ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES

May 22, 2017

The Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee meeting of May 22, 2017, was called to order by the Committee Chair, Sue Ingram. A quorum of the members attended the meeting. Other Committee members attending were: Randall Buck, Joe Pontuti and Ron Schildge.

Chairman Ingram introduced John Wells, who is the Town Council liaison to the Committee. Councilman Wells explained the need for the Committee and their responsibilities as well as how the State Accommodations Tax is divided once the Town receives a check.

Chair of the Committee, Sue Ingram, asked representatives for the organizations requesting Accommodations Tax funds for 2018 to begin their presentations.

  • Todd Gerhart, President of the Bohicket Merchant’s Association, presented a request for theKick-It At Bohicket event that will be held each Tuesday from May 29 to August 28th, 2018, and also November 23, 2018. Kick-It At Bohicket is a free, family oriented evening that will include music by a DJ, a photo booth, a face painter, games and a balloon artist. The total estimated cost for the event for 2018 to the Association is estimated to be $26,150. Valet parking will also be available from this weekend through Labor Day. Advertising of the event will be done in The Seabrooker and The Island Connection. Request is fora $17,000 contribution.
  • April Gorsky, representing Bohicket Marketplace & Marina, presented a request for:
  • 2018 Billfish Tournament Sponsorship that would include a customized packet for the Town similar to the 2017 packet. All promotional items would include the Town of Seabrook Island and/or website information. The kickoff and captain’s meeting will be held at the Seabrook Island Club. This year, Seabrook Island was the first stop for the Billfish Tournament, which is a series of five tournaments. There were 29 boats participating in 2017 compared to 19 the year before. Bohicket Marina broke State records with 20 Blue Marlins being caught on the first day and 12 on the second day of the tournament. Request is for an $8,000 contribution.
  • Parking detail and security patrols conducted by Charleston County Sheriff’s deputies during the Tournament and other high traffic weekends. Requestis for a $4,200 contribution.
  • Repairs and renovations to two kiosks located in breezeways at the Marina. The kiosks contain information literature about the Town and the Marina. Requestis for a $1,000 contribution.
  • Two large horizontal message boards to be placed on each end of the Marina that would contain information promoting the eco systems of the Seabrook Island area. Requestis fora $2,000 contribution.
  • Susan Leggett, Tournament Chair, and Mike Kaiser, Tournament Director, presented a request on behalf of the 2018 Alan Fleming Senior Clay Court State Championship. The Tournament was established in 1981 and has become one of the most popular events on the southern senior tournament schedule. It attracts more than 250 top players from more than 20 states. The Tournament is designated as a Senior Clay Court State Championship Tournament as well as National Championship for 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s mixed doubles. Competitors range from 35 to 80, men and women who compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. The Tournament exposes the players and their guests to the pleasures of visiting and living on Seabrook Island. The majority of the players stay on Seabrook Island for at least three nights and they patronize local shops and restaurants. If the Town is a Presenting Sponsor, this would be advertised in Tournament publications, displayed on the sponsor banner at the Racquet Club for a year, through website linkages with the Tournament and the Town would get special recognition at the Tournament Banquet. Mike Kaiser added that additional money is being requested this year in order to enhance player experience and offset costs that continue to go up. The cost of food for the player banquets continues to go up. The cost for referees has increased because the number of referees needed, because of the National level, has increased from two to five. Also, a better quality of merchandise can be used for player favors. Susan Leggett added that local sponsors and volunteers are what make such a tournament possible. Request is fora $10,000 contribution.

Councilman Wells introduced Melanie Mathos, a representative of the Lou Hammond Group, who handles the Town’s advertising/PR efforts. Councilman Wells had asked Lou Hammond Group to give a presentation at the meeting so that the Committee was aware of how much of the Town’s budget for PR/advertising is coming from State Accommodations Tax in 2017 and how it is being spent. Ms. Mathos explained that Lou Hammond Group handles the advertising and public relations efforts for the Town, the Club and the Property Owners Association but separate strategies and billing are maintained for each. Ms. Mathos stated that their marketing plan for the Town is targeted primarily toward the 50-65 year old age group, from NC, SC and GA, with Atlanta and Charlotte being the primary markets. Their campaign for Seabrook Island is that it is just the right community – just the right size with just the right amount of activity. A new ad that features horseback riders and a map of the area, showing how near Seabrook Island is to Charleston, was included in the presentation. The picture of the horseback riders in the ad will be changed during the year to showcase other amenities such as golf and the beach. An ad in the Charleston Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Visitor Guide that is already in print will be billed in June for $9,600. The remainder of the Town’s advertising budget will be spent for:

  • 2/3 page in NC and GA editions of Southern Livingat a cost of $15,342 that will reach an audience of 485,000
  • A custom package in The Charlotte ObserverSouthPark Magazineat a cost of $23,151 that will reach 1.9 million
  • Full page ads in Southbound, an Atlanta travel publication, will run Fall/Winer 2017 and Spring/Summer 2018 at a cost of $9,873 and will reach 142,096
  • A custom package with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution at a cost of $38,171 that will reach 2.3 million

Councilman Wells explained that primarily the advertising efforts of Lou Hammond Group, described above, will be paid from State Accommodations Tax in 2017. Other paymentsfor their retainer and website maintenance will be paid from County Accommodations Tax and, as budgeted, from the General Fund. No action was taken on the presentation as it was given for information purposes only.

The presenters were excused so that the Committee could determine recommendations to be made to Town Council

Ron Schildge moved to recommend a contribution of $17,000 for Kick-It At Bohicket for 2018. The motion was seconded by Randall Buck and the vote to approve was unanimous.

Each request made by Bohicket Marina was considered separately. Joe Pontuti moved to recommend a contribution of $8,000 for the 2018 Billfish Tournament. Ron Schildge seconded the motion and the vote to approve was unanimous. Ron Schildge moved to recommend a contribution of $4,200 for parking details and security patrols by Charleston County Sheriff’s deputies during prime tourist visitation, as stated in the Marina’s request. Joe Pontuti seconded the motion and the vote to approve was unanimous. The request for $1,000 to upkeep kiosks at the Marina was tabled until the Town Clerk could determine if the request for building the kiosks came before the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee or if it was a Town Council expenditure. Ron Schildge moved to deny recommending the $2,000 expenditure for two horizontal message boards to be placed at the Marina. Randall Buck seconded the motion and the vote to deny the request was unanimous.

Randall Buck moved to recommend a contribution of $10,000 for the 2018 Alan Fleming Senior Clay Court State Championship Tournament. Ron Schildge seconded the motion and the vote to approve was unanimous.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Faye Allbritton, Town Clerk