HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-02-14 MemorandumTO: KENAI MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: RICKY GEASE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KENAI CVB
DATE: February 14, 2003
RE: UPDATE FOR THE KENAI CVB AND
THE KENA1 VISITORS AND CULTURAL CENTER
I will be on vacation during February 19 February 25 and will not be able to come to the
Kenai City Council meeting on February 19. Attached to this executive director's report
are the minutes for the Kenai CVB Board of Directors meeting on January 27 and the one
page summary of the Kenai CVB Board of Directors strategic planning meeting. Also
attached are the budget and notes for 2003 calendar year approved by the Kenai CVB
Board of Directors at their January 27 meeting and the actual budget for 2002.
The budget approved by the Kenai CVB Board of Directors is a status quo budget in
regards to expenses, and the request for the management contract to operate the Kenai
Visitors and Cultural Center remains at the 2002 level.
Kenai CVB:
The Kenai CVB board met on Monday, January 27 and held a strategic planning meeting on
Tuesday, February 4.
This year is the first time we have prepared the budget in a cost centered fund accounting format,
which separates costs into the three programs areas of Kenai CVB, Kenai Visitors and Cultural
Center Visitor Services and KVCC Museum Services. Also separated out are the administrative
costs, fundraising and indirect costs.
For the calendar year (CY) 2002, the total budget for the Kenai Visitors and Cultural
Center was $263,000 ($43,000 for maintenance /utilities and $220,000 for operations) with
5116,000 (44 from the city of Kenai and $147,000 (56 from the Kenai CVB. Of the
$263,000, 5104,000 (40 went to visitor services and $159,000 (60 went to museum
services. In CY 2002 operational expenses for the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center were
$220,000, and the city's management fee and admin expenses of $73,100 covered one -third
(33 of those costs.
In CY 2002, the Kenai CVB ran a projected budget deficit of $22,000 to operate the Kenai
Visitors and Cultural Center, which fortunately was offset by a larger than expected
gaming revenue in 2002. However, as noted in the 2003 budget notes, the gaming bump
seen in 2001 and 2002 is largely a result of the large CIRI dividend payout in 2001, and the
projection for gaming revenue in 2003 is a return to the five -year average range between
$100,000 to 5120,000 (revenue projects through mid February show us on track for
$100,000).
For CY 2002, the total budget for the Kenai CVB was $365,000: $263,000 to operate the
Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center, $91,000 to be a destination marketing organization for
the Kenai CVB membership and the city of Kenai, and $11,000 to cover gaming expenses.
The Kenai CVB Board of Directors recognizes the serious budget deficits facing the city of
Kenai at this time and also the inherent difficulties in funding public facilities. Two long -term
strategies for additional sources of revenue have been identified: 1) establishment of borough
wide visitor assessment fees and 2) establishment of a new 501 (c 3 to support regional
museum services.
The establishment of borough -wide visitor assessment fees is being discussed on a regional basis
by the visitor industry. The fees would service three areas of funding need: 1) destination
marketing, 2) funding for public facilities used by visitors, and 3) funding for tourism
infrastructure on the peninsula. There is a public forum on this issue March 7 at the Kenai
Visitors and Cultural Center.
The establishment of a new 501 (c 3, the Kenai River Museum Association, will provide a
non -profit avenue of support for museum services in the central Kenai Peninsula. The goal of
the regional organization is to provide funding support and strategic planning towards the long-
term goal of permanent museum services in our community. Regional interests include the cities
of Kenai and Soldotna, Kenai. Peninsula College, Kenaitze Indian Tribe, Kenai Peninsula
Borough, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Cook Inlet Tribal Council. We will be working
over the course of the next year to set up the organization and identify short-teuu and long -term
strategic goals. One short -term goal in the 2003 budget is to have the organization raise $15,000
for fundraising for the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center, to cover the expected shortfall in
Kenai CVB gaming revenues.
Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center:
The Kenai Peninsula Winter Quilt Exhibition and Wearable Art Show are on display through the
end of February. Also on display is a photography exhibition by Jayne Jones, the new
photography teacher at Kenai Peninsula College.
Plans are well underway for the major summer art exhibition "Alaska 2003: A Celebration of
Wildlife Art" which features 40 master wildlife artists and 80 original paintings. The show will
also have a memorial exhibit for Fred Machetanz. The grand opening reception for the event is
Saturday, May 3. The show runs from May 1 through September 6.
The center is wrapping up a three year project that has computerized the permanent museum
collection database. Dana Woodard has worked on the project since the fall of 2000. Some
3,500 objects are catalogued in the city of Kenai's permanent museum collection. A copy of the
database will be provided to Larry Semmens by project end in June.
The annual central peninsula Writer's Night is scheduled for Thursday, March 6. This is a
fundraising event for both the Kenai Community Library and the Kenai Visitors and Cultural
Center.
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2003 BUDGET NOTES
The budget is being presented in a cost- centered fund accounting foil tat. This format
accommodates current non- profit laws regarding individual program data and fundraising
disbursements. Each program is listed separately, with ,Kenai. CVB, Kenai Visitors and
Cultural Center Visitor Services and KVCC Museum Services. Administrative, fundraising,
and indirect cost data are also listed separately and allocated to the appropriate programs.
Administrative and indirect costs are allocated after direct expenses to be included in total
expenses for each program. Fundraising income has then been distributed to each of the
programs that have a negative net income. Our contract with the city of Kenai mandates that
income from them be used specifically for KVCC. Therefore, the revenue and indirect costs
associated with the City of Kenai are allocated to the two KVCC programs.
The specific programs are broken out as follows:
Kenai CVB Membership and Destination Marketing
KVCC Visitor Services Visitor Services, Retail, and Meeting Rentals
KVCC Museum Services Exhibits, Permanent Collection, and Events /Programs
Administrative expenses were allocated as follows: 30% to Kenai CVB and 35% each to
KVCC Visitor Services and KVCC Museum Services programs. Administrative salary
covers the executive director, the office manager and communications manager (30% of
Jay's salary).
We are proposing a status quo budget for 2003 in relationship to expenses. There are some
changes in revenue and very few changes in expenses. Revenue increases are reflected in
membership and retail. We have gone to an annual billing for membership. Our goal for
2003 is 170 paying members at $150 each. We plan to have about a 5% increase in retail,
which is consistent with our past growth. We anticipate that the 501.(c) 3 would hold a cash
raffle event that would net $15,000 by selling 300 tickets at $100 each. This would generate
$30,000 in revenue allowing for $15,000 in prizes and expenses.
Fundraising revenue for 2003 is targeted at the five year historic average of $120,000. To
comply with new gaming regulations, the Peninsula Oilers and the Kenai CVB have formed
a new Multi Beneficiary Permit called Old Town Bingo. We used to run our gaming
operations on W and F, while the Oilers ran on M, T, and Th. We agreed for this year to a
60 40 split based on three days/ two days; however, we may see a decrease in overall
fundraising as F nights are usually the best night of the week (but that can always change due
to local competition and the nights they choose to run gaming). As of mid- February, we are
projecting revenues to be at the $100,000 level for Kenai CVB in 2003, so we have to
monitor 2003 closely. In 2002, we budgeted $120,000 for gaming and had projected a
$20,000 shortfall in revenue. Fortunately, gaming exceeded expectations in 2002 and just
covered the projected shortfall. The major CIRI dividend distribution in 2001 gave that year
a significant bump, and to a lesser extent, 2002. We expect 2003 to return to the pre -2001
yearly averages for gaming, which were in the range of $100,000 to $120,000 of net revenue.
KCVB PLANNING WORKSHOP 2 -3 -03
Core Purpose Core Value
Building community (core purpose)
Quality information (core value)
Issues
The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center is an
asset to the area
The KVCC serves as a conduit for new
thought by people in the area and the state
The Central Kenai Peninsula has immediate
access to the best activities
We are a conduit for economic development
We help provide long term stability in the
industry
Additional funding sources must be identified
and tapped
We must continue to encourage development
in the Kenai area
We must define where we are and where we
want to go
Who are we /What do we do
Serve
Educate
Outreach
Facilitate
Promote
Lifestyle
"In reach" (bringing people into Kenai and
KVCC)
Manage information database on a wide
variety of topics
A membership organization
A caretaker for artifacts and people's
memories
Big Hairy Audacious goals BHAGs) that
were not redefined
Every travel and tourist business as members
Expand the KVCC's museum, visitor and
meeting facilities
Develop destination marketing program that
makes all local businesses desire to be a member
Develop improved long term funding
mechanisms
Expand cultural center to include
comprehensive local history museum
Health benefits for members and employees
Conduct a member survey
Build membership
Create organization committed to strategic
planning at all levels, with benchmarks and
evaluation built in to all projects
Expand on our position of having the dominant
website for the Kenai Peninsula visitor industry
Have Kenai known as great travel destination,
and not just for fishing
(Short -term Hairy Audacious Goals (SHAGs)
not redefined
Develop cutting edge W W W site that supports
tourism, fishing and the arts
Provide computer based kiosks so people can
explore our member services
Develop strategies for attracting new members
Long range plan for bed tax to fund visitor
infrastructure
Develop sustainable eamed income revenue
through website advertising
Sustainable 501 c (3) corporation to fund
museum
Enhance member services (business,
educational services)
Institute information gathering process to meet
future needs
Develop major winter event to attract visitors
BHAGs Final
Have every travel and tourist business in the
Kenai area becomes a member
Be the Smithsonian of the North
Have the best destination marketing program
in Alaska
SHAGs final
Develop sustainable revenue stream through a
501c3 arm of the KCVB to enhance fundraising
abilities
Develop cutting edge World Wide Web
presence that supports tourism, fishing and the
arts
Have computer -based kiosks featuring
visitkenai.com at airport, visitors center and
anywhere else appropriate to allow visitors easy
access to our member and activity database
Continue to expand the number and quality of
the member services we offer
Develop a plan for a borough -wide bed tax to
fund the visitor industry and help communities
pay to maintain infrastructure used by visitors.
TO: KENAI MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: RICKY GEASE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KENAI CVB
DATE: May 16, 2003
RE: UPDATE FOR THE KENAI CVB AND
THE KENAI VISITORS AND CULTURAL CENTER
Kenai CVB:
The state of Alaska has decided to raise the tax rate on charitable gaming from 3% to 15
starting July 1, 2003. This will mean approximately an additional $12 18,000 loss in revenue
to the Kenai CVB. Charitable gaming is really down this year; for the first quarter of 03, there
were $18,000 in revenues instead of the projected $30,000. If this forecast holds true, there will
be a projected deficit of $40,000 from charitable gaming; coupled with the loss from the contract
with the city of Kenai, the Kenai CVB will be looking at a deficit which will require a significant
withdrawal of savings to cover. The Kenai CVB is currently looking at areas to reduce expenses
and ways to increase earned income. However, these efforts most likely will not cover the net
losses for this year.
With declining revenues from the city of Kenai general fund and decreasing revenues from
charitable gaming, the Kenai CVB and the city of Kenai need to work together to find a stable,
public funding mechanism from visitor taxes this year. Betty Glick on the Borough assembly is
working on getting a borough -wide bed tax proposal on the 03 fall ballot. I would request that
the city of Kenai assign a council member or city manager to work with Betty Glick and myself
to ensure that we can work through the issues that need addressing.
Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center:
The grand opening reception for the summer art exhibition "Alaska 2003: A Celebration of
Wildlife Art" on Saturday, May 3 was very successful, with over 800 people from Kenai, the
peninsula and Anchorage in attendance. There has been a lot of positive feedback from the local
community on both the reception and the art exhibition. The grand opening reception is financed
through the generous support of corporate sponsors: ConocoPhillips, ERA Aviation, Paul Gray's
Exploring Alaska, and HEA.
Over 20 local school groups and 1,200 school children have gone through the arts education
program. Debbie Harris of the school district has been leading the arts education program and
has done an excellent job in working up a fun and educational arts curriculum for the school
community. Through the summer, watch for Paul Gray's Exploring Alaska show which features
Mayor Williams welcoming people to Kenai to see our great town and the summer art exhibition.
The 30 minute episode for the show will appear three times over the course of the summer, and
there will be forty 30- second ads appearing on Anchorage television during that time.
"Amber Eyes" by Terry Isaac has been chosen as the piece of artwork purchased through the
ConocoPhillips sponsorship, which will go into the city's contemporary art collection. The value
of the purchase is $1,800.