Tourism Taskforce

[we vs us]

So I'm on the tourism committee of the metro chamber's One Voice campaign. In case you're not familiar, the One Voice campaign is essentially the brainstorming process whereby chamber members generate and set priorities for the Chamber's lobbying sessions in OKC and in Washington. There are other committees out there:  healthcare, transportation, economic development, etc, but because of what I do I'm on tourism.

We had our first meeting this week, and it was pretty dry and didn't get a whole lot of good ideas out on the table.  So I thought i'd see if our forum had some good ideas that needed to be addressed. What I'm looking for are tourism ideas that can be specifically addressed on the state or federal level (not local, unless they have a state or federal component).  So, for instance, everyone at the first meeting agreed that we need a downtown shuttle system, but couldn't really find a way to make that a state or fed issue. So it won't get on the list.  However, funding the OK Pop museum would need state/federal support, so that WILL make the list. 

What else needs doing around here?

[Conan71]

But if the shuttle were electric powered, CNG, or a "light rail" that would fall under the sort of energy reduction the federal gov't is trying to enact. 

Not to rain on the parade but I've got seriously mixed emotions of going to the feds for anything additional right now until the deficit spending and a debt reduction plan are firmly in place.

Pre-emptively speaking: "But if we don't lobby for those funds then someone else will" isn't a good excuse to further deficit spending.

[we vs us]

Pre-emptively speaking: "But if we don't lobby for those funds then someone else will" isn't a good excuse to further deficit spending.

I like the CNG angle; that might help out tremendously.

Unfortunately, a lone city taking a stand against budgetary shenanigans will fail utterly.  Both to change the system and to address the needs of its people.  I get the objection, but IMO it's not an issue that we can have any sort of effect on. Fed budget stuff has to be done by the feds.

[Conan71]

I like the CNG angle; that might help out tremendously.

Unfortunately, a lone city taking a stand against budgetary shenanigans will fail utterly.  Both to change the system and to address the needs of its people.  I get the objection, but IMO it's not an issue that we can have any sort of effect on. Fed budget stuff has to be done by the feds.

It only takes one to start.  Just like the argument that one Congressman or Senator with integrity can't change the entire politiscape in Washington, it's still a start. 

Back on topic...

[custosnox]

Getting a rail hub in the state, even a small one, would go a long ways to tieing the communities together as well as to areas outside of the state. It would also be a tremendous boost if we stopped building new turnpikes and let the existing ones finally pay themselves off and phase out.

[Conan71]

Speaking of rail, Councilor Westcott was quoted on KRMG this morning wanting to try and get the Heartland Flyer extended to Tulsa.  Here's a print article I was able to find.  Westcott claims a 3.5:1 ROI.

"It returns about three and a half dollars in economic development for every dollar that the state spends on it.  So in my opinion that's a great 12 year record that shows why passenger rail should be extended to Tulsa as well."
Westcott says there has been progress in the Legislature on the subject.  He says a bill was passed during the last session to set up a public/private task force to look at extending service to Tulsa.  "I do think now that our legislators, especially out Tulsa delegation, understand exactly what passenger rail could mean to Tulsa."

http://www.krmg.com/news/news/local/passenger-rail-service-celebrates-birthday-oklahom/nCxDL/

There's you a state or regional issue, Wevus.

[DTowner]

I get Conan's point, but asking isn't the same thing as getting.  In addition to the Okla. Pop Musem, a priority should be for federal or state monies to make use of the intermodal bridge we are building over the Ark. river makes a great deal of sense.  I'm just not sure that falls under the tourism banner.

Anything to help enhance Tulsa International airport and attract more direct flights to cities on either coast

[rdj]

Has the Chamber been successful in passing for the large event tax credit?  I know that was on the agenda in the past but I couldn't recall if it had passed.

I would suggest you look at wine & beer laws.  How does that affect tourism?  Perception, we are still seen as a backwards state.  Agri-tourism & Eco-tourism also continue to be buzz industries.  You could find some allies in the Oklahoma wineries.

[AquaMan]

Has the Chamber been successful in passing for the large event tax credit?  I know that was on the agenda in the past but I couldn't recall if it had passed.

I would suggest you look at wine & beer laws.  How does that affect tourism?  Perception, we are still seen as a backwards state.  Agri-tourism & Eco-tourism also continue to be buzz industries.  You could find some allies in the Oklahoma wineries.

Could you elaborate on the large event tax credit? And yes, the wine/beer laws are silly but I doubt they do much to inhibit tourism. People find a way to enjoy their sins.

[we vs us]

He may be talking about the Quality Events Act, which allows a portion of the sales tax generated from a qualifying event to be given back in the form of a rebate.  It helps address the problem of bid fees, which larger citywide events demand (usually in the 10s of thousands of dollars) but which many localities can't front.  Specific to OK, really only OKC and Tulsa would need to put up a bid fee of any consequence -- and maybe Norman for a sporting event, but that would be rare.  I don't know their budget, but judging from their convention calendar, OKC doesn't have any problem fronting some of those fees for significant national and regional meetings.  Tulsa, however, doesn't have ANY money for those fees and so the business goes elsewhere. 

BTW thanks for the suggestions so far.  There are some good ones that aren't necessarily hard-focused on tourism but which address major local concern of a general nature.  Which, IMO, is better anyway. 

[rdj]

Could you elaborate on the large event tax credit? And yes, the wine/beer laws are silly but I doubt they do much to inhibit tourism. People find a way to enjoy their sins.

I wasn't saying to lobby for changes because tourists will drink booze while they are, I was saying the perception is bad.  If a place has seen as a bunch of backwards hicks then they won't come visit.

[rdj]

He may be talking about the Quality Events Act, which allows a portion of the sales tax generated from a qualifying event to be given back in the form of a rebate.  It helps address the problem of bid fees, which larger citywide events demand (usually in the 10s of thousands of dollars) but which many localities can't front.  Specific to OK, really only OKC and Tulsa would need to put up a bid fee of any consequence -- and maybe Norman for a sporting event, but that would be rare.  I don't know their budget, but judging from their convention calendar, OKC doesn't have any problem fronting some of those fees for significant national and regional meetings.  Tulsa, however, doesn't have ANY money for those fees and so the business goes elsewhere. 

BTW thanks for the suggestions so far.  There are some good ones that aren't necessarily hard-focused on tourism but which address major local concern of a general nature.  Which, IMO, is better anyway. 

Yes, this is what I was referring to.  Did this pass?

[we vs us]

Yes, this is what I was referring to.  Did this pass?

Yes, last year.  I don't know the ins and outs, though . . . and whether it happened in time for the NCAA to get a cut or not.

[TheArtist]

  Ok, this one is very important to me, especially since I am eyeball deep in trying to create a museum here in Tulsa, a tourist destination here in Tulsa.


 I will send you an e-mail with contact information to someone who is in the lead with trying to create a Museum Coalition/ Foundation here in Tulsa.  Think of it as kind of like the Tulsa Foundation but with the sole purpose of supporting the different Museum efforts.

 We had our first meeting last month.  Representatives from Philbrook, Gilcrease, Energy America, the Cains Museum, Oklahoma Pop, the Childrens Museum, Fiddler museum and Hall of Fame, John Hope Franklin Reconcilliation park, Arts and Humanities Councils new museum, the Tulsa Art Deco Museum, Jazz Hall of Fame, and others were there.

 Many examples were given showing how all of us working together could do far more than only doing things seperately.  Advertising for example.  This Coalition/Foundation could be far more effective at marketing Tulsa and each of its museums than say the Tulsa Art Deco Museum could do all by itself. The Tulsa Art Deco Museum simply couldn't afford to market nationally for instance.

 One of the things that was also talked about was funding.  With all these new museums vying for funding from local, state, and federal sources, and the usual large donors in town,,, well, we wouldn't have that One Voice your talking about.  If however there was one large Foundation that the money could go into, then for example, the Foundation could say... in 2014 this museum will get x amount of dollars, start getting your museum plans laid out for that time, before then this other museum will get this, then this other will get this... etc. (though I have found out that we are last on the list to get anything lol) Plus the foundation could watch over the money and help it grow, and perhaps also divy up some funding to help maintain and operate the museums.  The "One Voice", could go to all the big donors, including the state and make a case for the foundation, for all the museums, versus each little  museum project going to the state and fighting for a share.  Also there was mention of perhaps some sort of dedicated tax or portion of an already existing tax that could help contribute to the foundation. Lots of different types of potential funding, but all going into one large supporting Foundation.  Remember the Tulsa Foundation is the largest foundation of its type in the US, even bigger than its counterparts in places like NYC.  It does a lot for Tulsa even when belts are tightened in economic downturns like we are in now.

Now honestly I am a little wary cause I don't think they are taking us seriously or think we will be able to do anything, for I must admit we are a little unconventional in our approach lol ( but won't we suprise them   ). When they made the presentation, the Tulsa Art Deco museum wasn't even on the list. But at least we got invited to the meeting so thats something lol.  And I would prefer to get by on not having any city or state funding and get by on private donations and sales,,, but if that in the end doesn't pan out, well, I will keep my foot in the door just in case.  But regardless, even if we don't get any funding, I believe the Coalition and Foundation would be to everyones benefit.

The more museums there are, the more of a destination Tulsa becomes, and that will only help our museum effort as well.  Being able to buy say a weekend museum pass that will let you go to all the museums downtown and in other parts of the city, would only help us.  Having brochures from every museum in each museum, helps us all.  Having items related to each museum, in each museums gift shop helps us all. Being able to promote all the museums together in national TV, and magazine ads would help us all.  Occasionally coordinating special shows and events to create an even bigger event (example: Gilcrease and the new Philbrook museum downtown doing a western show of some type then also the Childrens Museum doing something educational on that topic, then the Fiddler Hall of Fame and Cains doing some musical performance to go with the show, the Tulsa Art Deco Museum doing, say, a "prarie/western style deco" show, etc.) would make a bigger event and draw than each one of us always doing something completely different.  Imagine if the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, Philbrook, and the Tulsa Art Deco Museum had done a coorinated "American Streamline" showing, with the Cains and the Jazz Hall of Fame doing music from the era, and we had one discount ticket to them all and had promoted it regionally, as another for instance.    


So in conclusion.... lol

I would like to see either, or both, a Museum Coalition Fund to coordinate shows and promotions/advertising, and or a Museum Foundation to help create and support all these museums.

If you want to get funding for the Oklahoma Pop only, well even that museum would do better if there were others nearby.  But perhaps you could also ask for some funding along with that to start the Foundation and help with joint promotions and advertising and coordinating shows.  

I have other ideas as well but this is already one loooong post.

[LandArchPoke]

This doesn't really have anything to do about lobbying, but I think Tulsa has done a horrible job at branding it's self.

I would like to see something like Austin's "Live Music Capital" or Branson (yes branson) "Live Entertainment Capital" or Vegas "Sin City" "What happens here, stays here"

The Chamber really need to focus on what makes Tulsa a great place for a young professional or young family to move here, and then go out and market especially to regional colleges. There really is a severe lack of diversity in the education of the workforce in Tulsa. It's pretty much all OSU/OU grads with TU/ORU/NSU and very little out of state schools. Tulsa has great aspects that I think people overlook because they really don't know about them, especially recent college grads. They are more bent on getting to somewhere like Austin because it's all they ever hear about when they could get a similar experience for the most part in Tulsa. The city always talks about how they want to retain college grads once they graduate from area colleges, the easiest way to do that is to make the city and region appealing to people from OUTSIDE Tulsa. The biggest reason a lot of my friends left wasn't because they didn't have opportunities in the city, they wanted to go somewhere that has the influx of people from other places and in Tulsa it's just people moving back from OSU/OU. This is the key that no one seems to focus on and it one of the biggest reasons why this state loses the "best and brightest" from the region. They are focusing on the small problem when they could look at the bigger picture and while going after the "big picture" they can fix the small problem at the same time, instead they're ramming their heads against the wall wondering why we are still not getting anywhere.

The Chamber should focus on diversity issues, might be able to lobby for issues with that regard not really sure what though. I would like the see the city branded as a diverse city where everyone can find their niche from having one of the largest Octoberfest's, Mayfest is a huge arts festival (goes hand in hand with a very strong arts community), a large GLBT population, the historic "Black Wallstreet", and others. It is well known what Tulsa has to offer to people in Oklahoma but once you cross the borders the education on Tulsa drops dramatically.