

UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT FUNDED BY AT A, BUT I REALLY WANTED YOU TO KNOW ABOUT, BUT THEY SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

UM, OUR STUDENT PROGRAMMING, UM, IS NOT JUST GOING TO SCHOOLS AND HAVING SCHOOL KIDS COME TO THE MUSEUM ON FIELD TRIPS.

WE ALSO HAVE TWO EXHIBITION PROGRAMS. THE HIGH SCHOOL REGIONAL ART EXHIBITION, WHICH HAS BECOME AN ANNUAL, UM, EVENT AT THE MUSEUM WILL BE AN APRIL OF 2025.

AND, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THAT OPENING, IT IS A HUGE EVENT FOR US.

IT'S OUR LARGEST OPENING AND IT CONNECTS COMMUNITIES NORTH AND SOUTH OF ABROAD BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS INVOLVED IN THIS EXHIBITION.

WE ALSO DO A K THROUGH FIVE, UM, CONSERVATION IN THE CLASSROOM PROGRAM WHERE WE REACH OUT TO CLASSROOMS, TEACH THEM ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, UM, AND A LOT OF THE SPECIES THAT NEED PROTECTION ON THE ISLAND AND THEY PRODUCE AN ART EXHIBITION, UH, WITH RECYCLED MATERIALS.

YOU'LL NOTE THAT WE ARE 93% TOURISM.

AND MY BOARD DOES NOT LIKE THIS.

THEY WANT ME TO ATTRACT MORE LOCALS TO THE MUSEUM AND TRY AS I MIGHT, WE STILL HAVE VERY HIGH TOURISM NUMBERS, BUT SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED

[01:10:01]

A POSTCARD IN THE MAIL THAT IS TAILORED TO AN ADULT AUDIENCE WITH A LOT OF OUR ADULT PROGRAMMING.

WE'RE PERCEIVED AS A KIDS' MUSEUM, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMMING THAT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON ADULTS, INCLUDING DISCOVERY NIGHTS, LECTURE SERIES, AND BEHIND THE SCENES PROGRAMS AT THE MUSEUM THAT REALLY ENGAGE PEOPLE, UM, WITH COASTAL DISCOVERY.

UM, THE ART CENTER, UH, JUST PRESENTED ON THEIR SORT OF SOCIAL MEDIA NUMBERS.

UM, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM ALSO HAS STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA NUMBERS AND HILTON HEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

WE ARE THE TOP THREE 'CAUSE I TRACK US COMPARED TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

THE TOP THREE IN THE NUMBER OF PAGE LIKES AND THE NUMBER OF POSTS.

UM, AND I BENCHMARK US ACROSS THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN TERMS OF HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS DRIVING, UM, VISITATION.

AND WE FIND A DIFFERENCE IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA VERSUS OUR WEBSITE.

AND WE THINK THEY'RE BOTH IMPORTANT.

OUR SOCIAL MEDIA IS ENGAGING A YOUNGER AUDIENCE.

A LOT OF THEM ARE PARENTS, AND IT'S A PRIM, PRIMARILY FEMALE AUDIENCE.

WITH OUR, UH, WEBSITE AUDIENCE, WHICH IS SHOWN ON THE RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE MORE MALES.

IT'S STILL FEMALE DOMINATED, BUT ALSO A, A BETTER SPREAD ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS, UH, INCLUDING GRANDPARENTS.

SO I DO, I DO TRACK HOW PEOPLE COME TO OUR WEBSITE.

A LOT OF THESE ARE JUST PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR THINGS TO DO ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

WE POP UP THAT POPS UP AS A PAID SEARCH IN OUR GOOGLE ADWORDS.

UM, SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONDING TO OUR EMAILS GO IN DIRECTLY.

SOME ARE REFERRALS FROM PLACES LIKE THE CHAMBER THAT HAVE OUR LINKS.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE REALLY STRONG IN THE SUMMER, BUT WE ARE BUSY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BOTH IN WEBSITE VISITS, UM, AND ACTUAL VISITORS COMING TO THE MUSEUM.

UM, THE BOY SCOUT EAGLE PROJECT, UM, THEY UH, ACTUALLY REDID OUR DRAGONFLY POND THIS YEAR AND THE CHAMBER WAS OUT THERE FOR AN OPENING.

IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

UM, COME WALK OUR PROPERTY.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO.

UM, WE TRACK ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS IN TERMS OF HOW THEIR REACH IS GOING AND THEIR IMPRESSION.

A LOT OF HISTORY AND CULTURE POSTS ARE VERY STRONG FOR US.

UM, AND WE HAVE ALSO TRIED POSTS.

THIS IS A POST, UM, ON, ON LOCAL BIRDS, UH, IN SPANISH AND THEIR SPANISH NAMES.

AND THESE ARE PERFORMED VERY STRONGLY FOR US.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY WITH THE MUSEUM.

THIS YEAR WE STARTED, UH, WE HAVE A SIGN IN SHEET AT THE FRONT OF THE MUSEUM WHERE WE COLLECT, UH, ZIP CODES, BUT WE ALSO ASK PEOPLE HOW THEY HEAR ABOUT US.

AND SO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF OUR VISITORS THIS IS FROM LAST MONTH, HOW MANY OF OUR VISITORS, UM, ARE JUST GETTING US FROM INTERNET SEARCHES VERSUS, UH, REFERENCES FROM LOCALS, UM, OR SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND WE TRACK THOSE NUMBERS.

WE ALSO TRACK ALL OF OUR INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS. HOW MANY TOURISTS AND NON TOURISTS ATTEND EACH PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND WE TRACK THIS OVER MULTIPLE YEARS SO WE CAN SEE HOW WE'RE PERFORMING WITH BOTH LOCALS, UM, AND TOURISTS.

I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO SEE ALL THOSE NUMBERS, BUT WE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE THEM AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO US AND WE TRACK THEM.

UM, AND THIS IS LAST SATURDAY, UM, AT THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE WAS THERE, UM, BUT THEY HAD 35 TO 4,000 PEOPLE, UM, IN A FOUR HOUR, UM, PERIOD OF TIME AT THE MUSEUM.

IT WAS A HUGE EVENT.

AND SO WE DO A LOT OF EVENTS LIKE THIS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND OUR LOCATION IS A GREAT LOCATION FOR THESE EVENTS BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE ADEQUATE, UM, PARKING AS WELL AS OPEN SPACE.

AND SO THAT OPEN PARK SPACE IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO THE TOWN.

AND THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I WANTED TO LEAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS.

AND I ALSO WANT IT TO BE SHORT IN CASE YOU WERE, UM, RUNNING OVER AND NOW YOU'RE RUNNING UNDER.

SO I COULD HAVE TALKED FOR LONGER .

HAVE QUESTIONS.

NO PROBLEM.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE PLEASE? I'LL START OFF BY, UH, ON YOUR APPLICATION, JUST LIKE YOU HAVE THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES FOR THIS ONE AND CATEGORY THREE BEING TOURISM RELATED FACILITIES, UH, RIGHT NOW THAT'S AT 96% WHEN IT COMES TO TOTAL REIMBURSABLE.

ARE YOU ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE EXPENSES TO US FOR THAT? RIGHT NOW THAT DROPS IT DOWN ABOUT ALMOST $70,000 OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE FOR US TO, TO RECOMMEND BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH EXPENDITURES IN CATEGORY THREE.

DON'T LINE UP BETWEEN OUR BUDGET AND OUR PROPOSAL.

IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, UM, NOT ALL OF ALL OF THAT EXPENDITURE ON OUR, ON OUR LINE ITEM BUDGET IS IN THAT CATEGORY.

AND SO THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME THE, BECAUSE OF THE WAY OUR, OUR BUDGET IS PROCESSED BY THE TOWN, THOSE CATEGORIES

[01:15:01]

AND SO I CAN, I CAN GIVE YOU CLARITY ON THAT.

UM, WHICH I HAVE DONE IN PRIOR YEARS BECAUSE OUR, OUR, WE CAN'T CHANGE THE BUDGET CATEGORIES IN OUR TOWN BUDGET.

YEAH, THAT'D BE FINE.

IF YOU CAN PROVIDE SOMETHING, UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE GREAT STEWARDS WITH THE, THE GRANT DOLLARS THAT COME IN.

TREMENDOUS WORK GOES IN THERE.

WE JUST DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BE FORCED INTO A RECOMMENDATION THAT MAY NOT MEET WHAT THE APPLICATION FOR.

I CAN, I CAN CLARIFY THAT ON OUR BUDGET BECAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL, UH, EXPENSE LINE ITEMS THAT FEED INTO THAT, NOT JUST ONE.

VERY GOOD.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, WELL DONE.

OKAY, THAT DOES PUT US, UH, QUITE A BIT AHEAD HERE, ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

UM, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE US A BREAK UNTIL 10 40.

I'LL CHECK BACK IN TO SEE IF WE CAN GET HILTON HEAD WINE AND FOOD, UH, HERE A LITTLE BIT.

OH, HE'S IN.

SO LET'S UH, TAKE A BREAK.

WE'LL BE BACK AT 10 40 FOLKS.

THANKS.

SO I GO, YOU JUST HAVE TO CLICK EACH SLIDE.

GET THE, YEAH, IT, IT REALLY JUST PAUSE.

HOW DO I GO BACKWARDS? OR YOU CAN GO USE THE BACK ARROW TO GO BACKWARDS.

SO THE TWO ARROWS IS ALL I NEED.

THE OTHER THING THAT THE FESTIVAL'S BENEFICIAL FOR THE ISLAND IS OUR HOTEL PARTNERS USE IT TO DRIVE BUSINESS.

AND REALLY TO GO FORWARD, YOU COULD USE ANY KEY BUT TO GO BACK OR MOUSE, BUT YEAH, YOU HAVE TO THAT AND IF YOU WANT USE THE CLICKER.

YOU CAN'T DO YEAH, IF I USE THE CLICKER, I'LL CONFUSE MYSELF.

, GOOD MORNING.

THANKS FOR JUMPING UP REAL QUICK, IF YOU DON'T MIND TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE COMMITTEE.

YEAH, NO, SOME NEW FACES.

SO MY NAME'S JEFF GERBER.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE HILTON HEAD WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL.

UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY 2025 IS GONNA BE OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY.

SO SOMETHING THAT STARTED OUT AS A, IN A LITTLE PARKING LOT ON THE SOUTH END OF THE ISLAND IS GROWN INTO A WEEK LONG EVENT OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS.

UM, THAT'S KIND OF THE BACKSTORY.

WHAT WE DO AND THE REASON WE EXIST IS WE GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR MISSION.

SO WE GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO TCL AND USCB AND THE CULINARY PROGRAM AND THE HOTEL RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM.

UH, WE'VE GIVEN OVER $150,000 IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

WE'LL GIVE ANOTHER $10,000 TO EACH INSTITUTION THIS YEAR.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT IF NOT GROW IT.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE WHOLE REASON THE FESTIVAL STARTED IN ADDITION TO DRIVING PEOPLE IN THE SHOULDER SEASON, SPECIFICALLY THE SPRING.

UM, WHEN WE COME UP TO ATAC, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS CHARGED WITH BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY AND THERE'S KIND OF TWO CATEGORIES AND YOU HAVE DRIVERS AND INFLUENCERS AND THEY'RE BOTH REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK REX IS ACTUALLY BOTH, BUT I MEAN, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE, I CAN, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY CAN BRING SOMEBODY TO THE ISLAND, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THOSE OTHER GOOD ENHANCEMENTS SO THAT THEY COME BACK.

BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT THIS FESTIVAL IS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY DRIVES PEOPLE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH, I'M GOING TO THE HILTON HEAD WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA STAY AND THEN WE'RE GONNA FIND THINGS TO DO.

SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL.

I KNOW THE CHAMBER USES US ALONG WITH THREE OTHER PILLARS THAT THEY CALL TO HELP DRIVE OTHER SMALLER FESTIVALS AND DRIVE PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, OF COURSE, THE GOLF TOURNAMENT AND THEN THE, UM, CONCOURSES COMING UP NEXT WEEK, WHICH PROBABLY DRIVES MORE THAN ANYBODY OTHER THAN THAT, THAN THE GOLF TOURNAMENT.

UM, SO I, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE STRENGTHS WE BRING TO IT.

UM, THE AVERAGE STAY FOR US IS FOUR DAYS.

SO WE HIT THAT CRITICAL HEADS IN BEDS.

WHEN YOU'RE GIVING MONEY TO US, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT JUST ENHANCING IT.

WE'RE PUTTING PEOPLE IN AND THEY'RE STAYING.

UM, 28% OF THE PEOPLE OR 28% OF THE VISITORS STAYED FOR SEVEN DAYS OR LONGER OUT OF OUR VISITORS.

BUT OUR AVERAGE DAY IS, IS FOUR DAYS.

UM,

[01:20:01]

THEY'LL USE IT, THE WESTIN USES IT FOR A FAM OR A FAMILIARIZATION EVENT.

THEY'LL INVITE PEOPLE 'CAUSE THEIR BOOKING IS NOW CENTRALIZED AND THEY'LL INVITE THEIR BOOKING AGENTS AND BRING THEM TO THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL SO THAT WHEN THEY GO BACK TO THEIR AREAS, WHEN PEOPLE CALL INTO THE MARRIOTT LINE, THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU NEED TO GO TO HILTON NET.

UM, THE ESTA USE AND THE WESTIN END, THE ESTA BOTH USE IT TO SELL LARGE GROUPS.

LIKE I WAS TALKING TO WAYNE KEARNEY, UH, I DON'T KNOW, I RAN INTO HIM ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO AND HE IS LIKE, HEY JEFF, WE JUST BOOKED SOMEBODY.

THEY JUST BOOKED 300 ROOM NIGHTS AND IT WAS FROM HOSTING IT AT THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL IN 2022.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T TRACK DIRECTLY, BUT IN ADDITION TO THE PEOPLE WE DRIVE TO THE ISLAND FOR THE EVENT ITSELF, IT'S KIND OF A GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE, WELL, I PUT THAT DOWN THERE.

SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST BENEFIT THAT THE FESTIVAL BRINGS TO THE ISLAND IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DRIVING PEOPLE HERE.

YOU CAN SEE STEVE FRENCH'S COMMENT UP THERE.

HE SAID, YOU KNOW, USING THIS FESTIVAL, IT'S DRIVEN A MILLION DOLLARS IN BUSINESS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS FOR THE WESTERN PROPERTY.

SO IT'S SHOWING A GOOD ROI ON YOUR INVESTMENT WITH US BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THEM DRIVE VISITORS TO THEIR PROPERTIES.

UM, THE OTHER THING THE FESTIVAL DOES IS WE KIND OF SHOWCASE THE ISLAND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ALL OUR EVENTS IN ONE LOCATION.

SO THE FIRST EVENTS, CRAFT BEERS AT THE BEACH, WE TRADITIONALLY DO THAT AT THE WEST END.

WE EITHER OUT IN THE DECKS IF THE WEATHER'S PERMITTING OR WE'RE INSIDE THE GRAND OCEAN TERRACE.

IF IT'S NOT, IT'S 400 PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEAUTIFUL LOCATION SHOWING PEOPLE THAT.

THEN WE BOUNCE, WE TAKE A COUPLE DAYS OFF, THEN WE DO, WE'VE USED SHOPS AT SEA PINE CENTER FOR OUR SIP AND STROLL EVENT.

THAT'S ANOTHER 400 PEOPLE.

ANOTHER GREAT PART OF THE ISLAND.

I MEAN, SEA PINES IS ICONIC.

I MEAN THE SEA PINES LIGHTHOUSE IS ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN SYMBOLS ON THE EAST COAST.

UH, THEN LAST YEAR WE DID THE SIP, THE LUCKY OR THE STATE GOLDS KIND OF BOUNCES AROUND BECAUSE WE KIND OF RUN INTO, UM, WE HELP PEOPLE DRIVE BIG GROUPS AND A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE LIKE, HEY, WE WANNA COME BACK.

THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, WE GOT A BIG GROUP THIS YEAR, WE CAN'T HOST YOU.

SO WE KIND OF BOUNCE THIS ONE AROUND, BUT, BUT IT ENDS UP IN A DIFFERENT SPOT.

UM, OUR MOST FORMAL EVENT IS THE, UM, UH, THE GRAND TASTING.

WE DO THAT AT THE COUNTRY CLUB OF HILTON HEADS.

SO WE'RE UP ON THE NORTH END.

AND THEN THE FINAL AND THE BIGGEST EVENT IS THE PUBLIC TASTING, WHICH IS DOWN AT THE NEW LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK.

LOVE THE PARK TOWN, OBVIOUSLY PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT IN DESIGNING IT IT FROM, FROM SOMEBODY WHO HOSTS THE EVENT.

IT'S LOGISTICALLY NICE.

UM, THERE'S PARKING THERE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING ANYWHERE IN THE ISLAND FOR A LOT OF THE EVENTS UNLESS YOU GO OUT TO HONEY HORN.

UM, BUT WE WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING PEOPLE AROUND SO THEY SEE THE WHOLE THING.

UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO ADD AN EVENT ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY NIGHT, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE THE RIGHT EVENT.

IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD SOME SMALLER EVENTS AND THEN YOU GO, WOW, I DID ALL THAT WORK AND WE MADE 300 BUCKS.

UM, SO IT WASN'T WORTH THE EFFORT, NUMBER ONE, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT WORTH THE TIME YOU'RE PUTTING INTO AN EVENT IN A BUSY WEEK TO NOT.

SO, UM, WE'LL WHEN THE RIGHT EVENT AND OPPORTUNITY HAPPENS, WE'LL ADD ANOTHER DAY.

BUT WE WE'RE BEING VERY, UM, PARTICULAR.

UM, AND THEN AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE UM, OUR HOTEL PARTNERS USE IT TO SHOWCASE THE ISLAND TOO.

LIKE, THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW HAVING HOSTING YOUR CORPORATE EVENT HERE, HEY, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOSTING YOUR WEDDING HERE, COME TO THIS EVENT.

YOU CAN SEE ALL THESE GREAT PLACES ON THE ISLAND AND WHY YOU SHOULD HOST YOUR EVENT AT SEMESTER.

THE WESTIN, UM, THE BEACH HOUSE.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT ROI AND FOR NUMBERS, I PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO THIS AND THEN IT'S STILL, IT'S ECONOMICS.

IT'S NOT LIKE MATH.

WHEN YOU TAKE MATH IN SCHOOL, IT'S LIKE, HERE'S THE MATH FOR ME, YOU PLUG IT IN AND THIS IS THE ANSWER.

UM, BUT WE THINK WE BRING ABOUT $4 MILLION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY BETWEEN HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS, PEOPLE DINING OUT, PEOPLE GOING TO WINE DINNERS.

SO THERE'S USUALLY ABOUT 16 DIFFERENT WINE DINNERS THE WEEK OF AT DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS AROUND THE ISLAND FROM THE WINERIES COMING IN.

BUT IT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS TO EACH RESTAURANT.

I KNOW THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE OUT THERE.

WE FIGURE IT OUT BASED ON THE FOUR, FOUR NIGHT AVERAGE VERSUS OUR TOURISTS VERSUS THE AVERAGE.

I USE ABOUT 200 BUCKS A NIGHT FOR ROOM NIGHT.

'CAUSE I TRY AND BE CONSERVATIVE WITH MY NUMBERS THE SAME WAY I WRITE MY BUDGETS BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO PLAN ON SPENDING LESS AND THAN SPENDING MORE AND NOT HAVING THE REVENUE TO BACK IT UP.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, IS WE'VE BEEN REALLY CONSISTENT IN WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.

WE'VE ASKED FOR THE SAME $130,000 AND THIS WILL BE THE EIGHTH YEAR IN A ROW.

OBVIOUSLY PRICES FOR ADVERTISING HAVEN'T STAYED LEVEL FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BY, WE'RE REALLY DILIGENT ABOUT TRACKING WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T.

IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THEN WE GET RID OF IT.

IF IT DOES WORK, WE LOOK FOR THINGS THAT ARE SIMILAR THAT WE CAN DO OR WE JUST

[01:25:01]

DO MORE OF IT.

AND OUR BEST THING IS, IS EMAIL MARKETING.

AND IT'S PROBABLY 'CAUSE WE'RE WINE AND FOOD.

WHEN SOMEBODY GETS THAT SPAM EMAIL, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WINE AND FOOD.

IT'S NOT JEFF'S HVAC REPAIR.

AND THEY'RE JUST LIKE, UM, AND THE RHYTHM AND BREW WE JUST DID.

WE HAD A 20% OPEN RATE ON OUR EMAILS, WHICH I CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT.

UM, SO THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS KIND OF BACKING US UP.

WE ALSO ARE REALLY SPECIFIC IN OUR ADVERTISING.

AS I MENTIONED, WE BASICALLY MARKET, I THINK LIKE MOST PEOPLE DO, BUT WE LIKE TO MARKET TO WOMEN.

'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE DECIDERS IN THE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL, UM, THE KEY METRICS WE USE IS WE WANT TO TARGET WOMEN WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TRAVEL, WINE, DINING OR COOKING, ARTS AND CULTURE AND INTERIOR DECORATION.

AND THAT'S WORK FOR US.

THE PEOPLE WE, WE ATTRACT, IT SAYS IT RIGHT UP THERE, BUT IT'S AN AVERAGE FOUR DAY STAY.

18% OR NINE DAYS OR LONGER, 25% OR SEVEN DAYS.

75% OF THE ATTENDEES ARE 40 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.

68% ARE OVER A HUNDRED K, 29% ARE OVER 200 K FOR HOUSEHOLD INCOMES.

ONLY 16% HAVE CHILDREN LIVING AT HOME AND 74% HAVE A FOUR YEAR DEGREE OR HIGHER.

SO THEY'RE WELL EDUCATED, THEY MAKE A PRETTY GOOD MONEY AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON THEIR KIDS, AT LEAST ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

MAY HAVE KIDS IN COLLEGE OR SOMETHING.

AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE BRINGING INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY WITH THIS EVENT.

AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA GO OUT AND SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES.

AND UM, THESE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT FOR ABOUT THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS.

OH, THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.

'CAUSE THAT'S FROM LAST YEAR.

THAT'S WHERE EVERYONE CAME FROM LAST YEAR FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL AS FAR AWAY AS ITALY.

AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT CROATIAN COUNTRY THAT WAS IN HAWAII AND SOUTH AMERICA, OBVIOUSLY EAST COAST DOMINATED.

BUT YOU SEE PEOPLE COMING FROM OREGON, WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, COLORADO, UTAH.

SO WE DO A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.

UM, I MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE BIT IN THE INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO, BUT WE DO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT THE SCHOLARSHIP NUMBERS.

THE OTHER THING WE DO IS WE WORK WITH SOME OF THE STUDENTS IN THESE PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S THE ACE PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM TO HELP KIDS GET SOME EXPERIENCE IN THERE, CHOSEN FIELD OF LIFE.

WE ALSO DONATE A LOT OF TICKETS TO A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS 'CAUSE THEY'LL BE LIKE, HEY, THIS IS NAOMI, CAN YOU SEND US SOME TICKETS? AND WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE GOOD PARTNERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

SO WE GIVE A LOT OF TICKETS TO CHURCHES, VIM, ANOTHER GREAT ORGANIZATION ON THE ISLAND.

AND THEN WE'LL ALSO WORK WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL TRADE TICKETS AMONGST EACH OTHER AS WE'RE DOING, UM, OUR FUNDRAISING EVENTS.

UM, ONCE AGAIN, JUST A QUOTE FROM ANDREA BRAGG, WHO'S THE OWNER OF FOUR SLICE JEWELER TALKING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE TOURIST THAT THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL BRINGS.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S TALKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE COME AND BUY JEWELRY EVERY YEAR AND THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE, ONCE AGAIN, WE WANT VISITING OUR AIRLINE 'CAUSE THEY'VE GOT THE DISPOSABLE INCOME TO SUPPORT THE ECONOMY.

WE'LL GET TO THAT IF YOU GUYS ASK QUESTIONS, I JUST PUT THAT UP THERE JUST IN CASE.

AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR QUESTIONS, PLEASE.

I OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR SOME QUESTIONS.

I, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU DO THE MULTI-DAY EVENTS 'CAUSE THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE, TO GIVE THEM SOME OTHER THINGS TO DO.

ARE ALL OF THOSE, UM, ATTENDEES AT THESE EVENTS, THE SAME REPRESENTATION OF TOURISTS? OR FOR EXAMPLE, THINGS LIKE THE COUNTRY CLUB OF HILTON EVENT? IS THAT SOMETHING FOR THEIR MEMBERS? NO, THAT'S, THOSE ARE ALL TICKETS WE SELL.

THE, THERE'S A PR LINE FOR ME THAT'S 24,000 ON MY BUDGET SPECIFICALLY.

SO THOSE ARE SAME PERCENTAGE OF, BECAUSE WE, WE TRACK OUR, OUR NUMBERS TWO WAYS.

WE, WE HAVE USCB COME OUT AND DO A SURVEY ON SATURDAY, WHICH IS OUR BIGGEST DAY, BUT WE'VE BEEN SELLING TICKETS ONLINE SINCE 2016.

SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND PULL ALL YOUR, YOUR EMAILS AND YOUR ZIP CODES FROM THE CREDIT CARDS THAT PAID FOR ALL THE TICKETS AND YOU CAN TRACK AND GO, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE, UM, WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM AND, AND THAT HELPS YOU BREAK THOSE NUMBERS DOWN.

AND THAT'S HELPED US FOR, WELL, ALMOST A DECADE NOW.

ONE OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE TOWN FOLKS IS THAT THE MARKETING EXPENSES DIDN'T SEEM TO QUITE HIT THE $130,000 ASK.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE MISSING SOME EXPENSES AND WHAT WAS SUBMITTED.

SO PART OF WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO IS USE THAT ON ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AND $24,000 OF THAT IS MY SALARY.

AND THERE'S OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO SPEND MONEY FROM THE AT TAX FUNDS ON SUPPORTING THEIR ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK THAT TYPICALLY, AND I'LL DEFER TO, TO SHENA, BUT UM, THE SEGMENTS THAT ARE ALLOWED ARE TO BE MARKETING SPECIFIC VERSUS A GENERAL SALARY.

SO I DUNNO IF YOU CAN BREAK DOWN HOW MUCH OF YOUR COMPENSATION WOULD BE DUE TO MARKETING, BUT I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET BACK WITH SHENA SO THAT WE GET, IT'S THE, UM, WE GET THE EXPENSE LEVELS THAT SUPPORT THE ASK.

YEAH, IT'S THE, UM, IT'S THE PR EXPENSE ON MY BUDGET LINE.

[01:30:01]

IF YOU COULD JUST GET BACK WITH SHANNON TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

BECAUSE I ASKED, UH, SHANNON, I'LL WRITE SHANNON'S NAME DOWN AS FOR YOUR, YEAH.

FOR YOUR MARKETING AND PR YOU HAVE $30,000 IN YOUR BUDGET AND THEN 95 FOR ADVERTISING IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER 24,000 IN THERE ON UNDER FOR PROMOTIONS FOR YOURSELF AS A PORTION OF YOUR SALARY IN THE PR.

BUT ON YOUR BUDGET IT SAYS $95,000 FOR ADVERTISING AND 20 $30,000 TOTAL TOTALING 125,000.

SO YOUR ASK IS FOR ONE 30, BUT YOUR BUDGET'S 1 25.

THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE CLARIFICATION IS COMING.

WHAT IS THAT? I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT.

YEAH, I SPEND THE DELTA FIVE SPEND MORE THAN MY BUDGET.

ONCE AGAIN, I WRITE MY BUDGETS UNDER, UM, BECAUSE THIS YEAR I THINK WE ENDED UP SPENDING LIKE ONE 40 ON ADVERTISING, SO WE END UP COVERING, BUT YES, I'LL REACH OUT TO SHANNON.

YEAH, THAT MAY BE THE CASE.

BUT AGAIN, THE BUDGET YOU TURNED IN IS FOR 125 AND THEN THE ASK IS FOR ONE 30.

SO THERE THERE'S NOT A BALANCE THERE.

GOTCHA.

WE NEED THAT EXTRA TO BALANCE OUT.

IF YOU CAN GET US THAT YEP.

BEFORE, UH, WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

DEFINITELY.

YEP.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT OVERSIGHT? YEAH, NO SIR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE? THANKS FOR GOING A LITTLE BIT EARLY, WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME EARLY .

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT PUTS US BACK ON TRACK RIGHT AT 10 30.

WE WILL COME BACK IN, UH, AT, UH, 10 50 10 TILL IF THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE ADJOURNED UNTIL 10 50.

UH, THE TIME IS 10 54.

WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

AND WE HAVE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND UP TO BAT.

WELCOME.

WE DO HAVE ONE RECUSAL FROM THIS ONE.

TOM'S GONNA STEP BACK.

YOU'RE GOOD THERE.

IF YOU DON'T MIND.

WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE IF YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

CERTAINLY.

AND THAT WAS PART OF MY OPENING REMARKS.

PERFECT.

SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, IF I MAY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO PRESENT WHY I BELIEVE PETAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS AN EXCELLENT INVESTMENT, UM, IN THE TOWN AND IN OUR ORGANIZATION AND IN COMMUNITY BUSINESSES.

I'M RUSS WHITEFORD HIM.

FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS, I HAVE HELD VARIOUS BOARD POSITIONS WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

WE HAVE 10 CLUBS IN THE LOW COUNTRY.

MOST RECENTLY I HAVE SERVED AS BOARD PRESIDENT OF OUR HILTON HEAD CLUB.

UH, AND I HAVE CO-CHAIRED OUR PEDAL EVENT, UH, FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.

SO I'M RUSS WHITEFORD.

KICKS OFF NATIONAL BIKE MONTH IN MAY.

AND A FULL-TIME RESIDENT FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL ISLAND.

OUR PEDAL COMMITTEE IS COMPRISED OF EIGHT PEOPLE WHO DONATE THEIR TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURES TO ASSURE OUR SUCCESS IN OUR EVENT.

IN ADDITION, WE HAVE 75 VOLUNTEERS WHO ASSIST US WITH OUR PEDAL EVENT THIS YEAR.

ANDREA ARBOR JOINS ME AGAIN AS THE CO-CHAIR OF PEDAL 2025.

ANDREA AND I ENJOY OUR CYCLING, BUT THERE'S, BUT MOST IMPORTANT, WE SHARE A PASSION FOR HELPING THOSE KIDS THAT NEED US THE MOST.

THIS SAID, EXCUSE ME, THIS SAID, PEDAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS NOT JUST A FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PEDAL HAS BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST CYCLING EVENTS IN THE SOUTHEAST, DRAWING TOURIST AND VISITORS TO OUR WONDERFUL ISLAND.

LET ME TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PETAL AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

IN 2024, OUR MARKETING EFFORTS DREW 44% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS FROM OUTSIDE THE 50 MILE RADIUS.

THESE ARE OUR TOURISTS AND 21% FROM OFF ISLAND.

THESE ARE OUR VISITORS.

PEDAL DRAWS BOTH TOURISTS AND VISITORS.

PEDAL IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR ISLAND.

IT IS A KEY CRITERIA FOR RETAINING OUR GOLD, UH, STATUS AS A BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY.

AND IT IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE USE OUR PEDAL EVENT AS A PLATFORM FOR OUR MOVE FORWARD INITIATIVE CALLED PLATINUM INITIATIVE.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND MUST HOST AN ANNUAL CYCLING EVENT EACH YEAR IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED GOLD OR PLATINUM PEDAL.

ALSO

[01:35:01]

AND PARTNERS WITH LOCAL BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESSES HERE ON THE ISLAND, SORRY.

PEDAL IS FOR EVERYONE.

PEDAL ATTRACTS ALL LEVEL OF CYCLING ABILITIES.

WE, WE ARE OFFERING 2 10, 20, 30, 40 AND 62 MILE ROUTES ON OUR PUBLIC PATHWAYS, ROADS AND GATED COMMUNITIES.

PEDAL IS A COLLABORATION OF LOCAL BUSINESSES, HOSPITALITY PARTNERS, GATED COMMUNITIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE TOWN AND NONPROFITS WORKING TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER AN EVENT THAT SHOWS SHOWCASES OUR DESIRABLE DESTINATION.

AND ONCE AGAIN, PEDAL SUPPORTS OUR KIDS.

IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST FUNDRAISER FOR OUR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN ITS 18TH YEAR.

PEDAL IS A PREMIER DESTINATION CYCLING EVENT IN 2025.

WE SEEK TO RAISE $125,000 TO FUND PROGRAMS AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, WHICH FOCUS ON ACADEMIC SUCCESS, HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, AND BEING GOOD PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION.

WE CURRENTLY SERVE 220 KIDS EACH AND EVERY DAY IN OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.

IF YOU ASK A KID WHY THEY ATTEND OUR CLUB, BIG SMILE ON THEIR FACE AND THEY SAY IT'S FUN AND IT'S SAFE.

UH, 64% OF OUR KIDS COME FROM FAMILIES LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL AND 51 ARE FROM SINGLE PARENT HOMES.

STUDY SHOWS COMMUNITIES THRIVE THAT HAVE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS.

I WILL SHARE WITH YOU NOW THE 2024, THIS PAST MAY, UH, SOME INFORMATION AND DON'T LOOK AT 67% MALE AND 37% FEMALE AND SAY THAT'S 104% BECAUSE I ALREADY PICKED THAT UP.

SO IT'S REALLY 63% MALE AND 37% FEMALE.

UM, TOP STATES FOR PARTICIPANTS OUTSIDE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE FROM THE HEAT MAP OTHER STATES THAT WE ATTRACT PARTICIPATION AND ALSO THE CITIES.

THIS IS CRITICAL INFORMATION IN OUR MARKETING PLANS AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO 2025.

THE RESULTS FROM 2024, A LITTLE HISTORY.

FIRST IN, IN 2019, WE HAD 437 RIDERS.

2020 IS NOT UP THERE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

WE DID NOT HAVE AN EVENT IN 2021.

5 51.

IN 22, WE HAD 6 0 8, JUMPED IT UP TO 722 IN 2023.

AND IN 2024, WE HAD A SLIGHT DECREASE.

PARTICIPATION WAS AT SIX 80.

AND I'LL ADDRESS THE REASONS BEHIND THAT DECREASE IN A MINUTE.

KEY TO OUR REGISTRATION PROCESS, AND I LEARNED THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN THIS, UH, FROM THE ATEX COMMITTEE IS THAT WE NEED TO GET INFORMATION SO WE CAN QUANTIFY PRECISELY HOW MANY PATRONS ARE ACTUALLY ATTENDING AS A RESULT OF OUR EVENT TOURIST THAT WE SERVED.

AND SO IN THE REGISTRATION PLATFORM, OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE ASKED TO SAY, HOW MANY FAMILY MEMBERS ARE TRAVELING WITH 'EM? ARE THEY BRINGING FRIENDS WITH THEM? AND ALL OF THAT INFORMATION ROLLS UP INTO THE FOLLOWING.

TOTAL TOURIST SERVED 710 TOTAL VISITORS SERVED 3 35.

AND THE PART, UM, THE TOTAL RESIDENTS SERVED IS 2 39 FOR TOTAL PATRONS SERVED OF 1284.

OUR HOST HOTELS, BEACH HOUSE, HILTON GARDEN, SPRING HILL SUITES SOLD OUT ROOM BLOCKS AND NOT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT VERY IMPORTANT.

IN 2025, OUR POST SURVEY OF OUR PARTICIPANTS, 89% OF THE RESPONDENTS RATED PEDAL OF FOUR OR FIVE ON A ONE TO FIVE SCALE.

I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE REASON PEDAL HAD A SLIGHT DECREASE TO THE RIGHT.

YOU WILL SEE A LIST OF 10 CYCLING EVENTS

[01:40:01]

THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE SOUTHEAST, UH, 2023 VERSUS 2024.

YOU CAN SEE MANY OF THESE HAD SUBSTANTIAL DECREASES AND PETAL HAD THAT 5.8% DECREASE.

SO WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? AS WE ENTERED THE PANDEMIC? AND THIS IS NOT JUST RUSS WHITEFORD TALKING, THIS IS PEOPLE IN THE CYCLING BUSINESS.

AS WE ENTERED THE PANDEMIC, PEOPLE WERE ANXIOUS TO GET OUT, THEY WANTED TO BE OUTSIDE, THEY BOUGHT BIKES.

IF YOU GO BACK TO 2020 21, YOU COULD NOT BUY A NEW BIKE.

THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE.

AND THEN ALL, I KIND OF PARALLEL IT TO THE, LET'S JOIN THE HEALTH CLUB ON JANUARY ONE AND LET'S ALL WORK OUT AND GET IN GOOD SHAPE.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, 30 DAYS LATER, YOU'RE BACK TO YOUR, UH, NORMAL BAD HABITS.

BUT THE CYCLISTS DID THE SAME THING.

THEY WENT OUT, THEY BOUGHT BIKES, THEY GOT INVOLVED, THEY PARTICIPATED IN EVENTS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LEVELING OUT.

AND THAT'S WHAT RELATED IN THESE DECREASES.

BUT WE HAVE A PLAN ON HOW TO GET BACK ON TRACK FOR GROWTH FOR OUR ISLAND IN 2025.

OUR GOALS ARE SIMPLE FOR 2025, ALONG WITH NETTING $125,000 FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HILTON HEAD.

WE'RE GONNA INCREASE OUR TOURIST PARTICIPATION WITH A GREATER FOCUS ON OUT OF REGION MARKETS.

WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON KEY CYCLING CLUBS.

WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON IDENTIFYING AND HERE ARE 12 CLUBS, CYCLING CLUBS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST THAT TOTAL 5,131 MEMBERS WHO WE HAVE SOME TARGET MARKETING PLANS AND PERHAPS WILL OFFER THEM AN INCENTIVE TO PARTICIPATE IN PEDAL AND COME TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

THAT INCENTIVE MAY BE A REDUCED PRICE FOR THEIR CLUB MEMBERSHIP, BUT WE WANNA BRING THEM TO HILTON HEAD.

FROM A MARKETING OVERVIEW, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR AT TAX GRANT WILL BE USED FOR OUT OF REGION MARKETING.

WE WILL CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CAM EVENTS, WHICH MANAGES 26 CYCLING EVENTS IN FLORIDA, GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA.

AND CAM HAS A DATABASE OF OVER 15,000 CYCLISTS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE THAT DATABASE TO MARKET TO THOSE PEOPLE TO COME TO HILTON HEAD FOR PEDAL LIBYA MARKETING, OUR MARKETING PARTNER FOR TWO PREVIOUS PEDAL CYCLING EVENTS.

UH, WE WILL FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, EMAIL MARKETING, ADVERTISING AND DESIGN AND PLACEMENT.

MARKETING OF PEDAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND REACHES FAR AND WIDE AND EXPOSES THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

2024, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ADVERTISING REACHED 121,000 PEOPLE AND TARGETED ADVERTISING WITH TARGETED ADVERTISING ABOUT HILTON HEAD AND PEDAL, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

OUR MARKETING TO CYCLE CLUBS, AS I'VE MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST, WILL CONTIN CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE IN OUR MARKETING PEDAL.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND WOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

HERE IS A LIST.

NOT ALL, BUT A MAJORITY OF THESE ARE ON THIS, UH, SHEET.

HERE ARE TRUE LONGTIME PARTNERS.

SOME A FEW NEW PARTNERS OF PETAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

I'D LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT A FEW.

BUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS HAS HELPED US PRODUCE A SAFE, FUN EVENT.

THEY HAVE PROBABLY EIGHT TO 10, UM, PEOPLE THAT HELP US ON THE DAY OF OUR EVENT.

THEY CHARGE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ZERO FOR THEIR HELP.

WE CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH.

THE TOWN OF, EXCUSE ME, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE BY THE AT TAX GRANTS THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US TO MARKET THIS EVENT.

KIWANIS CLUB, RELATIVELY NEW PARTNER TWO YEARS AGO.

THEY DO A COOKOUT FOR OUR 700 PARTICIPANTS THE DAY BEFORE AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

AND WE HAVE ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS COME THAT SATURDAY TO PICK UP THEIR CREDENTIALS AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS.

AND WE HAVE AT OUR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THESE WONDERFUL MEMBERS, EIGHT TO 10 TO 12 YEARS OLD.

[01:45:01]

SO WHEN OUR CYCLISTS COME IN TO PICK UP THEIR STUFF AND GET THEIR SANDWICHES AND HOT DOGS FROM THE KIWANIS, OUR LITTLE FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF THE CLUB GIVE TOURS TO ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.

IT IS A HOME RUN.

SO KIWANIS HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER THERE.

AND GUESS WHERE THE FOOD COMES FROM? SURGE GROUP.

THEY DONATE THE FOOD ZERO COST TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN POCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.

IT IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION.

WE PARTNERED WITH THEM THIS YEAR.

MY CO-CHAIR, ANDREA MADE A A STRONG PARTNERSHIP RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

THEY MADE 800 COOKIES, DESIGNED A SPECIAL LITTLE WRAPPER WITH A BICYCLE EMBLEM ON THE OUTSIDE.

AND ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS GOT THIS WONDERFUL COOKIE AND THEY DID THE SAME THING FOR THE, UM, FOR THE HERITAGE CLASSIC.

UM, AND IT WAS JUST RECEIVED IN JUST A POSITIVE WAY BY OUR PARTICIPANTS.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, 75% OF THE LAND ON HILTON HAD HIS BEHIND GATED COMMUNITIES.

AND IF WE DID NOT HAVE THESE GATED COMMUNITIES ALLOWING OUR PARTICIPANTS INSIDE THEIR COMMUNITIES, WE COULD NOT PRODUCE THIS EVENT.

SO I'VE LISTED DOWN ON THIS SLIDE AND YES, EVEN SEA PINES TWO YEARS AGO OPENED THEIR ARMS TO PEDAL AND ALL OF THESE HAVE SIGNED UP AGAIN FOR 2025.

SO IN CLOSING, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR AT TAX GRANT REQUEST OF $40,000.

IT'S THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.

WE NEED TO SHOW YOU WE CAN GET BACK UNDER GROWTH PATH AND WE DID NOT ASK FOR MORE MONEY.

SO AT THIS TIME, I THANK YOU AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AS ALWAYS.

AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

UH, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PASSION BEHIND IT AND THOSE DOLLARS GO A LONG WAY WHEN IT COMES TO PROGRAMMING FOR THOSE KIDS.

I KNOW THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UH, I'LL OPEN IT UP.

I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE.

UM, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UM, ABILITY OF HILTON HEAD TO REMAIN A GOLD OR PLATINUM COMMUNITY IS BASED ON HAVING AN EVENT.

IS THERE ANY WAY TO IMPUTE A VALUE TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND BEING A GOLD OR PLATINUM BIKING COMMUNITY? WELL, IF I HAD FRANK BABEL STANDING NEXT TO ME, , YOU WOULD HAVE A 15 MINUTE DISSERTATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS.

BUT, UM, WE WOULD BE, THERE IS AN INITIATIVE NOW THAT IS IN MOTION BY BIKE WALK, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, WORKING WITH THE TOWN TO, IN THREE YEARS, WE APPLY AGAIN FOR OUR GOLD STATUS AND WE HAVE A PLAN THE TOWN DOES, ALONG WITH BIKE WALK HILTON HEAD TO APPLY FOR PLATINUM.

IT'S CALLED THE PLATINUM INITIATIVE.

AND IF WE GET THIS PLATINUM, WE WOULD BE THE ONLY COMMUNITY SOUTH OF MISSISSIPPI IN THE SOUTHEAST TO BE A PLATINUM COMMUNITY.

AND ALL IN MY MIND, AS A AVID CYCLIST, UM, AND SOMEBODY WHO STARTED VISITING HILTON HEAD IN 1978, UM, WHAT THIS SAYS TO ME IS THAT HILTON HEAD IS A SAFE FUND, PLACE THE BIKE.

AND IF WE GET THAT PLATINUM, IT JUST UPS THE BAR A LITTLE MORE.

AND I THINK IT'S A, A GOOD WAY TO GET MORE PEOPLE.

AND, AND I THINK MY POINT IS THAT, THAT THERE IS A MARKETING BENEFIT TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

YOU MAY GET CASUAL BICYCLE FAMILIES IN HERE BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S A GOLD OR PLATINUM COMMUNITY, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT SORT OF QUANTIFIES THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WA IS A WAY TO DO THAT.

I'M JUST ENCOURAGING YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR FUTURE.

THE THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR BENEFICIARY, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, UM, IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT A LOT OF THESE, UH, CHILDREN ATTENDING HAVE PARENTS WHO ARE ABLE TO WORK AND SERVICE TOURISTS AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEIR KIDS HAVE A PLACE TO BE WHILE THEY WORK? THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT'S, THAT'S WHO WE'RE SERVING.

SO AGAIN, THE THE, THE BENEFIT IS NOT JUST THAT YOU BENEFIT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, IT'S PEOPLE WHO SERVICE THE TOURIST INDUSTRY WOULDN'T BE WORKING IF THEIR CHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COME OVER TO THE CLUB AT ABOUT 4 30, 5 O'CLOCK AND SEE THESE ARE WORKERS, THE MAJORITY OF THEM LIVE OFF ISLAND.

SOME OF THEIR KIDS ARE AT THE HILTON HEAD SCHOOLS.

WE PICK UP THE KIDS FROM THE SCHOOLS, WE BRING THEM OVER TO THE CLUB.

PARENTS ARE BOTH

[01:50:01]

WORKING.

THEY COME BY AND PICK 'EM UP AT THE END.

SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE SOMETHING OF THE HEADS AND BEDS, UH, COMMITTEE, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, UM, WHAT THIS ISLAND REALLY IS.

AND IT'S PARTLY SERVICING THE TOURISTS WHO COME HERE.

AND I THINK THAT IF YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT, EXPAND THAT ASPECT OF IT A LITTLE BIT, IT JUST BOLSTERS THE REQUEST IN MY VIEW.

YOU'VE GIVEN ME TWO GOOD IDEAS TO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT AND OR MORE WORK TO DO.

SORRY.

THANK YOU GOING, YOU KNOW, YOUR GROWTH, UH, IN PARTICIPATION FROM 2019 THROUGH LAST YEAR, AND THEN COMING DOWN A YEAR, YOU'RE STILL WELL AHEAD OF WHERE YOU WERE IN 2019 AND LOOKING AT THE OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE SOUTHEAST, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE PARTICIPATION LEVELS ARE AS HIGH AS THEY ARE FOR THIS ONE.

YOU'RE AT 700 PLUS WHERE OTHERS ARE 200, 300.

UM, AND AGAIN, I I THINK THAT YOUR DRAW IS GONNA BRING IN CYCLISTS FROM OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY BEING A GOLD, UH, STANDARD BIKE COMMUNITY APPLYING FOR A PLATINUM.

THERE'S A LOT THERE.

UM, HOW MANY RIDERS CAN YOU HOST FOR THIS EVENT? LIKE, SORRY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTION, BUT, YOU KNOW, 700 IS A A REALLY, THAT'S A LOT OF CYCLISTS.

HOW BIG CAN YOU GROW THAT TO WHERE YOU STILL HAVE A, A NICE SAFE CYCLING EVENT AND IT'S NICE THAT YOU HAVE OTHER COMMUNITIES OPEN UP AND YOU'RE ABLE TO GET INSIDE BEHIND THE GATES.

BUT WHAT'S THE GROWTH OPPORTUNITY THERE? THERE'S A VISION, UM, AND I WON'T TAKE A LOT OF YOUR TIME, BUT A WEEK FROM SUNDAY IS BIKE BLUFFTON, WHICH ANDREA ARBOR AND I TOOK OUR KNOWLEDGE OF PETAL HILTON HAD.

THEY MOVED IT TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN BLUFFTON THAT ATTRACTS 300 PARTICIPANTS AND RAISES MONEY FOR THE BLUFFING CLUB.

THE VISION WOULD BE A ALL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN THE LOW COUNTRY, HUGE CYCLING EVENT BENEFITING JASPER COUNTY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

WOULD THAT BE A, AN EVENT THAT'S HOSTED TOGETHER WHERE YOU'RE BOTH ON AND OFF ISLAND OR TWO SEPARATE EVENTS HAPPENING ON AN OFF ISLAND? POSSIBLY ONE BIG EVENT.

NICE.

SO A THOUSAND, A THOUSAND BIKERS, THEN THERE WOULD BE LOTS OF BIKERS.

YES, JOHN.

IT'D BE, YOU KNOW, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS, SEVEN YEARS AGO, SHERIFF TANNER SAID, NO, I'M NOT GONNA ALLOW CYCLISTS, OR EIGHT YEARS AGO ON THE STREETS OF HILTON HEAD.

AND I APPEALED TO HIM.

HE CALLED ME AT HOME ONE NIGHT AND HE SAID, I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

YOU HAVE ONE YEAR TO PROVE YOURSELF AND NOW YOU SEE THE SUPPORT WE GET.

SO IT'S FUN.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

AND WE SERVE THE KIDS AND WE BRING PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND.

IT'S PRETTY COOL.

UM, NO QUESTION.

IT'S A VERY WELL DONE COMMUNITY EVENT, YOU KNOW, WITH ITS HEART IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S FANTASTIC.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? OH, I HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE.

THE, THE, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR, YOUR MONIES ARE BEING DEVOTED TO MARKETING OUTSIDE OF THE 50 MILE RADIUS 2025.

HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO 2024 OR 2023? OUR ASKS FOR THE LAST, UH, THREE OR FOUR YEARS MAYBE.

I THINK WE'VE BEEN GETTING AT TAX FOR FIVE YEARS.

UM, THAT ASK HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR OUTTA MARKET, UM, MARKETING.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.

OF ABOUT A DOLLAR 50 PER TOUR THAT WE BRING IN.

HOW YOU DOING? GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.

I COULD JUST SET UP HERE.

COOL.

AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THE DRILL.

JUST ENTER THROUGH ANY KEY WORKS AND THEN BACKSPACE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AGAIN.

UM, MY NAME IS JOHN RUMBLE.

I'M THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.

SO I'VE GOT BOTH BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT IN NORTH PART OF THE COUNTY IN HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT HERE ON THE ISLAND.

UM, IT WAS INTERESTING AS, AS I WALKED IN, I WAS TALKING TO JEFF WITH WINE AND FOOD AND WE'RE ALREADY COLLABORATING ON THE, THE EVENTS COMING UP.

SO THIS IS A, NOT JUST A GREAT PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITY, BUT A GOOD CHANCE TO MEET SOME OTHER FOLKS WITH OTHER EVENTS.

AND I TRY TO PUT SOME THINGS TOGETHER.

SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU ALSO FOR VOLUNTEERING ON THIS COMMITTEE.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BUSIEST AND MOST, UM, TIME AND LABOR AND CEREBRAL INTENSIVE COMMITTEES THAT THE TOWN HAS TO WORK FOR.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

I KNOW IT'S A, IT'S A HEAVY LIFT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, AND THEN JUST RIGHT OFF THE TOP, I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT, THAT OUR REQUEST OF $150,000 TRANSLATES INTO A, UM, ABOUT A, A COST

[01:55:01]

SO YOU CAN KIND OF KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.

UM, WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO TODAY WAS JUST INUNDATE YOU WITH PICTURES OF CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS AT THE TERMINAL, BUT IT'S NOT A TERMINAL UPDATE.

SO I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS ON THAT AT THE END.

BUT, UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON, ON ATEX AND THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK LIKE THIS SUMMER.

SO WE ARE SERVING, UM, PRIMARILY THE EAST COAST, UM, REALLY REACHING UP NORTH INTO THE NORTHEAST.

WE HAVE A HEAT MAP THAT COMES UP LATER ON, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME, UM, VERY, UH, I WOULD SAY UNSURPRISING SIMILARITIES BETWEEN RUSS'S HEAT MAP AS WELL WITH THE, UH, THE ATTRACTION OF, OF BIKERS.

UM, SO I THINK WE'RE ALL GOING AFTER VERY SIMILAR FOLKS.

WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT IT, UH, WE GET A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO FLY DURING THE SUMMER.

IT'S OUR BUSY SEASON AND THE DASH LINES THAT YOU SEE ARE SEASONAL ROOTS.

AND A LOT OF THESE FOLKS SAY, MAN, IF YOU COULD ONLY KEEP, YOU KNOW, THESE ROOTS HERE ALL YEAR LONG, IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

UM, AND BEDS ARE WHAT WE'RE AFTER BUTTS IN SEATS.

THAT'S WHAT I'M AFTER.

SO IN ORDER TO MAKE THESE DASH LINES SOLID LINES, WE NEED TO PUT BUTTS IN SEATS AND THAT'S WHAT THE AIRLINES ARE AFTER.

SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN, THIS MARKETING WILL HELP OUT.

ALRIGHT, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, AND THIS IS JUST A WAY TO KIND OF ILLUSTRATE THAT WE'RE STRONG, WE'RE A SEASONAL AIRPORT, BUT THOSE SEVEN MONTHS THERE ARE THE STRONGEST ONES AND, UH, IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE.

SO WE'RE APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER ARE THE BIGGEST MONTHS, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A REAL SOLID CONCENTRATION IN THE SUMMER.

THESE ARE SECOND HOMEOWNERS, AND IT'S AN INTERESTING DEMOGRAPHIC.

IF YOU LOOK, WE, WE DID NOT COUNT OHIO HERE BECAUSE WE FIGURED THAT WOULD SPEAK FOR ITSELF.

UM, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THESE, THERE, THERE ARE TONS OF SECOND HOMEOWNERS WHO COME FROM THAT NORTHEAST AREA.

UM, IT'S A GREAT DEMOGRAPHIC FOR US TO GO AFTER AS AN ISLAND, AS AN AIRPORT.

UM, IT'S A, THEY CERTAINLY, UH, IF THEY'VE GOT SECOND OR THIRD HOMES, THEY'RE PROBABLY COMING HERE AND, AND LEAVING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS BEHIND.

AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, MAY OR MAY NOT BE GENERATING A LOT OF AT TAX ON THEIR OWN, BUT THEIR PROPERTIES MIGHT GENERATE A TAX WHEN THEY'RE NOT HERE.

AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY GENERATING A LOT OF H TAX WHEN THEY'RE HERE.

SO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY.

UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE AS WE SPREAD THE, THE MARKETING DOLLARS OVER THESE AREAS, IT SPREADS OUT THINLY VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

THOSE ARE BIG METRO AREAS, UH, A LOT OF WORDS HERE, BUT THIS IS BASICALLY THE, THE WHO, WHAT, WHY, AND HOW OF WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IN 2024.

IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR A WHILE, I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE, YOU'LL SEE SOME SIMILARITIES AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO REPEAT, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TRAIN, UM, TO BE READY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BUILD THAT INTEREST AND, UH, AND REINFORCE THE MESSAGE THAT'S OUT THERE.

UM, SO WE HAD ABOUT A 300,000 OUT OF MARKET.

SO INBOUND, UM, CUSTOMER MARKETING EFFORT LAST YEAR.

HALF OF IT CAME THROUGH ATEX GRANTS.

SO WE DO APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WE QUITE LITERALLY COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THESE FUNDS BECAUSE THERE ARE FAA RESTRICTIONS ON HOW WE CAN USE AIRPORT REVENUES.

WE CAN USE THOSE REVENUES FOR AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE CANNOT USE THOSE REVENUES TO ADVERTISE THE DESTINATION.

SO OUR ROLE IN PROMOTING THE DESTINATION WITH AIR SERVICE CANNOT BE DONE WITH AIRPORT REVENUES.

SO YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRITICAL.

UM, AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT UNNOTICED.

THIS IS JUST A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF WHAT I JUST SHOWED YOU.

BUT JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, AS WE GO INTO WINTER, IT'S ACTUALLY OUR SLOWER SEASON.

WE'RE NOT A HUB AIRPORT, SO WE DO GET SOME HOLIDAY TRAVEL, BUT NOT LIKE A A CHARLOTTE OR IN ATLANTA.

SO IF YOU NEED A NICE FRIENDLY AIRPORT TO COME THROUGH, WE'RE WE'RE THE ONE FOR YOU DURING, UH, CHRISTMAS AND, AND THANKSGIVING.

UH, AND THEN WE'LL ROLL INTO 2025 AND, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE REALLY SET UP FOR THAT NEXT SEASON.

AS I SHOWED YOU KIND OF THAT SEASONALITY AND PERFORMANCE WISE, THIS IS JUST KIND OF WHAT WE, WHAT WE LOOKED AT.

I'LL SHOW THIS GRAPHICALLY AS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS WELL.

UM, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS DIGITAL IS, IS DEFINITELY, UM, IT'S HERE TO STAY.

THAT'S WHERE THE IMPACT IS.

AND WE'RE SEEING THAT TRANSLATE IN THE NUMBERS TOO.

OUR BIGGEST CAMPAIGN THAT WE DO IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE VCB.

WE'VE DONE IT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND IT REALLY HELPS TO, UM, KIND OF RIDE THE WAVE OF THE BRAND AWARENESS THAT THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE.

AND WE DO SOME OF THESE CAMPAIGNS, UM, HAND IN HAND WITH THE VCB SO THAT WE CAN PROMOTE THE DESTINATION AT THE SAME TIME AS TRYING TO MAKE FOLKS REALIZE THAT THEY CAN FLY NONSTOP TO THE ISLAND AND KIND OF SKIP THE DRIVE.

THAT'S BEEN ONE OF OUR TAGLINES A FEW TIMES, BUT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CAMPAIGN RESULTS HERE, AND THAT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER FOCUS GOING INTO, UM, 2025 AS WELL.

JUST GIVES US A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND, AND WE CAN HELP OUT TO, UH, TO PROMOTE THAT VISIT.

HILTON HAD ISLAND MESSAGE.

THESE ARE THE, UH, I'M GONNA KIND

[02:00:01]

OF FOCUS IN ON THE, THE RED THERE, BUT THESE ARE THE, UH, INCREASES THAT WE HAD THIS PAST YEAR.

AND THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING, THAT THE DIGITAL IS A WAY TO GO.

UM, I, I JOKED IN A COUPLE PRESENTATIONS YEARS AGO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE YOU UP THOSE HAUNTING ADS.

SO IF, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE GONNA SEARCH FOR TRAVEL SOMEWHERE ELSE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA FIND YOU AND WE'RE GONNA START PINGING OUR ADS AT YOU.

SO WE DON'T MEAN ANYTHING BY THAT, EXCEPT YOU SHOULD TRAVEL TO HILTON AND ISLAND AND USE OUR AIRPORT.

BUT WE DO THAT.

IT WORKS, IT SHOWS YOU HOW THAT WORKS AND, UH, VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE.

AND AGAIN, PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF.

THIS IS A, A CAMPAIGN THAT WE USE THAT IS, THAT IS NOT WITH THE VCB, IT'S THROUGH SOJOURN.

UM, AND BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE OUT THERE AGAIN, ACTIVELY DIGITALLY FINDING PEOPLE WHO ARE SEARCHING FOR FLIGHTS FOR TRAVEL.

REALLY WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THOSE FOLKS LOOKING AT CHARLESTON AND LOOKING AT SAVANNAH AND WE'RE GONNA INTERCEPT THEM, FEED THEM ADS, AND TRY TO BRING THEM INTO OUR AIRPORT TO MAKE SURE THEY VISIT OUR ISLAND.

SO THAT, THAT'S THE SOLE MISSION OF, OF THAT CAMPAIGN.

SO THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, WE'RE ASKING FOR 150,000.

AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT WE ASKED FOR LAST YEAR.

AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT HALF OF OUR INBOUND BUDGET.

AND UH, WE DO APPRECIATE THAT VERY SIMILAR CAMPAIGN AS LAST YEAR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ADDING SOME MORE AUDIO AND VISUAL, UM, VIDEO STREAMING.

WE SAW THAT THAT'S WORKING PRETTY WELL.

UM, IF YOU DON'T BUY THE HIGH-END STREAMING SERVICES, YOU DO GET SERVED UP THESE ADS.

SO, UM, I'M ONE OF THOSE GUYS.

BUT, UM, AWARENESS IS, IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

SO YOU SEE SOME OF OUR CAMPAIGNS, WE'LL TALK ABOUT AWARENESS OF THE AIRPORT AND SOME OF THOSE SECOND HOMEOWNERS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS UP THERE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN FLY NONSTOP TO THE ISLAND.

UM, TOURISTS IN THOSE MARKETS LIKE WASHINGTON, LIKE NEW YORK, CHICAGO IS A HUGE MARKET FOR THE ISLAND.

UM, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THERE'S AN AIRPORT ON THE ISLAND.

SO A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS, IS TRYING TO GET THE MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK IN THOSE BIG MARKETS.

AGAIN, THAT'S OUR CONTINUED PUSH THERE.

SO THE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS THERE, UM, ARE THAT CO-OP WITH THE VCB THAT'S BEEN WORKING REALLY WELL AND WE BELIEVE IN THAT ONE.

AND THEN LEAKAGE REDUCTION, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE JUST, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE, UH, THE MARKET HERE AND TRY NOT TO LEAK TO CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH.

TO PROMOTE THE DESTINATION AND TO PROMOTE THEIR AIR SERVICE.

AND THAT WILL HELP AS WE, AS WE BUILD THE, PUT THE BUTTS IN SEATS, AS I SAID, THAT MAKES THE AIRLINES MORE INTERESTED, THAT WILL INCREASE THE OFFERINGS, WHICH CONTINUES TO, TO FEED THE WHOLE PROGRAM.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE PUT, UH, SOME OF OUR, OUR ADS AND KEY PUBLICATIONS.

UH, THE VISITOR GUIDE IS ONE THERE, THE VISITOR PLANNER IS ONE THAT WE'VE, WE PARTICIPATE IN EVERY YEAR.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE INBOUND MARKETS, THEY'RE NOT INEXPENSIVE MARKETS TO ADVERTISE IN.

SO EVEN, YOU KNOW, 300,000 SOUNDS LIKE A, A PRETTY BIG NUMBER TO PEOPLE.

BUT THAT CAN GO, WE COULD SPEND 300,000 IN EACH ONE OF THESE MARKETS WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

WE'D LOVE TO AT SOME POINT.

ALL RIGHT, WRAPPING IT UP.

THIS IS JUST THE FEED THE MACHINE SLIDE BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE IN THIS ONE.

UM, THE AIRPORT IS A KEY DRIVER OF TOURISM.

UH, WITHOUT AN AIRPORT YOU BECOME VERY MUCH LESS MARKETABLE, UM, AS A DESTINATION.

THAT DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE HAVE, UM, PEOPLE WHO FLY INTO A DESTINATION ARE MORE APT TO STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY BIGGER SPENDERS THAN FOLKS WHO, WHO DRIVE IN, WHO PACK THE MINIVAN AND, AND UM, AND CAMP OUT.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHEN YOU'RE FLYING IN, YOU CAN'T BRING AS MUCH WITH YOU.

SO YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE DEPENDENT ON THE PLACE THAT YOU LAND THAT'S GONNA GENERATE AT TAX AND H TAX DOLLARS.

AND THEN THOSE PASSENGERS THAT WE HAVE IN THERE, YOU CAN SEE THESE KIND OF KEY GROUPS HERE.

BUT WE WANT TO TURN PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE ISLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME OR COME IN FOR A BUSINESS MEETING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE, WE WANT TO CONVERT THEM INTO ISLAND LOVERS, UH, AND RETURN VISITORS.

AND OF COURSE, UM, BIGGER SPENDERS ON THE ISLAND.

SO WE THINK WE'RE A BEST VALUE FOR THE ISLAND.

WE'RE HAPPY TO COLLABORATE WITH THE GROUPS THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH.

UM, I THINK MAYBE THERE'S ALL THE GROUPS WHO COME HERE ARE GREAT, UM, CONTACTS FOR ME TO REACH OUT TO AS, AS FAR AS WORKING WITH THEM FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL MARKETING COLLABORATION DURING THE YEAR.

THERE'S, THERE'S SOME AWESOME EVENTS.

EVERYBODY WHO COMES IN FRONT OF YOU HAS GOT A, A GREAT EVENT THAT WE COULD TEAM UP WITH IN SOME WAY.

SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT THE CONCOR COMING UP, UM, NEXT WEEKEND AND, AND WE DO THE, THE TWO BIG EVENTS FRIDAY NIGHT AND THEN SATURDAY DURING THE DAY OUT AT THE AIRPORT.

SO HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

UM, KEY TAKEAWAYS, AND I'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.

THE AIRLINES KNOW WHAT WE DO.

THEY PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR MARKETS.

THEY PAY ATTENTION TO THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS IN THEIR MARKETS AND THE INTEREST.

SO WHEN WE CAN GO TO THE AIRLINES AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT OUR MARKETING PLAN LOOKS LIKE, AND WE DO, BECAUSE WE CHARGE THEM FEES.

SO THEY WANNA SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND WE LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO,

[02:05:01]

SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO USE, UM, THAT AS A, AS A KEY POINT WHEN WE SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THEIR SERVICE HERE AND THEN BUILDING THEIR SERVICE AS WELL.

SO THEY, THEY DO PAY ATTENTION.

AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO LINK ARMS, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THE AIRPORT, BRINGING THOSE VISITORS IN, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO, UM, TO GENERATE THAT SUCCESS AND TO HAVE THAT REPEAT SUCCESS.

AND THEN REPATRIATE REVENUES.

IF YOU'VE BEEN, YOU HEAR ME SAY THAT ALL THE TIME, I SAY IT AT THE STATE HOUSE, I SAY IT UP IN, UH, IN DC AS WELL.

BUT OUR JOB, I MEAN, WHAT I SEE, ONE OF OUR VERY IMPORTANT JOBS IS TO, TO REDUCE THAT LEAKAGE THAT WE HAVE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES AND BRING THAT REVENUE BACK HERE.

IT'S ONE THING TO LEAK REVENUE WITHIN THE REGION WITHIN SOUTH CAROLINA, BECAUSE WE'LL BENEFIT FROM THAT WHEN WE LEAK TO OTHER STATES, THAT'S REVENUE THAT'S LOST FOREVER.

SO PEOPLE WHO FLY TO THIS REGION FOR VACATION OR WHATEVER, ARE GOING TO MAKE CERTAIN SPENDS THEY'RE GOING TO, TO HAVE THOSE HOTEL NIGHTS.

I DON'T, DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY COULD HAVE A, A STAY OVERNIGHT WHEN THEY ARRIVE AND ONE BEFORE THEY LEAVE, THEY COULD ALSO HAVE MEALS ON THE WAY IN AND THE WAY OUT.

THEY WILL HAVE RENTAL CARS, THEY'LL HAVE PURCHASES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.

WE WANT AS MANY OF THOSE AS POSSIBLE TO HAPPEN ON THE ISLAND.

THEY'RE GONNA HAPPEN REGARDLESS.

WHY NOT HERE? SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO BY BUILDING THAT AWARENESS AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE CAN USE OUR AIRPORT.

SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.

AND THAT IS REALLY ABOUT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE THE, THE TIME AND I'M OPEN TO QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

OPEN UP TO THE COMMITTEE.

ANY QUESTIONS? UH, THE, THE SEASON HAS KIND OF BEEN EXTENDED OVER THE YEARS POST COVID, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOSPITALITY BUSINESS.

WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF THE AIRLINES EXTENDING THEIR SEASON, MAYBE STARTING SERVICE IN MARCH, FOR INSTANCE, VERSUS APRIL? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WORK ON AND, AND WE'VE GOT A, UH, A CONSULTANT TEAM OF, UM, AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT FOLKS WHO HELP US LOOK AT THAT.

SO WHAT WE DO AS A GROUP IS, IS EACH YEAR WITH WHICHEVER AIRLINES WILL GIVE US AN AUDIENCE, WE'LL GET A RECAP FROM THEM, KIND OF THE INSIDE SCOOP BY HOW THINGS WENT FOR THEM AND WHAT THE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE.

AND BASED ON THAT, WE WILL ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A COUPLE AIRLINES WHO WILL LEAVE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THEY'LL, 'CAUSE WE USE ALL, WE CAN ONLY FIT REGIONAL AIRCRAFT ON THIS AIRFIELD, SO THEY NEED TO, THERE, THERE'S VERY LIMITED REGIONAL AIRCRAFT AND, AND FLIGHT CREWS OUT THERE.

SO THEY'LL REALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE, THOSE FLEETS TO DIFFERENT PLACES, MAYBE TO THE MOUNTAINS FOR THE SNOW SEASON, THAT SORT OF THING.

SO PART OF OUR JOB IS TO CHIP AWAY AT, AT THAT, AT, AT THE TIME THAT THEY, THEY LEAVE AND TRY TO GAIN ANOTHER FEW WEEKS OR A MONTH ON EACH END OF THE SEASON.

SO WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION EACH YEAR WITH THE AIRLINES.

AND, UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S BUTTS AND SEATS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST THEY GET.

UM, AND THEN IT'S AN INDICATION THAT WE HAVE THE NUMBERS TO SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS.

SO IT'S A CONSTANT EFFORT.

YES, WE DO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

AND UM, ONE OF THE BIG ONES IS WE HAD A MAJOR AIRLINE LAST YEAR WHO STARTED THEIR SPRING SERVICE IMMEDIATELY AFTER OUR GOLF TOURNAMENT.

AND WE SAW THAT HAPPEN SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE AND WENT TO THE AIRLINES AND SAID, GOSH, HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF HILTON ISLAND AND THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER GREAT PARTNER.

AND AT THAT POINT, THEIR SCHEDULE WAS LOCKED AND THEY, THEY COULDN'T CHANGE IT, BUT THEY SAID, MAN NOTE FOR NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, SO THIS YEAR THAT AIRLINE WILL BE BACK IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE, UH, THE GOLF TOURNAMENT.

SO WE DO HAVE SOME EFFECT ON THEM.

UM, IT USUALLY HAS TO BE PRETTY BIG LIKE THAT FOR THEM TO MAKE A SCHEDULE CHANGE.

UH, BUT YES, WE DO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

EXCELLENT.

WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE MARKETING ARE, ARE YOU USING CULTURAL ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS AS PART OF YOUR MARKETING PLAN WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING INTO HOW, HOW THE ISLAND'S BEING PRESENTED? YES, AND I'LL TELL YOU, THE WAY WE DO THAT IS MORE OF A, A LOCAL, UM, FOCUS FOR AWARENESS.

UM, AND THE TERMINAL IS ACTUALLY GIVING US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME COLLABORATION THERE.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, WITH NATALIE ON SOME IDEAS.

THAT WAS WHERE I WAS GOING WITH IT.

SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S OUR ARTS AND CULTURAL, UH, ECONOMY HAS GROWN AND OUR OFFERINGS HAVE GROWN.

IF YOU WERE WORKING WITH OUR, THE, THE, YES, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY COOL THINGS THAT I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IN THE NEW BUILDING.

SOME WILL BE PERMANENT, SOME WILL BE, YOU KNOW, DISPLAYS THAT CAN ROTATE.

UM, BUT WE, THERE ARE KEY PARTNERS RIGHT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH AHAD AT MITCHELLVILLE.

AND, UH, WE TALK ALL THE TIME.

SO WE'VE GOT KEY PARTNERSHIPS THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, I MEAN, CAPITALIZE ON AND, AND BRING HILTON HEAD ISLAND INTO THE TERMINAL.

WE'LL HAVE MORE SPACE FOR THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE A LOT, THERE'LL BE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT THAN WE HAVE CURRENTLY.

SO YEAH, I JUST, I SEE

[02:10:01]

THERE'S, YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF REASON FOR PEOPLE TO COME HERE, RIGHT? AND THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

WE HAD A STAKEHOLDER GROUP AS WE'RE DESIGNING THE TERMINAL, AND UH, DAVE AMES WAS, WAS ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT.

AND THAT WAS ONE THING THAT HE SAID ALL ALONG.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO, UM, IF THEY'RE VISITING THE ISLAND, AS SOON AS THEY GET OFF THE AIRPLANE, THEY SH THEY SHOULD BE IMMERSED IN THE ISLAND WHEN THEY'RE IN THE TERMINAL.

SO TO YOUR POINT, THEY NEED ARTS CULTURE HISTORY IN THE TERMINAL, EVEN IF IT'S ON A ROTATING BASIS.

AND THEN IF THEY'RE RESIDENTS, THEY SHOULD FEEL IMMEDIATE, LIKE, LIKE THEIR HOME, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE BACK HOME WHEN THEY GET HERE.

AND PART OF THAT IS, IS THE ARTS AND CULTURE.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN YOUR ADVERTISING DOLLARS AND THE AIRLINES SCHEDULING MORE FLIGHTS? I MEAN, IT, THERE'S A LITTLE OF WHICH COMES FIRST, RIGHT? THEY, THEY, YOU NEED TO DEMONSTRATE SOME DEMAND, BUT IT, IT FUNDAMENTALLY SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S BACKED DOWN TO MORE FLIGHTS.

IT'S GONNA EQUAL MORE PEOPLE COMING IN VERSUS FILLING MORE SEATS ON A SPECIFIC FLIGHT.

CAN YOU JUST COMMENT ON THAT? SURE.

YOU, YOU'RE RIGHT, IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHICKEN AND EGG SITUATION HERE.

BUT WHEN WE, UM, STARTED, WHEN THE REGIONAL JETS STARTED FLYING IN AND THE AIRLINES GAVE US THE, THE LIST OF SEASONAL CITIES THAT THEY WOULD SERVE AND THOSE WHO STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.

SO WE KNOW THAT THAT NEW YORK IS ONE, WE KNOW THAT PHILADELPHIA IS ONE.

WE KNOW THAT WASHINGTON DC AND THAT'S AN EXTENDED ONE.

WE GET, UH, DC FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.

UM, WE KNOW THAT, THAT PITTSBURGH IS A KEY MARKET, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE NONSTOPS, THEY'LL GO IN AND GET A NONSTOP AT DC OR THEY'LL CONNECT.

BUT THAT'S A HUGE MARKET FOR US.

UM, SO WHAT WE DID WAS BASICALLY TOOK THOSE LIST OF, OF CITIES THAT THEY WERE FLYING IN AND WE SAID, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE WE DROP THE DOLLARS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE NONSTOPS THERE.

AND THEY ALSO, WHEN WE COORDINATE WITH THE VCB AND TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO ZIP CODE ANALYSIS, FIND OUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, THOSE, THE AIRLINES DO IT TOO.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOT COINCIDENTALLY THEY HAVE THE SAME LIST OF PLACES THAT WE DID.

AND SO IT, IT, IT KIND OF WORKED OUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN THAT, THAT WE WERE GONNA SPEND OUR DOLLARS WHERE THEY WERE GONNA BE SERVING AND, AND VICE VERSA.

UM, SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF HOW THAT WORKS.

AND THEN WE GET THAT FEEDBACK THAT I SPOKE TO EARLIER FROM THE AIRLINES ON WHICH, WHICH ROUTES ARE, ARE DOING REALLY WELL AND, AND WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LOWER.

AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE'LL WE'LL NORMALLY SPEND MORE MONEY ON THE ONES THAT ARE DOING WELL.

WE'RE NOT GONNA PROFIT.

WE'LL LET THE AIRLINES SPEND THEIR BIG DOLLARS TO, TO PROFIT UP THE ONES THAT NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GO AND BUILD THOSE ONES THAT ARE REALLY SUCCEEDING.

CHICAGO, NEWARK HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN HUGE.

SO, UM, WE DO SPEND SOME DOLLARS IN THOSE AREAS.

CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE GROWTH IN TOURISTS FROM THOSE DESTINATIONS? DO YOU HAVE AN ABILITY TO TRACK THAT? WE DO, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS WITH ME, BUT WE DO TRACK BY DESTINATION.

UM, AND INTERESTINGLY, WE ACTUALLY RUN SOME SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISONS WHEN SAVANNAH AND, AND HILTON HAS SERVED THE SAME DESTINATIONS.

AND WE'LL LOOK AT THOSE.

SO WHILE I DON'T HAVE THOSE WITH ME, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, CHICAGO IS, I KEEP SAYING THAT IT IS VERY, VERY STRONG.

I GUESS IT'S NOT SURPRISING AND IT DOES OPEN UP KIND OF WESTERN DOOR FOR US AS WELL.

BUT THAT'S BEEN STRONG.

NEWARK'S BEEN VERY, VERY STRONG.

AND WASHINGTON DC IS ALWAYS A TOP PERFORMER.

AND OF COURSE CHARLOTTE.

I I JUST THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN FUTURE PERIODS TO HAVE SOME OF THAT DATA TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE ADVERTISING DOLLARS ARE A BIG DRIVER.

WE ALL, I THINK, UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT TO HAVE SOME OF THAT DATA TO ASSIST US WOULD BE HELPFUL.

NOTICED, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING IS THE TRAVELERS HAVE NO PROBLEM ADAPTING TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE AIRPORT.

I WILL, A QUICK QUESTION.

UM, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A QUICK UPDATE ON THE RENOVATIONS AT THE AIRPORT AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING AND WHEN THAT SHOULD ALL BE CONCLUDED? ABSOLUTELY.

UM, SO WE STARTED THAT PROJECT IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR IS WHEN WE DID THE, THE, UH, THE OFFICIAL WORK START.

UM, IT IS RIGHT NOW ON SCHEDULED TO BE FINISHED IN, UM, EARLY 2026.

AND IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO, IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A BUILDING NOW, WHICH IS EXCITING.

UM, A LOT OF THAT STRUCTURAL STEEL IS NOW IN PLACE.

AND SO NOW YOU CAN SEE, UM, WHAT THAT THE BOARDING GATE AREA IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING.

THE, UH, THE ROAD WORK OUT FRONT OF THE TERMINAL IS GOING TO BE PHASING IN HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, PROBABLY NEXT TWO MONTHS I THINK WE'LL HAVE ALL FOUR LANES PUT IN OUT FRONT.

SO FINISHED UP SOME TIME IN JANUARY.

UM, BUT IT, IT IS ON SCHEDULE.

WE, UM, I KNOW WE HAD A COUPLE MINOR WEATHER IMPACTS THIS YEAR, BUT THANKFULLY IT REALLY WAS NOT THAT BAD.

SO THE CONTRACTOR TEAM'S BEEN ABLE TO STAY ON, ON FOCUS.

SO THINGS ARE GOING PRETTY WELL.

THIS IS A LESS DISRUPTIVE STAGE THAN THE NEXT ONE, WHICH WOULD BE ALL THE INTERNAL RENOVATIONS AND, AND MOVING THINGS AROUND INSIDE.

SO THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER.

BUT ONE THING THAT WE HAVE

[02:15:01]

THEY FIND THEIR WAY VERY EASILY AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

UM, THE FOLKS WHO WORK IN THEIR DAY TO DAY SOMETIMES SAY, AH, IT'S A LITTLE TOO DUSTY, OR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PARK A LITTLE FARTHER AWAY.

UM, BUT IT, IT IS REALLY BEEN KIND OF RELIEVING TO SEE THAT WE'VE HAD VERY FEW ISSUES WITH, WITH FOLKS WHO USE THAT TERMINAL GANG AROUND.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT ACTUALLY GET THE, THE FOLKS THAT PUT THEIR HEADS IN THE BEDS HERE TO THE ISLAND.

AND AS YOU TOUCHED ON THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT FROM ONCE THEY'VE LAND AND THEY COME TO HILTON HEAD OF CARS AND FUEL AND THAT EXTRA MILL THAT'S BOUGHT HERE AS OPPOSED TO OUR, OUR NEIGHBORS, UH, IN GEORGIA.

YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN KEEP IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND SPECIFICALLY IN BEFORD COUNTY AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD IS FANTASTIC, INCLUDING SMALL THINGS LIKE SHUTTLE SERVICES THAT GET PEOPLE TO AND FROM THAT HAS A BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT ON ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

YEP.

NEXT UP IS, UH, HILTON HEAD RHYTHM.

AND BRUCE, WELCOME BACK.

ALRIGHT JEFF, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ONE TOO.

YEP.

YES MA'AM.

VISITOR, PEOPLE WHO HAVE MONEY TO SPEND ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

WE READY WHENEVER YOU'RE OKAY.

JUST SAW EVERYONE LOOKING DOWN.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT'S IMPORTANT.

SO I'M STILL JEFF GERBER.

I'M STILL WITH THE HILTON HEAD WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, BUT WE STARTED A NEW EVENT AND THE WAY THIS KIND OF CAME TO BE IS, LIKE I TOLD YOU AT THE LAST PRESENTATION, THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL STARTED IN A PARKING LOT 40 YEARS AGO DOWN THE SOUTH END OF THE ISLAND.

AND IT KIND OF GREW.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE ADDED IN 2021 WAS A BEER GARDEN AT THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL THAT WAS EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED.

GOT A TON OF FEEDBACK FROM THE ATTENDEES.

I'M LIKE, WOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD DO A CRAFT BEER EVENT INSTEAD OF JUST A BEER GARDEN.

AND THE FIRST YEAR WE DID IT, WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THIS IDEA UNTIL ABOUT 60 DAYS BEFORE THE FESTIVAL, BUT WE STILL SOLD IT OUT, DID IT AGAIN, DID IT AGAIN, SOLD IT OUT, HAD WAIT LISTS, AND WE'RE LIKE, AND WE HAD ALWAYS BEEN LOOKING FOR A FALL EVENT BECAUSE THE HARD PART ABOUT DOING IT ONCE A YEAR IS PEOPLE KIND OF REMEMBER YOU, BUT YOU FALL FROM THE FRONT OF THEIR MIND.

SO WE LOOKED AT THIS AS ALSO A WAY TO KEEP WHAT WE DO IN PEOPLE'S MIND BECAUSE WHAT WE TEND TO DO IS A MONTH AFTER THIS, THEN WE COME OUT AND WE LAUNCH THE TICKETS FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL.

SO THIS GAVE US AN EVENT TO KIND OF KEEP OUR NAMES AND PEOPLE'S FRONT OF MIND, BRING TOURISTS TO THE ISLAND TWO TIMES A YEAR INSTEAD OF JUST ONE.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT WAS GOING ON WAS THE CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY IS GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

UH, WE DID A BUNCH OF RESEARCH.

THERE WERE, AT THE TIME WHEN WE FIRST CAME, THIS IS OUR THIRD PRESENTATION FOR THE RHYTHM AND BREWERIES, THERE WERE 9,000 BREWERIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

THE NEXT YEAR THERE WERE GONNA BE 9,500.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE FOUND OUT IS CHARLESTON USED TO HAVE A FESTIVAL.

IT WAS PUT ON BY THE BREWERIES, IT BECAME VERY SUCCESSFUL.

BUT BECAUSE ALL THESE BREWERS HAD FULL-TIME JOBS, RUNNING BREWERIES, IT GOT SO BIG THEY JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

I MEAN, IT, IT'S LIKE IF YOU'RE RUNNING A HOTEL AND YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, GO RUN THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL.

YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, I'M RUNNING A HOTEL.

AND SO IT SEEMED LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY AND SO WE APPROACHED THE AT TAX COMMITTEE, UM, AND THEY THOUGHT IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

UM, SO THE OTHER THING THAT'S STRANGE ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION IS TWO YEARS AGO WE CAME TO THE ATEX COMMITTEE AND SAID, WE HAVE THIS IDEA, WILL YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY? THEN LAST YEAR WE CAME TO THE AT TAX COMMITTEE AND SAID, HEY, WE HAVEN'T DONE THE FIRST FESTIVAL BUT WE'D LIKE MONEY FOR THE SECOND FESTIVAL AND NOW WE'VE DONE TWO FESTIVALS SINCE THE LAST TIME I TALKED TO YOU.

SO YOU'VE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE NUMBERS FOR BOTH EVENTS BECAUSE IT SEEMS ONLY APPROPRIATE TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION FOR BOTH EVENTS SINCE I HAD NO INFORMATION FOR ANY EVENTS LAST YEAR.

SO, UM, WE HOSTED THE EVENT IN 2023 ON OCTOBER 28TH.

WE HOSTED IT THIS YEAR ON NOVEMBER 28TH.

I'LL COVER LATER IN THE PRESENTATION WHY WE MOVED THE DATE.

WE DID THE FIRST ONE AT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK.

WE DID THE ONE THIS YEAR IN SHELTER COVE PARK.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DEMOGRAPHICS, THEY WERE PRETTY STEADY KIND OF WITHIN A A MARGIN OF ERROR.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, OVER 70% OF THE PEOPLE ARE 45 AND OLDER.

70% ARE MARRIED, 80 PLUS PERCENT OF 'EM DON'T HAVE KIDS LIVING AT HOME.

30% OF 'EM HAVE A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF 200 K OR HIGHER AND 70%, 68 70% OF 'EM HAVE A HUNDRED CARE HIGHER.

SO ONCE AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, WE'RE ATTRACTING A GOOD QUALITY

[02:20:01]

UM, HERE'S THE ATTENDANCE.

I WAS ALWAYS HOPING IT WAS GONNA BE BETTER, BUT I GUESS YOU AIM HIGH AND, AND WORK AROUND IT.

SO FIRST YEAR WE HAD 650 PEOPLE.

THIS YEAR WE HAD 780 PEOPLE, WHICH IS A 20% INCREASE, WHICH I WANTED TO DO BETTER THAN THAT, BUT IT'S STILL 20%.

YOU CAN'T BEAT YOURSELF UP TOO MUCH WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

UM, A LOT MORE OF 'EM.

I WOULD CALL US AN ENHANCER MORE THAN A DRIVER FOR THIS EVENT CURRENTLY 'CAUSE IT'S A NEW EVENT AND YOU'LL SEE THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM WITHIN 50 MILES AND HILTON HEAD THAN THEY ARE FROM OUTSIDE.

WE'RE STILL PULLING 30 ISH PERCENT, WHICH ISN'T BAD FOR A NEW EVENT.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED ON DOING AN EVENT THAT'S BRAND NEW AS OPPOSED TO ONE THAT'S 40 YEARS OLD IS YOU'RE BUILDING A NEW AUDIENCE.

EVEN IF YOU'RE STILL MARKETING TO THE SAME PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN COMING FOR SOMETIMES GENERATIONS.

UM, SO WE'RE LEARNING TO ADOPT, TO ADAPT TO THAT.

UM, WE DID DO PRETTY WELL WITH OUR SURVEYS.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD 103 SURVEYS OUTTA 650 ATTENDEES.

SO THAT'S ONE IN SIX.

UM, THIS YEAR IT WAS 180 7 OUT OF SEVEN 80.

SO THAT'S EVEN BETTER.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE IN FOUR.

UM, AND THE THING THAT HELPED US WITH THE SURVEYS 'CAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO LEARN AND IF, IF YOU REMEMBER AHMAD'S PRESENTATION, HE'S GOT THE LITTLE QR CODES THROUGH THE POSTS THROUGHOUT MITCHELLVILLE AND PEOPLE CAN WALK UP WITH THEIR PHONE AND AND CLICK IT.

AND WE STOLE AHMAD'S IDEA, BUT WE JUST PUT IT ON A BUSINESS CARD SO WE COULD HAND OUT THIS LITTLE BUSINESS CARD.

AND WE FOUND THAT PEOPLE WERE A LOT MORE WILLING TO INSTEAD OF STAND THERE IN FRONT OF THE IPAD AND NOT GO TASTE BEER AND WINE AND SPIRITS, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I CAN TAKE THIS CARD AND FLASH IT.

AND SO NOW YOU SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A 25% RESPONSE RATE ON OUR SURVEYS.

SO THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT 'CAUSE IT GIVES US THE FEEDBACK TO GET BETTER.

UM, THE OTHER THING, I DON'T KNOW WITH TICKET SALES, 'CAUSE TICKET SALES WERE KIND OF ON A NICE TRAJECTORY AND THEN HELENE CAME THROUGH ON THURSDAY, WE SET UP TENTS AND THE WIND FROM LEFTOVER HELENE ON FRIDAY AND HAD OUR EVENT ON SATURDAY.

BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR NEIGHBORS.

SO, UM, I'M FEEL I CAN BE POSITIVE IN SAYING IT AFFECTED HOW MANY TICKETS WE PROBABLY DIDN'T SELL, BUT I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT DEGREE.

AND SO I DON'T REALLY WANNA SPECULATE.

I MEAN, I KNOW PEOPLE IN SAVANNAH WHO DIDN'T HAVE POWER.

PEOPLE FROM COLUMBIA USUALLY TRAVEL WELL FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL.

LARGE PARTS OF THAT WERE OUT OF POWER.

SO, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU PLAY THE HAND, YOU'RE DEALT.

SO, AND ONCE AGAIN, WE GREW 20% SO I COULDN'T BE TOO UPSET ABOUT THAT.

UM, WHAT DO WE DO TO PROMOTE THE FESTIVAL BECAUSE IT'S BRAND NEW.

WE ALSO WORK A LOT MORE WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THEY CAN DO IT IN TRADE FOR TICKETS.

SO IT'S EFFICIENT USE OF OUR MONEY.

UM, WORKED WITH CH TWO, LOW COUNTRY RADIO GROUP AND LOW COUNTRY RADIO GROUP WILL GET US OUT INTO, EVEN UP INTO THE CHARLESTON MARKET, DO A LOT OF STUFF ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE WE CAN PARTNER WITH OUR BREWERIES 'CAUSE THEY'VE ALL GOT THEIR LITTLE FOLLOWINGS AND SO WE CREATED STUFF FOR THEM.

SO ALLS THEY HAD TO DO IS DROP IT ON THEIR WEBPAGES.

I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO TRACK OTHER PEOPLE'S WEBPAGES YET AND THEIR INTERACTIONS AND NUMBERS, BUT WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

WE DID SOME HOMEPAGE TAKEOVER SPECIFICALLY FOR THE STATE, WHICH IS UP IN COLUMBIA ON THE ISLAND PACKET.

UH, WE RAN A BUNCH OF GOOGLE ADS AND FACEBOOK ADS BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS.

UM, BUT JUST LIKE, UM, WITH THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, OUR NUMBER ONE MARKETING EFFORT IS, IS EMAILS.

AND ONCE AGAIN, I THINK IT'S THE TITLE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY RHYTHM AND BREW AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEER AND MUSIC, I THINK PEOPLE ARE A LOT MORE LIKELY TO OPEN THAT EMAIL THAT'S UNSOLICITED AS OPPOSED, ONCE AGAIN, JEFF'S HVAC.

UM, AND WE HAD, WE SENT OVER 520,000 EMAILS AND WE HAD A 20% OPEN RATE.

SO THAT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO OPENED AN EMAIL THAT SAID, COME TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR THIS EVENT.

WHETHER THEY CAME TO OUR EVENT OR THEY MIGHT COME TO HILTON HEAD UP AT ANOTHER TIME 'CAUSE THERE WASN'T A HURRICANE OR THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FOOTBALL COMMITMENT 'CAUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY HOMECOMING WEEK FOR CLEMSON.

UM, IT'S ALL GOOD MESSAGING FOR COME VISIT OUR ISLAND.

UM, THE TOTAL IMPRESSIONS FOR THE CAMPAIGN WAS ABOUT 1.2 MILLION.

IT'S PROBABLY HIGHER THAN THAT, BUT I'M STILL GETTING UM, INFORMATION.

BUT THIS IS SOME OF THE SPECIFICS WHERE WE ADVERTISE COLUMBIA JACKSONVILLE TRIBE MARKETS.

YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF IMPRESSIONS, MEANING HOW MANY EMAILS WERE SENT OUT, WHAT THE OPENS WERE, WHAT THE OPEN RATES WERE.

UM, THAT'S 400,000 WITH 82,000.

AND THEN WE DID THROUGH, UM, WTOC SEND ANOTHER 119,000 EMAILS TO THEM THAT WAS 21% OPEN RATE.

SO WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS EFFECTIVE AS FAR AS GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT TO COME VISIT HILTON HAD, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY FOR US, BUT ALSO JUST COME VISIT THE ISLAND.

UM, WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM YEAR ONE TO YEAR TWO? FIRST THING IS, IS IT SOUNDED LIKE A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE A BEER

[02:25:01]

FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER.

'CAUSE IT'S OCTOBER FEST.

THE FIRST THING I LEARNED WAS EVERYBODY AND THEIR MOTHER HAS AN OCTOBER FEST EVENT IN OCTOBER.

SO IT WAS HARD TO GET SOME OF THE BREWERIES THERE.

SO THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON WE MOVED INTO SEPTEMBER.

WE LEARNED MORE ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER.

THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD 40 BREWERIES, UM, AND THAT WAS IT.

THIS YEAR WE DID ABOUT 21 BREWERIES, BUT WE ADDED FOUR SPIRITS TENTS AND THREE WINE TENTS.

GOT A LOT BETTER FEEDBACK.

PEOPLE LIKED THE VARIETY.

UM, AND 40 BREWERIES MIGHT HAVE BEEN OVERKILL, HONESTLY, LOOKING BACK AT IT, THE OTHER THING WE LEARNED IS THERE'S A DIFFERENT PERCEIVED VALUE THROUGH THE CONSUMER FOR EVEN CRAFT BEER AS OPPOSED TO WINE AND SPIRITS.

THE FIRST YEAR OUR, OUR GENERAL MISSION TICKETS WERE $75.

UM, WE ONLY SOLD LIKE 269 TICKETS UNTIL ABOUT A WEEK OUT.

AND THEN I RAN A SALE, TWO TICKETS FOR $99.

THEN WE SOLD A BOATLOAD OF TICKETS.

AND SO THAT WAS A FEEDBACK.

I I THINK THAT $75 WAS A FAIR PRICE.

WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH.

WE WENT AND LOOKED AT A LOT OF EVENTS AND WHAT THEY WERE CHARGING, AND THIS WAS IN LINE.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'RE PAYING 75 BUCKS AND YOU CAN GO TASTE BEER FROM 40 BREWERIES.

THAT'S LESS THAN TWO BUCKS A BREWERY.

SO I DON'T THINK IT WAS OVERPRICED, BUT I COULD OPEN A RESTAURANT AT HILTON HEAD AND WANNA SELL WAGYU STEAKS FOR 300 BUCKS.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO SELL 'EM.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK THAT, THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE CONSUMERS, UM, ADJUSTED OUR TICKET PRICING AND SAW THAT 20% INCREASE IN TICKETS.

THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT 20% INCREASE IN TICKETS IS KIND OF MORE BECAUSE IT, IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLES BECAUSE THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD A VIP AREA, WHICH WAS $150 TICKET.

THE SECOND YEAR WE JUST GOT RID OF THE VIP AREA.

SO WE LOST ALL THOSE VIP TICKET SALES, WHICH WERE I BELIEVE 57 IN 2023.

UH, GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WE TALKED TO THE COMMITTEE ABOUT WAS WE WERE KIND OF EXCITED TO TRY, CAN WE GO GET A BAND FROM CHICAGO AND WILL THAT DRIVE BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT MUSICIANS AND WE'RE, AND WE DID THAT AND THEY WERE AWESOME.

UM, I DON'T THINK THEY HELPED US SELL HARDLY ANY TICKETS.

THEY DEFINITELY DIDN'T SELL ENOUGH TICKETS TO JUSTIFY THE EXPENSE.

SO THE SECOND YEAR, EVEN THOUGH I BUDGETED LIKE 7,500 BUCKS FOR A BAND, BUT WE HADN'T RUN OUR FIRST EVENT, I'M LIKE, EH, LET'S GO FIND SOMEBODY LO LOCAL AND COOL.

WE SPENT 1800 BUCKS ON A BAND AND GOT THE WRITER BAND.

EVERYONE LOVED HIM.

AND SO THAT'S THE ON THE FLY ADJUSTMENT YOU MAKE AS YOU GO FROM YEAR ONE TO YEAR TWO.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE KIND OF HAD TO REMIND OURSELVES IS YOU KINDA HAVE TO WALK BEFORE YOU RUN.

YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST YEAR WE'RE LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GONNA BE 40 BREWERIES.

WE'RE GONNA GET THIS BAND FROM CHICAGO, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.

YOU THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, ONCE AGAIN STARTED OUT IN A PARKING LOT AND OVER THE COURSE OF TIME BECAME WHAT IT IS.

AND MAYBE WE TRIED TO JUMPSTART THE PROCESS OR, OR, OR GO TOO FAR TOO FAST OR GET OUT OVER OUR SKIS, WHATEVER SAYING YOU WANT TO USE.

UM, THE GOAL IS STILL TO TURN THIS INTO A TWO OR THREE DAY EVENT, BUT MAYBE BE A LITTLE BIT SMARTER AND A LITTLE BIT MORE REALISTIC AS WE TRY AND GROW THIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS IS ALWAYS, ARE WE A DRIVER? ARE WE AN ENHANCER? I THINK THIS EVENT HONESTLY IS AN ENHANCER AT THIS POINT.

I I THINK WE BROUGHT SOME PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE DRIVING THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND THAT WE DO AS THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL PERCENTAGE WISE.

I THINK IT CAN BECOME AN ENHANCER.

I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD A LOT OF, HAD A GREAT TIME.

THERE WAS A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK.

I THINK WE BUILT A LOT OF MOMENTUM FOR NEXT YEAR.

UM, AND JUST LIKE STEVE SAID, AND HE'S NOT THE DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING AT THE WEST ANYMORE, HE JUST GOT PROMOTED.

HE'S GOT LIKE ALABAMA TO DC NOW.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS HAPPY TO SEE US DOING THINGS THAT THEY CAN USE TO PROMOTE THE PROPERTY AND SOME, THAT'S SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING FROM OUR OTHER, UM, HOTEL PARTNERS.

AND NOW THAT WE'VE DONE IT TWO YEARS AND IT'S A THIRD YEAR, THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, THEY'RE GONNA DO THIS.

THIS ISN'T KIND OF A, UH, A FAD.

AND, UM, WITH THAT, I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR QUESTIONS.

THERE'S GOTTA BE A LOT OF 'EM SINCE LAST YEAR I COULD TELL YOU NOTHING.

AND NOW I'VE HAD TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? YES.

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS QUESTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO YOU OR IF THIS IS INTERNAL, BUT THE INFORMATION WE WERE GIVEN THAT THE TOURIST PERCENTAGE IS 63, WHEREAS YOUR PRESENTATION REFLECTS ABOUT HALF THAT NUMBER.

I THINK 63 WAS THE TUR OR THE LOCAL.

I COULD HAVE DYS.

WE HAVE 63% TOURISM, 13 VISITORS AND 24% RESIDENTS.

THE ISSUE REFLECTS 28%.

NO, IT'S 30.

IT'S LIKE 30 SOMETHING PERCENT TUR.

AND, UH, AND SEEING THE EVENT GROWING TOO, EVEN WITH THE, THE HURRICANE.

I WAS GONNA SAY, BASED OFF OF YOUR CONVERSATION, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT A DRIVER SO FOLKS AREN'T COMING IN.

NO, I'M NOT TRYING TO PRETEND I'M A DRIVER ON THIS ONE.

YEAH, I'M SORRY IF I FLIP THE NUMBERS.

IT'S, IT'S TWO THIRDS 50 MILES OR LOCALS AND ONE THIRD TOURISTS FOR THIS AND THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, PRODUCING ALL THIS DATA AFTER LAST YEAR AND,

[02:30:01]

SO, UM, I JUST THINK IT'S A, IT'S A A, A GOOD IDEA AND A WORTHY INVESTMENT.

UM, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT GROW.

AND ALSO IT, IT DOES FOCUS ON A LOT OF LOCAL BREWERIES AS WELL.

AND, UH, THAT'S A GROWING, UH, ECONOMIC DRIVER HERE.

SO, UM, I I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS CONCEPT.

WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE OUR LOCAL BREWERIES.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GREAT EVENT AS WELL.

AND I THINK IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, IT CAME TWO YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE FOR THE FIRST, UH, PRESENTATION AND, YOU KNOW, WE VIEWED IT AS SOME SEED DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, LIKE LET'S, LET'S ROLL THE DICE ON THIS ONE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

YOU KNOW, YEAR ONE, THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND OUT WHAT YOU HAVE.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, THERE'S NOT TOO MANY EVENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KINDA WENT ALL OUT WITH THE BIG BAND AND 40 BREWERIES AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, NOW LET'S, LET'S SEE WHAT WE REALLY HAVE.

AND, UH, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UH, UPSIDE WITH THIS EVENT.

IT'S A GOOD CONCEPT.

I ALSO LOST A FAIR CHUNK OF MONEY IN YEAR ONE.

SO YEAH, THAT HAPPENS THAT THAT'LL MAKE YOU BECOME MORE REALISTIC QUICKLY.

ALSO, YOU TRY TO LOOK THROUGH THAT, THAT LENS OF THREE TO FIVE YEARS, YOU KNOW, WHERE WILL YOU BE? AND ONCE YOU GET THERE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF DRAWING IN MORE FOLKS AND EXTENDED TO A TWO OR THREE DAY EVENT, UM, I STILL THINK IT'S A, A, A WORTHY EVENT WITH CONSIDERATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO, UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE? I JUST WANNA ECHO THAT WHEN WE CONSIDER WHERE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL CAME FROM AND WHERE IT IS TODAY, TO TRY TO REPLICATE THIS WITH A DIFFERENT EVENT AND A DIFFERENT SEASON IS A, IS A GREAT THING TO DO.

I KIND OF THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF IT 10 YEARS AGO, BUT I AM PERSISTENT IF NOT FAST ALSO, ALL THE LOCAL BREWERIES DIDN'T EXIST 10 YEARS AGO, SO IT'S, IT'S UH, JUST A GROWING MARKET.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU EVERYONE VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

ALRIGHT, THAT PUTS US, UH, AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BEFORE OUR LUNCH BREAK, BUT I DO SEE THAT THE NATIVE ISLAND BUSINESS COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IS PRESENT.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND DO YOUR PRESENTATION OR WAIT FOR AFTER LUNCH? I'M READY, LET'S GO.

YOU'RE UP.

WE GOOD.

THANK YOU FOR MY LAST, MY LATE NIGHT, MR. MY LATE, LATE, LATE NIGHT.

OH SURE.

THANK YOU FOR ARRIVING A LITTLE BIT EARLY.

UH, I HATE TO MAKE YOU SET FOR AN HOUR AND 20 MINUTES.

UM, JUST AS AN INTRODUCTION, I'M KELLY SMITH.

UM, I AM WORKING AS THE AGENCY OF RECORD FOR NIP A AND THE GOAL CELEBRATION.

NOW THIS IS ERIC, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ORGANIZATION.

UM, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE USED TO SEEING ME FOR CONCOR AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, BUT UH, THIS IS A NEW CLIENT OF OURS.

UH, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, UH, WITH MY FAMILY AND I WAS BROUGHT ON A LITTLE CLOSE TO A YEAR NOW, UM, TO HELP WORK THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THEIR NEW MARKETING STRATEGIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

RIGHT? YES.

AND, UH, KELLY'S BEEN WITH US, UH, ALMOST A YEAR.

NOT BE POSSIBLE IF THE THREE EVENTS DID NOT COLLABORATE TOGETHER.

BUT, UH, SHE'S BRINGING A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND, UH, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND UH, WE ARE JUST EXCITED TO, TO HAVE HER ON BOARD.

AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR PREVIOUS YEARS OF SUPPORT.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT, UH, 2025.

WE HAD SOME GOOD EVENTS LAST YEAR.

WE GOT RAINED OUT ON ONE, BUT, UH, WE DID HAVE A, HAVE A GOOD YEAR, OUR GOSPEL CONCERTS, UH, FAVORITE CROWD FAVORITE AND, UH, ON THE FRIDAY NIGHTS AND WE HAD A VAGABOND CRUISE OUTTA HARBORTOWN DINNER THAT WENT REAL WELL.

IT WAS, UH, OVERFLOW CROWD.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO KELLY AND SHE HAS DATA POINTS AND INFORMATION AND THEN I'LL BE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

UM, AND WE'LL KEEP IT PRETTY SIMPLE.

I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN A LOT IN THE APPLICATION, SO I WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A FEW UPDATES VERY, VERY QUICKLY, UM, OF WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT YOU ALSO SUPPORTED LAST YEAR THROUGH THEIR GRANT WAS, UM, SOME NEW PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY TO HELP OUT WITH THE MARKETING.

YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT IN HERE TODAY, WHICH IS A HUGE HELP AND BENEFIT TO US.

UM, ESPECIALLY EVEN WITH THE GOSPEL SERIES, WHICH SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IS WHEN THE CHURCHES OPEN THEIR DOORS AT NIGHT.

UM, AND ALL THOSE THINGS CAN BE TRICKY TO CAPTURE.

SO WE ARE WORKING TO STAY A LOT MORE ORGANIZED, A LOT MORE ON MESSAGE AND WE'VE BROUGHT IN AS WELL TO ADDITIONAL HOTEL PARTNERS THIS YEAR.

UM, I HAVE TO GIVE SOME KUDOS AS WELL FOR SOME OF OUR BUYS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

A LOT OF THESE SPECIFICALLY WITH TOWN AND COUNTRY AND OPRAH WOULD

[02:35:01]

SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL WILL BE SHARING A 12 MONTH CONTRACT, UH, FOR BILLBOARDS WITH THE GULLAH CELEBRATION.

SO WE CAN ALL AFFORD IT AND WE CAN ALL GO IN ON THE 12 MONTH CONTRACT ON WHERE THAT PREMIUM SPACE EXISTS.

BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING OUR EVENT WOULD NEED FOR 12 MONTHS.

UM, AS WELL AS COLLABORATING ON THE MEDIA BUY WITH HEARST.

UM, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF OVERLAP.

FOR EXAMPLE, UH, CONCOURSE WITH THEIR MEDIA BUY WITH TOWN AND COUNTRY GIVES US A LOT MORE BUYING POWER AND BOTH SETS OF ATTENDEES ARE VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

SO, UH, THE FACT THAT THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS PUT THE EGOS ASIDE AND ARE COLLABORATING ON ALL THESE THINGS IS JUST SOMETHING I REALLY WANNA CALL ATTENTION TO.

I KNOW ANDREW FORGOT LAST WEEK.

THAT'S TYPICAL.

SO, UM, A LOT OF THIS WILL BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

JUST WANTED YOU TO SEE SOME OF OUR NEW ADS THAT ARE GONNA BE RUNNING IN SOME OF THESE PLACES.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY WORKING HARD TO CATCH UP ON SOME OF THE, THE DIGITAL REALM, UM, THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON.

AND ALL OF THESE PRINT ADS HAVE THAT DIGITAL COMPONENT, IF NOT, UM, ALSO A COMPONENT FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT THEIR INFORMATION FOR MORE DETAILS OR ENTER CONTESTS.

WE COULDN'T DO THAT WITHOUT OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE BEACH HOUSE AND THE WESTIN AND OTHERS THAT ARE, UM, HOPEFULLY COMING ON BOARD NEXT YEAR.

THESE ARE JUST SOME MORE IMAGES I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU AS THEY ROLL OUT.

WE START PICKING UP ON A LOT OF OUR MARKETING COME NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH FEBRUARY.

UM, WE'RE PROMOTING THE ENTIRE MONTH.

UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON IN THE GRANT COMING UP FOR NEXT YEAR IS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GULLAH CELEBRATION.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS GOING ON WITH SPONSORS, UH, AND PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANNA BE PART OF THAT 30TH ANNIVERSARY AND BRING ABOUT SOME NEW AND EXCITING EVENTS AND IDEAS.

UH, THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE, UH, GROWING PAINS THAT WE'VE DONE AS COMING IN AS AN AGENCY IS TO ORGANIZE A LITTLE BIT MORE SO WE CAN ADD IN MORE OF THOSE CRUISES, UM, AND SOME OTHER THINGS AS WELL FOR THEIR SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, UM, AND BRINGING IN VISITORS FOR EACH PARTICULAR WEEK AS THEY'LL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THEMED OUT AND PULLED TOGETHER FOR NOT ONLY THIS YEAR BUT 2026.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET AND ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE COMMITTEE.

UM, I THINK THAT ANYTHING THAT IS DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE THE UNIQUE GULLAH CULTURE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE HERITAGE OF HILTON NET ISLAND AND NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED.

UM, WHEN I LOOK THROUGH SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE HAD, UM, I THINK I SAW 175 SURVEY RESPONSES IN TERMS OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.

, HOW DO WE IMPROVE ON THAT SO WE KNOW THAT WE'RE REALLY SEEING TOURISTS HERE.

GREAT QUESTION.

SO, UH, NCA AS WELL AS THE CARMINES FOUNDATION AS WELL AS THE CONCORD ELEGANCE, UM, ARE ALL THREE GOING TO GO IN AND SUPPLEMENT ON THE AI TECHNOLOGY FOR THIS YEAR ROLLING INTO NEXT YEAR? UM, THEY'VE COLLABORATED ON SOFTWARE FOR TICKETING AS WELL TO BRING DOWN THE COST ON THAT END.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A MARKETING THING, BUT UM, THAT TECHNOLOGY, THE MORE DATA YOU NEED, THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT BECOMES.

IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY GROUPS, A LOT OF ALUMNI GROUPS FROM HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES.

SO, UM, THE THREE OF THEM HAVE ALSO AGREED, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE CURTAIN TO COLLABORATE ON THOSE EXPENSES AS WELL, WHICH HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL.

SO I KNOW WE RELY A LOT ON THE SURVEY, BUT IT'S MOSTLY FOR SOME OF THE BIGGER EVENTS.

WE REALLY WANNA CAPTURE ALL THE DATA FROM TICKETING AS WELL AS HOW WE CAN PLOP THAT CIRCLE AROUND THE DIFFERENT EVENTS AND GET THE TRUE DATA THAT WE NEED.

HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU IN THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES TOTAL THAT YOU BEFORE FROM LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR OR FROM LAST YEAR? SURE, SURE.

I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT WE KEEP A VERY GOOD RECORD WITH THE GALLERIES AS WELL AS THE DIFFERENT SITES THAT THEY GO TO.

UM, SO THAT PART IS DONE VERY, VERY WELL.

WHAT I WANNA GROW IS THE DATA THAT WE GET FROM THE HOTELS, UM, THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WAS ALWAYS CUMULATIVELY ADDED IN TO WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE FOR THE MOST PART, WITH THE OTHER TWO EVENTS THAT I WORK WITH, WE CAN TAKE THE DATA FROM THE TICKETING, THE DATA FROM ONSITE, AND THEN WHAT THE HOTELS GIVE US, AND THAT PAINTS THE BIGGEST PICTURE.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE COMPONENT THAT'S BEEN MISSING THE MOST WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE IT WASN'T, THERE WASN'T A MISSING COLLABORATION, THERE JUST WASN'T ANY DATA SHARING GOING ON SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW AFTER THE FACT AND WHERE THEIR, UH, I THINK A LOT OF THE TOURISM COMPONENTS COME IN DIFFERENTLY FOR THEM

[02:40:01]

THERE'S BIGGER GROUPS ADDED INTO THIS, WHICH AREN'T TRADITIONALLY BOOKING UP THE SAME WAY AS YOU WOULD AS JUST A COUPLE MM-HMM.

SO THAT'S THE PART WE'RE GONNA BE REALLY WORKING HARD ON.

, COULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ON THE, UM, THE SHARED BILLBOARD 12 MONTH CONTRACT? DOES THAT GIVE YOU THE RIGHTS TO THE BILLBOARD FOR 12 MONTHS? SO YOU COULD SWITCH OUT THE SIGNAGE, YOU'RE NOT LIKE HAVING BOTH PRINTED ON ALL THREE, YOU CAN SWITCH.

NO, THEY GET THEIR OWN, UM, AMOUNT OF TIME.

IN FACT, CONCOURSE SPLIT A 12 MONTH, UH, BILLBOARD WITH THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL PREVIOUSLY.

UM, IT'S ROLLING INTO THIS YEAR.

THERE ARE SOME LOCATIONS THAT UM, AND PREVIOUSLY WITH THE PAST CHAIRMAN WE WOULD HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT AFTER THE FACT YOU COULD MOVE THE MONEY FROM ONE CATEGORY TO THE OTHER.

WELL, WHEN WE HAD COVID HIT, EVERY REALTOR IN TOWN BOUGHT BILLBOARDS.

SO THE BILLBOARDS WE WENT FOR WERE UNAVAILABLE.

THE ONES THAT WE REALLY WANTED WERE TOO EXPENSIVE.

SO, UM, THE BILLBOARD COMPANY THAT WE WORK FOR IS MARLIN ADVERTISING.

THEY DON'T CHARGE US FOR THE REPRINT AND THEY ACTUALLY HELP US GET DATA FROM WAZE SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHICH ONES ARE ACTUALLY MORE OUT OF TOWN.

UH, THAT'S MUCH MORE RELIABLE TO ME, UH, THAN ANYTHING ELSE ROAD TRACKER WISE.

BUT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DATA COMING IN FROM WAZE AND KNOWING LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, 4 62, UH, THOSE BILLBOARDS ARE MUCH CHEAPER THAN I 95.

YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT IN MARKET I'M SURE, BUT 95% OF IT IS OUT OF TOWN TRAFFIC.

SO WE, WE KIND OF WORK WITH THEM WITH THE DATA THAT THEY GET AND THEN PICK THE BILLBOARD THAT'S AMENABLE TO EVERYONE AND PRICING AND THEN THEY CAN SPLIT IT UP EVEN IF THEY WANT FOUR MONTHS AT A TIME TO SIX.

HOWEVER THEY WANNA DIVIDE IT AMONG THEMSELVES TO SWITCH IT OUT SO THEY EACH GET THEIR OWN TIME.

A GREAT IDEA AND A GREAT USE AND GREAT COLLABORATION ACROSS ORGANIZATIONS.

YOU KNOW THE SPREAD THAT THAT COST OUT YES.

ACROSS GOING IN FOR EACH.

SO EACH HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS AND IT'S MONTH BY MONTH.

ENJOY YOUR LUNCH.

YEAH, TAKE A FEW EXTRA MINUTES.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ERIC.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT BRINGS US TO, UM, A LUNCH BREAK.

IT'S 1204.

WE WILL RECONVENE HERE AT UM, 10 AFTER ONE BEFORE OUR LUNCH BREAK.

SO IF YOU'RE READY, UH, NOT READY.

UH, WE'LL SIT HERE FOR 20 MINUTES UNTIL YOU'RE READY.

THEN UH, NEXT IS THE HILTON HEAD DANCE THEATER, UM, SCHEDULED FOR ONE 30, BUT WE'RE GONNA MOVE YOU UP TO THE ONE TENS SPOT.

GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME.

WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES.

20 MORE MINUTES.

FACES? YEAH.

DO YOU GET EXTRA TIME TODAY? OKAY.

HOW YOU DOING? GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.

AND THEN ANY MARK ANY FORWARD? YES.

AND THEN BACK TO GO BACKWARDS.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND HOW ABOUT THIS IS THIS DO NOT MOVE.

AM I CLOSE ENOUGH? CAN IS THAT WORKING? YES, I THINK YOU'RE OKAY.

IN OUR EFFORTS TO PURSUE OUR MISSION, WE HAVE BROUGHT PROFESSIONAL COMPANIES TO THE ISLAND.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS LORI FINGER AND I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF THE HILTON HEAD DANCE THEATER.

I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING HOW GRATEFUL THE ENTIRE BOARD OF THE DANCE THEATER IS FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE TOWN AND FROM THIS COMMITTEE.

OH, THERE WE GO.

THE MISSION OF THE DANCE THEATER IS SIMPLE AND WAS ADOPTED ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO.

WE STRIVE TO FOSTER AN APPRECIATION FOR THE ART OF DANCE AMONG LOW COUNTRY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.

FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH OUR STORY, THE HILTON HEAD DANCE SCHOOL OPENED IN 1985 WITH JUST 17 STUDENTS.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE HILTON HEAD DANCE THEATER WAS FORMED AS A 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATION.

THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE WORKED HAND IN HAND FOR ALL THESE YEARS TO ENHANCE THE BEAUTY OF OUR ISLAND WITH THE BEAUTY OF DANCE.

THE OWNERS OF THE HILTON HEAD DANCE SCHOOL AND ARTISTIC DIRECTORS OF THE HILTON HEAD DANCE THEATER SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING ARE CARINA BROCK CARLISLE AND HER HUSBAND JOHN KARINA, DANCED WITH THE AMERICAN BALLET THEATER, CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST BALLET COMPANIES IN THE WORLD DURING ITS GOLDEN ERA, AND SHARED THE STAGE WITH SUCH LUMINARIES AS MIKA RESNIKOFF, RUDOLPH REEV AND CYNTHIA GREGORY.

SHE TRAVELED THE WORLD AND DANCED AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR TWO PRESIDENTS.

WE AS AN ORGANIZATION AND WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN ARTIST OF THAT LEVEL LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

OVER THE LAST 39 YEARS, THE SCHOOL HAS GROWN AND THE REACH OF THE DANCE THEATER HAS GROWN AS WELL.

[02:45:02]

WE HIRE ACCOMPLISHED GUEST ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND WE STRIVE TO STAGE PRODUCTIONS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.

OUR REPERTOIRE INCLUDES ALL OF THE BALLET CLASSICS SUCH AS THE NUTCRACKERS SWAN LAKE, GISELLE CAPAL, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, AND DON QUIXOTE.

WE OFFER EXCELLENT JAZZ NUMBERS, ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY, CONTEMPORARY BALLET IN A MIXED REP PROGRAM THAT WE REFER TO AS TERY.

WE ARE LOOKING AHEAD WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION TO THE CELEBRATION OF OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON.

AND KICKING OFF THAT SEASON WILL BE PLIE ON THE MAY HELD AT A PRIVATE HOME ON THE MAY RIVER.

THE HOPE IS THAT THIS EVENT WILL NOT ONLY BE AN IMPORTANT FUNDRAISER FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT WILL HELP TO INFORM, INCLUDE, AND INVITE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTLESS ALUMNI SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CELEBRATE THIS SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE WITH US.

AND FROM THE PICTURE YOU CAN SEE THAT WE CELEBRATED OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON AT PLIE ON THE MAY AS WELL.

I SAW THAT FROM MY BED.

YOU DID? I WAS WONDERING WHAT IT WAS.

THAT, THAT'S US.

WE HAVE TO GET A FOUR.

WE NEED A FOUR.

WE HAVE A ZERO, WE NEED A FOUR.

UM, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.

UH, THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SIMPLE RECAP OF HOW WE SPENT OUR ATEX FUNDS AT THE END OF 2023 AND IN MAY OF 2024.

SO I'LL LET YOU TAKE A, AND THIS EXPLAINS THE REASON WHY OUR 2024 PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER HASN'T TAKEN PLACE YET.

SO THE NUMBERS THAT WE REFER TO IN OUR APPLICATION AND IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE FROM THE 2023 PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER AND THE 2024 PRODUCTION OF TURPA SECRETORY.

WE'RE ALWAYS PROUD TO BE FEATURED ON THE COVER OF THE NOVEMBER ISSUE OF ISLAND EVENTS MAGAZINE.

AND THESE ARE SAMPLE BANNERS FROM SOME OF OUR DIGITAL ADVERTISING FOR OUR TWO MAJOR SEASON PRODUCTIONS.

AND THIS IS SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE ISLAND PACKET AND LOCAL IQ AFTER TARGETED EMAIL BLASTS WERE SENT TO RECIPIENTS THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE OPEN RATE, THE CLICK RATE, ET CETERA, UH, FROM AS A RESULT OF THOSE TWO EFFORTS.

AND WE'RE EXPANDING OUR USE OF E-BLASTS THIS YEAR TO INCLUDE, UH, TARGETED EMAILS IN CHATHAM COUNTY AND EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

WE DID SOME FACEBOOK MARKETING LAST YEAR, UH, RESULTING IN 700 CLICKS TO THE WEBSITE.

AND LET'S SEE, I LOST MY SPOT.

AND WE HAVE FOR THIS UPCOMING PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER, WE'VE HIRED HIRED A MARKETING PR AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROFESSIONAL WITH OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

MUCH OF IT WITH NONPROFIT GONNA SHARE HER.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS HOW WE COLLECTED OUR VISITOR AND TOURIST INFORMATION AND THE RESULTS AGAIN FROM LATE 2023 AND MID 2024.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR AUDIENCES AND WE HAVE A GOAL OF TICKET SALES IN EXCESS OF 3000 FOR THIS YEAR'S PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER.

WE'VE SOLD ALMOST 600 TICKETS ALREADY AND OPENING NIGHT IS MORE THAN THREE WEEKS AWAY.

JUST TAKING THE CUTENESS THERE A LITTLE BIT AND AS WE REVIEW THE TOURIST DATA EACH YEAR, IT IS ALWAYS GRATIFYING TO SEE THAT OUR PATRONS INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS FROM AROUND THE SOUTHEAST AS WELL AS PATRONS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES THIS PAST YEAR, INCLUDING PATRONS FROM TEXAS AND NEVADA AND, UH, 17 DIFFERENT STATES IN TOTAL.

WE ALSO HAD INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS FROM CANADA AND ICELAND.

SO OUR 2025 REQUEST WE'RE ASKING FOR $23,000 TO SUPPORT MARKETING AND ADVERTISING EFFORTS FOR OUR 20 25, 20 26 SEASON.

OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON, THE 2025 PRODUCTION OF TURP SECRETORY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH AND THE 2025 PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER SCHEDULED FOR NEXT NOVEMBER.

SO COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION WITH LIKE ORGANIZATIONS OVER OUR LONG HISTORY HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL TO OUR SUCCESS AND OUR GROWTH.

WE HAVE PERFORMED WITH THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ALMOST EVERY YEAR SINCE OUR VERY EARLY DAYS.

AND THIS IS A PHOTO OF OUR DANCERS, SOME OF OUR DANCERS AT THE RECENT OPENING OF THE MONTH LONG CELEBRATION OF ART CULTURE

[02:50:01]

AND HISTORY.

CRESCENDO, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL SEEN THE CRESCENDO BOOKLET.

UM, LISTING ALL OF THE EVENTS COMMUNITY WIDE THROUGHOUT THE, UH, MONTH FROM OCTOBER 10TH TO NOVEMBER 23RD.

AND THERE WE ARE, A SIGNATURE EVENT TOWARDS THE END OF, UH, THE CELEBRATION OF CRESCENDO.

WE HAVE A MUTUAL AGREEMENT WITH BOTH THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA, BY WHICH WE RUN COMPLIMENTARY ADS IN ONE ANOTHER'S PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS OUR AD IN THE ORCHESTRA'S, UH, YEAR LONG PROGRAM BOOK.

AND THIS IS OUR AD THAT'S CURRENTLY RUNNING IN ON-CENTER, WHICH IS THE PLAYBILL DISTRIBUTED AT THE ART CENTER, UH, CURRENTLY DURING THEIR RUN OF SOMETHING ROTTEN.

SO, AND THEN ALSO THEY DO THAT FOR US IN RETURN.

UH, WE SAVE SPACE FOR FULL PAGE ADS FOR BOTH THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA AND THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN OUR PROGRAMS. SO THERE'S THE BACK COVER ADVERTISING, THE ART CENTER'S, UH, PRODUCTION, WINTER PRODUCTION LAST YEAR OF HOLIDAY INN.

SO THIS MEANS THAT EVERY PATRON THAT ATTENDS A PERFORMANCE OF THE ORCHESTRA, THE ART CENTER OR THE BALLET, IS AWARE OF WHAT THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE PLANNING.

THEY ALSO ARE AWARE THAT WE COOPERATE, WE COLLABORATE, WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, UH, ALL TO EVERYONE'S MUTUAL BENEFIT.

WE'VE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE SERVE WITH THE ARTS AND CULTURAL COUNCIL OF SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, THE ARTS AND CULTURAL COUNCIL OF HILTON HEAD.

AND NOW WE HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES ON THE TOWN'S ARTS AND CULTURE COUNCIL.

AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

WE LOVE TO TAKE PART IN THE ANNUAL ST.

PATRICK'S DAY PARADE AND USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS OF OUR SPRING PRODUCTION.

LAST YEAR'S COLORFUL FLOAT SHOWS SOME OF OUR DANCERS IN COSTUME FOR MAE'S PRODUCTION OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

AND WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE FEEL THAT THE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE OF THE DANCE THEATER IS A UNIQUE COMPONENT OF THE ANNUAL ARTS CALENDAR.

AND WE PLAY A PART IN BOTH ATTRACTING VISITORS TO OUR AREA AND THEN OFFERING THEM OPTIONS FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONCE THEY ARRIVE.

COMING UP IN JUST OVER THREE WEEKS IS THE NUTCRACKER OPENING ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH.

NEXT WILL BE OUR APPEARANCE, APPEARANCE WITH THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT THEIR HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT.

AND THIS IS A SCREENSHOT FROM THEIR WEBSITE THAT'S ON DECEMBER 1ST AND DECEMBER 2ND.

AND THERE WE ARE, OUR PHOTO FROM A PREVIOUS PRODUCTION.

AND THEN IN THE SPRING WE WILL PRESENT TURP SECRETORY, WHICH IN 2025 WILL INCLUDE A BALLET THAT TELLS THE STORY OF SNOW WHITE.

SO THESE PHOTOS ARE FROM, UM, THE PRODUCTION THIS YEAR IN 2024.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT OUR ORGANIZATION IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN RUN ENTIRELY BY VOLUNTEERS.

THE ONLY EXCEPTION WOULD BE THE TWO ARTISTIC DIRECTORS, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE FRIENDS OF BALLET TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING.

FUNDRAISING, SELLING TICKETS, CREATING HANDMADE COSTUMES AND HEADPIECES PUBLICITY, MARKETING, ET CETERA.

THIS HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO POUR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE EARN THROUGH TICKET SALES, MEMBERSHIPS AND FUNDRAISERS INTO THE NEXT PRODUCTION AND THE NEXT SEASON.

WE CONTINUE TO BE GRATEFUL TO THE FAMILIES THAT HAD THE VISION 40 YEARS AGO TO BRING KARINA AND JOHN TO THE ISLAND TO OPEN A SCHOOL AND START AN ORGANIZATION WITH THE SIMPLE MISSION OF FOSTERING AN APPRECIATION OF DANCE AS AN ART FORM.

WE'RE HUMBLED AND PROUD TO REFLECT ON ALL THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.

WE SIMPLY COULD NOT DO ANY OF IT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF LOCAL BUSINESSES, OUR MEMBERS IN THE TOWN IN THIS COMMITTEE.

IT'S CLEAR TO US THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE NUMBER OF TICKET BUYERS FROM NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES FROM THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST AND BEYOND AND EVEN FROM OUR OWN COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE.

AND IT IS IN THIS WAY THAT WE FEEL SUCCESSFUL IN THE PURSUIT OF OUR MISSION.

WE FEEL THAT THE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE OF THE HILTON HEAD DANCE THEATER IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE ANNUAL ARTS CALENDAR.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF PROVIDING QUALITY EXPERIENCES TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.

AND WE THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YEAR 40.

I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

[02:55:01]

THAT'S A THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO NOVEMBER AND WITH THE NUTCRACKER ARRIVING, I MEAN IT SETS THE HOLIDAY SEASON FOR THE ISLAND AS WELL AB ABSOLUTELY.

I KNOW YOUR TOURISM NUMBERS ARE ONLY 20%, BUT I THINK YOUR EFFORTS REACHING IN THE CHATHAM COUNTY AND EFFINGHAM COUNTY ARE GONNA YES, DEFINITELY.

IT'S FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T GOT TO EXPERIENCE THE NUTCRACKER, IT'S SUCH A WELL DONE PERFORMANCE THANK YOU.

BY LOCAL GROUP.

SO WELL, AND THAT WAS A RESULT OF A SUGGESTION MADE HERE AT THIS, UM, PRESENTATION LAST YEAR.

I THINK IT WAS YOU THAT SUGGESTED THAT.

SO, UM, HAPPY TO SEE THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA REACH OUT TO SOME OUR NEIGHBORS THAT CAN BRING SOME TOURISM DOLLARS.

OH, GOOD.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, HOW MANY YEARS CONSECUTIVE YEARS EXPOSED THEATER HAVE YOU QUESTION? UM, OVER 20.

I, I CAN'T COUNT PAST THAT.

THAT THANK YOU.

MAKE SURE YOU ASK ME THAT QUESTION.

YEAH, THERE YOU GO.

HEY, NEXT UP SEA TURTLE PATROL.

GET YOU.

MY NAME IS AMBER KUHN.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SEA TURTLE PATROL HILTON NET ISLAND.

KILL ANY KEY GOES FORWARD, ANY KEY.

AND THEN THIS ONE GOES BACK.

OKAY, LOOK AT THAT.

THAT IS A GREEN SEA TURTLE HATCHLING.

OF COURSE, YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO ON THE BEACH STARTING MAY 1ST.

SO MY EVENT LASTS FOR SIX MONTHS OUTTA THE YEAR IN THIS CAPACITY WHERE WE ARE ON THE BEACH WITH THE TOURISTS AND THE TURTLES AND WE'RE MOVING NEST AND PROTECTING THEM.

AND, UM, RESPONDING TO STRANDINGS, WHICH ARE QUITE A FEW, THESE ARE INJURED TURTLES.

DEAD TURTLES, DEAD DOLPHINS, UM, GIVING THEM NECROPSIES, BURYING THEM AND SUCH.

THEY ARE NOT IN THE PUBLIC EYE .

AND NEXT YEAR IS GONNA BE SUPER INTERESTING 'CAUSE THAT'S THE YEAR THAT WE SPEND $40 MILLION TO HAVE BULLDOZERS AND PIPES ON THE BEACH TO REBUILD IT.

THE RENOURISHMENT, IF YOU WERE HERE IN 2016, THAT WAS THE LAST ONE.

IF YOU LIVE IN SEA PINES, THEY HAD AN EMERGENCY ONE IN 2017.

AND THAT WAS ME BY MYSELF ON THE BEACH AT NIGHT.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE, UH, BIG BEACH.

IT'S THE LARGEST TERRITORY OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE STATE.

SO WE HAVE 14 MILES OF OCEAN FACING BEACH.

AND THEN WE HAVE MITCHELLVILLE AND PINE ISLAND, IN ADDITION TO THAT BECOMES ABOUT 20 MILES.

AND WE HAVE 20 PEOPLE ON STAFF.

SOME ARE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, SOME ARE RETIRED CEOS, RETIRED TEACHERS, RETIRED DOCTORS, UM, PADDLE BOARD INSTRUCTORS AND MASTER'S DEGREE IN MARINE SCIENCE WITH A FOCUS ON SEA TURTLE BIOLOGY, WHICH IS THE MOST NON LUCRATIVE SUBJECT ON THE PLANET RIGHT HERE.

SO VOLUNTEER FOR MANY YEARS.

AND, UM, THIS IS A 24 YEAR PERIOD.

YOU CAN SEE WE'RE UP AND DOWN A LOT, BUT THAT'S NORMAL.

THIS YEAR WAS A LOW YEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT NEXT YEAR IS THE BIG ONE.

AND IT'S COINCIDING WITH THE RENOURISHMENT, WHICH IS ALWAYS SUPER AWESOME.

A LOT OF WORK COMING OUR WAY.

SO WHAT WE PROMISED TO DO IN THE REALM OF MARKETING, UH, WE DO A LOT.

MOST OF IT IS, UM, COLLABORATION.

UH, WHEN WE'RE ON THE BEACH, OF COURSE WE ARE IN OUR OWN ELEMENTS AND WE ARE SPEAKING TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO SEE THAT TRUCK COMING DOWN THE BEACH.

AND IT'S A PACKED BEACH AS YOU KNOW.

WE HAVE MILLIONS OF TOURISTS COMING OUR WAY.

UH, WE DO THINGS FOR SANDBOX CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IN THE WAY OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

LOCAL BUSINESSES, UH, CARRY ITEMS THAT ARE OURS AND THEY TRY TO DONATE TO US LOCAL, UH, LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK.

HAS ANYBODY BEEN TO MY TURTLE TALK ON MONDAY NIGHTS FREE.

I SEE HEADS SHAKING.

THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ON THE BEACH HAVE AND THE EDUCATION THAT WE GIVE TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THOSE THINGS.

, EVERY MONDAY NIGHT IN JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST, THAT IS TOURISM BASED HILTON HEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS REALLY STARTED TO NOTICE THAT SEA TURTLES ARE A DRAW TO THE ISLAND, AND THEY HAVE SUPPORTED US TREMENDOUSLY.

WE ARE AT CONCOR WITH THE AMBULANCE, THE SEA TURTLE AMBULANCE.

WE ARE AT CRESCENDO WITH OUR SEA TURTLE ART ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE ART LEAGUE AND LOCAL ARTISTS.

AND WE HAVE OUR STATUES AROUND TOWN AS WELL.

UM, PALMETTO DUNS CARES HAS A TURTLE TROT THAT'S TOURIST BASED, AND WE ARE THERE VOLUNTEERING TO HAND OUT WATER.

AND THE TOWN CODE ENFORCEMENT WE PARTICIPATE WITH AS WELL.

SO ORDINANCES RELATED TO SEA TURTLES, THE IMPACT

[03:00:01]

PERSONAL PROPERTY LEFT ON THE BEACH AT SUNSET IS CONFISCATED.

UM, HOLES DUG IN THE SAND, NO METAL SHOVELS, NO HOLES DEEPER THAN A FOOT.

THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THE TOURISTS NEED TO KNOW.

WE DO OUR BEST TO EDUCATE THEM BEFORE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT GETS TO THEM.

AND OF COURSE, THE BIG ONE AT NIGHT ON SATURDAY NIGHT IS THE LIGHTING ORDINANCE VIOLATION.

OKAY, Y'ALL LIVE HERE.

SO IT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD COLLABORATION.

THE RUNNING EVENTS, WHICH WE HAVE ON HELS AND HEAD CONSTANTLY, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE ONE ON 4TH OF JULY.

WE HAVE PALMETTO RUNNING COMPANY.

WE HAVE, UM, THE TURTLE TROTS AND THE DOLPHIN DASHES, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE THERE FOR A LOT OF THAT.

THE HALFWAY HOME CELEBRATION WITH ART LEAGUE.

WE RAISE MONEY THERE IN ITS CONSECUTIVE YEARS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT.

UM, DIFFERENT ARTICLES AND DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS THAT ARE POPULAR.

THE NEWEST TURTLE IS THAT ONE BY RICHARD GRANT WITH HIS VERY RECOGNIZABLE SIGNATURE DESIGN THAT WILL PROBABLY GO TO THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT.

SO THERE'S ONE OF OUR STATUES IN THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.

THERE'S ONE AT COLIGNY AND THERE'S ONE AT SANDBOX.

SO WE HAVE MESSAGES ON THOSE THAT TRY TO GET PEOPLE ON BOARD WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE'RE DOING IT TO SAVE SEA TURTLES, BUT MARKETING IS A BIG PART OF IT BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE ON THE BEACH AS STEWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS, WHICH HELPS US WITH OUR INITIATIVE.

SO HALF OF OUR MISSION IS MOVING EGGS, PROTECTING THEM.

WE MARK THEM, NOT BECAUSE THAT HELPS 'EM INCUBATE, BUT BECAUSE IT KEEPS THE TOURISTS OUT OF IT, RIGHT? ACCIDENTALLY DIGGING A SAND CASTLE.

OOPS, THERE ARE EGGS THERE.

THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN WITH US GOING OUT EVERY MORNING.

PUT YOUR UMBRELLA THROUGH AN S CHAMBER.

THAT WOULD ALSO BE DEVASTATING, BUT WE TAKE CARE OF THAT, RIGHT? BRIDGE TROLLEY PLAYS OUR VIDEOS, WHICH WE FUND THROUGH THIS ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUNDING PARK PLAZA CINEMA ALSO HAS OUR MESSAGES THAT WE'VE USED.

UM, VIDEO MONEY FOR OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.

WE PARTICIPATE WITH THEIR FUNDRAISING AS WELL AND DONATE THE SEA TURTLE EXPERIENCE TO THEM, WHICH IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT ON SEA TURTLE PATROL WITH THE PATROL.

AND THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE UNLESS THEY'RE A SEA TURTLE FRIENDLY CERTIFIED, UH, HOTEL, WHICH WE HAVE 11 OF THOSE ON THE BEACH TURTLE TALK.

THERE IT IS.

WE ADVERTISE THAT TURTLE TALK IN CH TWO AND LOCAL LIFE.

AND THAT IS PAID FOR BY ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.

UM, WE HAVE, OF COURSE YOU SEE US ON THE BEACH, IF YOU SEE A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE, IT'S EITHER SOMEBODY DIED OR SEA TURTLE PATROL IS THERE, AND , HOPEFULLY IT'S SEA TURTLE PATROL, RIGHT? NO EMERGENCIES.

UM, THE VISITORS ARE A BIG PART OF WHO COME TO THE TURTLE TALKS.

I'D LIKE TO SEE LOCALS THERE TOO.

BUT WE NOW HAVE A JUMBOTRON AND A MICROPHONE AND OVER 200 PEOPLE AT EACH OF THESE WEEKLY, UM, EVENTS.

AND I LIKE THAT PICTURE IN THE TOP RIGHT.

IT WAS A BLOWUP OF THE THE ONE BEFORE.

DID YOU SEE THAT? I LIKE HER FACE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FOR WHEN I SEE VISITORS SEEING A HATCHLING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

OR IF THEY'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE A, A NESTING FEMALE GO BACK TO THE WATER DURING THE DAYLIGHT.

OKAY, SO HERE'S THE NUMBERS AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS FOLLOW, BUT IT'S, IT'S OB OBSCENE.

I NEVER THOUGHT IN A MILLION YEARS WHEN I STARTED THIS NONPROFIT IN 2018 THAT I WOULD BE INCORPORATING ALL THESE TALENTED VOLUNTEERS DRAWING THE ATTENTION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEDGE.

SO OUR FACEBOOK 27,000 FOLLOWERS, INSTAGRAM, ABOUT HALF OF THAT.

AND, UM, TIKTOK, I'M NOT REAL FAMILIAR WITH TIKTOK, BUT APPARENTLY WE GET SOME VISIBILITY THERE.

WHEN SOMEBODY MAKES A VIDEO, THAT'S NOT ME.

I'M NOT THAT TECHNICALLY INCLINED.

SO WE'VE TOUCHED AS FAR AS WE CAN SAY, DEFINITIVELY OVER 9,000 PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SEE WAY MORE THAN THAT PROBABLY ON THE BEACH IN A SIX MONTH PERIOD.

UM, WE HAVE A QR CODE ON OUR TRUCK SCANS ARE OVER 7,000 THAT TAKES PEOPLE TO OUR WEBSITE WHERE WE HAVE OUR EVENTS AND WE JUST LAUNCHED A NEW WEBSITE.

SO MOST OF IT COMES THROUGH ON MOBILE DEVICES, SO WE KNOW IT'S MOSTLY VISITORS.

OUR WEBSITE, 17,000 VISITORS JUST SINCE WE LAUNCHED THE NEW ONE, WHICH WAS RECENTLY.

COMMERCE FOR ONE NIGHT TO SPEAK TO EDITORIAL PEOPLE ABOUT COMING TO HILTON HEAD AND LEARNING ABOUT SEA TURTLES.

SO LONELY PLANET WAS ON THE BEACH WITH ME THREE WEEKS AGO.

I WENT TO NEW YORK CITY WITH THE CHAMBER OF

[03:05:01]

ANDREW CARMINES WAS THERE TO TALK ABOUT OYSTERS AND THE, THE PRISTINE WATERWAYS.

THEY SENT ME THIS, UM, CROSS CHANNEL TOP PERFORMING POSTS, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TOP PERFORMING FOLK POSTS HERE ARE SEA TURTLE, SEASON REEL, , SAND SEA AND SUNSHINE SEA TURTLE, POV.

SO THEY'VE NOTICED THAT SEA TURTLES ARE SOMETHING THEY CAN WORK WITH, AND ECOTOURISM OBVIOUSLY HAS BECOME A DRAW.

NBC WAS HERE MIDSEASON ACTUALLY BEGINNING OF THE SEASON BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SEE A TURTLE NESTING, ONE HATCHING .

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS HERE.

RIGHT? IF WE SEE A A NEST A TRACK, I AM GONNA BE SUPER RELIEVED BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO FILM.

BUT ON 14 MILES OF BEACH WITH MAYBE 10 TURTLES IN A NIGHT, I CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU ANYTHING, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE THAT I CAN TALK ABOUT TURTLES AND SHOW YOU HOW WE SAMPLE THE DNA, WHICH IS WHY THEY WERE HERE.

SO THIS WAS THE N-N-B-C-D-C AFFILIATE THAT CAME DOWN.

NOT ONLY WERE WE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WE FOUND TO SEA TURTLE NESTING ON THE BEACH WITH THEM IN THE TRUCK.

I MEAN, HOW LUCKY WAS I THAT DAY? AND SO THAT WAS, UM, SOMETHING THAT WAS AIRED ON NBC AND LONELY PLANETS SINCE THEY JUST LEFT.

WELL, PROBABLY THAT'S A TRAVEL PUBLICATION.

TALK ABOUT, WE SAW HATCHLINGS COME OUT OF THESE NESTS THAT I INVENTORIED FOR THIS LADY, AND SHE WAS, WELL, SHE WAS A GIRL.

SHE WAS YOUNGER THAN ME, BUT SHE WAS SO JUST LIKE, LIKE THAT LITTLE GIRL, YOU KNOW? AND OF COURSE WE DREW A CROWD BECAUSE PEOPLE SAW THE TRUCK AND THEY GOT TO SEE THE 37 HATCHLINGS THAT ARE RELEASED AFTER THE VERY LAST NEST OUT OF THE VERY LAST NEST INVENTORY AND, AND IT WAS QUITE A PRODUCTION.

SO I HAVE HAD PARTICIPATION FROM THE LOGGERHEADS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE.

MAYBE THEY JUST KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT.

SO THIS IS THE SAME ASK AS LAST YEAR.

UM, WE DO BASICALLY THE SAME, UM, OUTREACH, WHICH IS WHAT WE CAN DO WHILE WE ARE OPERATING OUT OF A TENT IN A PARKING LOT.

UH, WE ARE A TOWN AFFILIATED AGENCY AS OF LAST YEAR.

WE'RE STILL OPERATING OUT OF A TENT IN A PARKING LOT.

SO I AM WORKING VERY FEVERISHLY TO FIND OURSELVES SOMEWHERE WHERE WE CAN DRAW PEOPLE INTO A FACILITY TO SHOW THEM A WATCH BACK.

HATCHLING.

WE JUST HAD A DONATION OF 32 FEET OF AQUARIUM FROM A HOUSE ON ALDER LANE WHERE IT HAD BEEN STORED FOR 10 YEARS OUT OF A RESTAURANT IN WEXFORD CALLED, IT WAS AN INDIAN RESTAURANT.

IT'S CALLED SPICE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THAT, UM, IN A, AN AREA WHERE WE CAN HAVE A HATCHLING ON DISPLAY.

WE CAN'T WITHOUT THAT.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PLACE, MOST OF OUR ASK IS OUTREACH WITH, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL MEDIA, UM, THE VIDEOS THAT WE PRODUCE AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU CAN READ THE LIST.

OUR BIG EVENT IS NOVEMBER 19TH.

IT'S $50 FOR THE TICKET.

AND THE GENETICS PROFESSOR THAT WE HAVE BEEN COOPERATING WITH SINCE 2010 WILL BE ON SITE.

AND TELL US ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT, AND THEIR, THEIR LIFE STORY AND WHERE THEY'VE BEEN AND WHO THEIR SISTERS ARE AND ALL OF THIS GOOD STUFF.

LOTS OF SPONSORS.

TOYOTA SHOULD BE SPONSORING US BASED ON THAT PICTURE.

A TOURIST TOOK THAT PICTURE AND SENT IT TO ME.

QUESTIONS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING BACK ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T ON THE COMMITTEE PREVIOUS YEARS.

IS THIS YOUR FOURTH YEAR? I BELIEVE? I BELIEVE SO.

IT DIDN'T START OUT SO GREAT.

SO .

WELL, AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT SHE CAME TO US THE FIRST YEAR AND TRYING TO TEST THE WATERS AND SHE WAS ABLE TO REGROUP AND COME BACK AND HAVE GREAT GROWING SUCCESSES THROUGH THE YEAR.

SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

UM, I COULD SPEAK TO, I WALK DOWN THE BEACH AT ISLANDERS ALMOST EVERY MORNING, AND WHEN I SEE A GROUP OF PEOPLE, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE AND YOU CAN JUST WATCH THE PEOPLE TRICKLE IN.

YOU KNOW, IT JUST KEEPS COMPOUNDING AND GROWING.

WHEN PEOPLE SEE A GROUP, THEY COME UP AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT YOUR TEAM, UM, THEY'RE DOING A, A FANTASTIC SERVICE FOR THIS ISLAND.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.

YOU SAID YOU STARTED IN 2018 MM-HMM.

BEFORE YOU EXISTED.

NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK ME, .

WHO, WHO CARRIED ON THIS WORK? IT WASN'T A NONPROFIT BEFORE.

THAT WASN'T, UM, SO SEA TURTLE PATROL HILTON HAD ISLAND BECAME A NONPROFIT IN 2018.

IT WAS, UH, ALL THE PROGRAMS ON THE BEACH ARE SCD AND R VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. SO NONE OF US GET PAID TO BE OUT THERE.

I GET A STIPEND FINALLY AFTER 26.

IT'S 27 YEARS THIS YEAR.

[03:10:01]

I WAS A VOLUNTEER FOR 22 OF THOSE YEARS, AND WHEN I STARTED THE NONPROFIT, I STARTED TO RAISE MONEY TO ELIMINATE FOUR-WHEELERS AND CHANGE THEM INTO TACOS, ELIMINATE GARMENTS, AND CHANGE THEM INTO $3,000 GPSS THAT WILL PUT US ON THE MARK WHEN WE LOSE OUR POLES IN STORMS AND CAN FIND OUR NESTS AGAIN.

SO A LOT OF MOMENTUM.

THE, UH, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM WAS MANAGING IT PRIOR TO THAT, AND THE DNR WAS NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE.

SO THEY ASKED ME TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE REST OF THE STATE, BE MY OWN PROGRAM REPORT TO THEM DIRECTLY, NOT THIS WAY.

AND IT, UH, WAS SCARY THE FIRST YEAR THAT I PAID FOR SEA TURTLE PATROL BY MYSELF OUT OF MY BANK ACCOUNT.

AND THEN THAT WAS 2017 AND 2018, I SAID, I CAN'T AFFORD THIS ANYMORE.

AND I STARTED TO GET DONATIONS.

AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.

UM, WELL, WELL ON OUR WAY TO HELPING THE TOWN WITH THEIR REBRANDING OF ECOTOURISM BACK TO THE ORIGINAL FRASER CONCEPT.

WELL, I I WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU DO PROVIDES LIFETIME MEMORIES FOR PEOPLE THAT COME HERE.

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO I HOPE, I HOPE YOU CAN FIND A SPOT THAT, LIKE A, WHERE YOU CAN PRESENT YOUR, YOUR YOURSELF AND HAVE A HEADQUARTERS.

THANK, THANK YOU.

BECAUSE IT'D BE GREAT FOR THE ISLAND.

SO YEAH.

UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T USE THE FUNDING FROM THIS COMMITTEE.

FOR THAT.

, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'VE ATTRACTED, UH, SOME NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION OR REGIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION.

IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO, TO DO THAT, TO DRAW EYEBALLS ONTO THIS ISLAND, THAT'D BE A GREAT THING TOO.

IN YOUR SPARE TIME.

YEAH, IN MY SPARE TIME, I AM A BOAT CAPTAIN FOR A LIVING, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT OVER THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BRIDGE WHERE I GREW UP.

AND, UM, IT'S THE CHAMBER THAT HAS EXPOSED US TO THE NATIONAL MEDIA.

UH, SO THEY HAVE REALLY PUSHED US TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND WE'VE SUPPORT THEM IN ANYTHING THEY ASK TO US TO DO.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I'LL BE BACK, LITERALLY AFTER HER PRESENTATION.

UH, NEXT UP ON THE AGENDA IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BRIDGE ASSOCIATION.

I KNOW YOU'RE A LITTLE EARLY, WE ARE A LITTLE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SO IF YOU'RE READY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.

SURE.

VERY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

PARDON ME? AND YOU DON'T HAVE A BACK ONE, RIGHT? OKAY, WE'LL JUST CLOSE OUT'S.

STUFF LIKE THAT.

NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME.

IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE.

WELCOME BACK.

THE EVENT THAT OUR GRANT REQUEST CENTERS AROUND, THINK OF IT AS THE BRIDGE EQUIVALENT TO THE HERITAGE.

LET ME GET MYSELF ORGANIZED HERE AND ALLOW ME TO, UH, APOLOGIZE UP FRONT.

I'M DEALING WITH SOME KIND OF A MEDICAL ISSUE THAT'S, UH, I WILL BE HORSE AND, YOU KNOW, SO ANYWAY, GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS ROBERT OLSON AND I AM REPRESENTING THE HILTON HEAD BRIDGE CLUB.

I APOLOGIZE IF I'M REPEATING SOME THINGS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME NEW MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL WHO WERE AS SURPRISED AS I WAS WHEN I FIRST TOOK OVER WRITING THE GRANT THREE YEARS AGO THAT A BRIDGE CLUB COULD EVEN QUALIFY FOR AT TAX GRANT MONEY.

BUT UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, WE ARE, WE ARE AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR, WE ARE NEITHER GLAMOROUS NOR GLITZY, BUT WE DO BRING TOURISTS TO THE ISLAND, A LOT OF THEM.

AND DURING ONE OF THE SLOWEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR, THIS IS THE PART THAT MAY BE REPETITIVE FOR SOME OF YOU.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY PLAY COMPETITIVE BRIDGE.

BUT IN FACT, THERE IS AN ENTIRE WORLD OF DUPLICATE BRIDGE ENTHUSIASTS RANGE FROM BEGINNERS TO PROFESSIONALS, THE LATTER CHARGING UP TO $5,000 A DAY PLUS EXPENSES TO PLAY WITH THEM.

I'VE PLAYED AGAINST THEM.

HOW DOES ONE BECOME A PROFESSIONAL BRIDGE PLAYER? YOU ATTEND, UH, NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS? UH, WELL, YOU ATTEND BRIDGE TOURNAMENTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND WIN MASTER POINTS.

NOW THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF TOURNAMENTS, SECTIONALS, WHICH LAST FOR JUST THREE DAYS, TYPICALLY ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM WITHIN ABOUT A 200 MILE RADIUS REGIONALS, WHICH LAST FOR SEVEN DAYS AND ATTRACT PLAYERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD, I BELIEVE WE HAD 27 PEOPLE FROM, UM, FROM EUROPE THIS PAST YEAR, AND NATIONALS, WHICH LAST 14 DAYS, AND ATTRACT THE VERY BEST PLAYERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

NOW, THERE ARE TWO MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR TOURNAMENTS AND THOSE OF OTHER HELD IN OTHER SPORTS, FOR EXAMPLE, TENNIS AND GOLF.

FIRST, THERE'S NO MONEY INVOLVED FOR WINNING, ONLY MASTER WHAT'S CALLED MASTER POINTS.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ANYONE CAN OR PI CAN PARTICIPATE FROM A COMPLETE BEGINNER TO, OF COURSE, PROS.

NOW OUR REGIONAL TOURNAMENT IS

[03:15:01]

TAKES THE PLACE THE SAME TIME EVERY YEAR DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY FOR SEVEN DAYS AND IS HELD, HELD AT THE MARRIOTT.

NOW HILTON CONVENTION CENTER.

OUT OF TOWN COMPETITORS TYPICALLY STAY AT LEAST FOUR DAYS.

MANY STAY THE WHOLE WEEK, SOME STAY BEYOND.

AND FOR MANY PEOPLE, THIS IS THEIR ONLY REGIONAL THAT THEY'LL TRAVEL TO ALL YEAR LONG.

NOW, OUR SUCCESS THESE LAST THREE YEARS GROWING THE ATTENDANCE AT OUR REGIONAL HAS BEEN ASTRONOMICAL AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE PRIMARY THRUST OF OUR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

IN JUST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE TOP REGIONALS IN THE COUNTRY, SURPRISINGLY, PASSING ATTENDANCE FIGURES, I MEAN, NOT JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT LIKE DOUBLE IN PLACES LIKE FLORIDA, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FERTILE PLACE FOR RETIRED FOLKS WHO LIKE TO PLAY COMPETITIVE BRIDGE.

AN EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESS, THE MARRIOTT ROM MARRIOTT ROOM INCOME GREW BY ALMOST 30% IN THIS LAST YEAR.

OUR SECONDARY FOCUS THIS PAST YEAR WAS TO GET OUT THE WORD ABOUT THE POPULARITY OF OUR YEAR ROUND CLUB, HOPING TO ATTRACT MORE OUT OF TOWN TOURISTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

FOR EXAMPLE, UH, I WAS A LONG TIME, UH, ANNUAL VISITOR HERE, BUT UH, WHEN I DISCOVERED, WHEN I GOT INTRODUCED TO THE GAME 16 YEARS AGO, WAS IMMEDIATELY HOOKED.

AND WHEN I FOUND OUT YOU HAD A BRIDGE CLUB HERE, THAT WAS IT.

THERE WAS NEVER, NEVER WAS I GONNA CONSIDER GOING ANYWHERE ELSE FOR A SUMM VACATION.

NOW, THIS WILL ALWAYS BE A SLOW GROWTH ENDEAVOR, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO OUR TOURNAMENTS, BUT THE NUMBERS DO REFLECT AN INCREASE OF TABLES SOLD AND PLAYERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

INTERESTING LITTLE ASIDE, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THERE WERE TWO COUPLES WHO DROVE UP FROM CLEARWATER, FLORIDA TO ESCAPE HURRICANE, UH, MILTON.

AND, UH, THEY KNEW THEY HAD NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT HAD HEARD ABOUT OUR, OUR, UH, TERRIFIC CLUB.

AND OF COURSE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT HILTON HEAD, SO THEY CAME HERE AND WAITED IT OUT AND WENT BACK WHEN, UH, WHEN THIS COAST WAS CLEAR, AS WE DID LAST YEAR, OUR REQUEST IS TWO-PRONGED.

FIRST TO CONTINUE PROMOTING THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT AND SECONDLY, TO PROMOTE THE DAILY GAMES OF THE CLUB TO PROSPECTIVE VACATIONERS WHO MIGHT NOT BE AWARE.

WE HAVE SUCH A TERRIFIC CLUB.

OURS IS ONE OF THE MORE SUCCESSFUL ONES IN THE COUNTRY, OFFERING SIX TO SEVEN GAMES PER WEEK, MANY INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS AT ALL LEVELS, AND WONDERFUL SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS MEMBERS AND VISITORS, EXCUSE ME.

AND WE HAVE QUITE A NUMBER OF PLAYERS WHO HAVE CHOSEN HILTON HEAD OVER OTHER SOUTHERN LOCALES TO SPEND THEIR SNOWBIRD MONTHS BECAUSE THEY LIKE OUR CLUB SO MUCH MORE THAN OTHERS THEY'VE TRIED.

NOW, YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY HAVE ASKED FOR AN INCREASE IN THE GRANT AMOUNT FROM 15,000 TO 21,000.

WHEN I TOOK OVER WRITING THE ATEX GRANT, I REDUCED THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAD BEEN RECEIVING FROM PREVIOUS GRANTS OF 25,000 AND 20,000 TO 15,000, BELIEVING THIS WAS MUCH, THIS WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO PROMOTE OUR TOURNAMENTS.

I'M ASKING FOR MORE NOW BECAUSE OF ONE INFLATION.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE PRIMARILY BRIDGE NERDS WITH LITTLE TO LITTLE TO NO EXPERTISE IN DESIGNING EFFECTIVE ADS OR HAVING THE MOST STRATEGIC INTELLIGENT PLANS FOR OUR ADVERTISING.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S TIME TO GET SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP.

THERE ARE MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES WE SHOULD BE GRABBING.

FOR EXAMPLE, UH, NOT TOO LONG AGO IN LOCAL LIFE, I JUST BROUGHT IN THE FIRST PAGE, BUT THIS WAS THE HEAD ARTICLE ABOUT OUR CLUB HEADED BY AND TED AS WELL, LONG TIME RESIDENT HERE.

WHY DIDN'T WE HAVE A HUGE AD PLACED RIGHT ACROSS FROM THIS? NOW, I, I DON'T DO ANY OF THAT STUFF.

ALL I DO IS WRITE THE GRANT TO PRESENT IT.

UM, BUT, UH, WE CLEARLY NEED MORE GUIDANCE IN THIS AREA.

UM, THIS IS NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT, BUT I'LL PASS IT ON ANYWAY, UM, SINCE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS COOL MOVIES AND, AND ALSOS NEAT THINGS TO LOOK AT.

THIS IS A BROCHURE, A FLYER OF THE REGIONAL THAT BE THIS, THIS, UM, FEBRUARY, I MOVED IT TO THE LAST WEEK OF FEBRUARY.

THEY BEING THE PARENT ORGANIZATION, THE AMERICAN CONTRACT , WE HAVE NO SAY AS TO WHEN IT IS, BUT I WAS, I WAS, UH, KIND OF SHOCKED BY THIS WHEN I GOT AROUND TO ACTUALLY LOOKING AT IT.

UH, I BELIEVE OUR FLYER COULD BE MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE THIS YEAR IF IT WERE DE DESIGNED BY A PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER.

PLUS I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT WHOEVER'S DESIGNED THIS BROCHURE LEFT OFF OUR BRIDGE AT THE BEACH LOGO THAT WE'VE ENDEAVORED FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW TO TRY TO MAKE OUR STANDARD AND MORE READILY

[03:20:01]

RECOGNIZABLE.

UM, I MEAN, NOT THAT IT'S UGLY, IT'S JUST NOT IN WITHIN THE STANDARDS AND WITHIN THE, THE, THE LITTLE STRATEGIC, UH, PLANNING THAT WE HAVE DONE TO TRY TO, UH, UH, NATIONALIZE OUR BRAND, IF YOU WILL.

SO AS IN THE PAST, WE WILL USE MONIES GRANTED TO DO MAJOR ADVERTISING THROUGH E-BLASTS, NEWSPAPER ADS, AND IN PARTICULAR ADS IN THE BRIDGE BULLETIN, WHICH IS, I JUST BROUGHT IN ONE OF THESE IS, BUT THIS MAGAZINE GOES OUT TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE A CBL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

SO IT IS THE ONLY MAGAZINE THAT, UM, PLAYERS WHO WANT TO EARN MASTER POINTS RECEIVE.

UM, WHERE WAS I HERE? OH, UH, THAT, AND OF COURSE THIS IS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT CHEAP .

UM, BUT OUR MONTHLY INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION THAT GOES OUT TO EVERYONE IN THE WORLD.

IN SUMMARY, AS I'VE ADDED IN THE PAST, ENDED IN THE PAST.

WE'RE NOT A FLASHY ORGANIZATION.

WE AREN'T SAVING THE WORLD OR FEEDING THE HUNGRY, BUT OUR EVENTS AND EFFORTS DO BRING TOURISTS TO OUR BEAUTIFUL ISLAND.

QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.

I'LL START OFF BY SAYING, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO ON YOUR FIRST APPLICATION, IT WAS A HEAD SCRATCHER FOR US.

YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH TRAFFIC CAN THIS REALLY DRAW INTO THE ISLAND? BUT YOUR NUMBERS SHOW, YOU KNOW, UH, WE SEE IT THAT PEOPLE DO COME FROM OUT OF TOWN FOR WHAT IS THE PRESTIGE BRIDGE ASSOCIATION, UM, LOOK AT ITSELF.

I KNOW.

I MEAN THAT'S WHY I REDUCED IT TO 15,000.

I'M THINKING WHY DO WE DESERVE, DESERVE $1? I MEAN, I DIDN'T GET IT, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU NUMBERS SHOW THAT PEOPLE DO COME AND THEY CHOOSE TO COME TO HILTON HEAD, UH, FOR WHATEVER THAT REASON IS.

AND THEY ARE COMING TO PLAY, YOU KNOW, IN A GAME OF BRIDGE WITH, WITH YOU FOLKS.

SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GROWTH THERE.

THERE ARE THREE EVENTS EVERY DAY.

UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT TOURISM NUMBER GROW EVEN MORE, BUT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, BY OUR PACKETS IT'S 69% TOURISM.

THAT'S PRETTY STRONG NUMBERS.

SO, UM, IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE, YES, SIR.

CONGRATULATIONS ON, UH, MOVING UP TO NUMBER THREE IN THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS.

THAT THANK YOU SAYS A LOT.

AND I THINK THAT HOPEFULLY GIVES HILTON NET MORE RECOGNITION NATIONALLY OR REGIONALLY FOR YOUR CLUB.

UM, I WAS CONFUSED BY ONE COMMENT IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION IT, I THINK IT SAID THAT IF ONE TOURIST PLAYS FOR FOUR DAYS, THAT COUNTS AS FOUR DIFFERENT TOURISTS.

WELL, WHEN, WHEN TRYING TO, CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT FOR ME? I, I KNEW THIS WOULD BRING UP SOME, UH, BRING UP A QUESTION.

UM, BUT YES, IF, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE REGIONAL, IF, UM, A, A PERSON OR A COUPLE COMES HERE FOR FOUR DAYS AND PLAYS FOR FOUR DAYS, I COUNT THAT AS FOUR.

NOT ONE.

IN, IN OUR EYES, THAT WOULD BE ONE PERSON THAT IS STAYING IN ACCOMMODATION WHILE, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE STAYING FOUR SEPARATE NIGHTS, YOU COULD SAY.

BUT THAT IS ONE PERSON COMING, NOT FOUR SEPARATE PEOPLE STAYING FOR FOUR DAYS.

I THINK THAT COULD MUDDY THE WATERS OR THE OPTICS OF HOW MANY ARE COMING.

YEAH, I ACTUALLY, THIS WAS POINTED OUT IN, AS I DISTRIBUTED THE GRANT AND I SAID, WELL, THIS IS HOW I'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE THE BEGINNING, SO I REALLY SHOULDN'T CHANGE.

SO, SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE GROWTH OR OR THE PERCENTAGE WOULD BE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED IF I CHANGED HOW I CALCULATED, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SURE.

I, I THINK WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING IS THE METHODOLOGY IS A TOURIST IS A TOURIST.

NOT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS A DIFFERENT TOURIST.

BUT I ALSO THINK YOU RAISED THE, THE, THE FAIR COMMENT THAT NOT EVERYONE WHO COMES HERE IS PLAYING SPOUSES MAY COME OR OTHERS MAY COME.

SO IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE COUPLES COMING, BUT ONLY ONE IS PLAYING, THAT'S TWO.

AND I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU PRESENT THE TOURIST DATA THE WAY ALL THE OTHER FOLKS DO.

UM, MANY PEOPLE COME HERE FOR FOUR DAYS, SIX DAYS, SEVEN DAYS, AND IT'S COUNTED AS ONE TOURIST.

YOU GET CREDIT FOR BRINGING MULTIPLE DAYS OF HOTEL ROOMS AND MEALS AND THAT SORT OF THING BY JUST EXPLAINING THAT THIS IS A FOUR DAY EVENT AND PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR FOUR TO SIX DAYS.

WE, WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.

SO ARE YOU RECOMMENDING NEXT YEAR I CHANGE MY METHODOLOGY? I THINK JUST DETAILING IT IN THE PACKET SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS WE HAVE 1600 PARTICIPANTS, BUT IF THOSE ARE FOUR PLAYER, YOU KNOW, FOUR TIMES, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONLY 400 PARTICIPANTS.

YOU KNOW, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF TOURISTS.

BUT I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE SPOUSES OR OTHERS COMING WITH THEM, THOSE ARE SEPARATE TOURISTS RATHER THAN GOING NIGHT BY NIGHT.

BUT JUST MAKE CLEAR TO US AGAIN, HOW MANY DAYS YOUR EVENT IS, HOW MANY ROOM NIGHTS THAT IS.

SO YOU, YOU STILL GET CREDIT, IF YOU WILL, FOR BRINGING TOURISM TO THE ISLAND.

WE JUST WOULD LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THE METHODOLOGY FOR CON COUNTING WHAT A TOURIST IS, BE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT ALL THE APPLICANTS.

IF I, IF I MAY JUST EXPLAIN A SEC, TAKE A SECOND OF YOUR TIME ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF TRYING TO GET ACCURATE NUMBERS.

SO LAST SEVEN DAYS,

[03:25:01]

THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE EVER GONNA PLAY THREE EVENTS ARE THE PROS.

UH, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

I USED TO DO IT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE YOUNGER.

UM, IT'S UNBELIEVABLY TAXING AND YOU CAN'T SLEEP 'CAUSE YOUR MIND'S JUST GOING LIKE THAT.

SO, UM, MOST PEOPLE WILL, WILL PLAY ONE TIME OR TWO TIMES A DAY.

NOW I, I KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY TABLES WERE SOLD IN 20, IN, IN THE SEVEN DAYS.

THEY WERE 2,210 TABLES.

AND IF YOU, IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES FOUR PEOPLE, 'CAUSE THERE'S FOUR AT EACH TABLE, THAT'S A LOT.

BUT HOW DOES IT BREAK DOWN INTO NUMBER OF TOURS BROUGHT HERE? IT'S, IT IS REALLY COMPLICATED.

UH, AND, AND THAT'S JUST MY PROBLEM, NOT YOURS.

OF COURSE.

I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE FOR YOU TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA SURVEY WHEN PEOPLE REGISTER.

YOU KNOW, WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? HOW LONG ARE YOU STAYING? YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF SURVEYING OF YOUR PARTICIPANTS.

I'M SURE YOU HAVE A REGISTRATION LOG OF SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHO'S COMING OR IT JUST OPEN.

YOU WALK IN AND YOU CAN PAY A FEE AND SIT DOWN AND PLAY.

AND I ASK EVERY SINGLE PERSON I RUN INTO ALL WEEK .

YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO GET WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT DATA? IS THAT COLLECTED IN ANY WAY OR IS IT JUST CONVERSATION FOR YOU? UM, YOU MEAN LIKE WHAT I COLLECT? MOSTLY IT'S, UH, I SAY ARE YOU HAVING IT, DO YOU ENJOY OUR TOURNAMENT? YEAH.

GO FILL OUT THE SURVEY THEN.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I DO.

I THINK IF YOU, IF YOU WERE TALKING TO THEM AND YOU COLLECTED THAT DATA, JUST WHERE'D YOU GUYS COME FROM? WHAT'S YOUR ZIP CODE? AND YOU WRITE IT DOWN AND THEN PUT IT INTO IT.

WE HAVE EVERY ZIP CODE FROM EVERY PLAYER THAT HAS COME.

THAT'S PROVIDED BY THE A CBL.

WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE EVERYBODY CAME, COMES FROM.

IF I COULD JUST SAY THAT.

WHETHER IT'S ONE TOURIST OR FOUR TOURISTS, IF YOU'RE DOING, IF THEY'RE STAYING FOR FOUR DAYS, PLAYING FOR FOUR DAYS IN THE TOURNAMENT, THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY ON US.

SO, SO HAVING THAT DATA, UH, AS FAR AS HOW LONG THEY'RE STAYING, THAT, I MEAN, THAT TO ME THAT MATTERS AS MUCH AS HAVING A TOURIST COME ONE DAY FOR A FESTIVAL AND LEAVE LEAVING THE ISLAND OR HAVING SOMEBODY STAY FOR FOUR DAYS TO PLAY IN YOUR TOURNAMENT.

SO, UM, I GUESS MAYBE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN PRESENT BOTH PIECES OF DATA NEXT YEAR OR WHATEVER, THEN I THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER ON US TO UNDERSTAND.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WELL, I TOTALLY, YEAH.

I MEAN, I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO SOMEBODY THAT COMES TO HERE? I WAS AN ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR, SO I'M NOT PICKING ON THE ORCHESTRA WHEN I SAY, UH, ON THE SYMPHONY OF CONCERT.

AND THEN THEY GO BACK.

YOU KNOW, THE HUGE DIFFERENCE.

WE, WE CLEARLY SEE THE BENEFIT THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION BRINGS TO THE ISLAND.

WHAT I'M, WHAT I JUST ASKED WAS THAT THE, THE METHOD OF PRESENTATION BE SOMEWHAT CONSISTENT BY GIVING US THIS FOOTNOTE.

YOU'VE BEEN CANDID ABOUT HOW YOU'RE CALCULATING, WHICH IS GOOD.

AND ALSO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK 80% OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME HERE TO MAKE A GRANT APPLICATION TELLS THE DATA'S HARD TO GET AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE EXTRAPOLATING SOME OR THEY'RE MAKING ESTIMATES ON SOME, WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

MM-HMM, .

I WILL DO MY BEST TO STRAIGHTEN IT ALL OUT NEXT YEAR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, JUST MORE OF A COMMENT.

I THINK YOUR CASE IS NO LESS COMPELLING WHEN YOU'RE FOLLOWING YOUR ASK.

I DON'T THINK IT CHANGES OUR PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR ASK.

YOU GIVE IT TO US IN THE REQUEST.

ONE PERSON WITH MIND IS AWESOME.

NOT DISCOUNT ON THAT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

BRINGS US NEXT ON THE AGENDA TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD.

I THINK.

AMBER, WELCOME BACK.

IS WHAT'S ON THE LETTER OF DETERMINATION.

I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO A WARDROBE CHANGE.

, SORRY.

SO I BECAME A ROTARIAN BY REQUEST.

I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR OLD PEOPLE TO MEET FOR LUNCH ONCE A WEEK, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY WAY MORE THAN THAT.

ANYBODY EXPERIENCE MEMBERSHIP IN A ROTARY? IT'S PRETTY SOPHISTICATED I MUST SAY.

I GOT A CALL FROM MARIO AND CARVE, UH, WHICH YOU I'M SURE KNOW, BUT HE SAID, AMBER, THE ROTARY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD WANTS TO START A SATELLITE CLUB THAT IS A COMPANION CLUB, WHICH MEANS IT DOESN'T BREAK OUT INTO ITS OWN CLUB.

SO ON HILTON HEAD WE HAVE THREE, WE HAVE THE ROTARY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE SUNSET CLUB, AND THE VANLANDINGHAM CLUB.

THEY WERE SATELLITES THAT BROKE OFF FROM THIS CLUB.

WE ARE A COMPANION SATELLITE CLUB, THE LOW COUNTRY ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB.

AND SO WE ARE ALL ROTARIANS.

WE MEET IN THE EVENINGS AND WE MEET TWICE A MONTH INSTEAD OF WEEKLY.

AND HE SAID, WE WANNA START SOMETHING ENVIRONMENTAL.

AND WE THOUGHT OF YOU, IT TOOK US TWO YEARS TO GET IT OFF THE GROUND.

AND WE HAVE BEEN ONE YEAR, UM, IN SESSION NOW, THE NONPROFIT ARM OF THE ROTARY CLUB, WHICH I AM A PART OF THE ROTARY AT LARGE, THE LOWCOUNTRY ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB IS A PART OF THE ROTARY AT LARGE.

THE NONPROFIT ARM OF THIS IS THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.

UM, SO THE WHOLE NAME ROTARY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

[03:30:01]

SO THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, UM, I HIGHLIGHTED THE PART THAT I'M KIND OF FOCUSING ON HELP WHERE NEEDED, BUT AND IMPROVE OUR ISLAND HOME FOR ALL.

SO AS YOU KNOW, I AM AN ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, STEWARD, CONSERVATIONIST, BIOLOGIST, LOCAL, GENERATIONAL LOCAL THAT IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ALL OF THE TOURISM.

SO I FOCUS ON OBVIOUSLY AN ENDANGERED SPECIES, BUT ALSO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO CHAIR THIS NEW PROGRAM FOR THE PAST TWO WELL, YEAR.

AND NOW I'M STILL A CHAIR.

I HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS A, AN ENVIRONMENTAL CO-OP.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO IT.

AND EVERY TIME WE TRY, WE DON'T GET IT OFF THE GROUND.

SO THE THE ISSUE IS THIS, WE'VE GOT LAND TRUST, OUTSIDE FOUNDATION, SEA TURTLE PATROL, AUDUBON, ALL OF THESE NONPROFITS.

NONE OF US KNOW WHAT EACH ARE DOING.

THE CLOSEST ONE IS SEA TURTLE PATROL AND OUTSIDE FOUNDATION.

'CAUSE I KNOW JEAN, I USED TO WORK FOR MIKE OVERTON AND WE HAVE A FRIENDSHIP.

SO I WENT TO HER AND I SAID, LOOK, LET'S GET MEMBERS FROM EVERY NONPROFIT THAT'S ENVIRONMENTAL ON THE ISLAND AND MAKE THIS OUR CO-OP WITH THE SUPPORT OF ROTARY.

SO WE DID, I'VE GOT ALL OF 'EM EXCEPT FOR LAND TRUST.

I'M WAITING, WAITING ON ROBIN'S STORY TO JOIN.

I'VE GOT PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION OVER THE BRIDGE.

I'VE GOT ALL OF THE NONPROFITS TOGETHER NOW THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL AND WE MEET TWICE A MONTH.

THIS IS THE INITIATIVE THAT WE CAME UP WITH FOR OUR SECOND INITIATIVE.

THE FIRST ONE WAS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE MAUI INCIDENT.

THAT'S A VERY, UM, SIMILAR ISLAND TO US IN THAT IT IS A TOURIST SPACE ISLAND AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CONCERNED.

SO WE RAISED $13,000 IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF BEING FORMED.

OUR SECOND MISSION IS THIS THING.

OKAY, SO THIS IS BUILT IN CANADA.

UH, GREENVILLE HAS ONE THAT'S THE CLOSEST ONE.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA JUST BOUGHT THREE OF THEM.

THE MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITY.

UH, THEY ARE LEADERS IN REDUCING PLASTIC IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.

SO ONE OF THE FUN THINGS THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO WATCH IS A 50-YEAR-OLD WOMAN RUNNING DOWN THE BEACH AFTER A AN EMPTY WATER BOTTLE.

THEY'RE ROUND AND THEY MOVE VERY FAST, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE EMPTY.

AND THAT HAPPENS TO ME A LOT.

I CAN'T LET IT GO BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN THAT THING GETS ON THE WATER, WE'RE DONE FOR, IT'S OUT, IT'S OUT OF OUR REACH.

AND I DON'T WANT SEA TURTLES TO EAT THE CUPS AND I DON'T WANT THE ENVIRONMENT TO LOOK TRASHY FOR OUR TOURISTS.

SO THIS IS OUR SOLUTION.

THIS IS A REFILLABLE WATER STATION.

THERE'S SIX FAUCETS ON EACH SIDE.

IT HOLDS 300 GALLONS.

YOU PUT IT IN WITH THE WATER HOSE, IT FILTERS, IT COOLS, IT, IT THEY ARE $70,000.

SO WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE CATEGORIES, THESE ARE THE TWO THAT I'VE VACILLATED ON.

I, I CALLED THE TOWN, I ASKED, THEY WERE LIKE, AMBER, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE.

SO I JUST HAD TO PICK ONE.

AND I PICKED TOURISM RELATED FACILITY, I BELIEVE.

BUT IT QUALIFIES IN BOTH CASES.

IT'S A PUBLIC SERVICE.

WE NEED HYDRATION.

WE, YOU KNOW, IT GETS HOT AND IT'S GETTING HOTTER.

CLIMATE CHANGE, TOURISM RELATED FACILITY.

IT'S IT'S TRAILER BALL, IT'S A DUAL AXLE.

CARRY IT TO THESE TURTLE TROTS, CARRY IT TO CRESCENDO.

I WANT IT AT HERITAGE, WHICH I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH BECAUSE COCA-COLA SELLS DASANI.

BUT THEN I'M LIKE HILTON HEAD, WE ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY MINDED, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST AT LEAST HAVE IT AND TRY IT OUT.

AND IF COCA-COLA WANTS TO BUY REUSABLE METAL BOTTLES WITH THEIR LOGO PLASTERED ALL OVER IT, THEN THEY CAN USE THOSE BOTTLES TO REFILL OVER HERE.

IF WE HAVE 3 MILLION VISITORS, WHICH IS WHAT THE CHAMBER REPORTED LAST YEAR, AND EACH ONE OF THEM DRINKS ONE AND YOU KNOW, I, I SEE 'EM AND Y'ALL NEED TO GET YOUR OWN LITTLE BOTTLE, I'LL PROVIDE IT FOR YOU .

BUT I DON'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT MINE.

UM, IF EACH DRAWERS HAS ONE THAT'S 3 MILLION OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE FLOATING AROUND HILTON HEAD, EITHER IN A DUMPSTER FLYING OUT OF A DUMP TRUCK AT THE BEACH WHERE I NEED TO REDUCE PLASTIC AND IF I CAN JUST TAKE ONE OFF THEIR PLATE, THEN I HAVE SUCCEEDED.

SO WE HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE.

WE JUST STARTED IT.

WE HAVE INSTAGRAM, WE HAVE ALL THESE THINGS, BUT WE ARE A NEW CLUB SUPPORTED BY ROTARY.

BUT WE'RE PUTTING THESE THINGS OUT THERE AND WE HAVE RAISED SOME MONEY.

[03:35:04]

I HAVE THIS RIGHT HERE IF Y'ALL WANT IT, YOU CAN GET IT LATER.

PASS IT OUT.

THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT YOU SEE HERE.

OKAY, SO WE'VE RAISED 23,000 OF THE 70.

WE'VE DONE A GOFUNDME PAGE, WE'VE GOT DISTRICT ROTARY GRANTS.

I WROTE A GRANT FOR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY, UM, WHERE 16,000 OF IT CAME FROM.

SO THAT'S THE MAJORITY.

SEA TURTLE TROLL DONATED $2,000 OUTSIDE FOUNDATION DONATED $2,000.

THIS IS WHERE OUR CO-OP COMES IN.

'CAUSE WE ALL BENEFIT FROM HAVING LESS PLASTIC IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

I WOULD LIKE THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD TO JUMP ON BOARD.

IN FACT, WHEN THIS THING COMES TO TOWN AND IT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT, UM, THE TOWN'S GONNA HAVE TO BUY MORE OF 'EM AND MAINTAIN 'EM.

BUT THAT, THAT SIDE PANEL WHERE IT SAYS QUENCH BUGGY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVERTISE.

SO WE DO HAVE A SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TAKE 'EM TO THE FESTIVALS FOR FREE.

IT'S FOR FREE.

ROTARY OWNS IT, WE'RE GONNA STORE IT, WE'RE GONNA MAINTAIN IT.

UM, WE ASK FOR A DONATION TO PAY FOR LIKE FILTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, MAYBE, BUT NOT REQUIRED.

SO WE'LL BE AT MITCHELLVILLE AND WE'LL BE AT CRESCENDO AND ALL THESE PLACES, NO CHARGE BECAUSE OUR MISSION IS TO REDUCE THE PLASTIC.

AND THERE IS ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT COMES WITH THAT DOUBLE WALLED METAL BOTTLE, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVERYONE CARRYING IN THEIR CAR AT THEIR OFFICE OFFICE.

AND I'LL HAVE TO GET THE TOWN ON THAT TOO.

'CAUSE I WENT TO A MEETING HERE AND THERE WAS A WATER BOTTLE PROVIDED FOR ME.

I WAS LIKE, REALLY TAKE THIS OUT FROM IN FRONT OF MY FACE RIGHT NOW.

OKAY, SO THE CHAMBER AGAIN SAYS, AMBER, I HEAR YOU'RE YOU'RE WORKING ON A QUENCH BUGGY.

TELL US MORE.

SO I DID.

I SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A WAY FOR THE CO-OP, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ROTARY.

UM, WHICH IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN A PART OF A ROTARY, I, LIKE I SAID, HAD THE WRONG IMPRESSION.

THESE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE OF ACTION.

THAT'S THEIR THEME.

AND THEY GET OUT AND THEY DO STUFF AND THEY UNLOAD AND LOAD AND SEND THINGS TO NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH I DID THE OTHER DAY 'CAUSE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO VOLUNTEER.

WHICH, YOU KNOW, I, I VOLUNTEERED AT THE HERITAGE CHECKING IN THESE THINGS.

AND THIS IS THE REASON THEY FORMED THIS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION IS BECAUSE THE HERITAGE WANTED TO DONATE TO THEIR EFFORTS AT THE, THE HERITAGE AND THEY COULDN'T ACCEPT IT WITHOUT HAVING A 5 0 1 C3.

SO BESIDES A HERITAGE DONATION, THIS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION HASN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING GRANT WISE, UM, FROM THE COMMUNITY.

THEY RAISE THE MONEY THEMSELVES TYPICALLY, BUT THEY'RE WORKING ON A, A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT RIGHT NOW THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF FUNDRAISING.

SO I'M KIND OF ON MY OWN WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL SEGMENT OF IT.

BUT THE CHAMBER WANTS TO UH, INITIATE THE FILL IT FORWARD, WHICH IS AN APP THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR AND THEN THEY PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT TOWARD THAT AND EVERY TIME SOMEBODY FILLS UP THE BOTTLE WITH THAT STICKER ON IT, I GET A DONATION.

SO EVERY TIME YOU DO A REFILL, YOU SCAN YOUR PHONE THAT STICKER, THAT QR CODE AND IT GETS, SO YOU CAN HAVE UP TO EIGHT NONPROFITS ON THIS, FILL IT FORWARD.

SO IT'S KIND OF A THING TO DO, RIGHT? YOU GET THE BOTTLE, I'M BUYING BOTTLES FOR SEARS STEM, SOUTHEAST REGIONAL SEA TURTLE MEETING 2025.

IT HAPPENS EVERY OTHER YEAR.

THEY WERE IN PERDIDO BEACH, ORANGE BEACH, FLORIDA LAST TIME.

THIS TIME THEY'VE CHOSEN HILTON HEAD.

THERE ARE 400 PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THIS.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CHOSE THIS IS BECAUSE THE WESSIN WAS A SEA TURTLE FRIENDLY CERTIFIED RESORT.

YOU'RE WELCOME WESSIN.

THAT WAS SEA TURTLE PATROL.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS BIG CONFERENCE THERE.

WE ARE GONNA BUY BOTTLES TO GIVE OUT FOR FREE.

THE CHAMBER IS GONNA PUT A PHILIP FORWARD ON THERE WITH OUR LOGO AND WE'LL BE THE FIRST TRIAL OF THIS PHILIP FORWARD PROGRAM AND SEE WHAT SORT OF DONATIONS WE GET.

IT'LL PROBABLY HONESTLY BREAK EVEN WITH THE UM, COST OF THE BOTTLES THAT WE'RE GIVING.

BUT ALL THE BOTTLES CAN BE, UM, ENGRAVED WITH THE PERSON WHO'S DONATING THEM.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, I MENTIONED THE HERITAGE.

IF COKE HAS A REAL PROBLEM WITH US TRYING TO GET RID OF PLASTIC BOTTLES 'CAUSE EVERYBODY HAS TO POUR THEIR REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE OUT.

AND THE REASON I GOT FOR THAT IS BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE ALCOHOL IN IT AND UM, INSTEAD OF WATER, LIKE OKAY, I GET THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HYDRATE PEOPLE.

I WOULD RATHER NOT SAY, WELL WE RECYCLE ALL OF IT.

THAT'S GREENWASHING, RIGHT? OKAY, YOU'RE RECYCLING PLASTIC BOTTLES, BUT LOOK AT THE EFFORT THAT YOU JUST CREATED RIGHT NOW.

YOU HAVE TO COLLECT THE BOTTLE.

NOW YOU HAVE TO SEND IT TO A FACILITY AND THEY HAVE TO PROCESS

[03:40:01]

IT.

AND WE PAY IT RECYCLING TO DO THAT NOW ON THE ISLAND, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT THAT'S A BIG EFFORT WHERE YOU COULD JUST BE PUTTING NICE, UH, REUSABLE BOTTLES.

LIKE I NE I UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU GET THAT FREE ONE WITH THE LITTLE CARABINER ON IT AND YOU'RE LIKE, I'M GONNA USE THIS ONCE AND THROW IT AWAY.

THESE ARE NOT THAT.

THESE ARE COMPANION, IT'S CALLED COMPANION THAT PHILIP FORWARD USES.

BUT YOU GET, YOU KNOW, THE BULK RATE AND THEY'RE BOTTLES THAT YOU'LL WANNA REUSE.

AND EVERY SCHOOL CHILD SHOULD HAVE THIS AND EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A REFILLABLE WATER.

YOU KNOW, THOSE FOUNTAINS THAT WE USED TO DRINK OUT OF WHEN WE WERE KIDS.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHY WE HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS THESE DAYS.

, I WANNA THINK OR EATING DIRT.

ONE OF THOSE.

OKAY, SO THAT APP IS WITH THE CHAMBER AND WE'RE GONNA TEST IT OUT.

IF WE HAD THE QUENCH BUGGY IN TIME FOR THIS CONFERENCE, IT WOULD BE A HUGE HIT.

BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA RAISE THE MONEY IN TIME.

I'M HOPING TO HAVE IT HERE BY SPRING.

I'VE ASKED FOR 40 FOR FROM YOU GUYS.

UM, WE'RE RAISING THE OTHER 30 AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A WHILE.

BUT IT NEEDS TO BE HERE BEFORE THE TEMPERATURES START RISING AGAIN AND BEFORE THE BIG TOUR SEASON HAPPENS.

SO ALL THE FESTIVALS WILL GET IT FOR FREE, RIGHT? WE'D LOVE IT IF THEY WOULD DONATE SOMETHING TO THE MAINTENANCE OF IT.

WE'RE ALL ABOUT ECO-FRIENDLY TOURISM.

NOW IT'S DRAWING PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND.

IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT SEA TURTLES.

IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT BAGGING OYSTERS AND PUTTING 'EM OUT THERE AND TAKING PEOPLE KAYAKING.

IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT JUST THE BIRDS, IT'S ALL OF IT TOGETHER.

RIGHT? AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE SUFFERS FROM TRASH IN THE ENVIRONMENT, NOT TO MENTION THAT COLIGNY IN THE MORNING DOESN'T LOOK SO GREAT FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, WE DON'T WANT THE WHOLE ISLAND TO LOOK LIKE THAT, RIGHT? WE'RE PICKING UP TRASH CONSTANTLY OVER THERE.

24 HOURS A DAY, I'M OUT THERE TILL 2:00 AM PICKING THINGS UP.

SO WE NEED A SOLUTION.

THIS IS PART OF IT.

WE WANNA REDUCE THAT EFFORT OF THAT GREENWASHING AND THE RECYCLING.

SO THAT'S IT.

THAT IS OUR INITIATIVE.

AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD'S LOGO ON THERE AS A PERMANENT SPONSOR.

OBVIOUSLY ROTARY SIX PATROL HAVE SEX.

WE'RE ALL TOGETHER IN THIS.

AND THAT'S IT.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

QUESTIONS.

YES SIR.

I'VE BEEN HOPING THE TOWN WOULD DO THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND I I THINK THIS IS EVEN BETTER BECAUSE UM, YOU HAVE ADVERTISING OPTIONS AND ALL SORTS OF OPTIONS AS FAR AS HELPING FINANCE THE MAINTENANCE OF IT YOURSELVES.

UM, AND IT TOTALLY FITS HILTON HEAD BRAND IN GENERAL AND MM-HMM IN IN, AND FOR ME, I WOULD CONSIDER THIS A PUBLIC, UH, FACILITY.

SO, OKAY.

UM, AS FAR AS FOR UH, HOW IT QUALIFIES FOR TURK MONEY.

UM, AND SO IT'S A NO BRAINER.

I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THE TOWN HAS NEEDED FOR A LONG TIME.

I AGREE.

AND I DON'T WANT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES GET AHEAD OF US 'CAUSE WE ARE THE BLUEPRINT FOR ECOTOURISM.

THE FACT THAT YOU'VE ALREADY RAISED $30,000 TOWARDS IT TWO IS, IS REALLY HELPFUL.

I'LL ECHO THAT.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

THE, I, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME WITH AN APPLICATION OF SOMEONE TRYING TO PURCHASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT SERVES THAT PUBLIC SERVICE NEED.

UM, I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT IT AND I'M COMING UP WITH, BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE THE QUESTION FOR US.

YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS WORK? THIS MAY BE SIMILAR TO YOUR FIRST APPLICATION WITH SEA.

WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT THE GROUND RULES ARE FOR IT.

SO I DO THINK THOUGH, CONTRARY TO MY FIRST APPLICATION FOR SEA TURTLE, WHICH WHICH WAS RENT, WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT, UM, ONE OF THE CATEGORIES.

THIS ABSOLUTELY DOES FIT TWO CATEGORIES.

I FEEL LIKE, I THINK IT WOULD BE AN EASY SELL TO TURK.

UH, I THINK IT DOES AS WELL.

IT'S JUST GETTING TURK TO AGREE WITH THAT STANCE.

YOU KNOW, DO YOU GET TO TO KNOW IF THEY AGREE WITH THAT STANCE BEFORE NOVEMBER THE NINTH WHEN WE MEET AGAIN? WE WOULD NOT AS THIS COMMITTEE THAT WOULD COME FROM TOWN STAFF OR FROM TOWN COUNCIL, WE WOULDN'T HAVE PRIVY TO THAT CONVERSATION WITH TURK.

SO, OKAY.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT CERTAINLY QUALIFIES IF DRESSING ROOMS QUALIFY, UM, THEN OH, GETTING WATER.

IT SHOULD DEFINITELY QUALIFY.

SO I THIS DIDN'T, WHEN THEY WROTE TURK LAW, THIS I CONCEPT DIDN'T EXIST REALLY.

SO, UM, YEAH, EXACTLY.

AND THE CHAMBER IS GOING TO ADVERTISE IT.

SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

LOOK AT HILLS AND HEAD REDUCING PLASTIC COME BE YOUR ECOTOURISM SELF IN AN, UM, A COMMUNITY THAT IS REALLY STRIVING TO SHOW YOU THAT WE ARE REDUCING IT, RIGHT? I MEAN WE ALREADY HAVE HIRED THE IT TWO RECYCLING PEOPLE TO, AND THEY'RE ON THE BEACH WITH THEIR BIG LOGO.

WE RECYCLE, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS ALSO COULD BE AN EXAMPLE.

HOSE, IT FILTERS IT, IT FILTERS IT AND COOLS IT INSIDE THAT SYSTEM.

300 GALLONS.

MM-HMM THE

[03:45:01]

IT'S A, IT'S A SOLAR POWERED, BUT YOU CAN ALSO GET A GENERATOR IF, YOU KNOW YOU'RE AT A FESTIVAL FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAS THE PLUGIN BEACH NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

SO WE'LL USE THE SOLAR POWERED SITUATION.

I MEAN A GENERATOR THAT'S GAS GENERATED WOULD, WOULD ALSO POWER IT.

BUT YOU, I PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF THESE RUNS AND THEY'RE BRINGING DOWN THE WATER JUGS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CRUSHING THEM.

THEY'RE GALLON WATER JUGS.

THEY SPEND A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET IT DOWN THERE.

NOW I'VE GOT ALL THIS PLASTIC SITTING THERE WHEN I CAN JUST TAKE THIS THING ON THE BEACH WITH MY TRUCK, PLOP IT DOWN AND THEY CAN JUST REFILL ALL THOSE CUPS.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING.

THERE'S WATER CUPS, BUT YOU CAN'T RUN WITH A METAL BOTTLE IN YOUR HAND.

I GUESS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? NO SIR.

I THINK WE'RE ALL JUST FACING THE CHALLENGE OF HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THIS IS TURK ELIGIBLE, BUT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S PRETTY UNIVERSAL SUPPORT HERE FOR THIS AS BEING A GOOD THING TO DO.

IT DOESN'T PUT HEADS IN BEDS, BUT IT SERVES THE TOURIST COMMUNITY AND IT SERVES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND IT SERVES THE REPUTATION OF HILTON NET ISLAND, ALL OF WHICH THINK ARE GOOD THINGS.

ONE CHALLENGE MAY BE THAT, THAT THESE FUNDS, AS YOU RECALL, ARE REIMBURSABLE FUNDS, NOT UPFRONT FUNDS.

SO MEANING WE CAN'T PUT THE 40,000 TO BUY IT UNTIL YOU YEAH, NO.

WE'LL, YEAH.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU, HOW YOU HAVE PUT THAT INTO YOUR PLANS TO I'LL PUT $40,000 ON MY CREDIT CARD'S.

FINE.

I'LL JUST PAY ME.

WELL WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ELIGIBLE TO BE REFUNDED.

THE ROTARY WILL PROBABLY BE THE SOURCE FOR THAT.

SO ROTARY WOULD GET THEIR REIMBURSEMENT, RIGHT? THEY WOULD PUT THE MONEY FORWARD.

I I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF THAT, THAT, OH, THAT'S ALL.

YEAH, NO, I, I'M REMINDED EVERY QUARTER.

THANKS .

UH, YEAH, I THINK THE QUESTION'S GONNA BE THE ELIGIBILITY SIDE OF IT.

AND YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN PASS THROUGH THE ACCOMMODATION TAX WELL IT'S A NEW THING SHIFT THAT THE TOWN HAS TO TAKE ON, RIGHT? WE DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, SO IT'S A NEW THING AND, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO RAISE MONEY FOR IT BECAUSE WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA GET IT, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE HERE IN TIME FOR THE NEXT SEASON AND THE CHAMBER'S ALREADY LIKE PUSHING IT AND THEY'LL PUT IT UP ON THEIR, UM, HILTON HEAD SITE.

SO I MEAN, I WOULD SAY IF THERE'S ANY ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS, WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE, UM, THAT, THAT I WOULDN'T DOUBT THAT THE TOWN WOULD COME OUT AND AND FINANCE IT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE.

I I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BEFORE.

UH MM-HMM, THIS PURCHASE.

SO IT, I IT'S LONGER.

WE DO, YEAH.

IF THE TOWN WOULD, WOULD PONY IT UP AND GET THEIR OWN REIMBURSEMENT.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL GIVE THE THE OTHER, IF THEY WANT TO OWN HALF OF IT.

ROTARY IS NOT SAYING THIS IS OUR VEHICLE AND WE WANT IT BECAUSE WE NEED THIS VEHICLE FOR OURSELVES.

WE JUST, AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL ARM OF IT DECIDED TO TAKE IT ON BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE WAS TAKING IT ON AND WE SAW THE BENEFIT.

SO I BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE MORE OF THEM ONCE THEY SEE AND, AND AS SOMEONE WHO GOES TO TOWN COUNCIL QUITE A BIT AND ASK FOR ORDINANCE TO BE, UM, THEY, THEY USUALLY WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN TO OTHER PLACES.

'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TREPID, YOU KNOW, THEIR TREPIDATION IS TO SEE IT THAT IT WORKS.

SO WHEN THIS ONE GETS HERE AND IT WORKS AND IT'S WORKED IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ALREADY AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN AWESOME TOO IF WE HAD, YOU KNOW, IT TO TAKE TO NORTH CAROLINA IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

IF WE HAD THAT HERE AND WE NEEDED FRESH WATER, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GET IT FROM A HOSE IF IT WAS STILL, YOU KNOW, AND FILTER IT AND COOL IT WITH THE SUN.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO THAT IT'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AS WELL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LAST QUESTION.

UM, SO THERE IS NOT GONNA BE ANY CHARGE FOR THIS? NO.

WE'RE HOPING THAT SPONSORS LIKE HERITAGE OR YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE BIGGER ONES THAT ARE GONNA USE IT.

WE ALSO HAVE SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES WHERE PEOPLE CAN DONATE LARGER AMOUNTS OF MONEY, WHICH NO ONE HAS YET .

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW THOSE MONIES, SINCE WE ARE A NONPROFIT AND WE DON'T PAY ANYBODY, OBVIOUSLY WHATEVER PEOPLE ARE LIKE, HEY, THANKS FOR BRINGING THE QUENCH BUGGY, HERE'S A HUNDRED BUCKS.

I MEAN THE FILTERS AREN'T THAT EXPENSIVE.

THE HOSE WATER IS FREE FROM WHEREVER YOU KNOW, WELL FREE.

UH, IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THOSE COSTS OF MAINTAINING IT.

UM, AS LONG AS THE SALT WATER DOESN'T EAT, THE AXLES WILL BE GOOD.

IT'S INEVITABLE THAT IT WILL, IT'LL BE AXLE REPLACEMENTS AT SOME POINT.

SORRY TO CALL YOU UP A LITTLE EARLY, BUT WE'RE GLAD YOU WERE HERE.

WE'LL JUST HAVE MAINTENANCE.

THAT'S ALL.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU.

UH, WE ARE WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE HERE AS WE HAD SOMEONE GO BEFORE OUR LUNCH BREAK.

UM, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS TEDX HILTON HEAD, ARE THEY IN THE HOUSE?

[03:50:03]

I JUST CAME FROM ROTARY.

ALRIGHT.

PEOPLE OF ACTION.

SUPER CROWDED WITH THE BOWLING.

I JUST GOT INDUCTED TODAY.

OH MM-HMM, GOT MY LITTLE PEN.

ANY TEAMWORK FORWARD? YEAH.

UM, AND THEN IF YOU WANNA GO BACK, DO THAT GUY.

AND THERE'S A VIDEO IN THERE, WILL IT? GOOD CHANCE IT'LL RUN.

UM, DID WE LOOK IT GOES IN SLIDESHOW.

IT'S WAY DOWN.

IT'S RIGHT THERE.

AND IF YOU GO TO SLIDESHOW, LOOK AT THERE.

SHOULD WORK.

SO YEAH, YOU SHOULD GET IT.

AND SHE'S OUTTA CHARLESTON SPEAKS A LOT HERE.

WE'LL PLAY FROM THE BEGINNING.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON THE COMMITTEE.

WELCOME.

HELLO EVERYONE.

THIS IS MY SECOND TIME HERE.

SO LAST YEAR I TOOK OVER KIND OF MID-SEASON FROM THE PREVIOUS TEDX ORGANIZER.

SO I GOT THAT ONE UNDER MY BELT.

UM, YOU GUYS GAVE US A GENEROUS DONATION LAST YEAR, SO WE'RE BACK HERE.

I'LL CUT TO THE CHASE.

WE'RE ASKING FOR WAY LESS MONEY, SO LET ME EXPLAIN WHY AND WHAT WE DO.

SO, UM, TED X AND TED AND HILTON HEAD ARE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER.

SO TED IS A GLOBAL BRAND.

I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD OF TED.

UM, BUT THE CORNERSTONE OF TED AND THEIR QUOTE HERE IS ABOUT CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY.

AND AMERICA'S FAVORITE ISLAND HILTON HEAD IS ABOUT COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION.

SO THESE TWO BRANDS BELONG TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHAT MADE ME PASSIONATE TO TAKE OVER THE TEDX.

UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, SO WE ARE A 5 0 1 C3.

WE RUN EVERYTHING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

WE ARE STRICTLY VOLUNTEERS.

SO THERE'S NO PAID STAFF WHATSOEVER.

THREE PEOPLE WORK YEAR ROUND.

UM, WE ALL HAVE FULL-TIME JOBS, BUT THIS IS OUR PASSION PROJECT AND THAT YEAR ROUND WORK IS EVERYTHING FROM DEVELOPING THE THEME, FINDING SPEAKERS, COACHES, SPONSORS, REHEARSING, UM, FUNDRAISING AND THEN PROMOTING.

SO WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT RIGHT NOW AS IT GETS CLOSER TO THE EVENT.

WE BRING IN ABOUT 15 VOLUNTEERS TO HELP EXECUTE THE EVENT.

UH, WE HAVE 400 PLUS ATTENDEES.

WE ARE 10 SPONSORS AND GROWING.

WE'VE REALLY INVESTED IN OUR STRONG DIGITAL PRESENCE, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN WHY AS I GET INTO THIS.

AND UM, HOPEFULLY YOU RECOGNIZE TED AS A GLOBAL HIGHLY REGARDED BRAND.

OUR EVENT LAST YEAR WAS ON NOVEMBER 4TH AND IT'S A SATURDAY.

UM, FROM TWO TO FIVE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AGAIN THIS YEAR, WAS AT THE ART CENTER.

WE SOLD OUT.

UM, WE WERE ONE TICKET SHORT OF SELLING OUT AND IF I HAD KNOWN I WOULD'VE BOUGHT THE TICKET MYSELF.

BUT THEY TOLD ME TOO LATE.

UM, THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT'S RARE FOR A ONE TIME EVENT TO SELL OUT AT THE ART CENTER.

SO THAT WAS PRETTY BIG.

KUDOS TO THE POWER OF THE TED BRAND.

UM, TED ITSELF AS THE MOTHERSHIP WE'RE LIKE A LITTLE SATELLITE ARM OF THE BIG MOTHERSHIP TED AFTER EVERY EVENT AROUND THE WORLD.

'CAUSE TED PUTS ON THOUSANDS OF EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD, THEY ISSUE A SURVEY.

WE DON'T ISSUE THAT SURVEY.

SO THEY ISSUE A SURVEY TO OUR ATTENDEES.

WE TAKE THE LIST OUTTA THE ART CENTER, UPLOAD IT TO TED.

THEY PUT OUT A SURVEY AND WE RECEIVED ON, IT'S CALLED A NET PROMOTER SCORE.

OUR SCORE WAS 85%.

THEY ARE HAPPY WITH 50% AND TED HAS HUGE STANDARDS AND THE NET PROMOTER SCORE IS JUST CALCULATED ON PEOPLE LIKELY TO RECOMMEND.

SO 85 IS A HUGE, HUGE SCORE.

PEOPLE WERE SUPER, SUPER POSITIVE AND I THINK I INCLUDED THE SURVEY IN THE PACKAGE AND YOU'LL SEE THE AMAZING FEEDBACK FROM IT.

UM, WE ALSO, TED IS NOT JUST TEDX HILTON HEAD IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE EVENT AT THE ART CENTER AND THOSE 400 PEOPLE.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THERE, THAT BRANDING TEDX HILTON HEAD GETS VIEWED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TIMES.

SO OUR VIDEOS FROM OUR CONFERENCE, EACH VIDEO GOES UP ONTO THE TED GLOBAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND YOU GUYS PROBABLY WATCHED TED VIDEOS.

THESE GO UP THERE.

SO WE HAD ONE SPEAKER FROM LAST YEAR WHO'S ALREADY OVER, UH, HE'S CLOSE TO 30,000 VIEWS ON HIS VIDEO.

AND THAT'S THE WHOLE VIDEO.

WHAT YOU SEE THERE, THAT'S THE BRANDING.

SO WE GET HILTON HEAD BRANDING ON TOP OF ATTRACTING AND ENTERTAINING PEOPLE.

WE GET OUR TOWN SHOWN AROUND THE WORLD, WHICH IS AMAZING AND IT MAKES US KIND OF UNIQUE THAT WAY.

AND UM, JUST IN TERMS OF OUR SPEAKERS, WE DO A MIX OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL SPEAKERS.

SO, UM, THIS IS A LOCAL LOCAL-ISH.

SO MARY KAY MESSIER, UH, SPOKE LAST YEAR ABOUT THE POWER OF WOMEN IN SPORT.

UM, CHARLIE CLARK FROM THE CHAMBER SPOKE ABOUT, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE GOOD AND THE BAD.

UM, AND THEN WE HAD TANYA MATTHEWS WHO SPOKE ABOUT, UM, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF GULLAH, A LITTLE BIT OF MOTIVATION,

[03:55:01]

SO, AND THERE WERE EIGHT SPEAKERS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU KIND OF THE DIVERSITY OF THE SPEAKERS.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR THIS.

NO, WAIT, I ALWAYS GET MY EARS MIXED UP.

SO OUR EVENT COMING UP FOR 2024.

SO THE MONEY YOU GAVE US LAST YEAR FOR THIS EVENT, WHICH WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ORGANIZING, IS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

UM, ON SATURDAY, AGAIN AT THE ART CENTER.

IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

UH, WE'RE ALREADY 82% SOLD OUT AND AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, AND HILTON HAD EVERYBODY WAITS TILL THE LAST MINUTE TO GET TICKETS FOR ANYTHING.

SO WE'RE THRILLED AND OUR GOAL IS TO SELL THIS PUPPY OUT BEFOREHAND.

UM, HOW WE DID THAT.

SO WE'VE BEEN, UM, INVESTING IN OUR MARKETING.

SO WE REBUILT OUR WEBSITE FOR SEO AND BECAUSE TED IS A GLOBAL BRAND THAT PEOPLE SEARCH FOR, WE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO MAKING SURE THAT OUR SEARCH, OUR SITE IS VERY SEARCHABLE AND REPRESENTS THE BRAND WELL.

WE'VE BUILT A DATABASE, SO ANYBODY THAT'S COME TO TED, UM, WE HAVE CONTACTED THEM AND WE'VE BUILT IT AN OPT-IN DATABASE SO THAT WE'VE COMMUNICATED THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE WAIT FOR A MONTH FOR AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU WANT TICKETS? SO WE CREATED AND GET ON THE TICKET LIST EARLY.

SO WE HAD 200 PEOPLE ASK US TO LET US KNOW THE MINUTE TICKETS GO ON SALE.

SO WE'RE NURTURING THAT RELATIONSHIP.

SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE LESS WE HAVE TO CRAM IN MONEY AND TRY TO SELL TICKETS LAST MINUTE.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS YEAR LONG.

UM, WE FOCUSED A LOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, BOTH IN TOWN, BUT PRIMARILY OUT OF TOWN.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO TARGET OUR PAID SOCIAL ADS TO OUR PRIMARY MARKETS, WHICH I'LL SHOW IN A MINUTE.

WE ALSO INVESTED IN OWNING EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF BRANDING.

SO WE DIDN'T DATE ANYTHING THAT WE ACTUALLY PAY FOR TO PRODUCE SO THAT WE CAN USE SIGNS, THE STAGE SIGNS, ANYTHING THAT COSTS MONEY THAT PEOPLE SEE.

UM, WE OWN.

NOW WE'VE GOT A STORAGE UNIT THAT WE PAY FOR, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY EVERY YEAR.

SO THE GENEROUS GRANT LAST YEAR HAS SET US UP VERY WELL FOR THE LONG TERM.

AND, UM, WE BUILT A LONG TERM SPONSOR BASE.

SO MOST OF OUR SPONSORS FROM LAST YEAR CAME BACK AND SAID THEY ALWAYS WANNA SPONSOR IT AND GENERALLY THEY WANNA SPONSOR IT BECAUSE THEY REALLY BELIEVE IN TED AND HILTON HEAD BEING TOGETHER.

AND THEY'RE VERY PROUD THAT HILTON HEAD HAS A TEDX HERE.

SO OUR OBJECTIVES, UM, THIS IS A CRAZY ONE.

PEOPLE TOLD ME I'M CRAZY BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, BUT HERE I AM TO SAY WE WANNA BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT, UM, BY 2026.

SO MY LEARNING THIS YEAR IS WE CAN DO IT.

UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON THE TOWN MONEY.

UM, WE WILL IF WE CAN GET IT AND WE NEED IT.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT CAUSES TO SPREAD THE MONEY OUT.

WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY, I BELIEVE, TO DO IT ON OUR OWN.

SO THIS IS AN ASK TO GET US TO THERE.

UM, WE DID IT AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO IT THROUGH OUR INFORMED MARKETING PLAN.

UM, ONE THING WE LEARNED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TOURISTS AND RESEARCHING WITH THE CHAMBER DATA, PEOPLE PLAN TRIPS SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE.

YOU GUYS ALL KNOW THAT.

SO I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY AN EVENT WAITS FOR THE MONTH OF WHEN PEOPLE ARE PLANNING A TRIP SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE.

SO WE REALLY DIALED UP OUR NEWSLETTER MARKETING, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR DIGITAL SIX MONTHS AGO.

SO YOU'LL SEE THAT I'M GONNA SHOW SOME WEB TRAFFIC HERE, BUT AS PEOPLE ARE PLANNING THEIR VACATION, WE KNOW THAT THEY ALSO LOOK FOR TED EVENTS.

THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF OUR, UM, NEWSLETTER THAT WE SEND OUT.

SO WE'VE GOT THIS BASE OF 500, UM, VERY ENGAGED READERS, AND, UM, WE WANT TO BE GOOD LOCAL PARTNERS TO OTHER, UM, NONPROFITS AROUND HERE AND BE A GOOD LOCAL CITIZEN.

I'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT IN A SEC.

SO ABOUT TED AND I THINK THERE'S JUST SOME GOOD INSIGHT OVER HERE, UH, FOR NO HILTON HEAD DIGITAL.

ANYWAY, UM, EACH MONTH, UH, 1900 PEOPLE SEARCH.

WHERES A TED EVENT? NEAR ME.

OVER 200 PEOPLE SEARCH CONFERENCES IN HILTON HEAD EACH MONTH.

UM, ONE IN TWO ATTENDEES AT A TED AND THIS ONE COMES FROM, UM, TED'S TED'S DATA.

UM, BUT ATTENDEES AT TED ARE C-SUITES.

THEY'RE IN TECH, THEY'RE IN MEDICINE, THEY'RE IN SCIENCE.

THEY'RE HIGHLY EDUCATED.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO CONTINUOUSLY LEARN AND CHALLENGE THEIR CURIOUS MINDS.

UM, THE TEDX HAS A MAJOR REGIONAL DRAW BEYOND HILTON HEAD.

51% OF OUR WEBSITE TRAFFIC COMES FROM ATLANTA, JACKSONVILLE, AND RALEIGH.

SO PEOPLE THAT ARE INTO TED ACTUALLY SEARCH, WHERE'S A TED EVENT? AND THEY GO TO THEM.

LAST MONTH, OH, SORRY, THE LAST 12 MONTHS, UM, WE HAD TRAFFIC OF 4,600 UNIQUE VISITORS TO OUR WEBSITE.

UM, THEY CAME IN THROUGH SEARCH PHRASES LIKE SPECIAL ROOM RATES, TEDX HILTON HEAD.

SO OUR WEB GUY USES THESE ALEXA MOZ TOOLS TO SEE WHAT ARE PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR, AND THEY ACTUALLY SEARCH FOR TEDX HILTON AND, AND THEY'RE NOT HERE.

SO, UM, IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT RAW DATA AND WE'VE DRIVEN THAT UP.

SO, UM, IN 2023, THERE WERE 412 USING THAT SEARCH TERM FIVE, UM, 520 IN 2024.

SO PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE THINK, UH, PASSIONATE ABOUT THE TEDX BRAND AND HILTON HEAD, UM, THE FRAY TE UH, TE HILTON HEAD TEDX SPEAKERS.

AGAIN, WE'VE TRIPLED,

[04:00:01]

OR SORRY, DOUBLED THE SEARCH TERMS THERE.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY GET THIS, UM, LONG-TERM ONGOING INTEREST IN TEDX HILTON HAD.

SO THIS IS THE GOOGLE DATA FROM OUR WEBSITE.

UH, IGNORE WARSAW.

SO WHAT THAT IS, IS A BOT KNOCKING ON OUR SITE AND IT'S BAD NEWS, SO WE DON'T EVEN LOOK AT THAT NUMBER.

REALLY, THE TRAFFIC, THE HILTON HEAD TRAFFIC, UM, HILTON HEAD, UM, AND BLUFFTON ARE MOSTLY WHERE PEOPLE ARE FROM, BUT NEW YORK, ATLANTA, RALEIGH, ASHBURN, JACKSONVILLE, COLUMBIA, THAT THOSE CITIES ARE SEARCHING OUR SITE FOR TICKETS.

SO GETTING TO OUR GOAL OF BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT BY 2026, UM, THIS IS APPROXIMATE MATH, WHAT WE THINK WE CAN DO.

SO IF WE SELL OUT THE EVENT, THAT'S OUR NET REVENUE, UM, WE BELIEVE WE CAN SELL 15 GRAND IN SPONSORSHIP.

THIS WAS THE TURNING POINT FOR US WHERE WE SAID WE CAN REALLY BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT, DO US ON OUR OWN OWN IS, UM, WE'RE HOSTING FOR THE FIRST TIME A FUNDRAISER OF OUR OWN.

UM, IT'S THE NIGHT BEFORE AND IT'S ENGAGING LOCAL TALENT AT A PRIVATE HOME IN SEA PINES.

AND, UH, THE TICKETS ARE $250, UH, THAT'S YELLOW IS OUT OF DATE AND WE'RE NOW OVER 8,000 THAT WE'VE RAISED.

SO WE REALLY, AND THIS IS A FIRST YEAR FOR DOING IT, SO IT'S A NICE PRICE POINT.

UM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE WANT FEW PEOPLE, LOTS OF MONEY, AND THEN BE ABLE TO FUND OUR EVENT.

SO THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT THIS YEAR.

SO THIS IS MY JUST IN CASE, UM, NEED AN ASK HERE.

BUT IF WE CAN DO IT AND IF WE CAN RAISE MONEY WITH THIS FUNDRAISER, UM, WE'RE OFF TO THE RACES.

OUR EXPENSES, WE TRY TO MANAGE REALLY TIGHTLY.

SO THE VENUE, IT'S EXPENSIVE.

THE ART CENTER, UM, HAS ITS FEE, AND THEN THEY CHARGE FOR EVERY TICKET.

SO, UM, THEY HAVE A $6 FEE, UM, AND ANOTHER $6 FEE.

SO THEY'VE GOT TWO, $6 THAT COME OFF OF THAT.

SO WHEN YOU SEE, OOH, 51 BUCKS, IT DOESN'T ALL COME TO US.

SO IT'S, IT'S A TOUGH VENUE, BUT IT'S THE ONLY VENUE IN TOWN THAT'S WORTHY OF TED AND GIVES US THAT PRESTIGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE, LITERALLY.

UM, WE ALSO PAY, UM, A GREAT VIDEOGRAPHER, UM, TO SHOOT IT BECAUSE AGAIN, THE VIDEOS HAVE TO QUALIFY TO GO ON THE WEBS, THE, UH, TED WEBSITE.

SO WE NEED A REALLY GOOD GUY TO SHOOT THAT AND EDIT IT.

UM, AND THEN ADVERTISING, UM, THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR.

SO WE THINK WE CAN NET BEING AHEAD.

SO THAT'S, UM, OUR GOAL FOR 2026 WHEN I TALKED ABOUT A FORMED MARKETING.

UM, SO WHERE WE SHIFTED THIS YEAR WHEN WE SAW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT TED IS BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP.

SO WE SEGMENTED THE DATABASE WITHIN OUR EMAILS.

SO WE HAVE OUR PAST ATTENDEES, UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT OUR GENERAL AUDIENCE, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPECIFIED THAT THEY WANT ADVANCED TICKETS.

AND WE'VE BEEN PRE-PRO PROMOTING THAT EVERY SINGLE MONTH WE SEND OUT, HERE'S A SPEAKER, BUY YOUR TICKETS, GET ON THE LIST.

UM, I REFERENCED THE TRAVEL STUDY DONE BY THE CHAMBER.

SO WE'VE REALLY LOCKED INTO THAT AND SAID, LET'S START EARLIER AND TAKE THAT PRESSURE OFF OF TRYING TO SELL TICKETS LAST MINUTE AND BE IN THE HEAD WHEN PEOPLE ARE PLANNING THEIR VACATIONS.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE STARTED LEVERAGING PARTNERS, GROUPS AND INFLUENCERS.

SO CRESCENDO, CRESCENDO KINDLY PROMOTES OUR EVENT, UM, WAHI, THE, UH, WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF HILTON HEAD.

UH, WE WORK WITH THEM AND WE GIVE THEM A DONATION BACK.

SO WHEN THEY BUY, I THINK THEY BOUGHT 40 TICKETS, WE DONATE THEM BACK $5 A TICKET.

'CAUSE THAT'S NONPROFITS BEING NICE TO NONPROFITS.

AND IT'S A GREAT GROUP OF WOMEN THAT COME, UM, SEA PINES WOMEN GROUP.

WE WORK WITH THEM TO GET THEM TO GET THEIR GROUPS OUT.

WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY, AGAIN, ANOTHER NONPROFIT.

AND BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SIMILAR AUDIENCES IN TERMS OF AGE, EDUCATION, INTEREST, UM, WE PROMOTE TO EACH OTHER AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR NEWSLETTERS.

SO THAT'S BEEN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

AND THEN THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, SEAFOOD CONCOURSE, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT KELLY MANAGES, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH HER.

'CAUSE WE SAID WE'RE NOT COMPETING ALL OF THESE NONPROFITS, WE'RE NOT COMPETING.

WE CAN DO BETTER TOGETHER.

SO ESPECIALLY IN SOCIAL MEDIA, WE LIKE EACH OTHER'S EVENTS.

TED'S BEEN COMMENTING ON THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, YOU GOTTA GET YOUR TICKETS.

SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO RAISE ALL BOATS.

UM, AND THEN THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR ENGAGING INFLUENCERS.

SO WE'VE GONE OUT TO A FEW PROMINENT PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF ACTIVE IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND, UM, FACEBOOK PARTICULAR AND GIVEN THEM A PAIR OF TICKETS AND SAID, COULD YOU START SPREADING THE WORD? AND SO THESE ARE ALL, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS KIND OF GORILLA GRASSROOTS AND GET THE TICKETS SOLD AT THE LOWEST COST AND PUT OUR MONEY TOWARDS PUTTING ON A SPECTACULAR EVENT.

SO I CALLED IT INFORM MARKETING BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY USING THE DATA AT OUR FINGERTIPS, TRAFFIC FROM OUR WEBSITE, UM, CHAMBER RESEARCH, AND THEN OUR OWN DATABASE AND SEGMENTATION.

AND THEN, UM, THE LOCAL PARTNERS, OUR THIRD OBJECTIVE.

SO WE, UM, WILL ALSO ADD OUR EVENT.

WE'VE GOT SOME SYMPHONY PERFORMERS, WE WILL PAY THEM.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO PEOPLE SAYING, YOU KNOW, GIVE US YOUR TIME.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THE WAHI DONATION.

WE DO AN EVENT AT THE ART LEAGUE GALLERY AND WE THANK OUR SPEAKERS, UM, AND A LOCAL ARTIST NAMED AMOS HUMMUS HUMMEL, WE GET HIM TO GIVE A PAINTING TO EACH

[04:05:01]

SPEAKER.

THE ART LEAGUE GIVES US THEIR VENUE.

SO WE'VE PAID AMOS FIRST PAINTINGS AND PAID FOR THE VENUE FOR THE, WE WILL DO A DONATIONS TO THE ART LEAGUE AGAIN BECAUSE WE CAN, AND WE SHOULD GIVE BACK WHEN WE CAN.

UM, WE ALSO OFFER TICKETS TO THE CHAMBER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.

SO WE HAVE A DONOR WHO BUYS TICKETS TO GIVE TO THE, UM, LITTLE KID LEADERS.

I THINK THERE'S LIKE 20 OR 25 KIDS IN THE JUNIOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, SO THEY CAN BE INTRODUCED TO THE TED BRI.

UM, THE LAST THING WE DID, WE DID, UH, MAY, WE WORKED WITH KELLY SMITH BECAUSE SHE DOES A BUNCH OF EVENTS AND SAID, LET'S GET ALL AS MANY A TAX PEOPLE RECIPIENTS THAT WANT TO COME AND LET'S DO A WEBINAR AT MY OFFICE.

SO, UH, NO, WE DID IT AT ZOOM AND KELLY CAME TO MY OFFICE AND, UM, WE JUST SHARED WHAT WORKS IN OUR MARKETING, WHAT ARE OUR MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES, HOW CAN WE COLLABORATE TOGETHER? AND WE HAD ABOUT 15 PEOPLE ON THE CALL AND THEY ALL GET THE AT TAX DOLLARS AND WE WERE JUST SHARING IDEAS AND IT WAS REALLY COOL.

UM, AND THEN WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO THE CRUNCH, A COUPLE OF US CONTACTED EACH OTHER AND, UM, JUST TRIED TO GET BETTER TOGETHER.

SO THE OUTCOME HAS BEEN SUPPORTING LOCAL TALENT, GIVING BACK TO THOSE WHO GIVE, AND THEN TRYING TO CREATE SYNERGIES WITH OTHER EVENTS.

SO THAT'S PART OF OUR OBJECTIVE GOING FORWARD.

SO OUR REQUEST FOR 2025 IS DOWN A FAIR BIT, AND I HOPE WE DON'T NEED IT ALL BECAUSE I, I'M IN THIS WEIRD POSITION THAT MY EVENT'S NOT, AND MY FUNDRAISER'S NOT FOR TWO WEEKS.

SO I'M ASKING FOR MONEY, BUT I HOPE I DON'T NEED IT.

UM, AND THEN THAT, UH, IF WE DON'T, WE DON'T.

BUT IF WE DO, IT'S REALLY OUR JUST IN CASE MONEY BECAUSE, UM, THE ART CENTER HAS A FEE.

OUR HARD COSTS OR THE ART CENTER HAS A FEE AND WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS.

UH, WE'VE GOT A SPEAKER COMING FROM CALIFORNIA, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR HIS FLIGHT.

UM, WE'RE BORROWING A CAR, WE'VE GOT A TIMESHARE DONATED.

SO WE, WE TRY TO BE SCRAPPY, BUT WE'RE, WE DO HAVE SOME MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO LAY OUT.

SO THE 10 GRAND'S REALLY FOR OUR CONFIDENCE SO THAT WE HAVE THE NERVE TO GO IN AND PUT ON THIS, UM, WORLD CLASS EVENT.

AND WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO BY 26 NOT SEE YOU GUYS AGAIN.

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T, UM, SEEN A TED TALK, HOPEFULLY THIS WORKS.

THIS IS JUST A SEGMENT OF, AND I WON'T DO THE WHOLE 18 MINUTES, BUT THIS WAS A SPEAKER AT OUR LAST, UM, 2023 TED TALK.

THERE ARE TWO, HOW MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM HAVE A LOVED ONE THAT HAS EVER BEEN INATED BEFORE? HAS BEEN INCARCERATED? S**T, I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

HAS SOUTHERN COUNTY.

YEAH, I WAS IN FIRST 10 OFF ON TED TALK ON HEADS IN 2017.

AND I WAS THE FIRST SPEAKER, 15,000 VIEWS SIX YEARS, BUT 13,000.

MY SIX ZERO MESSAGE STILL GETS PROMOTED BECAUSE OF TEDX.

ROTARY, TED X, I'M LAURIE, YOU, YOU WANNA TALK? OH, WELL I'LL DESCRIBE IT.

SO, UM, YOU GUYS MIGHT KNOW LESTER, HE'S A LOCAL GUY.

HE WENT TO HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, HE COMMITTED MURDER AND HE SERVED 22 YEARS IN JAIL.

AND HIS TALK, UM, AT THE ART CENTER LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT HOW NOBODY WILL HIRE HIM AFTER HE DID HIS TIME.

HE GOT OUT, HE WAS 19 YEARS OLD WHEN HE DID HIS CRIME.

HE HAS TOTALLY, UM, SERVED HIS TIME AND CAN'T GET A JOB.

SO HE APPLIED FOR, I THINK HE SAID IN HIS TALK SOMETHING LIKE 350 JOBS.

AND SO HIS APPEAL TO THE ROOM AND TO THE STAGE THAT HE'S ON IS TAKE THE CHANCE ON HIRING SOMEONE WHO HAS FOUND REDEMPTION, UM, THAT WANTS TO REINTEGRATE IN THIS SOCIETY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET A JOB.

HE FORMED A CHARITY TO HELP FORMER INMATES.

YOU CAN SEE ON HIS SHIRT, UM, INMATE NO OFFENDER, NO.

SO HE, HE'S GOT HIS OWN CHARITY NOW.

HE'S HELPING LOCAL, UM, PEOPLE GET REINTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY.

SO TALKS LIKE THIS DO SO MUCH GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE HERE AND GET THEIR VOICE OUT AND IT REALLY GETS OUT, OUT TO THE WORLD.

PART OF WHY I'M SHOWING THIS IS SO YOU CAN SEE THE HILTON HEAD BRANDING ON THE STAGE.

OUR, OUR NAME IS OUT THERE ALL THE TIME.

UM, AND, UM, WHERE THEY ARE ARE LIVING ON YOUTUBE.

WHERE WAS I? SO THERE I AM IN LIFE.

AND THEN I GO DOWN HERE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, OKAY, SO, UM, SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, SIMON SINEK DID PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS TED TALKS AND THAT WAS REALLY FIND YOUR WHY.

AND, UM, I FOUND THIS ONE VERY INSPIRING BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE DON'T BUY WHAT YOU DO.

THEY BUY Y YOU DO IT.

AND WHY WE DO TED X HILTON, TED IS BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT, UM, FOR PEOPLE HERE AND I THINK FOR THE COMMUNITY.

[04:10:01]

THAT'S IT FOR ME.

QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE, SIR? SO AMBER JUST POINTED OUT THE, UH, THE FACT THAT THESE GET VIEWS ALL OVER, ALL OVER THE WORLD, UM, AND I WAS PART OF THAT FIRST TED TALK TOO.

YEAH, RIGHT.

UM, THEY GET VIEWS ALL OVER THE WORLD IS IS SIMILAR TO THE GOLF CHANNEL, UM, EXPOSURE.

UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR COLLECTIVE VIEWS ARE FOR ALL THE TED TALKS THAT YOU'VE DONE ON HILTON HEAD, BUT I ASSUME IT'S VERY HIGH.

YEAH, I ACTUALLY GOT TOO LAZY TO COUNT THEM UP, SO I ONLY COUNTED MY EVENTS BECAUSE I ORGANIZED THEM ON YOUTUBE.

THE OTHER EVENTS ARE KIND OF SPREAD OUT.

UM, THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T SEE HER.

SO I'LL HAVE TO GO IN AND DIG INTO THE OTHER EVENTS.

BUT THEY ARE, UM, AND WE'VE STARTED TO REPURPOSE THEM.

SO WE BRING OUT PRE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE, UM, UH, NOT TIME SENSITIVE.

SO THEY'RE ALL EVERGREEN CONTENT.

SO, UM, WE ESTIMATE IT'S OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR OURS BECAUSE OUR SPEAKERS, HALF OF OUR SPEAKERS AREN'T FROM HERE.

HALF OUR, THEY ALL PUT THEIR MESSAGE OUT.

YOU PROB AMBER, YOU PROBABLY EMAILED YOUR SPEECH TO MILLION PEOPLE.

SO THERE'S THAT MOVEMENT.

BUT JUST THE, THE TED NETWORK BEING ON THE TED NETWORK AND THE TED SYSTEM, UM, IS A PRETTY BIG, PRETTY BIG DEAL.

IT, IT'S GREAT.

AND ALSO, UM, THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR WHEN YOU WERE HERE, YOU SAID, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO UP TO, TO YOUR PLAN.

SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, COMMENDABLE.

LAST YEAR WE ACTUALLY GOT SOME BIGGER AMBITIONS AND SAID, WHY DON'T WE TURN THIS INTO A WEEKEND AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

AND THEN WE REALIZED THE REAL POWER IS WHAT HAPPENS ON STAGE.

SO WE RETRENCHED AND SAID, LET'S BUILD THIS INTO A SUSTAINABLE, UM, EVENT THAT WILL BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.

IF YOU, IF YOU RAISE THE MONEY, YOU WON'T ASK, ASK FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT THOUGH.

IF, IF YOU DID RAISE THE, THE 10 GRAND NOW YOU JUST WOULDN'T ASK FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT.

BIG RETAILERS, NO.

LIKE, IF WE RAISE IT, WE DON'T WANNA TAKE MONEY FROM YEAH, YEAH.

THE POT IF WE DON'T HAVE TO.

SO THIS IS, I'M CALLING IT THE, JUST IN CASE OR, OR IF YOU SAY, SAY THAT YOU RAISED YOU $5,000 SHORT ON YOUR BUDGET, THEN YOU WOULD ASK FOR THE $5,000 REIMBURSEMENT.

CORRECT.

GOTCHA.

IT COULD BE A CASE WHERE IF YOU WERE GRANTED 10,000, BUT YOU ONLY NEED THE FIVE, YOU KNOW, THE RECEIPTS WOULD JUST SAY 5,000.

HERE'S LEAD FIVE.

THINK CIVILIANS SHOULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO SOMETHING.

UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SHORT RECESS.

UH, 10 MINUTES ON THE BREAK, PLEASE.

IF WE CAN BE BACK AT, UH, 10 TILL.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND LAND TRUST.

I KNOW YOU JUST WALKED IN, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT ON TIME.

WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE TOO.

SO I'M QUEUE YOU HOW YOU DOING? THANK YOU FOR ARRIVING A LITTLE EARLY.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

NO PROBLEM.

DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT RIGHT AWAY, BUT, AND REALLY ANYTHING ON THE KEYBOARD, WE'LL PUT YOU FORWARD.

AND IF YOU NEED TO GO BACKWARDS, JUST DO THE BACK ARROW.

YOU GOT IT.

SIGNS, UH, HAVE A VERY, IT'S A VERY PEACEFUL SITE.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, INVITING ME HERE TODAY.

UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU.

UM, I'M GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LAND TRUST AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FORT HOWELL, AS WELL AS, UH, OUR PROPOSAL FOR, UH, THE GRANT.

THE LAND TRUST ITSELF WAS FOUNDED, UH, SOME 35 OR SO YEARS AGO.

UM, WE'RE A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT, ALL VOLUNTEERS.

WE HAVE A 12 MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I AM ON THE BOARD AND ABOUT 150 MEMBERS.

UH, WHAT WE DO IS WE ARE STEWARDS OF, UH, FIVE LAND TRACKS ON THE ISLAND, UH, WITH, IT'S ABOUT 300 ACRES OR SO OF, UH, EITHER CRITICAL HABITAT OR HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT LAND TRACKS.

FORT HOWELL.

HMM.

DID I GO TWICE? YEAH, THERE WE GO.

FORT HOWELL IS, UH, LOCATED RIGHT AT THE NORTH END OF THE, UH, AIRPORT RUNWAY.

IT'S ACROSS BEACH CITY ROAD.

UH, IT'S, UM, OPEN TO ALL, THERE'S A PARKING LOT THERE AND, UH, UH, AN ENTRANCE AND, UH, NO, NO CHARGES.

AND USUALLY THERE'S, UH, THERE'S NO ONE FROM THE LAND TRUST THERE UNLESS WE'RE THERE TO CLEAN UP OR SWEEP UP THE BRUSH, UH, OPEN TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GO VISIT, VISIT THE PARK, AND THEY WALK INTO THE FORT, WALK AROUND, LOOK AT THE EDUCATIONAL

[04:15:01]

IT'S QUIET, VERY NICE.

SO, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.

UM, IN ONE OF THE VERY EARLY BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR, UH, THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL SOUND, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS CAPTURED BY UNION FORCES.

IT WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW UNION VICTORIES IN 1861.

AND, UH, THEY FREED THE SLAVES THAT WERE ON THE ISLAND.

UH, AND THEN, UH, THOSE FREEDMEN AND WOMEN, UM, FORMED THE FREEDMEN'S VILLAGE OF MITCHELLVILLE IN 1862 AND 1863.

AND AS THE WAR STARTED TO NEAR ITS END IN 1864, THE UNION GARRISONS WERE, UH, SENDING TROOPS AWAY TO OTHER AREAS, UH, VIRGINIA TO FIGHT, UH, FIGHT, UH, GENERAL LEE.

AND THEY DECIDED TO BUILD A SERIES OF FORTS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, TO PROTECT THE ISLAND IN CASE THE CONFEDERATES INVADED.

UH, ONE OF THOSE FORTS WAS AT FORT, WAS FORT HOWELL, AND IT WAS BUILT TO PROTECT, UH, MITCHELLVILLE.

IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BY THE 32ND US COLORED TROOPS, UH, AND THE HUNDRED 44TH NEW YORK INFANTRY.

THE TRACT ITSELF IS ABOUT FIVE ACRES.

AND, UH, WE OF LAND TRUST, UH, ACQUIRED IT IN THE EARLY 1990S FROM THE DEVELOPERS OF, UH, PALMETTO HALL.

THOSE DEVELOPERS SAW IT AND, UH, DECIDED THAT IT WAS WORTH PRESERVING TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF US.

UH, HERE IS THE LOCATION.

YOU CAN SEE THE HISTORICAL LOCATION OF MITCHELLVILLE, UH, FORT HOWELL THERE ON THE, UH, UH, THE WESTERN END.

UM, AND THIS IS A CONCEPTION OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.

UH, THERE ARE NO RECORDS OF EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, BUT THIS IS PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTICE, OF COURSE, THE ISLAND AT THAT TIME WAS ALL PLANTATIONS.

THERE WERE VERY FEW TREES.

UH, SO WHEN THESE SOLDIERS WOULD GET UP ON THE BERMS, THEY HAD A SWEEPING VIEW OF THE WEST AND THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH.

IT WAS A VERY GOOD PLACE TO DEFEND MITCHELLVILLE.

UH, THE, THE STRUCTURE ITSELF IS, UH, OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.

WE'RE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, UH, THE PARK SERVICE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM.

AND THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUSTS CIVIL WAR DISCOVERY TRAIL.

SO, UH, UH, IT IS A, A REAL AND, UH, VERY IMPORTANT SITE.

SO WHAT, UH, WHAT DO WE DO? WE HAVE, UH, UH, A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT WE MEASURE, UH, VISITORS TO THE SITE.

UM, AND, AND I'M, I'M USING THE DEFINITIONS THAT WERE IN THE GRANT APPLICATION, TOURISTS AND VISITORS AND RESIDENTS.

SO TOURISTS, I THINK WAS BEYOND 50 MILES.

UH, VISITORS WITHIN 50 MILES, BUT NOT RESIDENTS.

AND THEN RESIDENTS, UH, WE HAVE TWO, TWO WAYS.

WE MEASURE FOLKS THAT COME TO VISIT THE SITE.

UH, WE HAVE AN OPTICAL BEAM COUNTER LOCATED RIGHT NEAR THE ENTRANCE PATH.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE AN ONSITE LOGBOOK.

AND THE LOGBOOK IS, IS WHAT YOU SEE PICTURED THERE.

UH, THE BEAM COUNTER ITSELF OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAS, UH, HAS COUNTED 6,700.

SO, SO ON, UH, 6,700, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO THE SITE.

AND THAT THE WAY THE BEAM COUNTER WORKS IS IF TWO PEOPLE ARE WALKING SIDE BY SIDE, OR THREE PEOPLE ARE WALKING SIDE BY SIDE, THAT THAT COUNTS AS ONE.

IT DOESN'T COUNT THEM, COUNT THEM ALL.

SO THAT'S WHY, UH, WHEN I PUT THIS TOGETHER, I SAID THAT WAS A MINIMUM, ACTUALLY.

IT'S MORE THAN THAT.

AND THEN FOLKS, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY TAKE THE LOG BOOK OUTTA THAT LITTLE BOX AND THEY WRITE COMMENTS, UH, OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE COMMENTS.

AND, UM, I WOULD SAY BASED ON THE COUNTS, ABOUT 10% OF THE PEOPLE THAT VISIT THE SITE WILL MAKE AN ENTRY INTO THE LOGBOOK AND USE USING THAT INFORMATION.

UH, WE CAME UP WITH THOSE PERCENTAGES, 92% TOURISTS.

UM, WE, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER.

SO WE WANT GOING FORWARD TO MAKE THE FORT A BETTER PLACE FOR TOURISTS, A BETTER PLACE FOR PEOPLE SEEKING HISTORICAL INFORMATION, UH, A BETTER PLACE FOR FOR VISITORS TO COME AND SPEND TIME AND LEARN ABOUT FORT HOWELL, HOW IT RELATES TO MITCHELLVILLE, UH, AND, AND, AND THOSE HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIPS, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT HISTORICAL SITE.

SO, SO WE'VE BEEN GETTING AT

[04:20:01]

TAX GRANTS FOR SOME YEARS FROM THE TOWN.

AND, UH, SINCE 2020, WE'VE GOTTEN FOUR GRANTS.

UH, WE, UH, WE COMPLETE, AND I'LL SHOW YOU A MAP AND A, A SLIDE OR TWO, BUT WE, UM, COMPLETED THE PERIMETER PATHWAY.

THERE'S A PATHWAY AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE FORT, AND THAT PATHWAY HAS BEEN CLEARED AND, AND, UH, UM, UH, FILLED IN WITH, UM, UH, CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.

SO THERE'S A, AN A, A CLEAR PATHWAY AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE FORT.

THE FORT.

WE'VE DONE PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, LAST YEAR WE PUT A NEW ENTRANCE SIGN.

UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY, AS WE SPEAK, DOING A SURVEY OF THE INTERIOR OF THE FORT TO SUPPORT, DESIGN AND PERMITTING.

UH, SO WE'VE, I THINK WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD, UH, JOB WITH THE GRANT MONEY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, USING IT TO, TO GOOD EFFECT TO MAKE, UH, TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.

THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT, THAT'S THE SIGN THAT WAS JUST INSTALLED ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, THAT'S THE INTERIOR OF THE FORT.

THAT'S WHERE THE SURVEY IS OCCURRING, UH, RIGHT NOW.

UM, WHAT, WHAT HAVE WE DONE WITH THE MONEY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US? AGAIN, I THINK WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB.

UH, UH, IN 2022, I THINK WE DELAYED THE EXPENDITURE OF SOME FUNDS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO FINISH OUR MASTER PLAN, WHICH WE HAVE NOW FINISHED.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES.

UH, THIS YEAR, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, USING, UM, UH, ALMOST ALL OF THE FUNDS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.

SO I THINK WE'VE, UH, USED THE FUNDS RESPONSIBLY.

WE'VE ADVANCED THE, UH, THE, THE PURPOSE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHICH IS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE FORT.

AND, UH, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

SO IN 2025, THE, UH, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE GRANT REQUEST IS TO SUPPORT DESIGN AND PERMITTING FOR THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED.

UH, THAT'S ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE FUNDS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.

IN ADDITION, TREE AND SHRUB CONTROL, SOME PUBLICITY AND MARKETING AND SOME TRASH HAULING.

UM, HERE IS THE PLAN.

AND, UH, THIS, THIS MASTER PLAN WAS DONE UNDER A STATE GRANT.

UH, IT WAS DONE, UH, BY WOODEN PARTNERS.

AND, UH, IF, IF YOU CAN SEE JUST AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE FORD IS THAT PERIMETER PATHWAY THAT'S COMPLETE.

SO THAT'S ALREADY THERE.

AND THEN THE PATHWAY LEADING TO THE PARKING LOT IS THERE, BUT IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S, IT'S, RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST DIRT AND ALL OF THE PATHWAY, THE PATHWAY IN THE INTERIOR OF THE FORT IS JUST THE ONE DOWN THE CENTER.

THERE'S NOTHING TO EITHER THE EAST OR THE WEST.

AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO CREATE, UH, A SITE THAT CAN BE USED BY HISTORICAL, HISTORICAL PEOPLE THAT ARE HISTORY BUFFS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE CIVIL WAR, UH, AS WELL AS JUST CASUAL TOURISTS THAT WANT TO COME SEE AN INTERESTING SITE.

WE WANT TO ADD WATTS OF EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE, UH, AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE FORT WITH EDUCATIONAL SIGNS AND BENCHES WHERE PEOPLE CAN HOLD, WHERE WE CAN HOLD, UM, UM, UH, ESSENTIALLY SESSIONS FOR, FOR VISITING GROUPS, UH, AS WELL AS A, A, A SMALL AREA WHERE PEOPLE CAN WALK UP ONTO THE TOP OF THE BERM AND IMAGINE WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO A SOLDIER WHO WAS THERE IN 1864 MANNING ONE OF THE CANNON.

UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT HE, WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE SEEN LOOKING OUT, UH, OVER THE FIELDS.

UH, AND, AND WE THINK THAT MAKING THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL MAKE THE, THE WHOLE SITE MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE TO VISITORS TO NOT ONLY THE ISLAND, BUT ALSO PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN CIVIL WAR HISTORY.

SO THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE REQUEST IS.

MOST OF THE REQUEST IS TO TAKE US TO THE NEXT STEP, WHICH IS GETTING OUR PERMITS FROM THE TOWN AND DOING, THERE NEEDS TO BE A SMALL AMOUNT OF DESIGN, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE BRIDGE, OVER THE MOAT.

AND, UH, SOME OF THE ACCESS WAYS, UP THE SLOPES.

WE NEED TO SEE IF WE NEED TO PUT STAIRS IN WHERE WE NEED TO PUT RAILINGS.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DESIGN THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS WELL.

UH, ONE OTHER THING TO MENTION HERE IS THAT THE ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN HAS A RESTROOM.

WE ARE DEFERRING THAT TO THE FUTURE.

THAT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE ITEM.

AND WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING THAT OFF FOR NOW.

SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE DESIGN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE DOES NOT INCLUDE THE RESTROOM.

UH, JUST WANTED TO MENTION THE TREE AND THE SHRUB CONTROL, THAT PILE OF BRUSH IS, UH, WHAT HURRICANE HELENE CAUSED.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE THREE DOWN TREES.

SO BECAUSE

[04:25:01]

THE, THE SITE IS SO HEAVILY TREE, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A CONSTANT ISSUE.

UH, WE'RE CONSTANTLY NEEDING TO, TO CLEAN UP.

AND WHAT WE DO IS WE GET OUR MEMBERS TO COME OUT FOR A WORK SESSION.

YOU KNOW, I SEND OUT AN EMAIL AND THEN HALF A DOZEN OR MORE FOLKS SHOW UP, AND WE SPEND A COUPLE OF HOURS OUT AT THE SITE.

WE DRAG THE STUFF TO A, YOU KNOW, A CENTRAL LOCATION, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR LANDSCAPER PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT AWAY.

BUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY.

WE GET FOLKS THAT JUST ARE INTERESTED IN HISTORY AND BE AN OUTDOORS TO COME AND PARTICIPATE.

AND, UH, AND THEY ALL REALLY LOVE IT.

UH, THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR PUBLICITY AND MARKETING, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GET A BROCHURE THAT WE CAN PLACE IN HOTEL LOBBIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE HOTEL LOBBIES HAVE ALL THESE BROCHURES THAT FOLKS LOOK AT AND GEE, WHAT SHOULD WE DO TODAY? OR MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE CLOUDY OUT, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO TO THE BEACH, SO, OH, LOOK AT THIS, THERE'S A CIVIL WAR SITE.

WE WANT TO DO THAT AS WELL.

SO HERE'S THE, UH, THE REQUEST.

AS I SAID, MOST OF IT IS, UM, TO THE DESIGN AND PERMITTING ABOUT THREE FOURTHS OF IT.

UH, AND THEN SOME, SOME OTHER, SOME OTHER AMOUNTS FOR THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

AND I, I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IMPORTANCE TO US IS WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE INTERIOR OF THE FORT, MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND MORE WELL KNOWN, SO THAT FOLKS WILL, UM, FOLKS WILL BE, UH, INTERESTED IN NOT ONLY COMING TO THE FORT, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY COME TO THE ISLAND, THEY'RE COMING TO THE ISLAND TO GO TO THE BEACH, TO GO TO THE FORT, TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HISTORY.

AND, AND IT'S A, IT'LL BE A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.

SO WE'RE, WE ARE THINKING, OUR, OUR THINKING IS THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS THAT COME TO VISIT THE FORT, UH, OVER THAT ALMOST 7,000 THAT WE, UH, THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY LOGGING AND THEREFORE INCREASE THE TOURISM TO THE ISLAND.

AND, UH, SO WE SEE A DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FORT AND INCREASING THE TOURISM TO THE ISLAND.

SO I DIDN'T WANNA, DON'T WANT TO DRONE ON TOO, TOO, UH, TOO LONG, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS A VERY LONG DAY AND YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY CROSS-EYED WITH HAVING SEEN ALL THESE PRESENTATIONS.

SO WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

QUESTION FROM THE COMMITTEE, UM, WITH MOST OF YOUR MONEY THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN FROM ATAC DEDICATED TOWARD THE PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS, WHAT IS IT THAT IS ATTRACTING 6,700 PEOPLE, UM, INTO, INTO THE FACILITY? I THINK FROM, BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WE SEE IN THE LOGBOOK, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THAT AND, UH, TAKING PEOPLE AROUND, AS I'VE DONE SEVERAL TIMES, UH, I, I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR, THEY PRIMARILY COME TO GO TO THE BEACH, RIGHT? THAT'S, WE KNOW THAT THAT'S TRUE.

UH, BUT, BUT THEY'RE HERE FOR A WEEK.

SOME ARE HERE FOR LONGER, UH, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER THINGS TO DO.

YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY DAY IS PERFECT WEATHER.

AND WHENEVER IT'S CLOUDY, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS GET ANTSY OR, OR, OR, OR EVEN IF, EVEN IF IT'S JUST ADULTS, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE ON THE ISLAND THAT, THAT THEY CAN DO.

AND ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY INTEREST IN HISTORY FINDS THIS PLACE FASCINATING, BECAUSE YOU WALK IN AND YOU CAN SEE THE BERMS. I MEAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN WALK INTO THE MIDDLE, YOU CAN SEE THE BERMS, YOU CAN SEE MOUNDS WHERE THERE ARE OLD MAGAZINES WHERE THEY KEPT THE MUNITIONS.

UH, WE HAVE SIGNS THAT DESCRIBE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE.

IT USED TO BE 25 FEET HIGH AND THAT SORT OF THING.

UH, AND, AND, AND FOLKS WALK AROUND AND THEY WALK AROUND THE INSIDE, THEY WALK AROUND THE OUTSIDE, WOW, THIS IS REALLY COOL.

AND IT'S ALSO A VERY NICE PLACE.

YOU KNOW, IT IS HEAVILY TREED NOW, AND THERE'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S QUIET EXCEPT WHEN AN AIR, AN AIRCRAFT IS TAKING OFF.

UH, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S, IT'S QUIET AND, AND IT'S A, IT'S A NICE CALM PLACE.

IT'S, IT'S, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME SERENITY.

IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WALK AROUND.

THE PATH AROUND THE OUTSIDE IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE LONG.

AND, UH, SO YOU COULD TAKE UP, IT'S NOT A LONG WALK.

YOU CAN TAKE A NICE WALK OUTSIDE, WALK INSIDE, READ THE, READ THE HISTORY, GET A LITTLE CIVIL WAR HISTORY, AND SEE HOW REAL THESE THINGS ARE.

IT MAKES IT MORE REAL.

SO I THINK, I THINK PEOPLE ARE, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER THINGS TO DO ON THE ISLAND OTHER THAN EAT, DRINK, AND GO TO THE, GO TO THE BEACH.

NO, I THINK I MEANT IT AS A COMPLIMENT THAT YOU'RE SPENDING NEXT TO NOTHING IN THE MARKETING SIDE AND YOU'RE ATTRACTING 6,700 PEOPLE.

SO THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS NOT STATISTICALLY SURE, BUT A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THEM ARE NEW VISITORS, VERY HIGH.

DO YOU HAVE A SENSE WHETHER THE DEGREE TO WHICH THESE ARE REPEAT FOLKS OR DISCREET ONE-OFF? BOY, I, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, THEY ARE, I MEAN, THIS WOULD BE ANECDOTAL,

[04:30:01]

I, I, YOU KNOW, 80, 85, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UH, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WHEN THEY COME IN, IF, IF I'M THERE, IF WE'RE THERE DOING THE BRUSH CLEANUP.

AND, AND THAT DAY ABOUT 15 PEOPLE CAME IN, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON.

AND, AND, AND THEY WERE ALL FROM OUTTA STATE AND THEY HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.

AND THEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU, YOU'LL COME ACROSS, OH YEAH, I WAS HERE FIVE YEARS AGO, AND GOD, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, UH, CLEANING UP THE BRUSH SORT OF THING.

BUT THAT'S NOT VERY OFTEN.

DO YOU ALL TRACK, DO Y'ALL TRACK THE HITS ON YOUR WEBSITE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEBSITE? YES, WE DO.

UM, HOWEVER, SO, UH, AS I MENTIONED IN THE GRANT APPLICATION, UM, THIS YEAR WE HAD THE, THE WEBCAM FOR THE GREAT HO HORNED OWL FAMILY.

AND, UM, PROBABLY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, BETWEEN, BETWEEN THAT AND THEN WE HAD SOME EAGLES THERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE'VE PROBABLY HAD CLOSE TO 2 MILLION HITS ON THE WEBSITE.

BUT IT'S MORE BECAUSE OF THE WEBCAM, YOU KNOW, THE, WE CALL IT THE RAPTOR CAM, WHERE WE HAVE A, A CAMERA OVER THOSE NESTS.

SO I THINK PEOPLE MAY LOOK AT THAT AND THEN THEY MAY GO VISIT THE FORT HOWELL PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE WE HAVE A GREAT VIDEO.

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN IT, BUT, UM, WITH SOME, WITH SOME HISTORY.

BUT MY GUESS IS THE, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT COME TO THE WEBSITE ARE COMING BECAUSE OF THE RAPTOR CAM.

IT'S GOOD, BEEN GREAT TO WATCH THE IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AT THE FACILITY, INCLUDING THE NEW SIGN.

I, I NOTICED IT LAST WEEK DRIVING BY.

I WAS LIKE, LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S A NEW SIGN.

SO IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD.

DID IT? YEAH.

THANKS FOR THE LOVE THAT GOES INTO IT.

I MEAN, THAT, THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY, THAT PARCEL TELLS SUCH A GREAT STORY.

NOT ONLY THE HISTORY OF THE ISLAND, BUT AS OUR NATION AS WELL, FIRST FREEMAN'S LAND.

SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE LOVE THAT GOES INTO IT AND CLEANING UP ALL THAT DEBRIS.

THE PATH IS FANTASTIC AROUND THE PERIMETER AS WELL.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST HAS THAT STRAIGHT ONE THROUGH IT, SO.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE? I HAVE MORE UP.

JOHN, DO YOU HAVE PROPERTY? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, WE DO.

UM, UH, WE DON'T HAVE SCHEDULED TOURS, BUT IF ANYBODY GETS IN TOUCH WITH US, AND, UH, TYPICALLY THEY'LL GET, I DON'T KNOW IF GEORGE, THERE'S GEORGE, GEORGE BONINO IS OUR PRESIDENT.

TYPICALLY THEY'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH GEORGE AND UH, AND THEN ONE OF US WILL GIVE A GUIDED TOUR.

UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL SAY, OH, WE HAVE A TOUR COMING ON SATURDAY AT TWO.

CAN YOU KNOW, ONE OF YOU MAKE IT? AND THEN ONE OF US WILL SAY, OH YEAH, WE'LL MAKE IT.

AND BY APPOINTMENT.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YES, SIR.

NEXT UP WILL BE SHELTER COVE HARBOR COMPANY.

LOUD, FO IT'S GOING GREAT.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? GOOD, GOOD.

YEAH, I TURN THE VOLUME COMPLETELY OFF.

DID YOU? UM, FOR THAT OTHER ONE, SO I'LL MAKE SURE IT'S UP.

OH, OKAY.

DO YOU HAVE IT? YOU KNOW WHAT TO PUT IT ON? I DO.

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

UM, THE STAGE IS YOURS.

THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE.

UM, JUST TO, I KNOW, SO I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE, BUT I'M KAREN 'CAUSE I'M CHECK.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AT PALMETTO DUNES AND AT SHELTER COVE HARBOR AND MARINA.

AND LET'S JUST GET THIS SORT OF THING GOING.

UM, I THINK LAST YEAR I SHARED A LOT WITH THAT, THAT THIS YEAR'S WAS AND HAS BEEN OUR 35TH YEAR OF DOING THE HARBOR FEST EVENT ON THE ISLAND.

UM, IT IS THE LARGEST AND ONLY MULTI-WEEK EVENT IN THE WHOLE ISLAND THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THIS, THIS LONG.

UM, CERTAINLY A BIG EVENT.

WE HAVE TONS OF FAMILIES OVER THE YEARS, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THAT.

AS I FLIP THROUGH ALL THIS, UM, IS JUST A, ONE OF THE FEATURES WE HAD THIS YEAR, UH, CELEBRATING THE 35TH YEAR LOCALLY IN CH TWO.

UM, THIS HAD AN ART, AN ARTICLE FEATURING A LOT IN TERMS OF THE VARIOUS BUSINESSES AND THE IMPACTS THAT THIS EVENT MAKES FOR THE WHOLE SUMMER FOR MANY BUSINESSES ON THE ISLAND.

UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE CROWDS HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY SINCE THE PANDEMIC, IT'S JUST BEEN LIKE DOUBLE AND TRIPLE TRAFFIC, UH, COUNTS

[04:35:01]

AND IT'S REALLY BECOME, UH, PRETTY HUGE FAMILY TRADITION FOR TONS OF FAMILIES, WHICH, UM, MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED AS WELL.

UM, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, SLIDE HERE SHOWS WE DID, UH, HAD A COMMEMORATIVE POSTER MADE, UH, DESIGNED AND PAINTED BY MARY FERRIS.

UH, MANY OF YOU MAY PROBABLY KNOW HIM FROM SCAD AND OTHER, UH, FESTIVALS THAT HE DOES, LIKE THE SIFU FESTIVAL AND OTHER GRAPHICS.

SO WE, UM, MADE BANNERS AND PUT THEM AROUND THE HARBOR AND HAD THE COMMEMORATIVE POSTERS, UM, DONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A SUPER GREAT GRAPHIC AND IT WAS FUN REALLY FOR THE WHOLE, UM, THE WHOLE JUST SPRUCE IT UP, THE WHOLE LOOK EVERYWHERE AROUND THERE AND GAVE AWAY, UM, SOME OF THE POSTERS, CERTAINLY TO OUR SPONSORS.

IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED, I'LL MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO YOU AS WELL.

UM, IN, UH, JUST A QUICK LITTLE REVIEW OF THIS PAST YEAR.

LIKE I MENTIONED, THE 35TH YEAR, UM, WE HAD 12 SHOWS.

UM, NEVER HAVE WE HAD TO CANCEL THE SHOW, BUT WE DID THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE TROPICAL STORM IN THE EARLY PART OF AUGUST THERE, I THINK IT WAS AUGUST 6TH.

UM, SO WE WERE, UM, JUST 'CAUSE EVERYTHING WAS SHUT DOWN FOR THREE DAYS.

WE, WE DIDN'T, UH, HA WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THE SHOW.

UM, WE EXPERIENCED THIS YEAR A 40% INCREASE IN, UM, FIREWORKS COSTS.

I THINK MOST OF YOU GUYS PROBABLY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT COSTS HAVE GONE UP EVERYWHERE.

THIS IS JUST A LITTLE, UH, QUICK VIDEO OF THE SHOW AT, UM, JULY 4TH THIS PAST YEAR, AND PRETTY CLOSE THERE OUT TO THE BARGE, UM, ON THE WATER THAT WAS SHOT FROM INSIDE THE MARINE AT ONE OF OUR DOCKS.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE, UH, CLEARLY FOR OUR JULY 4TH RECAP, WE HAD, UM, UH, AN INTENSE AMOUNT.

I MEAN, I THINK THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN MORE, BUT THIS, THIS YEAR WAS, WE WERE, YOU KNOW, FROM BUFORT COUNTY AND THE ESTIMATES THAT WE GOT ON TRAFFIC, IT WAS LIKE NEARLY 30,000 PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE BASIN AROUND LIKE BROAD CREEK, CROSS BROAD CREEK, UH, PEOPLE EVERYWHERE FOR, FORGET OUR SHOW.

MOSTLY, I THINK IT, IT WAS INCREASED BECAUSE THERE'S NO NORTH END SHOW ANYMORE.

THE, UH, HUDSON STOPPED DOING THEIR SHOW IN 2020 AND THEY PROBABLY WON'T EVER BRING THAT BACK.

SO WE'RE, UH, WE'RE THE, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND ACCESSIBLE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO WE, WE SEE THE, THE, UH, INCREASE IN TRAFFIC, UH, DEFINITELY ON JULY 4TH.

UM, TALKED ABOUT THE CROWDS.

WE AGAIN DID THE SHUTTLES.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THE JULY 4TH SHUTTLES, I THINK IT'S 12 YEARS NOW.

UM, WE'VE TRANSPORTED THIS YEAR AND IT'S GONE UP EVERY YEAR.

'CAUSE I THINK PEOPLE GET USED TO THE, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THEM AND THEY'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, EASY TO, TO PARK AND GET IN AND OUT.

AND, UM, WE, WE MOVED OVER 3000 PEOPLE, UH, AFTER THE SHOW.

AND THE, IT'S ALL CALM IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THEN AFTER THE SHOW, EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET, GET BACK TO THEIR CAR.

SO, UH, WE INCREASED OUR BUSES THIS YEAR.

WE INCREASED THE STAFFING, UM, AND WE TRANSPORTED SAFELY THESE 3000 PEOPLE BACK TO THEIR PARKING AREAS IN 50 MINUTES.

SO, UH, IT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY CRAZY.

BUT AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE, SO YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE IT, UM, HAVE IT DOWN.

UM, THE ONE CHALLENGE WE HAD FOR JULY 4TH IS, UM, PEOPLE WERE PARKING ON 2 78 AND THAT WAS LIKE, IT HAPPENED LIKE THAT, LIKE SOMEBODY PARKED ONE CAR AND THEN THEY STARTED, AND, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS IN THE AREA, BUT IT WAS LIKE ALMOST THEY COULDN'T STOP IT.

AND IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE CONCERNED BY, I DIDN'T SEE IT.

I HEARD ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS 'CAUSE WE'RE DOING OUR THING MORE INLAND.

BUT IT WAS A, IT WAS A BIG CONCERN.

AND I THINK NEXT YEAR BEFORE WHEN WE, WE DO THIS, WHEN WE MEET WITH BUFORT COUNTY, THE TEAM THERE, WE ARE GONNA NEED TO HAVE LIKE SERIOUS COMMITMENT FROM THEM TO HAVE OFFICERS THERE.

I MEAN, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR EXTRA OFFICERS.

WE WILL, IF, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE IT HAS TO BE PART OF THEIR COMMAND.

LIKE THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.

'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S SO DARK OUT THERE THAT IT'S, IT REALLY IS PEOPLE RETURNING TO THEIR CARS AND YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THEM.

SO JUST BRINGING THAT UP AS A, AS A CONCERN.

'CAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SORT OF POPPED UP.

UM, CERTAINLY

[04:40:01]

UNPLANNED ON OUR PART.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE SUPPORT WE GET FROM THE VARIOUS SPONSORS HERE, THE HOTELS, UH, THE TOWN.

UM, JUST THE WHOLE SUPPORT AND IT, IT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT AND IT'S PRETTY, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND FOR SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS, UH, WE REDID THE UPDATED OUR RESEARCH IN 2023 THROUGH USCB.

UH, WE'VE DONE FOUR FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS.

WE'VE DONE RESEARCH EVERY THREE YEARS.

SO WE WERE A LITTLE BIT, UM, BEHIND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE WAY THAT HIT.

AND, UH, SO WE WERE ABLE TO, TO REDO IT WITH A TEAM AT USCB IN 2023.

UM, 78% OF THE ATTENDEES LIVED MORE, MORE THAN 50 MILES AWAY, 8%.

SO THEY WERE TOUR THE TOURIST CATEGORY, 8% LIVE, UM, LESS THAN 50 MILES.

SO THE VISITOR CATEGORY.

AND THEN 14% WERE HILTON HEAD, UH, ISLAND RESIDENTS, UH, FOR THAT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK I, WHEN LAST YEAR, I, I GAVE YOU GUYS THE PROBABLY MAYBE THE, THIS DATA FIRST, BUT 605 PEOPLE WERE THE TOTAL SAMPLE.

WE DID 150, UH, INTERCEPT SURVEYS OVER FOUR DIFFERENT WEEKS IN JULY.

SO IT WAS THE HEAVIEST, UH, TYPE OF TRAFFIC WE GET IN THE WHOLE YEAR HERE ON THE ISLAND.

UM, 92% OF THE ATTENDEES STAYED IN LODGING.

THAT GENERATES A TAX FUNDING.

UM, SOME OF THESE WILL HAVE A COMPARISON TO 2018, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, ON THERE.

UM, 74% SAID HARBOR FEST WAS VERY INFLUENTIAL WHEN THEY WERE PLANNING THEIR TRIP.

THAT WAS A BIG JUMP FROM THE 2028 NUMBER 52 WERE FIRST TIME ATTENDEES.

AGAIN, A BIG INCREASE FROM 20 20, 20 18 BEING ONLY 40%, 80%.

UM, I GUESS I'M CLICKING NOT AS FAST AS I'M TALKING.

80% INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD RETURN, UH, AGAIN, A SLIGHT INCREASE OVER THE, THE PREVIOUS SURVEY.

90% SAY THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THE EVENT TO THEIR FRIENDS AND 61% EARN, UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE ANNUALLY.

UM, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, THE, THE CUSTOMERS THAT WE'RE GETTING, IT'S THE SUMMER BEACH CROWD.

IT'S A GREAT TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR STAFF TO HELP PUT THESE EVENTS ON.

AGAIN, THIS BEING OUR 35TH, IT WAS PRETTY BIG MILESTONE FOR IT TO BE SUCH A CONSISTENT EVENT.

UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST SOME OTHER COMMENTS THAT WE VIEW HARBOR FEST AS ONE OF THE SIGNATURE EVENTS ON THE ISLAND, UH, THAT HIGHLY INFLUENCES PEOPLE, UM, AND FAMILIES TO COME HERE.

WE HEAR A LOT FROM THE HOTELS.

WE, I'VE ALREADY HAD REQUESTS FOR WHAT'S THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR, AND, UH, I USUALLY WAIT TILL AFTER AT TAX, UH, FUNDING AND ALL THAT SO THAT WE PUT THE DATES OUT BASED ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT WE, UH, WE, WE POSSIBLY ARE ABLE TO GET.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHEDULE, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, PRE PANDEMIC AND WENT BACK 15 YEARS AGO WHEN THE RECESSION.

AND SO 16 YEARS AGO WE HAD REDUCED THE NUMBER OF SHOWS AND AS, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS AND EVERYTHING WAS GROWING, WE'VE ADDED MORE SHOWS.

SO WE'RE UP TO BACK UP TO 12.

WE'VE BEEN DOWN AS LOW AS EIGHT, NINE, I THINK WHEN I GOT HERE WHERE THERE WAS 13 AND NOW WE'RE AT 12.

SO, UH, IT'S GROWN UP AND DOWN AS THE, AS THE ECONOMY IS ALLOWED.

UM, AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST BEEN, WE'RE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR.

OUR INCREASE IN OUR, UH, UH, APPLICATION, UM, IS LITERALLY TO HELP PAY FOR THE INCREASES WE'VE HAD TO ABSORB WITH IT.

AND IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT AN ENDLESS STREAM OF MONEY, THAT'S FOR SURE, BUT IT'S TAKEN A LOT MORE, UH, TO DO THESE EVENTS ALL AROUND, NOT JUST JULY 4TH, BUT ALL AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT CONTINUES TO BRING IN FAMILIES THAT STAY HERE A WEEK OR MORE.

UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN OUR, OUR RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT DIGITAL AND, AND, UH, REALLY REMARKETING ANY OF THE HOTELS, ANY OF THE RENTAL COMPANIES, UH, PEOPLE THAT REMARKET TO BRING CUSTOMERS BACK.

UM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HIGHLY INFLUENCED BY THE KIND OF VISITS THAT THEY'VE HAD HERE OVER THE YEARS.

UM, EVEN SPECIFICALLY TO THE LAST RESEARCH THERE WAS TELLING US WHERE MORE PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM VARIOUS STATES, OHIO, KENTUCKY, INDIANA, AND EVEN MORE INTERNATIONALLY.

SO THAT WAS,

[04:45:01]

UM, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, MORE SURPRISING TO SEE THE INTERNATIONAL SIDE THAN THE THE REGIONAL SIDE.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR, AGAIN, PLANNING TO DO IT FOR 36 YEARS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I'LL STAY HERE DOING THESE THINGS, BUT , IT'S, IT, UH, CAN WEAR YOU OUT PRETTY, PRETTY HOT THOSE WEEKS.

UM, SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

WE HAVE A, A LITTLE VIDEO HERE THAT, UH, WE HOPE YOU ENJOY.

WE'RE THE TOLO FAMILY AND WE'VE BEEN COMING FOR 25 YEARS NOW.

I'M FROM WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, CALIFORNIA.

WE'RE FROM CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

I AM FROM GREENWOOD, SOUTH CAROLINA.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

YES, GEORGIA.

GOOD STUFF.

I'M FROM ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

WE'RE FROM MICHIGAN.

I'M COMING HERE MY WHOLE LIFE.

SO IT'S BEEN GENERATION AFTER GENERATION AFTER GENERATION, 32 YEARS, SEVEN FOR THEM, 36.

I'VE BEEN COMING HILL ON THAT ISLAND FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW MY WHOLE LIFE.

AND THEN WE'VE BEEN BRINGING OUR FAMILY UP SINCE THEY WERE BORN.

ABOUT WHAT? SEVEN? SEVEN, LITTLE OVER 30.

SO WE'VE BEEN COMING DOWN MY, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM PENNSYLVANIA, SO WE'VE BEEN COMING DOWN.

THIS IS OUR FAMILY VACATION.

IT FEELS GREAT TO WATCH MY PARENTS SO HAPPY SEEING MY KIDS HERE, ENJOYING IT, THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, MY SISTER'S KIDS, AND MY BROTHER'S KIDS.

IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

MY HUSBAND'S BEEN COMING DOWN FOR 39 YEARS SINCE HE'S BEEN BORN.

UH, I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, SO I'VE BEEN COMING SINCE I WAS A CHILD.

SO VERY LONG TIME.

BUT WE'VE BEEN BRINGING THEM FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.

BEEN COMING DOWN HERE TO SHELTER COVE FOR 4TH OF JULY FOR YEARS NOW.

SO WE WANTED TO KEEP THE TRADITION GOING.

NOW I'M HERE WITH MY 3-YEAR-OLD.

MY FAVORITE THING IS DEFINITELY THE ATMOSPHERE, THE EXPERIENCE WITH ALL THE FAMILIES, THE KIDS.

I HAVE A DAUGHTER MYSELF.

SHE'S FIVE YEARS OLD.

BEING ABLE TO SEE THE FIREWORKS IS THE BEST THING.

WHEN SHE SEES IT, SHE GOES CRAZY.

WE LOVE FIREWORKS.

YOUR FAVORITE PART OF TONIGHT? UM, I, WE LIKE TO WATCH THE FIREWORKS FROM OUR POOL DECK.

WE ACTUALLY BOOKED A BOATING TRIP.

WE'RE GONNA GO OUT CRABBING AND THEN SEE FIREWORKS ON THE BOAT.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED JUST NOW.

WE NEED TO SHARE WITH OUR GRANDCHILDREN.

I'M SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE MY KIDS WHAT I HAD GROWING UP.

FIREWORK FIREWORKS ARE GREAT.

WE STAY EVERY YEAR.

WE COME EVERY TUESDAY WHEN WE'RE NOW.

UM, I JUST LIKE, I'M COMING HERE AND LIKE I'LL HANG OUT WITH MY FAMILY.

I'M LIKE, THE BEST PART IS I'M SEEING HIM AGAIN AND GETTING OUT AHEAD AGAIN.

UH, THE FIREWORKS, THESE GUYS LOVE FIREWORKS.

SO WE HAVE SUCH SPECIAL MEMORIES.

THANK.

SO THAT'S IT.

ANY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OPEN UP FOR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE.

QUESTIONS.

CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING IT THROUGH 35 YEARS.

UH, I REMEMBER GOING BACK TO MY EARLY SUMMERS HERE ON HILTON WHEN I WAS BARTENDING DOWN IN KAGEY.

AND THE ONLY THING I NEED TO TELL PEOPLE BEING FROM KENTUCKY, IS ON TUESDAYS YOU GO SEE FIREWORKS, RIGHT? LIKE , WHAT TIME DOES THAT SHOW START? SO, UH, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MANY YEARS.

UM, SO ANY, ANY QUESTIONS THERE? 18.

I GOT 18 IN, SO I'M HALFWAY THERE.

THANK YOU GUYS.

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST OF OUR HEARINGS, WE HAVE THE HARBORTOWN, MERCHANTS AND ASSOCIATION.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO.

I'VE GOT, IF IT WORKS, IT WORKS.

I JUST PUT IT IN, UM, PRESENTATION MODE.

MM-HMM, .

SO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR NOTES HERE.

BUT THEN THE SLIDESHOW, YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON THAT ASKED THIS.

NO, I ABSOLUTELY YOU DO IT.

UM, THAT'S GREAT.

SO THERE WE GO.

SO YOU CAN SEE, AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

ENTER THROUGH.

YOU CAN USE A CLICKER IF YOU WANT.

I CAN USE ENTER AND THEN BACK, JUST BACK.

YOU'RE ALL SET.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[04:50:05]

GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR TWO FULL DAYS AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT.

I KNOW YOU'RE ANXIOUS TO GET OUTTA HERE.

I'LL BE SHORT AND SWEET.

UM, MY NAME IS ROB BENDER.

I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARBOR TOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, WHICH REPRESENTS THE VARIOUS BUSINESSES IN HARBORTOWN, OUR RESTAURANTS, OUR SHOPS, OUR DINING, OUR WATER SPORTS, AND OTHER BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT HARBORTOWN.

REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.

AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR 2024 FIREWORKS EVENT ON JULY 4TH.

WE'VE HOSTED THIS EVENT FOR DECADES AND IT IS ONE OF TWO SHOWS ON THE ISLAND ALONG WITH KAREN.

UH, WE START THE DAY WITH A BICYCLE PARADE IN HARBORTOWN.

WE HAVE A FEW HUNDRED FAMILIES THAT PARTICIPATE WITH THAT PARADE AROUND HARBORTOWN.

ONE OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS IS ONE OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS JUDGES AS WELL FOR THAT.

UM, WE HAVE A CARNIVAL THAT FOLLOWS THAT.

AND THEN WE START THE EVENING WITH GREG RUSSELL.

THIS WILL BE HIS 48TH SUMMER COMING UP NEXT SUMMER IN A ROW, AND WE'RE PLEASED TO SAY HE WILL BE BACK AGAIN NEXT SUMMER.

AND THEN WE CAP IT OFF WITH OUR FIREWORKS CELEBRATION AS WELL.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FALCON FIREWORKS, SAME VENDOR AS KAREN FOR DECADES, AND WE HAVE A, A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND THEY PUT ON A, A GREAT SHOW.

WE DID A SURVEY LAST YEAR AND WE PLAN TO DO OUR SURVEY EVERY OTHER YEAR.

SO THIS IS SOME DATA FROM LAST YEAR.

UH, I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT YEAR OVER YEAR.

UH, AGE, UH, 30 26% WERE AGED 35 TO 44 ZIP CODES BASED ON THE ZIP CODE DATA WE COLLECTED.

88% ARE TOURISTS, 8% RESIDENTS, 4% VISITORS, 50% WERE THEIR FIRST TIME ATTENDING AND 40% HAD BEEN HIT FIVE PLUS TIMES.

MOST PEOPLE ARE REPEAT 55% OF THOSE 10 PLUS TIMES.

MOST PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR THE WEEK.

THEY'RE STAYING IN A RENTED HOME.

VILLA CONDO TIMESHARE, 68% ARE STAYING IN SEA PINES.

68% WAS INFLUENTIAL.

THE 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS FOR THEIR VACATION.

MOST PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR A VACATION.

86% POSITIVE RESPONSE.

AS I SAID, WE PLAN TO CONDUCT A FOLLOW UP SURVEY NEXT YEAR TO CONTINUE THIS DATA.

AS FAR AS ATTENDANCE GOES, WE UH, MEASURE OUR ATTENDANCE THROUGH OUR VARIOUS PARKING LOTS, OUR SHUTTLES, WHICH WE HAVE MOTOR COACH BUSES.

WE HAVE 13 MOTOR MOTOR COACH BUSES THAT RUN FROM THE REMOTE LOTS IN SEA PINES.

THERE'S ALSO AN INNER RESORT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WITH THE TROLLEYS THAT RUNS.

AND THEN THERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE WALK AND BICYCLE THAT ARE STAYING IN THE AREA.

WE CALCULATE ABOUT 9,400 ATTENDEES THAT ARE IN THE MARINA AND ALONG THE GOLF COURSE VIEWING THE FIREWORKS, THAT'S AN APPROXIMATELY 12% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

OUR 2025 BUDGETED EXPENSES, UH, ARE $78,000.

THIS IS A SLIGHT INCREASE.

AGAIN, THIS IS BUDGETED THIS AS 7% INCREASE FROM WHAT OUR ACTUALS WERE THIS YEAR.

THE BULK OF THAT BEING THE FIREWORKS OF THE BARGE AND THE BUSES THAT PROVIDE THE TRANSPORTATION FOR 2025.

WE HUMBLY REQUEST $29,000, WHICH IS THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WAS AWARDED FOR 2024 AND 2023.

SO WE'VE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH OUR GRANT REQUEST IN SPITE OF INCREASE IN EXPENSES.

HOW IS THAT FUNDED? $29,000 THROUGH THE ATEX MONEY.

IF SO, GRANTED, CSA, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSOCIATES CONTRIBUTE 6,500 SOUTH BEACH MARINA, 3,500, THE HARBORTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, 20,000 AND THE SEA PINES RESORT APPROXIMATELY $20,000 AS WELL.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM OUR GUEST SURVEY.

I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THESE.

THEY'RE ALL OBVIOUSLY VERY POSITIVE.

PEOPLE PLAN THEIR VACATIONS AROUND IT.

CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR.

ALL VERY POSITIVE.

AND AGAIN, WE'LL UPDATE THAT WITH NEXT YEAR.

I TOLD YOU I WOULDN'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

I THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, SHANNON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE TOWN AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

YOU KNOW, WITH, ON THAT SURVEY IT SAYS 70 SO PERCENT PEOPLE CONSIDER FIREWORKS AS PART OF THEIR REASONING FOR PICKING.

I I WOULD THINK AS BUSY AS THIS ISLAND IS IN 4TH OF JULY, IF YOU'RE PICKING A VACATION, THE HILTON HEAD ON 4TH OF JULY, YOU'RE GONNA GO SEE FIREWORKS SOMEWHERE.

AND YEAH, WE HAVE TWO SHOWS THAT HAPPEN AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE TWO.

SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO, UH, TO HELP DISPERSE, UM, WHERE THOSE FOLKS ARE GATHERING.

WE NEED AT LEAST TWO SHOWS.

YEAH, FOR SURE.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.

SO THANKS FOR THAT.

UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? OKAY, CONGRATULATIONS.

[04:55:01]

YEAH, THANK YOU.

I'M THE BUDGET INFORMATION THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED, I'M NOT SURE IT WAS IN THE SUBMISSION THAT WAS GIVEN TO SHENA.

WE LOOKED AT THE APPLICATION AND ACCORDING TO THE TOWN'S ESTIMATES, THERE MAY ONLY BE $15,000 THAT'S ELIGIBLE.

SO COULD YOU GET TOGETHER OR HAVE SOMEONE GET TOGETHER WITH SHENA? ABSOLUTELY.

WE, WE IN THE PAST HAVE SUPPORTED IT AND I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM AND IT DOES THE RIGHT THINGS.

WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET YOU WHAT YOU THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

THAT CONCLUDES THE HEARING OF THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE, UH, 20 24, 20 25 ACCOMMODATION TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON THE TODAY'S AGENDA, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYONE SIGN UP? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

UH, TODAY, UH, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DISCUSS TODAY BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? JUST A REMINDER, OUR NEXT MEETING IS NOVEMBER 7TH AT 9:00 AM ALRIGHT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WAS CORRECT.