[4. SIGNATURE SEASONS FRAMEWORK INITIATIVE WORKSHOP]
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IT WAS THE CELEBRATION FOR OF THE CITY. I THINK WE LOST THAT IN THE LAST 30 YEARS. WHEN I MOVED IN '87 IT WAS A BIG DEAL.
AND IT WAS STILL A BIG DEAL FROM WHAT I'M SEEING A HUNDRED YEARS AGO FROM WHEN IT STARTED.
I LIKE THE SPANISH FEEL OF SEPTEMBER. THE ONE THAT I'M SEEING THAT'S KIND OF CONFUSING TO ME AND BROAD TO ME AND I WANT TO GET THE EXPLANATION, THE AMERICAN LEGACY, I LIKE THE BLACK HISTOY SIDE. WE HAVE THE BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM FROM THE STATE, THE WOMEN'S SIDE BUT I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S THE TAG LINE THAT I'M NOT GETTING.
>> MY ORIGINAL THOUGHT ON THAT ONE AND THEN SEEING OUT LOUD, GOT IT, CONFUSED.
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MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS IT'S OBVIOUSLY NATURAL AFTER WE END NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TO MOVE RIGHT INTO BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT AND Y'ALL CAN SPEAK MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE HERE AND WE ALREADY HAVE ONE THE FORD MOSAIS BUT WE CAN BUILD UPON THAT BUT I WAS HAVING IN MY ORIGINAL THOUGHT RUNNING THROUGH MARCH AND MARCH IS WOMEN'S MONTH AND RIGHT NOW IN ABU DABI THERE'S THE TOP 50 WOMEN ARE RECOGNIZED IN THE WORLD AND I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN ST. AGUSTIN WHERE WE RECOGNIZE THE TOP 50 WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES AND MAYBE DO SOMETHING IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME MAJOR PLAYERS, MAYBE GOING OUT TO THE GATES FOUNDATION OR SOMETHING OR ONE OF THOSE HEAVY HITTERS AND SEE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING AND SO IT BROADEN THAT HERITAGE. IT PROBABLY HAS THE WRONG NAME.>> LIKE I SAID, I LIKE THE CONCEPT OF IT. I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE TAG LINE ATTACHED TO IT. THE OTHER CONCERN, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAD IS OBVIOUSLY THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPS IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST EVENTS. A LOT OF THIS IS ST. AGUSTIN FOCUSED AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING A BROAD INCLUDING THE BEACHES, INCLUDING PONA VIDRA AND NOT ALL OF THIS SEEMS TO REACH OUT TO THAT PORTION OF IT SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COMPONENT THAT CAN EITHER LIKE ONE COMPONENT FOCUS ON THE BEACH AND ONE COMPONENT FOCUS ON PONA VIDRA AND, YOU KNOW, THIS PLAYS OUT VERY WELL WH FOR WHERE OUR HOTELS ARE LOCATED AND I THINK WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT 35PUNA VIDRA. LIKE I SAID, IT'S A WORKING PROGRESS. WE ARE GOING TO THIS IN ON GUANA STATE PARK, ON WATER.
I'M LOOKING AT IT 10,000 FEET IF I WAS GOING THE BUILD THE CREST OF ST. JOHN'S COUNTY WHAT ARE THE SIX ELEMENTS THAT I WOULD INCORPORATE FROM A TOURISM PERSPECIVE AND THOSE ELEMENTS ARE MUSIC, LIGHTS, ART, OUTDOORS HER DAMAGE, HISTORY, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND SO I THINK OUR SIX SEASONS NEED TO INCORPORATE THAT CREST IN EVERYTHING WE DO BECOME SYNERGISTIC AND I THINK THAT WAS A COOL PLACE, WHY DON'T I CREATE 500 NEW JOBS IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY BECAUSE I THINK HOW THEY ARE DOING IT IS REALLY COOL. AUSTIN WAS A LITTLE TINNY BLIP ON THE DOT.
WHEN I GREW UP EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS. THAT'S ALL THAT WAS THERE.
THE REAL CITIES WERE HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, AND DALLAS. YOU NEVER HEARD ABOUT AUSTIN AND NOW EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT AUSTIN IS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO THINK MORE MACRO THAN SPECIFIC IN COUNTY WIDE. I WAS TALKING TO GAIN THE OTHER DAY ABOUT S SAYING OUT LOUD THE KNOCK IT TO YOU HAS GREAT EVENT SPACE.
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CAN WE PUT AN EVENT OUT THERE AS PART OF SING OUT LOUD? SO I AGREE WITH YOU IT NEEDS TO BE ALL OVER THE COUNTY BUT I THINK IT'S A MUCH MORE MACRO THING THAT THEN TIES INTO DIANA'S MARKETING AND SUSAN'S MARKETING AND JEFF'S MARKETING SO THAT WE'RE ALL SPEAKING FROM THE SAME PAGE WHICH IS SOMETHING I THINK WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR 20 YEARS.SO THAT'S -- THAT WAS MY HOPE AND WHY I WAS TRYING TO DO IT, HAVING THIS EVENT OR THAT EVENT.
I'M TOTALLY FLEXIBLE, THOSE WERE JUST IDEAS TO CREATE THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION.
>> AND LIVING OUTDOORS I WOULD LIKE THAT FOCUS ON ON OUR BEAUTIFUL BEACHES BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR BEACHES WE WOULDN'T BE THE TOURIST DESTINATION OF THE WORLD.
THE HISTORY IS PHENOMENA BUT STILL PEOPLE COME FOR THE BEACHES.
I MEAN, EVERY STUDY COMES OUT AND IT'S THE BEACHES ARE ONE AND HISTORY IS TWO.
SO IN THE LIVING OUTDOORS I WOULD LIKE THAT FOCUS TO BE ON THE BEACHES IS WHERE I WAS TRYING TO GO WITH THAT. SO -- OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I GOT.
>> OTHER COMMENTS. YOU CAN'T HAVE A WORKSHOP IF IF NO ONE WORKS.
>> SO GOING BACK TO THE LIVE SEASONS, AMERICAN LEGACY AND HERITAGE OF THE ARTS, I LIKE YOUR CONCEPT OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEM OVERLAP TO SOME EXTENT, ALL THE FIVE SEASONS BECAUSE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US OR A PART OF EVERY SEASON OF THE YEAR, I THINK, WHAT I SEE LAID OUT HERE ARE MORE THE THINGS THAT ALREADY HAVE A SIGNATURE TO THEM, WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY BEHIND PROMOTING AND THEY ARE KIND OF CONCENTRATED IN A COUPLE OF AREAS AND THERE ARE A LOT OF US THAT ARE IN THE ART CULTURE AND HISTORY AREA OF THIS COUNTY DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT GETTING AS MUCH EXPOSURE BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT DRAW THE BIG CROWD BUT THEY DO DRAW CROWDS OF PEOPLE OF PEOPLE WHO COME FROM OTHER AREAS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PROMOTED THE WAY THAT SAYING OUT LOUD OR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS PROMOTED.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE OVERLAP IN TERMS OF HOW WE PROMOTE THESE THINGS BECAUSE -- OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW. OKAY, SORRY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST ONE, HERITAGE, BLACK HISTORY DOESN'T START WITH JANUARY, FEBRUARY WITH MLK DAY, WE HAVE KWANZAA THAT START AT THE END OF DECEMBER. WE START EMANCIPATION AS PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT IS AN ACTUAL DAY IN HISTORY THAT WE CELE CELEBRATE.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND WE HAVE A FESTIVAL THAT TAKES PLACE THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY SO YOU CAN'T LUMP EVERYTHING IN THE FIRST TWO OR THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR. THEY KIND OF CARRY OUT INTO ALL OF THESE THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST LIKE TO SEE -- IF WE ARE GOING TO PROMOTE SOMETHING IT NEEDS TO BE WHERE EVERYBODY IS INCLUDED NOT JUST A SEASON ALTHOUGH I THINK THE SEASONAL APPROACH IS INTERESTING.
WE ARE JUST NOT AS INCLUSIVE I DON'T THINK -- STILL NOT AS INCLUSIVE AS WE NEED TO BE.
>> GAYLE, I HAVE SOME OF THOSE SAME SENTIMENTS BUT I THOUGHT BEING FOCUSED AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME. YOU AND I SIT ON THE HISTORIC SOCIETY TOGETHER AND I LACK AT THIS, OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THIS BUT WE WILL STILL CONTINUE AND OFFER ANYTHING ELSE AND NOT -- NOT GO AWAY FROM THAT SO I DIDN'T SEE IT AS A DETERRENT BUT I CAN SEE WHERE IT
CAN BE PERCEIVED LIKE THAT. >> YEAH, BUT I THINK WHAT WE WILL DO AS WE GO FORWARD IF WE SELECT THESE FIVE AREAS, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE AREAS OF CONCENTRATION WHERE WE SPEND OUR ADVERTISING TO PROMOTE THOSE AND WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE SOME THINGS OUT AS A RESULT OF THAT.
THAT'S JUST MY INPUT AT THIS POINT. >> GREAT.
OTHER -- OTHER PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? >> YEAH, OKAY.
SO IT SEEMS -- SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS MORE OF A REDDY FIRE AIM APPROACH WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE
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MISSION STATEMENT, THE PURPOSE IN MISSION. IT'S LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO PUT THE MISSION -- WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A LITTLE BLURRY ON THE FIRST PAGE I WAS JUST STARTING OFF THE FIRST PAGE YOU'RE REALLY PUTTING YOUR GOALS IN, YOUR STRATEGIES IN FIRST WITH THE SEASONAL THING, BUT YOU DO HAVE A PURPOSE AND MISSION IN THERE AND THAT IS TO ELEVATE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY IDENTITY, STRENGTHEN ITS DESTINATION BRAND AND DELIVER A CONSISTENT WORLD CAP CLASS EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S WHAT I'M F FOCUSING ON AND I THK THAT'S IN THE PURVIEW OF THE TDC, IS TO FOCUS ON THAT. I AGREE ON THAT FIRST AND THEN COME UP WITH THE STRATEGIES OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE IS YOU'VE GONE AHEAD AND YOU'VE GIVEN US THE STRATEGIES. I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WOULD AGREE ON THE STRATEGIES. I'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD AGREE ON AS FAR AS STRATEGIES. THAT'S, I GUESS, MY FIRST CONCERN. I MEAN, WE ARE NOT REALLY AGREEING AT THE TABLE HERE WHEN I HEAR JOY SAY THE REASONS THEY COME, THE REASON THEY COME IS BECAUSE OF THE BEACHES AND THAT'S NOT EXACTLY -- I CAN'T EVEN GEE WITH THAT. I DO AGREE THAT BEACHES ARE IMPORTANT BUT I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THIS AND I WILL SAY A MILLION TIMES AND TROY HEARD ME SAY.DONOVAN, ECONOMISTS SAYS IT'S THE DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCT THAT COMMANDS THE ECONOMIC PREMIUM.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. WE ARE LOOKING TO LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC PREMIUM AND DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCT IS NOT BEACHES, IT'S HISTORY ON TOP OF BEACHES.
THAT'S WHAT DIFFERENTIATES US AS A PRODUCT THAT WE ARE DELIVERING AND TRYING TO GET ELEVATE THE IDENTITY OF AND STRENGTHEN THE DESTINATION BRAND AND DELIVER THE WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S IT TO ME. I'M NOT SURE I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH A LOT.
THE QUESTION IS, IS IT A VIABLE CONCEPT. THAT WAS THE FIRST QUESTION, IRVING, IS IT A VIABLE CONCEPT. IF YOU ARE JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT, YEAH, IT'S VIABLE, I SUPPOSE, IF YOU CAN WORK OUT ALL THE DETAILS OF, YOU KNOW, HOW TO FIT NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH IN MAY WHICH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND THE STATE HAVE BUILT A WHOLE HISTORY FESTIVAL AROUND IN MAY INTO YOUR AMERICAN LEGACY AND HERITAGE SEASON. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN DO THAT. FOR ME THAT COMES FIRST AND FOREMOST BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CITY, THAT'S -- THAT'S OUR DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCT IS THE HISTORY AND I -- I'VE SAID A LOT HERE BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF ME -- I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
I THINK IT PROBABLY ALL OF THESE THINGS COULD BE WORKED OUT. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, THE ONLY THING GOING FORWARD WOULD BE WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE WE ARE USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND WHO'S ACCOUNTABLE AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROCESS. WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SPENDING, WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPOND, THE COMMISSION OR IS IT US BECAUSE WE JUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BCC AND THAT WOULD -- SO I THINK BOTTOM LINE IT PROBABLY JUST NEEDS A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT, MORE -- MORE THAN JUST THIS HERE, BUT I -- I WILL SAY THIS, I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SPENDING THE TIME AND EFFORT COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS. THIS MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE HIGH-HAND TODAY SAY BUT THERE'S AN AMAZING BOOK THAT I THINK THAT IS INCREDIBLY USEFUL, HAS BEEN A USEFUL TO ME AS DEALING WITH WHAT I CALL ST. AGUSTIN BEING AN EVENTFUL CITY. THE NAME OF THE BOOK IS EVENTFUL CITIES AND IT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO ME IN UNDERSTANDING A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
I APPRECIATE YOUR APPROACH HERE, BUT THE EVENTFUL CITY APPROACH IS THAT WHY ARE YOU BRANDING -- WHAT IS IT -- WHAT IS YOUR GOAL OF BRANDING YOURSELF AND IS THERE A HIGHER PURPOSE TO
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BRANDING YOURSELF? IS IT ORGANIC, IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO -- DO YOU WANT TO BE BRANDED AS EQUITABLE, DIVERSE, MULTICULTURAL CITY, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU CAN GO TO EDINBURGH. THEY USE THEIR WORLD-CLASS FESTIVAL TO BUILD WORLD-CLASS CITY TO BRAND THEMSELVES AS THAT ISH. I SAY ISH.IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I READ THE BOOK. I HAVE AN EXTRA COPY IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BORROW IT. ACTUALLY I HAVE TWO COPIES. I LIKE THAT APPROACH MORE OF USING THESE EVENTS AND THESE SEASONS TO BUILD UP WHAT WE DO BEST AND BUT ALSO TIE IT TO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL IN SOCIETY WITH A DEEPER PURPOSE AND HIGHER PURPOSE THAN JUST TO MAKE MONEY AND BRING -- I MEAN, NOT -- I DON'T MEAN TO SAY IT THAT WAY JUST MAKE MONEY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE MONEY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE MONEY, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY AND WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE SO -- AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO TIE THAT IN. I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, THOUGH, I WANT TO SAY IRVING I THINK YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS AND I KNOW -- I KNOW YOUR HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
YOUR HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE BUT I WILL PROBABLY JUST AGREE ON JUST NOT TOTALLY AGREE WITH,
YOU KNOW, HOW WE ARE DOING IT. >> I THINK WHAT YOU SAID IS QUITE GOOD AND ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE PROCESS AND THE REASON WE ARE HAVING THIS MEETING TODAY AND ACTUALLY IN MY PRESENTATION LAST TIME BUT FOR MAYBE EVERYONE DOESN'T RECALL ALL OF IT, THIS WAS THE STARTING POINT AS AN IDEA TO CREATE CONVERSATION AND THE NEXT PART OF THE PUZZLE WAS DOING OUTREACH MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND MEETING WITH THE MARKETING AGENCIES SO THEY COULD TAKE THE CONCEPT OF WASN'T PERSON SITTING IN THE ROOM AND FLUSH THIS OUT SO THAT IT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE, THESE WERE JUST IDEAS I MADE UP NAMES OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE EFFECTIVE BUT WE'RE PAYING VERY HIGH-END MARKETING AGENCIES TO MARKET THE COUNTY.
WE SHOULD BE USING THEM, NOT ME TO FIGURE OUT THIS OUT THIS IS A STARTING POINT AND WE NEED TO DO THAT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN SUPER OBVIOUS TO ME IS EVERY WEEK THERE'S 10 TO 12 EVENTS IN TOWN AND THEY HAPPEN AND YOU PASS A LITTLE SIGN THAT SAYS TODAY IS BACON FESTIVAL OR WHENEVER, I'M PROBABLY A BAD SAMPLE.
I KNOW THERE WAS -- THERE WAS -- BACON FESTIVAL. I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS.
ANYONE GO? >> I DID. I LOVE BACON.
I LOVE BACON. >> IT NEEDED MORE? BEFORE ARE YOU ANYHOW, MY THOUGHT AND IT'S MORE ON A MARKETING THOUGHT THAN EXECUTION THOUGHT IS IF THE BACON FESTIVAL COULD BE BRANDED WITH ANOTHER HIGHER BRAND THAT'S NOT ST. JOHN'S COUNTY OR ST. AGUSTIN BUT A SUB BRAND LIKE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND WE CAN USE AN EXAMPLE OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.&
>> I CAN ADD ONE THING? WHEN TROY SAID DAYS IN SPAIN IN SEPTEMBER AND I RECALL CELEBRATION BEFORE THE DAYS IN SPAIN, THEY WERE KIND OF AROUND THE SAME -- THEY FOCUSED AROUND THE SAME IDEA AND, OF COURSE, WE HAVE LANDING DAY NOW IN SEPTEMBER, THAT -- I REALLY LIKE BUILDING ON THAT. I LIKE TO SEE FOUNDING DAY BE MORE THAN WHAT IT IS.
IT'S JUST SUCH A ROUGH TIME OF THE YEAR BUT SPEAK OF HURRICANE SEASON.
IT'S JUST TOUGH. I KNOW THAT WE WANT TO BUILD. WE WANT TO BUILD EVENTS THERE IDEALLY BUT I DON'T THINK MOTHER NATURE WANTS US TO BUILD EVENTS THERE IDEALLY SO MAYBE THERE'S SOME -- I DO LIKE. MAYBE NOT THE TIME BUT I DO REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE DAYS IN SPAIN, THEME, MANY, MANY OF THE OLD-TIMERS LOVED IT. I KNOW MY GREAT GRANDFATHER, I
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HAVE PICTURES OF HIM IN THE CELEBRATION BACK IN THE 20'S AND IT WAS SPECTACULAR.IT WAS A SPECTACLE AND BRINGING BACK CROSSING SWORD. PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THAT, OF COURSE, THAT WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING AT NIGHT. THAT WAS ONE THICK WE HAD TO DO AT NIGHT. NOW WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT AND I REALLY LIKE THAT CONCEPT AND I WOULD VERY MUCH SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD ANYTHING THAT WOULD FACILITATE THAT BECAUSE IT FALLS UNDER WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT WHICH IS OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE AND WHAT MAKES US THAT DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCT IN MY MIND. GOOD IDEA.
>> THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO CLARIFY MY STATEMENT ABOUT THE BEACHES BEING FIRST AND THAT'S JUST BY RAW NUMBERS. BELIEVE ME, I WISH THE HISTORY WAS MORE THAN THE 35% THAT WE COLLECT, BUT THE BEACHES COLLECT ABOUT 30% ST. AGUSTIN BEACH AND PONA VIDRA COLLECTS 30% AND OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT COLLECTS 35% SO THAT'S WHERE MY NUMBERS COME FROM. THE BEACHES LIKE I SAID, THEY MIGHT COME AND ARE ATTRACT TODAY THE HISTORY BUT ARE STAYING AT THE BEACHES. I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. I UNDERSTAND.
I THINK THAT THE TWO TOGETHER PACK A VERY POWERFUL PUNCH. >> YEAH.
>> YOU KNOW WHETHER ONE IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER, ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER, MY POINT WAS IT'S SOMETHING THAT DIFFERENTIATES US FROM OTHER BEACH COMMUNITIES AND IT DOES PACK A POWERFUL PUNCH AND I JUST ALWAYS WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION. >> NANTE IS RIGHT BECAUSE THERE'S WHAT, 1140 MILES OF BEACHES IN FLORIDA AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MARKETING CONCEPTS IS UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION AND JUST SAND AND WATER IS NOT VERY UNIQUE IN FLORIDA TO THE REST OF FLORIDA.
NOW FOR SELLING TO CHICAGO RIGHT NOW IT PROBABLY IS QUITE UNIQUE, BUT IF 50% OF OUR BUSINESS COMES FROM FLORIDA SO IT NEEDS TO BE COUPLED WITH OTHER THINGS TO MAKE WHY OUR BEACHES ARE UNIQUE OR WE'RE JUST SELLING AGAINST THE SAME BENEFITS AGAINST WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SO WE HAVE TO BE SMART ABOUT THAT AND THE MARKETING AGENCY WOULD I'M SURE BE ABLE TO ELABORATE A LOT MOR.
THE BEACH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY BUT WE SOMETIMES FORGET THAT WHEN I WAS IN MIAMI BEACH WE HAD THE SAME DISCUSSIONS WHEN I WAS ON FORT T LAUDERDALE WE HAD THE SAME DISCUSSIONS. I'M SURE THE SAME DISCUSSIONS IN PANAMÁ CITY RIGHT NOW AND SO WE NEED TO BE SUPER SMART ABOUT IT AND LEVERAGE WHAT IS OUR UNIQUE PROPOSITIONS TO MAKE OUR BEACHES EVEN THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. YES, MA'AM. WHEREVER.
THAT ONE HAS A GREEN LIGHT SO IT'S PROBABLY GOOD. >> I JUST WANT TODAY SAY AT ONE TIME YOU ALL HAD WHAT I THOUGHT ONE OF THE BEST MARKETING STRATEGIES AND IT WAS 37 MILES OF HISTORY, 37 MILES OF BEACHES AND THE REST IS HISTORY. TO ME IT WAS CLEVER AND THE BILLBOARDS USUALLY HAD MENENDEZ ON IT, BUT JUST 37 MILES OF BEACHES AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
IT WAS BRAG. A HOW LONG ST. JOHN'S COUNTY IS WHEN IT GOES ALL THE WAY TO PONA VIDRA TO FLAGLER COUNTY AND JUST THE GRAB LINE THE REST IS HISTORY WAS TO ME PERFECT.
I WOULD RECOMMEND EVEN GOING BACK TO IT AND AS A WORLD TRAVELER AND SOMEONE THAT SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN EUROPE, TO ME ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS -- AND I'VE BEEN HERE 40 -- GOING ON 46 YEARS NOW AND THE THING THAT ATTRACTED ME, A, SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN BUT B, THE RICH HISTORY AND UNLIKE A LOT OF OUR A -- THERE'S ONLY ONE NATION'S OLDEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT'S ST. AGUSTIN. ONLY ONE AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT AND THE RICH SPANISH HISTORY THAT WAS ALL -- PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT BLACKS CAME OVER ON THE SHIPS WITH MENENDEZ.
HOW MANY SHIPS CAME OVER, THAT THIS WAS NOT JUST A DINK SHIP OF PILGRIMS AND HOW JUST THE DIVERSITY AND I'VE HEARD IT SAID IN A LOT OF WAYS ST. AGUSTIN REPRESENTS WHAT AMERICA BECAME
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BETTER THAN JAMESTOWN AND BOSTON AND ALL THESE OTHER -- WHAT WE THINK OF WILLIAMSBURG, CLASSIC AMERICAN HISTORIC CITIES BECAUSE IT WAS FOUNDED AS A CITY THAT WAS A MELTING POT RIGHT AWAY THAT WERE NOT JUST SPANISH, THEY WERE IOI IRISH, BLACKS ON THE SS AND STARTED MIXING WITH AMERICANS IMMEDIATELY AND KIND OF WHAT AMERICA BECAME, THIS SORT OF -- AND IT REALLY REPRESENTS THAT AND WE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB LEADING UP U TO THE 450TH WITH BANNERS, GRAPHICALLY WELL DONE AND WE WERE FOR THE FIRST TIME STARTING TO DO GET THE ATTENTION OF WHAT EUROPEANS UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN HISTORY. I DO A LOT OF HOME EXCHANGE AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE IN EUROPE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ST. AGUSTIN AND DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S THE OLDEST CITY AND TO ME YOU HAD ONE OF THE BEST CAMPAIGNS.I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH GOING BACK TO IT. IT HIGHLIGHTS WHAT TROY SAYS ABOUT OUR BEACHES. WE'VE GOT 37 MILES OF BEACHES. I KNOW UNTIL I SAW THAT BILLBOARD, IT MADE ME REALIZE WE ARE A LONG COUNTY. THE COUNTY STRETCHES NORTH TO PONA VIDRA AND ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO NAG TO FLAGLER COUNTY AND PRS PLACE AND -- FIRST PLACES AGRICULTURE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE STATE. SO THE HISTORY OF WHAT FLORIDA BECAME BECAUSE WHAT FLAGLER DID AS FAR AS OPENING THE STATE TO TOURISM AND AGRICULTURE STATE, THIS ALL STARTED IN THIS COUNTY SO WE'VE GOT A LOT BUT I AM AMAZED NOW WHEN GOING DOWNTOWN AND I MEET PEOPLE AND I USED TO -- I USED TO BE A TOUR GUIDE AN ALL THAT, SO LIKE I SAID, I'VE SEEN IT ALL. I'M HERE AS SOMEONE THAT LOST HISTORY AND I'M PROUD OF THE HISTORY WE HAVE BUT IT'S GOTTEN SENATORRED ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID AND THE COMEBACK AND ALL THE MARKETING ON IT BEING A STAYCATION AND QUAINT AND THIS AND THAT AND THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND THE FOOD FESTIVALS, THAT'S ALL GREAT BUT PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THIS TOWN AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY THAT'S HERE AND I KNOW IT FROM TALKING TO PEOPLE.
THEY'LL SEE REENACTORS AND SAY WHAT'S WITH THIS AND YOU'RE GOING, BE LIKE SOMETHING IN A MIDDLE OF WILLIAMSBURG AND THEY HEAR FIFE AND DRUMS DOWN THE STREET.
WELL, YOU'RE IN WILLIAMSBURG BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU EXPECT BUT SINCE COVID THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THIS TOWN THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY SEE A SPANISH REENACTOR WALKING AROUND, WHAT HIS CONNECTION IS. THE COLONIAL NIGHT WATCH WHICH USED TO BE THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THIS TOWN IS TOTALLY SMOTHERED, TOTALLY SMOTHERED.
I WENT DOWN THIS YEAR. THE CROWDS OF THE STREETS WERE SO THICK THAT UNTIL THE TORCHES CAME PEOPLE COULDN'T EVEN -- THEY LOVED IT. THEY'RE LIKE, THEIR FACES LIT UP AS SOON AS THEY SEE IT BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS COMING. I WENT UP TO THE -- TO THE CITY GATES TO WATCH THEM COME ACROSS FROM THE PORT AND SOMETIMES PAST OF GARRISON AND MARCHED WITH THEM. THIS YEAR I CAME TO WATCH IT. THERE WAS -- I CAN COUNT A TOTAL OF NINE PEOPLE, NINE PEOPLE OUT OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE THAT NIGHT THAT KNEW THAT THE TORCHLIGHT MARCH WAS COMING AND WERE WAITING UP AT THE CITY GATES LIKE I WAS -- AND THEY ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY HAPPENED TO TALK TO THE REENACTORS IN THE LITTLE COURTYARD THAT MORNING AFTER THE PARADE WHICH IS WHAT BROUGHT THEM TO TOWN AND TO HAVE THE COLONIAL OAK BLARING MUSIC OVER THE FIFE AND DRUMS AND EVERYTHING ON THE STREET WHERE WE CAN'T EVEN FOR 15 MINUTES HAVE THE -- HAVE THE TOWN QUIET SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE A HISTORIC SENSATION, I JUST SAW A THING ON DOCUMENTARY ON WILLIAMSBURG AT CHRISTMAS AND WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR -- YOU KNOW, AND ALL THAT AND THE CROWDS AND WE COULD BE DOING THE SAME THING BUT WE DON'T. IT'S ALL -- IT'S BECOMING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS BECOMING A GIANT CARNIVAL. IT'S -- IT USED TO BE OUTLINING
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WHITE LIGHTS, WHITE LIGHTS ONLY TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BEAUTIFUL SKYLINE, THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS WE HAVE AND NOW -- AND AS A RESIDENT, I LOVE THE FACT, I ENCOURAGE TO STAY OPEN TILL JANUARY BECAUSE AS U LOCAL I LOVE GOING DOWN THERE AND I LOVE DURING FILM FESTIVAL THE LIGHTS WERE UP. I USED TO -- I CAN WALK. I HAVE A 20 MINUTE WALK ON CROWDED NIGHTS I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL. IN THIS YEAR AFTER THE SECOND TIME DOWN, IT'S NOT WORTH WALKING DOWN TO ENJOY ANYMORE BECAUSE IT FEELS LA LIKE A CARNIVAL. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M WALKING IN HISTORIC TOWN ANYMORE.BALLOON, LIGHT NECKLACES AND ALL OF THIS GUNK IS BEING SOLD AND PEOPLE ARE PACKED IN SHOULDER TO SHOULDER. IT'S A GIANT MARDI GRAS PARTY FEELING AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AMERICA'S OLDEST CITY. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BEAUTIFUL UNIQUENESS OF OUR BUILDINGS AND WE HAVE SO MUCH TO SHOWCASE AND I'M TELLING YOU EUROPEANS COME OVER TO SEE REAL HISTORY AND I TELL PEOPLE, THIS IS THE ONE PLACE IN AMERICA THAT COMES CLOSEST TO BEING A EUROPEAN TOWN. IT'S IN THE A EUROPEAN TOWN BUT WE HAVE LAYERED HISTORY.
IT'S CONQUISTADORS, AMERICAN REVOLUTION, CIVIL WAR, THE GILDED AGE, THE 60'S AND THE BLACK CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ALL HERE IN ONE TOWN AND IT'S LAYERED.
WE ARE NOT FROZEN LIKE WILLIAMSBURG IS OR FREDERICKSBURG IS IN CIVIL WAR PERIOD OR COLONIAL PERIOD, WE HAVE 450 YEARS OF AMERICAN HISTORY IN A SMALL TOWN AND WHAT'S INTERESTING AND UNIQUE ABOUT IT IS THAT AMERICA'S OLDEST CITY IS A SMALL TOWN OF ONLY 12,000 PEOPLE. IT NEVER BECAME A BOSTON. EVEN THOUGH IT SITS ON A WATER.
IT NEVER BECAME A NEW YORK AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE SHIPS CAN'T GET IN AND OUT.
MENENDEZ CHOSE IT FOR THAT REASON BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF.
I MEAN, TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S HISTORY, THE FACT THAT THE SPANISH WOMEN KEPT THIS TOWN GOING WHEN IT WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND AND THE PIRATES ATTACKED IT AND EVERYBODY ELSE WOULD BE WILLING TO MOVE ON BECAUSE SPANISH WOMEN OWNED THE PROPERTY AND HAD PROPERTY RIGHTS HERE, THEY MADE SURE WE STAYED. SO THERE IS JUST SO MUCH STORY TO TELL.
IT'S SO UNIQUE AND WE'RE NOT TELLING IT. IT'S ALL ABOUT LIGHTS AND
SELLING CANDY AND ACTIVITIES -- >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT.
>> ANYWAY, YOU HAD A GOOD SLOGAN, CONSIDER GOING BACK TO IT BECAUSE --
>> THANK YOU. >> BECAUSE IT COVERS THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> CAN I JUST PILE ON ONE MORE THING?
>> SURE. >> WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE BEACHES AND HOW IMPORTANT THE BEACHES ARE AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT AND REMIND US THAT THE COASTAL AND MARITIME HISTORY OF ST. AGUSTIN IS VERY IMPORTANT. ST. AGUSTIN WAS ESTABLISHED BECAUSE IT WAS ALONG THE COAST JUST LIKE MELINDA JUST SAID. IT'S OUR MARITIME HISTORY IS IMPORTANT AND SO WE CAN APPRECIATE THE BEACHES AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. >> BETH. >> IT'S INTERESTING THAT OUR SEC BIGGEST ATTRACTION IN ST. AGUSTIN IS THE LIGHTHOUSE, SO --
>> I JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN AND ON BEHALF OF THE BEACHES I LIKE THE IDEA AND I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE MORE BRAND PILLARS RATHER THAN JUST SEASONS. I WORRY ABOUT THE SEASONS LIKE HOLDING US INTO SPECIFIC TIMELINES OF THINGS AND I WORRY ABOUT TIEING IT TOO CLOSELY TO EVENTS AND I THINK THAT'S IN THE MISSION. IT TALKS ABOUT TIEING US ALL TO EVENTS AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT BEACHES AND I THINK ABOUT NATURAL RESOURCES AND LIVING IN THE J J OUTDOORS AND I ALSO WANO ALIGN THAT WHEN THE MARKETING IS NEEDED TO BRING ADDITIONAL TOURISTS IN TO ENJOY THAT SPECIFIC ASPECT AND SO LIKE AUGUST, MAYBE FOR OUT OF STATE TOURISM WORKS FOR THE OUTDOORS BUT FOR IN-STATE TOURISM AUGUST IS BACK TO SCHOOL.
PEOPLE ARE IN THE TRAVELING IN AUGUST IN FLORIDA TO COME HERE FOR A TRIP.
RIGHT, THEY ARE GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS. AND I JUST -- I DON'T KNOW HOW -- I'M THE NEWBIE HERE BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TOURISM, PATTERNS AND NUMBERS WENT TO
[00:40:02]
INFORM SOME OF THESE SEASONS RATHER THAN JUST THE EVENT TIMELINES AND SO I WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A LOT OF DATA ABOUT WHEN WE'RE WANTING TO SPEND MARKETING DOLLARS ON SPECIFIC THINGS TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE CO COUNTY SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY OVERARCHING THOUGHTABOUT IT. >> PART OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE BEACHES ENJOY THEIR HIGHEST BUSINESS LEVELS DOWNTOWN ST. AGUSTIN ENJOYS THEIR LOWEST. THE CONVENTION HOTELS WORKS LIKE PONA VIDRO CLUB OR MARION OR VILLAGE, THEIR BEST TIMES ARE SEPTEMBER THROUGH THANKSGIVING WHEN COMPANIES ARE PLANNING FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND THEN IN TURN IN THE FIRST QUARTER, IN THIS MARKET IT START MID FEBRUARY AND SOUTH FLORIDA IT START ABOUT THE TENTH OF JANUARY BUSINESSES START COMING BUT OUR WEATHER FLIPS THAT AND IT RUNS THROUGH JUNE. SO EACH SEGMENT INSIDE THE SEGMENTS HAVE DIFFERENT CHARACTERCONTRACTCHARACTERISTICH AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE HAVE 250 EVENTS IN TOWN AND I KNOW WHEN GUESTS CHECK OUT OF MY HOTEL AND IT'S IN APRIL WE SAY DON'T FORGET TO COME FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IMAGINE THE POWER OF WE SAYING DON'T FORGET TO COME FOR THE SPANISH CELEBRATION. JUST THAT AS A EVERY PERSON WHO WORKS IN ST. AGUSTIN SAYS THAT, THE GRASS ROOT MARKETING WOULD CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF AN ENTIRE MONTH, SO THAT WAS REALLY THE FIRST STEP AND HOW DO WE TAKE WHAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING IN BRANDING A LOT SMARTER AND HAVING IF YOU CAN -- PEOPLE WILL COME BACK TO A DESTINATION FIVE, SIX TIMES A YEAR AND BUT THEY'LL ONLY DO THAT IF THERE'S REASONS AND IF YOU SELL HISTORY ONLY, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE SENSE OF URGENCY BECAUSE IT'S ALL -- IT'S OLD AND IT WILL BE THERE NEXT YEAR IF I DON'T COME THIS YEAR, SO THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE ON FIGURING THOSE THINGS OUT, SO WE CAN LAYER THINGS TO WHERE THEY'RE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.
IT MAKES EACH EVENT BECOME STRONGER IN THE MARKETPLACE. THAT'S REALLY WHERE I WAS GOING ON ALLOW-BUDGET THOUGHT OF HOW DO WE TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING WHICH IS NOT WELL SITUATED, YOU KNOW, AND I STILL GO BACK AND ALBERT HATES ME EVERY TIME I PICK IT UP, BRING IT UP BUT I STILL CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE DO THE QUELTIC FESTIVAL ON THE WEEKEND OF THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP AND WE GIVE $75,000 TO AN EVENT THAT'S OVER THE BIGGEST EVENT
THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COUNTY. >> WELL, THE PLAYERS MOVED TO THEIR WEEKEND SO IT WASN'T THE KELTIC FESTIVAL. THROUGH THE CHAIR, I THINK YOU HIT THE WORD AND MS. CANTE HIT THE WORD IN LOOKING AT THIS AS LAYERS. I THINK THAT WAS A VERY POWERFUL WORD THAT WE NEED TO DO AND MAYBE OUR MARKETING INSTEAD OF GOING SEASONS YOU NEED TO TASTE ALL THE LAYERS OF ST. AGUSTIN ALL THE WAYS OF ST. JOHN'S COUNTY.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL WORD. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP AND THEN YOU PICKED UP RIGHT ON IT AWAY TOO BECAUSE I THINK WHAT GAYLE WAS SAYING ABOUT THERE'S MORE TO BLACK HISTORY THAN JUST FEBRUARY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT PEOPLE TO TASTE ALL THOSE LAYERS AND I THINK THAT'S -- WE ARE NOT JUST MARKETING FOR THIS SEASON OR THAT SEASON, WE ARE SELLING THEM THE WHOLE CAKE WE -- I THINK THAT'S VERY KEY ON HOW WE MORPHED THIS INTO PLACE AND SUSAN THAT'S WHY YOU GET PAID THE BIG BUCKS THERE AND I WOULD LIKE TO GRAB THIS CONCEPT AND KIND OF MAKE THE WHOLE CAKE WORK TOGETHER AND I THINK THAT WAS A KEYWORD SAYING THE LAYERS LIKE
[00:45:02]
THAT AND THAT KIND OF LIT THE LIGHTBULB FOR ME, SO -- >> THOUGHTS, SUSAN?
PROBABLY GO TO THE GREEN LIGHT. >> WELL, I THINK THAT THE CONVERSATION IS GOOD.
I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT. IT'S A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN IT SOUNDS. I THINK, THOUGH, THAT EVERYONE HAS SOME GREAT IDEAS.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO REALLY LOOK AT IT FROM A NUMBERS PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS WE HAVE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY THAT WILL BE COMING OUT IN A FEW WEEKS. ALSO VISITATION STUDY FOR THE PAST YEAR AND THAT'S GOING TO SHOW US WHAT PEOPLE GRAVITATE TOWARDS. WE KNOW THERE'S CERTAIN ASPECTS THAT THEY COME HERE FOR. WE NEED TO REENGAGE THEM TO COME FOR MORE THINGS AS IRVING MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKING IT A MULTIVISIT FOR ALL THE FAMILIES, THE COUPLES, THE PEOPLE COME HERE. GIVE THEM REASONS. I LIKE THE WORDS LAYER BUT I THINK A BETTER WORD FOR ME IS DIVERSITY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT DIVERSITY OF CHOICES BUT ALSO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO LOOK AT IS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND RESOURCES AND JUSTIFIABLY SO FOCUSED ON THE HISTORIC DISTRICT BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SPREAD THAT OUT. WE HAVE A VERY BIG DIVERSE COUNTY. WE NEED TO BE COVERING PONTE VERDA AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR MESSAGE ASKING CONSISTENT AND HOW DO WE MAKE IT EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT.
ALSO LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS OVER TRAVEL IN THE PAST YEAR I'M REALLY FOCUSED ON A FEW MONTHS OF THE YEAR THAT I THINK WE CAN TURN THE VOLUME UP AND SURPRISINGLY IT'S THE S IT'S THR SEASON AND IF YOU LOOK, GOING INTO OCTOBER.
I KNOW IN SEPTEMBER WE ALL WANT TO KIND OF STAY AWAY FROM, MOTHER NATURE HAS PLAYED CARDS ON US AND TOUGH MONTH NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. BUT OPPORTUNITY IN OCTOBER AND AUGUST AND WE NEED TO FIND WHERE THERE'S AVAILABILITY AND WHERE WE CAN RATCHET UP AND MAYOR I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE COMMENT ABOUT IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT COMMENT, IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY BUT IF I THINK IF WE COULD BE BETTER OF WHERE WE FIND ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND MAYBE TRY TO RELY ON EVENTS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. ALSO IRVING YOU MADE COMMENT ADVERTISING AGENCY. I PUT THEM ON NOTICE. WE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.
WE TALK ONCE A WEEK ABOUT TOPICS. WHEN DIRECTION IS GIVEN, WE WILL PULL THEM IN AND HAVE THEM COME IN. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MEETINGS WE CAN HAVE WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY BUT I THINK IT'S ON ONGOING PROCESS AS JEFF WERE TALKING IN THE AUDIENCE, WE HAVE TO DEVELOP PRODUCT ACROSS THE COUNTY.
IT MAY BE THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND SPACE THERE FOR SING OUT LIGHT.
THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO TAKE TIME OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS SO I THINK IF WE START OUT AND BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IT AND CERTAINLY I'M GOING TO DEFER TO ALL OF YOU AS EXPERTS TO GIVE US THAT DIRECTION OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS WE COULD REALLY SEE A NICE TURNAROUND SO I'M EXCITED AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE HERE. I THINK THAT OUR COUNTY, I ALWAYS SAY IT'S A GREAT TIME TO LIVE AND WORK IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY.
I BELIEVE THAT AND I'M JUST EXCITED THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAVING THE CONVERSATION.
SO HAPPY TO ADD IN ANY OTHER COMMENT WHERE NECESSARY. THANK YOU.
>> OTHER THOUGHTS, JEFF? >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. JUST A COUPLE REAL QUICK THOUGHTS. ONE I LIKE THE IDEA OF SIX WHOLE MONTHS PROMOTING DULLTURE.
I THINK THE GROUPS THAT WE REPRESENT WOULD DIG JANUARY THROUGH JUNE.
BUT I AGREE IT'S WAY MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT. ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS I THINK LIKE SUSAN AND I ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS, DIANNE IS HERE. THE BIG THREE WITH CHAMBER, ALL OF US CAN START THINKING THIS WAY AND SEEING WHAT THEMES WOULD REALLY STICK, I THINK IT'LL HELP IN TERMS OF ACH GRANT FUNDING THAT WAS A REALLY BIG POINT IN HERE.
I THINK THERE'S SOME SUBTLE THINGS WE COULD DO IRVING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STEERING NEW EVENTS ESPECIALLY INTO THE RIGHT TIMES OF YEAR CATEGORIESÚS CLUSTER THEORY.
I EVEN THINK ABOUT SOME OF OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT THAT IS UNDER PURVIEW OF THE CULTURE COUNCIL CONTRACT AND LOOKING AT THAT DIFFERENTLY I THINK COULD BRING THIS INTO FOCUS AS WELL ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE TALK ABOUT IN SEPTEMBER. SO ULTIMATELY, GREAT
[00:50:04]
DISCUSSIONS. WE WILL DO WHAT THIS COMMISSION WANTS US TO DO AND I THINK WE DO HAVE A FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO EVEN MAYBE TEST SOME OF THIS IN THE COMING MONTHS OR YEAR DEPENDING ON WHERE ALL THIS LANDS BUT I'M EXCITED THIS DEEPENS OUR PARTNERSHIPS BUT GAYLE'S POINT ALSO RINGS TRUE AND I THINK ABOUT BLACK HISTORY SPECIFICALLY AND GET A MONTH THERE WHERE EVERYBODY IS THINKING ABOUT. IT WAS HARD ENOUGH. THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THE OTHER 11 MONTHS OF THE YEAR TO REMIND PEOPLE, IF THERE'S ANY MONTH OF THE YEAR THEY SHOULD BE DOING OKAY, I WOULD HOPE IT'S THAT MONTH AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THOSE 11 MONTHS THERE'S FOOT TRAFFIC AS WELL. ALSO CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE FOR THE COUNCIL?>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEIR TWO
CENTS? ISABEL. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD YOU, IRVING, FOR REALLY LOOKING AT THE COUNTY AS APPROACH.
HAVING HOLISTIC APPROACH. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT TOURISM AS A WHOLE, WHAT ARE OUR TOURISM DRIVERS, WHAT ARE CARRYING THE LOAD FOR EVERYBODY ELSE AND OTHER SMALLER ATTRACTIONS OR ASSETS THAT WE HAVE. SO I REALLY LIKE THAT YOU'RE THINKING THAT WAY, THE STRATEGY ITSELF, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION ON WHAT'S THE BEST APPROACH BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT AS A WHOLE FOR THE WHOLE DESTINATION AND HISTORY IS OUR UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION. THERE'S ONLY ONE ST. AGUSTIN AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FORGET EVER THAT BUT THAT DOES NOT STOP US FROM BEING ABLE TO PROMOTE THE OTHER PART OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY AND HAVING HOLISTIC APPROACH OF THE ENTIRE PLACE I THINK IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL FOR US MOVING FORWARD. AND THE TOURISM DRIVERS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING. ANOTHER THING WE ARE FIVE BUSINESSES AWAY TO HAVE THE ENTIRE DESTINATION BEING AUTISM CERTIFIED SO THAT WILL BRING DIVERSITY WE WERE MENTIONING EARLIER BUT IT WILL ALSO BRING A LOT OF EYES TO ST. AGUSTIN AND ST. JOHN'S COUNTY BECAUSE WE WOULD BE THE FIRST IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL IN THE U.S. SO THAT IS ANOTHER ASSET THAT COULD BE PROMOTED AND IS NOT, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL OCCASION, THAT IS A SERVICE AND HOSPITALITY ASSET THAT IS WE BRING TO OUR VISITORS AND COUNTY OF STATE OF FLORIDA DO NOT HAVE. SO THOSE ARE SMALL THINGS THAT WE CAN ADD AND CREATE THIS SCENERY OF WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY AND IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, DIFFICULT TO ALL AGREE NECESSARILY BUT I LOVE THAT WE ALL HAVE IN OUR HEARTS SOMETHING SPECIFIC WE WANT TO DEFEND AND WE WANT TO PROTECT THE HISTORY, THE BEACH.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE ALL ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, TO SPEAK UP UP FOR THAT BUT PUTTING ALTOGETHER IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF THE CHALLENGE BUT I APPLAUD THE ATTENTION THAT YOU'RE DOING, IRVING AND THE CHAMBER HAPPY TO HELP IN PUTTING ANYTHING -- HELPING THINGS TOGETHER, CONTINUING BUILDING ASSETS THAT WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER IN THE PONTE VERDA AREA. IF THERE'S A NEED AND THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
MORE, WE ARE HAPPY TO HELP ANY WAY THAT WE CAN. >> THANK YOU.
>> ISABEL, YOU SAID FIVE BUSINESSES SHORT, WHAT ARE THE BUSINESSES WE ARE LOOKING FOR?
>> WE NEED TWO ATTRACTIONS AND THREE RESTAURANTS. WE HAVE MED OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HOTELS AND THAT'S IT AND WE WILL BE THE FIRST IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
>> SO WE NEED THREE RESTAURANTS AND TWO ATTRACTIONS? >> YES, IF YOU CAN HELP WITH THAT THAT WOULD BE FANSTIC AND I WOULD BE MAKING A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT AND THIS WOULD BE AN ASSET THAT WOULD BE GIVING TO MARKETS AND SO IT WOULD BE ALL THE BCB MARKETING AFTER THAT.
IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO BE MARKETED OR OUR BUSINESSES NEED TO SEE THEIR RETURN INVESTMENTS IN INVESTING IN CERTIFICATION SO THEY NEED TO SEE THAT THEIR BUSINESSES IS MARKETED OUT THERE AS BEING AUTISM CERTIFIED SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE MAINTAINING THIS CERTIFICATION.
>> ALL RIGHT. CAN MY RESTAURANT THAT'S WITHIN MY HOTEL COUNT AS --
>> YES. >> DOES THAT COUNT AS PART OF THE RESTAURANTS?
>> YES. >> LY >> I WILL TALK TO THEM.
>> LY GET ONE CLOSER. >> YOU HAVE BEEN BIG SUPPORTER AND MEETING OUR HOTEL CRITERIA.
ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU. >> DO I HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK?
[00:55:08]
I GUESS NOT. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE TEAM UP HERE?[6. NEXT MEETING DATE – February 23, 2026]
I GUESS WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS OUR NEXT STEP, NOT THAT WE CAN TAKE -- IT'S A WORKSHOP SO THERE'S NOT -- I GUESS WE BRING THIS UP AT THE NEXT GDC MEETING, IS THE APPROPRIATETHING TO DO. >> THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO.
YOU CAN DIRECT STAFF AT THIS MEETING TO POTENTIALLY LOOK INTO SOMETHING ELSE OR TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO THE REGULAR MEETING BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS OUT OF A WORKSHOP,
YOU HAVE -- >> SINCE WE ARE MISSING FOUR OF OUR MEMBERS, PROBABLY THE APPROPRIATE THING IS TO JUST DO AN UPDATE FROM THIS MEETING AT THE NEXT MEETING AND THEN THE NEXT STEP WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE ASSUMING STARTING TO DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN GETTING, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION AND HOW IS THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THAT, IF WE DO THAT THROUGH THE AGENCY OR ONE OF THE TEAM MEMBERS HERE OR STAFF OR WHATEVER IS THE BEST WAY TO DO SOME, YOU KNOW, RESEARCH. I THINK THAT COULD BE DECIDED BY THE BOARD AT THE NEXT MEETING AND WE COULD START MOVING A COUPLE OF FEET FORWARD. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? ALL RIGHTY. ANYT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.