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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-0205 Study Session PACKETCITY OF SHLAND CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION AGENDA Wednesday, February 5, 2003 at 12:00 p.m. Council Chambers, 1175 East Main Street 1. Joint Presentation by Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Chamber of Commerce regarding fiscal review and overview of operations. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Administrator's office at ('541) 488-6002 (TTYphone number 1-800-735-2900). Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title I). ,'.'1 PRESENTATION TO THE ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL February 5,2003 INTRODUCTION Good afternoon. I am Paul Nicholson, Executive Director or the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. With me today is Sandra Slattery, Executive Director of the Ashland Chamber of Commerce. OSF and the Chamber of Commerce appreciate this opportunity to talk with you. Over the last seven, we have not met with members of the City Council or Budget Committee to discuss the results of the investment the City makes in tourism promotion. Given the impact the Chamber and the Festival have on the economic well-being of Ashland, it seems only proper that we should talk together. Our presentation today is broken down into a number of parts. 1. Sandra will give a brief history of the City's support for our two organizations, referring to the share of the Hotel/Motel tax. She will also talk about the impact of that tax, together with the Food and Beverage tax on the City's economic well- being. 2. I will then talk about OSF's tourism promotion activities and results, its economic impact and its financial position. I would also like to bring you up-to-date with some details of the Festival's role in the Community and its commitment to diversity. 3. Sandra will then talk about the Chamber's tourism promotion activities and results. 4. Two speakers, Ken Albers and Laurie Gibbs, will talk about the impact of the City's funding on their work and lives in Ashland. 5. And finally, I will make some concluding remarks. This presentation should take about 40 minutes, which will give us plenty of time for questions and discussion. SANDRA Tourism-Related Taxes Hotel/Motel Tax Food and Beverage Tax Total Taxes (2001/2002) (2001/2002) $1,168,000 $1,268,000 $2,436,000 PA UL 2002 RESULTS · In 2002 we presented 11 plays, for a total of 794 performances. · 2002 attendance was largest in OSF history -- 399,609 tickets, or 88 percent of capacity. · In 2002 new accounts increased over the previous season by 19.3%. · A total of 58,096 tickets in 2002 went to visitors new to OSF. TOURISM SALES AND PROMOTION · We printed and distributed 550,000 copies of the full-color 2003 season brochure. · We paid for display ads in major newspapers in the Bay Area, Sacramento, Portland and Seattle. · With the Ashland Chamber, OSF has supported co-op ads in Sunset magazine. · Public radio sponsorship ads will run on OPB and JPR. · Through its website, OSF links to lodgings, restaurants and other Southern Oregon attractions. HOSPITALITY AND SPECIAL EVENTS · We represented Ashland at trade shows from Los Angeles to Canada. · OSF twice hosted the Ashland Greeters to give local businesses a sense of what is happening at the Festival. · OSF hosted two brownbag lunches each year with Artistic Director, Libby Appel, to give people in the local hospitality industry a deeper knowledge of the season's plays. X MEDIA RELATIONS · OSF continues to build relationships with West Coast reviewers and writers. · We obtained strong West Coast media coverage of the opening of the New Theatre, e.g., Sunset. · Hosted Don Shirley from the Los Angeles Times and Wendell Brock of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for the first time. · Other coverage in 2002 included articles and mentions in Travel & Leisure, Fodor's Guide, Rough Guide, New York Times, Alaska Airlines Magazine, Nuvo (Canada), Back Stage West and American Theatre. · In 2003, OSF anticipates welcoming for the first time Time magazine, the London Times, the Guardian (London) and Die Welt (Germany). · In 2003 National Public Radio will create a special nationwide program on OSF. · OSF will spend over $600,000 in marketing in FY2003. NEW TECHNOLOGY · OSF now has one of the most comprehensive electronic press kits in the country. · OSF has developed a comprehensive video pitch reel that is delivered to select national, and all west coast, television stations for both spring and summer openings. OSF IN THE COMMUNITY · The past year saw the continuation of OSF's active participation in our community. · We are especially proud of the success of the third year of the new Ashland Schools Project. In 2002 213 freshmen participated at the high school, 729 students at the middle school, and 540 students at the elementary schools. · In 2002, 666 local residents were active volunteers at OSF, contributing in excess of 30,000 hours of service. OSF's DIVERSITY EFFORTS · In recent years one of OSF's key initiatives has been creating greater diversity in our staff and audience. · Today, more than 25% of the acting company are people of color. · During the last five years, the Festival has undertaken diversity training for its staff. · In 2002, we encouraged other institutions to join us in addressing the issue of diversity - two diversity workshops were held. ECONOMIC IMPACT Explain table OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ECONOMIC IMPACT - 2002 Total Ticket Sales for the Year % of Patrons who are Visitors % of Visitors Who Travel Specifically to Attend the Plays Average Number of Plays Seen Average Number of Days Stayed Average Daily Expenditure for Visitors (excluding theatre tickets) Total Expenditures for Visitors Festival's Budgeted Expenditures for the Year Total Direct Impact Oregon Multiplier 399,609 86% 88% 3.5 3.2 $93.75 $25,564,000 $19,030,200 $44,594,200 2.9 Total Economic Impact of Festival Operations $129,323,300 Explain Taxes Tourism-Related Taxes Hotel/Motel Tax (2001/2002) Food and Beverage Tax (2001/2002) Total Taxes OSF Patron share of Hotel/Motel Tax OSF Patron share of Food and Beverage Tax 50% Total OSF Impact on City Taxes $1,168,000 $1,268,200 $2,436,000 $817,600 $634,OOO $1,451,600 OSF FINANCES Budget details Operating Expenses $20.3m Operating Expenses Earned Income Earnings Gap 2002 Actual $19,092,872 14,821,465 (4,271,407) 4,276,239 4,832 Contributed Income Addition to Reserves 75% salaries 2003 Variance Budget $20,327,100 6.5% 15,726,900 6.1% 7.7% (4,600,200) 4,600,200 7.6% Ten Year History Attendance - slowdown in growth /need to replace audience members lost through attrition (15%-20% each year) Actual Gains/Deficits Gains/Deficitis without City Support That is the end of my report. Thank you for listening. And now I'm glad to hand over to SANDRA SLA TTER Y ARNE GREEN Executive Director of Community Works LA URIE GIBBS Owner of Winchester Inn and Restaurant KEN ALBER$ Actor and Director with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival PA UL CONCLUSION These are uncertain times. The economy is sagging. The threats of terrorism are ever present. War is imminent. We have just experienced another national tragedy. Arts organizations across the country are facing severe shortfalls in attendance and contributions. They are dealing with this by cutting performances, in some cases, like the San Francisco Opera, by as much as 25%. At OSF, we are also seeing a reduction in the level of both ticket sales and contributions for 2003. Txventy years ago, in the early 80's, Ashland faced a similar economy. The far-sighted Council at that time recognized the importance of the Festival and the Chamber in creating a strong cultural and economic base. The made an investment in these two organizations, an investment that has paid, and continues to pay, huge dividends for the citizens of Ashland. Tourism is clearly an economic engine for Ashland, but we must recognize that the engine needs to be continually fueled. Without the ongoing refueling, our tourism will decline. We must replace the 15-20% audience attrition each year. The funding of OSF and the Chamber is not about growth, it's about sustaining what we have. The financial health of OSF and the Chamber are crucial to the continued prosperity of Ashland. Although OSF has considerable financial stability, we can readily see how vulnerable the Festival really is. Without the City's support, the Festival would have experienced deficits in seven of the last ten years. It is also important to note that the City's funding is a vital part of the Festival's contributed income strategy. Demonstrating City support is crucial when we go out to Foundations and corporations, asking them for grants. It matters to them that the City supports the Festival. We appreciate the opportunity to share our stoW today. We applaud the commitment of those far-sighted members of past City Councils who recognized the value of tourism, that the City should invest in it, and that in doing so, the City would reap significant benefits. Tourism is the lifeblood of this community. We ask you to retain the existing funding formula and ensure our ability to continue creating economic health for Ashland. And now we would be glad to answer your questions. January 28, 2003 Ashland City Council City Hall Ashland, OR 97520 Oregon Shakespeare Festival ~5 South Pioneer Street Ashland, OR 9752c, 541 482 2111 54~ 482 o446.fax 541 482 4331 box office www. osfashland.org Re: Report for Resolution No. 2000-25, due January_ 31, 2003 Dear Council Members: On behalf of the Festival Board, staff and audience, thank you for the City's $108,640 Economic and Cultura! DeVelopment grant for 2002-03. I am pleased to report that the Festival's 2002 season saw the largest attendance in OSF history -- 399,609 tickets, or 88 percent of capacity. Additionally in 2002, the Festival increased its new accounts over the previous season by 19.3%; a total of 58,096 tickets in 2002 went to visitors new to OSF. The 2003 season is looking equally promising with four world premieres that will draw unprecedented national and international press. OSF anticipates welcoming for the first time Time magazine, the London Times, the Guardian (London) and Die Welt (Germany). In addition, National Public Radio will create a special nationwide program on OSF. Promoting Tourism in 2003 OSF will spend over $600,000 in marketing in FY2003. The following are among the actions already taken, or to be taken, toward the goals outlined by the Economic and Cultural Development Committee, specifically Goal 3(b), "To promote tourism." TOURISM SALES Season brochure. 550,000 copies of the full-color 2003 season brochure have been distributed nationally and internationally to OSF's mailing list of individual ticket buyers, members, schools and universities, businesses and corporations, government agencies, to media contacts, tourist and business locations throughout Oregon, and to trade shows in Japan, Germany, England and Switzerland. Advertising. OSF has placed and will continue to place display ads in major newspapers in the Bay Area, Sacramento, Portland and Seattle. Public radio sponsorship ads will run on OPB and JPR, reaching the entire state of Oregon with information on OSF's upcoming world premieres. Together with the Ashland Chamber, OSF has supported co-op ads in Sunset magazine. Additionally, through OSF Report January 28, 2003 Page 2 of 4 its website, www.osfashland.org, OSF links to lodgings, restaurants and other Southern Oregon attractions. HOSPITALITY AND SPECIAL EVENTS Trade shows. OSF has partnered with the Ashland Chamber at trade shows from Los Angeles to Canada. OSF regularly participates in the Ashland Hospitality Showcase and contributes staff support to the Ashland Visitors and Convention Bureau. Communication and training. OSF actively participates in, and regularly hosts, the Ashland Greeters to thoroughly inform community leaders about pertinent visitor information. Additionally, OSF hosts two brownbag lunches a year at which Artistic Director Libby Appel shares insights on the season's plays with members of the hospitality community. These talks are now videotaped and broadcast throughout the season by community access television stations from San Diego to Seattle. MEDIA RELATIONS New Theatre. OSF continues to maintain relationships and build new ones with reviewers and writers up and down the West Coast, particularly Oregon and California, where more than 80% of OSF patrons reside. The opening of the New Theatre in March 2002 resulted in strong West Coast media coverage of that event, including a spread in Sunset. OSF also hosted for the first time Don Shirley from the Los Angeles Times and Wendell Brock of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Other coverage in 2002 included articles and mentions in Travel & Leisure, Fodor's Guide, Rough Guide, New York Times, Alaska Airlines Magazine, Nuvo (Canada), Back Stage West and American Theatre. New technology. Over the past year OSF has developed one of the most comprehensive electronic press kits used by any theatre in the country. The significant increase in national media coverage about OSF in 2002 was in large part due to the ease of access to high-resolution images through OSF's secure electronic press kit. The photo from Macbeth that appeared in the New York Timesin early summer 2002 is one example. In addition, OSF has developed a comprehensive video pitch reel that is delivered to select national, and all west coast, television stations for both spring and summer openings. These pitch reels contain digital footage of OSF productions as well as extensive establishing shots of Ashland. This stock footage is used by television stations when doing both theatre and non-theatre stories on our region. OSF in the Community The past year also saw the continuation of OSF's active participation in our community, through Festival programs and in community work by company members. We are especially proud of the success of the third year of the new Ashland Schools Project, in which the OSF Education Department, and specifically a team of two OSF actor-teachers, works with 3rd- through 9th- graders in the Ashland School District. During the past year, 213 freshmen participated at OSF Report January 28, 2003 Page 3 of 4 the high school, 729 students at the middle school, and 540 students at the elementary schools. The program began in Fall 2002 with all AHS freshmen English students attending Julius Caesar. Before seeing the show, the students had a preparatory session with an OSF actor- teacher. Afterwards, a Julius Caesar cast member visited each class for a followup discussion. At the middle school, the actor-teachers performed a 30-minute version of Julius Caesar for all 6th-sth graders. Half the 7th- and 8th-graders then took a backstage tour, while the other half visited with OSF artisans. This year, the two groups will rotate. At the elementary schools, the actor-teachers performed their Julius Caesar for 3rd- through 5th graders, then visited each 5th-grade class with a tnmk full of costume renderings, fabric swatches, set designs ~ nd photos of past productions to use in discussing Julius Caesar with the students. Volunteer participation by Ashland residents also reflects OSF's connection to the community. In 2002, 666 local residents were active volunteers at OSF, contributing in excess of 30,000 hours of service. OSF's Diversity Efforts In recent years one of OSF's key initiatives has been creating greater diversity in our staff and audience. We have seen dramatic success in some areas. Today, more than 25% of the acting company are people of color and the Festival offers more employment to actors of color than any other theatre in America. In other areas the pace of change is much slower. About 6% of our production and administrative staff are minorities, and we continue to work to raise that proportion. In addition, the Festival now employs an audience development manager whose focus is developing programs to increase the number of people of color in our audience. For the last five years, the Festival has undertaken diversity training for its staff. In 2002, we took a leadership position within the City to encourage other institutions to join us in addressing the issue of diversity. After an initial planning session, two diversity workshops were held with representatives from the Ashland Police and Fire departments, Southern Oregon University, Ashland Community Hospital, the City Council and staff, religious organizations, the Chamber of Commerce and Community Works. The next workshop is scheduled for March 6. We are hopeful these efforts will lead to a greater citywide awareness and appreciation of the benefits of diversity. Economic Impact The Festival's economic impact on Ashland and Southern Oregon exceeded $129 million* in 2002. Beyond this economic impact, the City received $1,168,000 from the Hotel/Motel tax in 2001/2002 and $1,268,000 from the Food and Beverage tax. OSF's activities are a major OSF Report January 28, 2003 Page 4 of 4 factor in the generation of these taxes. * 88,496 OSF visitors multiplied by average 3-night stay multiplied by $96.29 average daily expenditures (excluding theatre tickets) = $25,564,048. $25,564,048 plus OSF expenditures of $19,030,187 multiplied by Oregon multiplier of 2.9 = $129,323,300. Conclusion Over the past twenty-two years, the Ashland City Council's commitment to investing in the promotion of tourism through the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Ashland Chamber of Commerce has paid off handsomely. Through that investment, the City has helped build a powerful economic and cultural engine that has created a stable base of funding for many City activities. At a time when other theatres and other cities are facing severe deficits and cutbacks, we are seeing continued interest in Ashland and the Festival, in large part because of concerted cooperation between the two. This is clearly a time when the support of the Council is crucial to the ongoing health of both the Festival and the City - two entities that have been linked for almost seventy years. Again, thank you very much for your support. We are grateful to be the recipient of an Economic and Cultural Development grant this year and look forward to your continued funding. Sincerely, Ore~ Shakespeare Festival Paul E. Nicholson ~ · Executive Director A~hla~d (~hamioer o[ Commerce January 29, 2003 Mayor Alan DeBoer City Of Ashland Ashland, OR 97520 Dear Alan, The Ashland Chamber of Commerce respectfully submits our annual report to the City of Ashland. In these particularly challenging times, we are proud of the partnerships we have formed through the years in particular with the City of Ashland. Due to our special relationship, we have become a model for other communities to emulate. With state economic resources strained and the national picture uncertain, it is more important than ever to support our local business development. The City of Ashland has shown great foresight in laying this groundwork many years ago. We are proud to be the marketing arm for the City. As you review this report, know that for every dollar spent in promoting Ashland and supporting the Chamber, there is a significant return on investment. As one of Oregon's major growth industries and integral to The Oregon Business Plan, tourism generates direct spending and local and state tax revenues. In addition, the Ashland Chamber is the primary resource for business education, recruitment and retention which we will detail in full in the following pages. Our mission has always been to improve the economic health of our community while maintaining our quality of life. As always, we look forward to working with you in making Ashland a great place to live and do business. Sandr or Dana Welsh, President llo East Main Street · P.O. Box136o · Ashland, Oregon 97520-0046 (541) 482-3486, ext 15 · (541) 482-235o, fax www. a s h la ndcha m be r. com Ashland Chamber of Commerce Annual Grant Report January 2003 The Ashland Chamber of Commerce is the marketing arm for the City of Ashland and has been for over 20 years. The Chamber's mission "to advance the welfare and prosperity of the City of Ashland and the region" is accomplished by working coilaboratively in three major areas. · Promoting tourism through our programs, events, and publicity which brings in new money to the City · Servicing our visitors through our office, Plaza Information Booth and website which makes them want to remm · Assisting businesses through workshops, demographic compilation, committee participation, networking and legislative activihes which help businesses prosper "The mission of the Visitor and Convention Bureau is to promote year- round visitor stays with an emphasis on enhancing visitor traffic in our shoulder seasons primarily fall, winter and spring." Our positioning statement for marketing is: "Ashland is a hospitable small picturesque town with world-class culture and amenities. Set in the foothills of the Siskiyou mountains, it is the center for theater, arts, recreational activities, and fine dining in Southern Oregon." "Ashland Live small, play big". PROMOTION MARKETING SYNERGY In & About Ashland: Still our most popular response piece for visitor inquiries. Last year we printed 70,000 of these guides as people sought safe, culturally diverse and interesting destinations to vacation, by themselves, with friends or with their families. Inquiries come monthly from over 12,000 telephone calls, (which does not include the calls we receive as the coordinating agency for Meals on Wheels), over 10,000 visits per month to our website, 18,400 visits to our office, and in the summer, the Plaza Information Booth, serves 28,000 visitors, trade and travel show participation-each a direct result of our marketing efforts. Staff plays a vital role in generating these leads by developing relationships with potential members (Greeters) sustaining those relationships, and through participation in many other activities. Four Seasons Brochure- a popular companion piece distributed from our office, to merchants and lodging facilities to "tease" what events and activities take place in Ashland all year. We include Calendar of Event rack cards (a brainstorm of an idea by Local & Regional Marketing Committee) to further educate visitors and residents alike to upcoming activities. We are in process of redesigning the piece to further integrate our marketing efforts. Calendar of Events-poster and rack card Distributed to merchants, restaurants and lodging facilities throughout Ashland highlighting upcoming events. As the central receiving house of information even if it isn't related to "entertainment" events chances are the Chamber will know about it or find the answer for any inquiring mind. Newsletter: We produce a monthly newsletter with pertinent articles about what's happening in Ashland. Topics vary broadly as do the interests and issues that are important to our members. Last year we started a popular feature called "Member News" which is designed to let folks know what is new and interesting with members of the Chamber. Living & Doing Business Guide: Of all the publications we work on this is the one we are most proud of. Ashland, though primarily dependent on tourism, for its economic viability, is a diverse town with many resources to be touted. We are fortunate to have a wonderful University, the hospital and many other businesses not directly related to tourism. We publish this guide as a business/member resource and use it to attract new business to the area by highlighting the various attributes of our community. Living & Doing Business requires many hours of updating editorial and researching demographics and business trends. Membership Marketing Packet: New! Designed to be used for presentations to new members, new businesses, new residents, business leaders, potential sponsors and travel writers, our packet includes our mission statement, member benefits, chamber advertising opportunities, information about the board of directors and staff, Chamber committees and a membership application. It is in a beautifully designed cover with room for publications and business cards. Energy Guide: Produced with a grant from the City and revenue generated from advertisers this guide is sent to all residents and businesses of Ashland to encourage sustainability, and preserve resources in the City of Ashland. VISITOR SERVICES Visitor services are highly labor intensive due to the immediate needs of the travel industry. To meet increasing demand and to better accommodate our visitor and residents alike, we hope to expand Chamber and Information Booth hours as well as possibly partnering with other visitor related organizations to be the complete resource center for our area. Web Site: Our roll out of the new www. ashlandchamber, com web site has met with much success. Designed to be easier to navigate, utilizing the same GIB (government in a box) system that the City of Ashland is currently using the site has four dedicated sections: Visit-Local- Member-Relocate. With thoughts of total integration in our marketing efforts, the site reflects our publications and our publications reflect the website. More and more members are taking advantage of our link and banner program due to the high volume of traffic we receive monthly. Ashland Fiber Network (AFN): The year 2002 saw a small but important differences in our lobby design. We installed a flat screen monitor hooked to the City's high speed Internet access and it has provided much interest from visitors to our office. It is very helpful with weather related difficulties and crisis situations. Other technology related improvements made in the Chamber office include a new scanner and computer to completely update our photo library for use with travel writers, group tour leaders, historians, journalists and members. OTHER SERVICES Many hours of staff time are used to work with travel writers, conference and convention planners, the Oregon Film Office, attending tourism conventions, maintaining regional and state involvement through memberships and participation in marketing and legislative efforts. Travel Writers: It seems that each year Ashland receives attention from different publications that are inquiring about the success of our town. Last year Ashland was featured in a wide array of local, regional and national publications. Because writers usually work on a tight deadline they often need immediate assistance with lodging, dining, attractions, transportation and setting up interviews. Some of the press we received last year included Sunset, Bon Appetit, AAA's Via Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Modem Maturity and more. We maintain a photo file for their use and this year we were able to ramp up our digital photo library for use in publications and the documentation of the history of Ashland. We also work with the Oregon Film Office, scouting locations and helping with local crew needs. We have had several small independent movies made in Ashland in the last several years. The benefits of working closely with this industry is the short tern but significant boon to the local economy. Conventions: Staff attendance at tourism related conventions and participation on visitor related committees throughout the state and nationally help promote Ashland in the most positive light. This year Mary Pat Parker and board member, Eric Weisinger agreed to be on the Culinary Tourism Task Force for the state. Watch for this to be a huge trend and attention getter in the coming years. Keep in mind that 100% of visitors eat out. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful and diverse dining opportunities in town of our size. Group Tour business is a vital component of our marketing efforts. Through membership and participation in the annual NTA (National Tour Association) Convention, we work to secure group business from all over North America. We also act as hosts to various conference and conventions brought to Ashland. Memberships: Mary Pat Parker has just completed her second year as the County Chair on the Board for SOVA ( Southern Oregon Visitor Association) whose primary focus is to cooperatively market all of Southern Oregon. We participate in various marketing opportunities that we would not be able to fund separately. Last fall SOVA members participated in the BRAVO Trade Show, targeted to meeting planners from all over Oregon. This one day event generated many leads for future business. We also maintain memberships in OACVB ( Oregon Association of Visitor & Convention Bureaus) which hosted its Annual Conference in Ashland in June of 2002. We maintain membership in OCE ( Oregon Chamber Executives). Both organizations are valuable for their exposure and educational opportunities as well as for their involvement in critical legislative issues. Last year Sandra Slattery was appointed by Mayor Alan DeBoer to represent Ashland on the board of SOREDI ( Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development). They are currently working on developing a regional marketing plan for Southern Oregon. We also work closely with the Oregon Tourism Commission on a variety of issues. Last year Mary Pat Parker in addition to serving on the State Publication Task Force, was instrumental in opening the temporary welcome center in a new temporary location. We also participated in several cooperative marketing efforts with OTC to make sure Ashland and Southern Oregon are well represented. Festival of Light: It is hard to believe that this tradition is now ten years old. We have been very fortunate with weather and this year the crowd was dazzled by not only the parade entries but the entertainment on the Plaza Stage immediately following the Grand Illumination. For the second year entertainment on the Plaza began mid afternoon and adds a great deal to the overall festive atmosphere of town. Another innovation this year was the addition of the New Theater for Santa's workshop after the parade. Santa's workshop truly glittered with the tree from A Winters Tale glowing in the background. Fourth of July: This perennial event takes almost a year to plan, coordinate and produce, it is the biggest celebration of the year. Hundreds of volunteers, lots of heart hard work, and fundraising all go into this grand daddy of them all parade. The partnerships over the years with SOU, Ashland Police and Fire Departments, Street Department, Parks and Recreation, RVTD, and many private organizations have proven invaluable in providing a full day of fun and enjoyment to thousands who attend our small town event. The Chamber Staff is heavily involved in all aspects of the day. Other Events: The Chamber spends a great deal of stafftime helping other groups host successful events in our community. Last spring the Chamber hosted the Oregon Association of Visitor and Convention Bureaus conference at the Ashland Springs Hotel and it was a rousing success. We greeted the Eugene/Springfield ambassador organization when they were in town, to see an Oregon Shakespeare Festival play. The Medford Chamber requested our assistance in networking to promote the valley a future state convention site for the Oregon group. We were successful and the 2004 state convention will be held in the Medford/Ashland area. ASSISTING BUSINESS PROGRAMS & COMMITTEES Business Development: Winding up "The Year of the Customer" with a two day Technology Workshop, we were fortunate to secure two world class speakers to bring a new dimension to our final educational seminar and training session in this series. Partnering with Southern Oregon University, the Daily Tidings and Ashland Community Hospital, we were able to bring Eric Aebi from Ethos Hospitality to conduct customer Service Training, Rhonda Abrams for Marketing and are looking forward to Pam Tolliver for the headline speaker in our upcoming two day event. We are also fortunate to have secured some very talented teachers for the individual workshops. Each event has been designed to help our small businesses with their success. Legislative: Last fall we partnered with Southern Oregon University, the Ashland Daily Tidings and Ashland Community Hospital to bring together three forums, that introduced City Council, Parks, County Commissioners and State Senate candidates as well as a Ballot Measure 23 Pro & Con debate to the public. We co-sponsor these events to educate voters and increase voter turnout. The Chamber of Commerce and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival have partnered once again to bring weekly legislative hot lines, via telephone, with our legislators during session to insure a dialogue with our elected representatives in Salem. Local & Regional Marketing: Comprised of members from lodging, dining and retail sectors of our economy each year this group endeavors to bring new businesses to Ashland by creating new marketing ideas for member participation. This year the committee decided to begin a new tradition: "The Holiday Open House". Instructions and a flier about participation went out the first of December and was advertised in print. The idea is to have as many merchants stay open and do something special for one big night each season to generate business and increase the holiday feeling with shoppers, and diners. In addition they voted to continue the "winter fairy" commercial for one more year and placed ad about the Candlelight Tour of Homes in the Tidings and Mail Tribune. A beautiful holiday ad was placed in Sunset and we were fortunate to have a picture of town appear in December's Bon Appetit. TRAINING & EDUCATION HOSPITALITY SHOWCASE Each year the Ashland Chamber of Commerce holds an event to educate front line staff, conducted through the Visitor & Convention Bureau committee of the Chamber to showcase attractions, lodging, dining and retail establishments to our best ambassadors the employees of these establishments. Although this program has a small budget we have found it a very valuable tool to promote customer service in Ashland. Year after year, we hear how friendly the people are in Ashland. We think that this is due in large part to the pride and ownership people feel once they have experienced a product or can speak intelligently to a question about an attraction or a facility. Studies show when visitors and citizens receive good service they are more likely to return. In addition we hold an annual training session to our 80 plus kiosk volunteers that staff our Plaza Information Booth. For the coming year, we are looking forward to including some great classes in conjunction with the Hospitality Trade Show. SISKIYOU WELCOME CENTER/SAFETY REST AREA In May of 2002, the Ashland Chamber once again stepped in to secure a sight for the temporary Welcome Center. Previously the Welcome Center staff shared office space with the US Forest Service. Due to their budgetary constraints, they are having to downsize and remodel that location. Due to internal issues, we were not able to reopen in that office space. So the Ashland Chamber and the Oregon Tourism Commission went to work on other options. In May of 2002, a trailer was installed in the parking lot of the US Forest Service Office. Visitor traffic dropped dramatically to the Welcome Center when it was moved from the summit in 1996. Since that time traffic has slowly edged its' way back up, so it was critical to take advantage of current signage and not loose any more potential traveler revenue. Studies have shown that for every dollar spent operating a Welcome Center more than three dollars are returned to the general fund. COMMUNITY ISSUES & PUBLIC EDUCATION The Ashland Chamber gets involved when areas of concern present themselves that have long term impact on our economy and require board based participation and involvement. Most of these issues are vital and time consuming due to their complexity. We have done and will continue to do research on issues, coordinate Community Issues Forums and advocate legislatively where and when necessary. Last year some of the issues that were on the table were: Road construction, the Siskiyou Welcome Center. the devastating wild fires, elections and the economy. TRAFFIC SAFETY Last year we had a pedestrian fatality, which has lead to board member Pam Hammond being named to the Traffic & Safety Committee through the City. After much discussion the Chamber Board has decided, we should help with the educational component in conjunction with the City to raise the awareness of pedestrians and motorists to insure greater safety for everyone. We currently have and have had over the last year many road construction and safety projects in town and we are happy to assist with communication in any way we can. We have plans of producing a comprehensive stand alone map incorporating walking ,biking. parking and public transportation routes. Last year when water became a very big issue in Ashland we helped produce door hangers and placards for lodging and dining facilities to reduce water use.